What are your thoughts on Bruce Lee's synthesis known as Jeet Kune Do?

Question

I use the term synthesis because Bruce Lee did not intend for JKD to be a martial art. But you know what I mean.

Answer 1

The real jkd died with Bruce. I think it was still an incomplete system when he died. Jkd worked for Bruce, but might now work for everyone. All the jkd schools you see now teach something completely different. They teach jkd concepts. Which can be their idea or interpretation of jkd. It has nothing to do with Bruce Lee except for the letters jkd. People are making money off Bruce 35 years after he died. If you want real jkd, you will probably have to look to one of Lee's original students, but some of them have modified the art as well. In my opinio Jkd died July 20, 1973.

Answer 2

I like the fact that Bruce was so dedictated to finding out what works in a real fight and what doesn't. He has inspired so many people after him who are dedictated toward improving the science of fighting. Bruce refused to be limited by traditional styles as he knew full well that sticking to any one style or philosophy was detrimental to the person studying it.

Answer 3

It was the slap upside the head that traditional martial arts needed.  My only criticism is that he did away with forms.  To me, that's like learning to play the piano without scales.  

I also don't think Jeet Kune Do means getting orange,  yellow or green belts in 12 different styles.

Answer 4

Bruce did not compete in martial arts tournaments, so he and his style are unproven, as Joe Lewis said in "Black Belt" mag recently. I developed my own style, so I see no reason the study Jit Kun Do. I have read about it, and I see nothing to be gained by studying it in addition to the many Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Tibetian styles I have already studied. Hung Gar is a better eclectic style, and so is my own Wu Da Wu Shu. I am not Bruce Lee, so his style is not mine. I advise each person to study several styles and to combine the moves from each that work best for him...just as Bruce, Hung Sifu and I all did.

Answer 5

Synthesis or concept is correct.  Jun Fan Jeet Kun Do is supposed to be an expression of the individual, not a "form" or "style".  

Bruce Lee's real art was to take the best parts of martial arts and strip away all that wasn't useful to him.  He studied fencing, western boxing, kali, grappling, and of course Wing Chun Kung Fu.  As you can see in his later writing and interviews, he was constantly evolving the expression of JKD...that's why there are no forms, only concepts.  

Even though he was an amazing Wing Chun practicioner, he realized that it wouldn't work against bigger, stronger opponents when he got to America.  So he started to evolve rapidly at that point.  The end result is that everyone should utilize JDK concepts a little differently...

I believe that it's the first "mixed martial art" to really consider the proper technique based on the situation you are faced with, rather than trying to create a situation wherein you can use your technique.

That's my 2 cents

Answer 6

An incomplete art. Based roughly on Wing Chun Kung Fu.

A way for his family to capitalize on his fame long after his death.

Answer 7

I think it's more of a philosophy than a fighting art.  A lot of instructors just seem to take a bunch of fighting styles/teqhniques, blend them, and then call them Jeet Kune Do.