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JKD >> Who is your favourite JKD author?
| 12/10/08 9:22 PM | |
dantheman
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 1396 |
I recently dug out all my old martial arts magazines and I am really enjoying Burton Richardson's column from Inside Kung Fu and also any and all of Paul Vunak's articles. I also recently picked up The Straight Lead by Teri Tom. It's a really good book on the technique that is considered the foundation of JKD. In some of those old magazines are interviews with 1st generation students and they all acknowledge Dan Inosanto's contributions. There is comment sonewhere on this forum that said Dan was forced to stop using the name JKD? Has he been ostracized from the Bruce Lee Foundation or something? In my opinion, JKD as a fighting art has certain principles that need to be adhered to. Using those principles, you find your own path, discard the name and don't fuss over it like Bruce Lee said. |
| 12/10/08 9:24 PM | |
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dantheman
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 1397 |
One author I'm having difficult time reading is Jerry Beasley. His JKD books and articles further clutter the discussion on what JKD is and isn't. I don't look forward to reading his material. |
| 12/11/08 12:34 AM | |
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Prik Khee Noo
Member Since: 7/9/01 Posts: 1055 |
Ah,this reminds me of my old blindfolded chi-sauing days when I used to own every book ever published on JKD. Leaving aside the gnarly "what is JKD" stuff, on a technical level, the best materials I've seen have been: Straight lead- Tom's book is easily the best in the field. Footwork and five ways of attack- Joe Lewis's stuff is better than anything produced out of "JKD" camps. Straight blast- Never seen anything I've liked, but Vunak comes close to way I was taught it. Trapping/Chi-sau- None of the "JKD" material is as good as the Wing Chun material. You'll have to adapt it though. One inch punch- There is that one book by James DeMile. Which describes it pretty well, but I'd be very impressed if you can learn it from there. Boxing- Bruce stole almost all his ideas from Dempsey. Read the source: Championship Fighting by Jack Dempsey. Kickboxing- For an idea of how to put combinations together, you could take a look at Tackett's book. Can't say it's a great book though. All this said, if you want to learn how fight (as opposed to learning how Bruce Lee fought), then take up Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling and BJJ. ^_^ I would say the most valuable things I picked up from my JKD experience was a) the emphasis on timing, distancing and explosive footwork, b) the five ways of attack as a framework for understanding setups and c) an appreciation for structure and sensitivity in close quarter striking. |
| 12/11/08 6:03 PM | |
nowaydo
28 
Member Since: 2/28/06 Posts: 508 |
Matt Thorton |
| 12/12/08 9:40 AM | |
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dantheman
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 1398 |
Describing Beasley as dubious sounds harsh but is a step that direction. When you read some really good JKD articles and compare it to Beasley's writing, Beasley's writing clearly falls behind. I can't really pin point why I feel this why though. It's hard to put in to words, but his articles on JKD are just not good. |
| 12/12/08 9:59 PM | |
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banco
Member Since: 5/22/05 Posts: 4784 |
Vunak's book isn't too bad. Beasley comes across a fan boy who is overly concerned with the minutiae of JKD lineage and history. Plus I don't trust anyone who feels the need to refer to themselves as "Dr" and/or PHD at every opportunity. |
| 12/12/08 11:56 PM | |
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keseki
Member Since: 5/27/03 Posts: 336 |
Bruce Lee? Seriously, I like Larry Hartsell's book, the one with Tim Tackett. |
| 12/13/08 6:22 AM | |
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razorredge21
Member Since: 9/19/02 Posts: 15 |
I enjoyed reading Guro Dan's old articles recalling his experience with Lee. If I recall correctly he said Sigung Lee had his students out fight blackbelts just using the straight blast. Simplicity at its finest. The Aliveness thread on the Inosanto forum that went pages and pages was really entertaining. Man, that thread went on forever! It's funny, but I remember in the early 90's Sifu Bustillo writing about 'competition' in his JKD and it's value while also respecting Guro Dan's JKD without the huge 'debate.' Beasely never impressed me, but hooking up with Joe Lewis was very intelligent. He wrote that Lewis was another big advocate of gauging his JKD in the ring which makes a lot of sense to me. Paul Bax used to write JKD articles for Inside Karate and he clearly had chip on his shoulder against Guro Dan. But it was so blatantly stupid I would LOL! Good times. |
| 12/13/08 3:52 PM | |
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Paul Hopkins
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 2449 |
Burton Richardson has tons of articles and a few books. Steve Golden is a great writer but I don't know if he publishes anything? Marc Denny is great to read. Bruce Lee's compilation in the Tao of JKD is the one though. |
| 12/13/08 10:43 PM | |
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smileythai
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 10677 |
What's Beasley's deal? He wears quasi-karate garb(including a blackbetl) and advertises himself as a 9th dan...in what, JKD?? |
| 12/14/08 3:38 PM | |
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nowaydo
28
Member Since: 2/28/06 Posts: 512 |
Matt Thorton! |
| 12/16/08 1:12 AM | |
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FatBuddha
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 7633 |
Damn it, nowaydo, stole my post! My favorite JKD Authors are Matt Thorton and come to think of it, also Burton Richardson, as I really enjoyed his Inside Kung Fu column back in the day. I suppose I should mention the obvious and also say Bruce Lee since he wrote some really good classic articles for Black Belt Magazine back back in the day. While I don't agree with everything the above three authors say, they are clear, well reasoned, entertaining, and are "JKD guys" who actually train! |
| 12/16/08 4:26 PM | |
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Luis Gutierrez
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 1691 |
Matt Thornton because he has spoken in the SPIRIT of it as opposed to for, as, or or due to it. Much like all the people that were its original influence and source but never a part of its directions and all the sides, positions, intentions, plans, plots and schemes around that direction. Nuff said. |
| 12/16/08 5:20 PM | |
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Ideologic
Member Since: 8/5/07 Posts: 131 |
Noam Chomsky. |
| 12/16/08 9:30 PM | |
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Stickgrappler
484
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 23911 |
2nd bruce lee! lol in addition to dempsey, edwin haislet's boxing is used much more probably than dempsey's. and of course iirc, aldo naldi/fencing and julio martinez/fencing was used a lot also. |
| 12/16/08 9:47 PM | |
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Paul Hopkins
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 2455 |
to the op, if you liked paul vunak's articles he has a couple of books you can get, one is called killer instinct, and the older one is jkd concepts and philosophies. though not labeled jkd, marc macyoung has a website that is full of great articles. it's nononsenseselfdefense.com it is a great reference for self defense and the best i have found for empowering women against sexual assault. two books by gaven debecker that i think jkd fans should consider are 'the gift of fear' and 'protecting the gift'. strangely enough, when a predator wants something they will use the 5 ways of attack. attack by draw being the most pervasive. |
| 12/17/08 1:43 AM | |
Matt Thornton
1
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 3862 |
Thanks you for the kind words. I am truly honored. And to Luis, thank you for your patience over the years. I wouldn't have whatever I have, and SBGi wouldn't be whatever it is, without your wisdom. Thank you for being there throughout my nonsense. It means more then can say. |
| 12/17/08 12:11 PM | |
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Ideologic
Member Since: 8/5/07 Posts: 133 |
Everyone should chiggity check a book called "Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales. He analyzes camping, hiking, exploring, scuba, boating accidents and fighter pilots to find out why perfectly smart and well trained people make idiotic mistakes that often kill them. Perfect for JKD IMO. |
| 12/17/08 4:40 PM | |
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New2MMA
12
Member Since: 4/13/03 Posts: 2396 |
Gavin DeBecker-great stuff! |
| 12/18/08 12:55 PM | |
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Paul Hopkins
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 2458 |
using no way as way howard zinn has a new book, "a power governments cannot suppress" anarchism, collectives, intentional communities. here is a little jkd clip from bob woodward http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbePIBfE4ww |
| 3/29/09 10:48 PM | |
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cleetdog101
3
Member Since: 1/9/07 Posts: 1676 |
Sifu Kevin Seaman |
| 3/29/09 11:56 PM | |
PTM2020
350
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 64656 |
J. Krisnamurti |
| 3/30/09 11:11 PM | |
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Kai Tremeche
Edited: 04/01/09 7:05 PM Member Since: 7/6/00 Posts: 21540 |
Thornton got me to let go of the hero worship and the name JKD. There were still little vestiges I had left over after, even after so much of the bullshit fell to the side after the advent of modern MMA. I still held on to the streetfighter mentality and and some lingering respect for JKD as an art that wasn't warranted by performance. |
| 3/31/09 6:54 AM | |
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Boyscout
1
Member Since: 10/15/02 Posts: 403 |
Bruce Lee, Matt Thornton, Burton and a guy over here in the UK, Dave Carnell. Dave's great at explaining things JKD. |
| 4/1/09 5:40 AM | |
BigSifu
Member Since: 3/29/09 Posts: 2 |
I used to really like Paul Vunak,but I feel like he's been doing the same thing over and over all these years. JKD circa '99... Matt Thornton's stuff is great,but I find the best reading outside of things marked "JKD". I think letting go of the name and all the little rituals attached to it were a big step-in a way Matt Thornton was a "wake up call" on that for me. Be careful,BJJ and MMA are developing their own little "cults" too. Now that these things are more mainstream,there is a "right" move,gi,fight short,seminar,etc for everything. The only rule is "Don't get hit"... |
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