Answer to can you teach yourself JKD

Posted by: Alan_JKDTKDHKD

Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/08/06 09:17 PM

Yes, I believe you can teach yourself JKD as long as you have the determination and perseverance. I was an athlete all my life with very little Martial Arts training compared to Bruce Lee. I read his books, opened my mind, and began studying Wing Chun, and Jeet Kune Do. I did this with his books. I later learned from pictures Bruce Lee was doing the same basic exercises I was practicing.

Although, I have great desire to train JKD with Sifu Inosanto I do not know when that may happen. He is in California, and I am in Washington D.C. However, I continue to train TKD, and during sparring I begin to understand everything Bruce Lee wrote at a feeling and experiencing level and achieving above the reading comprehension level.

Yes, reading books does improve a person's martial arts ability. That is how Shaolin Monks did it according to legend.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/08/06 09:44 PM

Uh, ironically, your answer to the question IS correct. But not by the ways you discussed in your post.

You don't even need a JKD instructor to "learn" JKD. Reading books MAY help your martial arts.....or it may not. You have to put your reading into actual training to get much benefit from it.

As far as the Shaolin monks, I have a feeling that they trained a lot more than they read.
Posted by: Stone Carver

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/11/06 11:15 AM

I learned JKD from a book.
And I know I have a good understanding of it because when I
sit and think about it I find I draw some of the same conclusions that Bruce himself talked about.
Besides I think most MAs can't be learned from books because of their exacting movements.
Posted by: QuietGal

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/11/06 11:51 AM

You can teach yourself the philosophy of JKD from a book. Learning from a book is relatively easy as long as you comprehend what is being said and can apply said philosophy to yourself. However, to learn JKD (in whatever branch/style/whatever you want to call it) from a practical and real-life application, you need to learn it from another person, preferably one that is qualified to teach their form of JKD.

As an example, much of the stuff I learned in college about teaching provided a decent foundation, however the stuff that was the most useful I learned while teaching - while actually doing it. The same here with JKD, IMO. The books can give you a good foundation for the philosophy and some of the practices, nothing beats learning it in a real-life/as close to real-life setting. I learned more from doing it (that was not ment to sound dirty) than reading the Tao of JKD or other books out there on the market.

Just so others know and I don't get flamed, I am not wanting to start another debate on what is the true style of JKD. I DON'T CARE! You go to your dojo and I'll go to mine and we can all get along depsite our minor differences of opinion Heck, I might even bake you some cookies to celebrate our differences!
Posted by: MattJ

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/11/06 03:33 PM

QuietGal is right on. You can learn about JKD from books. You learn JKD by actually doing it with partners. This is true for all arts, not just JKD.

*cough chocolatechip cough*
Posted by: QuietGal

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/12/06 11:36 AM

Holy snot buckets Batman! MattJ is agreeing with me???!!!??? I'll be sure to get those cookies baked asap

I personally don't get alot from the books like The Tao of JKD. Books were helpful in gaining an understanding of the history of the art and the philosophy, but the actual explainations of the forms and such did not make much sense to me until I saw the stuff live. But if someone can glean some sort of knowledge from them then that's great, but it's not everything that the art is and can be about.
Posted by: Kentao5

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/15/06 10:33 PM

One can get a JKD education from books, but finding "your" JKD is all about the "experience and application" of that knowledge. The written word is for reference, and like road signs, they can point you in a direction, but you still have to actally take the journey. It's like you can read all the information and be well educated in how to bench press 500 lbs., but if that is your goal, you have got to put in the gym time.
Enjoy your training,
Ken
Posted by: Chen Zen

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/16/06 02:37 PM

If you are reading into Martial arts books then there is a good chance that you already have some martial experience. If that is the case then I most certainly think that you can learn from a book. The techniques from one style to the next are pretty much universal. A punch is still just a punch.The book will attempt to show you how to punch but thats not the heart and soul of the book. You already know how to punch. The book is there to help you understand when and why you punch. Or why you dont. By applying the philosophy of a style you have learnt the style for yourself. When you learn the philosophy from a dojo you dont learn the style for yourself but how the Sensie or Sifu made the style work for HIM. There is a freedom in learning from a book in that you dont have an outside influence to mold you to their fitting. You can try things on your own and decide how they suit you. How your particular makeup reacts to certain situations and how well you can react to those things using the tools given you.

So learn the book, then yourself, and finally your opponent. Then when thats done, reflect on what you have learned and learn about yourself all over again.

If you do not have prior experience in the arts then the road will be much harder for you. Your mechanics may be off. You may not understand all of the terms used. And since you are new, you will second guess your movements and judgements constantly. Thats all ok. Get the book. Then join a class. Preferablly under the same style you are reading but it doesnt have to neccessarily be. Then practice and read. Discuss the books with senior members of the dojo or even the Sifu himself. All after class of course. As you progress in the classroom, advance in the book. Try ideas that you have learned or practicing from the book and see what works and what doesnt in the safety of a dojo before you have to find out the hard way.
Posted by: Stone Carver

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/16/06 10:15 PM

Sure if you have no experience then there's likely no chance
of learning from a book. But if you have combat experience and an understanding of the martial arts then a book can help guide you to "your" Jeet Kune Do.
I've delved into several martial arts and have PLENTY of fighting experience. I,ve used my jeet kune do to great success.
Posted by: AndrewGreen

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/18/06 11:17 PM

Well, when you really get into it, you realise that the name Jeet Kun Do is used to show a lineage, not a specific style. Different JKD groups can be worlds apart.

But that's not the spirit of the question...

You can learn a lot from books and videos, In fact without any instructor ever you can still learn a lot.

But, and this is a big but, you do need people to train against. Same as you can get quite good at basketball playing on the street with friends and no cach, you can get good at fighting too. But you need opponents, and will be limited by their abilities as well.

It's also going to be a lot slower, if you have a good coach they will pick up mistakes right away, and correct them right away. Starting from scratch with other new guys will not get that, it might take months or years for them to figure out how to capitalize on the mistake, and equally long to figure out the way to fix it.
Posted by: Chen Zen

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/19/06 03:42 PM

excellent posts.
Posted by: kroh

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 01/20/06 01:40 PM

The other thing you have to understand is that Jeet Kune Do like some of the other posters have said is a very "Hands on experience" that starts with a core cirriculum and then builds on or discards it as the individual continues to learn and grow (or suffer massive contusions that they show all their freinds). I read the Tao of Jeet Kune Do years before I ever took JKD (been into it since '98) and I have to tell you i wasn't prepared for the level of skill or practice that it took to get even a fraction of what was needed for it to be "combat capable."

When training with the likes of Dan Inosanto or Kevin Seaman, you get a feel for how the "beast moves" and can really see how much work you have to do. This isn't some kata that you do by yourself in your basement while you are waiting to play video games with your friends. This is a serious martial art that requires lots of partner work and correction from a qualified instructor.

Like others have said, you can learn about JKD from a book but you can't learn it from a book.

Books and videos are fine but an instructor is really needed to keep an eye on things to make sure that you are doing some thing right. You would be surprised how much difference a few degrees in a movement can make in whether or not it is combat effective or not. If you really want to learn JKD (And not this business about putting some concepts together and calling it JKD, but that deserves its own thread) find an instructor worth his salt and get there even if it is only a few times a week/ month /year and the rest of the time is by book or video. At least you will have a "contact" that can check your stuff out.

If you need help finding an instructor near you contact me and I will see what I can do for you.

Regards,
Walt
Posted by: UnknownFighter

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 12:34 AM

jeet kune do can not be taught by anyone. Lee wanted people to understand that you can learn anything with the right training regime. You can teach your self from a book, how ever without personal attention you should be training harder then Lee would. Running and endurance are a huge training must in learning jkd.
Posted by: JKogas

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 09:41 AM

To an extent, EVERYONE teaches themselves JKD. As it isn't a style (in my and Lee's opinion), who outside of yourself can teach it?

As JKD is about developing the truth in combat as it occurs to the individual, that is ultimately a personal experience based on experiential learning.

Certainly you can have coaches and guides along the way. But JKD isn't affiliated with any one specific style (wing chun or otherwise).

I believe that there are specific principles that make JKD what it is. But those again aren't governed by any specific style.

Economy of motion is found in a PLETHORA of styles from wing chun to boxing.

The five ways of attack are found EVERYWHERE, etc., etc.

Simplicity, daily decrease, rejecting the useless...those are all things that the individual has to discover for himself. It isn't "handed-down" information from one instructor to another.

This handed down information and blind adherence to that is what ultimately "waters down" martial arts. IMO.


-John
Posted by: Kimo2007

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 02:22 PM

Quote:

Simplicity, daily decrease, rejecting the useless...those are all things that the individual has to discover for himself




Maybe to a point, but rejecting the useless is often a matter of not uderstanding what it is they are rejecting.

There are plenty of things I dismissed early on only to rediscover from the insight of another.

Training on your own is a double edged sword, besides before you can be an artist you must first be a craftsman.
Posted by: JKogas

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 05:47 PM

Quote:


Maybe to a point, but rejecting the useless is often a matter of not uderstanding what it is they are rejecting.





Thats sort of a moot point. If you don't or can't understand something, perhaps its not meant for you? In that case, wouldn't that be worth rejecting?

Considering there are only so many hours in a day, we simply don't have TIME to understand everything, right?

That's why daily decrease becomes so important. You have to simplify. You have to have a simple game.


Quote:


There are plenty of things I dismissed early on only to rediscover from the insight of another.





So you accept them now rather than reject them. Maybe later you will reject them again. Who knows? The thing is that it's an individual process. Only YOU know what you should be accepting or rejecting.


Quote:


Training on your own is a double edged sword, besides before you can be an artist you must first be a craftsman.





I don't advocate learning on your own/by yourself. That wasn't anything that I suggested anywhere -- just to clarify. However the process of discovery is individual and this is basically what I meant by teaching yourself JKD. You don't really teach it, you discover or uncover it. That can't be done by anyone but yourself.

Learning is ultimately experiential in nature. You learn by doing in other words. The best teachers just teach fundamentals as I mentioned. They don't OVER teach. They let you play and allow you to make mistakes and "problem solve". You will learn better through this approach.

Then whatever is taught becomes yours and is infused with your OWN style (your own JKD) by way of your own unique physiology and tendencies. That's how we learn and grow into seasoned fighters.


-John
Posted by: Kimo2007

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 07:47 PM

Quote:

Thats sort of a moot point. If you don't or can't understand something, perhaps its not meant for you?




Maybe but more and more I see kids, who have neither the experience or patience to learn, dismissing entire arts as worthless. In principle I agree with you, but only after someone has enough knowledge and experience to make these kinds of choices.

Quote:

However the process of discovery is individual and this is basically what I meant by teaching yourself JKD.




True enough, I am just a fundemental fanatic, be it MA, football, basketball or whatever. I so often see MA's with years of experience and terrible fundamentals. I see it all the time when I play basketball, kids with unreal ability but never being coached, learning and ingraining bad habits they will never shake and thus never be the player the could or should.

To be completely honest though John, I hear what you are saying and I agree with you, I am just bored and my wife won't let me go out and drink beer.

-Kimo
Posted by: JKogas

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 07/07/07 11:18 PM

Quote:

Maybe but more and more I see kids, who have neither the experience or patience to learn, dismissing entire arts as worthless. In principle I agree with you, but only after someone has enough knowledge and experience to make these kinds of choices.





Absolutely! I agree with you completely.



Quote:


True enough, I am just a fundemental fanatic, be it MA, football, basketball or whatever. I so often see MA's with years of experience and terrible fundamentals. I see it all the time when I play basketball, kids with unreal ability but never being coached, learning and ingraining bad habits they will never shake and thus never be the player the could or should.




Excellent points. Fundamentals are everything.


Quote:


To be completely honest though John, I hear what you are saying and I agree with you, I am just bored and my wife won't let me go out and drink beer.

-Kimo





I hear ya Kimo. Bring the beer in if you can't get out, lol.


-John
Posted by: ironsifu

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 08/17/07 04:51 PM

you can "teach" yourself anything. but thats like the saying "a man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client".

no offense, but that's like a child who raised himself. or a guy who reads first aid books instead of going to a doctor. it only makes *some* sense when you have no teachers around, but the world is very small, and if you really want to learn something you travel to a teacher. if your not willing to do that, you really dont want to learn.
Posted by: Alabama_Samurai

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 08/17/07 06:45 PM

YES and NO. At any rate you DO need a training partners that you can try you technique out on. People did creat martial arts. They didn't alawys exist. So, yes, one CAN teach themself, but it is always best to seek instruction under a good, competent, knowledgeable instructor.

Think of it in terms of mathematical systems. It's going to be hard to invent calculus with just a basic knowledge of numbers. It's better to go to college and work your way to it. Same thing with martial arts.
Posted by: jkdwarrior

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 08/17/07 08:41 PM

You'll learn it a hell of a lot quicker with an instructor, who can spot many mistakes you don't even know you're making. I feel that books work best only as a supplement.
Posted by: IExcalibui2

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 08/19/07 03:10 AM

dont really want to repost anything but John pretty much nailed it

I just think that you cannot reject the useless too quickly. Some people might see a technique and with very little experience with the technique automatically reject it when they havent really uncovered the real use of it or how to use it. Like mentioned above, they need experience to make these kinds of choices.

either who you can learn all about JKD philosophy all you want by yourself with a book. In terms of actually "learning" JKD or rather putting what you've learned into action is very difficult without a person to guide you. Eventually you'll need something or someone to test these home schooled skills against and if it works out in the test then hey it works!

if it doesnt, well i guess you have to go back into the lab and conduct some more experiments.
Posted by: SOUL-TAKER-187

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 08/20/07 03:06 AM

you read book but book don`t fight back, lol... on the real you can read all day and night but until you put it to the test that all the word`s are just stuck in your mind. i could read about brain surgery , that don`t mean i could do it, all fun aside there are alot of things you could learn from a book even the meaning of martial arts, but the training itself i doubt any book can bring the black belt out of you. please to all i`m not trying to be a smart ass just putting my two cent in. so no disrespect anyone.
Posted by: Totality

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 09/22/07 08:35 AM

If someone wants to learn JKD from a book they better get books on physics and Asian philosophy.

I own and read pretty much all the JKD books there are out there including 2 that my instructor edited for Paul Bax and let me assure you the books on JKD, including the ones Mr. Little have put together are very poorly done as far as JKD instruction goes. The Tao of JKD gives a good 'over view' of what JKD is, Commentaries of the martial way is even better, but still just an overview.

If someone is learning from books then there is no one to tell them what there doing is wrong. Also if learning JKD or any MA from a book was that simple than there are a lot of people waisting their time in gyms all around the world under close instruction.

Even some people that think they are doing JKD are not really doing JKD and they didn't learn out of books (but probably read the same ones).

All I'm trying to say is there are a lot of right ways and wrong ways of doing things and even under strict guidance one should still explore and compare and most important, test what they are learning.

Can one learn from a book? Sure! Can one defend their life and there loved ones from a book? What do you think?

IMHO
Posted by: jkdwarrior

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 09/26/07 09:35 AM

Try a book or a website on human biomechanics. It'll give you a better understanding of what it means to move efficiently
Posted by: TeK9

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 10/01/07 09:36 PM


I have dozens of videos by Paul Vunak, Eric Paulson, Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, and Rick young. All are great videos each discussing very similar concepts and techniques, with the exceptino of Eric Paulson he is more Jui-jitsu in his approach, and to me a bit more sport mma.

I generally like to stick with the Inosanto and Vunaks PFS material. I have learned so much from them, and has greatly in my eyes improved my approach to combat.

T first I was afraid I was just going to regurgitate everything i heard them say. but in practice with others, I have found that I am actually learning an understanding the approach to certain techniques and situations.

And of course I come to forums like this one where people like jkogas can break things down for me. Although at first he kind of wanted to keep that wrestlers clinch a secret to himself...
Posted by: JKogas

Re: Answer to can you teach yourself JKD - 10/01/07 09:47 PM

Ah...the wrestlers clinch. Damn, the secret it OUT?! Sh*t, I guess this now means that I'll have to just work harder (or was that the secret to begin with?)

Actually it was Couture who really opened our eyes. But you're right, the clinch is where the REAL trapping occurs. Watch Greco guys doing hand fighting and you'll witness some trapping hands that would turn a wing chun guy green with envy.


-John