1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Gen. What are you?

[Drew Howe]

I was asked recently what generation JKD instructor that I was. The person told me that they were only interested in learning from a 1st or 2nd generation instructor. He further explained that 1st generation, to him, was anyone that trained at one of the three original schools while Bruce Lee was alive. Second generation would be anyone that has been certified and/or has extensive training with one of the 1st generation instructors. This guy told me that it was very important to him to be as close to Bruce Lee in the JKD family tree as possible. Based on this, I'm a 2nd/3rd gen. student/instructor. I've trained extensively with a 1st gen. instructor as well as an instructor certified by him.

At first I was somewhat surprised at the importance he was placing on how close he was to Bruce Lee in the family tree. He was a relative newcomer to JKD, which kind of added to my surprise at his interest in the generation of the instructors. However, he did explain that he thought the closer he was to Bruce Lee, the more authentic the training would be. Fair enough, I guess.

No surprise to many here, but personally in my own travels, I found three different interpretations of JKD coming from 1st gen. instructors. Of course this is based on which of the three schools, Seattle-Oakland-Chinatown, the instructor trained at. None of which is less valid than the other, just different. Basically, if you are concerned with the historical purity of JKD, I think it is important train with instructors/students from each of the three schools. To me that is more significant than training with only 1st or 2nd gen. instructors. This is the advice I gave.

What do you all think?

[IPON]

I found three different interpretations of JKD coming from 1st gen. instructors.

Drew - interesting, lineage is important for any MA. But I agree a better question is not just 1st/2nd generation but from which development point. There are certainly more than three intreprations, but Seattle, Oakland and LA represent not interpretations, but the growth in Lee's expression of style of no style (JKD). Lee constantly changed his expression and it can be seen at each point.

The positive point is that, eventhough this guy needed to do more homework, he did some research and asked relevent questions. This shows me that he would be serious about training.

[eXcessiveForce]

it shows you how lost people are without a rank structure. If you say I am a JKD instructor what does that mean? You teach no style and have no rank. So people create an artificial rank. Did you train with Bruce lee. (master) Did you train with bruces students (instructor) did you train with one of the bruces students, students (student)

So if you go to train with someone who says I'm an instructor you have to figure out are they really an instructor or are they just a student who knows the concepts. The closer to bruce the better chance of hitting someone closer to being an authority on the concepts.

People always want to know, where do you fit in and where do I fit in.

[El Mastero]

It goes alot with the post I started that asked how long did it take you to get your JKD certificate. Most people want an instructor that trained directly under Bruce or was trained under a first generation student because usually the training consisted of going into a training hall for a number of years and mastering the art. Now adays many 3rd , 4th and 5th instructors have gotten their certification in seminars. How much can you really know about JKD or impart on your students if you're only training in JKD consists of 10 to 20 hrs of instruction over a 2 day period. Alot of what Bruce taught was his modified Wing Chun aka Jun Fan Gung Fu. He added several different arts or tools to his curriculum and some concepts creating what some call JKD. It's foundation is Wing Chun. Alot of 3rd or 4th generation students are getting instructorship in JKD and their art does not even have the Wing Chun foundation. They are not being taught the way Bruce taught because he never discarded Wing Chun but modified it. If I went to a few seminars and got a certificate in JKD and open a school my students will only be learning about my original art whatever that may be with some techiques I learned over a two day period and voila it's JKD but is it really? You be the judge.

[tekshow]

i'm concerned with someone teaching me real applicable technique, not history - its a nice touch, i know where OUR lineage sits at, but i could care less as long as what i'm given is founded and works repeatedly.

[doubleouch]

I don't care about lineage. I don't care about Bruce Lee. I don't care about JKD. I only care if what I'm being taught works. I don't care what you call it. If my instructor wants to call it JKD then that's great. Bruce Lee is dead people.

[Power]

I don't care about lineage. I don't care about Bruce Lee. I don't care about JKD. I only care if what I'm being taught works. I don't care what you call it. If my instructor wants to call it JKD then that's great. Bruce Lee is dead people.

Dead on I would say. (I should say "no offense" here...but lol! )

Isn't this topic around...oh I would say...3 or four years too late? I remember when this was hot topic on JKD forums around three years ago..but still?? Doubleouch has it...who the hell cares about lineage? The only people that care are the ones that have it...and want others to know it. If some clown is actually asking what your rank, or rather if you are 1st, 2nd, etc. then he obviously could care less about functional ability. Paperchasers.

[El Mastero]

People want to train in JKD for numerous reasons. Some for self-defense, which you can find in a teacher who teaches what is referred to as OJKD or JKDC or a number of other MMA's out there. If part of your reason for wanting to learn JKD is because you admire Bruce Lee and would like to study his system either the original curriculum or the concepts approach then questions of lineage and amount of training are important. Honestly, do you want to devote your time and money on a Tae Kwon Do black belt who bought "The Tao of Jeet Kunde Do", watched a few JKD tapes and now professes to be a JKD instructor. If that's the case then I'd like you to meet this guy. http://joeyperico.vze.com I'm sure he's in the same league as Dan Inosanto or Ted Wong. I mean come on 7 kicks in a second. Now that's JKD. lol

[seany85]

im a third gen student.

[junfan]

mixed up kid

ok so if its a family tree then, im a 5th 3rd and 2nd gen student, ive trained with dan, francis fong(under dan), guys under fong, and guys under guys under fong, i also have sibaks that are my sifus, and sigungs that are my sibaks

so basicly my uncle is my grandfather and my father is my uncle??
thats were i kinda gave up on the lineage stuff...

[NickJ5919]

I started taking classess at this place in seattle, the instructor denise geroux says she is the aprentice of the only person bruce lee officially certified to teach JKD.

[IPON]

I started taking classess at this place in seattle, the instructor denise geroux says she is the aprentice of the only person bruce lee officially certified to teach JKD.

And who would that person be??

[NickJ5919]

And who would that person be??

dunno yet.

[IPON]

Well let us know when you find out one of us will definately be able to tell you if she is legit or not. Unfortunately, she may even think she is legit and this other guy suckered her who knows.

[yenhoi]

My teacher is 2nd/3rd generation.