For years there has been a debate concerning JKD, is it just a concept or is it only what Bruce Lee did, i.e., the Original JKD. Well, I have been active in Jeet Kune Do for over 30 years, and in my opinion, it is both.

When I trained in JKD at Bruce and James' JKD school in Oakland, California, we students were taught techniques which were developed and/or modified by Bruce, and these particular techniques were not found in any other marital arts system other than exclusively in JKD. These are what I refer to as "core" techniques, the punching, kicking, trapping, and various format drills, just as they were developed by Bruce Lee and taught by him and James Lee specifically for JKD training. This JKD training was comprised of three martial arts, Wing Chun, western boxing, and fencing. This is what Bruce developed, what he taught, this was his martial art training program. To be a real JKD practitioner, one must know these "core" techniques, so one can fully understand and truly "feel" Bruce Lee's martial art. Sometimes these "core" techniques are referred to as the "Original" Jeet Kune Do.

Some of you "old timers" will remember that I was the person who coined this term ("Original JKD ") when I authored an article on JKD in 1988 for "Inside Kung Fu" magazine; and it caught on, and has been used ever since, which was the focus point term for the JKD controversy. And the other side of the coin, is the JKD "Concepts." Some people were saying that JKD was only a concept, a philosophy, and that it could be anything. Duh...I don't think so. When I was in JKD classes in Oakland, we didn't just sit around talking philosophy, we had some pretty hard physical workouts using those "core" techniques.

But my point is this: all legitimate martial arts have their own concepts, which are the principles and methods of expressing that particular art. No martial art can be only conceptual, for there must be specific physical techniques which make up the personality of that particular fighting art. Thus, JKD does have it own concepts, and they are: simple, direct, non-classical, functional, individuality, practicality, flow, power, speed, void of ritualism and sport aspects, and is geared for actual combat and self-defense in the street.

If one is to consider himself a JKD practitioner, he must understand and adhere to these principles, these concepts of JKD. A true JKD practitioner must know and maintain the "core" techniques as they were developed by Bruce Lee, for how can one call himself a JKD practioner if he doesn't know and experience the actual techniques and teachings of the master and founder of the JKD system?

On the other hand, we must also keep an open mind and be willing to explore, experiment, learn and incorporate fighting techniques from other martial art disciplines, which will interface with the "core" techniques and the principles of JKD. Bruce said "absorb what is useful", and this follows that logic. We must be willing to do this in order to grow in skill and expand our martial arts knowledge, and become better combatants and martial artists. No one martial arts system is complete in itself, and all martial arts have something to offer an open minded fighter. We as individuals must be willing to "taste the other man's tea" so we can pick certain fruits from the tree and put them in our own JKD basket.

Comparing JKD to a tree...the "core", the "Original" JKD techniques are the roots, the trunk of the tree. The outside material that we bring in, i.e., the "Concepts" are the branches and the leaves. If you kill off the roots, the tree will die, you can cut off branches and leaves, but the tree will continue to live. As JKD practitioners we must keep the "roots" alive and intact, if we don't, JKD as it was developed by Bruce and taught by James Lee will eventually fade away and disappear. But we must also be willing to maintain the concepts of JKD for our personal growth as a JKD fighter, and continue to explore and learn new techniques that will blend with the core techniques.

As the founder and chief instructor of the Jeet Kune Do Association, it is my mission to preserve and maintain the original techniques of Bruce Lee's JKD, and to also continue on Bruce's idea of research and development of new fighting techniques so that we can become even more efficient JKD practitioners. We will always be true to the "core" of JKD, but will also be open-minded enough to accept new combat techniques which will make us better in Jeet Kune Do.