Elsewhere on the internet, the debate continues. Recently I got into a discussion regarding if the art of Jeet Kune Do is crystallised, and if that was wrong? I answered that the art is crystallised (since Bruce Lee is no longer alive), but us as individuals can continue to grow. Several disagreed (not to any surprise on my part I will add).
To me that's a bit like boxers train. They have a set of rules and methods, and train according to that and become the best boxer they can be, yet they all express it individually, a Mike Tyson is a different type of fighter than a Muhamed Ali, yet they both are boxing. That's what individual expression within an art is.
Jeet Kune Do is no different, you can become a very good (JKD) fighter by sticking to it's principles, tools and strategies, whilst it is an art that offers more freedom of expression than most since there are no rules in the traditional sense. If there is a rule (I prefer principle) , it is that everything we try to do has to be as efficient as possible, not to waste time and energy and reach the desired goal (= defeat the opponent as quick as possible), and it suited the human structure. This is the basic principle and question that Bruce Lee asked himself whenever he was researching something.
The issue is however that others believe that training in Jeet Kune Do means that the art itself has to evolve, in order to be a better fighter, and that you should yourself start researching various arts/principles and come up with your own system/approach, and THAT is Jeet Kune Do! (my view is that it isn't, it's your art, JKD was exclusively Bruce Lee's). This in my opinion, is not correct. It's not the art, it's the individual that needs to grow! What vehicle the individual chooses to do so is up to him, if it is through JKD, great, if it's other arts, have fun too! The dillema that a Jeet Kune Do instructor has is that many of us want to preserve Bruce Lee's teachings for the next generation. Evolving means change. If we change the art, then it will become unrecognisable over time, and that is what we are trying to guard against. That said, we are not against individuals exploring/experimenting/training in different martial arts if they feel that is beneficial, but we are also very much against stating that this blend of martial arts = Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Yes, you may be training and taking somewhat similar approach than Bruce Lee did at times, particularly when he was younger(and he actually encouraged that as well!!), but you may not arrive at the same conclusions.
As someone once said, if you mix eggs, flower and water, you may get bread, but the result could equally be pasta!...
That said, the human body is only capable of moving in a certain way, and only some of those movements will be efficient/simple and posess a powerful structure. This, primarily is what Bruce Lee was looking into and it is at the very heart of his Jeet Kune Do. He referred to it as 'the root'. The human being is at the center of all expressions, be it fighting, art or anything else. Everything else flows from there (the branches/blossoming). So do we as JKD teachers crystalise the art? Yes we do, we try to preserve Bruce Lee's art. But we do not crystalise you as an individual! Don't ever make that mistake! In other words, also understand that nothing stops you from exploring beyond the art of Jeet Kune Do, if you want to, if you have enough spare time. But do you have to? Depends on your goals, and it depends on your understanding of the art of Jeet Kune Do too. The beauty of Jeet Kune Do however is, that Bruce Lee already did a lot of the research for us. No other martial art is as focussed on the study of something as efficient, and anatomically correct,to the same degree as Jeet Kune Do. Also, you should be realistic in what time you have available. If you only have one hour a week, then it would be silly to train in 100 different arts as you'll never get any good at anything and are better off restricting yourself.. But what ever you do, in my (and many other JKD instructor) opinion, if you cross train in several arts, you are NOT training in the art of Jeet Kune Do, you are on an individual approach to martial arts training , but it is NOT Bruce Lee's art, who did have some training in (parts) of other martial arts (Wing Chun in particular), but his was more one of research through reading and observing. Coupled this with a great insight into how the human body functions, as well as insight in fighting, he was able to deduct and distill those things that worked for him and his structure, which became his Jeet Kune Do. Don't be promoting what you do as Jeet Kune Do. Otherwise that art will cease to exist, by muddying the waters.
So what does all of this have to do with the Tombstone in the picture? (Bruce Lee had this made for him by one of his students).
The tombstone served as a reminder to Bruce Lee himself, that he should not be bound by any specific style (particularly the classical arts, with a very rigid system/set of rules etc.) , but that he should research and become the best he could be. That in his personal case, eventually led him to his art of Jeet Kune Do. As an individual, you can do the same, and good luck on your journey. OR, you can start training in Jeet Kune Do (an art in itself but one based on human body mechanics and efficiency, the root of all human combative movement), and IF you feel inclined to do so, train in other arts too, but please please please, do not advertise or teach that blend (if that's what you ended up doing) as Jeet Kune Do!
This, is my personal opinion, based on MY current understanding of the art of Jeet Kune Do, and my current understanding of Bruce Lee's personal life and martial arts journey.
Walk On!
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