3 Things That Are Ruining Jeet Kune Do! 

Ｉ agree your concern ．Ｉ trained under Sifu Ted Wong for 10 years . Every jkd men forget 3 key elements . SIMPLE DIRECT NON-CLASSICAL jkdman have to refine his tools ( punch kick footwork ) Especially footwork !

As a JKD Concepts guy I say good video and you have articulated very well things that I have thought about over the years. Your content has helped me streamline my JKD & Wing Chun. Thanks Sifu and stay safe!

The thing I don't like about this video is that it doesn't have enough views

I recently saw an interview with Tim Tackett that he did a few years back where he essentially said the same thing. He emphasized that both the concepts and the original group were neither one "right." He talked about JKD being well-defined, but open-ended enough that you can adapt things that work better for you as an individual. He used the example of BJJ and noted that if Bruce was still around he thought he would have embraced BJJ and "JKD-ized" it! But that is an answer for a specific range that Bruce hadn't yet fully developed before his passing. That is very different from adding in all kinds of other punching/kicking/trapping methods when you already have a well-defined and efficient version in original JKD!

8:50 actually Anderson Silva says himself he tries to fight like Bruce Lee and he fights power side forward (a righty) and often counters and intercepts

"The height of cultivation leads to simplicity"

I’m a huge fan of your analysis and instruction, sifu. I’m taking refuge in practicing your Wing Chun material. Thank you. Stay well.

Cohesive and insightful argument in what might be still the salient detail of the underpinning philosophical intent and the pragmatic reality of the work rate to develop skill and personality on the person practising it. Great talk

You know there's nothing wrong with ruffling up a some feathers because that's what Bruce lee did when came up with JKD he ruffled the feathers of other martial art disciplines.

This really helped me to rethink what I’m doin as I’m trying to teach myself JKD so thanks!

This is an excellent video and explanation on such an important topic... Well said...Thank you

Thank you for this video, Sifu Jason. Several years ago, I studied JKD for a few months at a sanctioned Jun Fan JKD studio (that will remain nameless) before discontinuing. I left feeling disappointed, and scratching my head wondering just what JKD as a martial system was supposed to be. Every lesson was different and I didn’t know if I was going to be showing up for a Muay Thai class, a Wing Chun class, or a BJJ class; it was confusing, to say the least. And, speaking honestly, I signed up because I wanted to learn authentic JKD (and it’s foundation art of Wing Chun), not Muay Thai, BJJ, or even Silat. The impression I took away from my experience is that JKD is nothing more than MMA with multiple arts “cobbled” together with no cohesion, and you learn by cross-training those other martial arts. Listening to you say that the core of JKD is a boxing/fencing art coming out of Wing Chun (paraphrased) is refreshing, and has again piqued my interest in it. 🙏🏽

Génial 👍 Conseiller technique THk 🙏.

You are absolutely right. This is the exact track I have followed. Just the lead hand and foot dexterity emphasis alone..enabled me to spar with and defeat 1st 2nd 3rd n 4th degree black belts. Kickboxers and barroom brawlers. As to the why: There is the story I teach my students; a girl asked her mom why she cut the legs ofc the turkey before putting it in the oven she said "because that's how my mom did it. So she asked grandma why she cut the legs off the turkey. And grandma said because that's how my mom always did it. So she asked Great grandma why she cut the legs off her turkey. Great grandma said; Oh my dear I haven't done that since your grandma was little! Back then our oven was very small I had to cut the legs off to shut the door!

I watched some of you're videos at first I didn't know what to expect but after watching I've liked the fact you don't just stick to traditional wing chung you modernize it in order to fight the times and styles yu could face keep going man

Lol... pulled the pin on a grenade and threw the pin at ‘em

Great argument!

Clarity at last ! Thank you !

great video very well explained

I like your take on it! Good video and well said!

You nailed it!

Great! Spot On!

Great logic, Bro. I don't study your art, I've studied American Kenpo Karate and different Arts, MMA, ect, I'm now presently studying FMA . I've found in my own experience, learn foundational skills, learn what actually works in reality based self defence, and practice those techniques over and over. As Bruce Lee said " I'd rather fight someone who knows a thousand techniques, than some one who has practiced a technique 1000 times. I hope I quoted that accurately, but you can catch my drift. Simple accuracy in a few well thought thru techniques is better than a whole lot of techniques which you have to think thru at the moment of combat of which to choose.

Sifu Jason! I'm glad you made this video. The reasons you listed, were also the reasons that I haven't been a fan of JKD at all. There are too many RU-vid Videos with guys copying Bruce Lee. Just silly. And then there's a guy who claims to have updated the system! How arrogant! Anyway, I'm not a practitioner of JKD ( I train Wing Chun), but I like very much the perspectives and explanations of make on both Wing Chun and JKD. Kudos to you!

Great video let’s see if I got it. There is *Confusion* about what JKD is. Thinking that the *Concept* of JKD is the kitchen sink (studying all arts). Therefore adding *Complexity* by incorporating more syles and techniques instead of practicing daily decrease. And if not confused by the concepts and doing all the styles then just *Copying* Bruce Lee and doing Jun Fan Gung Fu. Just my thoughts as I was confused for a long time. I feel like I was confusing the method that Bruce used, _freeing himself from the classical mess and imposed limitations,_ and the art itself. I then pursued a bunch of arts rationalizing myself *into* the classical mess I was supposedly freeing myself from. Only after I encountered the problems that Bruce had in the classical mess (that I created) was I able to see that the answers were already there. I think others may have similar trouble. JKD in my humble opinion *is* a conceptual art. Simplicity, efficiency, timing, and Jeet (intercept). Centerline and Longest weapon to nearest target are also crucial, I have a few that I use personally _adding what is uniquely my own,_ but I try to let people know that this is due to my own attributes as I am not Bruce Lee. This is something that I am currently writing about. Thanks for clarifying. Mind if I use this as a reference? Also it's funny that you mention Tai Chi and American Wrestling as I do both of those arts. Didn't Bruce' father do Tai Chi?

Thanks for this. Very refreshing.

You have hit it on the nail,,been confused for years.two different paths for myself, One,I agree partly with Matt Thornton he's a great modern Martial Arts Thinker, , Two, I agree on all of Tommy Carruthers JKD. his is simple, straight forward, Tommy Carruthers is JKD.same with Greenville Academy keeping JKD alive. .for future generations.hopefully.

As always, good lesson Sifu. Seems this is essentially your first book in ten minutes. As always, principles are of prime importance and inform all that follows. Thanks for the excellent reminder!

Sifu just keep telling what it is Me myself im off the same principle of keeping stuff simple but works.. Its easier to pas it on the clients for me that did great. And your right adding to much complexity Makes it hard to get a good grip of it Keeping it simple to a view moves but those view moves can work in diferent ways very well.. Intercepting depending on the individual.. And fencing it self is simple yet it gets the swords where you want it to be And for JKD i suppose as long i can get my kick or punch where it needed to be And not get caught myself im good

Great insight. Keep it simple. It's not so simple - is it.

Having trained a couple of martial arts systems that made you learn a lot of techniques that make one shake their head, and say Why......???? The simplicity of JKD is it's greatest asset. Thanks for the 'brave" diagnosis.

Beautiful.

Sifu you’re awesome! Preach it!

Good video... as someone myself have studied Martial Arts for over 20yrs... including started in Concepts and trained under Original... I've done much research and only sought out the best of the best and got my insights and made my own determinations and find myself having come back full circle... Some things I agree and disagree with each instructor... IMO those that are in it long enough understand it all, the politics the history etc... opinions all over the place.... I look at the attributes and the skill sets and aliveness of the person at hand, I can determine alot just from a few seconds of a persons training... and of those people I sought out I dont know 1 person that has or is milking JKD out for 10-15yrs for an instructor status? neither do I believe these people that do 20-30hrs of training suddenly become able to teach? just bogus. Alot of people are just terrible at it.

Well explained about the JKD and Wing Chun principles. Confusion and complexity, copying is to avoid, find your own identity is what I understand.

Be water having a continuity movement running water never grows stale!!!

Great video! I agree 100%!!!

You remind me of another JKD instructor who was my boxing trainer back in the late 2000s. Imagine my surprise since I was trained in jkd back in the early 90s during the height of the Paul Vunak kali fma infusion. It was fun and I thought I was learning a lot until this dude told me that I needed to learn 4 or 5 moves and learn them well.

I feel you made solid points. I don't agree on your opinion of concept instructors but I may have had had good instructor. he trained under Dan. I felt like his way of JKD was good it was something that worked for him cuz as he told me w aren't Bruce. I remember my first day he made start off orthodox stance (putting my strong head in the back) we did the basics but in the way he felt right. JKD and wing Chun one day than other arts like Muay Thai the next. I felt it was beneficial for success depending on what you looking for. My Sifu developed my strength (realized I had boxing potential) and developed my weaknesses like my kicks . The thing that stands we took what was useful and discarded what wasn't effective for us. JKD created MMA and has inspired countless MMA and fighters across the world cuz they got one thing right. They created there own style. I feel we learn the basics create something of our own thats effective.

You make some very good points on each end of the spectrum with both The Concepts methodology and the Original JKD methodology-if a technique comes from a place of directness, simplicity , and efficiency it can be included in your personal style. I like things from both methodologies- I guess that would make me a fan of ‘Original Jeet Kune Do Concepts’ :)

couldn't agree more. Extremely well said.

Were is Greenville

Clear, concise, correct.

I agree with you 100 %. For me there is no concepts nor original , there is only jkd. I am a concepts guy who has studied Filipino and muy tai and so on. For me those are separate arts and I only take what is useful for me. Again. Good video.

I've trained in both the concepts school of thought and traditional. One school I trained at had an alter of Bruce Lee set up. After 25 years of JKD/FMA I have come to the conclusion that my current BJJ instructor is my best JKD instructor. If you think about that and train BJJ at all you will understand.

I love the WNG and bremer stuff with my teacher's chi na

In JKDC, cross-training in multiple arts aids in the totality and development of the individual's self-expression. Martial arts gives us solutions to different threats and situations. But no one martial art has all the answers. As we grow, we look for more efficient responses and methods as it enables us to better problem-solving. The "problem" can be someone trying to choke you out, punch your face in, or maybe attack you with a weapon. Early days of no-holds-barred fighting, many fighters quickly realized their inabilities and effectiveness in different aspects of the fight. People naturally sought out better methods to make them more "complete". With this said, it is a process and and as you mentioned, many get caught up in the complexity and become confused by it and most never get passed that phase. Ultimately it's to absorb it enough where it becomes the way you move.

I dont think you are right here. Lee said it very clear but people listen to it very difficult. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is essentially your own.” The idea of constantly researching and refining your own experience was key to Bruce Lee's way of life. Bruce Lee had a liberary full of other arts and studied them, examine them, try them. Inosanto says Lee was interested and a sponse when it came to other arts and learning different techniques. All to get the job done. Lee took grappling, took wrestling, locking, kicking, boxing and made it his own. And yes he trained everyday multiple hours to get better and better. His wife, his daughter and Dany Inosanto tells us this. Yes Jeet Kune Do is a concept. The concept of being like water. Second its not true that Lee teached his student to train only one side for months. If that so, whats the source of your information. I was watching how you hold pads and it doesnt look you know how to hold them correctly and also the girl looks like a one handed fighter. Im not trying to offend you but that is a very dangerous thing to learn cuz she can easily getting defeated with multiple ways. His daughter still has an agenda of her father where he wrote all this training session down and clearly he was not only training one side. When you watch the fight with Chuck Norris, yes its a movie, but this scene says a lot about Lee. It says that he understood distance, he understood movement, he understood boxing, kicking and this was not only with his right side. No its not about adding styles cuz that is not what Lee did or Jeet Kune Do is all about. Its about techniques from different styles that can make you a better fighter. Last, Lee started with Wing Chun, but he also knew that Wing Chun is limited and most trapping techniques just dont work or is more accidentally. According to Inosanto Lee started his JKD with Wingchun, boxing and Wrestling. But at the end it was maybe one pak sao but more of the other arts added with techniques from savate, jiu jutsu and even muay thai. Thats why most MMA fighters understand Lee filosophy and say Lee was ahead of his time. If you really want to understand how Jeet Kune Do came to excistent. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--vCpCxBQVpk.html

I believe ( providing how liberated the practitioner is) any martial art can fix into another without no lessons at all from JKD. I recalled when I was a teenager, I read Bruce said he wished he never gave "the way of the intercepting fist" a name, people will confuse Jeet Kune Do as an art. Today JKD practitioners R still rehearsing" the same fighting methods Bruce did back in his time. Bruce had what I call" martial perception" which is a liberated look at how one can apply a martial move or strategy from other fields of martial arts & fit their purpose to end a fight👊 efficiently & quickly.

I agree!

Best!

What you're teaching is what will reflect your students .

I would like to dd that losing the side, oblique camera angle would be a good idea as it has become somewhat of a tired and annoying cliche. I prefer eye contact, thank you.

I thought of JKD as a guideline through your martial arts journey. As I moved through Tang SoonDo, Hapkido, Aiki Jujutsu, BJJ I always kept in mind to try to keep the simplest techniques, the techniques that worked best for my body, the techniques that worked best for the way I liked to fight. I certainly never tried to fight like Bruce, I think that’s a mistake. I just recently started taking an actual JKD class so I’m interested it how that’s going to play out.

Nice arguments!

Your totally right!

I am not really up on the history but I always got the impression that JKD was Lee's personal method that was changing all the time because he just couldn't stop refining it. My understanding is that at the time of his death he had abandoned, or marginalized, a great deal of the methods he had been using just a few years earlier. If he had lived, it would be very different than we know it today. Isn't the problem that some people trained at a particular time, and got stuck at that time because Lee was no longer there to guide them? After the basic skills, you were supposed to find your own way, based on your genetics, mainly. But I agree that to follow the principals he taught you would work constantly on the basics and not get caught up in the desire to emulate others with more skill or style.

I like to think of Jun Fan Gung Fu as the name of the art and Jeet Kune Do as the philosophy you learn from it and eventually take into use when you figure out your own individuality in fighting.

Very intelligent arguments. Something rare on the web (especially in MA).

I agree totally

But don’t you know, all fights go to the ground? Ha ha. Here’s somethings the BJJ guys never want to hear. What do you do after the opponent (me) pokes your eye out? What do you do when the opponent (me) clamps on like a pit bull? Oh, the Gracies at the beginning would teach pinching an opponents legs arms etc to get them to release get agitated etc. Try that nowadays and nobody will spar with you. Great video. And, yes I’m left handed. Too!

Some thoughts Sifu Jason: there’s this tension revolving around the idea of evolution. Bruce was constantly evolving. The key seems to be his pursuit of principles. At the point of his death was he done? I don’t think so. I understand we as humans have limited attributes as in arms and legs. I agree trying to pursue multiple systems is not efficient. Bruce didn’t try to master boxing, fencing or savate each being a lifelong endeavour. He tried to distill the principles. Most people don’t have the attributes nor the resources to pursue such a pursuit. So we have people cobbling together bits and pieces without doing justice to any particular system. I do think there are other principles to be explored. If Bruce were still around he would be obviously be quite old as I am and so he as I am be interested in other aspects of efficiency beyond just speed and power building on his ever developing sensitivity, timing and conservation of energy whilst making his opponent make exhausting mistakes. He would also explore multiple attackers and clinch scenarios. And being older he perhaps would revisit the internal martial arts and may be ending up saving them from the retirement home. Sorry grandma.

show us how u do it

Nothing wrong with your honest opinion it shows the obvious move away from what JKD was "is" non traditional for an individual & seeking progression through using no set routine , a continuous learning & adaptation to ones own physical capabilities

You are totally correct. Really, any well trained martial arts should read Bruce Lee’s books on the subject, particularly the Tao of Jeet Kune do and put it into practice in order to understand where Bruce Lee was coming from. I think that one has to know some Wing Chun, boxing, Bruce’s footwork (very important), some things from their base martial art (whatever that might be), grappling, and anything effective for you that you find along the way. Bruce Lee slayed his conception of martial arts out in Tao of Jeet Kune Do. I think that trying to add a lot to it or having a fixed (Bruce Lee way) of doing things outside of the core concepts gets people into trouble.

Isn't Wing Chun considered "complex" as well?

Old student of Sifu Dill he away hammered home train in the basic PS love watching the peekaboo sparing lots of time doing that

👍👍👍

What are your thoughts (and you may have had this question before) on Paul Vunak? That’s my first memory (90s) of seeing JKD outside of Bruce Lee.

Should be simple,few,and direct

I care nothing for the simplicity on this side of complexity but I would give my life for the complexity on the other side.

Love your stuff coach and its a small problem its not a counter its an interception right ? They are different, and in my opinion when JKD died was when certain techniques were written in stone because in Bruce's own words " jkd became just another system "

I think the hardest party of JKD is exclusion- it’s hard to throw out techniques or principles when you see the value in them. Every attack has the “perfect” counter, and it’s somewhat human nature to expand our vocabulary- we want to add more to what we know. That being said, I tend to agree- being really really good at a handful of moves is far better than dabbling in everything. Even Bruce said he fears not the man that has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

Sifu Jason, first of all if I am ever in Greenville, I will come in because you treat Martial arts with dignity as Bruce did. 2nd a question, did Bruce actually close his schools down? Thanks n I will stop in, Lol

Didn’t forget the P for Politics. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 JKD as a striking art has a very straightforward training method and a philosophical get out of jail free card for the individual practitioner. Look to Ted Wong. Since basics are the most fundamental; taught first but also continuously , those techniques can be propagated after a relatively short period of practice if fully grasped. Great Editorial.

Great analogy! This is where Bruce made his mistake of not actually getting the core benefits of a traditional system. All lineage worthy systems, with experienced instructors and dojos teach practical fighting along with traditional science of bunkai!,..after the student has reached a certain level of training physically and mentally,.. showing that they are completely humbled, loyal and worthy of receiving that higher level of info. And Many traditional systems/dojos adapted techniques from various sources to aid in the "what works for you ideology" with mixed martial arts techniques, long before Bruce Lee was even born!. However, although Bruce Lee was exceptionally talented, I believe he would have had a more solid foundation for the JKD system, had he humbled himself just a little bit longer with his original teachers as they would have shared with him more secret information and he would have had more respect and a better understanding of traditional purposes that would have ultimately lead to a better foundation for JKD!

I completely agree and I must add that in some venues it’s almost become a classical mess .

Come to think of it...this whole concept really does make sense if and only if you know how to grasp, understand, and of course be able to absorb the principles and the mechanics behind it...look at or consider Jon Jones and the way he keeps winning matches in the Octagon no matter who his opponents were...heck, for all we know he could be using Jeet Kune Do all along and nobody figured it out that he did...!!!

Jeet Kune Do stands for all possibilities of the martial arts, yet, has no boundaries as in the styles you mentioned has limitations to whatever moves their system been studying for centuries! That why JKD stands along publicly speaking!

Depends on how you use any martial art. Jkd is complex simple structure based on kenetic and rythmic alterations via interception every system and style with measures divided in partiality, fluidity, adaptability,and nothingness. When it comes to messes you up, mess up jkd and you get messed up. Conceptual and absolutely there's absolutely absolution. There's counters for every style and since jkd is of no style but all the encyclopedia and thesaurus and philosophy of the art is what makes it an honor and complete full cycle the various ways to self express, to prepare and to cease that which is telegraphed or not

I wish my chief instructor explained this issue to me in a way I can understand. I was trying to get my certification as an instructor on JKD concepts and FMA. I got myself in that confusion and stuck onto complexity. I didnt know what to do or how to become a better instructor. It was frustrating because I was aware how simple it was supposed to be. Yet there I was trying to figure out how to teach simple but effective tactics that are new. I never got certified and the school shut down. I feel like a complete failure now.

Yeah I believe the name says it all. Intercepting fist. That's it. Bruce was obsessed with speed and landing first. Not striking first but landing first. The reason he studied the arts he did is because I think he believed they had the cleanest fastest attacks for his personal build and style of moving. As soon as he created it he wanted to throw it out because I believe he realized maybe these movements don't work for everyone. Pacquiao for instance is left handed and fights that way and has a hell of a lot of speed and power in both hands so there is no reason to retrain him to fight righty and say this is the correct way. I think the way of the intercepting fist is just that and any system of fighting can be that its a philosophy not a style. A philosophy that the purest form of fighting is to be so sharp in mind, so fast and relaxed in body that you can see an attack coming and intercept it. Whether you are doing that with karate, boxing, wing chun, or a completely free form style of fighting that you created on the spot, doesn't matter. Whatever way of moving in combat that feels the cleanest to you as an individual in that moment is what works. It is the fighter not the style that wins the fight, every time. Just my two scents. Thanks for the video sifu. Amituofo!

I feel like nobody is taking the time to read Bruce Lee’s article in Black Belt magazine. He laid it all out, but people still go with their own interpretations.

Jeet kune do is not a martial art, it is a philosophy of no limit as a limit, it is an approach to martial arts and life. Bruce Lee said that he didn't even want to name it as this puts a limitation on it right away, he described jeet kune do as a boat to get you across the water but then it must be left behind, not carried on your back. A bit like the finger pointing to the moon analogy he uses in enter the dragon. The finger is pointing to absolute truth but you should not be staring at the finger, the finger is just a guide. I am not the best person to put this into words. I think the only way someone can understand what Jeet kune do is, is to read the tao of Jeet Kune Do. But one thing is for sure, Bruce Lee did not want people to copy his movements and make it into a system or Martial art. He didn't belive in crystallising, that is what he thought was wrong with traditional methods, he points out that combat is a living changing reality that no rigid system can handle in a life and death situation, only the artist himself who must not limit himself with set techniques. Or at least that's how I understood it when I read it. 🤔

From my perspective, JKD is essentially MMA. The main difference is that Bruce didn't intend it to be a sport. You what is useful for you, and throw away what's not needed. Simply, simplify. You can train in whatever styles you want, and come up with your own way from that experience(just like MMA fighters do in the sport). I'd say add a ground art like BJJ, Tai Chi, Judo or wrestling to complement your striking.

Best video I've saw on jkd

"Don't think... Feel!"^^

So, I m not a 'JKD" practitioner, believe me, I got no skin in the game, but at the end of the day, what exactly are you advocating? Are you advocating for people to train in Original JKD, JKD Concepts, or should they just train in MMA? I'm not trying to troll or stir any thing up, I just want to understand where you are coming from, and what advice would you give to a child or a total beginner who is thinking about starting Martail Arts training, what Martail Art would you most likely encourage them to try out first?

Well if they call you names Jason, prove your theory by challenging them to a friendly contest. U see flaws in JKD just Ng Mui did 300 years ago in traditional kung fu which inspired her to find an art that eventually became known as Wing Chun. Bruce Lee got into heated🔥 arguments about the "martial arts mess that plagues "us because of set styles & traditions. There's a mixed martial artist in China who was vilify for 17 consecutive victories . When one presents an obstacle the idea is not to trash the effectiveness of something different , but to learn how to grow from those obstacles so you can be better.

I think one big problem is people look at it as a method based in techniques and really it's a method of tactics or strategy

I think a major concern for me about JKD you forgot to mention is marketing allowance. Bruce’s daughter and wife appear to have all control over all/most rights. My prior instructor had severe apprehension over marketing anything with the symbol of the art I love. Instead of always cashing a check on legacy please consider its future! BTW the instructor had instructor certification from Guru Dan Inosanto. Very disheartening... If community can’t even advertise as a Bruce Lee philosophy/art then this may die soon. BTW I’ve been studying JKD for over 5 years along with many other martial arts (BJJ, Muay Thai, Boxing, Kali, HEMA, etc..)

How can you do kali silat Thai jun fan jkd bjj and br high level at all these arts I got sick of going to learn jkd getting taught stick fighting

look at the movie no retreat no surrender ... notice that acting Bruce Lee taught him without being a copycat 💖🕊️☺️

Tommy carruthers best example of jkd in UK and probably usa

Well said. THIS IS MY OPINION. Bruce knew this would happen. So he closed down all his schools and stopped teaching. But his friends didn't listen but just wanted to cash in on the money and make a living out of Bruce Lee's Art and name. Same as Yip Mans wing chun, the first students are all well off and making a living teaching, even though they weren't qualified or learnt the whole system. That's why Wing Chun & Jkd is in a Classical Mess NOW.

I knew next to nothing about JKD until I read your book Fundaments of JKD. Just recently I was thinking about what JKD was, unaware of this issue. On my lonesome, I sided toward the Concepts camp. I liken it to a good boxing coach. He teaches the correct way to do things, and his students tell him he created his own martial art. But the coach replies, This style is nothing but correct boxing technique, not a new martial art. JKD is mainly based in principles (as you stated) rather than technique. So you can have JKD styled boxing. Or JKD styled kick boxing. Maybe even JKD styled wrestling. Whereas karate's punch is very different than a boxer's punch. JKD blends the two, and subsequently is spawned in realm between principles and style (martial art). My $.02.

Step one, don’t read the Tao of Jkd and think you know Jkd. Step two, if you are training to pose like Bruce did in his movies, it’s probably not Jkd. Step 3. Jkd can be applied to any art, but not the other way around. Take a kick you learned, a punch, look at how you were taught, and find ways to make it more efficient, simple, etc. that’s applying a “Jkd philosophy” or concept to other arts. The system of it is like umbrella skills, basic human movements that are supposed to be in conjunction with the way our bodies are designed. Why do we start by hitting with a vertical fist? Engages lats, biggest muscle in our upper body, promotes hip rotation, hip rotation builds momentum to make the next movements stronger. Cool, once we understand the structure of shaping a hit at its simplest and most efficient form, then we can make it our own. A fist can turn sideways, become a finger jab, an elbow. At the end of the day it’s still a “hit” Side note, who did you train under?

I think part of the problem is that Bruce Lee created a philosophy about the practice of martial arts then applied that to the martial arts techniques he had ready access too. People then packaged this together into a martial arts "system" that was basically "be like Bruce Lee and do what he did". To my knowledge none of his most successful students fought like Bruce at all since they had different strengths and weaknesses.

The thing I liked about practicing JKD rather than my original martial arts style Kung Fu San Soo was that it emphasized on reality rather than simulation all the other martial arts that I took afterwards gave me a greater insight on how to use their style because I had such a good insight programmed into me from practicing JKD

Jeet Kun Do was never meant to be taught because you can't teach it...Bruce Lee knew this...he couldn't really teach it also and he knew this that's why in his own words " Jeet Kun Do is like boat to get you across the river and when you cross the river you leave the boat at the river" Jeet Kun Do was never a physical thing it's all mental....its a way of thinking nothing else...and if someone is teaching JKD there is a problem....because the whole philosophy is self discovery and that can never be taught...it could on be explored...and practiced..there is no master of JKD not even Bruce...Lee was only the father of JKD...