So I recently was in Phoenix and visited a friend of mine who teaches a JKD class. It's pretty much a dirty boxing/ kickboxing class with a small level of trapping. The things he teaches are really very practical, as he's had many years of experience and training. He's a good Inosanto guy. However, his students tend to be geeks.
I don't know what it is about the term "JKD." It seems to bring out geekiness in the martial arts world. Hell, I think many of Inosanto-certified instructors tend to shy away from anymore. These geeks want a martial art that doesn't have any structure and is "perfect for the street." Or what they imagine is the street. Here is my story.
I did a class to get a work out and my friend taught. It was good kickboxing with some "dirt" thrown in, but not too much. That's fine, because the "dirty" techniques are rather unrefined and any idiot can do them anyway (eye poke, groin kick and etc.) Keep in mind that the "dirt" is really not emphasized or even drilled that much. The focus is on good boxing and kicking. Anyway, towards the end, Vince asks me to show a couple of things I've learned. So I am happy to share.
Since the focus on the class was stand up "street" fighting, I decide that maybe a couple of takedowns will be fun. Anyway, I decide to focus on a series that I'm very familiar with and love, the fireman's carry. I show variations of the inside, outside and middle fireman's carry from a clinch position. It seemed that people were getting it, and figuring it out. They seemed to be having fun and learning. However, after the class was over, I hear some students saying "those were cool throws, but I'll never clinch someone" and "this isn't realistic, who the heck fights like this?"
Vince heard it too and was indifferent about it. He says that he teaches similar things, but hears the same shit all of the time. He is convinced that the "JKD" culture brings out this bullshit culture of people who think that "street fighting" has no rules, and so they can dictate how a fight will occur. It's like they fantasize that bad things won't happen in a fight. I mean, WTF? It seems that JKD has degraded to just another "TMA" where people live in a dream world where if they just have a "black belt" they can defeat anyone who is not.
Rant is over. Thanks.
I don't know what it is about the term "JKD." It seems to bring out geekiness in the martial arts world. Hell, I think many of Inosanto-certified instructors tend to shy away from anymore. These geeks want a martial art that doesn't have any structure and is "perfect for the street." Or what they imagine is the street. Here is my story.
I did a class to get a work out and my friend taught. It was good kickboxing with some "dirt" thrown in, but not too much. That's fine, because the "dirty" techniques are rather unrefined and any idiot can do them anyway (eye poke, groin kick and etc.) Keep in mind that the "dirt" is really not emphasized or even drilled that much. The focus is on good boxing and kicking. Anyway, towards the end, Vince asks me to show a couple of things I've learned. So I am happy to share.
Since the focus on the class was stand up "street" fighting, I decide that maybe a couple of takedowns will be fun. Anyway, I decide to focus on a series that I'm very familiar with and love, the fireman's carry. I show variations of the inside, outside and middle fireman's carry from a clinch position. It seemed that people were getting it, and figuring it out. They seemed to be having fun and learning. However, after the class was over, I hear some students saying "those were cool throws, but I'll never clinch someone" and "this isn't realistic, who the heck fights like this?"
Vince heard it too and was indifferent about it. He says that he teaches similar things, but hears the same shit all of the time. He is convinced that the "JKD" culture brings out this bullshit culture of people who think that "street fighting" has no rules, and so they can dictate how a fight will occur. It's like they fantasize that bad things won't happen in a fight. I mean, WTF? It seems that JKD has degraded to just another "TMA" where people live in a dream world where if they just have a "black belt" they can defeat anyone who is not.
Rant is over. Thanks.
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