The art, which was
formed by Bruce Lee in various stages, was finally named in the late 60's. While
continuing to deny that JKD was a "style" he began to show his system
to the public with great skepticism from the martial arts community and various
Chinese individual who found his teachings to be discourteous to tradition.
While it is nothing in the martial arts for a founder of a martial art style to
be young (most founders / grandmasters of famous Chinese and Japanese systems
were in their 20's) Lee's instruction of non-Chinese had the elders in an
uproar. He was a pioneer in many different aspects in the martial arts. One of
his famous quotes was Jeet Kune Do is only a name so don't fuss over it.
The
original art itself is a modification of Lee's first martial art style of Wing
Chun Kung Fu. So many modifications in fact that it is very hard to see some of
the similarities of the two systems. The blocks and hand maneuvers such as
grabbing, sticking, and energy techniques have their roots in Wing Chun but the
finished product is pure JKD. JKD has had such an influence in the martial art
word the even the core art of Wing Chun has adopted JKD sparring techniques. The
second of the three arts in the core of original JKD is French Fencing. Who can
deny the speed and agility in the art of fencing. The footwork is a combining
and modifying of fencing, Wing Chun, boxing movements, placements and
displacements. And the final art of Western or American Boxing for the Muhammad
Ali hand maneuvers and punches.
The art was continued after the untimely death of Bruce Lee primarily by Danny Inosanto, a Master Kempo Instructor, and Master of the Philippino arts of Kali and Arnis (knife and stick fighting, and escrima).
JKD was and is a wonderful expression of Kempo, and Bruce Lee's concepts and book "The Tao of Jeet Kune do" are taught at the Academy.