Amongst Martial Arts circles the name "Jeet Kune Do" produces more controversy than anything else. When will the insanity stop?

What we're really talking about here is Martial Arts - and it's various expressions. One need look no further than Bruce Lee's own writings on the subject. And then, into one's own self.

Yet each "camp" - the "Nucleus," the "Concepts" people, the "Wednesday night" people - all want to bicker and say how "theirs" is Bruce's way/the Right way, etc.

Enough!

All of them have something to offer. And had Bruce been alive today, he would have continued to grow and learn and expand JKD as his own learning expanded. Let us not be so self-limiting as to retain ourselves to only the view of one "political party." Truth is OUTSIDE of the Box, not inside of it!

I highly recommend you study all of the books by or about Bruce Lee, particularly those by John Little. Get your hands on as much material from the now-defunct Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus - they made some great videos and a magazine called "Knowing is Not Enough" that gave some awesome insights into Bruce and his art that you won't find anywhere else! I've heard that copies have been spotted on Ebay, so keep an eye out for them.

I've heard that Bruce's progeny and original students have started a Bruce Lee Foundation. If this is true, find out about it. It sounds like a great idea, long overdue.

Also, study with the JKD Concepts guys like Burton Richardson and Paul Vunak. This is great stuff, and very "real-world"

If there's ever a Dan Inosanto seminar near you - ATTEND! If you're fortunate enough to live in southern California, seek out these great guys like Dan Lee, Dan Inosanto, Jerry Poteet and others.

It's all good! It's Martial Arts! Can we all stop the bickering and live in harmony? If a teacher is not good, he will not attract students. You don't need to waste energy joining in the political strife, the bad teacher's practice will die on the vine naturally, as students drift away toward truth.

In my Academy years ago, I would encourage my other students to go study with other teachers and schools - the more they grew, the more they learned, the more they were exposed to - the better for them!

Yet, some of thes students would tell me how other teachers "would not allow you to go to another school. It is not loyal to the teachings of Sensei So-and-so!" How stupid! How insecure! How greedy!

The truth is within you already, if you have the intuition and conscience to listen to reason. Search within yourself to find your true center, and a quiet voice will tell you what you need to know and where you can find it. You do not need the validation of other men to be a true martial artist or Jeet Kune Do practitioner.

At the end of the day one has to accept who one IS, and realize that one man is never really going to flourish being under the direction of another man, style or system.

Listen up Martial Arts teachers: get out of the way of your student's growth. It is NOT about the teacher, it's about the Student! Do what's best for the student, not your ego, not your political party, and not your wallet! OK?

Thank you for all of your letters. And YES - our Jeet Kune Do DVD series has been in production for a year, and won't be ready for another year or two, as we make it the most thorough and excellent DVD set possible. If you want to be notified when it is available, and be updated from time to time, click here.

Blessings,