I’ve talked to several people who are very determined to get certified by a reputable JKD instructor but don’t have a plan for how to go about it. I’m not an expert, but I’m going to lay out how I’d approach it. Take it for what it’s worth. Also, keep in mind that this is intended for those who don’t have an instructor nearby. Finally, an important clarification: this is not about becoming certified as an instructor. There are programs that give student-level ranking via video testing or at seminars. I suppose those could be considered a first step toward becoming an instructor.
1. Decide what your goal is. Are you in it to:
a) Learn a functional, open-ended approach to training that gives you a framework for continuing to grow and learn?
b) Learn only what Bruce Lee was doing during his lifetime?
c) Looking to emulate the way Bruce did what he did, the way he moved, punched, kicked, etc.?
d) Looking for a contemporary interpretation of JKD?
Maybe it’s some combination of those. Use that to decide which lineage or group you start with.
2. Get access to some basic material, ideally in a lesson format. You can tell by the way the lessons are structured what that particular instructor or group finds important. Some will hyper-focus on things like how high the rear heel is off the ground in the ready stance. Others will give you a general idea and let you work it out for yourself. There’s usually continuity to the approach throughout the lessons.
Here’s my uneducated opinion on some of the online options out there. Keep in mind, I’ve only ever seen the lessons I helped create. I have zero knowledge of any of the rest and am simply taking a guess based on what I’ve seen. Do your own research to find the best fit.
Just a few, in no particular order:
– Burton Richardson’s new JFJKD program. I’ve heard from Burton before that all of his ranking is based on sparring. He posts videos that give a good idea of what type of sparring is done within his group, generally speaking. It’s controlled sparring. Nobody trying to take each others heads off, at least not as it pertains to how ranking is given. Burton clearly has a thorough knowledge of multiple JKD “lineages” and their different approaches. He’s also more widely, what I’d consider a martial arts expert (weapons knowledge, mma coaching experience, various grappling systems, etc.).
https://jkdunlimited.com/products/jun-fan-jkd-program
– Chinatown JKD Lessons (Wednesday Night Group instructors) — I helped create these so I know what the intention/purpose was, how it actually turned out, and what should be focused on if you are looking to get certified by someone under Tim Tackett/Bob Bremer lineage. The lessons were meant to capture what was taught in Tackett’s garage along with an overview of the larger amount of material that was contained within his personal notes. At the foundation it’s much of what Bremer passed on, but includes things that weren’t regularly taught in the garage. If you only ever learn ten things, it’s pretty hard to throw stuff away and still be functional. You get “original” material, but through the Bremer lens. The lessons are primarily taught by Jeremy Lynch and Dennis Blue (with a few from Tim Tackett) — they are both bigger guys. Over 6 feet tall, not 5’7, 145 lbs like Bruce. The Bremer approach suited them very well.
https://martialboutique.gumroad.com/l/chinatownjkd
– The Art of JKD Academy , Octavio Quintero — I haven’t seen the lessons or trained with him, but I have friends who have. Based on what public video footage there is, I would expect these to be very detailed lessons with explosive demos of the techniques. Jerry Poteet lineage. I was always told that Jerry Poteet had great insight into trapping and sensitivity/energy. Again, just from what I’ve seen, this looks to me like Chinatown-era JKD through the Poteet lens.
https://www.theartofjkd.com/
3. Pick a source of information and get proficient at a few techniques, the way that instructor demonstrates them. Basic footwork plus maybe five techniques to start with. Nothing that’s going to require in-person coaching right off the bat. Anyone can learn to throw a straight punch, a straight kick, a curved kick, and practice bridging the gap. Use your feet to put your hands in play, go high/low, low/high, and try to use broken rhythm. I wouldn’t focus on attack by drawing or HIA at this point.
Instructors/coaches are going to be drawn to potential. Doesn’t matter if they’re watching a video that a student submitted or working with someone one-on-one. Use that ability to do a few things well to make a statement. Regardless of what group you are looking to get certified by, they really aren’t going to care how many techniques you know or how much information you’ve memorized. They want to see something.
4. Get to an in-person class or seminar. Even if you can only ever go once, show up. Get feedback on what you’re doing. Meet some of the people you hear/read about and see what they’re like. If you can’t get to a JKD instructor, go to a boxing class. Don’t try to make it JKD, just do what they ask of you and benefit from working with other people and being coached. If they have you in an orthodox stance that’s a good thing. Work the boxing orthodox and do your JKD training outside of the class with your most coordinated side forward to start with.
5. Start recording yourself — footwork first, then everything else. Compare it to the different videos out there. Don’t worry about the individual expression by that particular instructor, focus on building up the attributes you need to improve. The qualities and attributes will be the same regardless of what flavor of JKD it is. Figure out where you have natural ability versus your weakest areas. If the online program you joined or the instructor you visited is willing to look at the videos and give feedback, great. If not, use it to make yourself better.
6. Don’t “test” too early. It might be tempting to try and get a piece of paper right away, but make sure you can physically perform it properly. It’s much easier to make adjustments to the way you perform the techniques than it is to hear that you just don’t have the physical ability.
For me personally, I don’t have the time or resources to train where and when I want to right now. All I do is footwork, shadow boxing, and hit a speed bag. All things I can stand up from the computer and do at any moment. When I do go back, I’m mentally prepared for the fact that my technique is going to suck. As long as I can be light on my feet and put some snap on my punches and kicks, I know I’ll be okay.