Not one single student spent decades training under Bruce Lee. They did not have him standing over them with a stick insisting they do the drills, techniques and concepts a certain way. The history tells a much different story. If you totaled the hours of each student who trained in those schools, I think you'd be shocked at how little time JKD was actually practiced while he was alive. For those who have trained for 20, or 30+ years in the Martial Arts, JKD's actual total training hours under Bruce's direction was extremely limited.  With that said, how long does it take for any Martial Art student to understand a block, a quick hand counter technique and lead leg kick response? How long does it take to understand a philosophy of reacting to what attack you are presented with  in the quickest and most effective way? Is this rocket science? Given the fact that this is Martial Arts legend, and true genius that he was handing to us, to learn it requires no golden chalice, no special gift of intelligence, and certainly not decades of training at some traditional temple. It is Bruce's gift to the rest of us, and it is to be cherished, studied and applied.

  Bruce Lee's vision for Jeet Kune Do was fast evolving and of course ended suddenly with his death. He did not leave a rigid "closed curriculum" based on absolutes like many other styles. The truth is, it was not a style, but a scientific study and approach on how to train effectively to counter many styles. A science of yielding to and flowing around attacks, being first, fastest and most effective to hit, along with many other effective fighting concepts which can be adapted to any martial art style. Anyone with any knowledge of the fighting arts, can read his books, study his concepts and philosophy and immediately be truly learning and applying JKD as he envisioned it, it is that simple, and it is not rocket science.

  So for the handful of students that actually trained in his short-lived schools and were lucky enough to train under him or James Yimm Lee. They received his philosophy on training first hand and did not receive the rigid traditional approach "For it to be authentic JKD, it must be done this way for this is the only way". They should know better, that was not his teachings. His way was to take the weapons you have, use them to the best of your ability, be smarter, faster, and more effective than your opponent and not be locked into any particular style. That was his true vision.

  So those taking the stance that some JKD is more pure than others ( a political approach we see in many other traditional Martial Art styles), and to those that attack the other 1st, 2nd & 3rd generation JKD students, I say you are truly the ones going against his vision for JKD. His vision was not for one "pure way" which is the only way, it was to take any training style, apply these incredible fighting concepts and adapt yourself and make yourself better, less rigid, more effective.

  Although he did not specifically want it to be a "style", those modern day students who are continuing his training legacy and trying to embrace his approach need to be recognized for their efforts and hence there is a ranking system in JKD.  It is doing him honor to continue and try and reach the ultimate goal of "The Way of No True Way". To be completely fluid and adaptable to what opponent you are facing. To be the best, the fastest, and smartest in all situations. To train hard, to train steady, and to constantly try and improve oneself through varied training drills. This is Jeet Kune Do. It is not a specific way to block, kick, or strike done a certain "pure" way. It is the fastest path to victory by not being restrained by any one way...

 With all that said, we welcome you to our Royal Dragon Jeet Kune Do program. We use the authentic Oakland, Ca. JKD curriculum under the direction of Prof. Gary Dill who studied under James Yimm Lee. He was there, he has the original training manuals and he received direct training under James Yimm Lee. The Oakland years were truly the last and most evolved of JKD. We are proud and honored to train on this curriculum and we ignore the politics and truly honor Bruce's legacy. We continue this legacy of THE greatest Martial Artist in history, and we cherish that legacy and his vision. To those who would otherwise attack other JKD stylists, 1st, 2nd & 3rd generation students based on politics, we yield to your attack.

- F. Ehnle