*Sigh* What i am trying to say is that Bruce Lee was one of the first people to get martial artists to step out of the confinements of their fighting system and practice other forms, as well as your own, and that it doesn't matter if it's a Japanese system or a Chinese system or a Korean system, but to open your mind to other system to make you yourself a better martial artist.

SteveBruce wrote:
Was Bruce Lee the first person to train in more than one style and adapt what he learned?
He was the first in the West with enough of a platform to actually be heard when reminding people that it's the artist, not the style. In this sense, he was a teacher, not an innovator.

But a teacher innovates and instructor replicates do they not?

Ryusui_Ryu wrote:
But a teacher innovates and instructor replicates do they not?
Good point. I should have been more careful with my word choice. Good teachers and instructors need to innovate in order to teach well according to the situation at hand. My original point was that Bruce Lee wasn't so much innovating, but rather replicating, or retelling, or reminding, or what have you -- the same lessons and stories that had been passed down for a long time (empty teacups, fingers pointing at the moon, no-mindedness, etc).

Yeah Tonyli I can understand your point, Bruce didn't so much invent his philosophy it was taught to him. But on the same note he did create his way of showing it to the world which then opened up peoples minds. When we learn skills typically we teach the same thing we have learned to someone else but possibly with a little twist from our own personal knowledge.

Bruce created Jeet Kune Do to help people understand the Chinese way and Bruce's way. What he also did as was pointed out was teach to anyone who wants to learn and class himself and Human not American or Chinese so he inspired people to be more open.

There's no point in philosophy, if you can't transfer it's message.

after all), he turned that into a concise message that was more easily absorbed by the west.

It's all very well saying "this guy said that first" etc, but the the concepts and principles we explore today are intrinsic to mankind and have always been there.

BL summarised and simplified things we might not otherwise have considered.

There was no 'pat pending' disclaimer on what he wrote, as most of the publication and recognition came posthumously.

I wonder if the writings and musings of anyone here, would stand up in such a light.

Bruce Lee was the first person to initiate a major martial arts movement in America-indeed, he bridged the formidable cultural gap between East and West. He didn't simply merged together various styles-he freed himself from them. That way he was free to do what he liked with what had previously been set and stone, breaking it down, discarding it, or changing it to suit his very own needs and thus making himself able to adapt to any situation. A major breakthrough like this had never been seen before in the West-most people followed rigid styles and to suggest straying from them was sacreligious
In response to the creator of this thread, the whole point of Jeet Kune Do is its simplicity. Jeet Kune simply means, in all it's glory, absorb that which is useful, discard that which is useless.

ahhh. someone sees the light!

Martiallaw09 wrote:
Bruce Lee was the first person to initiate a major martial arts movement in America-indeed, he bridged the formidable cultural gap between East and West. He didn't simply merged together various styles-he freed himself from them. That way he was free to do what he liked with what had previously been set and stone, breaking it down, discarding it, or changing it to suit his very own needs and thus making himself able to adapt to any situation. A major breakthrough like this had never been seen before in the West-most people followed rigid styles and to suggest straying from them was sacreligious
In response to the creator of this thread, the whole point of Jeet Kune Do is its simplicity. Jeet Kune simply means, in all it's glory, absorb that which is useful, discard that which is useless.
Hi M09,
stick up an 'intro thread' bud please. :)

Sorry, my bad. Just did so