Wing Chun alone or JKD at a school ?

Hello everyone,

I would like to have your opinions on whether to learn Jeet Kune Do at a school that does not have the best reputation but it's the only one for 170$ (12 weeks) and you can go up to 6 times a week, or to learn Wing Chun foundations (everything that does not requires a partner) at home.

I feel like Wing Chun is more for me since I would love to learn more about its history and the traditional side of it, I did some alone for 2 months everyday before I injured myself playing soccer, I loved it. I also feel like JKD is a bit of a scam, I mean I love Bruce Lee, but it seems like an 'uncompleted' art. And that "no-style" thing seems to be simply to cover the fact it's copied mostly from another art (WC). Did you know Lee charged 1000$ for a one hour lesson? That's crazy.

Now I know a lot of people are going to say it is impossible to learn alone but whatever, I want to do it, and I know I can.

Thanks for the answers !

P.S.: I am absolutely not saying JKD is bad, just not suited for me.

 

Forgive me, but it seems like you have already made your mind up.

However, apart from the basics, very little of WC can be learned without a partner. No sticking hands, sensitivity drills, no drills at all, in fact, nothing that allows you to put the moves from SLT into a context. You may as well save your money and buy a book on dynamic tension, for all the good it will do you as a martial artist.

For information before I answer further, is it Original/Nucleus JKD or JKD Concepts you have the option of training in at the local school? Also, what does 'does not have the best reputation' mean, exactly?

 

You appear not to know much about JKD for starters, and what exactly are you hoping to learn about Wing Chun at home? Also, the history of traditional Chinese martial arts (speaking as a teacher of traditional Chinese martial arts) is usually a collection of fairytales followed by some exaggerated claims about someone's teacher 80 years ago, also if you do JKD concepts you often still study TMAs with attendant histories as part of your training anyway (going back to my first point). What is the problem with the JKD school (or even better, what is the JKD school)?

 

go do jkd.

 

Thank you for your answers so far !

You probably heard "you get what you pay for" and that is mostly why I am reluctant. Some say the school is very good, but there is some who say it is not very professional and serious. I called and I was told you can sign up and start anytime, so I have some doubts if the teacher will be available.

The more I think about it, the more I feel learning at home won't work.

I am not sure if it is Concepts but it would not surprise me too much since the school has something like 12 different styles and it's not that much of a big school. So maybe a teacher teach 2 completely different arts and mix things up.

I am probably going to end up at that school since I really really want to learn MA, and the WC school is too expensive.

 

How much are you going to pay for training wing chun alone at home?

 

Why???

Doesn't always hold true for martial arts though, some REALLY expensive places are terrible and some awesome places are dirt cheap.

 

So anyway, have you got a link for the JKD place?

 

I just dropped 10 IQ points reading this - I would say you are ideally suited to learn at home.

 

Hahaha made my day ! That's true.

I am not sure if it is a problem to sign up at any time tho, more like a plus but I'll see.

I will go this week and see if I can take the first class for free to try, otherwise I'll just sign up !

Thanks for the advice guys !

 

They don't have a website !

 

Go and watch/take part in a class before you sign up for anything.

 

To start with a bad school is not worth attending reguardless of the price. The idea of attempting to learn any martial art by yourself is not much better. Anyone here on MAP would probably tell you as much.

Unless I'm mistaken (read Wing Chun students can add thier view here) you won't learn WC in a JKD school. Wing Chun is a style that has it's own forms, weapons, training methods, etc. JKD does teach WC concepts yet it's not the same thing.

If you are determined to learn Wing Chun find a good school. If you want to learn Jeet Kune Do find a good school. Natuarally I'd disagree with your view of JKD yet it's your choice.

 

What are the other choices in your area?
Is there no WC school in your area you can go to?

 

Nearly all good schools will give you at least one free lesson, and will probably let you sit in on a couple more before you decide, if that's what you want.

 

I agree with Mushroom, what other schools are in your area? Keep an open mind and take a look at them. You might find that something you never considered is a perfect fit.

 

IF you want cheap and effective with plenty of history go to your nearest boxing gym or Judo club. Now there's a curveball.

 

Yeah boxing is effective, cheap, and you'll get physical conditioning which will serve you far better in the area of life preservation than the self defense aspect.

 

Don't even bring up JKD ...

There's this guy at my school ... he's my friend but he's really starting to get on my nerves. :bang: He's like a huge Bruce Lee fan, and he wants to learn JKD and wont even try any other martial arts. Yet, despite his lack of training, he acts like he knows everything about martial arts. He acts like watching Bruce Lee movies some how gives him martial arts skills.

Anyway, he's still a friend despite any of this , but because of it I kinda hold a subconscious grudge against JKD. But who knows? Try it, maybe you'll like it.

 

In Cali you have the worlds finest JKD right there!

http://inosanto.com/