This question is sure to get the keyboard warriors up and at each other so here goes.

If a student of a 2nd generation instructor goes and gets certified by an OBLS does that make them 2nd generation as well and not 3rd generation? I say it does not as they learned the "meat" of his/her JKD from the 2nd generation instructor. I have read on another forum that a person is claiming to be 3rd generation when in fact he would be 4th generation as the person they are training under is 3rd generation.

Does it rally matter as to where you are on the "JKD tree"?


I await your thoughts and comments.

Kent

i believe all you should be concerned about is learning and giving credit to whom you gained your knowledge and ability from.

Hi Kent

Based on what you've said, it would make you a second generation student as well as a third generation student.

As far as where you are in the JKD family tree, I think the only important thing to consider is how true to the original teachings the instructor is and what you can learn from them. Learning original JKD and having the instructors authentically teaching Bruce's fighting method, these are the most important factors.

Tom

consider that with many so called 2nd generation instructors are using this "title" to spread their crap. Sifu has seen this more than once. We could just say that we trained in JKD and are teaching JKD when in fact I am teaching stuff that I make up along the way or see in movies. This is being done in several places and people are paying good money from what they think is a 2nd or even 3rd generation instructor or even a JKD instructor. The further down most trees you get the more water you will find same way in most martial arts lineage trees. I could be a 3rd gen go get some cert from a OBLS and call my self a 2nd gen. Then I add to what I teach pass it off as JKD and you will think I learned this from the OBLS and yet another student/instructor under the same OBLS does not teach nor endorse this neither does the OBLS. What is the result even more crap being passed off as JKD. Why do people buy this? You are closer to the beginning if you say you are 2nd rather than 3rd. Which is more impressive 1st string 2dn string or 3rd string?

if I did in fact get a cert from an OBLS I would still call my self a 3rd gen as my knowledge comes from sifu but the garnish may come from the OBLS.

Basically these people are passing themselves off as something they are not.

kent

I agree with Bells, in that the main thing is learning and being respectful to all parties involved in your training. I have decided to stay safely on the periphery of the infighting going on in JKD. I am only seeking knowledge and hopefully I can discern at this point in my training if somebody is teaching me stuff that makes no sense.

Jeff
Atl