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Message: <blockquote data-quote="takyris" data-source="post: 378872" data-attributes="member: 5171">Bruce Lee did indeed write the Tao of JKD.  It has been used as an excuse for lazy and undisciplined people to take one or two years of a whole bunch of martial arts and then declare themselves masters.Here's the thing that everyone forgets when they go on and on about the no-style deal.  Bruce Lee did all that experimentation and exploration AFTER he had a solid foundation in an existing art.  Like I said: Multiclassing.  A wizard3/cleric3/monk3 gets his hat handed to him by a wizard7/cleric1/monk1.I COMPLETELY agree that experimentation and "finding your own style" are things you should do.  In fact, that's what I'm doing at this belt level.  It's built into my style.  Part of my sixth-degree black belt test will be to show twelve existing techniques from white to brown belt that I have altered or changed, and then explain and defend my reasons for changing them.Example: In "Jaws of the Tiger", I didn't like the fact that I had to do three defensive moves (to break a wrist grab) before I hit the attacker.  I changed the technique to position myself more defensively and added leg checking to mess up the attacker's balance.  The revised technique would be far too complex for a white belt (when the technique is first taught) to learn, but it works just perfectly for me.  The original technique works well as a simple and effective way for a novice martial artist to break a hold -- but I can do it more effectively now.So I AM finding my own style.  Changing things, checking out Jujitsu as a complementary form, sharing tips and tricks with friends at other schools.Bruce Lee NEVER said "Only train for one year in each school."  If you do that, you'll be learning all the basic moves over and over again.  You'll know ten different variations for a basic fighting stance, and none of the advanced stances or movements they teach you after the first few years.  You'll know the basic blocks or parries for ten different styles, and none of the advanced stuff that builds off those basics.  You'll know ten different types of introductory katas, sets, or forms, and none of the advanced ones that use what you learned in the beginning ones to do cooler stuff.I know, I know.  Ranting.  But there seems to be this mindset that "Bruce Lee said that dabbling in everything was the key to mastery," which is simply not true.  He became a great martial artist by taking his many years of Wing Chun training and incorporating elements of other styles into it.  You need a good solid foundation style to integrate other elements into, or you're just going to be the ultimate multiclassed wimp -- a cleric4/rogue4/bard4/monk4/wizard4 who knows how to get his backside handed to him in five different styles.-Tacky</blockquote>

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