Training without an instructor?

[CheukMo]

Is it possible to actually learn JKD without an instructor? I live in the middle of nowhere and there aren't any JKD instructors in my area. I have been trying to teach myself JKD through books (Bruce Lee's fighting method, Tao of JKD) and videos (Jerry Poteet's entire video collection). Any input, comments, etc would be very much appreciated.

 

[Drac]

It is almost impossible..You need that trained eye watching to insure your stances are correct and the strikes are launched correctly...You will pick up things, but how will you know you are doing them correctly????

 

[MJS]

It is almost impossible..You need that trained eye watching to insure your stances are correct and the strikes are launched correctly...You will pick up things, but how will you know you are doing them correctly????

What Drac said!

There are countless threads on here, asking about self training, and my reply is the same. Is it possible? Sure, you'll pick up something. Will it be done right? Probably not. Nothing IMO, can replace a live instructor. Its one thing to use tape as a reference tool, but to learn from...nope, gotta go live IMO!

Mike

 

[CheukMo]

Then it's as I suspected and feared. I have to move or find an an instructor. Thanks for your honest opinions!

 

[MJS]

Then it's as I suspected and feared. I have to move or find an an instructor. Thanks for your honest opinions!

What other arts do you have nearby? I don't know if this would be possibly for you, but if you were able to travel, I know that there are instructors out there that have long distance students. This would involve you traveling to their location and spending a few days, a week, etc., training for a certain number of hours each day. This way, you'd at least have some basic material that you could work on until the next time you were able to meet with the inst.

Mike

 

[Drac]

What other arts do you have nearby? I don't know if this would be possibly for you, but if you were able to travel, I know that there are instructors out there that have long distance students. This would involve you traveling to their location and spending a few days, a week, etc., training for a certain number of hours each day. This way, you'd at least have some basic material that you could work on until the next time you were able to meet with the inst.

What Mike said...

 

[kidswarrior]

What other arts do you have nearby? I don't know if this would be possibly for you, but if you were able to travel, I know that there are instructors out there that have long distance students. This would involve you traveling to their location and spending a few days, a week, etc., training for a certain number of hours each day. This way, you'd at least have some basic material that you could work on until the next time you were able to meet with the inst.

Mike

I'm with Mike and Drac....This is very sound advice. :ultracool

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Definately look for JKD Instructors within a three to four hour drive and see if you can travel and take private lessons and or attend seminars. That can get you started and get some necessary corrections on your training.

 

[michaeledward]

I'm wondering where, exactly is "the middle of nowhere"? I've always wanted to visit there. It sounds like a peaceful place.

But, I am also thinking that with a bit more data, someone on this board may be able to suggest a competent trainer in your area.

 

[arnisador]

You can read about his philosophy and try to apply it to what you know...but to leanr the art, no. Trying to learn the trapping without an instructor, for example, is virtually impossible.

 

[CheukMo]

As to where I live, I live in Southeast Texas. I bought the Bruce Lee's Fighting Method books when I was around ten years old (many years ago). I tried teaching myself what I could out of the "Basic Training" volume. I learned what I thought to be the straight punch, side kick, the on-guard stance. My interests went to other hobbies in high school. I studied TaeKwon Do many years back during college. I enjoyed the kicking and punching exercises but not the forms so I eventually quit. I regained my interest in Martial Arts in the late 1990's. I found a Wing Chun group about a two hour (one way) drive that practices two nights a week. I was coached on yi ji kim yeung ma, the basics of the centerline theory and the Wing Chun straight punch. I do realize that learning chi sao and trapping is impossible without at least a senior student of Wing Chun or Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. Any more advice or comments would be welcome.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kidswarrior]

As to where I live, I live in Southeast Texas. I bought the Bruce Lee's Fighting Method books when I was around ten years old (many years ago). I tried teaching myself what I could out of the "Basic Training" volume. I learned what I thought to be the straight punch, side kick, the on-guard stance. My interests went to other hobbies in high school. I studied TaeKwon Do many years back during college. I enjoyed the kicking and punching exercises but not the forms so I eventually quit. I regained my interest in Martial Arts in the late 1990's. I found a Wing Chun group about a two hour (one way) drive that practices two nights a week. I was coached on yi ji kim yeung ma, the basics of the centerline theory and the Wing Chun straight punch. I do realize that learning chi sao and trapping is impossible without at least a senior student of Wing Chun or Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. Any more advice or comments would be welcome.

Thanks in advance!

The other thing that occurs to me is you may want to take up a somewhat related art--boxing, wrestling, a MMA gym, or anything you feel would help you, where you're getting live teaching. I think you'd find it had some overlap in application to your JKD.