#15: Chris Kent – The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do

The Black Belt Podcast

“Jeet Kune Do to me is not about the perpetuation of an art, it is about the personal cultivation of an individual. To me Jeet Kune Do is a state of being. It’s a dynamic way of thinking and acting that encompasses the same fluid operating principles you use in dealing with opponents that you would use every day in the arena of life. I would like to see Jeet Kune Do resume its place in the Pantheon of Martial Arts. The position that I feel it deserves to be in and it should be in. It was designed to be a revolutionary cutting-edge martial art and philosophy that has a culture of innovation and experimentation.” – Chris Kent

My guest this episode is Chris Kent, who has been deeply immersed in Bruce Lee's martial art and philosophy for five decades and is widely acknowledged as one of the world's foremost authorities on Jeet Kune Do. He has gained international recognition for his knowledge, leadership, and contributions in perpetuating the art, training methods, and philosophy as developed by Bruce Lee. He is regarded as one of the few individuals in the world that has total comprehension of all facets of Lee's martial art and philosophy, including what is referred to as the “styless-style.” His extensive research into the foundations of the art from a technical, philosophical, and spiritual perspective, as well as educating himself in the fields of exercise physiology, kinesiology, and human performance gives him a unique perspective to preserve and perpetuate The Art and Philosophy of Jeet Kune Do.

This episode is all about the original spirit of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. My key takeaway is that the physical and philosophical aspects of martial arts like Yin and Yang cannot be separated from each other. Together they can they be utilized to obliterate our self-limiting belief systems, and give us access to connection, creation and adaptability. We dive deep into the early cutting-edge culture and energy of JKD, which was one of exploration, innovation, and experimentation. We also discuss dynamic teaching and training methods that were designed to free practitioners from fixed routines and lead them towards fluid operating principles that can be utilized when dealing with opponents and in the everyday arena of life. This episode was near and dear to my heart, and Sifu Chris Kent shared the soul of Jeet Kune Do. Tune in for another amazing episode.