The definition of of Legacy is; anything handed down as from an ancestor.  When we think of the legacy Bruce Lee™ left to his students like his close friend Taky Kimura, we think of the holy grail of martial arts instruction.  The years Taky Kimura spent along side his friend Bruce Lee™ learning the physical and the philosophy of Bruce’s Jeet Kune Do, was invaluable. Now, many years later there are many students of Bruce Lee’s™ Jeet Kune Do that are teaching all over the world.  Andrew Kimura is one of those instructors who are sharing the knowledge that was passed down through Bruce Lee™ to his father Sifu Taky Kimura.  From the art of Jun Fan Gung Fu™ to Bruce’s Jeet Kune Do concepts, Andrew Kimura speaks about his schooling from his father and the legacy Bruce Lee™ left behind.  Andrew Kimura is teacher, philosopher and one who keeps Bruce’s legacy alive…

DAVID TADMAN: Can you tell us your background in the martial arts?

ANDY KIMURA: I have studied Jun Fan Gung Fu™ and Jeet Kune Do under my father Taky Kimura, who was an appointed instructor and close friend of the late Bruce Lee™.  My father has taught me since my childhood.  I have studied Judo, Ju Jitsu, Western Boxing, Kali, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Thai Boxing and Shoot Wrestling.  I have been exposed to all of these disciplines.  Some of my instructors have been, Sifu Dan Inosanto, Eric Paulson Wally Jay and Yori Nakamura, and many more that had shared their time and donated their talents through the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do™ Nucleus. I have been studying about fifteen years now.

DAVID TADMAN: Your father was the student of the legendary Bruce Lee™.  Can you tell us what it was like to be your father’s student?

ANDY KIMURA: My father and I share a very unique relationship.  We are best friends.  He is my father, best friend and Sifu.  That’s a very unique relationship.  It’s an honor to know the man and to be his son has made me humble.  The wealth of knowledge my father has, does not stop at the physical, it carries into the philosophical and spiritual.  I would have to say being my father’s student has taught me more than martial arts.  He has taught me how to be a good human being. He is my mentor.

DAVID TADMAN: What’s your training like with your father?

ANDY KIMURA: At times it’s great fun and at other times he can be extremely demanding.  Bruce Lee™ would never take anything that was not a hundred percent effort and my father is the same way.  My father always told me if you are not going to do it right, then don’t do it at all.  You can say my father knows what each individual needs and he pushes them until that’s accomplished.

DAVID TADMAN: If you were to say one thing your father taught you, be it spiritual, philosophical or physical that you carry with you every day, what would it be?

ANDY KIMURA: He always stresses to me that you have to believe in yourself and follow your heart.  Many people come to my father for help and my father always says, “It was Bruce that helped me to help you.”  There is a lot of truth to this, because sometimes you have to look outside yourself for help, be it a higher power, friend, etc. In his own way, my father is still influenced by Bruce Lee™ to this day, and it helps my father help others in many different ways.  My father has taught that the spiritual and philosophical are more important than physical aspects of martial art.

DAVID TADMAN: Do you and your father both teach classes together?

ANDY KIMURA: Yes we do.  My father has had me teaching for the last six to eight years now.  As I have gotten older my father has pushed me to the forefront to help him.  It’s been very enjoyable to work side by side with him. I have learned and continue to learn many things.

DAVID TADMAN: Do you and your father still train together?

ANDY KIMURA: I am truly fortunate to be able to train with him whenever I like.  There is only a certain amount of time in ones life that he or she is at their physical best.  I am fortunate to have a father / sifu who has preached and shown me the spiritual and philosophical aspect of martial art.  He has often told me that, “When one is old or cannot move like they did in their youth, then they have to rely more on timing and rhythm not strength and speed.”  I have learned through my father that martial art is life and it is an endless journey I look forward to.

DAVID TADMAN: I know you teach the art of Jun Fan Gung Fu™.  How are your classes structured?

ANDY KIMURA: The classes are loosely structured just like Bruce used to teach, but we do have a curriculum that was left behind from him that we follow.  We stay true to that curriculum and as one gets more proficient we then introduce the student the concepts of Jeet Kune Do.  When Bruce was in Oakland and then on to Los Angeles he would frequently call my father to update him on the new strides he was making in his Jeet Kune Do.  He constantly told my father that he would show him new techniques in Jeet Kune Do when he came back up to Seattle for business, etc. We slowly show our students what Bruce taught my father, but we do it when we feel that particular student is ready for the next step.

DAVID TADMAN: In your opinion, what separated the way Bruce taught in Seattle compared to the way he taught in Oakland and Los Angeles.

ANDY KIMURA: I feel his mental attitude was always the same.  Bruce was an innovator from the beginning.  He was constantly changing and inventing new ways to better himself and continually evolving as a human being.  I feel Seattle to Oakland and then Los Angeles should be looked at as a progression time for Bruce.  He was young and changing his way everyday.  Bruce did have his foundations, but they did not bind him, and as he got older and wiser, he discovered what worked best for him. He felt that in the process of learning Jeet Kune Do it must be tailored to ones individuality.  Sifu Dan Inosanto once told me a great analogy.  He said; “Jeet Kune Do is like a tailored coat.  It fits differently on every person, so one must teach Jeet Kune Do in the same way, to each individual’s needs.” Bruce was simply evolving from place to place, which is the natural progression of life.  There are many that learned their piece of the pie so to speak.  In Seattle Bruce taught my father many things and in Oakland he taught James Lee many things.  In Los Angeles Sifu Dan Inosato was taught many things as well.  Bruce shared what he knew with people he felt close to and the closest people were certified to teach by him. There is much to learn from Seattle, Oakland and Los Angeles.  There is information in all those places and to be taught by the people that learned from Bruce, from those places, that is priceless.

DAVID TADMAN: What are your feelings on cross training?

ANDY KIMURA: Cross-training is very important.  One must always experience different ways of training in the martial arts.  You can only grow from such training. To learn and then add to what you already know is invaluable. If one swims then he or she will strengthen other muscles.  This only makes him a stronger swimmer. I feel it’s essential to train in all areas that will help better yourself as a martial artist or whatever your discipline may be.

DAVID TADMAN: How many students attend your classes?

ANDY KIMURA: My father and I have around forty to forty-five students right now.  We do not have a “school,” it is like a club, and we do not charge.

DAVID TADMAN: Is there a selective process one goes through before being accepted into your classes?

ANDY KIMURA: We are very selective and look for individuals that have had some type of martial arts training previously, but this does not mean we would not accept an individual who has no prior training.  My father interviews the individual to see what that person’s goals are and if it meets what we are trying to accomplish in our school, then we will accept that person.  We have many individuals from many walks of life, and they all have needs.  We try to meet everyone’s needs by helping them express their self through our training.

DAVID TADMAN: Do you cater to each individuals physical and philosophical make up?

ANDY KIMURA:  I feel we do.  Some people will excel in punching when others do it in kicking.  There are people that want to dive right into sparring, etc.  We are all different and certain we curriculum, should be taught that way.  I must say that we do have our foundation and we do teach a but each individual will be taught in a way that helps them excel.

DAVID TADMAN: What do you try to stress most of all to your students when you are teaching?

ANDY KIMURA: I want my students to know when they walk out of the class, that they belong to a great lineage that goes back to the Shaolin Temple, Yip Man and Bruce Lee™.  This is very important.  I want the students to take with them a sense of pride.  If they leave feeling good about themselves and their accomplishments, and if they are happy where they are in their lives, then I am doing my job right.

DAVID TADMAN: On a growth level, where would you hope to see Jun Fan Gung Fu™ in the future?

ANDY KIMURA: I would love to see it the mainstream in the martial arts world.  Not commercialized though, but given the respect it so duly deserves.  The philosophies and other teachings from Bruce should be held at the collegiate level of learning, for the masses.  They can serve as a guide to ultimateness.

DAVID TADMAN: On a personal level, what does Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do™ mean to you?

ANDY KIMURA: It is and has been a path for me in finding myself.  It is a spiritual and philosophical quest.  It starts out being physical, but ends up being a search for ones self.  I have learned much, but I am still following that path.  To me Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do™ represents the truth of expressing yourself.

DAVID TADMAN: Do you feel an obligation in keeping the art of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do™ alive?

ANDY KIMURA: My loyalty lies with my father and the memory of Bruce Lee™ and his teachings.  I do have an obligation to share my knowledge and preach Bruce’s word so to speak.  The art most go on for generation to generation and I am obligated to help this happen. It is an honor for me.

DAVID TADMAN: In closing, what can you say about the art Jun Fan Gung Fu™ and the legacy it has left?

ANDY KIMURA: It is a guide to truthfully expressing ones self.  It’s a learning tool for life.  It is the realization of reaching your goals and sharing a part of yourself with others.  It is a life form in itself.  It brings people together from all walks of life.  I find it healing, loving, spiritual and philosophical.  In simple terms, Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do™ is a part of life. Some of us know it and some of us are searching for it, but nonetheless, it is part of life.