SOUTH BAY JEET KUNE DO ACADEMY

David Cheng is the Director and Chief Instructor of South Bay Jeet Kune Do Academy.  He has been regularly teaching Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali/Escrima at the same location since 2000.

David currently holds the following credentials in various martial arts systems:

• FULL INSTRUCTOR. Jeet Kune Do (under Chris Kent)
• FULL INSTRUCTOR.  Filipino Kali/Escrima (under Chris Kent)
• PERSONAL TRAINER.  Dog Brothers Martial Arts (under Marc Denny)

David began his martial arts training studying Choy Lay Fut, a classical kung fu style, with Howard Lee in Los Angeles.  He then took up Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali-Eskrima at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts in Marina Del Rey, California, training with Chris Kent and Cass Magda.  He also studied a little Muay Thai and Indonesian Pencak Silat while there.  He followed Sifu Kent when he opened up his own Academy in nearby Venice to continue his training in JKD and kali.  After Sifu Kent closed his Academy for a time, David spent the next several years studying for his law degree and establishing his career as a criminal prosecutor.  With the warrior spirit still in his blood, David resumed his JKD training with Dan Sullivan, another instructor under Dan Inosanto, in Long Beach.  After a brief time at Sullivan's gym, David returned to Chris Kent's Jun Fan Martial Arts Institute, which Sifu Chris had re-established a few years before, where he continued learning JKD and kali.  He eventually earned his full instructorship in Jeet Kune Do and Kali-Escrima under Chris Kent.

In addition to his primary training with Sifu Kent, David has studied Jeet Kune Do with numerous first generation students of Bruce Lee.  He spent about two years studying regularly with Pete Jacobs, one of the Los Angeles Chinatown students.  He also spent time training privately with Ted Wong, one of Bruce Lee's major private students.  In addition, David has had private sessions with Jerry Poteet, another Los Angeles Chinatown student.  Herb Jackson, who was a close family friend of Bruce Lee as well as a private student, has also shared some of his knowledge of Bruce's art with David.  More recently, David has had the privilege of studying privately with Patrick Strong, a student of Bruce Lee from the Seattle period.  David believes that each of his instructors brings a different understanding of Jeet Kune Do that contributes to his own knowledge.

David has continued to expand upon his understanding of kali-escrima and weaponry arts by studying the Pacific Archipelago Combatives curriculum of Guro W. Hock Hochheim.  He has also studied Dog Brothers Martial Arts in various settings, including camps and private sessions with founder Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny and Nick "Pappy Dog" Papadakis.  He currently holds the title of "Personal Trainer" in the DBMA system as bestowed by Denny.

Some of David's more recent training forays have been in Reality-Based Martial Arts under Jim Wagner, a former law enforcement officer and counterrorist agent.  David's training in Crime Survival and Terrorism Survival resulted in Level 1 Instructorships in these areas.  He also received some basic firearms survival training from Jim Wagner as well. 

Never wanting to miss out on the latest training methodologies, David has trained with some of the most respected instructors affiliated with Straight Blast Gym International.  He has studied Clinching For The Street with Adam and Rory Singer, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Crazy Monkey with SBGI founder Matt Thornton, and Crazy Monkey with its originator, Rodney "Chico" King.

John Tye is an Apprentice Instructor in Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali Weaponry under David Cheng at South Bay Jeet Kune Do Academy.  He also teaches combative grappling at the Academy.  He studied at the Machado Academy in Hermosa Beach and currently holds a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rigan Machado.  John brings to bear his considerable knowledge, training, and experience in teaching combative grappling and groundfighting to students.

David Cheng has written, and been featured in, the following magazine articles:

"The 5 Disarms of Kali-Escrima," Inside Kung Fu (May 2003), reprinted in Filipino Martial Arts (October 2003)

"Preserving the Trapping Hands of Jeet Kune Do," Kung Fu/Qi-Gong (January 2003)

"Defanging The Snake," Filipino Martial Arts (August 2001)

"Do's and Don'ts of Womens Self-Defense," Bruce Lee Magazine (April 2001)

"Defending Against Common Knife Attacks," Inside Kung Fu (February 2001)

"JKD Grappling," Bruce Lee:  The JKD Legacy (October 2000)

"The JKD Finger Jab," Bruce Lee:  The JKD Legacy (October 2000)

"JKD Sparring Drills," Martial Arts Superstars (August 2000)

"JKD:  A Woman's Best Friend," Martial Arts Superstars (August 2000)

"Jeet Kune Do's Filipino Connection," Inside Kung Fu (April 2000)

"Straight Talk About The Straight Blast," Martial Arts Legends Presents:  Jeet Kune Do (March 2000)

"Putting Your Best Side Forward," Martial Arts Legends Presents:  Jeet Kune Do (March 2000)

"Is Jeet Kune Do Trapping Obsolete?," Inside Kung Fu (January 2000)

Jeet Kune Do Counterattacks featuring David Cheng.  Volume 1:  Basic.  North Hollywood:  Unique Publications 2008.  David appears with his students in his newly-released instructional video.

Jeet Kune Do Counterattacks featuring David Cheng.  Volume 2:  Advanced.  North Hollywood:  Unique Publications 2008.  David appears with his students in his newly released instructional video.

Jeet Kune Do:  From A to Z (six-volume instructional videotape series featuring Chris Kent).  Burbank:  Unique Publications Video, 2000.  David Cheng appears in Volume 1:  Mastering the Basics.  He assisted with the taping and production of the other volumes in the series.