Working With:

Colm Whooley

Associate Instructor Level 3

Founder and Head Instructor Wheelchair Jeet Kune Do

Contact Me

087 234 5608

[email protected]

Evolution of Wheelchair Jeet Kune Do

Over the previous 20 years I have been researching how I could develop a real and practical self defence programme for Wheelchair users.

There were two elements to this project. The first element was actually developing the programme, and then getting the message out to the martial arts community and then to individuals with a disability.

The techniques and tactics of Wheelchair Jeet Kune Do have been developed over a 20 year period. Thanks to the amazing support of some martial artists and in particularly the guidance from my instructor and friend of over 20 years Martin O’ Neill, Head Instructor of Jeet Kune Do Ireland and James Devine of Skerries School of Martial Arts.

I have also trained with Andy Kimura who is the head instuctor at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle and son of Taky Kimura close friend of Bruce Lee on a number of occasions.

And I have been fortunate to train with Alain De Preter in Ireland and on a number of occasions and at his centre in Belgium. Alain is also a senior student and Instructor of Sigung Taky Kimura at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in Seattle.

I have has also attended seminars with Tim Tackett of the JKD Wednesday Group and also with Phil Norman founder and head Instructor Ghost Martial Arts

As we developed and researched Wheelchair Jeet Kune Do it was clear that certain techniques just did not work under pressure, but what we did find was, with the right structure and process there are some rally effective techniques that will work for us as wheelchair users.

Recently I have been working with Andy Norman of Defence Lab to develop a new programme for Defence Lab for both Instructors and Students based on the programme for Wheelchair users I have developed with JKD Ireland.

Like Martin, Andy has been amazing with his support. At the moment I am training and refining the programme to encompass some of the techniques of Defence Lab, the ultimate goal is to have a self defence programme available for Instructors and students as part of the Defence Lab suite of programmes. So watch out for the Defence Lab Wheelchair Self Defence Programme.

The other good news, is I will be publishing my book on Wheelchair Self-defence soon. See News