FMA Informative Newspaper Vol2 No.12
Transcription
FMA Informative Newspaper Vol2 No.12
Vol 2 No 12 - 2013 Newspaper Propagating the Filipino Martial Arts and the Culture of the Philippines FMA Informative 2 Year Anniversary The FMA Informative officially started on December 1, 2011 with its first issue; Informative Issue #1 (FMA Unity and Legends). The Newspaper started; Volume 1 Number #1 on January 1, 2012. Since the commencement of the FMA Informative 100 Issues have been published and the Newspaper has been able to be published each month. The FMA Informative would like to thank the following writers and practitioners that have contributed to the FMA Informative making available articles for the newspaper, for without them these two years would not have been possible. It is a Privilege and Honor to Recognize writer responsible for articles in the FMA Informative Newspaper for 2012: (In Alphabetical Order) Isagani C. Abon Rich Acosta Jerome Barber Mike Blackgrave Brian Collins Paolo David Ken DeJesus’ Deborah Ann Doe Steven K. Dowd Steven Drape Alex France Christof Froehlich Angelo Garcia Lilia I. Howe Bot Jocano Tim Johnson Badger Jones Mon Kiathson John Kovacs Marc Lawrence Louelle Lledo Perry Gil S. Mallari Lawrence Motta Emmanuel ES Querubin Edessa Ramos RJ Rivera Bella Maria Baron-Saguin Andy Sanano Marcus Schüssler Edgar G. Sulite James U. Sy Jr. Joe Tan TnT Core Group 2012 FMA Informative Newspaper Articles Article 2013 FMA Informative Newspaper Articles Article 2011 FMA Informative Issues Article 2012 FMA Informative Issues Article 2013 FMA Informative Issues Article About ... Future Events Past Events Health & Safety Philippine Typhoon Yolanda Tid-Bits It is a Privilege and Honor to Recognize writer responsible for articles in the FMA Informative Newspaper for 2013: (In Alphabetical Order) Narrie Babao Zena Sultana Babao Jerome Barber Rene L. Castro Darrin Cook D’Armi Danilo Rossi Lajolo di Cossano Steven K. Dowd Bobbe Edmonds Extraído de Bayani Warrior Jeff Finder Bram Frank Angelo Garcia Mustafa Gatdula Tom Gillis David E. Gould Martin Hammersmith Marc Lawrence Joy Lim Perry Gil S. Mallari Dragan Milojevic Marcus Poon Brian Smith AJ Ruiz Also the FMA Informative would like to thank the writers and practitioners that contributed to the Past Events section and the TidBits section. The FMA Informative would like to thank Steven Dowd, Owner and Publisher of the FMAdigest for authorizing us to make available the FMAdigest issues, (Regular Issues, Special Issues, Special Editions, and Mini Issues), and also letting the FMA Informative have the FMAdigests school database, which the FMA Informative staff has added to, and tried to update as much as possible with the cooperation of the practitioners. Mr. Dowd also assists the FMA Informative in obtaining material. For those who might be unfamiliar with the FMA Informative: The FMA Informative is a newspaper and when enough information can be gathered on a specific topic offers an issue dedicated to that topic. The FMA Informative is designed for the Filipino martial arts community to tell others about the Filipino martial arts, their Organization, Federation, Association, style and about themselves or others, to give their prospect views or contribution of knowledge of the Filipino martial arts and the culture of the Philippines. Now also the FMA Informative covers other martial arts their concepts, theories etc. There are various sections in this newspaper that can benefit all. The www.fmapulse.com Visit the FMA Informative Group on Facebook Click Here 2 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 newspaper commences with articles / stories which can be a few paragraphs up to two pages. The next section is called “About …” in this section Organizations, Federations, Associations, Schools, and practitioners can send in their logo or picture if on themselves with a brief narrative about the Organization, Federation, Associations, School, or practitioner. Next are “Future Events” which will be taken off the FMA Informative website and published monthly up to the month it is going to happen. Following is “Past Events”; hopefully once the event has been completed Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 3 someone will send at least one picture and a little something about what happened at the event. (If no picture is available it is ok to just send in a little write up about what happened). It is nice to know what went on for those who could not attend. It’s an advertisement for the instructor, school, and overall event. A new section that was started this year is Health & Safety which is basically provided by Zena Sultana Babao. Though all the articles do not pertain to the Filipino martial arts or the Philippine Culture, it is a section for practitioners and non-practitioners with very helpful information on health and safety. And from time to time the FMA Informative receives articles about safety and health from events that have been accomplished ad they are also added to this section. Last there is the TidBits section which is short articles, information etc., it is the section which the reader decides, if the material is Fact, Fiction, Fantasy or Gossip. It is hoped all will enjoy the FMA Informative Newspaper. Please pass the word so more practitioners, and non-practitioners can join in on sharing their knowledge, aspects, and experience. It must be remembered that the FMA Informative is what you make it, if nothing received, and then nothing can be given. Be one that shares. The FMA Informative is a non-profit online newspaper; we do not solicit, expect or want donations, just material to share with others. The FMA Informative Staff is dedicated to the Propagating of the Filipino martial arts and the Culture of the Philippines. So in a final comment, the FMA Informative would again like to thank the writers, practitioners, and subscribers for their support. Mar Angeles Articles that were published in 2012 FMA Informative Newspaper Issue Vol1 No.1 - 2012 The Subconscious and Super-Conscious Mind and the Flow in the Philippine Martial Arts - Brian Collins and Guro Ken DeJesus’ Some Personal Thoughts About Modern Arnis Instruction - Dr. Jerome Barber Old Practice Techniques - Grandmaster Mon Kiathson Issue Vol1 No.2 - 2012 Are You A Teacher or Instructor? - Louelle Lledo Teaching is an Opportunity for Leadership - Jerome Barber, Ed.D. Parents and Instructors: It Takes Teamwork - Steven K. Dowd A Developmental Sequence for Martial Arts Instruction - Jerome Barber, Ed.D Martial Arts Schools - Quality vs. Quantity - Steven K. Dowd Thoughts on Bashing Different FMA Systems - RJ Rivera Issue Vol1 No.3 - 2012 APO - Balintawak Eskrima Self Defense - FMA Informative The Proper Design and Use of the Batangas Knife - Steven Drape Emptying Yourself Can Make You a Better Fighter - Paolo David Simplicity the Lock ~ Intent the Key - Mike Blackgrave Issue Vol1 No.4 - 2012 Unconditional Loyalty and Blind Obedience Are Poor Standards - Jerome Barber, Ed. D. An Expository Essay Regarding Good Footwork and Body Shifting - Jerome Barber, Ed. D. Did Filipino Martial Arts Revolutionize Boxing? - Lilia I. Howe A Method of Fighting Excellence - By John Kovacs, M.A. Issue Vol1 No.5 - 2012 What makes up the basics of Filipino martial arts known as Eskrima, Arnis or Kali? - Marc Lawrence Arnis: A Question of Origins - Bot Jocano Managing Change - Lawrence Motta Giving the Right Credits - Edgar G. Sulite Advanced Techniques - Why the Basics Are So Important - Angelo Garcia Issue Vol1 No.6 - 2012 Interview with Guro Dino Flores of Kapisanang Mandirigma - Christof Froehlich Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis - James U. Sy Jr. The History of Tapado - Joe Tan The Art of Rapido Realismo - Isagani C. Abon Issue Vol1 No.7 - 2012 The Keyword for a Success-Oriented Development Not Only in the Martial Arts - Intent - Marcus Schüssler Interview with Weapons and Pankration Master Spencer Gee - Tim Johnson Care & Feeding of Weapons - Badger Jones Luneta Park - Alex France Issue Vol1 No.8 - 2012 The Hidden Wealth of the Philippines - Bella Maria Baron-Saguin The Mosaic that Guides and Inspires the FMA Practitioner - Edessa Ramos Sparring - Why it is Necessary for Good Training - Angelo Garcia JEALOUSY: Martial Arts and Self-Examination - Andy Sanano Issue Vol1 No.9 - 2012 A Philosophy of Fighting, A Philosophy of the World - the TnT Core Group Mobility and Basic Footwork in the IEAA - Jerome Barber, Ed. D. Factors Affecting Speed in Stick Fighting - Perry Gil S. Mallari Lightning Scientific Arnis - An Introduction - Angelo Garcia Misunderstanding Arnis - Joel Huncar Issue Vol1 No.10 - 2012 Filipino American History Month Filipino Martial Arts in the United States - Marc Lawrence The United States as the Second Home of the Filipino Martial Arts - Perry Gil S. Mallari The FPAC Festival in San Pedro, CA. - Marc Lawrence Issue Vol1 No.11 - 2012 A Woman in the FMA - Edessa Ramos A Need to Know the Art - Deborah Ann Doe The Modern Maria Clara - Emmanuel ES Querubin Issue Vol1 No.12 - 2012 FMA Informative First Year Anniversary Christmas in the Philippines About Tradition in Martial Arts - Marcus Schüssler Teaching as the Pinnacle of Learning - Perry Gil S. Mallari Why are Dynamics so Important in the Development of Physical Self-Defense? - Marcus Schüssler Practice versus Preservation - Rich Acosta Sonny Umpad’s Eskrima: The Life and Teachings of a Filipino Martial Arts Master By George M. Yore Born with the soul of a warrior, the intellect of a scholar, and a zealot’s devotion to his art, Maestro Santiago “Sonny” Umpad forged an enduring contribution to the rich and colorful history of Filipino martial culture. In 1976, after immigrating to the United States, Sonny founded the school of Visayan Style Corto Kadena & Larga Mano Eskrima—rooted in his training in the Philippines and tested by a hard and dangerous life on the streets, Sonny’s system was above all else practical. As Sonny’s reputation as a talented fighter became well-known, he began to crosstrain with masters of other martial arts, including Jesse Glover (Bruce Lee’s first student) and Wally Jay (founder of Small Circle Jujitsu). One of the most innovative and visionary exponents of the Filipino arts, Sonny pioneered the concept of “mixed martial arts” long before the term was in use. Sonny Umpad’s Visayan Eskrima provides an insightful portrayal of Sonny Umpad’s life, philosophy, and teaching methods, as well as the structural underpinnings of his system. Instructor George Yore has assembled the writings of six of Sonny’s students (including Wade Williams, 2012 nominee for the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame) to create a biographic homage to this remarkable martial artist; basic techniques and applications are also demonstrated, accompanied by 130 step-by-step photos. Practitioners of Filipino martial arts—as well as mixed martial artists and security specialists—will find valuable instruction in techniques and applications, while the thousands of people touched by Sonny’s teachings will gain a new understanding of this notoriously reclusive master’s life—and how his experiences informed the development of his system. Paperback: $12.89 / Kindle Edition: $10.48 To Order Throught Amazon - Click Here 4 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 5 Articles that were published in 2013 FMA Informative Newspaper Issue Vol2 No.9 - 2013 Footwork Angles - Jeff Finder Building Your Own FMA Back Yard/Garage Studio - Marc Lawrence, Darrin Cook, Jeff Finder, and Steven K. Dowd Issue Vol2 No.10 - 2013 Takes More Than Just Being Filipino - Mustafa Gatdula How to Choose a Martial Art - Eric Primm Does Eskrima Need to Be “Well-Rounded”? - Mustafa Gatdula Interview Maestro D’Armi Danilo Rossi Lajolo di Cossano - FMA Informative Issue Vol2 No.11 - 2013 Speed - Diagnostic and Curative! - Dragan Milojevic The FMA Flow - Perry Gil S. Mallari Essential Hand and Body Evasions While Sparring or Fighting - David E. Gould Issue Vol2 No.12 - 2013 FMA Informative 2 Year Anniversary 2012 FMA Informative Newspaper Articles 2013 FMA Informative Newspaper Articles 2011 FMA Informative Issues 2012 FMA Informative Issues 2013 FMA Informative Issues Issue Vol2 No.1 - 2013 The FMA Informative: Just A Vehicle for Knowledge Starting from Scratch - Mustafa Gatdula The Fear of Fighting - Perry Gil S. Mallari Understanding the Center Line - Tom Gillis Issue Vol2 No.2 - 2013 100 Filipino Martial Artists Book Launch Not “the” Best… - Mustafa Gatdula Predator or Prey - Martin Hammersmith Why I Left Stick Fighting - Darrin Cook FMA / MMA Trivia - Narrie Babao Issue Vol2 No.3 - 2013 The Mean and Nasty Old Master - Mustafa Gatdula Chaos: It Can’t Be Taught or Duplicated Because It’s The “Snowflake of Reality” - Bram Frank Speaking Strictly for Myself Regarding Modern Arnis, These Days - Jerome Barber Dances with Sticks - AJ Ruiz Issue Vol2 No.4 - 2013 Forms, Kata, Sayaw, Hyungs a Waste of Time and Energy? - Brian Smith Tigers by the Tale - Bobbe Edmonds Beware of the Orphan - Mustafa Gatdula Issue Vol2 No.5 - 2013 Cebuano Eskrima Eskrima as Your Passion. How Strong is a Passion? Your Spouse Versus Your Eskrima In Defense of Carabao Wrestling and Other Stupid Actuations Then what? . . . Focused Training - Identifying and Pursuing a Training Goal - Angelo Garcia The Importance of Balance in the Practice of Arnis, Escrima and Kali - Perry Gil S. Mallari The Importance of Flow - Bobbe Edmonds Issue Vol2 No.6 - 2013 Master Teacher: An Expository Essay in Leadership - Jerome Barber, Ed. D. So What Makes a Martial Art Work? Taking a Long Hard Look into the Nature of Martial Arts - Marcus Poon Filipino Martial Arts and Physical Fitness - Rene L. Castro Improving Your Master’s Eskrima - Mustafa Gatdula Issue Vol2 No.7 - 2013 The Strongest FMA Style - Maurice Gatdula If I Taught Seminars and Made Instructional Videos… - Maurice Gatdula The Myth of Filipino Kali Attribute Development - Extraído de Bayani Warrior Issue Vol2 No.8 - 2013 Fighting Geometry - Marc Lawrence New and Improved “Empty Your Cup” - Mustafa Gatdula Six Life Lessons I Learned From the Filipino Martial Arts - Joy Lim FMA Informative Issues of 2011 Informative Issue #1 FMA Unity and Legends Informative Issue No #2 Learn in 6 Teach in 12 Informative Issue No #3 Balintawak Basics (abecedario) Informative Issue No #4 Kuntaw Basics Informative Issue No #5 TRACMA Basics Informative Issue No #6 Serrada Eskrima WHFSC Grandmasters By Bram Frank Its finally done. its 645 pages long! Its ONLY $55. The WHFSC Grandmaster book, a compendium of the worlds greatest Grandmasters is ready for purchase. It’s got the Grandmasters as they want to be known and with old and new pictures so they can be seen and remembered. The timing is perfect: so buy a copy of the book and take it to the WHFSC Hall of fame and Awards weekend in Orlando FL. May 31-June 1, 2013 and like a Yearbook get the Grandmasters to sign their pages. Make your edition a part of living martial arts history. you can attend just the seminar section, attend the award dinner(advance purchase and reservatuions necessary) or both with induction to Hall of Fame. To Order - Click Here Informative Issue No #7 Villabrille - Largusa Conceptual Modern Arnis By Bram Frank A seldom seen view of Arnis/Modern Arnis the Filipino fighting art of Professor Remy Pesas as seen by 1st Generation student... More > Bram Frank. Modern Arnis is seen through the perspective of the family art of the Bolo and knife,(edged tools) rather than a stick. Some history of Modern Arnis in the USA is told. File Download: $40.00 / Paperback: $69.00 Further information and to Order: Click Here 6 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 7 FMA Informative Issues of 2012 Informative Issue No #38 Elvis is in the Philippines Informative Issue No #39 MMDA - Traffic Enforcer Training Completion & Graduation Informative Issue No #40 In-Tent Kun Tao Dumpag Training Camp 2012 Informative Issue No #41 Iron Mountain Camp 2012 Informative Issue No #42 3rd Baxafra Armor Invitational Informative Issue No #43 Latosa Escrima Basic Concepts Informative Issue No #44 Best of the West 2012 FMA Informative Issues of 2013 Informative Issue No #8 Garimot Hilot Informative Issue No #9 Kalis Ilustrisimo Informative Issue No #10 Locking and Shifting Art’s Informative Issue No #11 Boxing’s Knockout Punching Informative Issue No #12 Sinawali Informative Issue No #13 Historical Overview of the FMA Informative Issue No #14 Healing Arts Informative Issue No #15 APO Balintawak Informative Issue No #16 Modified Pangamut System Informative Issue No #17 FMA History Buffalo New York Informative Issue No #18 FMA Education Dream Becomes Reality Informative Issue No #19 Majapai Derobio Escrima Informative Issue No #20 Sama-Sama 2012 Informative Issue No #21 Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta Informative Issue No #22 Original Filipino Tapado Informative Issue No #23 Healing Power of Chi Fung Informative Issue No #24 Golden Gate Int’l Stickfighting Nationals Informative Issue No #25 1st Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame Informative Issue No #26 Pangasinan-Arnis Informative Issue No #27 San Diego Grand Internationals Informative Issue No #28 Filipino Cook’in Informative Issue No #29 Sayaw-An of Kuntaw Informative Issue No #30 Tattooed Warriors Informative Issue No #31 The Sangut Informative Issue No #32 Encounter with a Grandmaster Informative Issue No #33 Massage Therapy Informative Issue No #34 Festival of Integrated Martial Arts Informative Issue No #35 Senkotiros Tour Informative Issue No #36 6th FMA Festival Informative Issue No #37 MMDA - Traffic Enforcer Training Informative Issue No #45 Int’l Bladee Weapons Week 2012 Informative Issue No #46 Arnis Balite (Foundation of Fundamentals and Basics) Informative Issue No #47 Is Your Martial Art Reality Based Informative Issue No #48 Foothill Training Services Informative Issue No #49 LSAI Open Invitational Tournament Informative Issue No #50 Filipino Dirty Boxing 8 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 9 Informative Issue No #51 Filipino-American Healing Methods Informative Issue No #52 The Bolo Informative Issue No #53 Arkido Informative Issue No #54 100 FMA Book Launch Informative Issue No #55 Babao Arnis - Guro’ Exam Informative Issue No #56 Future of FMA Kimberly Jaro Nietes Informative Issue No #57 Art of Breaking (Kyukpa) Informative Issue No #58 Putting Movement to the Fundamentals and Basics Informative Issue No #59 Arnis Pang-Oran Tournament Informative Issue No #60 A Tribute to Grandmaster Roland Dantes Informative Issue No #61 FMA Informative Visits the Philippines Informative Issue No #62 Isidro Cane Do Informative Issue No #63 Bali Camp 2013 Informative Issue No #64 Street Smart Philippines Informative Issue No #65 Muay Thai and Balintawak My Personal Blend Informative Issue No #66 Galaw Tanggulan Informative Issue No #67 Kalis Ilustrisimo Informative Issue No #68 Memorial Seminar Lameco SOG - Kali Ilustrisimo Informative Issue No #69 Sama-Sama 2013 Informative Issue No #70 Building the Next Generation Informative Issue No #71 Words from a Modern-Day Warrior Informative Issue No #72 Mangangayam (Filipino Hunter) Informative Issue No #73 Magdaroag Martial Arts Arnis Informative Issue No #74 BTM/KSK FMA (Heritage Network Global FMA Seminar Tour) Informative Issue No #75 San Diego Grand Internationals Informative Issue No #76 Mission in the Philippines Informative Issue No #77 Baxafra Armor International Arnis Federation Inc. Informative Issue No #78 WHFSC 2013 Informative Issue No #79 Latigo Informative Issue No #80 Kata Tapado Informative Issue No #81 Filipino Dirty Boxing-II Informative Issue No #82 Henderson’s Diamondback Eskrima Vistis Philippines Informative Issue No #83 Leo Fong Day Informative Issue No #84 Fat-Cream Martial Arts Informative Issue No #85 Do You Have the Knowledge Informative Issue No #86 World Sikaran Brotherhood of the Philippines Informative Issue No #87 Arnis Pasindo 7th Invitational Arnis Tournament Informative Issue No #88 Kuntaw Legacy Informative Issue No #89 Lightning Strikes Big Ben Informative Issue No #90 Filipino Indigenous Fighting Arts Retreat Informative Issue No #91 The Filipino Way Informative Issue No #92 Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima Benefit Seminars Informative Issue No #93 Basic Arnis de Mano in 12 Weeks Informative Issue No #94 Grandmaster Jumawan Arnis Step Informative Issue No #95 Tapi-Tapi in the Philppines Informative Issue No #96 W.E.K.A.F. Western Australia Informative Issue No #97 Banter of Savate Danse De Rue Informative Issue No #98 FMA Pulse Informative Issue No #99 FMAdigest Informative Issue No #100 FMA Informative 100th Issue Ready and Custom Made Visit: www.mybarong2.com Barong is actually short for Barong Tagalog, which describes the formal men’s wear of the Philippines. It is properly referred to as the ‘Baro ng Tagalog’ (dress of the Tagalog). Contracting the first two words produces ‘Barong,’ which literally means ‘dress of.’ So, if we want to be correct, we wouldn’t say just ‘Barong.’ But, the slang way of referring to one of the beautiful formal shirts is simply Barong. Yes, the Barong Tagalog is a dress, a garment, a coat in itself. It is not merely a ‘shirt’. If it were, then it would need a coat or a jacket over it to qualify as formal wear and would have to be worn tucked inside the trousers. About ... Filipino Christmas Traditions Christmas in the Philippines is a mixture of Western and native Filipino traditions. Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, sending Christmas cards, and singing carols have all been inherited from the cultures of the West. However, these have all been adapted to fit the nature and personality of the Filipino people. Christmas Eve in the Philippines is one of the traditions most families celebrate. It is a night without sleep and a continuous celebration moving right into Christmas Day. As December 24th dawns, the last Mass of Simbang Gabi is attended; then preparation begins for Noche Buena, which is a family feast that takes place after midnight. The Noche Buena is very much like an open house celebration. Family, friends, relatives, and neighbors drop by to wish every family member “Maligayang Pasko” (Merry Christmas). Food is in abundance, often served in buffet style. Guests or visitors partake of the food prepared by the host family (even though they are already full or bloated!). Among the typical foods prepared in the Philippines during Christmas are: lechon (roasted pig), pancit, barbecue, rice, adobo, cakes (Western and native rice cakes), lumpia, etc. There is also an abundance of San Miguel beer, wine, and liquor, which makes the celebration of Christmas indeed intoxicating! The streets are well lit and are full of activities. The children run in and out of the house to play, to eat, and to play again. The Christmas Eve gathering provides an opportunity for a reunion of immediate and distant family members. Some families may choose to exchange gifts at this time; others wait until Christmas day. In general, the center of a family’s Christmas gathering is always the lola, the endearing term used for a family matriarch or grandmother, who is deeply respected, highly revered, and always present. Filipinos remem- ber how their lola had their children form a line and step up to receive a small gift of some coins. The older the child, the more coins he or she receives. Some families have a talent show during Christmas Eve celebration. Children are asked to perform. One might sing a Christmas song, others might play a musical instrument, or others may recite a poem or do a dance. The celebration continues until about 6 o’clock in the morning. Those who cannot attend Mass the night before will go to the morning Mass on Christmas day. Christmas day is a popular day for children to visit their uncles, aunts, godmothers, and godfathers. At each home they are presented with a gift, usually candy, money, or a small toy. Food and drinks are also offered at each stop. It is a day of family closeness, and everyone wishes good cheer and glad tidings. Filipino Christmas Decors There is no winter or snow in the Philippines at Christmas time. There are very few pine trees. There is no traditional Yule log or fetching of the pine sprigs from the woods. And Santa Claus though visible in displays and believed by most Filipino children to exist, seldom comes bearing gifts. Even without snow or pine trees, there’s no doubt its Christmas in the Philippines. Filipino Christmas decorations are abundant and beautiful. The bamboo parol (pah-role), or star lantern, is the symbol of Christmas in the Philippines, representing the guiding light, the star of Bethlehem. It emits a warmth unparalleled among holiday adornments and is unique to the Philippines. Filipinos enjoy decorating their homes not only with star lanterns but also with all sorts of Christmas decors. Brightly colored buntings or streamers are hung inside and out. Often, Christmas cards that illustrate scenes in the Philippines are pinned on red and green ribbons. The cards are then hung in the sala, or living room, for all to enjoy. Candles and wreaths are also common adornments. Recently, Filipinos have begun choosing wreaths and other decorations made with local native materials rather than those patterned after western designs. And many houses, particularly those in the urban areas are strung with tiny multi-colored lights both inside and out. Most Filipinos think that decorating their homes for the Christmas holidays is a must. Philippine Christmas Dances Philippine Christmas Dances are dances expressive of the Christmas season practiced in certain regions in the Philippines. Aside from the Christmas carols most Filipinos are fond of during the Yule tide season, there are also Christmas dances that are performed to celebrate this festive time of the year. Among the Philippine Christmas dances are: • Tulu Kahadi: The traditional Christmas dance in the Eastern Visayas, narrates the story of the Magi; • Bati: Which means greetings, is the dance practiced in the province of Batangas; • Pastores de Belen (Shepherds of Bethlehem): From the Bicol region is the presentation of the shepherds singing and dancing from house to house; • Pandanggo Rindonada: Another dance from the province of Bicol has no religious element but is a favorite dance during the yuletide season; • Sakuting: northern Philippine Christmas dance of the Ilocano Christians and non-Christians from the province of Abra, it portrays a mock fight using two Arnis sticks 26 to 30 inches long to train for combat. The dance is customarily performed during Christmas at the town plaza, or from house-to-house. When preformed the spectators give the dancers Aguinaldo’s, or gifts of money or refreshments. The footwork, timing and rhythms of the double stick fighting is used in this entertaining dance. • Las Panderetas: Which used to accompany the Christmas carols called Daigon, is the traditional Christmas dance of Tanza, Iloilo. Puto Bumbong A Traditional Filipino Christmas Treat The origin of Puto Bumbong is not known but evidently dates back to the early Spanish era. It was believed to have been brought over from Mexico by Legazpi and Urdaneta. Some trace it to the pastoral times when fishermen kept vigil and then proceeded to church at dawn to hear Mass. After the dawn Mass, they would relieve their hunger and weariness with puto bumbong and salabat (ginger tea). Others attribute it to the harvest season when farmers would attend Mass and offer their thanksgiving for abundant grain. Sakuting A purple-colored Filipino dessert made of sweet rice cooked in hollow bamboo tubes that are placed on a special steamercooker. When cooked, they are removed from the bamboo tubes, spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar and niyog (grated coconut). They are then wrapped in wilted banana leaves which keep them warm and moist until ready to be eaten. Like Bibingka, Puto Bumbong is inexorably linked with Simbang Gabi-the Catholic mass celebrated at dawn on the nine days preceding Christmas. 10 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 11 Future Events Past Events December 2013 April 2014 Arnis 8th Invitational Championship December 1, 2013 Arnis Pasindo Eskrima Martial Arts Assn., Inc. Phil. Digmaan ng Arnis 4th Flr. Jackman Plaza Munoz, Quezon City, Philippines Further Information Contact [0928] 361-0032 Email: arnispasindo@yahoo.com Flyer Filipino Martial Arts Charity Seminar 2 days Mini Camp Training Seminar Master Jose Isidro\ April 20 - 21, 2014 Marikina Sports Complex [3rd Floor] Contact: Maestro Melchor Amosco [0947] 360-8969 Email: armado1012@yahoo.com Master Jose Isidro: Website: www.mtdiablohrk.net Facebook: Isidro Modern Arnis Flyer January 2014 Arnis & Tactical Combatives Seminar Edessa and Robert Ramos January 4-5, 2014 Venice, Italy Informateion: [349] 323-2080 Email: info@summamaxima.com Flyer Eskrima Seminar Presented by: Guru Mike Casto January 11, 2014 Alexandria Martial Arts 110 W. Berry St. Alexandria, IN. Contact: [765] 617-8926 or [765] 620-2656 Flyer Charity Martial Arts Seminar - Filipino Typhoon Victims January 12, 2014 with: Mick Tully - Minnesota Kali Group Jon Broster - Cabales Serrada Escrima / Rapid Arnis SKJ 59 Belgrave Gate, Leicester, United Kingdom Contact: jonbroster@yahoo.co.uk Flyer June 2014 1st Pangamot Int’l Stick Fighting Tournament June 8, 2014 [tentative event location] Provincial Capitol Lagoon, Negros Occidental Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines Contact: Call/Text: [0919] 889-9671 Email: stephenroydedel1@gmail.com Website: www.facebook.com/pangamot Voices of the Masters: Warrior Arts of the Philippines Grandmaster Alfredo Bandalan Workshop January 24, 2014 Buitron Academy 220 Hillside Rd #13, Laredo, Texas 78041 Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/1394297810800236 Febraury 2014 Bali Camp 2014 Febraury 22-28, 2014 Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort Bali, Indonesian Contact: Lila Email: lila.evrard@kali-majapahit.com Website: www.kali-majapahit.com Flyer Illinois Katipunan September 29, 2013 7038 Milwaukee Ave in Niles, IL Taking a comprehensive look at an entire martial art and the culture and tradition behind it is a daunting task. Punong Guro Myrlino P. Hufana decided to take on the challenge when one of his students, independent filmmaker Barclay Powers approached Hufana in early 2010 about traveling to the Philippines to meet with and film several highly respected masters. By March 2010, Hufana and a film crew had arrived in the Philippines, ready to document the rich history and the promising future of the Filipino martial arts with Voices of the Masters: Warrior Arts of the Philippines. Voices of the Masters is the first feature-length film that captures the magic of the Filipino Martial Arts. The film will be available for purchase as a download, on DVD, and Pay-Per-View. Learn more about the film and where to see it at: www.VoicesoftheMasters.com Way of the Ancient Healer: Sacred Teachings from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions By Virgil Mayor Apostol After Hollywood screenwriter and script analyst, the late John Sherlock, took the author’s earlier manuscript copy back to his home in Ireland and pored over it, he wrote to the author commenting that he read the pages with “great interest” but thought the book should take the form of a personal odyssey. Taking Sherlock’s advise, the author interweaved his captivating healing and spiritual experiences, years of historical research and collection of photographs, along with information on the roots of healing from their cultural, shamanic, and spiritual origins. What manifested was his unique magnum opus, Way of the Ancient Healer, a book that intermeshes esoteric and metaphysical beliefs with scientific explanations of healing practices, based on an indigenous science and culture. Way of the Ancient Healer provides an overview of the rich tradition of Filipino healing practices, discussing their world influences and role in daily life. Enhanced with over 300 photographs and illustrations, the book gives readers a rare look at modern-day Filipino healing rituals, including personal examples from author Virgil Apostol’s own experiences with shamanic healing and dream interpretation. The book begins with an explanation of Apostol’s Filipino lineage and legacy as a healer. After a brief history of the Philippine archipelago he describes the roots of traditional Filipino healing and spirituality, and discusses the Indian, Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and American influences that have impacted the Filipino culture. He presents a thorough description of Filipino shamanic and spiritual practices that have developed from the concept that everything in nature contains a spirit (animism) and that living in the presence of spirits demands certain protocols and rituals for interacting with them. The book’s final chapter thoughtfully explores the spiritual tools used in Filipino healing - talismans, amulets, stones, textiles, and other natural symbols of power. Published by North Atlantic Books: www.NorthAtlanticBooks.com Distributed by Random House Distribution Services, to order: www.RandomHouse.com or call (800) 733-3000 The Illinois Katipunan - is an Annual Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) event that usually takes place in the month of September in the Chicagoland area and is hosted by Maha Guro Nate Defensor. The first Katipunan gathering took place 2009, in Florida and was started by Gat Puno Abon “Garimot” Baet. The event was designed to be a free, open to the public, event to feature instructors from all styles of the Filipino martial arts. Since that first Katipunan, the annual tradition has spread to Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. - Michael Querubin Agos Kamay / Kombatan Seminar with Grandmaster “Manong” Carlos Pulanco Organized By: FMA in Portugal October 11 - 12, 2013 Madeira Island, Portugal The seminar was organized by the organization called FMA-Portugal and the branch “Academia de Combate da Madeira” (Madeira Combat Academy). The Chief-instructor in FMA-Portugal, Guro Pedro Silva, accepted to give us some information about the seminar and about the FMA-Portugal way. First of all, a little bit of information about Grandmaster Carlos and his style. Grandmaster Carlos Pulanco (or, as he likes to be called, Manong Carlos) is a Filipino Grandmaster from Ilocos - in Luzon, Philippines - that lives nowadays in Germany. He was trained mostly under the guidance of late Great Grandmaster Ernesto Presas Sr. in the style of Kombatan, but he was also an active member on Modern Arnis (the Art of the late Prof. Remy Presas) and also trained under the other Presas family brother, named Grandmaster Roberto Presas (which style is Hungarian Arnis de Mano). When he achieved a higher rank and skill in Arnis, he started teaching in Germany and, with the union of other Filipinos, founded an Organization called Bagong Katipunan e.V. ( www. bagongkatipunan.de ). Agos Kamay Manong Carlos uses the name of Agos Kamay (i.e. the flow of the hands) for his style but, still paying respect to Great Grandmaster Ernesto Presas Sr., he uses also the name Kombatan. Despite he is now 66 years old, he travels around the world now, especially Europe, to spread the culture and the way of the Filipino Martial Arts. He is coming to Portugal at least once a year (it has been his 7 visit) since 2009 and Guro Pedro Silva is a student and representative of the style in Portugal, under FMA-Portugal. In Madeira there is the biggest school of the Portuguese Filipino martial arts Organization (under Instructor João Teixeira). The seminar in Madeira was part of a week stay. In the first day, it was about sinawali (double stick work) and the translation to the application in fighting and emptyhands. It started with long range and basic sinawali patterns and then to more close and advanced drills with 1 stick vs. 2 sticks. In the end there was a time for some locking, throwing and choking in empty-hands. In the second day, the seminar came about single stick medio / corto techniques. Unique in Agos Kamay`s approach is the use of the “Modern Drill” as a way to train the reaction in blocking and counter-attacking. Then Grandmaster Carlos Pulanco went to disarming techniques in empty-hands, using the same movements and principles of the stick. The Seminar ended with Espada-y-daga application techniques. Attending the seminar there were about 20 people in both days and the opinion on it by the students was super positive. The FMA-Portugal is an Association created to spread Arnis / Kali / Escrima. The name FMA is, on purpose, an open name. The ideas in the creation of the group are to grow more and more, learning what they can from different sources and styles in a disciplined way. FMA-Portugal was founded in order to cherish and embrace the most in the Filipino martial culture. We should add that the identity of the FMA-Portugal group is based on looking for what is effective in survival and self-defence scenarios. Sparring and pressure-training are usual in the group gatherings, seminars and training sessions. Using those types of training sessions as a lab, they came about creating specific training programs, for specific training aims. The objective is also to bring all the big amount of combat and tactical knowledge in the Filipino martial arts to a more easy way of teaching and systematization of contents. Try to look at it to visiting there bi-lingual website on www.fmaportugal.com Considering themselves an open group, not only to Filipino styles, but also to other martial arts, FMA-Portugal uses the Filipino slogan “Laging Una” - that means “always first”. 12 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 13 Tomahawk Clinic October 19, 2013 Inayan School of Eskrima Knoxville, TN. Open Seminar with Grandmaster Rene Latosa October 19, 2013 TSZ Velbert, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 196, 42549 Velbert, Germany The open Escrima seminar with Grandmaster Rene Latosa opens slowly, because there was some misunderstanding on the start time information. The participants of the seminar consisted of five different teaching-organizations, by which the term ‘open’ kept its level from former years. The topic for this year: basics kicking strategies in Escrima, a subject that rarely was or is never being touched. Grandmaster Latosa conducted a few group exercises again at the beginning for becoming acquainted amongst all, in order to form a ‘joint seminar team’ and thus to take away possible hindrances due to shyness or insecurity. These exercises were already geared towards the subject. In the course of the first 30-40 minutes the last participants finally were present and the bias increased bit by bit immediately towards a level, which already brought the participants to the limit of their receptivity in the first seminar half. After the short break it could already be noticed, how much the first seminar half had physically and mentally demanded the participants. A big learning step for all participants was to see and understand kicking techniques as a means to keep balance. At the end Grandmaster Latosa answered questions from the participants and left no misunderstandings and unclear issues. The subsequent applause from the participants came full heartedly. At the diner Grandmaster Latosa had the chance to again answer various questions, which he openly did while enjoying great food. Chief Instructor Tagaturo Steve Klement, went over both use of the tool with lines of attack and defensive techniques as well. Most of the techniques are pulled from Inayan Eskrima styles such as Dequerdas, Largo Mano and even Kadena de Mano. This is part of the curriculum at the Inayan School of Eskrima - Knoxville, TN and we enjoy it quite a bit. www.inayan.com The First Russian FMA Kapatiran Tour Grandmaster of Classical Arnis Abaniko Tres Puntas Rene Tongson Tuhon of Filipino Combat Systems Ray Dioaldo October 21 - 23, 2013 Ekaterinburg, Russia The final stop of the 1st Russian Kapatiran Tour in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Grandmaster Rene Tongson, Tuhon Ray Dionaldo, Grandmaster Dieter Knüttel join us here and Grandmaster Viktor Larin (Viktor Dkd), RAF and FCS Russia instructors and black belts, representatives from Kazan, Perm, Volgograd and Monetniy. Great final and celebration of great event! View Video Click Here Cebuano Eskrima Beyond the Myth By Ned R. Nepangue, M.D. and Celestino C. Macachor Website: www.wt-velbert.de Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth boldly unravels with compelling and provocative hypothesis on the Hispanic origins of the Filipino Martial Arts known as eskrima, arnis and estokada The authors present prima facie evidence on the fraud of the supposedly precursor art called kali. A more plausible theory on the origins of eskrima are presented in startling detail from its early beginnings as a defense against Moro pirates and slave traders and its later fusion with Spanish fencing through the Jesuit warrior priests during the pivotal years 1635-1644, the height of Spanish rapier fencing in Europe during the Renaissance. It also presents a comprehensive chronology on the development of eskrima in Cebu, a meticulous commentary of Cebuano pioneers and innovators of eskrima and elucidates the pre-eminence of Visayans in the art of eskrima / arnis / estokada. As both authors are practitioners of this martial art, technicalities in eskrima never before detailed in other materials on the subject are carefully discussed in the book. To Order Visit - Amazon.com 14 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 15 2013 FMA Fall Classic with Zach Whitson October 24-27, 2013 Haastyle Martial Arts Academy - Boca Raton, FL. By: Russ Haas The 2013 FMA Fall Classic with Zach Whitson, hosted by Russ Haas, owner and head instructor at Haastyle Martial Arts Academy (HMAA), in sunny Boca Raton, FL October 24-27, 2013 was an historic event in the evolution of the Counterpoint Tactical System (CTS) and the South Florida Cacoy Doce Pares (CDP) community. Zach Whitson who is recognized as a Master instructor by Supreme Grandmaster Ciriaco “Cacoy” Canete in Doce Pares Eskrima, Tuhon William McGrath in Pekiti Tirsia Kali and American Kenpo Karate is the founder and head of the Counterpoint Tactical System family. Master Whitson’s semiannual visit to Boca Raton began on Thursday October 24th with CTS and CDP rank testing and promotions. The night concluded with some spirited close quarters stick sparring and the promotion of Chad Bailey, who joins host Russ Haas, as the highest ranking CDP practitioner (3rd Grade black belt) in South Florida under Zach Whitson. Bryan Vinik (HMAA) and Marc Enriquez (Miami Stickfighters Club) were promoted to 2nd Grade black belt. Mindy Haas (HMAA) became the first woman, and Brice Makris (HMAA) became the youngest CDP practitioner to achieve 1st Grade black belt in South Florida. Eight students of Haastyle Martial Arts Academy were tested for various ranks and represented HMAA, Florida’s only Counterpoint Tactical System training facility outstandingly. Training began in an auspicious manner on Friday, October 25th with Master Whitson sharing his CounterKnife Defensive Tactics program with the Hollywood, FL Police Department and their 22 member SWAT team. This law enforcement crew proved to be highly attentive and worked very hard to assimilate the advanced tactics that Zach CDP Testing Group demonstrated. The so-called “21 foot rule” was at the heart of the discussion as these highly trained officers addressed the concern of being attacked before they are able to successfully deploy their firearm; what happens if their firearm is or becomes nonfunctional and the contingency if it is ineffective in stopping the attacker before reaching the officer. These are all possibly lifesaving concerns as the South Florida area introduces more and more residents that come from blade oriented cultures. Marshall’s, crowded areas and multiple attacker situations. Everybody loved the training and was exhausted by the time the event closed at 4:00 pm that afternoon. After a weekend of training that intense, the hosts and Master Z headed down to the beach and unwound to some awesome live reggae music and a great dinner. After taking some time to reflect, it is amazing how all levels of martial artists, LEO’s and civilians were able to acclimate to CTS. It SWAT members practicing CTS Counter-Knife Tactics HPD Det. Keith Wadsworth - Zach Whitson - Russ Haas Master Whitson and Russ Haas both felt privileged to work with these outstanding men and were thankful for the invitation to showcase Counterpoint Tactical System that was extended by HPD Detective Keith Wadsworth and SWAT Commander Lieutenant Chris O’Brien. The advanced tactical training continued on Saturday, October 26th, with Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrido training. Heavily influenced by the 2004 book Eskrido (Eskrima, Jujitsu & Judo Integrated) by Cacoy Canete the introductory set of twelve The Hollywood, FL Police Department SWAT Team Carmen and Michael Zach Whitson introducing the Counterpoint Tactical System is a testament to Zach Whitson’s common sense approach through attribute training and his presentation in a consistent, straightforward manner. He exhibits a calm, self-assured demeanor that allows the students to thrive and continue their practice. After demonstrating what he is teaching he will step out on to the mat with the student’s and resume his training in the material which allows him and his system to thrive and grow. CTS Testing Group Zach and Russ locks, tie-ups and takedown’s left the seminar attendee’s in an pile on the floor and wanting more. Over 20 lifetime martial artists and students of Haastyle Martial Arts Academy and the Miami Stickfighter Club were in attendance. Saturday afternoon training continued with advanced Knife v. Knife tactical training. In these scenario’s the training was focused more on tactical countering to the locking that comes up inside the knife fighting system. One of the signature blocks of material in the Counterpoint Tactical System, Master Whitson’s knife counter locking usually is not introduced to students until after appropriate training in knife attacks (including varied grip training sak-sak and pakal), two levels of empty hand v. knife, stand up and ground grappling fundamentals and a foundational sense of how close quarters knife combat is conducted through extensive drilling and co-play between training partners. Despite the fact that many in the room had not acquired all of the aforementioned training, Zach’s presentation left them with some great skills and much to practice until he returns in April 2014. The final day of training was monumental in that Master Zach presented further material in his CounterKnife Tactical training (as was presented to the LEO’s on Friday) to the general public for the first time. Students ranged from LEO to Military to private security personnel to firearms educators and enthusiasts. Sunday’s class addressed considerations including the extreme close quarter and limited space training that is necessary for Air HAAStyle Martial Arts Academy East Coast School of Self Defense 21000 Boca Rio Rd. Suite #A- 20 Boca Raton, FL 33433 www.haastylemartialarts.com 16 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 17 Garimot Arnis Seminar with Gat Puo Abon “Garimot” Baet October 26, 2013 Jax Martial Arts/Train4Combat, LLC. 7029 Commonwealth Ave. Suite 11 Jacksonville, FL. E.D.C. CONCEPTS W.T.D. & F.C.S. October 26, 2013 Stars & Stripes Tacital Inc., Yucaipa, CA. Saturday Morning group FCS So Cal Seminar Series with Lakan Guro Ray Cole and Instructor Manong Rich Verdejo. FCS Kali, Instructor Rich Verdejo and Western Training Division, Robert White teams up to build on going Firearm and Blade tactics! Seminar Series and up coming videos will be putting Yucaipa, CA., on the map for the Filipino martial arts. This course introduced the tactical in unison with the blade. 2 tools that every household/person can have. Stay tuned for the next series in a new location! Also, FCS So Cal Seminar Series has been launched with Instructor Rich Verdejo and Lakan Guro Ray Cole. 1. Seminar was on Panatukan and Tomahawk 2. Sarong/Malong & Espada y Daga. Stay tuned for number 3! Integrated Force Options Seminar with Tony Torre October 26, 2013 Tactical Solutions of Miami 794a West 84th Street Hialeah, FL. Saturday Afternoon group Sunday group This seminar included the following skills: -Awareness, avoidance and de-escalation skills -The combative draw stroke and how each position is a shooting position -Fighting to the draw and the 3 timings of defense (in fight weapon access) -Hand striking and how it applies to CQB -The shield, the wrap and other defensive concepts for CQB -Dealing with impact and edged weapons -Close quarter shooting considerations and weapon retention -Weapon retention from holster and from outside the holster -The role of the back up weapon -Gun disarms -Ground fighting considerations 18 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 19 Kali Majapahit Tour October 27, 2013 Paris (France) www.kali-majapahit.com Guro Tony Torre www.miamiarnisgroup.com Full Circle Martial Arts Worshop October 27, 2013 Los Angeles, CA. 2013 FMA Friendship Tournament October 26, 2013 Undisputed Martial Arts 127 Sunrise Avenue, Unit 3, Toronto, Ontario The 1st Annual FMA Friendship Tournament in Toronto that was held this past October 26, 2013, and was a resounding success! Toronto based school, Combat Science – Warrior Arts of Asia, hosted the event and there were over 10 schools who attended and came together in camaraderie and friendly competition. We are looking forward to making this an annual event and with the support from this year’s Filipino martial arts community, we know it will be an event everyone will want to attend! It was a great opportunity for the Filipino martial arts practitioners and martial artists of all styles and systems to try out the sport side of Arnis/Kali/Eskrima. Competitiors had the opportunity to show their skill and talent in traditional anyo forms, padded point stick and knife fighting as well as continuous single and double stick fighting. Combat Science would like to send a BIG thank you to ALL volunteers, competitors and everyone else who make this past FMA Friendship Tournament 2013 a huge success. Stay tuned for more details on next year’s FMA Friendship Tournament in October of 2014! - Guro JB Ramos www.eskrimador-supplies.com Alessandro Ashanti of Head Instructor of Full Circle Martial Arts taught a recurring workshop in Los Angeles to a local security group. The group meets monthly in for instruction in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles, CA. Topics taught during this past workshop included joint locking restraints and take downs, perimeter awareness, team dynamics for dealing with dangerous situations, group assualts, and utilizing the Full Circle concept of Human Shielding. Seminar with Wayne Tappin November 1, 2013 379 Mentmore Terrace, Hackney, London, UK. Escrima Concepts grading and seminar with Wayne Tappin (4th TG). Wayne worked everyone really hard on their grades and all students done exceptionally well. There were 9 students who successfully graded and those who graded were working on their Escrima Concepts student grades 1 to 3. These grades are beginner grades and primarily look at movement and footwork as well as basic stick drills and disarms. After the grading, the seminar was opened up to the students to decide what they wanted to work on. So we ended the evening with knife attacks / defence and briefly discussing the reality of knife attacks. www.excrimaconcepts.com / www.urbanescrima.com 20 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 21 Modified Tapado Master Joe Tan November 2, 2013 Margret T. Hance Park, Phoenix, AZ. Escrima Working Seminar Grandmaster Michael Giron November 2, 2013\Phoenix, AZ. The seminar covered the first two principles of the primary overpowering stage of Tapado: Ordinario and Pigar. Master Tan emphasized that the principles can be used as ingredients for other Filipino martial arts practitioners at their discretion in their art. - Russell T Mackler Derbaum Kuntao Seminar November 2, 2013 Master Geoff Rackebrandt’s Taekwondo United 16440-1 South Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers, FL. The Florida based Chinese Indonesian Combat Arts group hosted a 6 hour Kuntao Seminar in Ft. Myers, Florida. The event was led by Sifu Chris Derbaum with assistance by one of his instructors, Justin Miller. The foundation for the group and seminar focus was Willem Reeders Kuntao concepts with emphasis on empty hand, knife utilization, takedowns, and finishes. Sifu Chris Derbaum is a 20+ year law enforcement veteran and martial arts practitioner. He received his training through the following Instructors: Sifu Lenny Howie (Florida Kung Fu Federation), Master Guy Savelli (World Kung Fu Federation-Kuntao) and Master Scott Young (Meadville School of Kung Fu-Kune-Tao). ftmyerskf.wordpress.com Grandmaster Mike taught a class on Kadena De Mano and Largo Mano in Phoenix Arizona. Training was at the Asian Arts Center where Guro Ted Rabino teaches Eskrima, and other Filipino martial arts . - Guro Ted Rabino 8th AZ FMA Friendship Gathering November 3, 2013 Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix, Arizona Youtube: Click Here Inayan System of Eskrima Flexible Weapons By Jason Inay In the Inayan System of Eskrima Flexible Weapons proficiency is a requirement to advance in the system. This DVD is a presentation of skills and drills to enhance one’s familiarity and skill in the use of a flexible weapon. Though this DVD specifically presents the use of the bandanna the principles can be adapted to nearly any flexible weapon. Suro Jason Inay, the head of the Inayan System of Eskrima (I.S.E.), also illustrates how training the use of flexible weapons is a metaphor for approaching martial arts with a flexible and adaptable mind Enjoy learning the use of the bandanna with drills and techniques adapted from the Inayan Kadena De Mano styles of Eskrima. Inayan Kadena De Mano is one of the core styles within the I.S.E. that emphasizes empty hand and knife skills. The I.S.E. DVD covers basic defenses to strikes, locks, and entanglements. Visit: www.Inayan-Eskrima.com to find out more about the I.S.E. a complete system of Filipino martial arts founded by Mangisursuro Mike Inay. This DVD may be purchased via PayPal: mestrella@sbcglobal.net $37 including ground USPS shipping in the USA A beautiful day to get together and share knowledge and skills of the Filipino martial arts with others. This event is held either once or twice a year in Phoenix, Arizona. The event is put together by Guro Michael Butz. What are the requirements to attend; wearing comfortable clothing suitable for working out, training sticks, training dagger and (optional) training sword. Also a good idea since there is a possibility of contact is bringing a mouthpiece, hand/eye/groin protection, In lieu of an attendance fee, bring an item for the potluck lunch. Which has always been plenty for everyone and most welcome after working out learning and sharpening ones skills, and is also a great time to meet new friends and just relax and enjoy the day. If you have a favorite or specialty item you cook, please bring it to share with everyone! The 8th AZ FMA Friendship Gathering featured: Master Alessandro Ashanti of Full Circle Ashanti Method Martial Arts - Guro Ashanti taught an attack and counter exercise. The exercise was designed to develop last second responses when defenses and positioning have failed. Participants practiced four phases: empty hands, knives, sticks/blades, and mixed combinations of the previous. Master Joe Tan of Modified Tapado - Master Tan did a demonstration and imparted basic knowledge with regards to Modified Tapado system, Vinas Arnis empty hand knife fighting system was also introduced. Punong Guro Steven Dowd of Arnis Balite - demonstrated and explained the concept of blocking the opponents’ baston. Working with a partner the idea was to block the opponents’ baston and being in a position of countering with the disadvantage of the opponent being able to defend. This was an exercise that the opponent would strike with a forward hand strike and then have to reposition to deliver a backhand strike, and then the roles would be reversed. Continuing then the exercise would move into the Huli Lusob phase (Capture, Trap, and Attack), finally the last phase of the exercise which was to disarm the opponent moving into position of counter-attack, then the opponent would have to defend and disarm moving into a position for counter attack. The purpose was to defend and simultaneously moving into a position of counter attack, the opponent realizing their vulnerability would have to move into a position to defend and then reverse by defending and being in a position to counter attack. Walter and Wesley Crisostomo of Pinakatay Arnis Sigidas (Iti Walter and Haniti Wesley) were joined by Palaban Ron Laster in demonstrating and 22 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 23 sharing the techniques and the mechanics of the traditional art of Arnis or Eskrima in the style of PAS ( Pinakatay Arnis Sigidas). They showed the 12 strikes in our style and the mechanics of each strike as it was executed. They demonstrated and explained the forehand and the backhand relative to striking. Continuing to explained the “ abanico “ and how to execute it in a tactical manner, showing disarming techniques of the stick and the importance of the live hand during engagement. They defined every demonstrated technique as branded moves of Pinakatay Arnis Sigidas. It is a Cebuano style that shows the real time sparring where both practitioners incorporate the use of the live hand in coordination with the stick hand. There were no hesitating actions or dummy moves as we emphasize that “ the stick is meant to hit the opponent as much as possible rather than hitting the stick of the opponent “. Each move executes a strike or a defense-and-strike at the same time by both practitioners. There is no dummy when doing the techniques during the sparring process as one tries to counter each move of the other. Continuing they shared how effective it would be to advance during engagements as it throws off the opponents attack mindset, showing how they can hit any part of the body The instructors with the host Guro Michael Butz who made the event happen at any given time with the use of bluff or feigning and the assistance of the live hand. They also shared some knife techniques and how to stab or slice and cut the opponent from the tip of the hand to the body area. In short, everybody learned something useful to them and best of all, everyone had fun !! Teachers and guests that attended: Art Crisostomo, Guro Alessandro Ashanti, Guro Ted Rabino, Guro Jeff Latorre, Guro Walter Crisostomo, Punong Guro Steven Dowd, Guro Wesley Crisostomo, Master Joe Tan, Grandmaster Michael Giron, Guro John Jacobo, Guro Michael Butz A final word: Thank you to everyone who attended the 8th AZ FMA Gathering on 1November 3, 2013. I hope you all had a great time, learned something, made new friends, reconnected with old ones and topped it all off with a full belly from the potluck. I’d like to give special thanks to the featured instructors for the event: Alessandro Ashanti Bovoso of Full Circle Ashanti Method Martial Arts, Joe Tan of Modified Tapado, Steven Dowd of Arnis Balite and Wesley and Walter Crisostomo of Ultimate Eskrima. Thank you for freely sharing your time, energy and skill with the participants. Thank you also to Michael Giron of Original Giron Eskrima, John Jacobo of SWACOM and Ronnie Laster of Ultimate Eskrima for attending and supporting the event. - Michael J. Butz Facebook: Click Here DAVRAA Arnis Tournament Provincial Meet 2013 Arnis Tournament Champions November 6 - 9, 2013 FMA-Lupon-Isidro Modern Arnis Lupon, Davao Oriental, Philippines Master Dodong Dela Cruz is proud to report the good performances of his students trained under FMA-Lupon-Isidro Modern Arnis. They were the Over-all Champion (Unit 9) of the recently conducted Provincial Meet 2013 Arnis Tournament held here in their hometown municipality of Lupon, Davao Oriental. There are only 3 teams competing.(Unit 5, Unit 8, and Unit 9). The Davao Oriental Arnis Team is compose of 10 players for secondary level and 4 players for elementary level. They have 5 students in the secondary level and 3 in the elementary level. There are 8 slots for the whole team.. The 6 slots are divided for the other teams. The Davao Oriental Team will compete this coming February 2014, DAVRAA Meet 2014 (Davao Regional Athletic Association). Master Dodong Dela Isidro Modern Arnis; if the trainors from the Provincial capital cannot come just like before. Now the FMA-Lupon-Isidro Modern Arnis has to train early to prepare their students for the next higher level of competition especially in the anyo (form) competition in which Master Dela Cruz son will be the team competitor for the solo and doble baston. There should be 10 competing teams in the whole province of Davao Oriental. However there are only 3 teams at this time. Arnis here is not a popular game even the martial arts as a whole is not that popular here. Over-all Champion (Unit 9) Cruz youngest son Lawrence will compete in the pin-weight category. This will be his second time to play in the DAVRAA Meet. He is the only veteran in the group. The division or team might be trained again by the FMA-Lupon- The Department of Education conducted training for teachers as trainors, coaches, and tournament officials only for a few days.The trainers for Labanan (fighting) and Anyo (form) were trained only for a few days just Boys Division - Secondary Level - Girls Division-Secondary Level 1) Lawrence Paul dela Cruz Pin-weight 1) Francis Carol Abella Featherweight 2) Bienfred Campaña Featherweight 2) Charmaine Abella Extra Lightweight 3) Robert Pimentel Extra Lightweight Head Coach - Sadiya M. Estrella Head Coach- Ivy V. Bagay Escrima Working Seminar with Grandmaster Michael Giron November 5, 2013 Rigoberta Menchu Hall Cesar Chavez Student Center San Francisco State University, CA. Spreading the Filipino martial arts through education hosted by XPO at San Francisco State University enough for them to know but do not really understand the real meaning of Arnis. So there is a need for the assistance of private practitioners of Arnis. Here in Lupon Master Dela Cruz is the only surviving practitioner. Nobody wants to teach because the one who wants to learn the art cannot afford to pay even the lowest training fees. So sometimes many can say teachers of Arnis are just wasting their time and effort because many students will not continue and disappear. Master Dodong Dela Cruz has offered free training for the students and outside of the school but still few participated. Master Dodong Dela Cruz charges P25 per session and P50 for registration and training sticks so that students can participate in tournaments. Students are slowly attracted to the sport aspect of Arnis especially now since it was show that the FMA-LuponIsidro Modern Arnis school were the overall champions of the provincial tournament of Department of Education. Master Dela Cruz always emphasizes to the students that Sports Arnis is only a part of the whole Arnis and this is just good for the beginners. They must continue learning the real fighting art of Arnis. That this is not only stickfighting but there is also empty hand, Filipino weaponry, throws, and takedown, etc. Isidro Modern Arnis will offer more for self-defense. Boys Division - Elementary Level - Girls Division Elementary-Level 1) Edito Paderog Category 2 1) Ellamae Austria Category 1 2) Justine Kaye Española Category 2 Head Coach - Dinnis Banquil Head Coach- Yoly Catog 24 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 25 2013 Master / Grandmaster Extreme Grandmaster Rene Latosa November 8 - 9, 2013 Hosted by: DTE 8400 S. Kyrene Rd. Suite#107, Tempe, AZ. Suro Inay - Wisconsin Seminars November 13, 2013 Sorce’s Martial Arts South Milwaukee, Wisconsin Covering a blend of Sikaran, knife defense, and empty hand techniques. How do you define a great weekend in the Filipino Martial Arts culture? Well, one way is “Two days of training with Grandmaster Rene Latosa”. In attendance, multiple groups from around the Arizonian Valley, received 2 days of valuable knowledge and coaching last weekend, Nov. 9th, from Grandmaster Rene. It was easy to see why he is so well respected as his coaching and concepts definitely stand out from the crowd. This exceptional weekend, as well as, last month’s session of the “2013 Master/GrandMaster Seminar Series” hosted by Jay So and D.T.E. was made possible by one time Latosa student and current supporter Master Martin Torres. Thanks to everyone who came out to learn and support. Thanks for the memories - Jay So www.jason-inay.com Suro Inay - Wisconsin Seminars November 15, 2013 Oneida Fitness Green Bay, Wisconsin Traditional Inayan System of Eskrima class. Covering Inayan Kadena De Mano and Inayan Serrada, disarms and reflex training. It was a Great traditional Inayan Eskrima workout this morning with Suro Jason. Always an interesting and enlightening look into the art, cannot wait for his next visit. - Bryce Thomas Knife & Unarmed - Combatives Workshop November 16, 2013 North Valley Aikikai 9029 Reseda Blvd., Suite 100, Northridge, CA. Thanks, Guro for a great seminar and your friendship. I look forward to the next time we can get together. - Integrated Survival Strategies 1st Babao-Arnis Camp November 16, 2013 Ashinkan Dojo, Alpine, CA. Filipino Dirty Boxing Suntukan Street Self-Defense with Tony Torre In Filipino Dirty Boxing, Guro Tony Torre blends the traditional with the modern to form a comprehensive fighting system designed to enhance any fighter’s training regimen. Steeped in the Filipino martial arts of arnis and suntukan, Torre draws on his extensive knowledge to give you a whole new sense of street fighting and self-defense under extreme circumstances. After acquiring a solid foundation in positioning, natural combinations, targeting, disruptions and striking, you’ll move on to mechanics, joint integrity and minimization of energy leaks. The extensive partner training exercises included in the video provide you with the skills and confidence that can only be developed with hard work in the gym. Whether your fighting is on the mat or in the streets, Torre’s training methods provide the explosive offensive and defensive tactics needed to overwhelm your opponent and come out victorious. For information purposes only. 170 minutes $29.95 To Purchase: Click Here To Babao Arnis Masters, Guros, Students and Colleagues: Words are inadequate to express how much I appreciate what you have done for my family for holding this 1st Babao Arnis Camp and Fundraising Seminar. I and my family extend to you all my sincerest and heart-felt thanks and appreciation. - Zena Sultana Babao 26 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 27 11th Phoenix FMA Training & BBQ November 16, 2013 Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix, Arizona The day was overcast however that did not deter practitioners in attending the monthly training at Margaret T. Hance Park. To start was Richell Sampaga a student of Guro Michael J. Butz of Kada Anan Martial Arts Arizona. Richell Sampaga demonstrated the Serrada base Inside 1 utilizing dagger with versatility of the forward and reverse grip, open hand and applying at corto range. Also, focused on the dexterity of what you can do with your right hand, do with your left and vise versa. Next was Punong Guro Steven K. Dowd of Arnis Balite, however he was asked to demonstrate and teach something of Kuntaw the art of Grandmaster Carlito Lanada in which Steven Dowd is a Master who has trained in the art for over 40 years. To start Master Dowd expalined some of the basic concepts and principles of Kuntaw as he learned it from the Grandmaster the; (soft blockings) Downward Block (Salag Pababa), Upper Block (Salag Pataas), Outside Block (Salag Palabas), Palm Block (Salag Papalad). Then he demonstrated and taught a few of the basic techniques using the Arm Block (Salag Bisig), Parry Block (Salag Palis), Circular Block (Salag Paikot), and the Breaking Block (Salag Pabali) in combination with the Punching (Suntok), Hand Chopping (Palusob Patga), Hand Mow (Palusob Patabas) explaining the theory and concepts behind the techniques. Next was Jay So, from DTE “Direct Torres Extreme, shared several techniques. Jay likes to use techniques to emphasize a principle in order to help one to understand, not only the what of the technique, but also to gain a deeper understanding of the why of the technique. With that in mind, Jay showed several techniques utilizing the Principles of Radondo, Angling and Corto Combat. This was broached via the use of Baston Y Baston and Baston Y Mano based techniques. In the first technique, Baston Y Baston: 1. The attacker advances with an angle 1 2. The defender angles off to the right, attacking the attack with an angle 1, then continuing the attack with another angle 1 to the head using the principle of Radondo. In the second technique (continuing from the first); 1. After the last angle 1 strike in the first technique, the defender returns with an upward strike to the right side of the attackers head positioning his Baston behind the attackers head. 2. With the Baston of the defender behind the head of the attacker, the defender reaches along the left side of the attackers head, grabbing the Baston, using it to control the head of the attacker using the principle of Corto Combat. The third technique was the natural progression of both to empty hands, which is essentially the way it should work as a weapon is just an extension of one’s own arm. Finally to round of the training session before the BBQ, Magdiel Rivera a student training in Aikijujutsu. What he shared was a lock and a throw. In traditional Japanese, Shime Waza and Nage Waza. Shime means choke, Waza means Form and nage means throw. Amara Arkanis “The Fighting Art of the Mandirigma” By: Mataw-Guro Louelle Lledo Jr. This book is designed for the Beginner in the Filipino martial arts, so they will have a concrete foundation, going through a stepby-step learning of the fundamentals. It is for the Advanced Student who may not have gone through this type of training, so they will understand the underlying principles of the maneuvers they execute. And for the Prospective Teacher, so they can better organize a more systematized lesson plan or course of study for a more effective and efficient teaching and learning experience of the Filipino martial arts. This is the same Filipino Martial Arts Education Program that MatawGuro Louelle Lledo used successfully at the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association Region IV and his students who are teaching in the Philippines. This book is a necessity to those who wish to format their teaching at a higher educational level and give their students a deeper understanding of their training. Over a 172 pages packed with pictures and examples. To Order Contact: matawgurolou@yahoo.com German Jiu-Jitsu Union Association November 2013 with Escrima November 16, 2013 Clara-Schumann-High School Gesamtschule, Kreuztal, Germany By Sifu/Master Marcus Schüssler The sports hall of the ClaraSchumann-High school is filling up with about 60 participants around 15:00 for the end-ofthe-year-seminar of the German Jiu-Jitsu Union Association. The special thing about this year: three different experts on three different disciplines teach at the same time – Jiu-jitsu, Escrima and classic boxing. In the foreplanning to the seminar, the organizers thought about how to ‘expose the athletes to sometimes different, strange patterns of movement’, since Jiu-Jitsu is being trained all yearround in the respective clubs. The promotion of this seminar concept had even the effect, that martial artist from non-affiliated clubs attended! At 15:00, the organizers welcomed all those present and the respective experts and their teams were introduced. Then, all participants were divided into three groups, which were supposed to switch to the next group after one hour. The dividion was based on graduation, so that the groups were relatively homogeneous. (Sifu/Master) Marcus Schüssler took over the first group and welcomed each person individually. The session started with simple coordinative exercises and being followed up by a joint analyzing of the importance of this ‘stick juggling’ in regards to self-defense and effectiveness. Subsequently after a further short logical analysis, that the stick or the weapon in general can only have a strategic benefit through the human action, the group started directly with the practice of controlled hitting. Factors such as speed, distance, control, balance, etc. were set into a new context by the participants themselves The exercises began only with the power generation of the arm, then in connection with stepping forward and continued with the hip. The participants understood the universal importance of impact and multiple hitting, and which effort each participant has to make in order to realize this! Applied partner exercises for stability and balance testing completed the picture and everyone really became clear, that the stability of the previous movement is automatically associated with stability at the end of a movement. This general outline of teaching was done with all other groups in the same manner. At the end of each round, all participants received the same problem constellation - everybody was supposed to imagine facing their self, and that their self had exactly those capabilities, which they have learned and trained through the logic of strategy and body on this day. The homework for all participants was to think about a 28 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 29 solution if firstly their self would be constantly attacking them with strategy, like they had practiced, and secondly how to take away the weapon of such an attacker. Angeles City Chapter might just do that. (The author is the Director of the Mangangayam Kali Arnis Eskrima Angeles City Chapter. His group has a Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mangangayamangeles ) International Union - For Escrima & Wing Tsun www.wt-velbert.de Mangangayam Kali Arnis Eskrima 3rd Founding Anniversary Honors Angeles City Chapter November 16 - 17, 2013 At Clark Nature Park, Clarkfield, Pampanga, Philippines By Guro Ferdinand Lastrilla Learn Filipino martial arts and experience true Filipino camaraderie. This, in part, was the message of Grandmaster Jerry Evangelisan in the recently concluded Mangangayam Kali Arnis Eskrima 3rd Founding Anniversary held at the spacious Clark Nature Park within the former Clark Air Base in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. The successful event, held as scheduled on November 16-17, 2013, honored local representatives from the organization’s Angeles City Chapter headed by Guro Ferdinand Lastrilla and Assistant Instructor Architect Arnel Agustin as well as its Tarlac City Chapter headed by Atty. Ray Gilberto Espinosa. Mangangayam representatives from MetroManila headed by Grandmaster Evangelisan arrived early on Saturday, November 16, and spent some time chilling out at the pool of Mabiga Resort in Mabalacat City. They were later joined by Architect Agustin and Atty. Espinosa. The entire party then proceeded to the official anniversary venue to set camp. It was a cool Saturday night with the kids enjoying Mangangayam training in the moonlight. The group had dinner by a bonfire which was kept lit as the full moon made its course across the sky. Gazebos made of bamboo offered comfy shelters for the exchange of stories and Filipino folklore. These were followed by eyeopening discussions of herbal medicine, disaster-preparedness and survival. We rented three nipa huts which had more than enough room for those who staid over. Clark Nature Park’s camping area proved its worth. Most of us woke up early the following day, November 17, which was a Sunday to catch the sunrise. The transition from night to day was quite a sight to behold as the rays of the early morning sun filtered through the large acacia trees. It was then time to start the main anniversary program. Typical of dedicated Mangangayam practitioners, we started training even before the sun itself was visible. Grandmaster Jerry worked with a shiny Grandmaster Evangelisan and Guro Benjie Boromeo demonstrating a low blade training concept ginunting while my youngest student and I proceeded to do some warm-up routines. Everybody else started getting busy the Mangangayam way as well. Filipino martial arts weapons came out in the open. From the basic rattan sticks and tabak-tuyok (nunchucks) to the bladed weapons like the talibong, ginunting, spears, bows and arrows, various knives...the ‘armory’ got exposed. It was basically a family affair although later in the day onlookers started pouring in. I was just teaching my students most of the time, especially the newest. Other instructors did the same while other members simply helped each other through drills and exercises. Then Grandmaster Evangelisan demonstrated some of his signature disarms and recontras. Many took random photos of what was going on using mobile phones. Some took videos. Onlookers got one big eskrima exhibition for free. The main event of the day was the awarding of certificates. I, for one, got my certificate of authority to teach Mangangayam Kali Arnis Eskrima. I cannot thank Grandmaster Evangelisan enough for this level of trust. Atty. Ray Espinosa and Architect Arnel Agustin both received their certificates as Assistant Instructor. Everybody else received certificates of participation, including the supportive parents of minor students. The awarding ceremony ended with weapons exhibitions marked by the GrandMaster’s impeccable display of eskrima blade flow. Successful is a way to describe the event. But there is more than just us having our 3rd Founding Anniversary in the area. Certainly, it honored the Angeles City Chapter. Beyond that is an idea that a true Mangangayam can readily envision. Places such as the Clark Nature Park offers just the perfect venue for kali, arnis or eskrima seminars. Who knows, the Mangangayam Kali Arnis Eskrima Warrior’s Way Workshop Series Guro Harley Elmore November 16 - 17, 2013 Pride Martial Arts Edmond, Oklahoma Participants studied a wide variety of topics including Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, LaCoste Inosanto Kali, and training progressions from Sayoc Kali. The Desangut Fixed Blade Magnum By TnT Blades Now available! PRE-PAY price of €100 good only for orders paid by July 31, 2013. If you missed the preorder, from August 2013, regular price applies (€120). Pay via paypal: orders@tntarnis.ch, then email us your delivery address. Includes yak-leather sheath from Nepal. Ships from Italy at extra cost, depending on your location. Endlich ist es da! Das PRE-PAY Preis von €100 ist gültig, nur für Messer die bis zum 31 .Juli bezahlt sind. Via Paypal bezahlen: orders@tntarnis.ch. Dann schick uns Eure Lieferadresse. Inkl. Yak-Leder Holster aus Nepal. Lieferkosten extra. Production Information: This first run is a semi-custom / numbered production. Only 100 pieces and getting presold fast. Reserve your favorite number now before someone else gets it. TnT Combat Arnis has started with the production at this time and expects delivery at around late June/early July. The time to fix your pre-order is now. There will only be 100 numbered pieces produced and they are going fast. Desangut updates, please see complete report: Click Here To Place your Order Click Here 30 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 31 Armado FMA Defensive Tactics Seminar Awarding of Certificates: November 23, 2013 Libis Eastwood, Quezon City, Philippines Private Security and Employee of Atos Company 7th Anniversary of the HSFA 4th Quarter Gathering November 23, 2013 6201-A Hermann Park Dr., Houston, TX. The Armado Fma Deftac VIP Seminar was from October 27, 2013 being held each Saturday. The graduation was on November 23, 2013 Topics: Basic Arnis Mano Mano Dumog Basic Weapons Disarming And Self Defense Basic Escorting And Arresting Conducted: Maestro Melchor William Amosco Founder: Armado FMA Deftac International Assisted by: Maestra Rosalie Quino Amosco Assistant: Armado FMA Deftac International Today’s event was held at Hermann Park. The very first location of the 1st HSFA gathering of “stick-based” weapons fighters from combative weapons styles not limited to the Filipino martial arts. A group from the European martial arts style also participated and made an awesome play with the mixing of styles and weapons in each round. There were a wide array of weapons from staff, sword and buckler, long sword, Hockey stick, and even double ended polearms of unusual function but still effective enough for some and even the attending Filipino martial arts students gained a few lessons in the techniques of the European martial arts with the swords. The day’s climate featured a sweet cool front that had taken place on this day as it made PERFECT temperature for stick fighting outdoors! The weather forecast of the day revealed rain at over 50% chance. Fortunately, it did not happen to us in those few hours that we had played. Those of us that defied the weather prediction showed up. We made new friends and learn some more real cool moves to supplement the things that we already know now. I was digging it the most! Every single round I fought in was too fun! I even took every hit and stood and walked into and through them like a little boy who thinks he’s invincible when he goes to play outside with his friends. It happens when a man leaves his ego in the car and just flows with it. Can you DIG IT! Jason Evans www.houstonstickfighting.org Facebook: Click Here MARPPIO Instructional Video’s and Live Seminar Video’s Grandmaster Remy A. Presas Single video’s and sets To Buy - Click Here The Balintawak System of Arnis-Escrima Book By: John Russell Publisher: Sudlon Publishing Printed in Hong Kong First Edition / Softcover The book is the most comprehensive book on Balintawak Arnis-Escrima. This is an out of print book and a must for Filipino Martial Arts practitioners and collectors!Balintawak Arnis - Escrima is one of the most deadly Filipino Martial Arts forms of baton, knife, sword and empty hand self-defense. An all range fighting system that was continuously refined by the Great Masters: Venancio Bacon, Jose Villasin and Teofilo Velez throughout their lives With over 1300 photographs this book features: Basic Arnis-Escrima, Principles and Exercises, Balintawak Arnis-Escrima, A brief History, Basic Balintawak, The Basic Foundation, Intermediate Balintawak, Grouping Method, Advanced Balintawak and End Play s Finishing Techniques. 215 pages and 1,300 Photographs Price is US$25 - PayPal accepted Shipping: Book will be shipped from the Philippines. Rates vary. Email me for details. Contact: Rommel Miel, melmiel@yahoo.com 32 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 33 Rapid Response Course Tuhon Pat O’Malley November 23 - 24, 2013 Murrays Studio, I Salisbury Rd. Chingford London, England Itinerary Saturday 10am-1pm: Rapid Response Core training (student and instructor candidates) 1pm-2pm: Lunch break 2pm-4pm: Rapid Response Enhanced training (instructor candidates only) 4pm-5pm: Rapid Arnis grading (RA grading candidates only) Sunday 10am-1pm: Rapid Response Core training (student and instructor candidates) 1pm-2pm: Lunch break 2pm-4pm: Rapid Response Enhanced training The surviving members of the Rapid Response course. All those in the picture are now instructors. Well done passing two gruelling days of training and pressure testing. And well done to all the (instructor candidates only) others doing the foundation stage of the course. 4pm-5pm: Rapid Arnis grading (RA grading candidates only) Description: The Rapid Response system is a standalone defence course, specifically for dealing with edged weapons. The Core training element trains the techniques used to engage edged weapons (those participating at a student level receive a certificate of attendance). The Enhanced training element is for attendees who wish to teach the system to their own students, and includes extra modules on defensive tactics, and scenariobased exercises (upon successful completion, those participating at an instructor level will receive personal feedback and a certificate granting them authority to teach the Core Rapid Response course). Required experience levels are as follows:Core: No previous martial arts experience necessary, open to all. Enhanced: Participants must be experienced martial practitioners, and physically fit. Warrior’s Gathering Ang Pagtitipon ng mga Mandirigma November 23, 2013 Don Bosco Mandaluyong Gymnasium Gen. Kalentong St., Metro Manila, Philippines The event showcased the Filipino martial arts systems through demonstrations, mini sparring and various informal Filipino martial arts training sessions and introductions. Systems shown were the Followig: Rapido Realisimo Kali by Grandmaster Henry Espera, Guro Isagani Abon, Guro Tashi Zangpo, and Guro Adrien Pierre N. Quidlat Modern Lightning Kali Arnis by Grandmaster Jay Saceda Jumawan Laraw Kali Pamuok by Lakan Ronnie Royce Base Kali De Leon under Roland Isla of Isla Mandirigma Master Jerson of Lightning Scientific Arnis Abenir Kalis Pinaglabanan group under Guro Bryan Dy Pencak Silat with the Philippine Pencak Silat team headed by Coach Nor Other attendees were: Grandmaster Maximo aldave ng Aikiyoi Martial arts Master Vhir Tubera of Arkado Guro Perry Gil Mallari of Malayang Anyo, Ginoong Edwin Aguilar Guro Reinier Dave Zapanta of USTFMA and Sinag FMA Grandmasters Pepito of PBF Arnis Sigung Vic Tiro of JKD Guro Sunshine Facto of Sinag FMA Guro Manny Dacanay ng Lapunti Arnis de Abanico. The event was organized by: Maestro Bong Abenir of Abenir Kalis FMA and Guro Chris Dalida of Abenir Kalis- Biagtan Cinco teros 34 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 35 Health and Safety The 7 Best Energy Boosters By Zena Sultana Babao Are you tired all the time? If you are, you have plenty of company. About 10 million doctor-visits each year are attributed to fatigue. And all of those bottomless cups of strong coffee won’t help. Too much caffeine actually saps energy and makes fatigue worse. The only way to beat fatigue is to create the conditions that bring more energy into your days and remove the obstacles that drain it away. Most people know that exercise is energizing. It increases blood flow and circulates oxygen to the brain and other tissues. Aside from exercise, there are 7 best energy boosters according to Jonny Bowden, PhD, a nutritionist and weight-loss expert based in Los Angeles. Bowden is board-certified by the American College of Nutrition and is a member of the American Society of Nutrition. He is also the author of “The Most Effective Ways on Earth to Boost Your Energy” and co-author with Stephen Sinatra, MD, of “The Great Cholesterol Myth.” The 7 best energy boosters, Bowden wrote in the Bottom Line publication, are the following: Green drinks We are always being told to eat more greens, but drinking them can be a much better choice when your energy flags during the day. Take advantage of the liquid greens in health-food stores. Juices made from wheatgrass, barley, and other vegetable extracts are alkalizing. They increase pH and shift the body’s balance to a less acid state. Too much acidity - a consequence of all the meat and grains in the American diet - impairs energy as well as health. The grasses used in green drinks contain chlorophyll and related substances that remove energy-depleting toxins from the body. The drinks typically have little or added sugar, so they won’t cause the spike and drop in blood sugar that you get from sweetened soft drinks or fruit juices. Green drinks are not delicious. They have a slightly grassy taste that takes some getting used to. Whole eggs You need plenty of protein to satisfy your appetite, keep your energy humming and prevent the post-meal slump that occurs when you eat too much. For years, people thought that egg-white omelets were the perfect high-protein meal. Not true. Whole eggs are better because the yolks are high in choline, a B vitamin that reduces inflammation and the fatigue that accompanies it. Don’t worry about the saturated fat in egg yolks. It’s not the enemy that people once thought. When researchers from Harvard and other institutions analyzed 21 previous studies that looked at the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease, they found that saturated fat did not cause an increase in heart disease or stroke. Include a source of protein with every meal. It could be eggs, nuts, fish, grass-fed meat, beans or tofu. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) This is probably the most important energy-producing nutrient that most people don’t get enough of. CoQ10 increases the energyproducing structures within the cells. The body produces CoQ10, but it’s a complicated process that involves at least seven vitamins. Since many people don’t get enough of these nutrients - including vitamin C and a variety of B vitamins - levels of CoQ10 tend to be too low to boost energy. Supplement with 100 milligrams (mg) of CoQ10 daily if you’re generally healthy. If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart condition or are taking a cholesterol-lowering statin, increase the daily dose to 200 mg. Statins deplete CoQ10 from the body. It’s particularly important for heart patients to get enough because the heart requires CoQ10 to beat efficiently. High-glycemic foods occasionally You probably heard that the best carbohydrates for long-term energy have a low-glycemic load. Fiber-filled foods such as lentils, peanuts, carrots, and chickpeas are absorbed slowly into the intestine. They keep blood sugar and insulin at steady levels - not too low or too high. There’s one possible exception. If you’re trying to lose weight and still keep your energy high, you might want to have occasional servings of high-glycemic foods. There’s some evidence that people who mainly eat low-glycemic carbs but allow themselves highglycemic meal every four or seven days help the body to overcome its tendency to burn fewer calories during a weight-loss diet. Suppose that you eat mainly low-glycemic carbs but still want to lose a few pounds. Once or twice a week, have one meal that includes faster-burning carbohydrates such as pasta, white potatoes, or white rice. Scientists speculate that the jump in insulin overcomes the slowing of your metabolism that comes along with dieting. Replenish your bacteria You might not think that digestion has much to do with energy, but the action within your intestines greatly affects how you feel. A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that probiotics (live, beneficial bacteria) may have anti-depressant effects. The same organisms improve immunity and make it easier to fight off the fatiguing effects of viruses and bacteria. Eat one or more daily servings of live-culture yogurt. Look for the letters LAC (Live and Active Cultures) on the label. It means that the yogurt contains at least 100 million live organisms per gram. Lights out Nothing saps your energy more than a poor night’s sleep. And what people don’t realize is that even very dim lights - such as the small LED indicators or computers, cell phones and bedside clocks can make it difficult to get a decent night’s sleep. Sleep scientists have found that even trace amounts of ambient light inhibit the production of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone. Minimize the amount of light in your bedroom. Turn your digital clock so that it faces away from the bed, for example, or drape something over the computer to cover up the “on” light. If you don’t get enough sleep, take a nap. Nothing improves memory, lower stress, and improves all-day energy. Studies done by NASA have found that a short 26-minute nap can increase performance by 34% and alertness by 54%. Limit your naps to 26 minutes or less, preferably late in the morning or early in the afternoon. Breathe deeply and well You would think that nothing is more natural than breathing, but many people don’t breathe the way that nature intended. The reason is that we live in a very fast-paced world … and we spend a lot of time hunched over desks, staring at computer screens. Both stress and poor posture tighten muscles in the upper body and make it harder for the lungs to expand. We have become shallow breathers, which decreases oxygen and cause mental and physical fatigue. Every few hours, take a breathing break. While sitting or lying down, place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in through your nose then exhale just as deeply through your mouth. Make sure the hand on your belly rises and falls while the hand on your chest barely moves. During the day, if you notice that you’re breathing shallowly or more quickly than usual, remind yourself to relax and breathe in more fully. Zenway Digital Concepts & Design Center with Independent Creative Concept Photography is a small and independent private digital concepts & design center consultancy and contractor with current specialty Product Development ranging in and Trademark Specialist with Creative Unique Photography in Bicol Region. March 2007 the Zenway Digital Concepts & Design Center was established, with a small design group and a trained designers on their specialized fields of expertise. Our clients are within the Bicol area regional, national and international, but we are expanding thru e-commerce for our expertise in the field of designs. Using state of the art equipment and tools for our designers as a result we have made a great impact on our designs. We are located in the heart of Bicol - Legazpi City, with a view of the beautiful and Majestic Mayon Volcano, and the church of St. Raphael Archangel as it was used to create this company. Visit: zenwaydigital.weebly.com Comprehensive Women’s Self Defense Seminar October 26, 2013 The Hidden Dojo Compton Heights Baptist Church, 3644 Castleman Saint Louis, Missouri The first Comprehensive Women’s Self Defense Seminar went very well! Thanks to all who supported our efforts and those who participated. Special thanks to Attorney Rhonnie Hemphill of The Hemphill Law Firm for taking the time to present the legal view of self defense! Be sure to join next next spring for the second seminar! We’ll keep you posted! Increase your awareness, Improve your ability to protect yourself - Refuse to be a Victim! Facebook: Click Here MAMFMA OutReach Program October 26-27, 2013 Unit 204 Ck Sy Diamond Bldg., 156 Libertad St. Pasay City, Philippines By Mr. Ken Magno Medical Mission, Feeding Program and Arnis Training Subject: 1. MAMFMA Feeding Program and Medical Mission on October 26, 2013 in Pulo Elementary School at Taal Volcano, Batangas 2. Camp Training on October 27, 2013 in Villa Manalo, Talisay, Batangas Overview: Pulo Elementary School (PES) is located at the foot of the main crater of Taal Volcano in Batangas, Philippines, and so, it has a very rural condition that is usually inaccessible to basic commodities yet a small population exists. It was established in the year 2003 and now has 7 teachers and 372 students. 200 of the students are classified as “Severely Wasted” by the school’s Nutrition Coordinator or having below-normal nutrition. It is the intention of the Modern Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial Arts (MAMFMA) organization: 1. To make reachable some needs of remote learning institutions. 2. To provide nutrition to its members. 3. To donate materials for study, learning, well-being, and medicines. 4. To promote Arnis as Physical Education (PE) by RA 9850. Acknowledgement: The MAMFMA would like to thank all those who have supported us in this mission whether by donation, contribution, participation, and moral support... to mention some: 36 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 37 Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas- cash, participation, supervision Jonifer Nicolas - participation Meo Solatorio - cash, participation Rogelio Vasquez - participation Rey Senson - participation Ivy Senson - participation Mike Chuatoco - cash, 5 carton boxes of vitamins & medicines, participation Maan Vergara - school supplies (30 each notebooks, pens, pencils), participation Ever Quine - cash, participation Ken Magno - cash, transports, participation Kevin Magno - cash, participation Christine Magno - participation Christmas Magno - participation Jaime Francisco - cash Dan Ainsworth - cash Mommy Blond - 2 cauldrons for congee Melchor Amosco - cash Rhey Ariola - cashg RJ Rivera - cash Anthony Gatchalian - cash Richard Valbuena - cash, toys, clothe We also thank “FMA Informative” for helping spread word of the success of our mission. Summary of Events: October 26, 2013 (Saturday) 6:00am - Assembly at MAMFMA Pasay gym. 8:00am - Departure from Manila to Talisay via Tagaytay by car. 10:30am - Arrival at Talisay, Batangas. Boat ride.11:00am - Arrival at Pulo Elementary School. 11:10am - Start program. Philippine National Anthem. 11:13am - Opening prayer by Guro Ken Magno (MAMFMA President). 11:15am - Introduction of the MAMFMA organization and statement of mission by Guro Ken. 11:20am - Welcome remarks by Mrs. Theresa Mendoza (Grade 3 Teacher and Nutrition Coordinator of PES) who also introduced: 1) 60 students of PES who were present at the time. 2) Present PES faculty members: a) Mrs. Elma Mendoza - Grade 4 Teacher b) Ms. Daisy Mendoza - Grade 6 Teacher c) Mrs. Merylou Arcilla - Grade 1 Teacher d) Mrs. Rocelyn Tenorio - Grade 2 Teacher (Pulo resident) e) Mrs. Marilyn Buendia - Kinder/Pre-School Teacher (Pulo resident) 3) Other PES faculty members (not present): a) Mrs. Jay Ann Mendoza - Grade 5 Teacher & Guidance Counselor b) Mr. Edmon Pampulan - Teacher-In-Charge 11:30am - Arnis lessons. - Formal bowing of the students to the Founder of the MAMFMA organization, Punong Lakan Garitony C. Nicolas. - Formal bowing of the students to the black belters and officers of the MAMFMA organization. - Guro Ken explained to the 60 students and faculty members of PES about Republic Act 9850 that encouraged the teaching of Arnis in schools as part of Physical Eductaion (PE). - Guro Ken also mentioned that the MAMFMA club was assigned by TV channel ABS-CBN as fight director group for their TV series Juan Dela Cruz (stars Mr. Coco Martin) and Galema (stars Ms. Andi Eigenman). - Lakan Rey Senson and Lakan Rogelio Vasquez performed a demonstration of Give-And-Take with sticks as well as Mano-Mano while Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas explained about it to the students. - Arnis kids, Christine and Christmas Magno, performed a demonstration of Single Sinawali, Advance Single Sinawali, and Single Advance Sinawali. - Arnis sticks were distributed among the students afterwhich Lakan Rey and Lakan Rogelio began to teach 3 basic strikes for students to follow: (1) left temple strike, (2) right temple strike, (3) crown strike. - Then, Lakan Rey and Lakan Rogelio began to teach 3 blocks to defend from the 3 basic strikes for students to follow. 12:00pm - Feeding program. - Students and teachers were asked to make a queue going to the feeding table were the MAMFMA participants distributed bowls of congee and cups of juices. - The PES teachers gave a surprise to the MAMFMA participants by providing them with local delicacies to eat such as Kapeng Barako (local coffee), Kamoteng Kahoy (sweet potatoes), Tinolang Manok (native chicken in broth), and the pride food of the island, Pritong Taal Tilapia (fried fish from Taal lake). 1:00pm - Fun and games. - MAMFMA participants asked PES students and teachers to help clean the area where all had eaten. - Afterwhich, MAMFMA Arnis student, Ivy Senson, arranged the prizes to be won in the fun and games portion of the program that she had supervised as well. - The first game was called the “Line Game”. 10 girls and 10 boys were selected to join the game. The girls called themselves team “Galema” led by Guro Mike Chuatoco of the MAMFMA, while the boys’ team was called “Juan Dela Cruz” led by Lakan Rey. Each team had to arranged its members according to the criteria that Ivy would dictate such as: according to height, according to date of birth, according to the first letter of name, according to grade level, etc. In the end, team Juan Dela Cruz won the game. - The second game was called the “Garter Game”. Another group of 10 girls and 10 boys were selected carrying the same team names. Garter game was a relay game were each runner of a team would go around a chair at the front, wear a garter loop and pass it from head to toe, then run back to the line whereby the next runner would follow. The first team to finish the relay wins. In the end, the girls’ team Galema won the game. - The third game was called the “Longest Line”. Another group of 10 girls and 10 boys were selected carrying the same team names. In this game, each team will make a line of the things that they carry with them such as shoes, slippers, belts, watches, etc., and the team that makes the longest line wins. Team Galema won again. - The fourth game was called “SOS”. This time the lady teachers were asked to join instead of the students and they were to compete with some boys of the MAMFMA. The teachers called their team “Sexy Teachers” while the MAMFMA boys called their team “Palong-Palo”. A cheering competition went ahead whereby all audiences gave more praise to the Sexy Teachers team than the Palong-Palo team afterwhich the game followed. SOS was a relay game where each runner of a team would go around a chair at the front, put their right foot on the chair while standing hands raised up in the air, move or wiggle the hips like writing the letters “S”, “O”, and “S”, then run back to the line whereby the next runner would follow. The first team that finishes the relay wins. The Sexy Teachers sped on and won the game. 2:00pm - School Supplies Donation and Medical Mission. - Students were asked to make a queue towards the table where school supplies and medicines were distributed. - Each student was provided with a notebook, pen, and pencil for school supplies. - Medicines were provided to each student which were Vitamin B and Ampalaya capsule (for the parents). - Packs of pencils and box of chalk were given to the teachers as well as medicines especially for the school’s clinic which included: Betadine, Mefenamic Acid, Multivitamins, Anti-ulcer, Vitamin C, etc. - The MAMFMA club was able to provide school supplies and medicines to all 60 students present that day. 2:25pm - Closing Remarks. - Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas called on the following “MAMFMA Octoberians” to come up the stage and asked the students to sing the “Happy Birthday” song for them because of the occassion and to thank them specially for voluntarily giving to charity instead of partying around: 1) Kevin Magno 2) Guro Ken Magno 3) Guro Mike Chuatoco 4) Dayang Ever Quine 5) Lakan Romeo Solatorio - Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas also gave a closing speech thanking the teachers for their support and to students for their attendance. - Mrs. Theresa Mendoza also thanked the MAMFMA club for its donations to their school and congratulated them for the success of their mission. Mission photos available at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.572413879497609.1073741833.129466030459065&type=1 2:30pm - The MAMFMA participants climbed up to the summit of Taal Volcano on horseback where atop the crater, they took pictures of the serene landscape of the “lake within a volcano”. 3:00pm - Descent from summit. 3:30pm - Boat ride back to Talisay. 4:00pm - Arrival at Talisay. 4:30pm - Checked in at Villa Manalo resort. Lakeside fun. 5:00pm - Set up camp. 6:00pm - Prepared dinner. 7:00pm - Dinner 8:00pm - Socials. 12:00am - Lights out. Sleep. October 27, 2013 (Sunday) 6:00am - Wake-up call. 6:30am - Prepared breakfast. 7:00am - Breakfast. 8:00am - Camp training. 10:00am - Lakeside fun. 38 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 11:00am - Break camp. Checked out from Villa Manalo resort. 12:00pm - Departure from Talisay. 1:00pm - Arrival at Tagaytay where the MAMFMA had the traditional “Nilagang Bulalo” (beef bone marrow in broth) for lunch. 2:00pm - Departure from Tagaytay. 4:00pm - Arrival at MAMFMA Pasay gym in Manila. Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 39 1st Annual Zombie Night Tactical Solutions with Guro Tony Torre November 2, 2013 Tactical Solutions of Miami LLC 794 W 84th st, Miami, Florida 33014 In the spirit of the big Zombie fad that is going on. Be prepared. Tony Torre is a survival skills instructor, accomplished martial artist, entrepreneur, and firearms instructor. His Facebook page Urban Survivalcraft is vital for anyone interested in developing self-reliance and survival skills for use in the city and country. He is also the founder and Head Instructor of the Miami Arnis Group, and the author of the instructional video Filipino Dirty Boxing, available from Paladin Press. I was fortunate enough to work with him professionally on his video project, and am honored by his friendship. We conducted the following video through email; I think you’ll find it very interesting and informative. – FKO/Dave Interview with Guro Tony Torre Poisoned Eden: Hi, Tony. Please tell us a little bit about your background and skill set. Tony Torre: Hi, Kim: I am the founder and head instructor of the Miami Arnis Group: a training group dedicated to training in Arnis and related martial arts. I’ve been a practicing martial artist since 1978 with a background in Boxing, Sambo (a Russian grappling art), Muay Thai, JKD (Jeet Kune Do, the hybrid martial art developed by Bruce Lee) and of course Arnis (a Filipino martial art) which I’ve been involved with since 1989 and hold the title Lakan Lima (5th degree black belt) under Grandmaster Bram Frank in Combat Arnis and Modern Arnis. In the early 90’s I also became a chief instructor with Options for Personal Security under tactical training guru Andy Stanford. Additionally I am an outdoor enthusiast and a survival instructor. I regularly teach urban disaster preparedness and survival courses. PE: If you knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that the Zombie Apocalypse was coming next week, what are the five most important things you’d do to prepare for it? TT: 1) Stockpile food, 2) store water, 3) ham radio and alternative power sources, 4) arrange for disposal of human waste, and 5) stockpile meds and nutritional supplements. PE: What do you think is the most overlooked or least-addressed element of urban survival? TT: Most people don’t really know their environment. I mean they really just don’t know much about their city beyond the places they normally go. Consequentially they over look potential escape routes such as train tracks or by following drainage or power line routes. Kayaking the canals is also an interesting option. They also fail to recognize potential resources for supplies or gear such the motor pool of a local resort where you may find a gasoline pump or a restaurant supplier where you may find food. Now I am not advocating looting or stealing. These of course would become a resource if such large scale depopulation occurs that normal property laws no longer apply. PE: If you could only fit three things into your Zombie Bug-Out Bag, what would they be? TT: In a zombie apocalypse where the outbreak spreads really fast, you may have quite a bit of resources available therefore tools for acquiring those resources would be most important. If the outbreak leads to large-scale civil unrest, the looting and opportunistic crime may lead to dramatic scarcity of important resources, necessitating more gear than 3 items. I think the section on bug out bags in your book The Ultimate Guide To Surviving A Zombie Apocalypse was spot on. For the earlier scenario I would like to have a Channellock 89 Rescue Tool, which combines a pry bar with cable cutters; a good set of lock picks; and a high quality portable water purifier such as those made by Katadyn. With zombies on the prowl, getting and securing a shelter would be of the highest priority! Second to that would be the ability to make potable water. With the city’s infrastructure not functioning, drinkable water will become quite scarce. I should mention while I may start with these 3 I would very quickly acquire other equipment. Containers for water and makeshift weapons would be at the top of my list. PE: That’s a really interesting selection. I get it, but somehow expected at least one weapon. TT: Well, you asked for 3 items in a bug out bag. In a zombie apocalypse I’d probably add several weapons! They would be on my person though. Come to think about it, if I were limited to just three items then I’d probably replace the channel lock tool with a large knife suitable for chopping and thick enough for prying. Probably a kukri. PE: What about a more likely disaster: widespread civil unrest. Should you prepare differently for that versus a Zombie Apocalypse or even a hurricane? TT: Some of the tools may change, but the staples: food, water, medical gear and guns would still be needed. My firearms selection would be different for zombies than gangs of looters. For zombies a Ruger 10/22 with a bandolier worth of 30-round mags would be my first pick since I merely need to pierce their skulls. Plus 2,000 rounds of .22 lr doesn’t weigh anywhere near as much as the same amount of .223. For looters, a high quality “military style” black rifle with plenty of mags loaded with .223, 7.62 x 39, or similar calibers would be my choice. PE: In your opinion, what is the one thing above all others the average person should do to prepare for a disaster? TT: Develop an indomitable spirit. A strong mindset, however, is just the beginning. Having useful skills and being in great shape should also be a high priority. Remember Zombieland rule #1 is CARDIO! PE: Not long ago, you wrote and co-produced an instructional video on Filipino Dirty Boxing (FDB). How would FDB be useful against a zombie threat? TT: Yes, my Filipino martial arts empty-hand skills DVD released through Paladin Press. Well, as much as I love martial arts, I must say I would avoid close quarter combat as much as possible when fighting zombies. Distance is your friend. A gun over a spear, a spear over a sword, a sword over a knife, and so on. That said, FDB gives you at least a fighting chance. Because zombies are in various states of decomposition, normal hand-tohand techniques may work even better than on live opponents. Think about it: a leg kick may actually break a decaying leg, making the zombie less mobile. A standing arm bar will keep his head away from you, thus avoiding his bite. A rear naked choke may actually decapitate a zombie if he’s been dead for some time. A dead body dumped in the Florida Everglades would be reduced to bones within a few weeks. What happens when that decomposing body is walking around in the sun, rain and other environmental conditions? Heck, in my DVD I even describe a clinching technique where you use your head to pin your opponents jaw to prevent him from biting you. While it was originally developed for use against the living it would probably be important against an opponent whose primary attack mode is to grab and bite you. That’s another thing: being able to break grips would probably be very important when defending against zombies! PE: Let’s go a little broader here: Filipino martial arts (FMA) in general. There’s a lot of stick and knife work in the Filipino martial arts, not to mention dumog (standing grappling). Are the combative skills taught in the Filipino martial arts useful against zombies, where your intent is to always do significant damage to the brain (or remove the head entirely)? TT: I think the Filipino martial arts offers soooo much to the zombie fighter. The variety of weapons we teach would offer many advantages. From short sticks to staffs you have bonebreaking, skull-crushing impact weapons. Between the various knives ranging from daggers to swords you can go from piercing the skull to total decapitation. The survivor should note which is the real zombie de-animating method. Must you actually pierce the skull, or will decapitation work? After all, if you cut its head off and it keeps on biting, you need to be aware of that lest you accidentally let him bite you on the foot while brushing past it. If decapitation will do, the long knife skills of the bolo would work well. Sword skills even better. If piercing the skull is key, then ax skills would be the choice. A camp ax or tomahawk would work well. A mason’s pick ax would be even better and the ax skills will transfer well. The Native American tomahawk and knife combination would offer a very versatile pairing of weapons actually allowing for both options skull piercing and decapitation to be used simultaneously. The paired weapon skills of the Filipino martial arts really shine here! PE: For those readers who aren’t as experienced with firearms as they should be, what would be a good handgun to get for the end of the world? TT: My post-apocalyptic gun of choice would be my trusty Glock 19. After having put over 30,000 rounds through her, I must say she’s definitely my first choice. But 40 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 understand any gun will do if you’ll do. I would prefer the gun to be high capacity and even encourage the survivor to get the largest capacity mags available for their chosen gun, as this will minimize the need to reload, saving precious time. Do not discount revolvers as they are still range extenders even with their lower capacity. Think of Rick from The Walking Dead. A revolver that I think would be very useful in a situation where ammo may be scarce, would be the Philips & Rogers Medusa revolver, which is capable of shooting any 9mm caliber from .380 to .357 magnum. This way you could use any ammo available. PE: Well, we’ve really covered a lot of material! Are there any skills, gear Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 41 or tricks you could think of we may have overlooked? TT: Well, I think armor is often over looked. If only a simple bite could zombify you, then preventing bites should also be addressed and I think modern motorcycling body armor offers many advantages. It’s light weight, articulates well and in some models can help with cooling or heating issues. Riot gear would work as well but it’s more cumbersome. I also think gathering intelligence on your enemy would be critical. Learning how they recognize the living would be very useful. Do they smell us, hear us or simply feel our life force? What actually kills them? Must we pierce their brain or will severing the cervical spine work? I think experimenting when safe to do so would be very useful. For example, while they’re on the other side of a fence would be a great time to see what they truly react to. PE: What are your go-to sites for information on survival and disaster preparedness? TT: Poisoned-Eden.com of course! Hoodswoods.net has a very good urban survival forum. For outdoor skills including bushcrafting I think bushcraftusa.com rocks! For those interested in checking out my sites, for martial arts check out www.miamiarnisgroup.com and for urban survival skills my blog or Facebook page under the name Urban Survivalcraft. PE: What’s your favorite zombie movie? Why? TT: While technically not a zombie movie I think 28 Days Later was awesome! I tend to prefer the plague zombies over the supernatural zombies. PE: It seems like we’ve come to the end. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to speak with us today; it was certainly insightful. I am certainly looking forward to future conversations with you. Take care. TT: Thank you. I am also very much looking forward to future communications. Keep up the great work! I thoroughly enjoyed your book and your blog is excellent. Till next time, take care. process completely changes the sugar into something that body has great difficulty processing and thus all the negative side effects from consuming sugar. Fruits are not sugar It was easy to put the blame on fruit; seeing as many people didn’t consume them to begin with. Fruits however are one of the best foods you can eat along with vegetables. Fruits are an amazing source of energy which; unlike processed sugar and sugar products, is easily digested by the body. On top of it being a great source of clean energy; fruits are also rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals which give them anticancer and anti-aging affects. That’s right eating fruits keeps your body in tip top shape and running like a fine tuned vehicle. What makes fruit such a clean source of energy and nutrients is that they are comprised of living cells; which means you are consuming them at their purest form without decay and without being overly processed. How to enjoy your fruits I have always enjoyed fruits as snacks. (Click here to read more about healthy snacking) Fruits are one of the easiest snacks; you just pick them up and go. They offer you a great boost in energy and keep your metabolism high. Fruits are also great things to eat before training and exercise; but as with any food don’t eat too much fruit before training or exercise or you may feel nauseated. Personally I always eat a banana or two before I begin training in the mornings. They offer me quick carbs to keep me fueled and potassium to make sure that my muscles are reactive and responsive. Fruits also make great side dishes and are a great addition to your breakfast, lunch or dinner. Fruits are also make great desserts; they taste great and are very healthy for you. Fruits with plain Greek style yogurt are one of my favorite ways to enjoy a healthy dessert. In a nut shell Fruits are not unhealthy foods and they should not be avoided or placed in the same category as a donut or a Slurpee. Fruits are a great and essential addition to you healthy diet and exercise routine. Fruits are easy to fit in any time of the day and make one of the best snacks you can get your hands on. Fruits are also fresh and real foods and you always want to make sure you’re putting in the best fuel for your body. I personally eat a large amount of fruit when they are available. Training requires high demands from my body so I need to make sure that it has the best fuel to ensure that I am healthy, responsive, focused, strong, and full of energy. It is not unusual for me to eat 10 or more servings of fruit each day along with other food; but that is for performance, for the everyday person you’ll be fine with much less. Poisoned Eden poisoned-eden.com Why Eating Fruits Is So Good For Martial Arts By Camp Jansson Why Fruits are Healthy Fruits are healthy, but over the past few years I have seen a certain misplaced stigma loom over the consumption of fruit. It was subtle at first where articles would suggest forgoing fruit as a snack before bed. Over time the subtly turned direct as more and more articles began to suggest limiting the amount of fruit you ate per day. Then the day came where it was being suggested that fruits should not be consumed at all. The culprit to this seeming conspiracy against fruit is sugar. Let’s break it down Before I continue any further let’s break down the iffy subject revolved around sugar. When I say the word “sugar” it’s likely the first images that enter your mind are; white sugar, cookies, soda, chocolate bars, candy, ice cream, and so forth. To be frank, yes that stuff is bad for you and your health. Not only is it bad for you; it’s not even food or even derived from food sources. So how did fruits suddenly get tossed into the same boat as soda and candy bars? I don’t have that answer and frankly I don’t care. I think we can all agree that it is a bit silly to believe that an apple is just as bad for you as a snickers bar. Fruits are Healthy, Yes! Benefits of Eating Fruit What about white sugar? I remember as a child I had the awesome chance to eat a stock of cane sugar. I was young maybe 10 years old and I sat with that cane stock for the entire day enjoying the sweet taste of the treat. It literally took me the entire day to go through it. Sugar Cane is where the ingredient sugar is derived from. (Not fruits, Sugar Cane) If you have ever seen the pure sugar that is extracted from Sugar Cane it comes in visible cubes and has a tan or brown tint to it. So what’s the white stuff you ask? See realistically, pure cane sugar isn’t very sweet; it also does not dissolve quickly which can make it a little more difficult to bake or cook with. White sugar takes care of these problems. The pure cane sugar is processed down into fine easy dissolve, high concentrated granules, and bleached. That is why white sugar and all ingredients or products derived from it are so sweet. The Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines) Typhoon Haiyan slammed into six central Philippine islands Friday, decimating buildings and homes and claiming lives. One of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, Haiyan has caused at least 10,000 fatalities, according to local officials. Haiyan was the second category 5 typhoon to strike the Philippines this year. Typhoon Pounds the Philippines, Millions at Risk By Anthony Castellano Novemeber 8, 2013 / Video: Click Here One of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded began its assault on the Philippines this morning, bringing powerful winds that have knocked out power, downed trees and killed at least three people. Typhoon Haiyan made landfall at 4:40 a.m. local time near Guiuan, on the Philippine island of Samar about 405 miles southeast of the country’s capital, Manila. Coastal areas devastated by the storm have been cut off from communication because of lost power and the government cannot ascertain the number of casualties or much damage has been sustained, The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said at a morning news briefing. Two people were electrocuted to death in stormrelated accidents, according to the government, and the other was struck by lightning in Zamboanga City on the island of Mindanao. Photos: Typhoon Haiyan Makes Landfall in the Philippines Click Here More than 748,000 people have already been evacuated to the 644 evacuation centers across the country. Government officials said more than 3,000 are stranded in ports. The U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center said shortly before the typhoon made landfall that its maximum sustained winds were 195 mph, with gusts up to 235 mph The world’s strongest recorded hurricane, typhoon or cyclone to previously make landfall was Hurricane Camille of 1969, which roared ashore with 190 mph winds in Mississippi. Haiyan’s sustained winds easily make it a category 5 hurricane. The Philippines government weather bureau said Haiyan had sustained winds of 147 miles per hour, with gusts of 170 mph when it made landfall. Super Typhoon: One of the Biggest Storms Ever The U.S. Navy’s numbers are different from local weather data because the Navy measures the average wind speed for one minute while local forecasters measure average for 10 minutes. Television images from Tacloban city on Leyte Island campjansson.com showed a street under knee-deep floodwater carrying debris that had been blown down by the fierce winds. Tin roofing sheets ripped from buildings were flying above the street. “Absolutely catastrophic damage must have occurred where this storm made landfall,” Jeff Masters, director of meteorology at the private firm Weather Underground, told ABC News Radio. Southern Leyte Gov. Roger Mercado said 31,000 people were evacuated in his landslide-prone mountainous province before the super typhoon struck, knocking out power, setting off small landslides that blocked roads in rural areas, uprooting trees and ripping roofs off houses around his residence. “When you’re faced with such a scenario, you can only pray, and pray and pray,” Mercado told the AP by telephone, adding that his town mayors have not called in to report any major damage. Haiyan is expected to move over South China Sea and into Vietnam by Sunday into Monday with strong winds up to 110 mph. The storm is forecast to significantly weaken as it reaches Laos and inland China, but tropical rain could produce deadly flash floods. Haiyan is about 300 miles wide, roughly the distance from Boston to Philadelphia. The storm surge could likely exceed 23 feet, compared with the 14 feet Superstorm Sandy brought with it last year when it hit the East Coast. “It’s stronger in an absolute sense than Sandy but the strongest winds are concentrated very close to the center as compared to a storm like Sandy where the strong winds extended very far away from the center,” the National Hurricane Center’s Richard Pass told ABC News Radio. The typhoon has halted air travel as 13 of the country’s airports have been shut down. The Philippines government has three cargo planes, 32 military helicopters and planes and navy ships on standby. It’s the 24th named storm this year to hit the vulnerable islands. ABC News’ Max Golembo and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 42 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 43 The FMA Informative put out the word through Face Book and other outlets to send recommendations and events that are raising money to help the victims in the Philippines. The following is what the FMA Informative received. Way of the Balisong November 11, 2013 Due to the recent disaster that befell the Philippines this past weekend we are suspending our kickstarter funding campaign. As of today, Way of the Balisong production will be on hiatus for an undetermined length of time. Myself and Winston Emano will be dedicating our time and efforts the rest of the year towards organizing and promoting Philippine relief event’s in the SoCal area. There is a time and place for the balisong story to be told however in light of the current situation taking place in the Visayas region of the Philippines we would kindly ask that all pledge amount’s reserved for the Kickstarter campaign instead be allocated towards any reputable charity organization for the typhoon victims instead. We recommend Gawad Kalinga’s ‘Walang Iwanan’ campaign. - Click Here If you’re not able to donate, a positive thought or prayer would be suffice. We cannot begin to thank all those who believed in this project and helped support it with your donations, words of encouragement and forwarding our links throughout your networks. For now, the movie is on hold but rest assured, when the time is right we will get back to telling the tale of the Balisong. Maraming Salamat Po, Paul & Winston Way Of The Balisong: Movie Operation Tulong for Arnisadors Arnis Philippines www.arnisphilippines.com/arnisphils.html Arnis Philippines Inc. (ARPI) organized “Operation Tulong” for ARPI members who had been victims of super typhoon “Yolanda”. Directors Med Quiambao and Rene Pronstroller were tasked to monitor the donations. President Raymond Velayo said that all donations nationwide shall go directly to the victims. Their names, contact numbers and area are as follows: * Check the website for contact information Please give us your full name and the victims name and donation given for posting in www.arnisphilippines.com and arnisphilippines. Thank you for whatever assistance that you will give. Please continue to pray for all the victims of the typhoon and may God always bless you! John Thompson To Help the Relief Efforts in the Philippines, I will donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of my video at ( www.ElvisElvisElvis.com ). You can pay with paypal or credit card only $9.95 All proceeds will be send to either Red Cross of the Philippines or to people I know personally who are taking food and water to Taclobon and the affected areas. Download the video now and the money will go to help the kids, orphans and homeless in the Philippines! Thank you and God Bless the Philippines! Ron Kosakowski Practical Self Defense Training Center www.psdtc.com If anyone wants to donate to the disaster in the Philippines you can send a check or money order to me. I will make sure the collection is free of any corruption and get to the people in the Philippines. Water, food shelter, clothing, everything is needed, not to mention what they are going through by loosing a loved one or more. I will give you an address: PSDTC 847 Hamilton Ave. Waterbury, CT 06706 Questions Email: Sandata4UsAll@aol.com Its not easy trusting a donation center where the money goes through to many hands or maybe even just one hand. Be careful donating. I have many friends in the Philippines all over from north to the south. I will make sure it gets to the people that will make sure the money is used properly. Let me know...anything will be good from $2 to $200 to $2000 if you could afford it. People sticking together is all we have left lately! Guro Jerome Teague Following the example of my Master, Mentor, and Friend Virgil Orlanes Cavada I am extending an offer to anyone wishing to train with me until I leave for Cebu in January. All funds raised through private or reserved group training (ie out of town visitors) or hosting me for a seminar, All proceeds will go to the Philippine Red Cross. Note: For the Seminar arrangement, once my travel and lodging is covered everything else goes to Charity! Private message me to discuss. Guro Jerome Teague Applied Eskrima SE US Co-Founder and Director of The FMAid Project (615) 319-3992 Email: FMAidProject@gmail.com FMAid Project Visit them on Facebook: Click Here We’re a non-profit networking group formed by Filipino Martial Arts instructors to serve as a central hub for FMA fundraising events around the world. Mission To serve as a hub for the promotion of Filipino Martial Arts fund raising events around the world that are dedicated to providing humanitarian relief after the Cebu-Bohol Earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Company Overview We exist to provide Filipino Martial Artists across the world with a single, centralized location to find fundraising events, seminars and opportunities to help support and provide aid to our Filipino brothers and sisters during the aftermath of the 2013 Typhoon Haiyon, CebuBohol Earthquake, and other disasters. Description From October to November of 2013, the Philippine islands were rocked by a series of natural disasters. First was the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that destroyed homes, many historical churches, and buildings on the islands of Cebu and Bohol. And the most recent, super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), cut a path of destruction through our island nation and other parts of Southeast Asia. Yolanda (Haiyan) has been declared the most powerful typhoon to make landfall in recorded history. The US Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center stated that at its height, the storm produced sustained winds around 319kph (198mph) with gusts topping out at 379kph (235mph). The final details of fatalities, injuries, and property damage are yet unknown as many areas were left without power and are out of communication with emergency management services. Recently many grass-root efforts have emerged from the Filipino Community in the US and abroad in attempts to raise awareness and essential aid for the survivors of these natural disasters. We in the Filipino Martial Arts community are no different. Around the world practitioners of the arts have been organizing charity events in hopes of easing the suffering felt in the homeland. Thus, the FMAid Project and Facebook Hub were formed. We are a not-for-profit networking collaborative formed by accomplished Filipino Martial Arts instructors on November 11th of 2013 to serve as a hub for the tracking, promotion, and sharing of FMA related fund raising events. Charity Martial Arts Seminar In Support of Filipino Typhoon Victims December 14, 2013 Chester Le St. Community Centre, Newcasle Rd. Durham, United Kingdom Contact: Bill Steven Lowery Email: labanb@excite.com Darren Langthorne Email: guru-darren@orangehome.co.uk Upcoming - Philippine Typhoon Benefits NYC Relief seminar for victims of Typhoon Haiyan December 7, 2013 Atlantic Theatre company Suite 537 (5th floor) 76 Ninth Ave. (between 15th & 16th street) New York, NY. Information: Click Here Philippine Typhoon Benefit FMA Seminar December 8, 2013 Rock Martial Arts 7937 Heritage Village Plaza, Gainesville VA Contact: Jhun_Occidental@yahoo.com Facebook: Click Here Kapatiran Mandirigma and Filipino Martial Artists alike would like to invite you all on a benefit seminar December 8th from 9:00am - 4:00pm. This is a donation only seminar and all proceeds will go to the Philippine Red Cross. Please support this effort in any way, by attending, donating, or just saying a little prayers. Schedules and instructors will be posted soon. Maraming Salamat po and Thank you. Please send me a private message if you are interested in donating your time to teach a segment. Thank you. Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyah) Relief Seminar December 14, 2013 Roger Killen’s Tae Kwon Do 4894 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN. Contact: Guro Jerome Teague (615) 319-3992 Email: FMAidProject@gmail.com Facebook: Click Here This is a public event open to anyone wishing to learn the foundational concepts and principles of the Filipino martial arts. Guro David Gould of Lameco Eskrima, Guro Viko Perrine, and Guro Jerome Teague will be taking participants through some of the fundamentals of their respective systems including: sword, stick, knife, empty, hands, and weapon disarming. This will be an amazing gathering and will benefit a worthy cause. Cost is $40 with ALL proceeds going to the Philippine Red Cross. We will also be taking donations of clothing and other essential items. Charity Martial Arts Seminar In Aid of Filipino Typhoon Victims January 12, 2014 SKJ 59 Belgrave Gate Leicester, United Kingdom Information: Click Here There will have T-Shirts and Hoodies available for our December 14, 2013 Nashville, Tennessee Seminar event with the FMAid Project Logo. Please Contact: Guro Jerome Teague (615) 319-3992 Email: FMAidProject@gmail.com to let him know who is intersted so he can order accordingly. Loose Fit Tech Moisture Wicking Tee $35 (Kasama Ka Ba text), Hoodies are $50 (12-14-13 Event text). All proceeds go to the Philippine Red Cross. 44 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 45 Completed Events - Philippine Typhoon Benefits Katipunan 2013 - FMA Florida November 16, 2013 Johnson and Flamingo Rd. Pembroke Pines, FL. Annual CT Modern Arnis Camp Hosted by: Sifu’s Wayne Tanguay and Lee Anne Brophy November 16, 2013 Master of Tapi Tapi Brian Zawilinski Connecticut Kenpo Karate Newington, Connecticut Progressive Arnis family at Katipunan 2013 with host Gat Puno Abundio Baet (Garimot Arnis) and new friend, Josh Leheny (Three Rivers Escrima Concepts) and missing Fernando Spitaliere who had to leave early!!! Great day! Thank you to all Instructor: Guro/Sifu Chad Bailey Guro Josh Leheny Gat Ninong Libby Libertucci - for bringing his group of practitioner to the Katipunan.. Salamat to all: Gat Puno Abon “Garimot” Baet Katipunan-FMA-attended by 35 practitioner and various style or group of the Filipino martial arts in Florida in one banner “Katipunan”. We collected: $1,690.00 and hope by the end of the week will reach the mark of $2,000.00 After learning about the typhoon in the Philippines, the camp quickly turned into a fundraiser for the victims of the storm. Several folks that could not attend either sent donations or stopped by with a check. A fellow martial arts group (one that is near and dear to Master Brian personally) made a very generous donation. All told, the donations have topped $2700 and a couple more donations are still pending . . . . We are honored to lend our help to our family in the Philippines. Master Brian Zawilinski Kali Majapahit - Southeast Asian Martial Arts 43 Carpenter St. Greatwood Building #02-01, Singapore November 16, 2013 Amazing response for our clothes donation drive! For the Filipino victims of the typhoon Thank you all so much! This is going to be put to very good use! www.kali-majapahit.com Los Angeles: My Visit in Retrospect By Mark V. Wiley Typhoon Yolanda, Relief Drive November 16 - 18, 2013 West Covina, CA. The photo shows what we picked up today from Dina’s office mates and a few bags brought in by Andrew and his sister. I estimate we will be shipping at least 10 big LBC boxes tomorrow. To everybody who donated, We Thank You from the bottom of Our Hearts. I am also Very Sure , the recipients will be forever grateful .... Master Virgil Orlanes Cavada Applied Eskrima appliedeskrima.wordpress.com 847 Hamilton Ave. Waterbury, CT 06706 (203) 596-9073 Sandata4UsAll@aol.com TraditionalFilipinoWeapons.com I have not had the availability to visit California in the past decade. Too many obligations with work, family, teaching and researching martial arts and healing traditions in Asia. So I was pleased to have been invited out to do a private class and open seminar by Celena Taganas Duffy and Dr. Robert Chu. We made the necessary agreements we set the date. November 16 was to be a private class at Kaizen Dojo for select student of Guro Marc Lawrence. November 17 was to be an open seminar at House of Champions. With the devastation in the Philippines, I decided to make the effort meaningful by donating proceeds to the Philippine Red Cross relief efforts. Word of my visit spread and numerous invitations for visits and interviews came forth. I am always happy to discuss FMA with anyone and to contribute to other people’s projects. The first request came from documentary filmmaker, Paul Factora, and producer Winston Emano. They are working on a documentary called “Way of the Balisong.” Celina and family graciously opened up their home to be turned over to the production crew for filming. Thank you! The trailer for the documentary is amazing. Here is some of their promotional content. “From the Batangas region of the Philippines, to the cutlery factories of Oregon-USA, to the practitioners and aficionados connected by the World Wide Web, this film examines the origins, history and culture of the notorious Balisong Knife. Wellknown from its appearance in films and popularity among blade enthusiasts, often overlooked is the small town which made the knife famous, now struggling to maintain its identity in a modernizing world.” Having traveled to Batangas myself in 1994 to visit Barrio Balisong as well as Mayor Meliton Geronimo, Founder of Sikaran it is an honor to be included in their historic film. They are still raising money to finish the project, so visit their website to learn more and see how you might help support their efforts. www.wayofthebalisong.com From right: Celina Taganas Duffy, Winston Emano, Paul Factora 46 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 After the filming Celina drove me back to the hotel, where we met up with my fiancé Kellie Bach and Dr. Robert Chu, my dear friend of 20 years. Robert brought his son Sean, my little nephew, to train and test for Lakan Isa in Integrated Eskrima. He passed with flying colors! I had a blast training in the hotel room with Sean and running him through the paces. What a great boy he is. In addition to Wing Chun, Robert is a master of Integrated Eskrima and taught his son well. Celina, a student in Kalis Ilustrisimo under the late Christopher Ricketts, then got a chance to get some pointers and learn some new material in the art. While I worked with Celina, Robert gave Kellie an acupuncture treatment in the other room. Thank you! Sean Chu and Mark V. Wiley Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 47 After lunch we went to Torrence to William Christopher Ford’s Kaizen Dojo. I was asked to do a private class for some students of Guro Marc Lawrence. It was a pleasure meeting Sensei Ford and Guro Lawrence and working on range-control strategies with them for a few hours. Marc graciously gave me a copy of his book, “Filipino Martial Arts Basics,” as well as a palm stick and bottle of his home made dit da jow. We were joined by Celina and Dr. Chu and his son Sean, and my representative in San Diego, Dave McKinnon. We had fun! After the seminar I signed a few books and we headed out for some Vietnamese food. Then back to the hotel for some rest before Saturday’s packed day. Saturday started great with a visit from my good friends Curtis Wong and James Lew. We ate breakfast at a place in Arcadia called Leroy’s and it was fantastic. Curtis is the founder and was publisher of Inside Kung-Fu magazine and Unique Publications books and videos. He sold the company many years ago, but during the late 1990s I worked for him as an editor and associate publisher. Curtis now owns Curtis & Co., an exclusive watch company ( www.curtisandcowatches.com ) While we talk on the phone, the breakfast reunion was meaningful as Curt and I had not seen each other in over 10 years. James Lew is best known for his work in films like “Big Trouble in Little China,” “Best of the Best” and about 600 others as actor, stuntman and fight choreographer. James and I caught up a few years ago in Philly when he was working with Jason Statham on the film “Safe.” Before the seminar at the House of Champions, I was met by producer Joey Krebs, “The Phantom Street Artist.” He was working with Cage Radio ( cageradio.com ) and Black Belt TV ( www.blackbelt.com ), and they wanted to cover the seminar and do an interview with me for a special episode. We shot a bunch of photos and then they filmed the seminar. Afterward we did an interview to include in the story, which should air somewhere and sometime after the New Year. The seminar went very well and was so much fun to do. Celina spent so much time on outreach and promotion ahead of time, and Kellie managed the greetings, enrollment and book sales. The teaching focus was on control of range and gate, using footwork as the defense and weapon as offence, and disarming in real time. During most of the seminar I was James Lew, Mark Wiley, Curtis Wong Mark Wiley w/ Black Belt TV producer Melanie Cunningham; interviewed by Joey Krebs the Phantom Street Artist assisted by Alvin Catacutan, whom I had not met before. Thank you, Alvin, for your willingness to assist! I was especially touched to find so many Guros and Masters come out to say hello and support the event. I was able to renew friendships with my Lameco brothers, Dino Florence, Bud Balani and Roger Agbulos. We have not seen each other since 1998, when I brought Topher Ricketts and Sifu Alex Co from the Philippines to Los Angeles to film videos for Unique Publications. Dino and I were recently in Manila at the same time, and just kept missing one another, so it was great to meet up here. We talked a bit, too, about a book I am publishing via Tambuli Media ( www.tambulimedia.com ) on the late Punong Guro Edgar Sulite, with the help of Guro David Gould and the SOG members. Grandmaster Felix Roiles came by and gave me the biggest hug ever! After corresponding for so long this is the first time we have met in person. I am working closely with Felix on a complete reworking of his book on Pakamut for With Guro Marc Lawrence and Sensei William Christopher Ford at Kaizen Dojo Teaching assisted by Guro Alvin Catacutan Joe Tan and Mark Wiley Mark Wiley, Dino Florence, Bud Balani Tambuli Media, tripling the photos and content into a much larger and better representation of his dynamic Cebuano art. Other visiting masters include my old Serrada Escrima brothers and co-masters under the late Grandmaster Angel Cabales: Ron Saturno and Khalid Khan. Grandmaser Ron drove all the way down from Stockton to meet up and support the event, even doing a co-seminar with Master Khalid the day before to help with his travel costs. It was great to see both of them after so many years; well, since we did the photo shoot in Stockton in 1999, for the book The Secrets of Cabales Serrada Escrima. Ron and I had a chance to catch up and exchange some ideas about different directions we have both gone over the years. Mark and Felix Roiles Mark Wiley and Roger Agbulos Ramon Rubia and Mark Wiley Ron Saturno, Khalid Khan, Mark Wiley, Mark Parra We talked a bit about Tatang Ilustrisimo’s concept “praksyon” (or fraction), a timing method I shared during the seminar. Also in attendance were Grandmasters Joe Tan of Tapado (the Filipino long pole style from Negros Occidental), Faustino Caigoy, (student of the late Jack Santos, who graciously gave me one of his original artworks!), Ramon Rubia (of San Miguel Eskrima and De Campo 1-2-3), Robert Chu (acupuncturist and Grandmaster of Wing Chun), and Ron Reekers (of Estalilla Kabaroan). After the seminar I signed as many books as people wanted. It was an honor to do so and hear the appreciation for my decades of dedication into researching these dynamic traditional arts. After the seminar Celina and I filmed some live action demonstration of Integrated Eskrima sword, stick and knife for B-roll for both Black Belt TV and Way of the Balisong. The weekend ended with a group dinner at Panda Express, lots of talking and sharing of stories and experiences, and embraces. Celina gave me a gift of a wooden sword made by Talim Trainers ( www.talimtrainers.com ) and I offer thanks to Dave McKinnon for driving Kellie to San Diego with him so she did not have to wait at LAX for a flight to make her next-day meetings. And when all was almost done, a few of us were treated to discourse on street art, multiculturalism and branding by The Phantom Street Artist Faustino Caigoy and Mark Wiley) ( www.facebook.com/el.fatom ). Thought provoking, indeed. I then headed to LAX for a red-eye flight back to Philadelphia, to begin my Monday as usual. The entire weekend was a success. It was an amazing and complex time of meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, cross sharing and supporting, brotherhood, and fundraising. I don’t know when my schedule will allow me to visit LA again, but I will remain in touch and keep supporting those whose work and passion only need a professional media outlet. 48 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 49 Thank you Celina for all of your hard work, planning, dedication, enthusiasm and support. Thank you Robert Chu for your friendship, support and enthusiasm for Integrated Eskrima. Thank you Marc Lawrence and Kaizen Dojo for your support and excitement for my art. Thank you House of Champions for opening your space for our event. Thank you to all of the Guros and Masters who came out to show their support! Thank you Kelli, my fiancé (whom some called my wife, and soon she will be!), for your love and support and companionship. And a special thanks to everyone who joined the seminar and those who did not but offered donations just the same, to help us help those whose lives were dismantled in the Philippines. Maraming salamat po! I Love Philippines!!! (Green Mango Reports - Donation & Aid Summary on November 13, 2013 Face Book - Click Here Donation & Aid Summary Australia - US$10 million package Belgium - Medical and search and rescue personnel Brunei - In-kind donations Canada - C$5 million Chile - Humanitarian aid China - $100’000 Denmark - KR 10 million European Union - EUR 3 million Germany - 23 tons of relief goods Hungary - Search and rescue personnel and rapid response team Indonesia - In-kind donations Israel- Team of medical, trauma and relief professionals Japan - $10 million Malaysia - Medical and search and rescue teams The Netherlands - Undisclosed financial aid New Zealand - NZ $2.15 million Norway - KR 20 million Russia - Rapid response team, rescue workers and an airmobile hospital Saudi Arabia - Through Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - US$100,000 Singapore - $50,000+ $100,000 in relief good supplies Spain - In-kind donations Sweden- Emergency communications equipment Taiwan - $200,000 Turkey - Medics, rapid response team, search and rescue personnel United Arab Emirates - Dhs 36 million United Kingdom - £6 million and $9.6 million worth of emergency support package United Nations Children’s Fund - $1.3 million worth of supplies United States - $20 million + Troops, emergency respondents, transportation, equipment Vatican - $150,000 Bladed Hand - Screening at the OneFilAm November 16, 2013 Barnsdall Theater in Hollywood 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. The DVD, including bonus footage, was available for purchase for $20. Official Bladed Hand T-Shirts was on sale as well. Proceeds from the DVD sales were donated to the Yolanda/ Haiyan Typhoon Victims in the Philippines. The Filipino-American community in Los Angeles came together for the OneFilAm Film Festival and a lot was raised for charity. Congratulations, Adrian Lecaros, on your first film festival (and hopefully you get to produce more in the future)! And many thanks to those who bought the DVDs to help in the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda efforts. The OneFilAm Film Festival featured four films about the Filipinos (www.onefilam.com) and for our screening, we had Master Wade Williams and his son Keenan perform a demonstration of SLD. The entire event centered around raising funds for the Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines, and so there were some fundraising activities done all over Barnsdall Park in Hollywood. It was our first official day of releasing the DVD for The Bladed Hand (finally, after four years of production!), and 100% of the proceeds from our DVD sales was donated to the cause. We left the event about an hour after the screening to film two interviews for Bladed Hand 2. Jay Ignacio Bahala Na Filipino Martial Arts Typhoon Haiyan Relief Clinic November 23, 2013 Merlo Gymnasium 2044 Fair St. Stockton, CA Emergency food and su pplies uma kit Level 3 tra Bahala Na Filipino Martial Arts Association of Stockton CA. provided a first aid/trauma, and urban survival clinic for survivors of the recent disaster in the Philippines. In light of the recent disaster in the Philippines Bahala Na Stockton will be hosting a first aid, trauma, and urban survival clinic. In this clinic we hope to better educate our participants in the much needed knowledge of surviving most natural or man made disasters. Dr Ace Alcantara of UCSF Medical Center will show us how to identify, and treat many common martial art and combat injuries in the field. Guro Christopher Whitney demonstrated several urban survival techniques to better deal with man made and natural disasters. You did not have to be a martial artist to attend all the information shared is beneficial to everyone. Participation fee was a donation of canned foods, dry goods, personal hygiene products, and gently used clothing. As students of Giron Arnis Escrima we believe a balanced practitioner of the art should not only know how to take life, but to preserve it. Joel Juanitas Guro Chris lecturing on elements of making a bug out bag Basics of a first aid kit Kapwa: A Benefit Show for Typhoon Survivors November 23, 2013 Jack Adams Hall San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA. Bay Area activists and talent came together for this pop-up talent showcase to benefit survivors of the typhoon in the hardest hit areas of the Philippines. Featuring music performances by: Native Elements and End The Suffering. Stand-up comic Kevin Camia. Special guest Freska Griarte of 99.7 NOW and Allan Manalo of Bindlestiff Studios. Acapella performance by SFSU’s own Charitable Notes, spoken word by Dream Cypher Kollective and special appearance by Golda Supernova! Martial arts demo by Grandmaster Michael Giron, son of the legendary bladed warrior Grandmaster Leo Giron! Dance performance by Barangay Dance Company! Sponsored by: Chi Rho Omicron, Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center of San Mateo County, LBC, ABS-CBN, Arceo Graphix, Dream Jungle Tattoos, Arkipelago Books, Moquin Press, Folks At Bindlestiff, and others. Special thanks to Oscar Gonzales (Pain Free With Oscar), Jing Mella, Cindy Sacramento-Enriquez, Mary Nite, Andy V Galeon, Jeremy Jocson, Johnathan Ezekiel Winston Siu, Allan S. Manalo, Chris Rydm King Cortez, Lorenzo BigLarr Santiago, Augustus Tagaro, Bine Arceo, Aleks Figueroa, David Ziganay, Tony Navarra, Joy Ng, Judith Ferrer, and YOU! 50 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 51 I also amazed myself at how quickly and well organized this benefit show turned out to be. It was an FB update during an emotional moment that manifested into reality thanks to the kindness and generosity of friends and fellow alumnus. We raised $1,293 to give towards relief efforts and I’m glad that the $100 I wanted to give anyways ballooned 10 fold and now we collectively can help save some more survivors in remote regions as US military aid decrease their presence. Now the real work begins and the KAPWA event was a great way of launching me/us to an even bigger effort: rebuilding homes, lives, and society of the Visayan Islands. Joselito Sering Coast Global FMA Fund Raising Awareness w/a Cause November 23, 2013 BTXR 2 Fitness & Martial Science Complex 6020 Meadowridge Center Dr, Ste R, Elkridge, MD. Tao-Yin Water Element Standing Meditation (Lakan Guro (TaoistMonk) Don Bradford, Lakan Eric H., and Lakan Guro (Tiger) Eric O Lakan Datu Jun Paliangayan did most of the Filipino martial arts teaching, some of the participants came and went dropping by their donations due to their Saturday family obligations. Lakan Guro Ramyer Asonalleba, Lakan Guro (TaoistMonk) Don Bradford and Lakan Guro (Tiger) Eric Olea helped the East Coast GlobalFMA Fund Raising Awareness w/a Cause. LakanGuro (Taoist Priest) Jahi Jenkins, B3M / Bagua Xing IKun-Tao and Lakan Guro RamyerAsonalleba, B3M / Lumad Sigbin Kali Typhoon Haiyan Relief Seminar November 23, 2013 Triangle Kung-Fu Arnis Academy 3601-117 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, North Carolina The seminar, held in Raleigh, North Carolina had a little over 20 participants who came to support the effort to supply relief to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. The Foundations Seminar series has been going on for several years now, with only one directive to the seminar instructors - to teach concepts that can be learned and transferred to each participant’s respective martial art. Master Roland Rivera of Modern Arnis taught a session on obstruction removal, both empty hand and solo baston. Master David Ng of Modern Arnis and Five Animal Kung Fu taught a session on using the basic movements of the 5 Elements to enter range and apply strikes and takedowns. Rich Monforti of Brazilian JiuJitsu taught the concept of counter-to-counter methods so often seen in FMA’s, but in the range of the clinch to takedown. Guro Eugene Nepangue of Balintawak Arnis showed how the same disarms that we all know and love can be applied through different positions, setups, and entries. Finally, Grandmaster Bobby Taboada of Balintawak Arnis showed the importance of generating power though the use of proper footwork and body positioning. He concluded with a demonstration of speed and power with his students, Guro Brian Corey and Perry Coumas. The event raised $2400 (at last count) Brian Corey Martial Arts Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fundraiser and Auction November 24, 2013 MKG Seattle 10714 5th Ave NE, Seattle, Washington 98125 In conjunction with our Martial Arts / CrossFit fundraisers and Silent Auction the MKG Seattle Martial Arts hosted a Filipino lunch at MKG Seattle. Abbey Party Rents generously donated tables and chairs and Peralta’s Islander Grill cooked some hot food for for all. Attendees were free to bring in a dish to share as well. All profits/proceeds went to relief efforts. Final official post about the Typhoon Haiyan/UNICEF fundraiser this weekend. We just made the donation of cash received on behalf of the Seattle Martial Arts Community and it brought our total to $8,203. The donation site is still live so it might go up even more if people who couldn’t attend continue to contribute to the effort. http://www.crowdrise.com/ unicefusa1/fundraiser/seattlemartialartscommunity Based on the logs we kept I’d estimate the number of people in attendance to be about 225. As an event it wasn’t without snafus so thank you all for your patience registering, making payments and for little bits of confusion here and there. Special Thanks to all the 16 instructors who taught, Sifu Chris Herman for filling in at the last moment, Czar Peralta’s family and friends for all the donated time and labor cooking and feeding us, my MKG Seattle and CrossFit MKG students and employees for chipping in their time and making sure cleanup didn’t fall on Tammy and I’s shoulders and for all those who donated auction items. Thank you Tammy Wilson, Stephanie and Joe for running a CrossFit event simultaneously and contributing to the event. I apologize if I missed any major groups in giving recognition. Thank you too for all the nice messages of appreciation and respect. I spoke with all the instructors and I’m almost certain we’ll team up again on a yearly basis to do something similar. Andy Wilson MKG Martial Arts International - www.mkgseattle.com FaceBook: Click Here 52 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 53 Tid-Bits (Fact, Fiction, Fantasy or Gossip?) 1st Pencak Silat Officiating Seminar at Ultra sports complex Pasig with DPG F. Aycocho Q.C. PS National coach Director of AMAC (Aycocho Martial Arts Center) October 22 - 25, 2013 Lapu-Lapu Statue Outside of the Philipiines October 22, 2013 Monetniy, near Ekaterinburg, Russia Blackbelts and RAF representatives of FCS and Modern Arnis from Russia. The unveiling ceremony was attended by community organizations, local government officials, representatives from the Ekaterinburg Sports Center, town folks and many more. The event was covered by TV and print media. Our highest appreciation to the Russian Filipino martial arts organizations for the initiative. They sent representatives to the Philippines to coordinate with Grandmaster Rene Tongson for the visit of the Lapu Lapu statue in the Luneta. The Filipino martial arts is getting a significant mileage in Russia. The 1st Russian- Philippines Kapatiran FMA Tour which covered the cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Orenburg and Ekaterinburg for 12 straight days gained significant awareness among martial arts communities in Russia. 3 day Seminar Coaching and Officiating Management, strategic planning to train an effective athlete in the principles of building a champion from Local, National and International level. DPG Frank Aycocho MA.PhD, Director of AMA Center, Caloocan City, Philippines, accredited mentor of multistyle martial arts. last day Friday 25 October was a whole day long study and training with accommodation at PS Complex, Ultra Sports Complex Pasig. Formal launching and unveiling of the statue of Lapa-Lapu in Monetniy, near Ekaterinburg city in Russia initiated by the Filipino martial arts practitioners of Russia in cooperation with the local governement. Here with Grandmaster Rene Tongson, Philippines (center) Tuhon Ray Dionaldo, USA (right), Grandmaster/Datu Dieter Knüttel, Germany (left) and Alexander Pisarkin, Russia. This is the first Lapu-Lapu statue outside of the Philipiines. Filipino Community to Honor War Hero/Escrima Master By Keith Reid - Recordnet.com Staff Writer October 22, 2013 Stockton - The memory of a Stockton Filipino community stalwart, who left a legacy in the world of martial arts and a storied military career, will be honored Saturday with a street named after him. Manthey Road at the cross street of Yettner Road in French Camp has been renamed Leo Giron Drive after the World War II veteran and the founder of Bahala Na Martial Arts International studio in Stockton. Leo Giron Drive is near the site of a new veteran’s hospital. “When we talk about Filipino-American history, Stockton is at the center of it all, but we don’t have a lot to symbolize that,” said Dillon Delvo, executive director of the Little Manila Foundation. “We found out they were looking to rename some roads by the new VA Hospital, and Leo Giron was the first name that came to mind. So, we took the steps to get it done.” Giron was a first-generation Filipino to arrive in the United States in the 1920s. He died in 1999 at the age of 88 after living a storied life of military success, and for developing a now-popular adaptation of a centuries-old martial art called Escrima. During World War II, Giron was a technical sergeant who was handpicked by General Douglas MacArthur to take part in an intelligence mission that led to the defeat of the Japanese military, Delvo said. Giron’s unit traveled by submarine behind enemy lines in the Philippines, and helped spy on the Japanese. The unit set up a system to communicate information to U.S. commanders. The intelligence gained in the mission led to the U.S. defeating Japanese forces with very few American casualties, Delvo said. Giron was awarded two bronze stars for his efforts. After his honorable discharge, Giron was granted U.S. Citizenship. He planted roots in San Joaquin County and worked at the Army Defense Depot in Tracy. He later opened a martial arts studio, Bahala Na Martial Arts International. In the late 1960s, he moved the studio to Stockton, escrima Master instructor Joel Juanitas said. “This is the home base for an international system,” Juanitas said. “Leo Giron adapted traditional Escrima with his experience in the service.” Escrima is a weapons-based martial art that specializes in using sticks, knives and machetes. Juanitas said the studio also Free Guinabo Arnis Clinic On September 21, through November 21, 2013 By James U. Sy Jr. A total of 32 teenagers enrolled in the ongoing Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) Free Arnis Clinic conducted by Founder/Grandmaster Felix A. Guinabo at the Manville Royale Grounds, Araneta Avenue, Pahanocoy, Bacolod City. Grandmaster Guinabo, a Board Director of the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc., offered the free clinic to increase awareness among the younger generation about the indigenous martial art and culture of the province of Negros Occidental. teaches open-hand instruction. Giron’s adaptation of the art has spread and has been a featured tactic in Hollywood action films, Delvo said. “One of Giron’s former students opened a studio and is training people in Hollywood.” Matt Damon used escrima, for example, during fighting scenes in “The Bourne Identity,” as did Denzel Washington in “The Book of Eli,” Delvo said. Delvo added that October is Filipino American History month. Grandmaster Felix Guinabo (6th from left, standing, with cap), his assistants, and participants of the Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) Free Arnis Clinic recently at the Manville Royale Grounds, Araneta Avenue, Pahanocoy, Bacolod City (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo) Eskrimadores FMA Dedicated to FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) history, techniques, current events and news. eskrimadores.tumblr.com mandirigma.org Cyril Indonila (left) and Vincent Espanola performing Trece Grabes Piga-Piga Arnis System recently as part of the Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) Free Arnis Clinic at the Manville Royale Grounds, Araneta Avenue, Pahanocoy, Bacolod City (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo) Grandmaster Guinabo teacher his own system, Trece Grabes Piga=Piga System, which he developed after studying under five different Arnis Grandmasters. The clinic will run for 2 months with a total of 32 hours, broken down as 16 sessions, each one lasting 2 hours. Such time frame is sufficient to develop a good foundation for Arnis. The enrollees were very grateful for the opportunity because most of them are from poverty-stricken families. A pakyaw package for such a course may run from P3,000-8,000, depending on the particular instructor. Grandmaster Guinabo came up with this idea because the government has no established programs to make Arnis as part of the standard education of Filipinos. There is already a law declaring Arnis as the National Sport and Martial Art of the republic and directives to the DepEd to make it part of the school system. However, the focus has been on the sportive aspect, and largely sacrificing the cultural and martial aspects. The cultural aspect being taught in schools nowadays are primarily borrowed and synthesized from Japanese Karate, Chinese Wushu, and other Asian martial arts. It is the wish of Grandmaster Guinabo to preserve the traditional fighting arts of our forefathers. Visayan Filipino Martial Arts visayanfilipinomartialarts.blogspot.com 54 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 55 One Hurrah for Arnis! By Jayson Vicente The Path Sun Star Baguio - October 24, 2013 Forums ‘Sundang’ By Felipe Jocano Jr. Manila Times - October 26, 2013 “While others have set too much on their on their future, we lived our present and let it shape our opportunities of the future.” As expected, the hard work and sacrifices of the Baguio Arnis All Stars bared fruit in the just concluded 2013 Batang Pinoy Luzon Regional Qualifiers held at Iba, Zambales last October 15-19, 2013. As they always say “hard work pays off with great rewards” and rewarding it was for the Baguio Arnis All Stars as they bagged eight gold medals, seven silver medals and three bronze medals in the first day with Norielyn Joy Sagun of Baguio National High School – SPS Tribal Clan sphere heading the haul taking 4 gold medals for team Baguio in the Anyo individual Single Weapon, Double Identical Weapon, Sword and Dagger and the Team Synchronize Double Identical Weapon with teammates Jana Kaye Balicdang and Danica Caw-is. Other contributors in the 8 gold medal haul in the first day of the competition came from Joemarson Abogadi’s win in the Individual Sword and Dagger and his boys team together with Sheen Pakilan and Josh Monroe Yalong of University of Baguio taking the Synchronize Double Identical Weapon and Synchronize Sword and Dagger, the girls team of Lira Acachang, Angela Donglay and Kristen Tamiking of Easter College and Baguio City NationalHigh School – SPS Tribal Clan bagged the Synchronize Sword and Dagger. With the 18 medal haul in the first day, the Baguio Arnis All Stars felt the momentum on their side and going into the second day, bagged more medals to cement the over-all for Baguio Arnis All Stars in the Arnis event defending its title from lasts years regional qualifiers. Being the last sport event played in the Luzon Leg qualifiers of the 2013 Batang Pinoy, the second day saw six additional gold medal haul to secure the overall championship of the Baguio delegation besting Quezon City. Next tasks at hand for the Baguio Arnis All Stars is the National Leg of the 2013 Batang Pinoy in Bacolod City, where the team also defends the over-all championships, expecting that other teams are preparing hard for Baguio Arnis All Stars rant the team takes no stones unturned to dig-in more in preparations in order to be ready for the Nationals in November. In behalf of the Baguio Arnis All Stars who represented Baguio in the Luzon Leg regional qualifiers composed of players from Irisan National High School, University of Baguio, Easater College, Saint Louis University High School, and Baguio City National High School-SPS, coaching staff: This writer, Alfredo Tolentino, Ayatollah Gadaoni, Donny Calaunan, Nikodemus Gam-ad, Leonardo Cariño, Cindy Abegail Monte, Alvin Abalos, Aldin Dela Cruz, Joey Castillo, Andre Dean Foman-eg, Daryll Cawed and Michael Anayasan we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Parents, Principals, Teachers, Friends and supporters who prayed for our safety and success. God Bless us all! Pugay Po! fmaforum.org The leading destination for Filipino Martial Arts discussion. Established September 2005 www.fmatalk.com This is the Filipino Martial Arts Database service, provided to the FMA community in support of its growth and advancement. www.fmadatabase.com Silat Ikhtiar - The South East Asian Martial Art Volumes 1, 2 and 3 Basics, Empty Hand, Weapons Available as Budget Black/White version and Full Color Version. A clear and concise manual with over 800 illustrations. The training manual of the South East Asian Martial Art Silat Ikhtiar with all the techniques including hand-fighting and the weapons: Pisau, Badek, Parang and Keris. An inspirational collector’s item even for people who do not train in the art of Silat. This document is meant for anybody who is interested to learn more about Silat Ikhtiar. It is also meant for students as an aid in remembering and studying the art. Budget Black/White version With color cover : 29.95 GBP Full Color Version Interior with color cover: 59.95 GBP To Order: Click Here The word sundang means bladed weapon, or sword. In some parts of the country, the blade is rounded at the end, making it primarily a hacking and cutting weapon. In other areas, the sundang is also sharp at the tip, allowing the wielder to thrust as well as cut. Sundang the noun becomes an action word, as when two people fight with blades—nag sundangan sila, meaning they were fighting with bladed weapons. The sword in its various guises—sundang, itak, pinuti, sansibar, ginunting, dahongpalay, etc. are part of the foundation of the Filipino martial arts. Other weapons such as the stick (baston), the dagger (daga), the long stick (bangkaw), the spear (sibat), the rope (lubid), and the scarf or handkerchief (panyo) are part of the repertoire for some styles. But the most wellknown weapon of the Filipino martial arts (FMA) is the wooden stick. The sticks used by practitioners are made of different kinds of wood, such as kamagong (the wood of the mabolo tree), bahi (palm wood), yakal, and other kinds of hardwoods. The most iconic of them, however, is the rattan stick. This is the most commonly used weapon for training in all the branches of the Filipino martial arts, with the exception of the unarmed styles. The stick has come to symbolize what the Filipino martial arts are all about, which for most people means stick fighting. However, for many styles or schools, the stick is a substitute for a metal sword. Thus, the movements for the sword are trained for the stick as well. This is contrast to the schools or styles that focus on the stick as their main weapon. But this column is not only about the outward, that is to say, the physical aspects, of the Filipino martial arts. There is more to the practice of the FMA Espada Y Daga: The Way Of The Sword And Dagger Manila Times - October 26, 2013 The attacker delivers an overhead strike with cane. Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas (left) blocks the strike using an upper X block with his cane [representing the sword] and his dagger. www.roilesgear.com www.stickman-escrima.com Roiles Gear Ltd., is a leading manufacturer, supplier and wholesaler of the star quality Filipino martial art equipments/products. Our goal is to give the best quality products to our valued customers around the globe. Our rattan and wooden products are carefully picked, treated for high dense quality and our sparring equipments are hand made using the best quality materials then monitored for the best quality control and satisfaction of our customer. Our training daggers either aluminum or steel are hand forged and made with the special specification.. The Espada y daga or sword and dagger fighting of the Filipino martial arts (FMA) is a borrowed concept from Western swordsmanship. There are historical documents proving that aristocratic Filipino youths were exposed to systematic tuition in European fencing in the early 18th century. One of these is the Real than just mastery of weapons and open hand combat. The practice of the Filipino martial arts, as in the practice of any other martial art, requires the use of the mind and the sensitivity of the heart, and of course the skill of the hands. This column will examine the different facets of the Filipino martial arts – the physical skills, the differences in styles, ethics and values in martial arts, in short the cultural dimension of the Filipino martial arts. What does the term culture mean? From the anthropological perspective, culture is the shared beliefs and values that guide people’s behavior. Culture is shared in a community, however that community is defined. Culture is therefore extrinsic to people, it is not something that is inherited biologically. It is a shared set of ways of looking at the world and how to react to it, including the different rules and guidelines that people eventually develop over time. Seen this way, the Filipino martial arts are also a part of our cultural setting. We learn physical skills – the arts of striking, blocking, locking and throwing, using weapons and later on performing with bare hands. To learn the arts of combat however, also means learning how to handle one’s self and to control impulses. It means learning how to deal with people, how to behave in particular social settings, and how to handle emotions. Through martial training, we (hopefully) learn how to be better people. Through the Filipino martial arts, we learn something more about what it means to be Filipino. The word sundang means bladed weapon, or sword. Bladed implements have many uses. They can kill and destroy. Or they can preserve and cut away the dross to get at the truth. Cedula por la qual‘ su magestad funda un colegio de nobles Americanos en la diudad de Granada, a decree by King Carlos IV of Spain, telling of a creation of a college in Granada for educating American and Philippine youth of noble birth. Fencing is part of the curriculum that was taught in the said institution. If the espada y daga influence entered the Filipino martial arts during this period, then the source would most probably be the rapier and dagger methods of the West. In both Filipino espada y daga and Western rapier and dagger methods, the sword is considered the major weapon while the dagger just play a supporting role. “You must know that the unaccompanied sword is the queen and foundation of all other weapons, yea, that to delight therein is as, and more useful than, to do so in the others,” wrote fencing master Capo Ferro in his 1610 masterpiece Gran Simulacro. Espada y daga is basically a method of fighting with two unevenly sized weapons, is one of the most challenging modality of the Filipino martial arts (the other prominent two are the solo baston and the doble baston or sinawali). Among the benefits of espada y daga training are the increased coordination between the left and right hands as well as timing and distancing. The last two mentioned components are very important in being able to insert the cuts and thrusts of the dagger in between the large movements of the sword. In the photos above, Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the Founder of Modern Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial Arts demonstrates an espada y daga combat technique. Modern Practice of the Filipino Martial Arts By Master Jose Isidro The Book contains technical pictures on the Filipino martial arts of striking, blocking, Sinawali, Redonda, locking, trapping, Empty hand, knife disarm, Bangkaw, Tying, Espada Y Daga, Drills such as Give-n-Take and Block/ Check/Counter, Transition of Stick to Stick, Empty Hand to Stick, and Empty hand to Empty hand. Local People living in the Philippines. 292 pages with many photos. The book is published and distributed by Central Books Supply - Website: central.com.ph In the Philippines contact Jem of Centralbook, Contact: 372-3550 Or for International or USA orders, please contact Master Jose Isidro at: joseisidro@msn.com for pricing. www.pmasupplies.com Felipe Jocano Jr. is an arnis master and an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of the Philippines Diliman. 56 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 57 Davao’s Young Judo Pride By Edward C. Lactaoen Sun Star Davao - October 26, 2013 If the quality of young Mindanao talent was ever doubted, the story of Carl Dave Aseneta, currently a scholar studying in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, should be more than enough to turn things around. Son of Jay Aseneta, a local judo coach, Carl is the first judoka in Mindanao to be a scholar of UP Diliman after seeing success in the Batang Pinoy competitions through the aid of then-mayor Sara Duterte and then vice mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Currently taking up Bachelor of Sports Science, the 16-year-old judoka who graduated from MATS high school in this city, described the shift in lifestyle in the simplest terms, saying, “dako gyud kaayo ang pagbag-o. (So much has changed.)” Carl described his routine as waking up at 5:00 a.m., then heading to training an hour later. Carl’s training would end at 8:00 a.m., then he’d have to head to class at 11:00. Although he admits that he misses home, his experiences in competing seem to more than make up for it. Describing competing in the UAAP judo competitions, Carl said, “mas lingaw kay sa dati na mga dula. (It’s more fun than my old competitions.)” Carl shared that he particularly enjoyed the atmosphere, “murag nadula ug world championship, (it’s like competing for a world championship,)” he said. Carl has already tasted success in his first year of competing for UP Diliman, winning a bronze medal in the judo competitions of UAAP Season 76. Carl attributes much of his success to his coach in UP, Jeon Mendiola Mangahas, saying, “kun di tungod niya, manglisod gyud ko sa UP. (if not for him, I’d have a very hard time in UP.)” When asked about the level in competition in Manila, Carl shared that he can stand toeto-toe with their athletes, even competing in three more matches after dislocating his hand in the first. He, however, was dismayed by his opponents’ tendency to use him being from Mindanao against him, especially with the referees. “Kaya man pero daoton ka sa referee, (I can compete with them but they use the referee against me,)” he shared. Carl’s claims are also warranted, with him being a fourtime gold medalist in the Batang Pinoy games during the years 2011 and 2012, and with his successes in the Philippine National Games of this year, garnering the silver medal in the Elite Senior Division and the bronze medal in the Junior Division. With so much success at such a young age, Carl shows the potential to someday be the top judoka in the country. He will have to wait, however, as the chance for more honor in the UAAP will come in the next school year. For now, Carl is focused on doing well in his studies. Being a full scholar at UP Diliman, Carl works hard to keep his average above 85 percent to maintain his scholarship. Carl’s father, Jay, is very proud of his son, even more for being a UP scholar than his successes in judo. “Di man basta- basta makasulod sa UP, (You don’t just get accepted into UP,)” he said. Jay also shared how his wife was once a scholar in UP, and feels glad that it seems that the dream of studying in UP has been passed on to his son. He said he feels fulfilled as a father, being able to raise a son who is able to study in a very selective school such as UP Diliman. “Sobra pa sa gold medal, (It’s even greater than a gold medal,)” Jay said when asked how he sees his son’s chance to study in UP Diliman. Carl is currently in Davao for his semestral break, and continues to train, going to I-Flex fitness gym to keep himself fit. Carl would also like to thank Marco Antonion Tamayo for his continued support in Carl’s judo endeavors. As only a freshman in college and already decorated with medals from national competitions, Carl is set to bring even more pride to Davao as many more years of glory are still ahead of him. Leo Giron Drive Dedication Ceremony October 26, 2013 Corner of Leo Giron Dr. and Yettner Rd. French Camp, CA. Many streets and schools are named after great leaders and activists of our country; however, people of the Stockton community believed a Filipino American World War II veteran, specifically from Stockton, should be recognized in such a way. The city of Stockton was looking to rename roads that lead to the VA Hospital in Stockton, California, and Leo Giron was the first name that came to mind for many of the community members. The effort for having a street named after him was a definite goal to achieve. Meetings were attended by the dedicated people, everyone became aware of how inspiring Leo Giron was and still is, then on the sunny morning of October 26, 2013, a community gathered for the Leo Giron Drive Dedication Ceremony. Around 60 people gathered at the corner of Yettner Road and Leo Giron Drive to honor the Filipino war hero. Representatives from the Little Manila Foundation and Bahala Na Martial Arts International spoke to reiterate the true value of remembering our forefathers, especially Manong Leo Giron, and to lead this special ceremony. Shortly after speaking about Manong Leo and his positive impact on the lives of many people, several awards were presented to Bahala Na Martial Arts International and the Little Manila Foundation in recognition for the Dedication Ceremony and the dedication to preserving Filipino History in San Joaquin County. Certificates of Recognition were presented by the office of Senator Cathleen Galgiani, the Fourth District Chairman Ken Vogel Board of Supervisors San Joaquin County, and U.S. Congressman Jerry McNerney. Leo Giron, World War II veteran and Founder of Bahala Na Martial Arts, truly deserves to be honored and to have a street named after him is significantly fitting. As California Assembly member described after presenting one award, “Leo Giron paved the way for the generations after him.” Because of his hard work, service, and dedication, people today are allowed to do things that were simply an impossible dream. It was, indeed, a remarkable day for the community of Stockton. - By Ali Alcantara The new Veterans Administration Hospital is being built on the outskirts of Stockton which will bring thousands of veterans to our area seeking medical care. Currently, veterans have to drive to the Bay Area to go to the hospital. This is a huge project. Folks from the community said, “Wouldn’t it be great if one of the new streets be named after a Filipino American World War II veterano from Stockton?” We did the paperwork, attended the meetings, spoke about Manong Leo Giron and now we have a street named after him. This event was sponsored by Bahala Na Martial Arts International, Filipino American Heritage Association, The Inosanto Academy, American Legion Karl Ross Post 16, American Legion Manuel Roxas Post 798, and Little Manila. The city street in French Camp, CA. was finally renamed after seventy (70) years because of the tireless efforts of a Filipino American WWII hero and his teachings in the martial arts: On, October 26th, 2013 a Dedication Ceremony was held in the city of French Camp, CA. Manthey Road was finally renamed to that of... “Leo Giron Drive” at the intersection of Yettner Road. “Grand Master Emeritus” and former Sergeant First Class Leo Giron was the Founder of Bahala Na Martial Arts and Giron Arnis Escrima. In 1942, he was inducted to the U.S. Army’s 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment and assigned to the 978th Signal Service Company of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Special). His heroic actions enabled General MacArthur’s invasion force at Leyte in the Southern Philippines to be a success. For this, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the coveted combat infantryman badge (CIB). During this ceremony, his school received certificates from California dignitaries and the “Manilatown Heritage Foundation” of Stockton, CA. Due to the tireless efforts of several Filipino Organizations the Leo Giron Drive dedication was an overwhelming success. On behalf of Grandmaster Antonio Somera, Master Kirk McCune, Master Joel Juanitas and the members of Bahala Na Filipino Martial Arts Association we would like to thank The Little Manila Foundation, the Filipino American Heritage Association, Manuel Roxas Post, Karl Ross Post, Legenarios del Trabajo of America, and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) for supporting this common effort. Mabuhay! - Joel Juanitas 58 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 59 PKF Karate Tournament October 27, 2013 Sinag Community Center, Pandacan, Manila, Philippines Organizer, Shihan Oscar Del Rosario and Kyosi Jojo De Los Santos F. Landa Jocano, Anthropologist and UP Professor Emeritus, Passes Away By VIida Cruz GMA News - October 28, 2013 Dr. F. Landa Jocano, best known for his documentation and translation of the Central Visayan epic, the Hinilawod, among other contributions to anthropology and Philippine folk literature, passed away on Sunday evening (October 27, 2013), his son said in a post on the Facebook page of the University of the Philippines Department of Anthropology. Jocano was 83 years old. Born to farmer parents in Iloilo in 1930, the Professor Emeritus at the Asian Center of UP Diliman was hailed as “the country’s foremost cultural anthropologist” by author F. Sionil Jose. He also served as the Executive Director of PUNLAD Research House, Inc. According to Philippine culture site Mosaic Ministries, a burning desire to continue his education, which his family could not afford, compelled Jocano to stow away on a boat bound for Manila in his boyhood. With only his elementary school report card to back him up, he worked a series of odd jobs for meager pay: janitor, messenger, even journalist. He managed to put himself through high school while sending some money home, but eventually had to come home himself when he got sick. This trip back to Iloilo is what ignited his interest in folklore. He met renowned anthropologist and historian Dr. Robert Fox, who helped him get a job at the National Museum. It was his time cleaning out the remains of museum specimens that enabled him to write articles published in the Manila Times on mythology surrounding plant and animal life. The articles marked another turning point in his life, as they not only got the attention of the Department of Education; they were included in certain textbooks. Jocano got married, finally earned his Bachelor’s Degree in 1958 from the Central University of the Philippines, bagged a grant to teach at the University of Chicago, then returned to the Philippines. Jocano’s interest in cultural anthropology has branched out into a wide array of topics over the years. He is survived by his wife and two children. According to his son Professor Felipe Jocano, Jr. on the Anthropology Department’s Facebook page, the elder Jocano’s body is at the Truth Chapel of the Loyola Memorial Chapel on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. The cover of Jocano’s translation of the Visayan “Hinilawod.” Grandmaster Antonio E. Somera Bahala Na® Martial Arts, Giron® Arnis Escrima October 5, 1957 - October 28, 2013 National Gold Synchronize Kata Krizia Ladia, Yebin Song, Stella Song AMAC Founded by Grandmaster Frank Aycocho takes home 8 Gold 3 Silver 1 Bronze over all Champion Trophy. Senior Black Belt division: Female Gold Kata open and Kumite Cyra May Buenafe, Kata open Silver Senior Male division: Hyungki Cho Korean National Gold Synchronize Kata Krizia Ladia, Yebin Song, Stella Song Individual Female open Kata Gold medal Krezia Ladia,Yebin Song, Stella Song Individual Kids Male Open Kata Silver Ken Ladia, Edmar Sta Maria Our Deepest Gratitude - We, the Babao Family and Babao Arnis, give our deepest thanks and gratitude to you all who gave us love, support, prayers, helping hands, sympathy, guidance and donations. Thanks for attending the viewing, Memorial Service and the Celebration of Life of our loved husband, father, grandfather, and Founder of our Babao Arnis school. Deepest thanks and gratitude to those who were unable to come but kept us in your thoughts and hearts. We appreciate you all! We are deeply humbled and honored for having you as friends. Much love to you all and God bless! - Zena Sultana Babao It is with a heavy heart and great sorrow that I announce the passing of our Great Grandmaster Antonio E. Somera at 5:18am on October 28, 2013. Please pray for the Somera and Flores families as they go through this trying time. Joel Juanitas Antonio “Tony” Somera is a lifelong resident of Stockton, California. Tony is a life member of FALNHS and on the board of trustees for the Little Manila Foundation since 2002. The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) is truly a community-based organization whose mission is “...to preserve, document, and present Filipino American history and to support scholarly research and artistic works which reflect that rich past...”. The Little Manila Foundation advocates for the historic preservation of the Little Manila Historic Site in Stockton, California and provides education and leadership to revitalize our Filipina/o American community. Along with Tony Somera’s community service, Tony is also a leader in the martial arts community. He is a 3rd degree black belt in Goju Royu Karate gained in 1974. He is also the highest ranking student and vice president in Mande Muda Silat. However, he is most well known for being Grandmaster Tony Somera of the Bahala Na® Martial Arts, Giron® Arnis Escrima. As a direct result of superior skill and devotion to the principles, philosophy and purpose of Bahala Na Martial Arts combined with leadership and his master level Instructorship, Master Tony Somera was promoted to the rank and responsibility of Grandmaster by the late Grandmaster and Founder of Bahala Na® Martial Arts Leo M. Giron. Grandmaster Somera is the leading authority and promotes the art of Giron® Arnis Escrima along with its rich Filipino history and culture by providing opportunities for students and community members to visit historic sites and learn Filipino American history through bi-annual “affiliate camps” held in Stockton. Tony Somera is the only person ever to be promoted to the rank of Master and then Grandmaster by the late Grandmaster Emeritus Leo M. Giron. www.bahalana.org The official authorized agent for Arizona of ABS-CBN Star Kargo. We support all local needs for the entire state, offering the premier Filipino sea cargo forwarding service that is affordable, convenient and reliable. We assure you that your balikbayan boxes or packages are taken care of from pick-up until delivery. Memorial Service for Grandmaster Narrie Babao at the El Camino Memorial - Sorrento Valley, California Customers in Arizona can call (602) 538-7092 ask for Leona Sala to schedule pick-up of their boxes, or to answer any questions you may have. www.starkargoaz.com Star Kargo AZ now provides balikbayan box service to parts of New Mexico. Gallup area: Jade Dolino (505) 406-3528 Need Boxes? Do you need empty balikbayan boxes to start packing? You have a couple options: 1. Call us and we can deliver Star Kargo balikbayan boxes to your home. This option may depend on our pickup schedule and routes. 2. For immediate access to boxes, we are in the process of establishing pick-up locations for Star Kargo balikbayan boxes around the Valley and around the state. See the list below, and if you know of a business that might be a great pick-up location, send us a note. www.fmatalklive.com Mesa: Wholly Grill / Chandler: Jeepney Bistro / Tucson: Moan’s Oriental Market 60 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 61 Arnis Will Not Be Played in Batang Pinoy Finals Arnis Philippines Inc. - October 29, 2013 Arnis Philippines Inc., (ARPI) is saddened to inform you that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) informed us on October 26, 2013 that Arnis will not be played in the Batang Pinoy Finals in Bacolod City on 19-26 November. The letter states that coaches in the Luzon qualifying leg had discipline problem that resulted in the disruption of the game, hence, PSC deemed it best to removed Arnis. It is disappointing to find out that the mere reason for removing Arnis is because of the delay caused by a few coaches in Luzon who were complaining about the process of matching and pairing which was later rectified by the National Referees and Judges Committee (NRJC) that resulted in the continuation and successful completion of the games with no more complaints. Take note that the complainants are mostly nonmembers which the NSA could not penalized or removed from membership. The most that will suffer are the athletes and all those involved in the preparations for the finals such as the parents, the LGU’s and their respective sponsors who sacrificed so much of their time and effort, notwithstanding the expenses incurred. We know that this kind of complaints are not unique to arnis since all sports experience the same kind of incident. ARPI assures that all games are handled professionally in all its activities... www.arnisphilippines.com Pinay Martial Arts Instructor Wants to Popularize Arnis in Canada By Marites N. Sison, The Origami GMA News - November 1, 2013 When someone asks Guro (Teacher) JB Ramos to explain the Filipino martial art, Arnis, she begins with the question, “Have you seen The Bourne Identity?” The simple yet intricate and agile hand-to-hand combat by Jason Bourne (played by Matt Damon) is considered to be one of the top fight scenes in movie history and it displays the techniques of Arnis (a.k.a Kali/ Eskrima). It also shows why Arnis is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary martial art forms, says Ramos. weapon commonly associated with Arnis – and their meaning among Canadians. An instructor for Combat Science, a Filipino martial arts and self-defense school in Toronto, Ramos is petite and youthful. But with her erect, upright posture and firm voice she radiates presence and commands respect. “I need you guys to step up a little harder. Do I make myself clear?” she barks at a mixed-age group of men and women she is training at the basement of TrinitySt. Paul’s United church on Bloor Full contact Arnis demo at Toronto’s Harbourfont Centre during the Mabuhay Philippines Festival last summer. Photo: Marites N. Sison And yet, in Toronto’s martial arts scene, Arnis – the national sport of the Philippines – has yet to achieve the same “brand name recall” as karate, taekwondo, aikido, jujitsu and capoeira. Even many young Filipino-Canadians are nonplussed when asked about Arnis. Ramos isn’t happy with this, to say the least, and she is making it her mission to popularize the 28-inch rattan (palm) sticks – the Street West. “Every day that you train, put intensity and effort… We need to work as one… You have to have each other’s backs.” Ramos is hoping that this group – which has been spending their evenings and Saturday mornings butting and thrusting sticks, practicing empty hand movements and knife fighting combinations – can qualify for the prelims and represent Team 3 Cebuanos in World TKD By Edri K. Aznar Sun Star Cebu - October 30, 2013 The RP National Poomsae squad starts its campaign in the grandest world poomsae meet, the 8th World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, today in Bali, Indonesia. Three Cebuano jins are suiting up for the RP National Poomsae squad - regular RP team member Glenn Lava, defending world champion Mikaela Calamba and Rinna Babanto. Mcavynger Alob unfortunately wasn’t able to join the squad in the Annual World Tournament that will run from October 31 to November 3. “We are a strong team in standard and freestyle events where our very own Glenn Lava is competing. Mikaela, on the other hand, is competing in four events. She has strong chances in the freestyle although we are not discounting the possibility of her winning a medal in the standard events. Rinna is competing in only one event—the team standard,” Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) Region 7 chairman Tony del Prado told Sun.Star Cebu. Defense Calamba is defending her crown in the freestyle female event, in which she beat some of the older and more experienced female jins last year in Colombia. She is also competing in the Individual standard, team standard and team freestyle events. The RP Poomsae team is fully prepared for the tournament with the team even training in South Korea for this. The competitions scheduled for today are male under-17, female under-17, male under-49, female over-59, male over-59, female team under-29 and freestyle pair. Canada in the 2014 World Eskrima there. Kali Arnis Championships in One day, her tae kwon Debrecen, Hungary. do instructor invited a martial She is putting out all the arts expert, Punong Guro (Head stops, teaching them all she knows Instructor) Laura Holmes to about Arnis: stick-fighting, empty conduct a seminar on sinawali, hand combat, full contact, single a category of Arnis that involves stick, double stick full contact double cane fighting with a single stick, padded knife, joint weaving pattern. locks, disarms… you name it. When she saw Holmes “Arnis is a weapons-based demonstrate her moves, Ramos martial art where you learn was hooked. “The movements with the stick, then the knife, then the stick are pretty mesmerizing,” the empty hand,” she explains. she says. “Arnis is very graceful and “In karate and tae kwon do, fluid. It’s like a dance.” you learn the empty hand first When Holmes opened and advanced students learn Combat Science in 2003, Ramos weaponry. It’s reversed.” was among the first to join her school. Holmes, who is not of “It’s like a dance” Filipino descent, holds world Ramos learned martial titles in full contact stick fighting arts over 20 years ago; at age 12, and has been teaching Arnis she enrolled in Okinawan Shorin for over 20 years. She has been Ryu karate before moving on to certified by various grandmasters tae kwon do, which she doggedly in the Philippines who specialize studied for eight years. in impact and edged weapons Her dad and her and hand-to-hand combat, but grandmother had always talked she continues to update her about how her great-grandfather knowledge of Arnis by training in practiced Arnis back home, in Tarlac, a province north of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. But no one really taught Arnis when she was growing up in Scarborough. Karate and tae kwon do were accessible – there were programs at a local community center and it Arnis students from Combat Science, a Filipino martial was easy for her parents to arts and self-defense school in Toronto. Photo: Marites N. Sison drop her off the Philippines regularly. Having a non-Filipino as her instructor meant a great deal to Ramos. “Knowing that Arnis was being taught by someone who’s not Filipino made me appreciate the art even more,” says Ramos. “If even a non-Filipino can appreciate and respect Arnis and be willing to teach it, that’s something.” She joined her first world Arnis championship competition in 2006 and has done four competitions since then. Holmes wanted to instil in her students not just an appreciation for the art form of Arnis, but its sport aspect as well, Ramos explains. What saddens Ramos is the apparent lack of appreciation for Arnis among Filipinos. Over 30 countries were represented in the competitions she has joined, but most had only one Filipino in their teams. In Canada, a lot of Filipino youth are more interested in basketball and other sports, she notes. “It’s lack of education and exposure…Growing up, I didn’t know there was a Filipino martial arts world out there and that there are people who teach it in Canada,” she says. “I thought it was just on the farm where my grandma grew up.” A complete martial art There is not one style of Arnis/kali/Eskrima; some Arnis historians say there are over 200 forms. Often referred to as a “complete martial art,” Arnis was developed hundreds of years ago by native inhabitants of the Philippines, who used simple weapons such as rattan, swords, daggers, spears and other weaponry. “These weapons were also sometimes used as farm implements,” according to the the location, dialect and type of She herself is still learning Arnis, Combat Science website. training taught,” says the Combat she says. “There are many aspects It is believed that one Science website. “Also, any of to this art. It’s always developing of the earliest heroes of the the three names may apply to and constantly changing.” Philippines, Lapu Lapu, was an a certain part of training. One Ramos has trained Arnis expert. interpretation is that kali is the with such heavyweights as “(Antonio) Pigafetta, mother art of Arnis and [Eskrima]. Grandmaster (GM) Vic Sanchez, (Ferdinand) Magellan’s chronicler Arnis focuses on the knife, Master Bambit Dulay, Grandmaster and historian, recorded that on including dagger, sword and any Freddie Fernandez, Master Jun April 27, 1521, Lapu Lapu killed other form of bladed weapon. Jun Presas and Grandmaster Rodel the great Spanish warrior with [Eskrima] is based on the baston or Dagoocs. But she tries to go back a bladed weapon, thus marking stick.” to the Philippines every four years a Filipino’s first victorious stand to learn more from them and other “A beginner’s mind” against a foreign invader,” grandmasters. It’s a discipline that Students learn the basics according to the website of the Holmes has instilled in her, which of Arnis by using the rattan sticks International Philippine Eskrimashe passes on to students. “We first, says Ramos. “And then you Arnis De Mano Confederation incorporate it in bladed weaponry want students to experience the (IPEAC). “Pigafetta also recorded different kinds of forms. It’s good such as the daga, bolo (a long that many of the natives carried knife) and balisong (fan knife), and for them to keep an open mind.” a pointed short hardwood stick The allure of Arnis goes then the empty hand.” which had been further hardened beyond its beauty as a martial But the most important by fire treatment and used in art form, says Ramos. Arnis has lesson that Ramos says she fighting.” made her more grounded and teaches students is “to have Arnis was prohibited well rounded; it has given her respect for the art itself and for under Spanish occupation and self-discipline and control. Arnis is the culture and history of the it is said to have been preserved very physical and Ramos’ students Philippines.” through dance and mock battle swear by its benefits to their She constantly reminds performances passed on from health. them to have “a beginner’s mind.” generation to generation. Since Ramos is proud of the carrying of bladed fact that the classes weapons was banned at Combat Science during 400 years of have a mix of male and Spanish rule, Filipinos female students and substituted the use of that students don’t have sword with rattan sticks, an issue with female which are being used instructors like her. in today’s Arnis. The Some schools tend martial art later absorbed to be very rigid and very Spanish influences, in traditional, preferring particular, fencing and its instructors who are both “angles of attack” and use male and Filipino, she of espada y daga (sword says. and dagger), says the Ramos and Holmes IPEAC website. have proven that you Why is Arnis also don’t have to be a man called kali and Eskrima? and a Filipino to excel in Punong Guro JB Ramos leads her students in a demo “It is believed that and love Arnis at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre during the Mabuhay Arnis, kali and Eskrima GMA News Philippines Festival last summer. are all part of the same www.gmanetwork.com Photo: Marites N. Sison art and depending on Solo Baston: Arnis’ Most Popular Weapon Manila Times - November 2, 2013 weapon. As a weapon, the solo baston is treated in varying ways among the many systems of FMA. In some schools, it is a mere training tool to teach the movements of the blade. In some FMA styles however, the stick is taught as a The attacker (right) delivers a strike using his primary weapon. cane while Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas In the above counters with a vertical block photos, Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the Founder of Modern While the knife is said to be the Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial backbone of the Filipino martial Arts demonstrates a solo baston arts (FMA), the solo baston or combat technique. single stick is its most popular Senkotros Arnis Fundamentals By Grandmaster Max M. Pallen For many years Grandmaster Pallen has been practiticing Arnis. He has seen and read many books about the martial art styles of other regions of the Philippines. Grandmaster Pallen has not encountered a single publication about the Bicol region, which prompted this publication. It is a big undertaking to let Philippine martial art practitioners know that in Bicol they also have their own styles, Grandmaster Pallen finally discovered and developed the missing link in his Arnis techniques. He has adopted the sinawali and espada y daga basec on what he has learned from other styles of Arnis, Kali, and Eskrima. These styles have also given him a better foundation and made him culturally complete. To order the book: Senkotiros Arnis Inc P.O. Box 3124, San Leandro, CA 94578, $40.00 plus shipping Order Form: Click Here 62 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 63 Disunity in Filipino Martial Arts By AJ Ruiz FMA Pulse - November 3, 2013 It is an unspoken truth, but very well known to those in the Filipino Martial Arts community. Although the exact origin of the disunity is virtually unknown, it is certain it has existed since Filipino martial artists conception. Grandmaster Robert Castro and Master Joseph Bautista have experienced this disunity firsthand and have suffered the consequences. They both have been asked to share their insight of this disunity. According to the two, the disunity existed prior to their introduction in the martial arts, Castro having 35 years of experience and Bautista ten years. They explained that historically, Filipino martial arts were passed down and kept within families. Arguments ensued when one family claimed their art to be superior to another. “It all comes down to pride of family and their family style. It can also be construed as gangster mentality, ‘my stuff is better than yours and I’m going to prove it’” explained Bautista. As a result, individuals would challenge one another to death matches and thus began a never-ending cycle of vengeance. Now, more than two thousand years later, the same disunity that put families against one another in the Philippines is now rooted into high-ranking Filipino martial artists and systems around the world. “There are a number of Grandmasters and Masters who are old school, don’t want to be open and share and won’t see it any other way.” Stated Bautista Parantac 3rd in World Wushu The Philippine Star - November 5, 2013 “People are so used to their art and so loyal to it. Once your loyal to your art, it becomes part of you so you look at other arts as secondary. It’s nothing disloyal or anything, it just that you compare and in this comparison you get the positive and negative attitudes that people get. It plays a very heavy role in the martial arts because you have instructors there who are not grandmasters that have attitudes, they just want to show and prove how good they are. ” stated Castro. As a result of this infighting, both men have experienced the consequences in their own way. “I have heard stories that Filipino martial arts almost died because of various reasons; ego, pride, and narrow-mindedness,” stated Bautista. But perhaps this disunity is the biggest reason that has held back the Filipino martial arts as a whole. “If the Filipino martial arts were as unified as any of the arts out there, the Filipino martial arts would still not be underground. All the other arts, aikido, tae kwon do, karate are unified and have expanded worldwide. Filipino martial arts as a unit have not done that because there’s so much infighting” This disunity is not only felt on those within the martial arts community but to the Filipino/ Filipino-American community. “Most of people who are outside of the martial arts community, do not know about the martial arts. They don’t know about the rich cultural history the martial arts entails. So they are losing something that don’t even know. For those who are aware of the martial arts, they may Seven different systems coming together for the Day of Play come to the understanding of we aren’t as big therefore we may not be as good. It becomes a whole selfesteem issue because the art isn’t mainstream.” Explained Bautista Despite all the dark history of Filipino Martial Arts and lost culture, both are optimistic that unity can be achieved and offer their own ideas of what it will take to reach it. Castro believes that the most important step to achieve unity is to let go of your ego. “Ego is the most treacherous thing in martial arts because that ego just takes you above what you should be. A man that’s highly trained should be one of the most humble people you know. The highestranking people you know should be the humblest people you know because through their training that’s where they learn humility, kindness, and integrity, all of the above, positive energy. But most of the problems that occur are from people trying to prove themselves. Why are they trying to prove themselves? It’s because of the ego. If you eliminate the ego, then you can have unity. That’s one of the problems I have is they give all these people high ranking ranks but the people are not spiritually, morally or ethically correct within themselves. How you are as person is the way to unify Filipino art, you have to humble yourself.” Bautista on the other hand believes that the Filipino martial arts is headed in the right direction. “I think we may have the best chance of unifying if we go at the rate we are going, which is promote everyone and all FMAs and let the masses decide what styles the want to see. The systems aren’t unifying, it’s the arts having mutual respect for each other. We’re not unifying like Judo or Tae Kwon Do in terms of standardizing the art, the Filipino martial arts is too eclectic of an art to do that.” Perhaps Filipino warrior faces the greatest enemy today ever in its existence. Much more than any samurai or conquistador, our enemy is an internal one and far more dangerous. Eskabo Daan strives for unification regardless of style or origin. And hopes will one day live to see Filipino martial arts become recognized as much as its Japanese and Chinese counterparts. Approved by: Grandmaster Robert Castro - Eskabo Daan FMA Pulse: www.fmapulse.com Mustafa Gatdula’s How to Build a Dominant Fighter in 12 Months:\ Using Lesson from the Filipino Fighting Arts to Build Dominant Fighters By Mustafa Gatdula This book is for Martial Arts teachers, coaches and fighters. We are NOT teaching the martial arts in this book. Instead, I give you the steps needed to modify your system and teaching/training process to produce the highest quality martial arts fighters. Using this method, which is based in the Philippine Martial Arts, can enhance any martial arts program--regardless of style. [Paperback] Price: $29.00 Amazon.com - Click Here Philosophy of the Martial Arts: From the Perspective of the Philippine Martial Arts Practitioner By Mustafa Gatdula Collection of essays about the philosophy of the martial arts, from the point of view of the Philippine Martial Artist. Some essays can be found on the Filipino Fighting Secrets Live blog. [Paperback] Price: $29.00 Amazon.com - Click Here Manila, Philippines - Veteran internationalist Daniel Parantac placed third in taijiquan to deliver the first medal for the Team Philippines in the biennial 12th World Wushu Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Parantac chalked up 9.64 points in the event ruled by China’s Yunlong Chai with 9.70. Malaysian Lee Yang posted 9.69 for the silver medal. “I gave it all and when I was running second to the Chinese, there were tense moments. The favorite Malaysian and the Korean who won the silver medal in the taijiquan have yet to perform. “It was well while the Malaysian overtook me, the Korean fell short (by slimmest of margins, .01),” said Parantac. For his part, Wushu Federation Philippines secretary general Julian Camacho said, “I hope Daniel’s getting a bronze anew will spur our athletes to replicate the two goldmedal output we had in 2011.” Reigning world champion in the 48kg category, Jessie Aligaga towed three other Filipino bets – Benjie Rivera, Jean Claude Saclag and Evita Elise Zamora – to the semifinals for sure medals. Aligaga beat Chan Hau Wing of Hong Kong, Rivera, the 2011 world’s bronze medalist in the 56kg but now campaigning in the lower category, needed only two rounds of the best-ofthree-rounds match to dispose of Afghan Mohammad Ramin Naemi as did Zamora, who booted out another Hong Kong bet Chao Ho Yee. Saclag’s bout with Armenian Karapet Tevosyan went the distance after the former faltered in the second round. Pambansang Laro in Batang Pinoy Finals Arnis Philippines November 8, 2013 After the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) announced that arnis will not be played in the Batang Pinoy Finals merely because of complaints by a few non member coaches that delayed the games, many sentiments were received by ARPI expressing that they were saddened with the harsh decision that affected everyone in the arnis community. Since the announcement just a few days ago, ARPI accumulated hundreds of complaints coming from parents, LGU’s, athletes and other member coaches stating it is unfair that so many be deprived of their right to enjoy our very own native sport just because of a few. Many felt that all their hardships using their time, money and effort have been wasted. All of the expressed concerns had a very big impact on the decision to finish the arnis finals. Arnis is our National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines (R.A. 9850). It is our “Pambansang Laro”. Therefore, it should always be part of any activity of the PSC. To all those who expressed their lamentations, salamat at mabuhay kayo! Martial Arts of the Philippines Balintawak International Cebu By: Sam L. Buot Sr. Printed. Over, 280 pages of Historical and Technical aspects of Balintawak. This is a book that any practitioner would want in his or her library. This book is on CD. United States - $35 USD - this includes Shipping & Handling. Outside the United States - $45 USD - this includes Shipping & Handling. Note: This book is in PDF form on disk. It can not be Visit: ( www.buot.net ) merchandise section. Filipino Jins Rule Asian University Meet By Josef T. Ramos Manila Times - November 5, 2013 The Philippine Tae Kwon Do Team dominated the fourth Asian University Championship in Cheongyang, Korea. The victory strengthened their prospect of ruling the tae kwon do event of the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar in December. Filipino jins captured two gold, five silver, and six bronze medals in the meet held from November 1 to 4. Samuel Morrison and National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player Mary Anjelay Pelaez won a gold medal each in their respective weight categories. Aaron Francis Agojo, Jade Zafra, Christian Al dela Cruz, Kristopher Uy, and Maika Lizares Mora bagged silver medals, while Jane Narra, Paul Romero, Elaine Alora, Gershon Bautista, Eddtone Lumasac and Nicole Abigail Cham took home the bronze medals in the individual sparring event. The Philippine Team also won silver medals in the men and women’s sparring team event. Defense Survival Tactics for Law Enforcers By Maaster Oliver F. Garduce Defense Survival Tactics for Law Enforcers is an easy to read, step by step manual on basic and advance survival techniques, with illustrations for readers to further understand each execution. The instances used are based on daily experiences of police and public safety officers while performing their tasks. It includes, among others, techniques on police arrest, handcuffing and hostage situation. Authored by Oliver “Punite” Garduce, an international martial artist, an athlete, a teacher of PNP and SWAT team. $25Cdn.+shipping and handling.. Payment will be e-money transfer, via banking online. For further information contact: Oliver (647) 707-5527 or Claire (647) 739-5424 Email: ofgpunite@yahoo.com Rivera Wins Gold Medal in World Wushu Tilt By Josef T. Ramos Manila Times - November 8, 2013 Veteran artist Benjie Rivera ruled the men’s 52-kilogram sanshou event of the 12th World Wushu Championships held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Baguio City native Rivera, a gold medal winner in Sanda World Cup, defeated Vietnamese Hoang Hong Tu in the in the finals. World Wushu Championship 2011 and Sanda World Cup 2012 gold medal winner Jessie Aligaga of Iloilo settled for silver as he lost to Song Bu Er of China in the men’s 48-kg finals. The trio of taijiquan Daniel Parantac, John Keithley Chan, both of Baguio City and Norlence Ardee Catolico of Bacolod City added another silver in the duilian category. They scored 9.62 points behind the Iranians’ 9.68 showing. Newcomers Jean Claude Saclag of Baguio City (sanshou event 52kg) and Evita Elise Zamora of Davao City (sanshou 52kg event women’s) also bagged bronze medal each. Overall, the Philippines went home with one gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Rivera is the third Filipino to win two gold medals in the world championship. Taolu artist Samson Co, now the Wushu Federation of the Philippines Vice President started it in 1991 and 1993 with sanda fighter Rene Catalan duplicating his feat in 2003 and 2005. www.abanico.de 64 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 65 Mano-Mano: Arnis’ Method of Empty Hand Fighting Manila Times - November 9, 2013 The Filipino martial art of arnis is highly conceptual in nature. Understanding the underlying concepts of arnis is the key to mastering the transition from weapons to empty hand fighting. The most common way of translating arnis weapon techniques into empty hand applications is through the basic angles of attacks. In this scheme, you retain the angle but substitute the blade or the stick with your limbs. The concept of limb destruction (commonly referred to as “defanging the snake”) can be interpreted with or without weapons. Categorically, there are two ways to destroy a limb: through joint manipulation or by using strikes. An arnisador could easily destroy his enemy’s upper limbs even without a stick or blade. The nerve-rich areas at the base of the arms, the shoulders and the armpits are excellent targets. In the following photos, Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the founder of Modern Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial Arts demonstrates empty hand techniques of arnis called ManoMano (hand to hand). Nicolas traps the attacker’s right hand with a downward parry while delivering a right upper back fist to the face The Way of Abenir Kalis By Perry Gil S. Mallari - Fight Times Editor Manila Times - November 9, 2013 responsible for introducing me to “Tatang” [the late Escrima Grandmaster Antonio Illustrisimo] and to have trained with him for some time before he passed away. It was also through Pete [Pedro Reyes] that I was introduced to Master Tony Diego. It was my hunger for more knowledge that led me to these people and seeks instruction from them. Although I wouldn’t claim to have studied with all of them that long except for Pete with whom I have Maestro Fernando “Bong” Abenir studied for at least four Contributed Photo years since 1996, and with Master Tony (in his gym at Maestro Fernando “Bong” Abenir Binondo or his Sunday sessions is among the most dynamic at the Luneta Park) from whom I teachers of Filipino martial arts in got my certification to teach Kalis the country today. He describes Ilustrisimo. the current system he teaches as Then I was also a personal a synthesis of the various martial student of Mohamad Hadimulyo arts he has studied through the years. Abenir sits down with FIGHT from 1997 to 2000 whom I Times to reveal his philosophy as a fondly call Pahadi.I spent a lot teacher and the salient features of of afternoons with him at his quarters in the Philippine Sports his fighting art. Commission and at the Philsilat FIGHT Times: You’ve trained in a gym where I was taught Nusantara number of martial arts for so many years; can you tell us a brief account pencak silat and other silat forms before he went back in Indonesia. of your martial arts career? Pahadi concentrated more on Fernando Abenir: I started teaching me the self-defense training although informally with my father when I was around eight aspect of the art. He taught me or nine years old. He was teaching the techniques of knife fighting and more of the intricate locking me some of the basics of kuntao, and striking techniques of his art which he learned while working together with its jurus [forms] and as an overseas worker in Saudi his personal philosophies. Arabia. I also learned a few things He then introduced me about knife fighting and street fighting from a man called Inyong to his top student Bapak Oong Maryono, a three time undefeated who was a street fighter that world champion in pencak silat survived a lot of knife attacks. ohlaraga [sport silat] who taught I have been fortunate me a lot about the fighting enough to train with some of applications of the art in sport and the most well known Masters in street fighting. Sadly both of them Escrima such as Pedro Reyes and have already passed away. Master Master Tony Diego. These people O’ong died just recently. are all from Kalis Ilustrisimo and I also had Orlando Lapuz I have learned a lot from them as my chief instructor in Yaw-Yan especially with Pedro Reyes who was the very first among the group (Sayaw ng Kamatayan) He taught me this fighting system developed to teach me the rudiments and by Master Napoleon Fernandez. principles of the art. He was also He was also my instructor in muay thai when he first introduced it here way back in 1994. I also learned from several of the most respected personalities in full contact sport here in the country among them is Francis Pisa, a former national player in pencak silat who now resides in Australia. He once entered the Universal Reality Combat Championship and won. He was dubbed as one of the fastest to have ended the fight during that night. He was also the back-to-back champion in U.S. and in Europe in full contact sport. I learned how to really move fast and apply the leg catching techniques of silat from him. And last but not least, I also would like to give credit to John Baylon Sensei. Even with just a few months of having me as a student, he gave me a lot of insights and taught me real skills in the grappling aspect of Judo. He is a phenomenon in the history of Philippine judo being a consistent gold medalist in the South East Asian Games. FIGHT Times: Who do you think is your most influential teacher and how he influenced you as a martial artist and a man? Fernando Abenir: I have to give credit to Pendekar Mohamad Hadimulyo of Nusantara pencak silat and Master Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo. Both of them have given me so much knowledge in how to apply the combative aspects, principles and philosophies of the martial arts. It has also greatly influenced me as to how I impart this knowledge to my students. From Master Mohamad I learned a lot about patience and diligence through the practice of jurus. Everything has to be precise or near perfect before we move on to another lesson. With Master Tony, I learned so much about humility and giving respects to our elders even if they have said something against you just as long as they don’t go beyond the limit of physically hurting you. They are the most influential teachers in my life as a martial artist and as a person. FIGHT Times: What is your teaching philosophy and how would you describe the martial arts curriculum you’re teaching today? Fernando Abenir: The Abenir Kalis System is primarily a bladebased martial art, which derives the bulk of its techniques and fighting principles from Kalis Ilustrisimo, Yaw-Yan, other Filipino martial arts styles and Pencak Silat. I have combined these systems in order to come up with my own training system and also added techniques and strategies I discovered effective during live sparring. Most of the techniques that were effective during a full sparring session without protective gear were thoroughly observed whether their efficiency was replicated many times. I believe that during a fight wherein everything is sudden and happening so fast, you may not have time to think but instead must rely on your quick reaction to any attack or situation you are in. Our empty hand fighting system could be applied anytime regardless of the practitioner’s skill level. The weapons progression is used in conjunction with the empty hand training progression of the system in order for the practitioner to get a complete education in the variables possible with the major techniques and tactics employed in the Filipino martial arts. The major characteristic of Abenir Kalis is efficiency. It is a very pragmatic and practical. It does not waste time with unnecessary movements but instead goes right through the heart of the problem when dealing with an adversary. We make sure that the practitioner is able to fight or defend himself even with just a few sessions of training in our system. It does not mean achieving mastery of the skills and techniques of the system in such a short period of time but rather the skill and confidence to handle a street encounter. What we are after is for a student to learn to fight first and then work on the finer points of the art later. That is why we do a lot of dynamic drills during the first sessions and help the student analyze the different strategies and tactics that could be employed during a street fight. It does not matter much how well you execute the techniques during a fight as long as it scores or hits the target. People are not concerned on how beautiful you employ your techniques but rather who is left standing after the encounter. After learning these things, only then comes the formal training for the purpose of mastery of the system. FIGHT Times: What are your thoughts on traditional martial arts and Mixed martial arts? Fernando Abenir: Some people are traditionalist by heart while others are more into combat sport where practical techniques are employed full contact under certain rules and regulations. I find nothing wrong with choosing either paths or embracing both. It’s really up to the person to know what he or she wants. Personally, I practice both. FIGHT Times: What are your current projects and future goals? Fernando Abenir: I would be hosting a Filipino martial arts event on November 23, 2013 in Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong where different Filipino martial arts systems and styles would be given an opportunity to do demonstrations and conduct free lectures to young students. We are also planning to continue our Arnis Tournaments next year. My future goal is to give seminars and training here and abroad and to be able to help in educating the younger generation here in our country on the richness and beauty of our martial traditions and culture. The Basics of Filipino Martial Arts By Marc Lawrence Master Marc Lawrence Academy of Masters Hall of Fame - Life Time Award, developed this book based upon information gathered over years from 37 different Grandmasters, Masters, Guros and Instructors of what makes up the basics of the Filipino martial art known as Arnis, Eskrima, or Kali. The book contains photographs, diagrams and detailed information that explains what makes the basics any of the Filipino Martial Arts styles is use today. This book serves as companion to any Filipino mattial arts style and this information will enhance their skill. (92 pages) To Order: Click Here Batang Pinoy Finals New Dates Arnis Phlippines - www.arnisphilippines.com November 13, 2013 The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) moved Batang Pinoy National Finals in Bacolod City to January 28 to February 1, 2014 due to super typhoon “Yolanda” which devastated the Visayas region. Speech at Ayala Museum Makati, Philippines Speech By Punong Lakan Nicolas November 15, 2013 From the words of the Latin American literary figure, Jose Marti, “To be remembered beyond your time, you must plant a tree, bear a son, and write a book.” This has made me realize that living my life in this world would just be a moment in time and can easily be forgotten. Although, it can be possible to extend how others would remember me by... but then again, for what? Furthermore, as our local tourism promotes nowadays that “it’s more fun in the Philippines”, I would want to make it really interesting for people to remember me. Otherwise, where is the fun in that? And so, first, I had planted a tree. In my primary school, I remember planting a tree for a homeroom subject but whether that tree is still alive by now, I really don’t know because after passing the grade, I’ve simply forgotten about it. But there was one tree that I planted which grew big and bore many fruits and is now known as the Modern Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial Arts organization or simply called the MAMFMA which I planted its seed on July 21, 1995. This tree still stands after 18 years since its foundation and has produced fruits of 2,362 Arnis students and 76 black belts some of which have planted the same seeds from their mother tree and have grown their own trees of Arnis clubs and organizations. Now for the second requirement which is to bear a son, it’s quite complicated. I have no sons... but rather blessed with lovely daughters of which one had bore me my sweet granddaughter and would soon bear me with my first grandson. So, if there’s anyone out there who claims to be my son, come forth immediately or forever hold your peace!!! I’m just joking. But the truth is, I have more sons and daughters than I can imagine because of my Arnis students that would call be by the names: Ama or Itay (Filipino translation of the word, father), Tito or Uncle, Ninong or Godfather, Kuya or Big Brother, Maestro or Master, and simply Punong Lakan as how my MAMFMA family reveres me because of my paternal love to them. I was also named by The Manila Times newspaper and Central Books as “The Father of Modern Sinawali”. Sinawali by the way is a pattern of criss-cross movements same as in weaving but in Arnis, two Arnisadors perform criss-cross strikings with sticks as an exercise to enhance speed, coordination, and endurance. All Arnis schools perform the three traditional forms of Sinawali that are called the single, the double, and redonda. I suppose The Manila Times newspaper had to dubbed me with a certain name after developing 363 forms of Sinawali, and so, I became “The Father of Modern Sinawali” by which I am father again but this time to 363 Sinawali children. Finally, I have already written a book. Thrirty of them, actually, and published by Central Books who throughout the years have always been supportive in printing, advertising, and promoting all my books. I thank them from the bottom of my heart especially for always being honest in paying me with royalties for every book sold. And so, after planting the MAMFMA tree, after bearing children of Arnis, and after writing books about Arnis, will I be remembered by people beyond my time and with any interest at all? And, for what will I be remembered of? I cannot know while alive in this world. Only those who have met me and live past my time can only witness. But, I believe that as long as Arnis thrives in the heart and mind of Filipinos and that good publishing companies like Central Books maintain to provide the information in understanding the art; then I can have faith in the words of Marcus Aurelius that, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” Last word: My Motto If an Eagle Dies, he leaves his feather... If a Man dies, his memory remains.. 66 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 67 Knife Fighting: The Backbone of Filipino Martial Arts By Perry Gil S. Mallari Manila Times - November 16, 2013 Dan Inosanto once said that the knife is the backbone of the Filipino martial arts (FMA). The Philippines has an enduring blade culture and Filipino men in earlier times considered their attires incomplete without their knives on them. In some FMA schools, the stick is a mere training tool to teach the movements of the blade. The one thing that separates knife fighting from stick fighting or empty hand fighting is that it requires a killing commitment. There are primarily two ways to inflict damage with a knife – to stab with its point or to slash with its edge. In the above photos, Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the founder of Modern Arnis Mano-Mano Filipino Martial Arts demonstrates a solo daga or single knife technique using the pakal or ice pick grip while his opponent employs a standard grip. Interview or a Set Up to Call Me a Liar? By Kelly Worden November 17, 2013 Natural Spirit International www.kellyworden.com to Datu. The certification was nothing I asked for or actually pursued, strangely enough, when promoted to “Datu” I didn’t even know what the term met, I’m not Filipino nor do I interpret Tagalog fluently, few westerners do. I just know Professor dropped that “title bomb” on me and that was that, then and there I became the non-Filipino Datu. Politically it was challenging and I was left to respond to many statements regarding an American using that title. In short, there were lots of physical challenges to stabilize that unheard (nonFilipino) use of status and title. Over the early years of using the Datu title, I shook my A few weeks ago, I was requested head and questioned the logic but to do an audio interview on FMA people I admired such as Shishir Talk; I agreed. I was rather Inocalla, Leonard Trigg, Sonny surprised when my junior in age, Umpad, Ted Lucaylucay assured life experience, and Modern Arnis, me it was the honorable thing to Datu Tim Hartman was sitting in accept his blessing and work hard on the interview. It became to bring credibility to the title. In evident he had nothing useful to reflection, I believe I did do just say and said literally nothing for that, today it matters very little as I over an hour even when I believe time in the arts, personally addressed him; well, maybe there was a “mouse squeak” accomplishments, honor, integrity, and respect stand far above but nothing of substance. martial art ranks or titles. What was I didn’t understand why he difficult to achieve in martial arts needed to be involved but a few years ago is purchased openly days later it became evident. today for those that may choose a Initially I was just different path other than “time responding to simple questions honored training.” but the interview quickly became Now, I am not sure when fairly hot and active regarding my personal and professional opinions Tim actually started training but I on the current state of martial arts was informed by Rocky Paswick that he tested Tim for his Brown in America. Imagine that? When asked about Modern belt and at that time Rocky was a 4th degree black belt,, I just know Arnis I responded, “I was actively it was maybe 12 years after my involved in Modern Arnis since promotion that Tim Hartman got 1982 and promoted to Datu by promoted to Datu. Professor Presas in 1988. Prior to “Who?” I had never heard of that time I trained in boxing, him and internationally I am in Isshinryu karate, Shotokan, Yao touch with thousands of martial Mun Kung Fu and trained with J. artists who had never heard of him Cui Brocka in Combat Arnis who was directly under Ernesto Presas. I as well. I do know, since I am now “61 years old” Tim is a lot younger believe this is why Professor than me so his actual time in the decided my foundation in Arnis arts is minimal compared to the was established and made the years I have been actively involved. decision he did. I didn’t pay for At this point in history, certification and I was not physically tested for the promotion Professor Presas has passed on Roland Dantes - Remy Presas - Kelly Worden (RIP) so time moves on and although I teach Modern Arnis, my art has always continued to also evolve; “I honestly believe that is why Professor Presas called his art Modern Arnis and not “Presas Arnis” he never publicly referenced his art as “Presas Arnis!” Of course “History does not change; those who dishonor the past through deception merely seek to devise their own reality!” However bizarre it seems Tim Hartman is trying to rewrite history, at least that is what seems to be happening! Within Modern Arnis documented history, there were 6 practitioners promoted to Datu beginning with Shishir Inocalla, myself, Ric Bong Sun Jornales, Dieter Knuttell, David Hoffman, and Tim Hartman was the last in the succession yet today “he is advertising that “He is the highest ranked Modern Arnis practitioner and the highest tested Datu?” Please also bear in mind, this really has nothing to do with the Datu issue as much as it has to do with arrogance, ignorance, disrespect, and commercial marketing of fabricated history. Wow, now realize how perplexing it was to have Tim Hartman sitting in the background during my interview and not say a peep? Yet, a couple days later he decided to do his own interview and “Set the record straight!” Maybe the readers of this message can listen to my interview and let me know why Tim didn’t “Peep up when I offered him the opportunity to speak?” After a little reflection, I personally just think he didn’t have the balls to “Set the record Straight;” or maybe he just needed a nonresistive audience to swoosh his fabricated story of fantasy. For whatever reason, he didn’t call me and ask me to sit in on his interview? “Now isn’t that special?” I’m an old school practitioner, anyone who started the art prior to me is my senior and that include the distinct honor of being a practitioner of different arts, I have no problem recognizing truth and for me truth is “time in the art!” Equally relevant I recognize time more than I do paper; as a matter of fact I don’t value certificate paper much at all, I specifically value and respect “time in the art.” That said I can list a whole lot of people in Modern Arnis who are my seniors or peers in the art; it’s called mutual respect and not commercial marketing or “Oneups-man-ship!” Individuals such as Lee Lowry, Tom Bolden, Dan Anderson, Doug Pierre, Michael Morton, Fred Shadian, Dan Carr, David Converse, Dr. Jerome Barber, David Ng, Billy Bryant, Fred King, Bob Quinn, Jim Ladis, Terry Warham, Richard Roy, Rocky Pawsic, Bruce Chiu, Jim Power, Roland Rivera, Jim and Judy Clapp, Pete Katz, Richard Roy, Michael Bates are due equal respect across the board and alongside of me. Granted many are not my age but many had more time in Modern Arnis, either way, respect is relevant and although only six individuals were promoted to Datu, all others are still seniors within Modern Arnis. Now let’s address a little more immediate issue of rank and title, which would in fact be the last ranks and title Maters of Tapi Tapi presented to Randi Shea, Chuck Gauss, Ken Smith, Brian Zawalinski, Jim Lantis, and Jeff Delaney. It was this group that Professor entrusted to the Official IMAF Organization, not his supposed “son anuk, Tim Hartman.” Let me also clarify, Datu status does not give us seniority over anyone within Modern Arnis, it is utilized in a tribal sense, we were promoted or appointed as “Tribal Chief” of our own branch of Modern Arnis, simple as that! My Modern Arnis is not like anyone’s and that is what Professor Presas was acknowledging; my independence and my freedom to formulate my own expression of the art. The “Datu title” allowed us the independence to create our own branch of Modern Arnis. Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog Modern Arnis was left incomplete, no “heir to the system was announced prior to Professor Presas passing. I was there at his bedside along with Roland Dantes (RIP) if there was a successor Professor Presas would have had it documented in writing and witnessed by his longest most trusted friend and student“ Roland Dantes. Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog so I know for a fact there was little or no confusion as to how anything Professor may have said could have been misinterpreted! So to clear up an confusion, let me clarify it was not Jeff Delaney nor Tim Hartman, it was not anyone. Modern Arnis was Professor Remy A. Presas’ gift to the world! Pay real close attention, we did not inherit the Modern Arnis system, or “The Presas name, no one inherited the use of the Presas family name! The Presas name is legally reserved for actual Presas family descendants, we are all merely Modern Arnis practitioners!” So one question we should all consider would be; “How much arrogance does it take to “take another family’s name? without written consent” Really, take a minute and just ask yourself, “Who gets to take your family name and use it commercially? Although I will digress a bit, bear with me it took many years of silence within Modern Arnis for the webs of deceit to be weaved into fabricated undocumented stories of grandeur. I think we can all agree that “We as mere mortals cannot change documented history;” yet publicly Tim states he was the “Highest Tested Datu?” Wow, the truth is Tim Hartman was the only one tested for the title of Datu and he was the last one appointed in succession of the six.” No one else was tested, not Shishir, not me, Bong Sun, Dieter, David, none of the others; does that not seem strange, that five out of six practitioners appointed the title were not tested? “No one except Tim Hartman was physically tested, that is special treatment, wouldn’t you say?” You’ll have to speculate why that was the “special case,” it is really not that big of a mystery if you do your own research into why some students are tested and others are awarded their ranks in what sometimes appears to be a random surprise to the individual being honored by their teachers. Keep in mind, the truth is none of the other Modern Arnis practitioners Professor appointed the title of Datu needed to be tested; why? Because we didn’t know we had earned his blessing or were even considered being worthy of his acknowledgement, there was not celebrations, no test, no preplanned cake and ice cream gathering. It was Professor’s decision; he ruled his organization independently and he did whatever he felt was right, everyone in the industry knows this to be fact! None of us asked for the title or asked to be promoted! Isn’t that what being an honorable martial artist truly means, “Being humble and respectful enough to allow you’re teacher to decide your fate?” Am I missing something? WTF? Additionally, I find it strange that “if” Professor took the time to present Tim with a certificate of rank and title, it would only seem appropriate Professor Presas would also present Tim Hartman with physical proof of a certificate or a letter authenticating Tim’s additional claims of seniority! I further content if Tim Hartman has “no paper, no letter, no document, and no physical proof” that whatever he is claiming is nothing less than his misinterpretation of the facts! History and seniority does not change just because an individual wants his website to reflect his superior status without actually earning it! Let me reiterate, if “Tim Hartman is setting the record straight” it is only logical, professional, and honorable that Tim Hartman, set the record straight with documented proof!” Now just as a general point of reference, Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country, his health, and a whole lot more than any one person could even imagine just to establish his art and his reputation. There does not exist a person on this earth that does not bear the Presas name that deserves to “Inherit his sacrifices!” We as practitioners do not inherit our teacher’s skills, reputations, and sacrifices! Our teachers merely share their art with us and we develop our own skills, reputations, and sometimes we too, make our own sacrifices. That is the way of the warrior, truth in steel, and the code of honor which is as old as the time of mankind and the warrior ways. Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country and his health, just to establish his art and his reputation. Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders! Let me also clarify that above all Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders and teaching leaders, and sadly “to a fault.” This situation is a direct result of his kindness and his desire to make every student feel “they are number 1” a simple statement he made dozens of times during a weekend event. Maybe it would sound more like “Oh my God, you are number one!” and you would get a pat on the back, big smile, a hug, and then he would even call you family. That was one of the sacrifices many people do not realize or even think about “we, the students, would leave the seminars and go home to our families, Professor would go to a hotel room alone or maybe stay with a student’s family; his home was lost when he sacrificed his family and country for his art.” There were many of Professor’s students whom he felt were close enough for him to “feel welcome in their homes;” they know who we were and that alone was a great honor to be trusted with the responsibility to care for and share our homes with Professor when he needed us! We were always students, were not his “Real Family,” we are not Presas family members! I was there in Victoria B.C. at the Care Facility when the real Presas family finally found out he was in dire straits and on his death bed. I answered the telephone, and when he knew it was them he immediately began to cry and said to me out loud “I did not know my family still loved me!” He could not speak to them; I told Mary Ann I would call them in short order once I was able to stabilize Professor’s emotions. I was emotionally drawn in and together we embraced and cried until he could speak; it was then that a “Presas” family reunion was planned directly in the days to follow. It is important that everyone know at this time that Professor Presas was closing the door on his physical life and during the times Roland Dantes and I were with him, Professor was continually “Thanking God” for bringing his family back into his life. Just to clarify how consistently upset Professor was at Tim, I will share a brief statement I received from Dan McConnell regarding Tim’s constant reference that “I was like Professor’s son.” The following words are how Professor Presas personally stated his feelings on the subject of ‘anuk’ to Dan McConnell! “One of the times I was up in Victoria, Remy, Yvette and the kids, Maureen and I went to have dim sum. The term ‘anuk’ got brought up with regard to Tim and Remy said in his own words”- “Anuk means little baby. If it meant son, he would keep his mouth shut, but he will not keep his mouth shut”. Funny, how Tagolag is so easily misinterpreted by western thinking? Professor said many things to many people, He called me his “bodyguard,” Did I ever do any executive protection details for him? No! I recall him telling another martial artist he was a master of Sinawali, yet it is reported that another practitioner was appointed the Guardian of Modern Arnis Kuntao; oh shit, and my personal favorite a Governor of Modern Arnis! Professor told everyone from white belt to black, they were “Number 1″ in truth it was up to each and every one of us to prove it with our own accomplishments; Professor Presas despised coattailing and expected all his students to “Do your own work!” Anyone recall that statement? ”Unfortunately miscalculated impacts due to fabricated history, creates confusion above and beyond the small circle of the insecure. These fallacies actually destroy the integrity of truth for others!” “History reveals the beauty 68 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 69 of truth and natural evolution, yet within that sphere of natural progression we all can see the distorted manipulation of life and truth from human intervention; the manipulators of truth with a hunger to control others, to glorify their self-aggrandized position of power and importance.” It is now I contend that if there is no “Letter of truth, no written documentation, no certificate of authority” that Tim Hartman can produce then he needs to “Shut up” and step back in line; specifically in the lineage line that has proven to be the truth in all martial arts systems since recorded history of martial arts! History that is well documented, that is until the recent inception of commercialized American martial art marketing, you know, where you can claim anything on your website and not have to physically back it up on the floor or in the alley of life! Even Professor himself called his art “Modern Arnis” he did not reference it as Presas Arnis as Tim Hartman is attempting to do? “Standing silent is what allows ignorance and arrogance to flourish.” I can guarantee Professor Remy A. Presas would not have allowed anyone,,, literally anyone,, to take his family name and use it as a marketing tool for personalized glory. If Professor Presas wanted an “Heir to rule the system or he specifically wanted a highest ranked Datu to rule over all of Modern Arnis, he would have taken the steps to assure his wishes were followed by the letter!” “No letter, no documentation, no physical proof?” Well you decide… Respectfully, “Setting the Record Straight,” Kelly S. Worden Modern Arnis Practitioner Coming Soon formed to meet the professional, legal and social needs of the Filipino-American community. PABA strives to be a leading advocate on matters affecting Filipino-Americans and to increase Filipino-American participation and representation in the legal profession. Hildegarde Agunaldo, Attorney Filipino American Bar Association IMB Academy www.imbacademy.com Brennan Blades By Guro Scott Brennan P.O. Box 2331 Friday Harbor, Washington 98250 (360) 378-9732 ScottB@co.san-juan.wa.us Visit: www.sikaranpilipinas.com for availability Congratulations to the New Elected Officers for UFMAC: President: Professor Jordan Pallen Vice Pres: Professor Jim Schaufele Secretary: Punong Guro Maria Schaufele Treasurer: Guro James Garlit Sgt At Arms: Master Jim Mirador Senior Advisor Committee: Grandmaster Max Pallen Grandmaster Emil Bautista Grandmaster Michael Giron Grandmaster Dexter Labanog Official Launching of Sikaran Teacher’s Training Academy Book One unifiedfmacouncil.org Kelly’s Psychotic Episode By Tim Hartman November 21, 2013 Presas Arnis presasarnis.com Important Announcement These Four Manuals Published by the Mataw-Guro Association Have Been Consolidated into One Book To Order Contact: Louelle Lledo, Jr. - matawgurolou@yahoo.com Andy Sanano, Jr. - matawgurosanano@gmail.com The Filipino American Law Enforcement Officers and the Filipino American Bar Association Training in their Filipino Culture and Heritage Martial Arts. The International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy (IMB), the Filipino-American Law Enforcement Officers Association (FALEO) and the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) recently hosted its first annual Martial Arts and Self-Defense Training Day at the IMB facility in Torrance, California. The purpose of the event was to inform law enforcement officers, attorneys, and members of the communityat-large of self-defense techniques, including empty-hand, weapon and grappling defenses, as well as restraining and controlling maneuvers. Instruction placed an emphasis on developing agility, efficiency, respect and awareness in working with training partners to incorporate practical tactics into reactive behavior. Participants ranging from novices to black belts came from as far as San Diego and San Francisco to learn from Grand Master Richard Bustillo, the Chief Instructor of IMB, a 30year veteran of law enforcement and a certified law enforcement defense tactics (LEDT) instructor with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Sifu Bustillo’s martial arts career began at age 8, when he began learning boxing in his native Hawaii. At age 24, Sigung Bustillo began studying Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee. In conjunction with Sigung Dan Inosanto, Sigung Bustillo pursued the Filipino martial arts of Kali, Escrima and Arnis and facilitated their resurgence worldwide. Sigung Bustillo supported his explanation of technique execution at the seminar with lessons from his 60-plus years of practice and personal accounts of his experiences in the field. Sigung Bustillo credited programs like this Martial Arts and Self-Defense Training Day with passing on the legacy of the Filipino martial arts and culture onto a new generation of practitioners. “Filipinos have an identity many of us never knew existed,” Grand Master Bustillo stated. “I encourage you to add to what you’ve learned here today and make it your own.” Rob Villeza, a seasoned Assistant United States Attorney who is an active member of both FALEO and PABA, agreed. “We may not have realized it in signing up, but we’re here for more than camaraderie. We’re here to learn, first hand, about who we are and where we came from.” IMB holds international repute for its well-rounded curriculum, which is relevant to people of all ages and levels. Classes are offered six days a week and enrollment is ongoing. FALEO was established to promote fraternal relationships and cultural awareness amongst all members (sworn and non-sworn) in law enforcement. To that end, FALEO is committed to supporting cultural, educational, recreational, and charitable services within our Communities. PABA was Recently Datu Kelly Worden made a public statement about me on face book. I found his comments both insulting and false. I was quite surprised. I’ve been nothing but nice to him for quite some time. I invited him to teach at the Modern Arnis Reunion Camp. Made a special trip to the Poconos to help him out and teach (for free) at his camp. Did a product endorsement on my Modern Arnis Minute of his Travel Wrench and tried to arrange a Datu reunion in Seattle so he wouldn’t have to travel in his weakened state. Yet I’m the one showing him no respect? I’m hoping that this is a misunderstanding that can be cleared up, but I don’t feel that it is likely by the demeanor of his post. I’m only going to address a couple issues. The interview In August, I was the head official at the Pacific Island Tournament in Chicago. While I was there, I was interviewed by the staff of FMA Pulse. They told me that they would be editing the video and would post it on the net when they were done. A few weeks later, my fellow associates from FMA Talk Live scheduled Kelly to do an interview. I only found out about it the morning of the interview, but I made a point to be part of the podcast. My job on the show is to help people being interviewed feel more comfortable on the show. Seeing that Kelly had his own radio show, it was no surprise that he was very comfortable talking about himself. There was no need to say anything because he said it all himself. Furthermore after re-listening to my interview on FMA Pulse, I never brought up Kelly’s name nor made any references to him or any other Modern Arnis instructor. There was no diabolical intent. No one was trying to set up anyone. The timing was coincidental. Anyone can reach out to the respective groups and find out for themselves. If he would have just called me before he went off on me, I could have explained it was a coincidence. Using his words, it would have been nice if he would have “Manned Up” and actually send me a copy of his post. Instead, he unfriended me on Facebook so I couldn’t see what he wrote or reply. “Presas Arnis” I have explained this on the internet in the past, but it seems that I need to explain this one more time. I’m ranked by the Presas brothers in their respective systems. In Modern Arnis, I’m a 6th degree Black Belt and Datu. In Kombatan, I have the rank of 9th degree Black Belt and Grandmaster. In both systems my rank and titles were awarded directly by the Presas Brothers. I teach both systems together and, to give both of them proper respect, I go under the banner of Presas Arnis. 6th Degree Promotion Another issue seems to be about my 6th degree promotion and being awarded the title of Datu. I tested at the 2000 Michigan summer camp. Before the test, Professor Remy offered to promote me without testing in front of several of my Black Belts. I told him no, I came to test. At the end of the test, Professor made a speech in front of ALL of the campers. He said that my test was the highest one in over 17 years. He also said it made me the highest ranked Black Belt in the US. These were his words, not mine. This was also posted on the official IMAF website. You can verify this by following the link. https://web.archive.org/ web/20001006212437/http:// www.modernarnis.com/news.htm Datuship In addition to my belt promotion, I was also awarded the title of Datu. Professor told me because of my testing, I was now a Datu in everyone’s eyes. I tested for my rank, not to become a Datu. Furthermore, the year prior, Professor offered me the title, and I turned it down. Kelly knew about it, because he called to congratulate me. During my conversation with Kelly, I told him I turned it down. Inheritor I’ve never claimed to be 70 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 the sole inheritor of the art. We all are. But if you want confirmation that Professor wanted me to be one of the people to help the art continue, just look at the will. I’m included on the list that he wanted to form a corporation to continue spreading the art. The will has been posted on the net several times. It shouldn’t be hard to find. BTW, I don’t recall seeing Kelly’s name on that list. I could keep going on Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 71 refuting Kelly’s claims, but I know it will just fall on deaf ears. Everything I posted is true and verifiable. Anyone can play the “he said/she said” game. Kelly keeps saying that “everyone is saying things” but it seems that everyone is keeping quiet. Maybe he should just speak for himself and let the others with concerns do the same. I could make a lot of the same claims. I travel the world teaching martial arts. I just got back from Venezuela and now I’m off to the Philippines. And yes, there are many people whom haven’t heard of Kelly either. Furthermore, I could point out that he was never around. I started with Prof. around 1984. We never crossed paths until after Professor passed. Why? Maybe it’s because he left the Prof. Of course when the Prof. was dying and soon after he passed, all of the vultures came out. If you read Kelly’s post, you can see a lot of hypocrisy. So let me ask a question. Kelly, what rank, if any, do you have in Modern Arnis? As we know, not all of the Datus are ranked in the art, so what’s your rank and what certification do you have, if any? If anyone wants to talk to me, I’ll be available after December 10th. My school number is (716) 675-0899. It is forwarded to my cell phone when I’m out of the building. 4. “Violence is Never the Answer” On the contrary, sometimes violence is the only answer. It is an immediate and effective means of correcting anti-social behavior. Violence is a short term solution to an immediate problem. I wouldn’t try to rehabilitate a criminal by beating him on a daily basis and I wouldn’t try to counsel a man who was kicking in the door to my house. 5. “Use Non-Lethal Techniques First” This notion comes from the “escalation of force” concept that is always misinterpreted. Escalation of force applies to police work and basically comes down to verbal commands, physical and mechanical use of force and finally deadly use of force. If they don’t listen, you use your hands, feet, pepper spray, ASP, taser, etc to get them to comply. If they appear to want to hurt you or others and are capable you can use deadly force. This does NOT apply to technique. Somehow people have twisted this into meaning I start with pain compliance, then go to joint locks, then strikes and chokes…IT”S NONSENSE. When it comes down to self defense once you’ve made the decision to use force you have only one obligation – survive and stop the threat as fast as possible by whatever means possible. Messing around with complicated joint locks and pressure points only creates opportunity for your attacker to injure you. Your best bet is to use methods that will stop your attacker dead in his tracks. There is no classification in any law book that details what techniques you can use. There’s nothing that is “banned by the government” or “outlawed” either. No mention of technique or style. There’s only use of force and deadly force. Which means there are times you can use force and there are times you can use deadly force. Use of force cases focus on the circumstances of the situation and use terms like credible, reasonable and duty to retreat. Take this situation for example: You’re approached by some young thug by your car in an empty parking lot. He asks you for some spare change and you say you don’t have any. He continues to ask and you decide to back away, he follows you. Can you use force to defend yourself? Is he a “credible threat”? YES. Can you “retreat” without putting yourself at risk? NO. He’s following you and if you turn your back on him, you will be put at risk Is it “reasonable”to assume that his intent is more than just spare change? YES. You told him “NO” and he continued to stalk you. His intention must be more than what he has indicated. Can you defend yourself right now? YES. Can you use deadly force? Possibly. Depends on the details and your lawyer. More times than not, you’re outmatched you may be able to use deadly force. The bottom line, you don’t have to wait for him to physically attack you to use force, which brings me to… 6. “Always let your attacker, attack first.” This goes along with “always let him throw the first punch” which works in the school yard with 4th graders, but in the real world we call the guy who waits for the first punch the victim. Waiting for the punch or the grab is too late. A good street fighter is going to attack you with a barrage of punches and stabs and try to beat you into the earth. Yet everywhere in every martial arts and self defense class millions of students around the world, train to wait. What’s the first thing you do in self defense class? OK line up with your partner and let him grab you – STOP, there’s the problem. You’re training to wait for the attack. You’re training to let someone into your space, put their hands on you and attack. Against a real threat this is just too late. If they can put their hands on you, they’re too close. What you need to do is put yourself in a position of advantage and identify the intent of your threat BEFORE he makes a move. Then you attack in a way that takes into consideration that your attacker is armed, has intent, has friends, is bigger and stronger than you (all in Module 1 as well). 7. “Always fight ‘honorably’. Let’s make one thing clear – LIVE you life HONORABLY, but FIGHT DIRTY. Once the decision is made to go, then you need to go full bore, no BS. Never put yourself at risk by training in tactics that enable your attacker to “slip away.” In fact, the safest and most humane thing to do is to end the conflict as fast as possible. Your safety comes first – not your attacker’s safety. Going into a real fight with the notion that you’re superior fighter just because you got some time in a gym and underestimating your attacker is a HUGE mistake. Most f the scariest people you will ever meet, never spent a day in a dojo. What makes them dangerous isn’t their strength or their techniques, it’s their will to do anything it takes to get what they want. You must be willing to do the same. Hey, I get it, you don’t want to hurt anyone. Good, normal people don’t fantasize about hurting others. There’s not an argument that can’t be solved with decent communication. That’s why most “fights” don’t go beyond the verbal stage. But there are people who use violence to get want they want if they think it will work. To defeat these animals you must be willing to do whatever it takes to save yourself and the people you care about. It’s the only true way. The Seven Signs Your Instructor’s a Pussy Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company insider.theselfdefenseco.com Anti-violent mantras from the mouths of martial artists If you spent any time in a martial arts uniform, somewhere, someone along the line has told you to never use your art for violence. I call bullshit. There is CLEARLY a time to use force, if there isn’t, what the heck are we doing all of this for? People get attacked and raped every day (there’s your happy thought). Violence is real and it happens in every community. If you think you can talk your way out of any situation and will never have to resort to violence I have a great tip on a horse. The “never use violence” philosophy perplexed and confused me throughout my self defense and martial arts journey. There were times I even used these terms myself because I felt it was something I was obligated to say, like a disclaimer before an advertisment. To be honest, people like to hear that they don’t have to fight, it gives them some relief knowing that if they train and prepare, they will never have to fight. But that’s a lie and it’s irresponsible. Training with the hope that you’ll never fight is like learning to swim with a fear of water. You wouldn’t practice swimming so you don’t have to swim. At some point you’re going to get wet and in deep water so you better train like it’s going to happen. Now on to the Seven Signs Your Instructor’s a Pussy 1.”Always Walk Away” Do you mean turn your back on a potential threat? Do you mean run away? What if I have my kids there? Do I leave them? Seriously, I don’t understand this statement and for the life of me I really don’t know why someone would tell another human being this…EVER. Between normal, law abiding people there should never be a reason to use force. You can disagree without fighting and most times you do. But then there are times someone just doesn’t want to “agree to disagree” and take it to the next level. Now it doesn’t matter if the fight is over a parking space or your child’s life – the level of danger is the same and should be handled as such. A push is just a push, but if you slip and crack your skull you’re still just as dead. You should never turn your back on any threat and you should NEVER let them to get close enough to hit you. Now it’s not up to me (or anybody else) to TELL YOU you have to use force, just as it’s not up to some chuckle-head to tell you you have to walk away. To fight or not to fight is a personal decision that you have to make. I only tell you the best tactical time to use force (which happens to also fall within the guidelines for legal use of force). The decision to take advantage of this time is yours and yours alone. 2. “I train to Fight so I don’t have to Fight” Bruce Lee gets credit for this quote – the same guy who claims to have fought in “hundreds” of street fights. One of his “fights” was even depicted in the movie Dragon. So what gives? You’re training to fight AND still fighting?!?! Well if the legend of Bruce Lee is true, even the Kung Fu Master himself felt the need to “put foot to ass” from time to time. So let’s green light your decision to do the same. I like this quote better “I train to fight so I know how to fight.” When you know how to fight there’s a you get a certain “Alphaness” (I’m totally copyrighting that). Alphaness is the subconscious signal you put out when you really know how to protect yourself. This only happens when you have true knowledge and confidence in your skill and the will to follow through. 3. “Violence Never Solves Anything” Maybe not, but it sure stops a lot of stuff like rape, murder, WWII, the invasion if Iraq…should I keep going? There are many people on this earth that use violence to intimidate and take whatever they want. These animals only understand power and pain. The only way to stop them is with more power and pain. Now Available at I&I Sports! This is a 4 foot long staff constructed of dense rattan with skin. Hand-burned in the traditional manner and finished with a clear coat for added durability. Used by Arnis Tapado and Doce Pares for long stick fighting but suitable for many martial arts styles. Extremely lightweight and flexible, yet very durable. Perfect for practice or demonstration. Ideal for women and youth. 7/8in 1in thick. Weight approx. 12 - 18 oz. Burn pattern may vary slightly from picture. # WF0148A Click Here The Principles of Unarmed Combat By Mark Jacobs In The Principles of Unarmed Combat, Black Belt Magazine columnist Mark Jacobs breaks down the essential skills of empty-handed martial arts. Whether you train to win in the ring or survive on the street, this book will show you why some fighting skills work and why some don’t. Plus you’ll learn how to troubleshoot problem areas in your training, no matter what style you practice. Mark Jacobs has interviewed doctors and physicists, analyzed key scientific studies and synthesized the best available information about how to make martial arts work better. The result is a comprehensive, heavily researched guide to everything you should know about striking and grappling, offense and defense, and even the mental aspects of training. The Principles of Unarmed Combat is made up of over 50 chapters, organized into 10 information packed sections. You’ll get all of the topics you’d expect to find in a comprehensive guide to the fighting arts: posture, footwork, positioning, striking, kicking, takedowns and groundfighting. But unlike most how-to books, you’ll also get hard-to-find insider information on advanced topics like transitioning, fighting from the clinch, pain compliance, fight psychology, real world defense strategies and the dark side of sport fighting. Mark Jacobs has combined his decades in the martial arts with his skills as a professional journalist to create one of the most comprehensive books ever written on the skills, techniques, strategies and tactics of unarmed combat. Turtle Press: Click Here Amazon: Click Here Filipino Martioal Arts: Strategy and Tactics By Authors and martial arts experts Jon Rister and Risto Hietala, with Dr. Alfred Huang Eskrima, Arnis, Kali, these Filipino Martial Arts are brutally efficient combat techniques that seamlessly integrate both armed and unarmed fighting. They encompass a wide variety of martial implements, from sticks and knives to improvised weapons, and include empty-handed attack strikes and devastating joint locks. Authors and martial arts experts Jon Rister and Risto Hietala, with Dr. Alfred Huang, review a multitude of these martial methodologies in Filipino Martial Arts Strategy and Tactics. This work is aimed at both students seeking to gain a deeper understanding on the fundamentals of Filipino Martial Arts, and teachers looking for an alternate perspective on how to teach their tactics and techniques to their learners. The style utilized in this book is the Inosanto Blend, formulated by Magulang Na Guro Dan Inosanto, which itself draws from the Lacoste system, Villabrille, Ilustrisimo, and Balintawak Eskrima. It comprehensively covers the essentials of Filipino Martial Arts, the training methods, double stick and single stick techniques and their strikes, disarms and locks, as well as defenses against knife-wielding attackers. The text also comes with detailed illustrations to elucidate the forms and motions of Filipino Martial Arts, giving readers a better understanding of the combat techniques being discussed. The work of Rister, Hietala and Dr. Huang is a comprehensive and invaluable discourse on stick and knife fighting. It will prove highly useful for students and instructors alike in reviewing and analyzing their techniques in between practice sessions, and will greatly help enrich their knowledge on Filipino Martial Arts Strategy and Tactics. Learn More and Order: www.kalirister.com Perfect Bound Softcover: Price $19.99 Casebound Hardcover: Price $29.99 E-Book: Price $3.99 72 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 73 Jeff Wagner - President of WOMA-USA November 22,2013 It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation as president of WOMA-USA. During my short tenure in this office, we have made many strides forward as an organization. We have brought in many very important dignitaries from Cary Tagawa to Rachel Grant, Alan Goldberg and Cynthia Rothrock and made WOMA-USA a well respected organization in the USA. We have, due to international WOMA groups, also lost many of our great members such as Shidoshi Glenn Perry, Shidoshi Ron Van Cleif and Shidoshi Miguel Rivera. The “PhDs” issued from other countries are not legal in the USA nor are they legal in most other countries, as WOMA has no issuing authority for these types of degrees. WOMAPhil has been the greatest of the violators of this policy. We were told over and over that it had stopped and it hasn’t. The same people who violated it in the first place continue to violate it now. We, as WOMA, have lost our way, preferring to gift titles such as “general”, “prince”, etc. and failing to recognize the importance of what this federation was about in the first place; a martial arts brotherhood. We have too many “grandmasters” that can’t even see their own feet and have no school, no students and have never put on an actual demonstration of their skills. I find it particularly egregious when people post a “Dr. in Martial Science” and the whole of the WOMA group likes it and comments, yet when respected masters post some videos of their techniques, they get few likes and almost no comments. Finally, this last year has seen the WOMA-USA board making progress in America on persecuting and disavowing the fake PhDs. We had to make some tough choices and kick out members that did not comply. In fact, one member had chance after chance and continued to issue these documents claiming he and he alone was above WOMA-USA policy. I see now that member and others like him have received loyalty awards. Let me categorically state that I, nor did the national board of WOMAUSA issue or agree that these certificates be issued. For me, this was the final issue that compelled me to make my decision. In closing, Miss Rachel Grant, Master Cynthia Rothrock and Grandmaster Cary Tagawa have asked that without me in WOMA, their images are no longer used in association with WOMA activities. These are members who would not have been in WOMA if not for me or Shidoshi Perry’s direct involvement. They have respectfully asked me to ensure that their images are no longer used in this regard. I wish WOMA-USA the best of luck and future success, bu t I mist be true to myself and I cannot tolerate some of the behavior of some of the group. All the Best, Jeff Wagner “Have Some Heart, Man” (Setting the Record Straight! Pt. 2) By Kelly Worden November 22, 2013 Natural Spirit International - www.kellyworden.com Psychological studies into the nature of debate and its effects have proven that such discourse rarely, if ever, changes someone’s mind over their personally held beliefs. It has been shown, rather, that debate, more often than not, entrenches the participants deeper into their already possessed notions. Uncommon is the individual who is openminded enough to change their opinions when meant with concrete facts that refute their preconceived ideas. In the realm of martial arts, as in any industry or endeavor, such a phenomenon is no exception. Nevertheless, despite knowing this mental aberration we all possess, the fault of never wanting to be found wrong, it is still necessary to set the record straight regarding some misconceptions and outright corruptions that abound in today’s martial arts environment. Tragically, as much as it pains me to say so, such can be seen in some portions of the Modern Arnis community as well. While many have carried the torch of Modern Arnis in a way that would have made Professor Presas proud, much has been done to tarnish the gold standard that we were left to polish after his untimely passing. In all martial arts environments one is meant with many opinions wielded as facts and often mythology lauded as history. The cult of personality runs rampant in our profession and “experts,” “masters,” and “the best” abound around every corner, with often no more than the individual’s own mouth to assert and support such claims about themselves. While many obvious and precise examples could be given illustrating this contention – while it would easy to simply “name names” – this composition will strive to avoid slinging such particular mud as the intended targets (and their supporters) would gain no growth from such specific critiquing, but would simply revert to the argument made above; they would simply entrench themselves deeper into their own misconceptions, justifications, projections, and denial. Instead, this treatise will work to show the principles in play today that reveal the charlatans and snake-oil salesman that ply their wares in the environment of martial arts like Modern Arnis. To reiterate: rare is the martial arts “master” (or man in general) who will face up to his own mistakes and confess his errors, especially if his years have been spent constructing fabrications and overstatements about himself. The individual(s) to whom I indirectly refer will become obvious with my arguments that follow, at least to the pertinent circles involved in these issues. Bear with me as I construct an historical background upon which to build this critical thesis. When I am done doing so, it is my hope that those with whom I bring into question will either cease their empty pursuits of illgotten martial gain or will nut-up and try to shut my mouth in person. In ancient times, in those bygone eras that gave birth to the martial arts with which we are the current torch-bearers, the verdict of who was an expert or a master, of who was the “best” and who was not, was easily and quickly resolved with little verbal debate. It was done without blogs, without website chatter, and without litigation. Such pronouncements came through the verdict decided in trial-by-combat alone. If you proclaimed to be the new big billy bad-ass on the block than you had to prove it in the only way pertinent to martial arts discussion; you fought for it. Such a crucible of proof was unambiguous and gave the final direction over who could wear what mantle upon their shoulders or what belt upon their hips. Trial-by-combat was exercised in more than one way. It may have been executed by going to war with one’s enemies and surviving the melee of hand-tohand combat in full-scale battle. In contrast, it may have also been exercised in one-on-one encounters against other professed experts, such as in formal duels or challenges, or in no-holds barred competitions to the death. Some men, such as Japan’s kensei (sword saint), the ronin samurai Miyamoto Musashi, made their bones by engaging in both arenas. In modern times, Professor Remy Presas was another who proved himself in such a way, through the trial and fire of actual blood-matches. Professor Leonard Trigg was the first practitioner to train with both Ernesto and later with Remy Presas; when he began his training with Remy he was told specifically “Modern Arnis is my system, I do not want Ernesto’s methods confused with Modern Arnis; if you are training in Modern Arnis do not deviate from my art!” Professor Trigg honored that request as he has never blended the two systems. “Is Professor Trigg lying,” You tell him! Today, in contrast, reputations are often being built, not by the laurels one has achieved for himself by the surefire test of combative experience, but by far less glorious means. “Grandmasters” sprout like bean pods from fertilizer proclaiming their worth by riding on the coattails of the men with whom they trained, never achieving the same level of expertise as those under whom they have been shadowed. Furthermore, as if time on the matts automatically translated to ability, many in today’s martial industry erroneously make claims to twenty or thirty years of experience not realizing they have simply gained one year of experience twenty or thirty times over. In the worst of scenarios there are even those who have done no less than purchase their rank, as if skill was a whore to be bought from instructor-pimps with a piece of ass for sale. Like martial artistic P.T. Barnums such men self-promote their own grandeur through aggrandizing marketing schemes, corrupt federation politics, misleading website advertising, and unabashed egotism. Sure he’s a Grandmaster! See here? His business card says so! “Tim Hartman, Datu of Modern Arnis, 9th degree Grandmaster of Kombaton, highly skilled practitioner of the deadly art of Balintawak Arnis?” Years ago my senior in the art and life Isidro Archibeque told me “There is only one degree of death; the black belt represents the ability to spare or take a life, nothing more, nothing less!” How many belts can one young master actually represent without violating the integrity of his teachers’ trust, honor, and reputations! Unlike our martial ancestors, rare is the selfproclaimed master today who has even experienced true combat or even a life-threatening street fight. Bloody noses and black eyes fall far short of the ordeals experienced by our ancestral Masters of yesteryear. Today, many are nothing more than arm-chair samurais and dojo-technicians replete in their own high opinion of themselves; opinions tested in few, if any, real life encounters. And when such massive egos are challenged by a real invitation to prove their worth, to test their skill in the only arena in which martial prowess can be proven (that of the combative duel; of mano y mano) – what then? They hide behind the laws of our modern civilized society that frowns upon such challenges; or worse yet, they hide cowering behind their bow-tied attorneys and hourly legal fees, minimizing such challenges as “beneath them,” all the while continuing to hype their own superiority that has never been tested or proven one way or another. Beyond these considerations of one’s skill, experience, and knowledge, in our day and age often way too much attention is paid to the supposed rank rightly held or supposedly claimed by a practitioner. Remember, in the old days there weren’t all these stages, all these belts and titles, bells and whistles, given out. In many cases in ancient times any given system simply had four stages or levels: students, instructors, masters, and one Grandmaster. When the one Grandmaster died, the mantle was left to his eldest son, or alternatively, to the most capable master he had. We were all blessed with the teachings and the art of Modern Arnis isn’t that enough to truly represent the teacher we all loved and respected? “The Presas Family name is off-base and it is an ethical and moral violation to underhandedly use another man’s family name for commercial marketing or financial gain; let alone taking the name of a great teacher whom sacrificed his family, country, and life to share the art with everyone who he touched!” Since the relatively modern advent of Dr. Kano’s Kodokan Judo in the early 20th century, the system of colored student belts (kyu rankings) and levels of black belts (dan rankings) that he instituted have almost been universally adopted, in one scheme or another, by many martial styles and cultures; Korean, Filipino, Chinese, etc. etc. Now, instead of the student/instructor/ master/Grandmaster schematic traditionally utilized, most systems today are replete with colored belts, sashes, tabs, multiple danrankings, and even multiple Grandmasters! Unbelievably, some systems have even erroneously transcended the traditional ten dan ranks and now proclaim eleven, twelve, and even fifteenth level dans! WTF? Have we not come to understand that such rankings are completely arbitrary and have no standardization? Thus, what good are they in judging the man’s capabilities? What is black belt status in one school may not hold green belt status in another, depending upon the particular instructor’s curriculum and requirements. I have known black belts who couldn’t punch their way out of the proverbial wet paper bag. And I have known white belts fresh in off the street who could clean everyone’s clock in the dojo. Such is the worth of judging practitioners by their belt color. What color is his belt? Gold with a red stripe? Red and white patched? Pink polka-dots with camouflage trim? What level or title does he hold? Is it Hanshi, Great Great Grandmaster, Is it Datu? Is it Sifu? Or is it screw you? Does anyone really believe that such considerations hold any relevance when that same person is met with a cracked-up psychopath wielding a straight razor in an alleyway? Does it really matter how he is addressed at a training camp when his M4 is out of ammo, Ka-Bar drawn, and his foxhole is overrun with Taliban? No. Of course not. Then all that matters is skill and heart. And even if you’ve got game in the studio, if you don’t have heart on the street, if you don’t have spirit and intestinal fortitude on the battlefield, if you don’t have what Papa Hemmingway called “grace under pressure;” well, it all becomes quite academic – don’t it? Despite all the titles, all the proclamations, all the degrees, all the rankings, all the fancy-dancy belts. . .the bottom line is. . .you’ve got to have some heart, man. Without it, you’re just cheese in the tortellini; just Spam in a can; just another stuffed gi wrapped up nice and tight for the photo op and buffet dinner afterwards. “My door is always open for those that disrespect my teacher or me!” When Professor was dying on his deathbed, and I and other stalwarts (like the late, great Roland Dantes), were there with him, he fully expected to pull through his illness and return to teaching the art he loved and founded. Sadly, he didn’t, and Modern Arnis has since entered a limbo of virtual chaos with various factions attempting to salvage the unity it once had. Some, thankfully, did tread their own honorable paths and creatively evolved the art in a rightful way that would have made the Professor very proud. Upon them should the mantle of leadership and respect justifiably land. Others, like vultures over a fresh carcass or spoiled in-laws at the reading of a will, have unscrupulously jockeyed for headhoncho status when they should have been blazing their own trails through the wilderness. Leaches and parasites, vampires and ghouls, they road on his coattails, pulled along for a ride they didn’t have the tenacity to hike on their own. They embezzled his legend for their own profit and purposes, prostituting what he fully had through their lesser mediums of hyperbole and self- aggrandizement. Upon them should a karmic pox be unleashed. Their true colors, their real motivations and intentions, will someday be unveiled and the eyes that will be cast upon them will be those of disgust and dismay. They have been warned. And those detractors who may question my worthiness to put such considerations on paper; who doubt my own place within the hierarchy of such topics or my right to question such matters? I may surprise all by stating that their opinions, like all arguments, are worthy of consideration. Please, and by all means, put my credentials to the test. Question my history. Research my background. Investigate my experience. Doubt and question me. I welcome it. I need not rehash my laurels here as they have been extensively outlined in innumerous mediums for years. To list my martial and tactical résumé is redundant and may be easily gained by any wishing to do so. I encourage those naysayers to scrutinize it for themselves. Study my dozens of instructional videos. Read my many papers and interviews published over the years. Talk to the countless law enforcement, military specialforces, and citizens warriors I have trained on multiple continents. I fear no reprimand from any among the masses or from any peers, and am fully prepared to back it up by the historical standard detailed above. Understand, however (and I extend this disclaimer with all humility), I am far from making the claim of being the best or the “baddest.” I am far from being the only valid teacher out there. If this is the conclusion you’ve gleaned from this essay, you’ve completely missed my point. The bottom line of this tirade is. . .valid instructors and practitioners abound in this world and are wrongfully being overshadowed by “fly-by-nighters” announcing titles, rank, and skill they do not possess, especially (and regrettably) within some of the surviving ranks of Modern Arnis. If anything, the main point of this essay is, for anyone seeking genuine Modern Arnis or martial arts instruction in whatever system: Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware”. In other words, and in closing, to break it down in a more colloquial way: Just because the guy smells like ape-shit don’t make him Tarzan! Judge him by the fruit he bears. 74 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 75 The Power of the Palm Stick By Perry Gil S. Mallari Fight Times Editor Manila Times - November 23, 2013 matter what the hand is holding.” The most obvious benefit of training with the palm stick is that it is a weapon that is easy to conceal. And even if you don’t carry a palm stick, some common objects can be used as a substitute like a thick pen, an Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas (right) checks the punching hand of his attacker while delivering a hit to eyeglass case or other sturdy the bicep with his dulo-dulo objects of similar shape. The palm stick is known by many Folding knives like the names among Filipino martial balisong or the modern tactical arts (FMA) practitioners. Among folder can be deployed in a less the more popular terms for this lethal manner by using them weapon are tabak maliit (small sword), olisi palad (palm stick) and closed as a palm stick. Some tactical folders are built with a dulo-dulo (one end to the other). glass breaker making them ideal The most common bludgeoning implements. In the material for making palm sticks is case of the balisong, it is better to hardwood though versions made use the exposed tang of the closed of steel or hard plastic are also blade for hitting than the other available. There are even a few end of the handle where the latch traditional escrimadors who use is located because the latter is deer antlers (sungay ng usa) as more susceptible to damage. palm stick. Another benefit of palm While there are Filipino stick training is that after the martial art styles that offer extensive curriculum on the use of dagger, it is the shortest weapon that an FMA student can learn the palm stick, a knowledgeable to understand the transition escrimador knows that it is just another weapon. If he understands between weapons and empty hand fighting. Take note that the the essence of the FMA, he knows FMA being originally a battlefield he can pick up any handheld art has a reversed progression weapon regardless of shape and size and use it effectively, to quote of training compared to other Asian martial arts. In arnis, escrima Dan Inosanto, “When you get to and kali, the student trains with the root of a technique, it doesn’t weapons first then later on progress to empty hand fighting. A quote from the late escrima master John LaCoste in Inosanto’s book The Filipino Martial Arts reads, “If you want to learn how to use your fist – you must first learn how to use the weapon.” As a student progresses in FMA training, he would realize that by shortening the weapon, all the techniques would work just as well in empty hand combat. The palm stick is primarily an impact weapon that can be employed using hammering, hooking or jabbing motions. To me, the most damaging way to use the palm stick is via trap and hit technique meaning you immobilize the opponent’s hand with some kind of hold or lock so you can pummel on his skull with impunity. In a grappling situation, you can use the palm stick to pinch on flesh or to dig on nerverich areas. All the basic angles of attack employed in stick and dagger training are applicable to palm stick practice. From that, the student can progress to basic limb destruction drills with a partner before proceeding to specific selfdefense techniques and eventually free sparring. While the angles of attacks remain constant in arnis, escrima, kali training, the student must realize that there are subtle differences when transitioning from weapons to empty hand combat. A change in reach will obviously affect how you close the gap and score a hit on your opponent. A weapon with a shorter reach also means more danger to the user. Using a palm stick therefore requires more skilful footwork before you can close in and inflict damage on your foe. A student must also realize that a palm stick cannot compete with a regular fighting stick or a dagger in terms of stopping power. It simply lacks the weight and mass of a hardwood garote or the sharp edge of a knife hence the wielder of a palm stick must generate greater striking force and must carefully select his target to inflict a disabling injury. The palm stick is used in close range so the necessary attributes for fighting in that kind of distance must be likewise developed. Besides hand speed, arm strength and body placement, a crucial attribute in using the palm stick is kinesthetic sensitivity. The latter is the ability to read the energy of one’s opponent through touch. Tapi-tapi and other close quarter drills where you are taught to detect pressure or lack of pressure in your partner’s limbs are good ways of developing kinesthetic sensitivity. You need kinesthetic sensitivity when fighting close range because in that environment you cannot depend much on your sight to detect strikes from your foe. When you are in clinch or trapping range, your defense would most likely depend on your kinesthetic sense. Originally published in fmapulse.com ‘Crafty Dog’ Preaches Higher Consciousness Through Harder Contact By James Mendoza - Contributor Manila Times - November 23, 2013 If martial arts factions were judged base on notoriety, then the Dog Brothers would win swimmingly. Their reputation stems from the group’s willingness to test their skills in “gatherings of the pack,” wherein members fight each other full-contact using a variety of weapons such as sticks, staves and training knives. One of the founders and the “guiding force” of the Dog Brothers is Guro Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny, a long-time student of Filipino martial arts (FMA) luminaries such as Dan Inosanto, Leo Gaje of Pekiti Tirsia, and the late Edgar Sulite of Lameco. He is also a brown belt in Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) under Rigan Machado, and won a medal twice in the Pan Am Games. Fight Times caught up with Crafty Dog for an interview, where he shared his thoughts on training, his influences, and his system. Fight Times: What attracted you to the Filipino martial arts? Marc Denny: The origin of my interest had to do with dealing with street crime in New York City, where I grew up. The problem presented usually had to do with uneven numbers and weapons. A worthy solution will require weapons skills and anti-weapons skills, and should be usable throughout one’s life. Fight Times: What can an Filipino martial arts practitioner find different in Dog Brothers Martial Arts training? Marc Denny: Although the Filipino martial arts are the core of Dog Brothers Martial Arts we also have a strong influence from krabi krabong, BJJ, silat, and some other things as well. Whereas many Filipino martial arts systems tend to prefer a particular range (largo, medio, or corto) our range theory is a bit different: we have seven ranges, and have quite a bit of training method and technique for scientifically closing, so that we have that option when we fight. Fight Times: How important is sparring in weapons training? Marc Denny at 61 is still in peak fighting Marc Denny: In a real threat form. Photo Courtesy of Marc Denny situation, the adrenal dump is going to be very, very high. You do not want to experience the always sought to accomplish three things in a fight: first, I would look skill degradation and the oxygen burn of a serious adrenal dump for to hit my opponent well in the the first time when the situation is outer ranges without getting hit in return; second I looked to close real. technically, i.e., without getting hit Fight Times: How did your training in the head; and third, to finish him in BJJ influence your thinking and with stickgrappling. If I could do all approach toward the Filipino three of these things consistently, martial arts? then I felt I had a well-rounded Marc Denny: In my fighting I game. Fight Times: BJJ supposedly answered the question of how a weaker person can defeat a stronger opponent using technique. What fundamental question or problem in fighting has the Filipino martial arts addressed? Marc Denny: I would note that BJJ, as it is practiced today, is a combat sport. What we might call the “the fighting face” of BJJ is mixed martial arts (MMA) and that MMA now has weight divisions. With the necessary modifications, my training in BJJ with the Machado Brother has been of great value to me in my Real Contact Stickfighting. That said, BJJ/MMA is about young male ritual hierarchical fighting whereas the Filipino martial arts, having their origin in territorial tribal combat have a different inner essence that is more applicable to the multiple player realities of the street—these realities including weapons. Fight Times: How can the Filipino martial arts training improve the performance of combat sports athletes such as MMA fighters? Marc Denny: For someone looking for an edge in MMA, in my opinion we have quite a lot to offer. Bantamweight RFA [Resurrection Fighting Alliance] champion Pedro Munhoz of Team Blackhouse has worked with me and has endorsed Kali Tudo (Dog Brothers’ blend of Filipino martial arts and Brazilian vale tudo, or full-contact unarmed fighting) and I hope to soon begin working with a very big name. This may or may not happen. It is understandable that a successful fighter will be leery of adding something different to that with which he has already had good results. Fight Times: What counsel can you give to FMA practitioners who want to cross-train with other disciplines? Marc Denny: These are questions each person must answer for himself. What is true for you may not be true for me and vice versa. My idea is that I search for truth as best as I can, wherever that may lead me. My understanding is that this is how the Filipino martial arts got to be so good. Fight Times: Do you see Dog Brothers gatherings as a continuation or revival of the juego todo culture of the Philippines? Marc Denny: Our values are not those of the “death matches” of old; our credo is “Higher Consciousness through Harder Contact” but I would feel deeply honored if we were so perceived here in the homeland of the Art. to suffer fools is gone as well. It doesn’t matter if its wrapped in great skills, the ability to sell yellow snow to an eskimo (my thanks to frank Zappa!) or a stunningly beautiful package. The wrapping isn’t worth the time or effort to get to the inside package: it’s all a scam, smoke, fog and mirrors anyways. Like the typical fool I buy the Brooklyn bridge and then attempt to save the fair maiden in distress and inevitably it turns out the Bridge is already sold or its a footbridge in the Andes and the maiden should have been left in the tower or in the distress shes in the middle of because its where she needed to be. Oh fair sincubus suck my soul for your life and cast the remainig shell away... Of course white knights make the same mistake each time and worse, when we get to the maiden and rescue her we get called and blamed as if we were the black knight or the Sheriff of Nottingham...or Bluebeard himself. It’s truly the case of let no good deed go unpunished. Be chaste, be chivalrous, be honest and caring...be forthright and believe in might for right and get your armor bashed, dented and mutilated by the very one’s you try to aid... Be scholarly and sharing, be a teacher, a guide of the old code and get your loyalty shattered, your efforts stolen and your legacy sold out beneath you as if it wasn’t yours anyways.. many of us give of ourselves for freely.. mind body and soul...we don’t need karmic vampires sucking out our souls and lives. The sincubus has made her move, used the white knight to get past her issues and then burned him at the stake by accusing him falsely of indiscretions so she can continue to attract and consume other knights and bring them around to her cause... Its a watch your back and soul for the demands of the many nowadays outwheigh the lives of the few... Yeah..like I said I’ll no longer suffer fools and the like..nor let myself be fooled by the others... and cyber lies..misplaced facebook stories and issues are worthless... live long and prosper! But remember only the good die young... Words Worth Remembering By Bram Frank November 23, 2013 I find that over time my patience for stupidity, narcissism, jealousy and rampant egos has become almost nil. My ability Thomas Sipin: Intermediate Eskrima The first two volumes are well put together that instructs the basics of Doce Pares. They are easy to follow and with Grandmaster Sipins, explanations and the demonstrations with his assistants bring about a learning experience as if being taught in person. Volume 1: Corto Abesedarios and Basic Forms. Grandmaster Thomas Sipin, his son Master Kelii Sipin and Guro Jenny Noval will show you Doce Pares forms 1 through 4, with a sword and dagger variation. Also covered are drills to improve your close range attacking, checking, and countering including Doce Pares Corto Kurbada. Volume 2: Larga Mano Abesedarios and Intermediate Forms - Introduces Doce Pares forms 5 through 8, and addresses long range attacking, countering and movement drills. In Volume 3 Grandmaster Sipin and his assistants use some realistic and basic traps, locks, and disarming techniques that are practical and easy to add to a persons’ arsenal of knowledge. His explanations are easy to follow and can clearly be understand. Volume 3: Intermediate Weapon Disarming - Demonstrates trapping, locking and disarming drills against both stick and knife attacks. Competition is a default area to really instruct in, for it takes a feeling and many training sessions to really perfect an arsenal that will be effective. However Grandmaster Sipin through Volume 4 breaks down various techniques which can be used and points out some very interesting thoughts on competition, which even some seasoned practitioners forget from time to time. Volume 4: Training for Competition Stick Fighting - Demonstrates how to improve yur training for competition stick fighting with striking combinations to develop continuous hitting, along with footwork and movement drills. It is highly suggested that if you have not experienced Doce Pares, get the DVDs to learn insights into the art. If a student of Doce Pares it would be great to have in your library as reference and even if a veteran, you might find some things which can assist in bringing out some valued points in teaching the art. Volume 5: Intermediate Knife. Grandmaster Thomas Sipin, his son Master Kelii Sipin, and Guro Jenny Noval demonstrate intermediate knife techniques such as emergency evasion, angles of attack, blocking, trapping, passing, and techniques for knife vs. knife. Volume 6: Empty Hand and Palm Stick. Grandmaster Thomas Sipin, his son Master Kelii Sipin, and Guro Jenny Noval show you intermediate empty hand skills using hands, feet, elbows and knees for attack. Transition drills to apply your weapons training to empty hands for checking, passing, limb control and destruction are covered. You will also learn palm stick techniques, combinations and tactics for striking, blocking and controlling an attacker. Also applicable to small flashlights or similar objects. To order: www.centurymartialarts.com Cost Each: $19.99 76 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Visit Philippines, My Philippines on FaceBook: Click Here The fiesta is of Spanish origin. Spain, being a Roman Catholic country, set aside certain days to remember particular saints with processions and celebrations. When Spanish missionaries entered the Philippines during the mid-1500s, they found that the fiesta was a convenient tool to help teach Filipinos the Roman Catholic faith. In the old animistic culture, regular ritual offerings were made to placate the gods, and these offerings evolved into the fiestas we know today. From the very beginning Spaniards brought missionaries to the Islands. The Spanish wanted to christianize the people, as well as colonize the country. The missionaries tried to attract the people, who lived in widespread areas, to the towns where there were Roman Catholic churches. Many communities were given names of saints. Nearly all towns have a patron saint to remember. Missionaries hoped and expected that people would be drawn to an d participate in the colorful processions and religious dramas. Early in the Spanish period (1565-1898), existing folk rituals seem often to have been combined with what the missionaries were trying to teach. According to Roman Catholic scholars, after some three hundred years of Spanish presence in the Philippines, most of the pre-Spanish features of the festivals have faded. The fiestas have become Filipino Roman Catholic feasts. Today every town and city in the Philippines has a fiesta of its own whatever time of the year it is, there’s sure to be a fiesta going on somewhere! Festivals Calendar January Feast of the Black Nazarene: January 9 - People from all walks of life go to Quiapo to venerate the miraculous wooden black statue of Christ carried by male devotees during the procession. Biniray: January 9 - A festival parade in the sea followed by a celebration in Romblon Town. Sinulog: 3rd Week - Cebu City’s largest festival, held during the third week of January. It celebrates the Christ Child and features processions and a unique dance step - the Sinulog. The festival is also held at about the same time in Digos, Davao Del Sur and Kabankalan, Negros. Ati-Atihan: 3rd Week - Internationally famous festival, which occurs in Kalibo and other towns on Panay, every third week of January. It commemorates a pact between Indonesian immigrants and native tribes and the Spanish link to catholic religious celebrations. The full name is therefore “Santo Niño Ati-Atihan”. Renowned for the colorful costumes, the blackened faces of the revelers and the sound of drums. Dinagyang: Held in Iloilo, Panay at the same time and for the same reasons as Ati-Atihan, it also features parades, to be less frenetic Caracol sa Makati: Last Sunday in January - A combination of three ethnic festivals, inaugurated in 1988. Caracol is a Spanish term for snail. February Laoag City and Province (Pamulinawen): February 7 - 10 - Main feature is a Floral Parade. Celebrates the Feast of William, the town’s patron saint. San Fernando, La Union: February - Musical extravaganzas, trade fairs and pageants featuring show business personalities. Tinagba: February 11 - A harvest festival in Iriga, Bicol, which coincides with the feast day of Our Lady of Louraes. Main feature is a parade of colorful and grandiosely decorated bull carabao carts. International Bamboo Organ Festival: February - A ten day cultural classical Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 77 performers and utilizes the spectacular bamboo organ of St. Joseph’s Pan. Dia De Zamboanga: February 26 - A celebration of cultural and religious harmony between Muslim and Christians in this most cosmopolitan of Philippine cities. Marks the date when Zamboanga became a chartered city. Mangi Festival: February 26 - 28 - A dance festival in Tumauini ,Isabela, in the far north of the Philippines. Baguio Flower Festival: 4th Week - Recently inaugurated to celebrate the vast array of spectacular blooms produced in the mountain capital. Modeled on the Rose Bowl Parade of Pasadena, California. March Kaamulan: March 3-7 - A gathering of the tribes of Bukidnon province, featuring religious rituals, street dancing and ethnic performances. Arya Abra Festival: March 7-10 - Celebrates the founding of Abra province with a variety of events, including raft and horse races. Sandugo Re-Enactment: March 16 - A re-enactment of the Blood Compact between Spain’s Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, which helped forge friendly relations between the two countries. Held in Tagbilaran, Bohol. Mt. Manunggal: March 16-17 - A mountain trek, which marks the anniversary of the tragic death of president Ramon Magsaysay, whose plane crashed on the mountain. Easter: The week before Easter is the highest religious time in the Philippines. Moriones: The best known of the hundreds of Passion Plays staged throughout the country at Easter. The weeklong play focuses on the story of Longinus, the Roman soldier whose sight was restored by the blood of Christ. It recounts his subsequent conversion, flight, capture and beheading. Features colorful Roman costumes. Held in Marinduque at the town of Boac. Centurion Festival: Pinamalayan, Mindoro is believed to be the origin of Marinduque’s Moriones Festival. This commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as exaggerated by the flamboyant participation of individuals dressed as Roman soldiers locally known as “Morions”. Lental Festival of Herbal Preparation: Easter Saturday - Secret rites of herbalists from the Visayas and Mindanao, who gather in San Antonio, Siquijor, for the ceremony known as “Tang-Alap”, the combining of medicinal herbs. April Kalilang: April 10-15 - The charter anniversary celebration of Marawi City. A celebration of Muslim culture, including songs, dances, crafts and food. Kadaugan Sa Mactan; April 27 - A complete re-enactment of the Battle of Mactan in which Magellan was defeated by LapuLapu and his warriors, resulting in the death of the Spanish explorer. Tanduyong: 4th Sunday - A celebration of the harvest in San Jose City, featuring colorful costumes and street dancing. Focuses on the contribution of onions and other vegetables to the city’s economy. Turumba: April, May or June - Turumba is a song which requires a unique form of street dancing Held in Pakil Laguna, in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows. May Viva Vigan: 1st Week - Features painting, product exhibits and the calesa parade. Tapusan: Held throughout the month in Alitagtag, Batangas, to honor the Holy Cross. Bohol: Month long celebrations throughout the province, where sumptuous feasts are prepared. All Boholanos are expected to return home for the fiesta. Pista’y Dayat: May 1 - Held in Lingayen, Pangasinan to celebrate the rich harvest of seafood in the province. Alinsangan “Boa-Boahan”: May1 - A fertility festival of pagan origin, held in Nabua, Camarines Sur. Carabao Carroza Race Festival: May 3 - Held in Pavia, lloilo. The race features the fastest water buffalos in the area pulling bamboo carts. Rodeo Filipino: May 6-9 - The highlight of Masbate’s Livestock Week, it focuses on the importance of cattle raising to the island’s economy. Pahiyas: May 15 - Honors San Isidro, the patron saint of farmers. Beautiful decorations, made of edible rice dough, are placed on the exteriors of houses in Lucban, Laguna, representing various agricultural proaucis. Tabanog: 3rd Sunday - A kite flying competition held in Cagayan De Oro City. Mammangui Festival: May 30 - Held in Ilagan, Isabela province in the North Subiran Regatta: Held during the last week of May in Tacloban, the festival features sailboat races. June Buklog: Held in Dipolog City, Mindanao, the festival features stationary dancing by native Subanens on three meter structures. Araw ng Maynila: June 24 - Celebrates the founding of Manila with parades, sports events and the Manila Film Festival. John’s Day: June 24 - The feast of St. John the Baptist is celebrated in various parts of the nation, including San Juan, Manila; Balayan, Batangas and Camiguin Island. Part of the merry making is water dousing. Sublian sa Batangas: June 26 - Celebrates the Foundation Day of Batangas City. July Feast of the Lady of Piat: July 1-2 - Held in Cagayan. A major religious event highlighted bv the procession of the Marian. Sagayan: July 3-4 - Held in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte, the festival has its origin in a war dance that connotes masculinity. Unique in the fact that it has no religious connotation. Pagoda: First Sunday of July - The Holy Cross of Wawa is paraded in a specially built pagoda or river boat accompanied by other vessels in a river procession along the Pasig River. Cordillera Day: July 15 - Cultural activities celebrating the creation of Cordillera Administrative Region. August Adlaw Hong Butuan: August 2 - Charter Day celebration of Butuan City. Palo-Palo: August 4-5 - Cultural presentation of the lifestyles of the inhabitants of the Philippines most remote province, Batanes. Lubi-Lubi: August 15 - Festivities in Calubian, Leyte, which focus on the various uses of the coconut and its by-products. Kadayawan: August 18-21 - The chief Festival of Davao City has a threefold purpose: to honor Mt. Apo, the famous waling-waling orchids and the durian fruits. September Chefs On Parade: Month long - The longest running culinary competition in Southeast Asia. Sarakiki: September 1-8 - The Filipino passion for cockfighting is celebrated with dancing and costumes which mimic the movements and appearance of the brave birds. Held in Calbayog City, Samar. Penafrancia: 3rd Week - Held in Naga, Camarines Sur, the festival features an impressive river parade carrying an image of the Blessed Virgin. T’boli Tribal Festival: 3rd Week - The culture of this unique tribe is celebrated in South Cotabato. October Siargao Surfing Cup: 1st week, but movable - A recent inaugurated event, held at Cloud 9 Break near General Luna, which has placed the Philippines on the international surfing calendar. Ibalong: October 6-12 - Held in Legazpi City, the festival depicts Bicol’s early history and is named after an early herooftheregion. La Naval: 2nd Sunday - Celebrates the victory at sea against the Dutch in 1646. An image of the Virgin is paraded through the streets of Quezon City in a carriage decorated to resemble a ship. Also celebrated in Angeles City. Zamboanga Hermosa: October 12 - Features a parade of vinta sails. Held in honor of Zamboanga’s patron saint, Our Lady of the Pillar. Masskara: October 19 - The main Festival of Negros, held in Bacolod. Features street dancers wearing masks and colorful costumes. Catandungan: October 22-24 - Held in Virac, the festival celebrates the founding of the province. Battle Of Surigao Strait: October 25 - Commemorates the anniversary of the largest naval battle in history, which took place in World War II. Fiestang Kuliat: Last week of October - Large street festival Balibago, Angeles City. Lanzones: End of the month - Mambajao, Camiguin, to celebrate the new harvest of this succulent fruit. November Kansilay: November 5-13 - Named after a tree with purple-pink flowers, the festival incorporates the celebration of “Cincode Noviembre”, a bloodless revolution in Silay, which overthrew the city guards. Helubong: 2nd Week - Cultural presentations of the T’Boli and Blaan ethnic minorities, held at Lake Sebu South Cotabato. Sandugan: November 11-15 - Re-enactment of the first contact between the natives of Mindoro and Chinese traders. Held at Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Higantes: November 22-23 - Held in Angono, Rizal to honor patron saint, St. Clemente. The parade features “papier-maché” giants, dressed in native costumes. December Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Concepcion: December 8 - The main celebrations are held in Roxas City, Panay and Malabon, Manila. The Roxas Festival is a showcase of the culture of the province, while the Malabon celebration features a river procession. Shariff Kabunsuan Festival: December 15-19 - Celebrates the arrival in Mindanao of Shariff Kabunsuan, who brought Islamic culture to the Philippines. Held in Cotabato City. Giant Lantern Festival: December 19 - A spectacular parade of lighted lanterns in San Fernando, Pampanga.. Lanterns measure between three and five meters. Olongapo: December 30 - The city’s festivities include a lantern parade. Crispin Ponce Escapte: -Charito Planas: Her Story By Chic Fortich She was scared. For the first time in her life, she was really scared. The genes that had shaped her had been inlaid courage. Her whole life had been an expression of it. She had spoken loudly against the fearsome conjugal dictatorship without fear or reprisal. She had been thrown into prison and placed in solitary confinement for months, but she had never been daunted. She had not been afraid when she spotted the vehicles of the military raiding party that had spurred her escape. But now, as the tiny craft drifted aimlessly on the open sea between the southern borders of her own country and neighboring Malaysia, she could not ignore the cold, twisting mass that threatened to well up from her stomach to her throat. VFear. Now she knew how it felt. And she tried to push it out of her mind. She chided herself, where’s your faith? Didn’t you entrust yourself and your fate to God? But still, the fear remained. The single-engine motorized banca that had been chosen to be her “freedom express” had run out of gas some hours ago. Two dots had appeared on the horizon, and she and her companions had grown horse screaming for help and waving articles of clothing in the air to attract the attention of the passing ship. But the dots grew smaller and finally disappeared. Dejectedly, she lowered herself slowly down on the tarpaulin-covered cases of Coke that had been her “berth” since they pushed off from Sitangkay in the dark hours of early dawn...had it only been that morning! Then, as if in answer to her prayers, the memories, the memories came, making her forget the fear.... Buy the book to read about a part of history of the Philippines. Contact for price and payment information: Charito L. Planas for pricing: chplanas4@yahoo,com or milescasala@yahoo.com 78 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 79 Lameco Eskrima with Guro Dave Gould 6 DVD’s and 1 Book Order all or separately through Budo International: Click Here Lameco Eskrima; In Search of Combative Truth” Book is in Spanish - German - Itailian Lameco Eskrima; Solo Baston Learn the secrets of Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite as we focus on the fundamentals of his unique combat effective Pilipino fighting system better known to the world as Lameco Eskrima. In watching this DVD the viewer will be meticulously guided through essential single stick work such as starting positions, weapon nomenclature, striking, recovery, range, line of engagement & the importance of training with & without protective equipment. In addition the viewer will explore in-depth the transitional range of “Largo-Medio” where the techniques, principles and concepts of “Ikis”, “Plansada”, “Pahandag” and “Kali-Saez” (Meteoric strikes) will be presented, discussed & trained in great detail. After which Guro Dave Gould will introduce for self exploration how to develop effective perception and reaction and essential non-telegraphic striking. We end the DVD with the very effective “Hand sparring” progression of Lameco Eskrima. A must see for any Pilipino Warrior Art enthusiast or Martial Artist who takes their training seriously. Lameco Eskrima; Doble Baston Learn the secrets of Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite as we focus on the fundamentals of his unique combat effective Pilipino fighting system better known to the world as Lameco Eskrima. In watching this DVD the viewer will be meticulously guided through essential double stick work such as starting positions, transitions, striking, recovery, range, line of engagement & the importance of training with & without protective equipment. In addition the viewer will explore in-depth the transitional range of “Largo-Medio” where the techniques, principles and concepts of “dose-dose”, “Dos Manos Ikis”, “Sabay”, “Dos Manos Dos Labahas” and “Lameco 1-2-3” among others will be presented, discussed & trained in great detail. After which Guro Dave Gould will present us with the very effective “Hand sparring” progression of Lameco Eskrima. Aggression, speed, timing, power, recovery & position are brought forward in ones combative development for optimum gain as Guro Dave Gould takes the viewer from a realistic training environment to an essential non-compliant sparring environment. A must see for any Pilipino Warrior Art enthusiast or Martial Artist who takes their training seriously. Lameco Eskrima; Essential Knife I Punong Guro Edgar Sulite founded the LAMECO Eskrima system basing it on the knowledge that the Grand Masters with whom he studied in the Philippines transmitted to him, a specialized system in the 3 combat distances and their combinations, and based on opportunity: the perception and the reaction. In this first project, Guro Dave Gould, one of the most important exponents of the system and the last instructor certified by Sulite, presents one of his specialties: the knife. In “Essential Knife”, you will discover the exercises that will allow you to remain vigilant in your environment and respond employing your weapon in unexpected situations. Lameco Eskrima; Essential Knife II (Enganyo) The Art of Feinting... In the second DVD of the series, Guro Dave Gould continues his progression, studying in depth the new elements which make a system more effective, like confrontation line, movement economy, central line theory and its recovering, and especially the “Enganyo”, the art of pretending, that is, the ability to create an opportunity in an adverse situation, or when dealing with a more experienced opponent. In Lameco Eskrima, the “Enganyo” (engaño, deception) is one of the highest levels, one of the essential abilities to dominate the fight and, when correctly performed, provides successful results again and again. Lameco Eskrima III (abre-sera) The Art of Weapon Deployment This third installment of the series will concentrate on the all-important skill and proper development of precise weapon deployment if a crisis situation is suddenly thrust upon you. In this DVD we will train and develop the10 most basic openings / starting positions from sak-sak (blade out position) from the pocket to the situation at hand. As well we will discuss ways to utilize every aspect of a modern folding knife as a weapon covering “less-than-lethal” to “lethal” measures according to laws of escalation. In addition when placed in less than ideal circumstances and time is of essence we address the ability to deploy your blade quickly while under duress and pressure of an aggressive attack. When you train as if your life depends on it you will fight as if it does as well. Lameco Eskrima; Essential Knife IV (paawalan) The Art of Weapon Retention and Releases In this the fourth episode of the “Lameco Eskrima; Essential Knife” series, Guro Dave Gould takes us through a very thorough presentation of the Hand Sectoring (Bantay-Kamay) sub-system of Lameco Eskrima. It is crucial that when presented with a knife attack the ability to isolate and contain your opponents knife hand as soon as possible is of great importance. This act alone will enhance by a great margin ones percentage of survival in confronting a knife attack and will lend itself to other options not readily available if the knife hand is not properly contained. As well Guro Dave Gould will lead us through essential weapon retention capabilities where life and death literally hang in the balance of you keeping your weapon in hand when forced to fight for life and limb in the streets. In addition Guro Dave Gould will share with you the very important non-cooperation training aspects of the system as well as sharing his thoughts on realistic ability to disarm a knife wielding attacker while being held fully accountable to consequences found in a realistic environment as governed by cause and effect. This DVD is a must see for any Martial Artist or anyone with an interest in knife combat. Arnis de Mano Harness of the Hand Filipino Martial Arts By Abundio Baet Arnis a Filipino Martial arts, sometimes call it Eskirma, Estokada and Kali. This particular book, explained and illustrated as the GARIMOT ARNIS TRAINING taught. This is the Garimot view on history and practice of ARNIS DE MANO, the so called Shield of the Hand. eBook (PDF), 191 Pages Price: $12.50 Visit LuLu - Click Here Garimot Arnis Training Cinco Teros Basic Manual By Abundio Baet eBook (PDF), 140 Pages Price: $15.00 Visit LuLu - Click Here GARIMOT Balisong Butterfly Knife Fighting By Abundio Baet Balisong is a Filipino butterfly knife developed in Batangas province as early 1800. Balisong gain popularity during the American occupation of the Philippines. Known as the silent killer specially in the city of Manila, just an hour and half away from Batangas where the knife was produced by the native “Panday” (black Smith). Today the same old knife that took the heart of American, and is gaining the heart of the world. His beuaty and exotic design made numbers of knife enthusiast imitate them and marketed in the world. Paperback, 150 Pages Price: $30.00 Visit LuLu - Click Here Larong MORO-MORO The Shroud of Arnis de Mano Filipino Martial Arts By Abundio Baet This book represent a glimpse of the past being practice in the present. I meet Gat Puno Abon Baet in 2001. His skill was so impressive that I began training with him immediately. Although I have train with a number of Filipino martial arts instructor, I never trained with a master that practiced what he preached and actually put it to test in the non-padded full contact stick fighting tournament in his home town of Paete, Laguna. For seven years he remained undefeated and retired undefeated. This book on Moro-Moro represents one aspect of his Garimot Family Art. As Guro Baet tells us; Moro-Moro is a system on its own. Moro-Moro is a form of folk art that became popular during the Spanish colonial period. Moro-Moro are plays (comedias) that tell stories of adventure, duels, love stories and good over coming evil. eBook (PDF), 189 Pages Price: $15.00 Visit LuLu - Click Here Filipino Tattoos: Ancient to Modern By: Lane Wilcken Tattooing is a very old and spiritually respected art form that has existed in many different cultures around the world. After many centuries of not being practiced in Europe, tattooing was re-introduced to the Western world through the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean. Beginnning in the 16th century, European explorers came across many people who practiced tattooing as an integral part of their cultures. This is the first serious study of Filipino tattoos, and it considers early accounts from explorers and Spanish-speaking writers. The text presents Filipino cultural practices connected with ancestral and spiritual aspects of tattoo markings, and how they relate to the process and tools used to make the marks. In the Philippine Islands, tatoos were applied to men and women for many different reasons. It became a form of clothing. Certain designs recognized manhood and personal accomplishments as well as attractiveness, fertility, and continuity of the family or village. Facial tattoos occurred on the bravest warriors with names that denoted particular honor. Through the fascinating text and over 200 images, including color photographs and design drawings, the deep meanings and importance of these markings becomes apparent. Available at: Schifferbooks.com and Amazon.com. 80 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 81 Crmipt (Close Range/Control Response Medium ImPact Tool) Crmipt: Close range /Control Response Medium ImPact Tool: a non lethal mini expandable tool that can expand and retract all within use of force allowing for trapping, control, takedown, impact and restraint of individuals. Can easily be used against other tools or weapons of opportunity with measured force. CRMIPT is equipped with Flex cuff cutter /seat belt cutter /clothing cutter to be used for safety and emergency rescue situations. CRMIPT Ramp and Cutter both act as glass / windshield breakers for emergency situations. CRMIPT is a personal defensive impact /Rescue tool: - Crmipt is now SOP with Hialeah PD under the approval of Chief Mark Overton, and the new cadre of CRMIPT officers and Instructors: Sgt. Nick Rios, Lt. Rick Fernandez, Sgt. Luis Quinones, Ofc. Raul Somarriba. There are 30 officers certified to carry and use the Crmipt. - Crmipt: officers have a choice of either expandable baton or a Crmipt. They must carry one or the other, most are choosing Crmipt’s. Chief Overton wants this carried over to SWAT, ICE, RDF, and other tactical teams under his supervision - Crmipt is in use with USBP via Artesia NM/ El Paso: Deputy Chief Mc Closkey, Deputy Chief Steve Hamilton - Crmipt is in use with PSD CENTCOM, SOCOM, DON - Crmipt is in process in South Miami: Sgt, Mike Weissberg & Metro Dade PD - Crmipt & LLC knives are SOP for S2 & CIS academy and Security; Director Tim ORourke. Bram Frank & Sonia M. Waring are both on staff and Bram is the Chief Edged Weapons Instructor for S2 /CIS and Sonia is adjunct Instructor. CRMIPT is official course with DEW. - Crmipt is in use with EU UN Security Commander Kirk McCleod All books published and distributed by Central Books Supply - Website: central.com.ph/centralbooks Or order directly from Grandmaster Garitory Nicolas, Email: filipinomartialarts@hotmail.com LE-MIL Spec Holster: Nylon cordura holster which fits both sizes, Standard and Magnum. Designed to fit on gun belt, duty belt, or on Molle gear. All 3 snap positions are MIL Spec snaps for easy on-off use. Retainment flap has MIL Spec plastic catch. Rigid backing with tie-down gossets to attach to leg gear, or directly to leg. Loop catch on top to attach to vest or Molle gear. $18.00 for Domestic shipping, handling, insurance, and processing. Item/s will be shipped US Priority Mail, Insured, and Delivery Confirmed..... Unfortunately, at this time, we cannot ship Internationally. If purchasing more than one Crmipt/Holster, there will be an additional $5.00 per Crmipt/ Holster for shipping. Purchases can be made at: www.cssdsc.com Visit the Crmipt page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/169595989752272/permalink/580948291950371/#!/Crmipt Note: We’re looking for some independent Sales People to sell our Crmipt. Please email me at ryan.waring@cssdsc.com if you’re interested.. Keith Roosa Hand Made Wooden Weaponry All books published and distributed by Central Books Supply - Website: central.com.ph/centralbooks Or order directly from Grandmaser Garitory Nicolas, Email: filipinomartialarts@hotmail.com Note: No portion of any book or MAMFMA information may be copied and reproduced in books, pamphlets, outlines or notes, whether printed, mimeographed, typewritten, photocopy, or in any form, for distribution or sale, without the written permission of Punong Laken Garitory C. Nicolas. All rights reserved. Books by Mark V. Wiley Do you have these publications? Do you even know about them? Well here is a chance, you can get them. Visit: Amazon.com - Click Here Keith Roosa hand makes many different designs including Kampilans, Kris, Bolos, Pinutes, and many Indonesian blades. He also makes custom trainers for people that send him their own design. Keith Roosa prices vary because of availability and cost of the hardwoods he uses. The Presas Bolos and the Abanikos will sell for $70. He makes a cheaper line that sells for about $20 less, which have parachute cord wrapped handles. Keith Roosa’s prices sometimes scare people off until they have the weapon in their hands and feel the balance and see the quality the work. Each one is hand built and not off an assembly line. Different Bolo’s and a few Abaniko’s designs. The Presas bolos in the second picture are made from macaucaba, which has the hardness of kamagong. The left one has Birdseye maple handles and the right one has cocobolo handles. Bram Frank’s Abanikos are made from Bolivian rosewood w/ zebra wood handles (left) and purple heart w/ bubinga handles (right). Inquiries: kempokroosa@yahoo.com Facebook: Click Here 82 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 83 Warrior’s Way Martial Arts Academy Instructional DVDs by Guro Harley Elmore and Sifu Terry Gibson. Beginner and Advanced material from Filipino Kali and Indonesian Silat. Guro Harley Elmore DVD’s The Terry Gibson Silat Collection Guro Harley Elmore is among the top ranked Instructors under Tuhon “Madjaphit Martial Arts – Maphilindo Silat” Chris Sayoc in Sayoc Kali, one of the most sought after blade systems in the Terry Gibson’s video series is considered world. He is also a team leader for Sayoc Tactical Systems with whom he has to be huge breakthrough in the martial trained Law Enforcement Officers, S.W.A.T., Army Special Forces, and F.B.I. arts world. Silat of any style was, and The Warrior’s Way Martial Arts Academy is also an Affiliate school under continues to be, a rare system. Mr. Gibson Grandmaster Tony Somera in Bahala Na and the Giron Arnis-Eskrima system. helped bring the arts of Indonesia and Solo Baston the southern Philippines to the rest of the Doble Baston world through the video medium. Espada Y Daga The Terry Gibson Silat Collection Pack 1 Isang Baraw The Terry Gibson Silat Collection Pack 2 Panantukan Panantukan II Maphilindo Silat Vol 1 Download to Own Martial Arts Videos From Datu Dieter Knüttel and ABANICO, Germany ABANICO Channel ABANICO moves into a new time: Click Here All Abanico videos are available as “Download to Own” files now! • Are you sick of all the DVDs that are lying around in your livingroom? • Are you sick of ordering and not knowing when the DVDs arrive or if at all? • Are you sick of getting DVDs that do not play or are scratched already before you have used them? • Are you interested in buying some DVDs from overseas but are afraid to send money and maybe never getting them? Then this is the answer to you. Buy to martial arts instructional videos as “Download to Own” ! From one of Europe’s leading martial arts video producers, ABANICO, the company of Modern Arnis’ Datu Dieter Knüttel of Germany, who produces martial arts instructional videos since 1989! Why by download files? There are many reasons: Bad postal service? Sending the DVDs vial mail is sometimes difficult. The DVDs can be lost, broken or even stolen. Not to speak from a misspelled address. Sometimes they are held back in customs and it takes very long, until you have them. And no shipping costs any more! Ah yes, the customs! When your order is held back by the customs, in some countries they might charge you “handling fees” just to process your order. And of course you have to pay the real, sometimes very high customs costs too. To Order: Click Here You can save money when you buy more than one DVD. Check out their Bundle Discounts: Click Here And the tax! Yes, you have to pay the tax on top of the customs too. Some countries have additional taxes which makes the purchase even more expensive. Shipping Information New orders will take approximately 1 to 2 business days to process before they are shipped. Shipping time within the United States averages 3 to 4 business days. Shipping time for international orders averages 7 to 10 business days. Products are shipped using USPS Priority mail for domestic orders and Express Global for international orders. Domestic shipping costs $8 per order International shipping costs $40 per order For additional information please contact us The solution? Buy the videos as “Download to Own””. Bypass all these problems and download the videos. So these are the problems solves. No more: • postal problems • customs problems • taxes • extra fees • scratched DVDs or DVDs that won’t play out of whatever reason • storage problems All my English titles (66 right now) are available as download files. More than 50 of them are about various FMA styles! Mastering Serrada Escrima - 3 DVD SET (Vol 1, 2 & 3) By Grandmaster Darren Tibon Mastering Serrada Escrima by Master Darren Tibon is a blend of the vital fundamentals of the art of Serrada Escrima as taught by the legendary Grandmaster Angel Cabales. This series include all technical components – from the fighting stance, footwork, and mobility skills to many of the intermediate and advanced principles and concepts of the Serrada style. There is a detailed breakdown of the offensive and defensive skills using the single stick, the stick and dagger, the single dagger, and the empty hands. The elements and techniques of “lock and block,” “flow spar,” “rising sun counter.” “abaniko,” and “retirada” among many others are presented in this DVD set. This series has a great deal to offer to all Escrima/Arnis/Kali students, from beginner to instructor level. It is a true gem by one of the best Escrima masters of our time. EM-DVD#430 - US $69.95 – ISBN-13: 978-1- 60661-023-7 Mastering Serrada Escrima - 3 DVD SET (Vol 4, 5 & 6) By Grandmaster Darren Tibon Mastering Serrada Escrima is a detailed and comprehensive work of the vital fundamentals of the art of Serrada Escrima as taught by the legendary Grandmaster Angel Cabales. In this second series with volumes 4-5-6, Master Tibon teaches the are of Reversing as shared by Grandmaster Angel Cabales. Reversing consists of creating a reaction utilizing the 12 angles of attack in Serrada Escrima to reverse your opponent, understanding how to use your live hand to jam and/or offset your opponent. Reversing techniques are a concept that Grandmaser Angel created for his Advanced and Master Level students. This level of training could only be achieved after you were proficient in the twelve angles offensively and defensively and had an understanding of long, medium, and close range, which are learned in lock and block and flow sparring drills. If you analyze these techniques you will see the blade concepts come to life and, when taught the importance of the live hand to reverse your opponent, jam, or pass, you can redirect the strikes you are being attacked with. To Order Click Here Like: Modern Arnis with Filipino Grandmasters like Grandmaster Rodel Dagooc, Grandmaster Bambit Dulay, Grandmaster Christino Vasquez, Grandmaster Jerry Dela Cruz, Grandmaster Rene Tongson, or western Grandmasters like Grandmaster Datu Dieter Knüttel, Grandmaster Dan Anderson, Grandmaster Datu Kelly Worden, GrandmasterDatu Tim Hartman, MoTT Brian Zawilinski and MoTT Chuck Gauss, Inayan System of Eskrima, like Serrada, Kadena de Mano, Larga Mano, Dequerdas etc. with Mangisursuro Mike Inay and Suro Emanuel Hart, Doce Pares with Grandmaster Danny Guba and Grandmaster Percival Pableo Jeet Kune Do and Kali with the British JKD legend Bob Breen, FCS with Tuhon Ray Dionaldo, Kali Sikaran with Punong Guro Jeff Espinous, knife tapping, palm stick, self defence, reactive knife, Pressure sensitive nerve areas and much more.... Interested? The videos cost 24 Euro only (20.17 credits) and when you live outside of the European community, you do not have to pay the 19% VAT, so the videos files will cost you only 20,17 € which is around 26 $ USD right now! This service will be provided by the company youPEC (your personal education community) youPEC provides an independent marketplace for digital content. Pay the tutorial, download it and it is ready to be watched! Interested? Click here to go directly to the ABANICO Channel Any questions? Send me an email to: dk@abanico.de Enjoy the Videos Grandmaster / Datu Dieter Knüttel 8th Dan Modern Arnis 84 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 85 Senkotiros Arnis Videos Fighting Art of Roberto Labaniego - 3 DVD Set Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego is the real deal. Highly skilled, humble, and incredibly generous with his knowledge, the Grandmaster is the epitome of a Filipino Martial Arts master. Known affectionately by his students as “Mang Bert”, he is the head of a unique and amazing system called Arnis Labaniego. Born on the Philippine island of Panay, Grandmaster Labaniego first studied the art from his father, then later from various instructors. Mang Bert has had to use his highly developed skills in many real-life encounters with the bolo (long working sword), knife, ice pick, and empty hands. Because of his background, Mang Bert has developed a very different approach to the art of fighting with the blade, stick, knife, or empty handed. He also explains the philosophy behind his system which gives a greater understanding of combat effectiveness. And his skills! When he demonstrates, jaws drop. At the tender age of 66, Mang Bert wields the stick and blade with incredible speed and power. If you have never seen a Grandmaster swing a live sword all-out, watch these DVDs and get ready to be inspired! To Purchase - Click Here Lameco Eskrima Backyard Guro Dino Flores DVD Release from Budo International, Punong Guro Edgar Sulite was one of the great revolutionaries in Philippine Martial Arts history. There were two types of students that learnt under him, those who took classes under him periodically and those whom he selected and prepared personally for becoming fighters in private training sessions in the backyard of his home, these students belonged to the Sulite Orihinal Group. Dino Flores belongs to this second elite group of specially trained fighters in Lameco and shines with his own light as one of the top selected fighters of the Lameco Eskrima backyard group. In this work he introduces and shows us a series of exercises which Punong Guro Sulite emphasized greatly upon and that develop correct distancing in a real combat situation. This dvd will help you refine the combative motions, enable you to increase the intensity within a drill, as well as show you how to use equipment correctly and help you overcome a well protected opponent. You will learn how to avoid being hit and grabbed. These exercises practiced under real contact and tension will allow you to react against the most common attacks in real time and in an effective way. The most important thing is to hit well, to have good footwork and mainly to have a great foundation. To Order Click Here 2nd Lameco Eskrima DVD featuring Guro Dino Flores released by Budo International Lameco Eskrima “Solo Espada” This dvd is focused in long distance with the sword, a special training that was heavily influenced by Great Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo. Guro Flores will teach you the differences in strategy in long distance with either stick or sword, the footwork and five of the 12 Eskrima Drills in detail with their applications and variations. Guro Dino Flores has focused this work on long range distance, a distance you must master before venturing into medium or short range distance with any weapon and without protective gear. The 12 Eskrima Drills are a combination of the movements Punong Gruo Sulite found most common in real combat situations and referred to them as the “Soul of Lameco”, because many hidden secrets are found in these apparently simple exercises. Though most of the Eskrima exercises can be done either with stick or sword, this dvd is focused in long distance with the sword, a special training that was heavily influenced by Great Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo. Guro Flores will teach you the differences in strategy in long distance with either stick or sword, the footwork and five of the 12 Eskrima Drills in detail with their applications and variations. These exercises are essential in order to understand the Great Art of Fighting know as Lameco Eskrima. Languages: English, Espanol, Italiano, and Francais To Order Click Here Modified Pangamut (DVD Set Vol-1, 2 & 3) By Master Marc J. Lawrence The traditional arts are known as Kali, Eskrima or Arnis, stick, knife and hand to hand fighting was developed over a period of many centuries in the Philippines as her people fought for their independence from foreign invaders. Each skirmish with a new culture added to the Filipino Martial Arts as warriors developed techniques to combat foreign styles. Subsequently, more than 100 different Filipino Martial Arts styles developed, which can be grouped into three complete self-defense systems which utilize sticks, swords, empty hands and other weapons. Our core system is a Mountain Visayan fighting system bought to the USA by our system’s Founder (Pundador) GM Felix Roiles. His Grandfather called it Pakamut also called Pangamut. This referred to having skilled hands in Cebuano, a Visayan dialect. He shared this with Marc Lawrence, his families fighting system. Marc L awrence had his own FMA fighting system that he had learned in his travels. In his travels and fighting other systems he developed the Modified Pangamut System. This is what he teaches and fights with, Marc Lawrence is our Punong Guro (Head Instructor) and he is a National Champion in the Filipino Martial Arts. Volume 1: Stances & Footwork, Finger Locks, Sitting Position, Floor Defense, Disarms and Submissions... Volume 2: Controlling the Axis, Multiple Strike Strategy, Defenses & Disarming … Volume 3: Block and Counter, Drills and Disarms, Multiple Return Strikes Competition Drills, Learning to Defend by Zones, Tournament Disarms, Distractions & Disarms, Vining of the Stick, Fighting Mixed Weapon Tournaments, Concepts and Rules of Fighting, Choosing Fighting Greer, Competition Strategy, Point Fighting Strategies, Continuous Competition Strategies, What Wins A Fight, What shots Judges Look For… To Order: Click Here (Collectors Editions) $29.95 Basic $29.95 Advanced $29.95 Intro to Free Style $14.95 Lost Years Shipping and Handling $10.00 To obtain full details on Ordering - Click Here Advanced Latosa Escrima Vols. 1–2–3 By Rene Latosa There are five basic concepts used with both the mental and physical action this system deploys. This allows Rene Latosa’s Escrima System to keep developing and progressing into the future. The Latosa Escrima system introduces the use of concepts that are infused into the techniques. These concepts consist of the following: balance, speed/timing/distance, power, focus, and transition. These concepts provide the tools to develop the basis of what you do, how you do it, and why. The DVD series is an education in body motion and weapon efficiency, not just physical movements attached to techniques. It is designed to ignite the expansion of innovation and creativity. There are no sets of rules to follow, only the simple observation of understanding how to use the tools (concepts) to meet your needs. There is no frill or thrills, twirls or flash shows in these DVDs. It is just a logical explanation of the reality of these movements and how to expand their use into short power, strategic positioning of the offense, and the dangerous reality associated with weapons training—and that there must be a clear separation between reality (real time speed, stress, and danger) and practice. To Order Click Here Doce Pares Escrima Vol.1-2-3 By Alfredo Bandalan There is no question that the art of Doce Pares Escrima developed by the Canete Family from Cebu City is one of the most popular sports and styles of martial arts, due to its effectiveness in real combat. A direct student of Cacoy and Diony Canete, Master Bandalan has spent decades studying and analyzing the different components of this revolutionary system. In this three-volume DVD series, he reveals step-by-step secrets of the main techniques and principles used in the art of Doce Pares. All the principles and concepts are analyzed and explained with clear and precise descriptions, from the single stick to stick and dagger to the use of the Doce Pares methods of empty hand combat. Master Bandalan is one of the most knowledgeable Doce Pares Escrima instructors in the world. This is the ultimate DVD series on the subject of Doce Pares Escrima. Learning this information will give you an arsenal of combinations and possibilities that will enable you to get complete control over your opponent in any kind of combat sport Escrima event and self defense situation! To Order Click Here Eskrima Atillo Balintawak (Vol. 1-2-3 SET, Vol. 4-5-6 SET & Vol. 7-8-9 SET) By Grandmaster “Ising” Atillo For the first time ever, Grandmaster Atillo reveals hidden treasures of Balintawak. This superb DVD sets show the secrets of the Eskrima Balintawak system. The key elements are detailed explanations of how and why to use them in different combat situations and how to break and counter them to turn the table on your opponent. The techniques are shown in detail for better appreciation of their use in a real situation.. These are not only great instructional DVD sets, but inspiring ones. They are true gems for all Eskrima, Kali, and Arnis practitioners, regardless of style. Many of these techniques and training methods never have been revealed to the public before. To Order Click Here 86 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 87 The LEGACY Escrima Seminar (2013) Stockton California Hosted by Grandmaster Darren Tibon Stockton, CA. April 13 - 14, 2013, a historical event of Escrima Grandmasters and Masters gathered at one event to pay respect to the founders of Stockton’s Escrima Grandmasters and share their teachings for a common cause of unifying Pilipino Martial Arts. This was the opportunity of a life time for Escrima practitioners to experience the rich flavors of Filipino Martial Arts. This 10 hour seminar event has been edited to a 4 hour (2 dvd - Collector’s Edition Set) of compacted instructional content that is a one of a kind experience. 4 Hour DVD Set - Available on DVD and Video Download To Order: Click Here www.cnaherbs.net At CNA Acupuncture Clinic, Dr. Zhang and her staff strive to provide the best acupuncture care. Some of the major treatments we provide: The LEGACY Escrima Seminar (Queen Mary 2013) Long Beach, California Hosted by: Grandmaster Darren Tibon Queen Mary, CA. August 10, 2013, a historical event of Escrima Grandmasters and Masters gathered at one event to pay respect to the founders of Escrima Grandmasters and share their teachings for a common cause of unifying Pilipino Martial Arts. This was the second event of inspiration for Escrima practitioners to experience the rich flavors of Filipino Martial Arts. This 8 hour seminar event has been edited to a 3 hour 37 min (Collector’s Edition Set) of compacted instructional content that is a one of a kind experience. 3hr 37 min DVD Set - Available on DVD and Video Download To Order: Click Here The Iron Dragon: Richard Bustillo By David & Kevin Lumsden An authorized biography of International Martial Arts and Boxing Founder, Filipino Kali Academy cofounder, and original student of the legendary Bruce Lee. Learn the story of The Iron Dragon: Richard Bustillo and be inspired at the discipline and legacy of this passionate martial artist. This book is a story written for all of his students. Always the teacher, Bustillo specifically instructed authors David & Kevin Lumsden to write this book as an educational tool. The Lumsdens hope that this release will be such an instrument, allowing and provoking thoughtful meditation for the reader in his or her own personal journey. This book follows Bustillo’s life as a martial arts student, teacher, and fighter. Although it is about him and his life, it is the authors’ sincere hope that they have done his story justice in reflecting his love of life and martial arts and of his individual pursuit to seek truth and find his own way. With this, The Iron Dragon: Richard Bustillo will let readers find their way within the world of martial arts and in daily life. Order Now: www.imbacademy.com The Basics and Fundamentals By Steven Dowd This book will give you the Basics and Fundamentals of the art of Arnis Balite as taught by Pundador Manuel M. Aguillon. Though there is no replacement for personal physical instruction. Arnis Balite was never been taught outside the Philippines and never to anyone other than a Filipino. The author was the first and only non-Filipino to be taught the art of Arnis Balite and was promoted to instructor. And since Pundador’s passing has inherited the art, per the family’s request. Kuntaw ng Pilipinas The Filipino Art of Hand & Foot Fighting White Belt - Black Belt 70’s By Steven Dowd This book gives some of the history, fundamentals and all the forms that were required from White Belt through Black Belt in Kuntaw in the 1970’s as the author learned them. To Order: Click Here Gastrointestinal disorder: Food allergies, peptic ulcer, chronic diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, gastrointestinal weakness, anorexia, gastritis Urogenital disorders: Urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, sexual dysfunction Gynecological disorders: Irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, infertility, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) Respiratory disorders: Emphysema, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis Disorders of bones, muscles, and joints: Neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, arthritis Cardiovascular disorders: Hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis, anemia Emotional and psychological disorders: Depression, insomnia, anxiety Addictions: Alcohol, smoking Acupuncture Oriental medicine is a holistic approach, which is based on the treatment of all bodily systems. Acupuncture benefits the improvement of physical health conditions as well as affective disorders and instills a feeling of increased mental clarity. Herbs Herbs can be a powerful adjunct to acupuncture care. They are used to strengthen, build and support the body or to clear it if excess problem like a cold, fever or acute pain. Chinese medicine categorizes pain and disease in terms of the energy in the body being out of balance. This out of balance is either diagnosed as being excess or deficient, or a combination. An acupuncturist will gather information about the history of the headaches, inquire as to what factors aggravate or alleviate the symptoms, analyze all bodily functions, examine the tongue and take the pulse. A pattern of disharmony between the meridians and their associated organs in the body becomes apparent. Acupressure Acupressure uses the same principles as acupuncture, replacing the needles with pressure from the fingers or hands. It is a massage technique that moves Qi in various parts of the body. In facial acupressure, the technique is used to correct the internal imbalances that manifest in the face’s wrinkles, sagging, discoloration, dark circles, or “bags” under the eyes. Facial Treatment Herbal Facial treatment is one of the series of Oriental Medicinal Treatment. It’s especially effective if skin trouble comes from dysfunction of internal organs. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can provide a safe, natural, and drug-free approach to reduce signs of aging. A facial rejuvenation using this ancient technique can improve muscle tone of the face and neck while addressing underlying imbalances that may have contributed to the aging process. Facial treatment is good for skin allergy, acne, spots, rough, sensitive and allergy skin, If you have wrinkles, headache, stress and insomnia, the herbal mask will bring you good result. Cupping Cupping is a technique in which a glass cup or bamboo jar is suctioned onto the body. This technique stimulates circulation, relieves swelling, and enhances an acupuncture or Electro-acupuncture treatment. Cupping is used for many conditions including: neck and should pain, back pain, common cold, and influenza. Dr. Li Zhang was formally trained in China and received her Doctor of Oriental Medicine (O.M.D.) from South Baylo University in California. She has served the Torrance and South Bay communities since 1998 in Torrance, California. She is a licensed California Acupuncturist (L.Ac). She is also NCCAOM Board certified in Acupuncture and in Chinese Herbalogy (National Certificate Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). Dr. Zhang is a compassionate health care provider who treats her patients with compassionate care. She provides a professional and safe environment that allows patients to become a part of their own health care. Dr. Zhang is also very knowledgeable about alternative medicines that provide patients with the information they need to make educated decisions. Dr. Zhang’s nature, safe, and effective treatments will enable you to enjoy a healthier life. CNA Medical Group Inc. is currently accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment please call: (310) 328-8858. Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 89 88 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Juniors (17 and below) Seniors (18 and Above) - Stick Concept (Solo, Double and Espada y Daga) - Blade Concept (Replica Weapon) - Open Weapon (Bangkaw, Nunchuck,Sangot,Tonfa) 1600H – Awarding of winners (with certificate) 1630H – Closing Remarks [Punong Lakan] 1645H – Final formal bowing to flag & masters Pictorial April 26, 2014 (Saturday) – Tournament Day Venue: TBA (To be Announce) 0600H – Preparation [PMAHOF organizers] 0700H – Registration [Maan, Ivy] 0800H – Opening Prayer [Brian] National Anthem Formal bowing to flag & masters Welcome Remarks [Grandmaster Danny San Joaquin] Oath Of Sportsmanship [TBA] Formal opening of tournament [Maestro Ronaldo Baxafra] 0900H – Arnis Sparring Competition Arnis Kickboxing Competition 1700H – Awarding of certificates of appreciation Awarding of winners Closing Remarks [Punong Lakan] Final formal bowing to flag & masters April 27, 2014 (Sunday) – Gala Night Venue: Manila Hotel 1300H – Final Rehearsal [Performers] Preparation [PMAHOF organizers] 700H – Registration [Maan,Ivy] 800H – Doxology National Anthem Opening Remarks [Ken, Mikeli (emcees)] Production Number Welcome Remarks Introduction of Guest Speaker [Meo] Speech of the Guest Speaker 2000H – Pictorial by group on stage Dinner (Johnny Thompson (Elvis Impersonator) Performance) 2100H – Production Number FBI (Full Blooded Ifugao headed by Punong Guro Jayson Vicente) Performance Awarding of PMAHOF Inductees 2230H – Closing Remarks [Punong Lakan] April 28, 2014 (Monday) – Camp Training Day 1 Venue: Hundred Islands, Pangasinan 0200H – Assembly at Manila Hotel Bus loading 0300H – ETD from Manila 0800H – ETA in Alaminos, Pangasinan Breakfast 0830H – Boat loading ETD from Alaminos, Pangasinan 0930H – ETA in Quezon Island, Hundred Islands 1130H – Lunch Break 1230H – Island hopping 1700H – Return to Quezon Island Wash up 1900H – Dinner Break 2000H – Socials 2359H – Lights out April 29, 2014 (Tuesday) – Camp Training Day 2 Venue: Hundred Island, Pangasinan 0500H – Wake-up call 0600H – Breakfast 0800H – Training Proper 1000H – Swimming 1200H – Lunch Break 1300H – ETD from Quezon Island 1400H – ETA in Alaminos 1500H – ETD from Alaminos 2000H – ETA in Manila Hotel Learn More Visit Facebook - www.facebook.com/PhilippineHalloffame Phillippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame - Itinerary As of: November 16, 2013 Punong Lakan Nicolas April 24, 2014 (Thursday) – Seminar Day 1 Venue: Ramon Magsaysay Hall Organizers with ID Note: 1. Food for registered guests only (Food Stub) 2. Different groups can post their 2ft x 3ft banners 0600H – Preparation [PMAHOF organizers] 0700H – Registration [Maan,Ivy] 0800H – Opening Prayer [Brian] National Anthem Formal bowing to flag & masters Welcome Remarks [Engr. Jose Dion D. Diaz (PIGSSAI)] Introduction & Scope Rules & Regulations (Rogelio, Ever (marshals)) 0830H - Grandmaster Henry Espera(Rapido Realismo Kali) 0930H - Grandmaster Osias Banaag (Global Sikaran) 1030H - Grandmaster Tony Diego (Kalis Illustrisimo)] 1130H - Lunch Break 1300H - Lakan Ronnie Base (Laraw Kali Pamuok) 1400H - Maestro Rennie Ross (Yaw Yan Kampilan) 1430H - Grandmaster Cristino Vasquez (Ipit Pilipit Arnis) 1530H - Grandmaster Bert Labaniego (Lightning Scientific) 1630H - Awarding of certificates to participants and Picture Taking 1645H - Closing Remarks [Punong Lakan] 1700H – Final formal bowing to flag & masters April 25, 2014 (Friday) – Seminar Day 2 Venue: Ramon Magsaysay Hall Organizers with ID Note: 1. Food for registered guests only 2. Different groups can post their 2ft x 3ft banners 0600H – Preparation [PMAHOF organizers] 0700H – Registration [Maan, Ivy] 0800H – Opening Prayer [Brian] National Anthem Formal bowing to flag and Masters Welcome Remarks (Professor Armando Soteco) Introduction & Scope Rules & Regulations [Rogelio, Ever] 0830H – Sinawali Seminar Rules & Regulations (Reynaldo Senson, Rogelio Vasquez) 0900H - Arnis Kickboxing System Seminar Rules & Regulations [ Junar Vidal, Arnold Ramos] 0930H - Arnis Tournament Seminar Rules & Regulations [Maestro Ronaldo Baxafra] 1030H – Registration (Anyo Competition) 1130H – Lunch Break 1300H – Anyo Competition (Yantok/Rattan ) Category: Kids(11 years old and below) Available at: X.O. Knife and Special Tools Shop - 119 Scout Dr. Lazcano St. Tomas Morato Quezon City, Philippines Lonely Planet stores Boracay, Philippines Divers Point - 2nd Flr. Wilson Square Bldg. 199 Wilson St. corner P. Guevarra Greenhills San Juan City, Philippines BombProof outdoor store Sports Loop 3rd Level Robinson Galieria, EDSA corner Ortigas Ave. Quezon City, Philippines www.elitesportgear.com 90 FMA Informative Vol2 No12 2013 Vol2 No12 2013 FMA Informative 91 http://www.abanico.de/shop/index.php?cat=c1684_Filipino-Masters.html Learn More Visit the FMA Festival Webstie - www.fmafestival.com Download the Program Flyer - Click Here SIKARAN “The Fighting Art of the Filipino Farmer” By Emmanuel del Espiritu Santo Querubin The author was appointed by Grandmaster Melton Geronimo as Director for Research and Standards. This is the only fully authorized book about Sikaran authorized by Grandmaster Meliton Geronimo. This book neither intends nor claims to reveal any mysticism or secret of Sikaran. This is solely because there are neither secrets nor mysteries involved in Sikaran. Sikaran is composed of purely offensive and defensive maneuvers systematically organized as an effective fighting art and an exciting sport. This is a must for all practitioners whether practitioners of Sikaran. or not To Order: Click Here Original Balangkas of Sikaran By Emmanuel Del Espiritu Querubin 9th Degree Red and White Belt In the 1960’s Grandmaster Meliton Geronimo developed Sikaran Balangkas with the assistance of Jaime Geronimo and Emmanuel Querubin, inspired and encouraged by the Sikaran elders of Baras, Rizal led by Cipriano Geronimo (last Hari of Baras), Melencio Bigasin, Manuel Ocampo (both Hari-turned Guro) Aurelio Cabacob, Angeles Pilapil, and Servillano Javier (all Sikaran Guros). When Melton Geronimo appointed Emmanuel Querubin Executive Assistant for Research and Standards in the 1960’s, it became his duty and responsibility to journalize everything regarding Sikaran, serve as record-keeper, disseminate, and share what has been entrusted to him by Grandmaster Meliton Geronimo. This book, Original Balangkas of Sikaran is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. To Order: Click Here English: https://app.getresponse.com/site/aba_kd_web_e/webform.html?wid=209433 German: https://app.getresponse.com/site/aba_kd_web_d/webform.html?wid=163114 http://dieterknuettel.de/Englisch/index_en.html http://www.abanico.de/shop/index.php?language=en Sandata ng Madirigmang Filipino We make customized Filipino Weapon. Wooden sword (Kamagong, Agoo, Molave) Un-bladed and bladed metal Filipino weapon (Spring made/Stainless) Also supply Arnis Sticks: Rattan (Palasan, Tumalim…) Kamagong wood Agoo wood Molave wood Contact: Arnel G. Tandang Email: agtandang@gmail.com Contact Number: (+63) 999 886-3199 Facebook - Sandata ng Madirigmang Filipino - www.facebook.com/arnel.tandang School: Arnis Garrotte Tandang Offered: Kalis Ilustrisimo Pangasinan Sincoteros Tagalog Largomano School Submission The schools listed teach Filipino martial arts, either as the main curriculum or an added curriculum. If you have a school that teaches Filipino martial arts, or you are an instructor that teaches, but does not have a school, list the school or style so individuals who wish to experience, learn and gain knowledge have the opportunity. Be Professional; keep your contact information current. - Click Here Event Submission Submit your event whether - Seminar, Workshop, Training Camp, tournament, or Gathering - Click Here Advertisement Submission Advertising in the FMA Informative Website is FREE. An Ad in the FMA Informative can create Business. Your Advertisement for Filipino martial arts forums, blogs etc, can be included in the FMA Informative. Advertisment is for the Filipino Martial Arts and the Philippines. To submit Forums Click Here. To submit advertisement for products and/or Services Click Here Article Submission Finished manuscripts should be accompanied by color or black and white photographs. Though we take care of materials, we can not be responsible for manuscripts/photographs and accept no liability for same. Every photograph or graphic must be accompanied by a caption Carefully key photos to caption information with a letter or number. We reserve the right to use any photo(s) as cover material or additional compensation. We also reserve the right to edit material and to crop photographs. We reserve the right to use articles or parts of articles that are given and approved from time to time as needed to promote the Filipino martial arts and the Culture of the Philippines. Physical manuscripts should be typed in black, double spaced, and set to 1-1/2 margins (right and left). Emailed manuscripts should be typed in Ariel or Times Roman, on programs such as Notepad, Wordpad, Microsoft Word, Word Perfect and can be sent as an attachment. Photo(s) can be sent as a .jpg, .gif, .bmp, or .tiff - to submit material for either the FMA Informative Newspaper or an Issue Click Here We welcome your article, ideas and suggestions, and look forward to working with you in the future. www.FMAinformative.info
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