Looking for some excellent FMA?

Any reader who has taken the time to visit this blog, knows that there’s a strong Martial Arts flavor, mixed with posts on self defense products and crime posts.

I am very busy tonight (I mean this morning) and plan to post again tomorrow. That said, I would like to introduce a new blog. You will find a link to it on the right side navigation bar. It is called “The Panday’s Gazette”. I like it so much that I hope you will take a moment to follow the link to the blog and “let it speak for itself”. I find it well written and loaded with solid information on the Filipino Martial Arts. It also contains links to superb videos and is full of humor – which I find very refreshing. The author is an aspiring knifesmith or “panday” as he refers to the craft. Now I have to figure out how to get my hands on a copy of his awesome knife the “COCHESERO SURVIVAL KNIFE II” or his combat Bowie style knife. I’m drooling right now. They are rugged and exactly what I would want in my hand when the “chips are down”!

I’m outta here tonight folks – please visit Stephen’s blog “The Panday’s Gazette” – you won’t be disappointed – promise!

I’m Confused!

I hope you read this Stephen from Detroit. I lost your email buddy and can’t find you online. Give me a holler again plz!

To business – I have been swinging sticks since 1983 after meeting a Filipino teacher in CA. His name was Eddie Rodrigues (or Rodriquez). He taught us simple, single stick – Doce Pares (referring to the twelve basic strikes and twelve basic defenses of eskrima) and I believe we worked on what he called Larga Mano or a long handed striking method. I’m really “going through the time machine” to recall all of these terms! After spending some time learning a bit of his style, I relocated and went back to learning various techniques from A.J. Advincula and Danny Inosanto tapes. No one knew anything about it in our neck of the woods.

My pal from CA who introduced me to Master Eddie (Eddy) began training at some seminars that were actually taught by the “Old Man” Angel Cabales, in Serrada Eskrima. He has also studied with Angel’s son and an Anglo instructor who taught classes (I can’t recall his name darn it!). He has passed down the material to me on his annual visits to our home. We swing sticks and do drills until you can actually smell the rattan in the air – (kinda like it’s burning!) In Serrada the sticks we use are much shorter and we always use two sticks (not sure why – maybe my pal thought I was ready to add the other?) as compared to one stick (all the farther I’d made it on my own) and it’s very “in tight”, and seems very sophisticated, by always checking the opponent’s weapon with one stick (rattan) while striking with the other. Or, on occasion, when using one stick – the other hand is used to “check” the opponent’s arm or wrist.

“Eskrima or Escrima refers to a class of Filipino Martial Arts that emphasize stick and sword fighting. Other terms which have entered into common usage include Kali and Arnis de Mano (harness of the hand); occasionally the abbreviation FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) is used. Eskrima and Arnis are among the many names primarily used in the Philippines today to refer to these arts. The name Kali, although primarily used in the United States and Europe, is seldom used in the Philippines and in most cases is an unknown word.”

I highly recommend this type of training as it is very natural to learn, unlike some styles of Karate and Kung Fu that I’ve learned. It also allows a person with a light piece of rattan, to face down multiple attackers at one time and will defeat any other weapon short of a gun (or another stick fighter who’s more skilled). It is the preferred weapon for defense against a knife as well – since the reach advantage is in the hands of the stickfighter. The learning time is minimal to attain enough skill to defend yourself from “most attackers” too!

I still can’t figure out – for the life of me – which is the proper spelling for Escrima / Eskrima and if Arnis is the same as Arnis de Mano? Also, I did read somewhere that the term “Kali”, referred to the use of a sword – of the Kung Fu broadsword variety. (??) Not entirely positive on this though. I suppose that I’ll stop sweating semantics and get busy swinging sticks – catch ya later!

“Dad always told us to eat whatever we killed!”

After spending a couple of days researching murderers – I drifted into the fringe of “serial killers”. I spent a few days reading some of the exploits of these most unusual killers. Story after story, until I was filled with disgust and contempt for these horrible men. I kept reading and searching and found quite a compilation of serial killers who were not only murderers but cannibals as well. Repulsed but at the same time interested, I read on. Despite FBI and foreign law enforcement profiles that allegedly “lump” most of them with some similar commonalties, I must confess that they seemed quite random and not really the sort of folks you could easily profile. That’s why there are still many on the loose yet today.

Consider one of the sickest cannibals: Albert Fish who confessed, “I always had a desire to inflict pain on others and to have others inflict pain on me. I always seemed to enjoy everything that hurts. The desire to inflict pain, that is all that is uppermost… What a thrill that will be if I have to die in the electric chair. It will be the supreme thrill. The only one I haven’t tried…. I am Christ! I am Christ!” It seems that he had acquired his taste for human flesh in China in the late 1800’s when famine hit the country so hard that young children were butchered and sold in shops! I hope Jesus Christ set him straight regarding his invalid claims to deity.

Then there’s Richard Trenton Chase, known as the “Vampire Killer of Sacramento” after a four day blood binge in January, 1978, in which he claimed six lives. Previously he had tried to inject rabbit’s blood into his veins. When he was institutionalized he exhibited such strange behavior that the hospital staff nicknamed him “Dracula”. In 1977 it was determined that his delirium had been kept in check by his medication and he was released from the hospital to make room for more seriously ill patients. Rich then decided to stop taking his medications. He thought that his blood was turning into powder and a crime syndicate that had been haunting him since high school was paying his mother to poison him. So he became a vampire.

A disorganized killer, Chase picked out victims randomly and left as much evidence as he could around the crime scenes. He drained his victim’s blood, blended it with body organs and drank it. It was the only way to stop his own blood from turning into powder, or so the voices in his head said. He died of an overdose of antidepressants in his cell in Vacaville just after Christmas in 1980.

Then there is example after example with details so graphic that I find it repugnant to post any more of them. For a look at some seriously crazy and scary serial killers check out: Cannibals Anonymous for a boatload of crazed cannibals.

Why am I posting this? Because there are a lot of serial killers that are still “at large” and many of them are into a lot of perversions – much more than simply eating their victims. Some of there demonic stories are real tear jerkers – especially their preoccupation with killing and molesting of children.

As a concerned parent, I find this alarming and speak to my children often about strangers and go into some of their exploits (with the volume turned down quite a bit) so that the kids are aware that real monsters do exist, and to add “real life” information, to reinforce my warnings. I want to convince them that Dad’s not kidding about not talking to strangers, or giving out any information to any stranger, via the telephone or in person. I talk to them about what to do if approached by strangers, like simply running off if approached in person, to the nearest safe haven, or to a trusted adult and explain what took place.

Dads and Moms, please talk to your children about more than drugs! Talk to them about sex offenders, child abductions and the possible danger of interaction with strangers or people that they know very little about. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Tito Wins the Black Muscle Car

As a parting gift to Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz for coaching his Ultimate Fighter show, UFC President Dana White ended the season by giving each a vintage muscle car. One black and one yellow, other than the color – identical cars. Ken said he liked the black one and Tito said he wanted the black model and suggested that they fight over the right to choose their color at UFC 61 “Bitter Rivals”.

Always thinking, and trusting his superior training regimen, age, and level of “game”, Tito suggested this settlement and everyone agreed. Amidst the smiles and hoo-ha’s I recall Tito muttering “watch – I’ll end up owning both of these cars”, suggesting a behind the scenes wager with Ken (who just never seems to able to “tune out” Ortiz).  It’s like two neighborhood kids who are rivals. One says I want that – and the other says NO I want it! I threw the ball 50 yards – yeah well mine went at least 60 yards! I keep bracing myself for an “on camera” moment between Tito and Ken that ends up “I know you are but what am I”…..you get the picture!

Stifling my sense of nostalgia, recalling when Ken Shamrock WAS the world’s most dangerous man – I can only add that he WAS one of the world most dangerous men – and for his whole career. Ken Shamrock is no joke and a real Ace of a fighter. I’m glad to see him making a couple of modern paychecks before clocking out of a game that he helped bring to mainstream America – and the world. Yes, Ken Shamrock is a DANGEROUS MAN – and a pioneer of MMA no doubt!

That said, Tito Ortiz was the choice of all but the blind, or Shamrock’s most rabid fans. Yeah – “go Kenny – kick his ass back to California!” They are not at fault – some people are ruled by emotion and others use a more logical, methodical approach to picking fights. There are no supermen or super-heroes – just trained fighters who show up on the appointed night – with the game to score a victory, or end the evening as the recipient of a beating.

Fact is, Tito wouldn’t be where he is if it wasn’t for men like Shamrock and Gracie, who walked the aisle before these young fighters had ever had a real fight – much less in a steel cage. That was the time of triple elimination’s before the final – and all in one night! Yep – Ken was/is a bad man!

Tonight, youth was served as the brash young Tito Ortiz showed up jacked and ready to fight. He made short work of Ken Shamrock and in just a short time, had slammed him to the canvas and was beginning to rain down unanswered elbows and punches on an unresponsive Ken Shamrock. The fight was stopped immediately. Ken – who appeared clearly to be in trouble, and on the verge of getting his head caved in – as in their first match – jumped up immediately protesting as Ortiz celebrated. It was a good stoppage – despite the boos from the crowd. Tito would have proceeded to crush Ken and that’s not the way we wanted to see one of our pioneers go out. He was buffed and ready to rumble but the referee stopped it before the hailstorm of follow-up blows began re-arranging Ken’s face. I can live with this decision, despite the obvious disappointment of many fans. They haven’t been mounted by Tito and taken the full brunt of his unrelenting, powerful attack. I haven’t either for that matter – but I’ve been in a “bad position” like that before – trust me, it was the humane thing for the referee to call it.

Ken has his dignity back – beside the “Loss” – and can keep talking smack about getting Tito back in the ring (for another huge payday – I hope not!) and the early stoppage controversy. It’s good TV spin. Good for Ken’s health too! Hang ‘em up my friend and stay close to the UFC – there’s a lot of cash floating around and you’ve got a lot to offer – just in the PR aspects. And BTW Tito – enjoy your new car dude – you’ve earned it! Leave old Kenny alone and fight some of the new upcoming hard asses – many of them are more in need of a spanking than Shamrock! ORTIZ WINS!

MMA or Traditional Martial Arts?

With the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) maturing into a mainstream fighting venue, boxing is no longer the hottest ticket in Vegas. Sure there are certain title fights in some of the weight classes that are interesting and the Heavyweight Boxing Title matches are usually very good as well. That said, the hottest fight tickets are for UFC title matches. Yes – the fighters are that good! In fact, they’re even better than “that good”.

I have only seen two boxers compete in the steel cage and both were soundly beaten and tapped out to quit. The UFC fighters are now referred to as MMA fighters or “Mixed Martial Arts” fighters. That’s because they train in a variety of fighting disciplines to cover all of the areas where a real fight could end up. There is Wresting, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing and Muay Thai Kickboxing. That certainly about covers it all. No longer is just being sharp in one discipline enough to carry the day. UFC fighters are dangerous with punches, kicks, elbows, knees, throws, grappling and submission holds. (lots of commas eh?) That’s a pretty well rounded fighting style isn’t it?

Training consists of the basics like; healthy eating and proper rest, running for endurance, weight training for strength, followed by groundwork, and stand-up striking with all appendages. One dimensional fighters can’t hang anymore with the new crop of multi-disciplined fighters. Gone are the days of Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Tank Abbott and Dan Severn. The fighters today – only about 15 yrs later, can submit you or knock you out with a variety of Martial Arts applications that they train in nowadays.

I watched a replay of UFC 60 and witnessed the demolition of the legendary Royce Gracie by Matt Hughes. Gracie espouses the belief that “Gracie” jiu-jitsu is enough to do it all – but he was so wrong! Matt Hughes was a high school and collegiate wrestling “All American” and his submissions are very natural and smooth. His striking game is solid and his strength is legendary. At 170 lbs. he’s often referred to as THE toughest fighter pound for pound.

UFC 61 will be very interesting, since another new-breed of MMA fighter – Tito Ortiz takes on his bitter rival, old-schooler Ken Shamrock, also known as “The World’s Most Dangerous Man”. Now don’t get me wrong – Ken is a very dangerous man and has tried to improve his striking and submissions a little more “up-to-date” than the other old-schoolers. If Tito makes a mistake Ken can and will beat him. In their last fight, Ortiz stopped Shamrock convincingly – just by being younger and more well-rounded of a fighter, but don’t forget that Shamrock rocked him and had him in trouble in that fight. Barring Tito making a huge blunder, I’m expecting to see a replay of the first fight with a lot more ferocity from both fighters who can’t seem to control themselves around each other anymore. Each fighter claims to “hate” the other, so stand by – anything can happen – and I don’t expect it to get past the second round (maybe not the first)!

Representing a traditional fighting art, I still practice my martial art after 30 years but have added Escrima for weaponry and Muay Thai to enhance my standup striking skills. Although I have many students who train in wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I’m just too darned “long in the tooth” to do much serious grappling and submission training. Having said that – I have always championed the belief that my students take other martial arts to compliment or add to their arsenal of fighting tools. A still pool of water becomes stagnant and what better way to refresh and add life to your pool of knowledge, than some new martial art that enhances a fighter’s all around fighting skill.

I’m outta here for tonight, see ya around the training centers guys and gals!