Kali – Eskrima – Arnis?

May 28
2007


The Differences In Filipino Martial Arts

Eskrima is one of the traditional sword and stick fighting methods of the Philippines. It was originally used by Christian Filipinos to defend their coasts against pirate attacks by the Moros (AKA Muslims) of the South.

Kali is a modern term which is claimed in certain FMA circles to be the original pre-Hispanic term for FMA, but there isn’t any hard evidence to support this, legend and verbal history is what we have. Silat is an Indonesian martial art practiced by Muslims of the Southern Philippines.

Weapons employed in these are arts are generally learned with a rattan stick (varying lengths), double sticks and of course live blades, including adoption of the modern folding blades called balisong or butterfly knives. The open hand versions of many of these systems closely refer to the foot and hand work that we see employed while training with sticks.

Our term “machete” is referred to as a bolo which are about 24″ to 32″ long, but can also be a generic term just meaning sword or any sword.

A slightly shorter sword is often called a barong and usually ranges from 22″ to 28″ long. These ranges overlap, which is important, as this oftentimes causes the terms to be interchangeable by non-Filipinos.

I have read that “the terms are more regional or ethnic, than referring to long and short. The bolo is the popular term for the northern, Tagalog speaking people. The word “barong” in Tagalog is sometimes used to describe a fancy, embroidered shirt.” And, that amongst the southern Moro the word “barong” or “Moro Barong” refers to a short sword.”

The word “Moro” is old Spanish referring to Moors, which was a term used to describe the non-Christian, or more specific, Muslim people that occupied parts of present day Spain, Portugal and Northwestern Africa. The term was then used by the Spanish to describe the southern native Filipinos who had Islam as their religion.

The true differences in the arts lie in the style or system names; Doce Pares, Decampo, Lameco, Modern, Rapid, Sayoc, Sikaran, sorry if your system wasn’t mentioned – there are so many more! The choice of the words Arnis/Arnes, Escrima/Eskrima/Esgrima or Kali before or after was probably more a factor of what language or dialect they spoke, or what region of the county they were from.

The most notable differences are in stance and range. Some cover all over and some focus on specific ranges. The next things people notice are the check hand being high, or low, others keep the check hand directly behind the weapon with the hand turned, palm up or palm down..ad infinitum. More differences are usually in striking patterns. I have seen anything from 5 – 7 to 12 strike systems. Others are known by the speed or power (determined by the weapon and type of cut desired), or a light stick, a heavy stick, long stick or short stick, edged weapons work or just stick only. Amidst all of the differences they usually have much more things in common than not.

So, we can only speculate on the origins of the contemporary Filipino Martial Arts – it’s a genuine product of Filipino creation. Another resource I have proposes that the bulk of contemporary FMA was developed during Spanish colonial times, and may have gotten it’s inspiration from European fencing concepts and practices as well. (not too sure about that – contemporary still draws on pre-Spanish times yes?) It was greatly developed and refined, and continues to be, in the Philippines. Agreed!

Let Them Feel The Heat!

May 23
2007


Unwanted Guest/s – Send Them Packing FAST

I will admit to my age – being over 50 yrs old. It seems like the world has really become a small place since I was a little boy in elementary school. We read our World History books and if you could stay awake, you learned a little about these wars, like – WWI, WWII and Korea. The pictures used for illustration were kind of crummy by today’s standards these conflicts that shaped our world plus a few generations of people’s lives, habits and dress attire seemed a lifetime away. It all seemed so OLD and far away.

In this fast paced planet we inhabit today, global news is instantaneously posted on the Internet by News Services and Bloggers so that everyone knows what’s going on anywhere they want at any given time. The world has sure shrunken from the big old history books to a 19″ monitor in darn near every household. If the images were poor in the past they are now in vivid color complete with various “spins” put on the accompanying information, depending on where you’re reading it at.

I went to Parochial schools and graduated High School as a young man with the street smarts and wisdom of today’s 14 year olds! At least we got a lot done in our formative years, civil rights movements swept across our country and the Black community began to make itself heard. Equal rights in the workplace plus some other pretty impressive women’s rights were addressed – like bra burnings – which were carried on across our land and we loved it. The youth of America chanted “Hell No We Won’t Go” regarding the American intrusion into the civil war in Viet Nam. Long hair, tie dye shirts, jeans and sandals were the uniform of the day. We may have used a questionable substance occasionally, but it made us tired and hungry so we didn’t riot if we didn’t have to! Draft cards, burned along with U.S. flags in defiance of the American involvement in SE Asia while men actually landed on the moon. The Berlin Wall (AKA “The Iron Curtain”) fell before our eyes, the U.S.S.R. is no longer and now Red China is a super power to be dealt with in the most deferential way. My things have changed.

There is one change that bothers me. In particular it’s suburban white boys shooting the bloody hell out of High School and College campuses across our land. This is a very recent phenomena that is both appalling and shocking in it’s brutal finality. It’s as if this generation wants to stand for something (and don’t really) and the anger that we unleashed on our Federal Govt. has been repressed and focused back on our youth now as they look for a cause, for purpose and meaning in their lives. I think that more interested parents – yeah – real snoops that love their kids and know what they’re up to, parents who aren’t afraid of letting one have “five across the eye” for a smart assed or crude retort from their teen are what’s lacking. They play video games and smoke designer drugs, drink alcohol and are largely unsupervised with the advent of two income families. Whenever I hear a woman cry about how hard they work, don’t get to spend quality time with their families, or how there aren’t any good jobs anymore, I’m tempted to jump on it and tell them this is what you girls burned your bras over so get in the car and go to work. Meanwhile some men can’t land the job that corporate Jane Doe is doing (not any better than a man – but to fulfill Govt. quotas for subsidy eligibility) and the vicious cycle spins round.

My intention was not to go off on a rant but to let you guy’s/gals know – that now if you’re threatened or come home to a bunch of drunken partiers and something gets out of control – we can help! Or say, the neighborhood “creepy guy” is often seen checking you or your family out when you happen to look his way – this is a call to action my friends. The person who “lands first” usually wins the fight/confrontation. It’s our desire to make that “winner” – you and your loved ones! Violence can break out at a moment’s notice and with catastrophic results so now you just need the right tool. World renowned 18% Wildfire Pepper Spray 9 oz. size just got bigger and better with a safety “pull pin” and a pistol grip for safety, a natural point and aiming. So if you’ve used your charm to remove the unwanted person from your premises or if you’re flat out being assaulted then pull the pin, grasp the pistol grip and aim, then unleash hell on them! You won’t be sorry you spent the money, it’ll put a STOP! to any further problems and afford you the opportunity to escape or to mount an effective counterattack. This product could save your life!

Lincoln Abolished Slavery Right?

May 18
2007


Rich East Coast Immigrants At It Again!

MINEOLA, N.Y. – A millionaire couple was arrested on federal charges that they kept two Indonesian women as slaves in their swank Long Island home for more than five years, beating and abusing them and paying them almost nothing.

Authorities uncovered the alleged abuse after one of the women was found by police wandering outside a doughnut shop Sunday morning wearing only pants and a towel.

The homeowners, Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 35, and her husband, Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, entered not guilty pleas Tuesday at their arraignment in U.S. District Court in Central Islip and were ordered held pending a Thursday bail hearing.

Now this sort of thing really aggravates me. Here, we apparently have a rich Indian couple who purchased some Indonesian women for slaves in their US based home. They have factories in Asia so sweatshops, poor living conditions, grinding poverty and owning human beings for a pittance is nothing new to them. This practice is still prevalent in Asia – but not in the USA!

They are to have a bond hearing – which I hope they will not be granted. They should have their manicured fingernails to scratch the walls as far as I’m concerned. I have seen this first hand some 40 yrs ago – first hand. Merchant finds destitute family with no income and offers a paltry fee to the family and promises to either send money back to Asia or cancel a debt, in some cases for a set amount of servitude.

Alexandra Tseitlin, who represents Mahender Sabhnani, described the couple as “law-abiding citizens.” Where at, in the 1800’s in India, where their heritage goes back to local bushmen? Do they own a time machine? Don’t they reside in a Northern “anti-slavery state? I say revoke their citizenships, deport them to whatever slimy they climbed out from under and distribute a good portion of their “US banked $1.8 million” to the tortured women and donate the rest to hurricane victims or another worthy cause.

I couldn’t believe my ears and eyes! Check out this sadistic couple’s story here!

Wanted By The FBI

May 12
2007

Violation of Release Conditions

(Fraud by Wire)

Date of Birth Used: February 14, 1953

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C.

Height: 6′ 2″ Weight: 190 lbs.

Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown/Gray (Balding)

Sex: White Nationality: American

Scars and Marks: Oliver has a scar on right ankle.

Occupation: Home Improvement Sales

Remarks: Oliver may travel to Mexico. He enjoys North Carolina and shore areas. Oliver is believed to be traveling with his wife.

On October 3, 2005, Craig John Oliver, a convicted felon, plead guilty in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, to defrauding 68 Virginia and Maryland homeowners of more than $2.5 million. Mr. Oliver was released from jail on bond, but after he violated his release conditions a warrant was issued for his arrest on December 6, 2005. Oliver failed to appear for his court date on January 20, 2006 as scheduled, and was sentenced “in absentia” to 20 years in Federal prison.

Victims of his scam were clients of Oliver’s home renovation businesses. From 2002 until 2005 Oliver used fraudulent business licenses and got clients to make payments for work which was never completed. It’s believed that Oliver fled the Fairfax, Virginia area in November, 2005.

Oliver is also wanted for probation violation in 1995 following a securities fraud conviction in Arlington County, Virginia. This guy gets around!

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS CASE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FBI OFFICE OR THE NEAREST AMERICAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE!

Shameless Self Promotion

May 07
2007


Would You Stake Your life On It?

Nothing irks me more than Americans with less than stellar martial arts training, creating their own systems of karate, kung fu, etc.. The thought process may be a long evolution and blending the best techniques or uniform colors – you name it, but suddenly out of the blue, Sensei Joe Blow is 9th or 10th Dan (degree) Black Belt and has ads running in the local phone books, even the internet, proclaiming himself as Grand Master of his own make believe style. They are usually men in their late 40’s to early 60’s wearing some fancy uniform and often depicted in a deadly looking pose (or so they think). They list their credentials and they are holders of a minimum ranking of 1st degree black belt or higher in about 3 to 10 martial disciplines. In their vast travel itineraries and wide exposure to different martial arts styles – they are quick to create a goofy name – consisting of a combination of the syllables from each of the systems they have gotten a belt rank in and end up as the Founder, Grand Master and 10th Degree Black Belt in TaeNinJu-Ryu or translating (to them) as Tae Kwon Do, Ninja, Judo, and one of the Okinawan styles (they end in Ryu). Another commonality is that they are usually fitted in their overstuffed pin striped competition Gi’s with Red or Gold belts and have Biographies that are simply ridiculous, with many of their references coming from other bastardized systems. They sure look tough too! How can I take lessons from this guy? Today I was introduced to a 7th Dan in one of these bastard styles. Now this Master Instructor has studied intensively for 12 WHOLE YEARS to achieve this rank, where legitimate traditional stylists study and train for the bulk of their adult life and never even approach this rank. This author had begun training about 21 years before Master Blow and still is outranked by this 12 year prodigy. Where do I sign up? Do you offer long term contracts?

I have met a few of these National Treasures in my career and they are the type A’s (on steroids) who talk so much sh** that you can’t participate in their monologue and some were silent types whose quiet demeanor was merely a scam for their lack of knowledge when confronted by a group of high ranking black belts from tried and true Traditional Martial Arts Styles. Others have actually risen to the bait and were allowed (encouraged) to demonstrate their skills on a 3rd or 4th Degree black belt for our edification. In all of my life, I have met one “System Founder” who actually demonstrated his own system, worked with everyone who cared to, fielded questions intelligently and dazzled the attendees with his martial arts prowess – ONLY ONE! I will spare him a mention since his system unfortunately floundered as a result of being so sophisticated that his student membership to Black Belt ratio was very low and those who did attain a Black Belt in it, quickly seemed to diminish in both confidence and skill levels when their Founder re-located to another state. It couldn’t withstand the test of time without him there hammering away at his people. Translation: his style was himself and without him – the style he left behind was like an incomplete equation that quickly stumped, frustrated and finally ended the studies of it’s practitioners. Unlike a true and complete traditional style who’s essentials, by themselves, could equip anyone to defend themselves even if a small portion was mastered. A time tested traditional martial art style is like magnetic force – it will pull you along the desired path as long as you stay in close proximity (training the techniques) whatever your ranking might be.

I also watched this “home brew” martial arts style train today and they were using either an overhead or a lower X – Block, to defeat an attacker – armed with a knife. Sensei yelled “break” whenever one side (empty hands – no blade) “pretend chopped” to the skull or thrusted to the legs or groin and the defenders perfectly stopped the attacking arm with their X – Blocks. “Very good blocks” was barked out to all of those still frozen in the “stopped” position! Sensei knows of me, not really well but respected me by asking me to demonstrate a technique from my system to stop these types of attacks. I thought for a moment and walked before the class and told them they would be far better off to pick up a gun or a lightweight telescopic steel baton than to try and defend against a blade in that manner. Looks of incredulity spread across faces, smirks and sniggers were heard – but hey what the heck let’s give ‘em a show! Without belaboring anyone with my “blade credentials”, I simply asked for a husky 1st Degree Black Belt to remain on the mat as I walked over to meet him. It was obvious in his eyes that he appeared ready to trap my thrusts or possibly get hurt badly – I couldn’t say for sure.

Without quotes: I asked if anyone had ever really been in a knife fight where one or both combatants have a blade. No one raised their hand as the variables that my question introduced, spread like a brush fire across their faces. Now I can hear pins drop – they’re ready. I asked for one of the shiny new training knives I saw earlier in the odds and ends box. It was brought to me “chop chop”! I told this young man, I’ll slowly thrust down toward your skull or face area and you trap me in the X- Block and freeze – I’ll take it from there – he nodded his head. So, I made the slowest, largest, circular motion that I could with my wooden Tanto/knife. As I had shuffled in deeply, the defender stepped back to maintain distance (A+) and executed the perfect X-Block (A+), which gently stopped my swing at the wrist. I then relaxed my wrist which slid past the block and then re-stiffened the wrist and proceed through the block – illustrating the loss of blood and probably life that would ensue as the blade edge was drawn down and into the wrists of both hands of the blocker. Completing the circle brought the training knife to the right side ready position where it shot straight into the blockers chest and stomach with multiple stab wounds being inflicted. Of course, we repped this several times to acquaint the students with reality. It doesn’t matter if you hold the knife blade up or down – it still cuts the block to shreds – only the follow-through cuts change a bit. Next I told my demo partner to prepare for a straight thrust to the bladder area and he nodded. I again shuffled in – boxing style footwork – and oh so slowly pushed the Tanto forward toward his # 3 area as he perfectly executed the X-Block. As I felt the contact and pressure, lightly pushing down on my blade hand, I quickly slid deeper into him and wrapped my free hand across his crossed arms (to stabilize them) and after using my empty “check hand” to control the arms – I turned sharply at the waist and drew the blade up into his “crossed” wrists and pulled it out quickly – effectively severing everything in his wrists/hands with subsequent multiple stab wounds to the body. I explained that an experienced knife fighter will use that blade like a snake uses his fangs to nail you when given any opportunity. C’mon we’ve all seen snakes nail expert handlers from the most unexpected angles and positions. Where a man may see 1 mm of “free space” the cobra or the blade sees “opportunity!

Sensei was teaching “month 6″ blocks and for the wrong applications! He immediately piped up that the technique was undeniably not viable the way I exposed it – but what if the blade was one sided and not of the dagger or bayonet style? Ok, “what if we go with one edge” – my preferred blades are BOTH so let’s see? My Uki defended the slow motion thrust to this bladder so as I slid forward to trap his arms (trap is too strong) momentarily disrupt the movement of his arms, I again torqued away at the waist (no muscling involved) and withdrew the Tanto up and sharply back – after – turning the live edge clockwise with my wrist and pulling my right elbow toward my center (this causes a slight clockwise rotation of the blade as well) the defender was again opened up like a ripe tomato as the live edge was now turned about 160+ degrees opposite of it’s starting point and now was in full play again to cut the X-Block to bits. I explained for a few minutes about what had taken place and why. The students – about a dozen – mobbed me after class with knife questions which I politely fended off until they retired to the floor to play with their Tantos after class. I sat down with my senior in rank but a babe in “time in training” and explained to him that particular block should never be employed against an edged weapon for the reasons I showed and was hand to hand stuff. I further explained that if, as a last ditch scenario, one might find himself defending that very technique with the incorrect defense – trust me it happens – then don’t stop your students and freeze them in that incorrect position, but have them release quickly and re-engage (if absolutely necessary) in hope of gaining a better position when the attacker strikes with his blade again. Never ingrain bad positions/wrong techniques into your student’s heads since we play the way we practice. I cited the “up or down, double or single edge blade” scenarios and explained that we’re trained to always have the “live edge” in play no matter what direction we’re slashing or thrusting from. No matter if we have a double edge knife in our hands or not – it’s rare to find the wrist ‘not’ rolling over as if it were a single edge knife when watching an expert with a blade going though his paces. It wasn’t the student’s fault they were practicing bad technique and I’m not sure it was their Teacher’s either. They were just another home brew, spin-off style, created by an entrepreneurial Black Belt who decided that what he did – in the aggregate – was a real Martial Arts Style and left them an incomplete system. I lay that blame at his feet.