Hartcone's posts with tag: english
Live in South Africa; here knives are commonly used on our streets. Knives are seen as a thug’s weapon, and unfortunately our culture has developed an unusual, sophisticated criminal knife method. Blade-to-blade combat, or facing a knife unarmed, is a reality here. We have learned both to fear and respect the blade because of this. This article addresses aspects of the very real threat of the blade by examining what we (whether civilians or law enforcement personnel) really face, and the training methods designed to counter it. Hopefully this will benefit your own research and practice. To best counter an enemy, study him. Know his methods and know why he does what he does. Thus, we learn from those who use blades in their culture, and study the kinds of people that are considered a threat. Then, take those methods apart and learn to respect them. The people who would harm others know only too well how to speak with a knife. Think like a violent, criminal individual. When you do this you will see that violent people are rarely there to ‘fight’ on equal terms, they are there to win. Their use of a weapon is to give them, quite literally, the edge. The Dual Fantasy We, as the potential victims of criminals, have a peculiar idea of a knife ‘fight’ based on the assumption we will be given warning of an impending knife attack, and allowed time and room to prepare. We have a mistaken expectation of a duel. Question: Why would I carry a small, easily-concealed weapon with a very limited range and then reveal it so that you can find an equalizer? In prison the knife is an assassin's weapon and victims are taken by surprise. Wardens who are assaulted are attacked without warning, with no chance of meeting the assault on equal terms. Policemen who are knifed have fractions of a second to respond, as the weapon is employed at very short range as a surprise attack. People who are mugged with knives usually don't see it coming until way too late. If you still imagine that these scenarios are duels then your wheel's spinning, but your hamster's dead. There are knifings, there are stabbings, there are threats made with knives, and there is armed robbery. I have seen people trying to kill each other, but I have yet to see people fight an extended duel with a blade. Combat with knives is not the equivalent of a fist fight. In my experience blade-to-blade scenarios involved warring gangs in close-in lethal combat; drunken or otherwise highly emotional individuals in an argument that escalated into physical violence; or assaults in neighbourhoods where residents expect to be accosted with a knife and habitually carry their own. Such duels were brutal, violent and very short. I have yet to see scenes like these at the movies, or in knife training classes. Criminals and others who have experienced knife assaults respond in two ways. Either they get a better weapon with a greater range, or they just run from a potential assault. If they don't want to go toe-to-toe on an equal basis with a determined knife-wielding attacker, why would you think about it? The Fantasy of Empty Hand Defence Since we know that a knife can provide a massive advantage psychologically and tactically (and is employed for these very reasons), let us examine another potential fantasy in our knife training: going it empty hand. Empty hand against a blade is not your first option because it is potential suicide. You see, you don't “fight” an armed attacker, you SURVIVE the assault. Why then do exponents of various knife systems speak of how lethal or disabling knives are, and then go on to say one should "expect to get cut"? Somehow this makes a committed assault with a legally recognized deadly weapon seem a minor inconvenience when used by the bad guy. An assailant uses a weapon to minimize his risk by removing your options, allowing him to overwhelm and dominate. If you play his game you will be more than inconvenienced. To quote a brilliant observation by self-defense expert Marc Mac Young: “self defense is not about fighting, it’s about not being hurt by physical violence”. If you must get cut, do so on your terms. Unarmed, you do not trade blows with a knifer. Only trade a cut for a kill. The Fantasy Of Protection By A Handgun Ownership of a handgun does not guarantee immunity from a knifer, and Law Enforcement Personnel have their own unique set of concerns – which we’ll bring into the picture from this point on. But many of the same principles apply to any owner of a handgun. An edged weapon does not guarantee a quick kill. Neither do bullets. Often there is no time to draw; very often this is by design. It is well documented that bullets often fail immediately to stop a motivated attacker. Law enforcement officers thus need control tactics to deal with someone at close range so that injuries sustained from bullets can take their toll, or to create an opportunity to draw and bring a weapon to bear. Prison warders have perhaps a greater awareness of the dangers of edged weapons due to the fact that they are unarmed when they go about their duties, relying on instinct, natural weapons and the use of their environment. Armed officers however, may have an unrealistic, perhaps false, sense of security There is a saying “Don’t bring a gun to a knife fight.” Here is the reason. The Tueller Drill (named for Sgt. Dennis Tueller of the Salt Lake City Police) demonstrated that the concept of draw and fire on a target at 7 yards (6.5m or 21ft) was not decisive, but resulted in a tie when the aggressor charged the shooter. An average time of 1.5 seconds was calculated for an aggressor to cover a distance of 21 (6.4m) feet. In local experiments it has been shown that 7 metres can be covered in just over 7/10ths of a second, and an expert draw time was calculated at 1.3 seconds. If you are taken by surprise by a knife wielding assailant, or the assailant takes evasive action, you are almost sure to lose the confrontation should you rely solely on your firearm. Sgt. Tueller concluded that someone with a knife or club at a distance of 21 feet or less was a potentially lethal threat. (Note that Jeff Cooper at GunSite teaches a drill time of 1.5 seconds for drawing a handgun and firing two aimed shots) To illustrate the seriousness with which this threat is viewed, the "Tueller drill" is now a standard part of Massad Ayoob's Lethal Force Institute classes (nationally known for arms training programs for law enforcement). Facing An Armed & Motivated Aggressor Let us assume that we are facing a highly motivated, determined and goal-oriented aggressor. What we need then to follow up on this new awareness is to be at least as motivated and goal oriented in our tactics to confront violent aggressors who wish to attack us with knives, clubs, machetes, bricks etc. The aggressor has a goal: use violence to neutralize you as a threat and to achieve their aims. To follow up on our awareness of the threat we need to have equal or greater intent than who we face, and make use of sound goal-oriented tactics to deal with them when we are attacked with knives, razors, machetes and clubs. Why? Well, those are the tools used successfully by those who regularly use violence. With that in mind, your goal should be to survive the assault and stop your assailant. The horrific events of September 11th 2001 brought home to us all the reality of how effective even a small bladed weapon is in the hands of a determined man. It also taught us how only equally committed action will allow us to prevail against this kind of threat when we cannot retreat. Potentially Threatening Situations Since police officers carry weapons and face dangerous people and situations on a regular basis, it makes sense to examine some of the scenarios they have faced. -
One might have to face multiple opponents, one or more armed with knives. -
We might not be able to reach our firearm, or not immediately. -
You have shot an assailant, but he is still attacking. (In one incident in Cape Town, three police officers shot a knife-wielding man who had randomly assaulted people 12 times with a police issue weapon. He still assaulted two of them and ran a fair distance in an attempt to escape before collapsing.) -
You have slipped and fallen, or were knocked down. -
Your attacker has two knives. -
Only after you have been struck do you notice blood and realise you have been cut.
These incidents are based on actual events. Speak to those who deal daily with violence, and you will hear worse examples. There have been situations where guns have been emptied into an on-rushing assailant who still managed to kill the shooter, with both dying. In police work this is not an acceptable result. Too often, training fails to take into account the emotional impact of surprise on performance, such as shock, hesitation, fear and doubt. It also often fails to address the real-life issues of poor lighting, wind, rain, restrictive clothing, crowds and slippery surfaces. Firearm competence alone is thus insufficient. Adding Strikes To Handgun Retention Tactics Defensive tactics emphasizing handgun retention skills and close-in evasion and escape to create distance for a draw are necessary. In South Africa, I believe that 4 out of 5 handgun owners are shot with their own guns by assailants. That statistic begs the question why. I believe that knowledge of striking tactics that do not utilize fist strikes is a requirement for handgun users. Studies done at the excellent Modern Warrior facility have shown that the most common injury due to fist strikes is to the last two knuckles of the hand, and strong hand injuries are the most common arrest-related injury - due to these fisted strikes. Officers who were asked if they could get a solid grip on their weapons after the injury most often said no. For this and other reasons, the Modern Warrior Defensive Tactics Institute has removed fist strikes from their Police Defensive Tactics curriculum and has replaced them with palm strikes and other open handed alternatives. Palm strikes have been proven to produce the fewest number of injuries when used by police. A fracture will take almost 2 months to heal, while a torn ligament (sprain) can take up to 6 months. Training For The Real World Is the training environment dynamic, chaotic and unorthodox? When training for life and death and learning the risks and limitations of using or reaching for a handgun when being taken by surprise or rushed by a knife-wielder, we need to simulate as much stress, confusion and shock as possible to acclimatize to the realities we face. Does your training teach you to be aggressive? Learn to project all of your energies: voice, gaze and body language as a clear signal. Life and death struggles are no time for timidity. Since we are dealing with the risks attached to facing a bladed weapon, which necessitates that the aggressor is very close, learn to treat any striking movement as if a knife was coming at you. Don’t find out after the ‘punch’ withdraws that you have been cut. Protect yourself from harm with your awareness and your own offense. Turn the tables by putting the assailant on the back foot. Use the same game plan and strategies he uses because people who are ‘professionally’ violent know that in these situations those methods work. The initial stab or cut is usually not fatal or disabling; it simply opens the way for further aggression that will finish you off. Do not allow an opportunity for his momentum to build; you keep fighting no matter what. Since the chaos of violence is by its nature unpredictable, and thus hard to prepare for, let’s bear a few things in mind: -
Adjust your response when it isn’t working. Have a positive, aggressive, winning mind-set. Believe you can prevail. Learn to deal with surprise and shock and keep going. -
Question and experiment, learn the fact that there is no perfect defense. However, there are attributes that make you far more likely to succeed. -
Learn to react to sudden aggressive arm movement appropriately. Stay close, jam and neutralize; evade and escape; or evade and find/produce a weapon of your own.
Conclusion Know that an attacker at 21 feet (6.4m) can be a lethal threat, even if you are armed with a gun, and even if they “only” have a knife. Hone your knowledge and awareness. And remember this in a potential life and death struggle. Offense wins fights. Defense keeps you fighting to allow your offense a chance to work.
(Lloyd De Jongh)
The Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation is headed by Grandmaster Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete (12th Degree Black Belt).
The Cacoy Doce Pares System is a close quarter stick fighting system which utilizes a 29-inch rattan stick. The close quarter style is known as "Corto Kurbada" and is characterized by the curving strikes which are employed within its sparring methodology.
Grandmaster Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete has also incorporated concepts and techniques from Judo and Ju-Jitsu> which can be applied in sparring this is known as "Eskrido".
The system also teaches double stick (penki-penki), stick & dagger (espada y daga)and empty handed applications (pangamot).
The Headquarters of the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation is located at 81a C. Padilia Street, Cebu City, Philippines (the original location of the Doce Pares School - Founded 1932).
C.D.P.W.F. "Hall of Fame" March 2008:
The first weekend in March, 2008, was a very momentous time for Filipino martial artists all over the world. It marked the first ceremony of the Cacoy Doce Pares Hall of Fame, located in its country of origin, Cebu, Philippines. Hundreds of Doce Pares Eskrimadores turned up from all corners of the world, either to be inducted into the first Hall of Fame, or to partake in the international seminar that surrounded the ceremony in the historical city of Cebu. Grandmasters in the Filipino fighting arts shared their knowledge to eager students who wished to broaden their experience in the field. “The Gathering,” as the event came to be called, had representatives from countries as widespread as Australia, United States, Germany, New Zealand, Mexico, and especially the Philippines. All were present to honor Supreme Grand Master Ciracao “Cacoy” Cañete and share in the experience of a lifetime.
This year there was a significant delegation from the United States. Students from Grand Master Anthony Kleeman in Agoura Hills as well as students from Grand Master Bustillo in Torrance, CA and Grand master Jun Cautiverio's students from Northern California were present for the event. There were also some other schools from Ohio, Maryland, Seattle, and other States.
Why Cebu? A bit of background on the city and fighting system
Cebu is an important city to the Filipino culture and the martial arts world. This particular city is a historical landmark for both western worlds as well as the Filipino identity. As well as the birthplace of Catholicism in Asia, Cebu is the location for the historical battle of Mactan, where Magellan was defeated in the shallow waters by chieftain leader, Rajah Lapulapu. This battle is the first recorded use, and proof of the effectiveness, of the Kali fighting system indigenous to the Philippines.
In 1932, the Cañete brothers worked together to form the Doce Pares Eskrima Club, based in this historical city, as we know it today. The goal was to perpetuate the practice of eskrima in a commercial setting in order to promote Filipino identity in an increasingly western world. The name Doce Pares translates to twelve pairs and pays tribute to the 24 original founders, as well as the set patterns of twelve strikes and blocks. Now, under the leadership of Cacoy Cañete, the only living original Doce Pares member, the Doce Pares Association is responsible for training many of the prominent names in eskrima and arnis around the world and ensuring the survival of the Filipino Martial Arts.
The whole event in March took a period of 4 days, from March 6th to March 9th. The Cañete family, especially the Supreme Grand Master, went to great lengths to make the visitors comfortable. The first day, they had arranged for us to discover the wonders and history behind Cebu on a tour bus. We visited sites such as the Basilica del Santo Nino, the Fort San Pedro, and the site where Lapulapu defeated Magellan on Mactan Island. The last of the stops was probably the most moving for us, because it reminded us of the history behind everything we train in today. SGM Cacoy Cañete was present for the entire tour showing just how much respect he had for his home.
Learning from the Grand Masters
One of the biggest reasons most of us traveled to Cebu this spring is to have the privilege to learn from some of the best martial artists the world has to offer. With so many different schools present, and so many knowledgeable Masters, there was never a dull moment.
Grand Master Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete, based in the Doce Pares Headquarters in Cebu, opened the three day long event with various lessons in eskrima. Although 89 years old, his age has never held him back when it comes to demonstrating his techniques. GM Cañete participated in most of his seminars, demonstrating various sparring disarms and Eskridos on other Grandmasters so we could better understand the motion. He lead the class through a series of single-stick countering drills, flow (or controlled) sparring, disarms and painful locks to hold your challenger at bay. It is always a wonder to see GM Cañete make even the most difficult locks look easy, and then casually instruct us “to try.” One will never leave a seminar taught by GM Cañete empty handed.
Grand Master Richard Bustillo, who is currently located at the IMB Academy in Torrance, California, took the participants through a series of Jeet Kune Do techniques for his part of the weekend event. As a direct student of Bruce Lee, he is well versed in the style and techniques of Jeet Kune Do, Lee’s personal interpretation of martial arts. For that reason, we were taught a series of hand-trapping and simultaneous reaction strikes that work well with offensive strikes to render an aggressor incapable of continuing the fight. He then used his expertise to demonstrate different self-defense techniques in case of being attacked. We practiced different offensive grabs and defensive escapes from everything to a rear choke, from standing to ground grappling techniques.
Grand Master Vince Palumbo, of Adelaide, Australia, led us through fighting techniques that were more practical for street confrontations instead of the boxing ring. One thing that was brought to our attention was that keeping both hands up by the temples in a fighting stance is not at all effective for a street fight. You need to control the distance while at the same time look defensive instead of aggressive. GM Palumbo applied this theory to pressure points in a convincing demonstration. He talked of pressure points as an equalizer much like the eskrima stick in the hands of an attack victim.
Grand Master Anthony Kleeman, representing Doce Pares Fighting Arts Systems (DPFAS) and Warrior’s Heart Karate of Agoura Hills, California, tied all of the other seminars together very cleanly. He made the participants think about why we use a set pattern of numbers. Those 12 strikes, ranging from the head to the knees, can translate any sort of weapon, weather it be a stick, a knife, or hands. He applied the strikes to boxing techniques, making the weapon the hands and feet instead of a stick. GM Kleeman also built upon GM Bastillo’s quick empty hand attacks by adding his own combinations taking the fighting experience further. He taught a series of blocks and counters to punches that shut down the opponent’s ability to retaliate. He concluded his seminar by demonstrating the usefulness of certain specialty knives, for example the curved blade of the karambit.
Honoring the Fighters
The highlight of the weekend was on Saturday, March 8, when we witnessed the first ceremony of the Doce Pares Hall of Fame. The event was dressed up with a formal banquet and a few spectacular dance acts.
64 eskrimadores were honored to be some of the first fighters to be inducted to the Hall of Fame. Some of the more prominent awards went to Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete, and posthumous Eulogio “Euling” Cañete and Filemon “Mamoy” Cañete for being Doce Pares Legends.
The Lifetime Achievement award went to Martin Gardiner (Australia) and Dan Inosanto (USA). The Most Notable Doce Pares Grand Master was Richard Bustillo (USA). The most notable male competitors were Chuck Cañete and John Mac (Philippines), Vince Palumbo (Australia), and Anthony Kleeman (USA). The female competitors were Vicky Simos and Andrea Wheatley (Australia). The students of the year were Dorota Skibinski (Australia) and Dian Tanaka (USA).
The ceremony concluded with a brilliant demonstration of the grace and strength of Doce Pares Eskrima by Master Chuck Cañete and Master John Mac. They started their design form by demonstrating the beauty and skill required in forms. They transitioned into a choreographed fight performed with energy and style. Later, on the last day of the seminar Master John Mac taught the seminar participants form necessary to demonstrate the art to its fullest extent.
Final Thoughts
“The Gathering” event that took place in Cebu City, Philippines, was a once in a lifetime opportunity that brought the worldwide martial arts community closer together. Only Supreme Grand Master Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete could have brought so many people from all over the globe to his historical home. He honored us by showing off the beautiful city of Cebu that we have learned is so rich in culture and history. We learned a lot about the style of martial arts we practice, especially appreciation of the story behind it and the Masters who have dedicated their lives to its perfection and proliferation.
INDUCTEES to the "HALL of FAME"
Doce Pares “Legend” Award
Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete (Philippines)
Eulogio “Yoling” Cañete (posthumous)
Filemon “Momoy” Cañete (posthumous)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Martin Gardiner (Australia)
Dan Inosanto (USA) Most Notable Doce Pares GM of the Year
Richard Bustillo (USA) Most Notable Doce Pares Master of the Year
Ron Lew (USA) Most Notable Eskrima Competitor of the Year
Men
Chuck Cañete (Philippines)
Ed Eyas (USA)
Anthony Kleeman (USA)
Jon Mac (Philippines)
Vince Palumbo (Australia)
Emery Puskas (USA) Women
Vicki Simos (Australia)
Andrea Wheatley (Australia) Excellence in the Promotion of Sport Eskrima
Glen Gardiner (Indonesia)
Dominic Lavalle (Australia) Doce Pares School of the Year
Craig Bajraktarvic - Hayward (Australia) Organization of the Year
Anton St. James (England) Eskrimadore of the Year
John Moore (Australia)
Carlos Jantsez Patalinghug III (USA) Law Enforcment Instuctor of the Year
Uwe Claussen (Germany)
Rob Davis (Australia)
Leigh Jenkins (New Zealand) Exemplary Dedication to Doce Pares
David Amiccuni (USA)
Saturnino Arcilla (Philippines)
Narrie Babao (USA)
Mike Castro (USA)
Florencio Cautiverio Jr. (USA)
Wally Estropia (USA)
Manuel Fransisco Jr. (USA)
Steve Hacht (USA)
Lyndon Kemp (Australia)
Guy Kinanahan (USA)
Nonito Limchua (Philippines)
Maris Lukasevics (Australia)
Christopher Naislowski (Australia)
Jan Nycek (Poland)
Ken Pannell (USA)
Carlos Patalinghug Sr. (USA)
Christopher Petrilli (USA)
Angel Postigo (Mexico)
Kevin Seskis (Australia)
Ronnie Tapec (USA) Most Valuable Master Instructor of the Year
Carlos Patalinghug Jr. (USA) Most Valuable Instructor of the Year
Nestor Feria (USA)
Kevin Lumsden (USA)
Maria Esplana Patalinghug (USA) Most Valuable Martial Arts Trainer of the Year
Rudolfo Alvarez (Mexico)
David Lumsden (USA)
Bruce Shinegawa (USA)
Zachary Whitson (USA) Most Valuable Student of the Year
Tobias Ricker (Germany)
Steve Sarkisian (USA)
Dorota Skibinski (Australia)
Dian Tanaka (USA) Outstanding Contribution in the Art of Eskrima/Arnis
Roland Dantes (Philippines)
Pat Mike (USA)
Juan Zubiri (Philippines) Most Valuable FMA Journalist of the Year
Dave Carter (USA)
Steven Dowd (USA)
Aimee Giron (USA)
Chuck Martinez (USA)
External Links www.docepares.com
www.cacoydocepares.com
www.docepareseskrima.co.uk
www.dpfas.com
www.imbacademy.com (Source: Wikipedia)
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Congratulation n Thanks to all...
Especially my guro, who did excellence in the promotion of sport eskrima for Indonesia: Master Glen Gardiner...
Best regards,
HartCone
Excerpted from Mark V. Wiley's Filipino Martial ArtsThe recording and documentation of history is an arduous and often difficult undertaking. While reading about history we frequently believe the point of view of the author; however, this is often incomplete and inaccurate. In particular, when tracing the origin of an art of war, such as Eskrima, it is often difficult to string together the bits and pieces of fragmented information into chronological order. Also, since the exact origin of the art was never documented by those who were directly responsible for its founding, much is left to speculation and the cross-referencing of pertinent information to historical events in the surrounding geographical region. INTRODUCTION
Centuries old, the Filipino warrior arts have long been the backbone of Filipino society. It was the practice and preservation of these arts that have kept the Philippine archipelago from permanent domination by a foreign power. There are several hundred styles of these warrior arts presently being preserved and taught throughout the Philippines. Although known by many names, often descriptive of the styles and names of their founders and enemies (i.e., Binas Arnis, Italiana style), the Filipino warrior arts can be classified by three distinct territorial styles --Arnis, Eskrima, and Kali -- that are found in the northern, central and southern Philippines, respectively. It has been postulated that the Filipino art of Escrima originated in India and that it was brought to the Philippines by people who traveled through Indonesia across a land bridge known as the Riouw archipelago that linked the Malay peninsula to Sumatra, and across another land bridge that connected Malaya to the Philippine islands. Indonesian Tjakalele and Malay Silat Melayu are two forms of combat said to have been introduced to the Philippines via these now-sunken routes. The ninth century Tang dynasty brought goods to the Philippines from East Asia and Malaysia. These countries' combat methods of Kuntao and Silat had a great influence on the development of Kali, which is the "mother art" of the Philippines. Legends claim that ten Datus (chieftains) left Borneo and settled in Panay where they established the Bothoan in the twelfth century. The Bothoan was a school where the Datus taught Kali along with academic subjects and agriculture. It was a kind of preparatory school for tribal leaders. During the fourteenth century, a third migration of Malaysians to the Philippines took place. These immigrants were the ancestors of the Moro (Muslim) Filipinos of Mindanao and Sulu. They spread their cultural-religious beliefs as well as their Kali systems, which utilized bladed weapons of varying lengths. Datu Mangal is credited with bringing the art of Kali to Mactan Island; Sri Bataugong and his son Sri Bantug Lamay were said to have brought the art to the island of Cebu during the Majapahit Empire. Raja Lapu Lapu, the son of Datu Mangal, through constant struggle and war, developed a personalized Kali subsystem known as Pangamut. In the sixteenth century, he and Raja Humabon, the son of Sri Bantug Lamay, began to quarrel. A battle was mounting as Lapu Lapu accused Humabon of wrongfully taking land that belonged to his father. The battle, however, was never to take place, as the Philippines were unexpectedly visited by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. In the early part of the sixteenth century, the Spanish set sail in search of a westward route across the Pacific to the Indies. Commander Ferdinand Magellan's fleet of ships accidentally stumbled upon an unknown archipelago. On March 16, 1521, Magellan came upon the island of Samar. He decided that it was in his best interest to wait to attack, and thus dock at a nearby island. This island was uninhabited and so Magellan's fleet took a few days of needed rest. On March 18, the Spaniards took note of a boatload of natives coming toward their ships. Commander Magellan, seeing a strange opportunity, greeted them in friendship. This friendship was to develop, and the native islanders familiarized Magellan with the names of the surrounding islands that made up the archipelago. With assistance of the ship's priest, Magellan baptized Raja Kolambu, the chief of Samar, and also Raja Humabon, the chief of Cebu, converting them to Catholicism and ultimately Spanish allegiance. On April 27, Magellan led an expedition to nearby Mactan Island in hopes of conquering and then presenting it as a git to Raja Humabon. Unfortunately, as he and 49 Spanish conquistadors disembarked from their ships, they were confronted by 1,050 islanders, led by Raja Lapu Lapu, armed with iron-tipped fire-hardened bamboo lances and pointed fire-dried wooden stakes. Greatly outnumbered, Magellan was killed by the spears and arrows of Lapu Lapu's men. In 1543, Ruy de Villalobos, sailing from New Spain (Mexico), landed south of Mindanao and proceeded to name the entire archipelago the PHILIPPINES after King Philip II of Spain. It was not until 1565 that Miguel Lopez de legazpi, authorized by Philip II, colonized the island of Cebu, and a foothold was secured in the Philippines. When the Spaniards traveled to the island of Luzon in 1570, they found it inhabited by Filipino, Chinese and Indonesian cross-cultures, and upon their arrival they were confronted by Kalistas (Kali warriors) whose fighting method far exceeded theirs. But the Spaniards, using firearms defeated the inhabitants of Luzon. From then on, the art of Kali was prohibited, but it was still practieced and perfected by a dedicated few. The arts were then preserved in native ritual dances called sinulog that had mock battles with swords as finales. Ironically, these dances were often performed for the Spaniards' enjoyment. Kalistas practiced their arts diligently, and hence developed extreme accuracy, speed, and agility. These attributes were a must. Because the Spaniards' swords were sharp and readily cut through the Filipinos' wooden weapons, many strikes to nerve centres along the body and limbs were mastered, allowing the Kalista to disarm and disable his opponent with a flurry of attacks.
During the 330 years of Spanish reign, after many skirmishes with Spanish fencing exponents and after careful observation, the art of Kali was altered. Many training methods were dropped and many new concepts and techniques were added. This, coupled with the influence of Spanish culture and language, prompted the evolution of Eskrima (aka. Arnis de Mano). It was the Spanish rapier and dagger systems that had the greatest influence on the development of Eskrima. The use of numbered angles of attack as well as what have become traditional Eskrima uniforms, were both influenced by the Spanish. It is also interesting to note that although Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines, many of the top Eskrima masters still teach their arts in Spanish, today.
"Kuntao is not self-defense". This sentence may sound strange to us, but according to Liem Yoe Kiong (1960:215) it has some value if the name "kuntao" is taken literally. In his book "Ilmu Silat" he explains that the word "kuntao" in Hokkian dialect when translated into the Chinese official language or Kou Yu becomes "Djuen Tho" which means, "punch". Self-defense was instead "Djuen Su" since "Su" means "knowledge" (thus knowledge of the punch). However, in Indonesia the Chinese community mostly used the Hokkian dialect since the first and most numerous generation of Chinese migrants came from the South of China where the Hokkian dialect is spoken. Therefore, the name "kuntao" in its broader albeit mistaken, meaning of self-defense became common also in Indonesia and it was soon used as synonym for silat. To people in Java, Bali, Madura, and Sulawesi, Kuntao seemed very similar to the Sumatrese Silat since it did not use music as background as gendang penca in West Java and ketepongan in the island of Madura. A major linguistic change happened in the 1950s with the popularization of the term "silat" and the gradual disappearance of the term "kuntao". This was due to Ko Phing Ho from Surakarta who wrote more than 300 serials of Chinese martial arts stories in newspapers, magazines and books, using the word "silat" to refer to Chinese martial arts or "kuntao". This trends was further developed in the 1960s with the developments of comics by Yan Mintaraga and Ganes TH to promote local legends and hero such as "Si Buta dari Gua Hantu" ("The blind man from the ghost cave") and "Panji Tenggorak (The standard with skull). Again "silat" was used to indicate to this time local martial arts. These books and comics became very popular among the people because at the time there was no television and imported literature was limited because of political restrictions. Consequently, the term "silat" became embedded in people's culture and substituted the use of "kuntao". Political pressure and discriminative policies to abolish the use of Chinese languages in the Suharto's era further strengthened this trend. In the 1970s, when Hongkong kung-fu movies with David Chiang, Ti Lung and Bruce Lee became popular and local silat movies started to be produced, people distinguished between "silat Cina" of the Kungfu movies from Hongkong and "silat Melayu" of the local action movies. The dismissal of the term "kuntao" for both political and cultural reasons is clearly reflected by the fact that also perguruan that use "kuntao" techniques are not willing to admit it formally. For example to an observer like me, at least 80% of the techniques of Perisai Diri derives from Kuntao, while 10% is composed of Betawi, Kuningan and Cimande techniques and 10% derives from silat Minangkabau. This dominance of kuntao techniques is not surprising since the Master of Perisai Diri, R.M. Soebandiman Dirdjoatmodjo trained with the Kuntao teacher, or Suhu, Yap Kie San in Parakan, Banyumas Regency for 14 years after studying many other silat and pencak forms. When he finished to study kuntao he established in 1953 his perguruan, which is today, called "Keluarga Silat Nasional Indonesia Perisai Diri". As the name shows, "silat" is the preferred term! (O'ong Maryono) http://www.kpsnusantara.com/reflect/...h/3_kuntao.htm
In boxing, no two fighters' styles are identical. A boxer's style is evolved as he applies what he has been taught or picked up in practice, and performs it in such a way as to suit himself. Nonetheless, many terms are used which broadly describe a boxer's style. Note that a boxer is not necessarily limited to being described by one of these terms. A fighter may be at both in-fighting and out-fighting, a good example of this being Bernard Hopkins. Boxer/Out-fighter A classic "boxer" (also known as an "out-fighter") seeks to maintain distance between himself and his opponent, fighting with faster, longer range punches, most notably the jab they do so, because of their long reach. Since they rely on weaker punches such as the jab, boxers tend to win by points decisions rather than by knockout, although some out-fighters (such as Lennox Lewis) have notable knockout records because they wear thier opponent down and come in for harder punches while the opponent is tired and let their gaurd down. These boxers attempt to control the fight by using their jab hey wear thier opponent down and come in for harder to keep their opponent at range, and using fast footwork to evade any opponent that closes in. They are often regarded as the best boxing strategists due to their ability to control the pace of the fight and lead their opponent, wearing him down gradually, and exhibiting more skill and finesse than a brawler. Notable boxers include Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr., Gene Tunney, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko, Larry Holmes, Chris Eubank, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Boxer/Puncher A boxer-puncher is an out-fighter who is known for having very powerful punches, often with the ability to knock out opponents in a single good shot. They use similar movement tactics of an out-fighter, but instead of winning by decision, they tend to wear their opponents down by using combinations before scoring the knockout and they move to the inside instead of away like out-fighters. For a fighter who uses this style to be effective, they need to be well rounded. Notable boxers include Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr. , Thomas Hearns, Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko, Jermain Taylor, Jack Johnson, Naseem Hamed, and Oscar De La Hoya. Brawler/Slugger A brawler is a fighter who generally lacks finesse and footwork in the ring, but often makes up for it by volume of sheer punching power usually with hard haymakers. Many brawlers tend to lack mobility in the ring and have difficulty pursuing fighters who are fast on their feet. They prefer a more stable stance from which they may throw the harder, slower punches (such as hooks and uppercuts) and tend to ignore combination punching. They may also have a tendency to load up on their punches more (to pull back the arm before throwing the punch so as to have a greater distance to gather momentum over before the punch's impact). Their slowness and predictable punching patterns (single punches with obvious leads) often leaves them open for counter punching. Brawlers generally are able to take substantial amounts of punishment to make up for their vulnerabilities. Although brawlers take a lot of punches usually they make up for it by punishing the opponent even more ussually leading to a K.O. or a towel throw in. The object of the brawler is to win with one punch when given the chance. Notable brawlers include George Foreman, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Ricardo Mayorga, Rocky Marciano, Nigel Benn, Samuel Peter, Roberto Duran, James Toney, Kelly Pavlik, and Butterbean. In-fighter (swarmers) In-fighters or swarmers stay close to an opponent, throwing intense flurries and combinations of hooks and uppercuts. A successful in-fighter often needs a good "chin" because this usually involves being hit with many jabs before they can maneuver inside where they are more effective. A fighter who operates best at close range is generally shorter and has less reach than his opponents and thus is most effective at a distance where the longer arms of his opponents make punching awkward. However, several fighters tall for their division have been relatively adept at in-fighting as well as out-fighting, including Riddick Bowe and Bernard Hopkins. Fluries due to a sheer lack of skill and technique occur when a fighter allows the bout to become emotional. When a fighter is angry, he will often make mistakes and commit to wildly thrown punches in order to end the fight quickly. Many short in-fighters utilize their stature to their advantage, employing a bob-and-weave defense by bending at the waist to slip underneath or to the sides of incoming punches. Unlike blocking, causing an opponent to miss a punch disrupts his balance, permits forward movement past the opponent's extended arm and keeps the hands free to counter. Some in-fighters have been known for being notoriously hard to hit, with examples including Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier and Sonny Liston. Notable in-fighters include Joe Frazier, Sugar Shane Mosley, Mike Tyson, Jose Luis Castillo, Evander Holyfield, Felix Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao, Max Baer, and Ricky Hatton. Style matchups There is a generally accepted rule of thumb about the success each of these boxing styles has against the others. In general, an in-fighter has an advantage over a boxer, a puncher has an advantage over an in-fighter, and a boxer has an advantage over a puncher. Naturally, many other factors, such as the skill level and training of the combatants, determine the outcome of a fight, but the widely held belief in this relationship among the styles is embodied in the cliché amongst boxing fans and writers that "styles make fights". Punchers tend to overcome swarmers or in-fighters because, in trying to get close to the slugger, the in-fighter will invariably have to walk straight into the guns of the much harder-hitting puncher, so, unless the former has a very good chin and the latter's stamina is poor, the brawler's superior power will carry the day. A famous example of this type of match-up advantage would be George Foreman's knockout victory over Joe Frazier. Although in-fighters struggle against heavy punchers, they typically enjoy more success against out-fighters or boxers. Out-fighters prefer a slower fight, with some distance between themselves and the opponent. The in-fighter tries to close that gap and unleash furious flurries. On the inside, the out-fighter loses a lot of his combat effectiveness, because he cannot throw the hard punches. The in-fighter is generally successful in this case, due to his intensity in advancing on his opponent and his good agility, which makes him difficult to evade. For example, the swarming Joe Frazier, though easily dominated by the slugger George Foreman, was able to create many more problems for the boxer Muhammad Ali in their three fights than Foreman could. Joe Louis, after retirement, admitted that he hated being crowded, and that a swarmer like Rocky Marciano would have caused him style problems even in his prime. The boxer or out-fighter tends to be most successful against a brawler, whose slow speed (both hand and foot) and poor technique makes him an easy target to hit for the faster out-fighter. The out-fighter's main concern is to stay alert, as the brawler only needs to land one good punch to finish the fight. If the out-fighter can avoid those power punches, he can often wear the brawler down with fast jabs, tiring him out. If he is successful enough, he may even apply extra pressure in the later rounds in an attempt to achieve a knockout. Most classic boxers, such as Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis, enjoyed their best successes against sluggers. (source: wikipedia)
By nature man is never violent. Unless otherwise affected by some physical or psychological affliction, or forced by outside reasons or provocations, no man will harm a fellow human being (or animal for that matter) let alone feast on their physical sufferings. Man is an "institution" of love and kindness.However, history is replete which stories of man's brutalities to his fellowman. Wars were waged and lives were laid in battlefield after battlefields. This is a sad commentary on man's true nature, or an irony of his being. But it must be remembered that this violent quality of man is forced upon him by the vicissitudes of time and circumstance. Outside forces edged him out of his human resistance, which inevitably led him to react in order to preserve himself. Thus the truism of the "survival of the fittest". The vagaries of a cruel life led man to violence.
This need forced man to devise arts and implements for fighting. From the first caveman to the present spaceman, tools for fighting were made and improved until sophisticated machines and implements of warfare have become dreadful realities.Thus, the caveman had his stone clubs, the Europeans their epees and foils, the Chinese their Kung Fu and the Japanese, their Kendo and Karate, and many others with their forms of martial arts. The Filipinos are not spared of this need. The Filipinos were also forced to devise their own Arnis, the martial art of a cane, which had its beginnings even before the coming of the Spaniards.
Present trends, however, converted these martial arts into forms of sport. Although they are taught as defensive and offensive weapons, their concentration is now as a form of sport indulged in friendly competitions like all other wholesome sports. These arts have "Cardinal Rules and Principles" to be observed and followed. Arnis has its own principles that have to be inculcated in the student.
The cardinal principle in Arnis is respect for one's opponent as a person and as a fighter, and as a sportsman. It should always be remembered that an opponent is a human being with a dignity as you have and worthy of respect. (Also do not under rate his fighting ability overconfidence would be costly, if not fatal, therefore never underestimate the ability of an opponent.) Sportsmanship on the other hand is the measure of a fighter or player. The laurels of victory should never be worn with superiority but with humility. Victory is not a stamp of invulnerability but rather a reason for magnanimity.
Besides these cardinal principles, there are other principles in Arnis that the students, must remember these are: Character, sincerity, discipline, self-control, etiquette and student's loyalty to his tutor.
a) Character- a ruffian has no place in Arnis let alone in sports. Refinement in character is important. A student must be taught the moral (and religious) values of everything. It is an obligation of the teacher of Arnis to mold the character of the student in such a way that his behavioural structure would be motivated by righteous desire. It is what a man is that counts not the number of trophies he won. In spite of the abetted fallacies of values of the present world, it is who you are that will matter in the end.
b) Sincerity- sincerity for victory's sake is not the all--consuming end of an Arnis player. It is the sincerity in him to his fellowman and to his art that makes him shine in the array of men. The will to win maybe inculcated, but such tutelage should never end after the tick of the ultimate second in the game but beyond the canvass and the arena of competition. The martial art of Arnis, it should be remembered, is a good medium of development man's sense of dedication in all his everyday endeavour and involvement. Sincerity is the mother of trust and trust makes an institution of what has been shattered by doubts. A man who is not sincere will never have a true friend.
c) Discipline- Arnis is a molder of discipline. Proper behaviour in the sport and in life itself will be the gauge of success. Personal discipline is important. The kaleidoscopic invitations and temptations of life should never undermine man in his obligation to his art, to himself and his fellowman. A student should learn to control himself in the pursuance of his goal, not only to his art but also to life in general.
d) Self-control- losing one's head means defeat. One should learn to control his temper if he hopes to achieve success in every endeavour. In Arnis, self-control is important for without it, life and the good health of another may be lost. The possession of an ability to kill or main a person should be handled with extreme caution and prudence. Man's clear perception of things is anchored on his ability to control the outbursts of his inner self. Provocation is dishonourable but hasty reaction to it is just as dishonourable if not despicable.
e) Etiquette- etiquette is allied to the main cardinal rules in Arnis. One's norm and standard should never be imposed upon others. One should learn how to respect others. Giving credence to the standard and ability of another person should or will best prepare anybody in any endeavour. The pacific waters of human understanding will stay unruffled if exercise of proper etiquette and respect whether it be in sporty competition or in life itself is observed.
f) Student's loyalty- loyalty should be emphasized to the student, loyalty to the art, to a fellow player, and to his teacher. Ingratitude to one is ingratitude to the other. A student should be loyal to a fellow player because any disloyalty to him is disloyalty to the art itself. More important, a student should be loyal to his teacher. Everything one has learned is owned by him to his teacher. Personal whims should never cause one to be ungrateful to where he owes everything he knows. Even if the ultimate aim of the art is already achieved by a student that he can now manage on his own, he should never forget the teacher who laboured for him. In the skirmishes of things, the student should be always loyal to him.
Life has shown us many treacheries committed in the name of greed and personal gratification. This has no place in the art of Arnis or in sports for that matter. A true sportsman is always loyal to his art and to the prime movers of the art. He sees with gratitude in everything and everybody from whom he had owed everything he knows. In this world of muck and mire only those who look back with gratitude shall succeed. Loyalty to the fundamental basis of his achievements weighs for a greater measure in the merits of man. Ingratitude is treachery and a traitor has no place in the forum of honourable men. (REMY A. PRESAS)
 I know that if you're girl or woman or a lady...being MMA athlete wont be your way of life. But that doesnt mean you cant learn martial art... Some wrong thought about women doing martial art are : 1. will get injured or scratch in face... 2. you will look macho (masculine) 3. women dont have talent in martial art 4. etc... but lets think about some different idea..about injury...even you do cooking, accident could happened. Expert said that women got better body for sport because women body are more elastic than men also women have good stamina as men (ballerina must do warm up for about more than 1 hour, they also must have good balanced and strong feet). As you do martial art train, you get some natural benefit such as, you can get weight loss, good posture and more fit for daily work. Because same as other sport, martial art train can made oxygen circulation develop well. The special benefit are, you can protect yourself against crime (rape), also you can protect your family . Many abuse happened in family because wife cannot protect herself against her drunk husband, and unfortunately some get killed or serious injured. Its your right to protect yourself and its not late to learn martial art. ( kingindian)
While few fields of human endeavour are free from urban legends, commonly held misconceptions, and plain old myths, martial arts are in a league of their own. People who are normally rational and reasonable will suddenly appear to completely lose control of their critical faculties the moment an old man with a thick accent starts talking about Kung Fu. Bitter experience has taught me that not many of these people will be willing to fairly and critically re-evaluate their dearly held beliefs. This is rather surprising, since most people don't consider martial arts to be a fundamental part of their identity, unlike their political views or religion.
In other words, even if you are a martial artist yourself -- especially if you are a martial artist yourself -- you will probably violently disagree with me on a number of points. That's fine. There's only one really important point I want to make:
Martial arts claims can, and should be, tested.
Okay, enough preamble. Onwards, then, to the myths.
Myth 1: Size and strength don't matter much.
I hear this all the time, almost exclusively from people who haven't tried full-contact sparring yet. The tiny little Chinese master kicking the ass of the huge, uncouth bandit. A very compelling image. Unfortunately, real life doesn't work that way. It is possible for a smaller, weaker person to beat a bigger, more muscular opponent, but it is very difficult, especially if there is a large size difference.
"Nonsense," you might say, "I can run circles around any big, musclebound Goliath. They'll never know what hit 'em."
Myth 2: Strength and speed are a trade-off. Big, strong people are slow.
I have several bodybuilder friends. Besides being stronger than anyone has a right to be, they are also obscenely fast. This makes sense, if you think about it: when you punch, your muscles (your triceps, to be precise) accelerate your fist forward. If you develop more powerful triceps, your punch will be both stronger and faster. This also applies to everything else: kicking, running, dodging, etc. The real trade-off is between strength and endurance; big muscles need a lot of oxygen to sustain them. The way to beat a steroid-enhanced mountain of muscle is to wear him down. Unfortunately, unless you're very strong, fit, and trained yourself, your chances of doing so before he crushes you are slim at best.
"Heck, I'll just kick 'em in the balls, then!"
Myth 3: Kicking someone in the balls is a very effective technique.
First of all, it's rather difficult to get a good shot at someone's crown jewels, unless you have the element of surprise. When fighting, most people tend to stand slightly sideways, making it almost impossible to get a clean shot in.
But yeah, it can certainly be done, with a bit of luck. So let's say you smacked those suckers good. What happens now? In my experience, one of three things.
If you're lucky, the poor dude will go pale, stagger, clutch his nuts, and stumble off to be sick somewhere. This can happen. If you kicked someone in the balls before and this is what happened, lucky you.
Another possibility is that he simply ignores your kick. I've experienced this several times, both as kicker and as kickee. You just don't feel the pain. His balls will hurt like a motherfucker after the fight, and possibly for days afterwards, but that's cold comfort if he kicks your ass.
Or he can get a massive adrenal dump and go berserk. This is what you don't want happening. If this happens and you haven't got your shit together, I mean really together, there's a strong possibility that he will hurt you. Badly. After the fight, he'll whimper, curl up into a ball, and puke his guts out. But, again, that's a bit too late to do you any good.
"The groin isn't the only vulnerable spot on the human body, you know..."
Myth 4: Pressure point attacks can be very effective.
By pressure point attacks, I'm not talking about a good, solid punch to the solar plexus. That certainly does work. I'm talking about touching "weak spots" or "exposed nerves", and expecting your opponent to just flop over and start crying like a little schoolgirl. The thing is, people have tried pressure point attacks on me before. They can hurt; the intensity of pain is about comparable to a stubbed toe. I suppose they could stop a very wimpy attacker or one who is uncertain of himself. But against a determined assailant? A waste of time.
"Nevermind all that. I have Chi powers!"
Myth 5: Chi (or Ki, or Qi) is a powerful internal energy that allows experienced martial artists to enhance their abilities beyond their natural limits.
The fact is that the existence of Chi has never been adequately demonstrated. Not only have all attempts to detect this mysterious energy failed, but no one has ever been able to demonstrate its effects in independent tests (yes, many have tried). Every single demonstration of Chi (things like Shaolin Monks breaking spears by leaning into them, or breaking blocks of stone on their heads) has been shown to be a simple parlour trick, nothing more.
This is not to say that Chi is useless. It can be a very useful tool in teaching the correct way to stand, punch, etc. Most people do not have a clear concept of how to move their body properly in martial arts, of where their centre of balance is, and of a whole host of different things which can be quickly and easily shown using the Chi model.
"Okay smartass, so how do all those Karate guys break wooden boards with their bare hands, then? That ain't no hoax. Those are real pine boards."
Myth 6: Breaking boards and blocks is evidence of a high degree of skill.
Anyone can be taught to break boards. Okay, anyone with healthy, adult bone structure. Breaking boards is just a fancy trick, like walking on coals. Give me an afternoon, and I can teach both you and your mother how to break boards. Seriously.
Breaking blocks is a bit more tricky, but still not particularly impressive.
What's interesting is that the people actually doing the board-breaking are often themselves not aware of how easy it is. This is probably because many schools surround the whole affair with an absurd amount of weird mysticism, Chi, whatever. In effect, they help people convince themselves that they're doing something really special. In truth, it's an acquired skill, but once you learn how to do it, it's no more mystical or impressive than riding a bike.
"Well, whatever. It's still really useful training though, isn't it?"
Myth 7: If you want to learn how to fight, you don't need to actually practice, you know, fighting.
Martial arts are just like everything else. You get better at what you practice. If you practice doing kata, you will get better at doing kata. If you practice breaking boards, you will get better at breaking boards. If you practice no-contact sparring, you will get better at no-contact sparring (in other words, you will not be able to strike effectively in a real fight).
If you want to learn how to fight, then practice fighting. Use as few rules as possible. Once you're fit and used to getting hit full-strength, full-contact sparring really isn't as dangerous as you'd think. I've been doing it for years now; I received several black eyes, innumerable bruises, and once I got my calf injured and was limping for a week or two. That's all.
"We can't spar full-contact, our techniques are too deadly."
Myth 8: Experienced martial artists can cripple or kill people with a single blow.
The human body is fairly well designed to absorb and deflect damage. Together with the fact that human natural weaponry is extremely weak, this means that you can't cripple, kill, or even stop a person with a single blow, unless you are incredibly strong and they are unfit and unprepared for your blow. Simply put, all that talk about severing the windpipe, shattering ribs and driving splinters of them into the lungs, breaking the neck, crushing the kneecap... it's pretty much all bunk. Some of these claims (especially the windpipe one) will get you laughed at by medical students, who have done autopsies and do actually know how strong and resilient certain body parts are.
Now I'm not saying killing someone with a single blow is absolutely impossible. Freak accidents happen. People sometimes trip, hit their head on a curb, and die on the spot. I'm just saying it's not something you can count on at all, and it's not something you have to worry about either.
Oh, and do not try kicking people in the knee. You stand almost no chance of hurting them, and an excellent chance of fucking up your own foot. I know this is difficult to believe. I know it's counterintuitive. I know it's probably the exact opposite of what your sensei told you. But I speak from experience. Just kick them in the shin or the thigh.
"Okay, so I'm a Third Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. Does that mean I'm a master now?"
Myth 9: Belts mean something.
The requirements for reaching a given belt (say black belt, or first dan in Japanese martial arts) are wildly different in different arts, and even in different schools in a given art. There are schools that give you a black belt (complete with certificate) just for sending them $100 and a signed statement that you have studied their course videos diligently and now feel that you are a True MasterTM. In a different school, you might give it your all every day for 30 years and still not get that coveted belt, simply because you aren't talented enough.
These are two extreme cases, of course. Still, the point stands: a belt means nothing.
"Fine, I studied Shotokan Karate for 12 years then. Am I a badass street fighter now?"
Myth 10: If you want to be an effective fighter, knowing how to fight standing up is enough.
Normally, we don't stop to think about how precariously we humans are balanced on our two tiny feet. Our inner ear does its job well. Unfortunately, when you've got another human hanging on to you and doing his damnedest to pull you to the ground, odds are good that he's going to succeed, even if he's absolutely untrained.
Many schools of martial arts teach various defences against being taken to the ground. Almost all of these defences are useless. Paradoxically, if you want to stay up in a fight, you must learn a ground combat art. I suggest Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, wrestling, or Judo. Otherwise, you'll find yourself at a huge disadvantage when you are taken down. And you will be taken down.
by Ashenai _http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1480503
Babag
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning worry; trouble.
Bago
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning new or before.
Bagong-Pasok
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning entry-level student.
Bagsak
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to drop; overhead strike with down weighing.
Baguhan
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning beginner.
Bahi
Tagalog term meaning a type of dense hardwood native to the Philippines, often used in the production of weapons for use in the Filipino Martial Arts. Bahi is known for the characteristic streaks of black amidst the dark brown grain. Bahi is typically lighter in weight and more flexible than Cocobolo, but heavier and more dense than Rattan.
Baitang
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning level or stages
Bakbakan
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning a rumble or free-for-all fight.
Balangkas
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning forms, sayaw.
Balaraw
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning dagger.
Bali
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to break.
Baligtad
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning reverse or Inside-out.
Balik
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning return or retreat
Balisong
Tagalog term meaning a 3 part folding knife originated in the Philippines. The distinctive design of this type of blade allows for a flourish of openings and closings, as the blade swings and the handles close on either side of it.
Balitok
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to tumble.
Banatan
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning full-contact fighting
Bantay
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to guard or watch.
Bantay-Kamay
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning support hand or live hand.
Bara-bara
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning wild or formless technique.
Baraw
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning dagger.
Barong
Tagalog general term meaning for a sword, commonly used in the Filipino Martial Arts. Specifically, this also refers to a tear-drop shaped blade that is one of the 4 main weapons indigenous to the Central Philippines.
Bartikal
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning vertical cut or strike.
Baston
Stick, from the Spanish terms.
Bastonero
From the Spanish terms meaning students and practitioners of Arnis de Mano.
Bati-Bati
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to use the butt of the stick or punyol.
Batikan
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to a noteworthy or certified expert.
Baywang
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning the hip
Bigay
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to give.
Bigay-bali
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning lock release technique.
Bigay-galang
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning salutation.
Binali
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning break or reverse
Bisig
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning the arm
Bolo
Tagalog term meaning a long, machete-like sword used in the Filipino Martial Arts, also used by the Filipinos in jungle combat during WWII.
Braso
Spanish term used in the Filipino Martial meaning referring to the arm.
Buhat
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning from or lift.
Buhat Araw
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning an overhead strike.
Buklis
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning upward figure-8 striking pattern.
Bulusok
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning powerful overhead or diagonal strike.
Buno
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to takedowns or to throws.
Bunong Braso
Garimot buno terms for arm wrestling
Bunot
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning to draw a sword.
Bunot Kaluban
Tagalog term used in the Filipino Martial meaning an upward slash followed by a downward slash; a drawing and slashing technique.
Have you ever been afraid? Everyone gets scared sometimes. Do thunder and lightning make your heart beat faster? Maybe your mouth goes dry when your teacher announces a pop quiz, or your palms sweat when it's your turn to give your report in front of the class. Perhaps you get butterflies in your stomach when you see the bully who picks on you.
Everyday Worries We all have fears from time to time. That's true no matter how big we are or brave we can be. Fear can even be good for you sometimes and even help you stay healthy. Fear of getting too close to a campfire may save you from a bad burn. And fear of getting a bad grade on a test may make you study more. Being a bit on edge can also sharpen your senses and help you perform better in a recital or during a track meet. Some people even enjoy being a little scared. That's why they like to watch scary movies — or go on roller-coaster rides. What Happens When You're Scared? Have you ever wondered why being scared makes your heart beat faster and makes you breathe quicker? The body's reaction to fear is called the "fight or flight" response. And people have had it since the beginning of time. Here's how it works. Imagine you're a caveman or cavewoman alive 100,000 years ago and you come face to face with a hungry saber-toothed tiger. You have two choices: 1) Run for it (that's flight), or 2) pick up your club and battle with the tiger (that's fight). A final choice (be eaten) doesn't seem like such a good one! Today, you can apply fight or flight to that bully who confronts you and won't listen to reason. You have two choices: 1) Turn and walk away (flight), or 2) fight, even though you know fighting won't solve the problem. To prepare for fight or flight, you body does a number of things automatically so it's ready for quick action or a quick escape. Your heart rate increases to pump more blood to your muscles and brain. Your lungs take in air faster to supply your body with oxygen. The pupils in your eyes get larger to see better. And your digestive and urinary systems slow down for the moment so you can concentrate on more important things. What Is Anxiety? Usually, our bodies go into fight or flight only when there is something to fear. However, sometimes this occurs when there doesn't seem to be anything to be frightened about. When you feel scared but there doesn't seem to be a clear reason, that's called anxiety (say: ang zye uh tee). There might be other feelings that come along with anxiety — like a feeling of tightness in your chest, a bellyache, dizziness, or a sense that something horrible is going to happen. These feelings can be very frightening. Sometimes anxiety can interfere with things you need to do, like learning and sleeping. For some kids, feelings of anxiety or worry can happen anytime. For others, they might occur only at certain times, like when they are leaving their home or family to go somewhere. In some people, this feeling of anxiety occurs almost all the time and gets in the way of doing what they want to do. Some kids may have a phobia (say: foe-bee-uh), which is an intense fear of something specific, such as being up high, getting dirty, the number 13, or spiders. Why Do People Have Anxiety? Anxiety can run in families. Or a person might develop anxiety after something terrible happens, like a car crash. Sometimes certain medical illnesses can cause feelings of anxiety. So can abusing alcohol or other drugs, like cocaine. Another part of the explanation has to do with the different chemicals in the nerve cells of the brain. How the chemicals in our brain's nerve cells are balanced can affect how a person feels and acts. One of these chemicals is serotonin. Serotonin is one of the brain chemicals that helps send information from one brain nerve cell to another. But for some people with anxiety, this brain chemical system doesn't always seem to work the way it should. Also, some scientists think that a special area in the brain controls the fight or flight response. With anxiety, it's like having the fight or flight response stuck in the ON position even when there is no real danger. That makes it hard to focus on everyday things. Dealing With Anxiety Anxiety can be treated successfully. Tell your mom or dad if find yourself more scared than you feel you should be or if your anxiety becomes strong and is getting in the way of what you want or need to do. Your parents might take you to a doctor, who can help find out if a medical problem is making you feel anxious, or to a therapist, who can help find a way to lessen the anxiety through talking, activities, relaxation exercises, or medication (or a combination of these things). Of course, if you do come face to face with a hungry saber-toothed tiger, there's just one thing you should do . . . RUN! Reviewed by: David V. Sheslow, PhD
Date reviewed: November 2007
Why You Need to Know the Philippine Art of Kino Mutai.
If you look back at the history of the Philippines, you will see war and bloodshed. During many of their battles, the Filipinos found themselves outnumbered, outgunned or both. Consequently, they developed an ideology that focused on finding a way to put themselves on equal footing with their adversaries, to somehow circumvent the odds. They were forced to be innovative in dealing with the harsh reality of the times.
For the Filipinos, "circumvent" ended up meaning "find a way to cheat." In the world of weapons combat, they concocted an amazing way of cheating: Instead of blocking a strike with their own weapon, they would smash or cut the opponent’s weapon hand. The opponent was likened to a snake and the weapon was the fangs of the snake; hence, the method was called "defanging the snake." While the rest of the world went toe-to-toe while fighting with weapons—blocking strikes and trading blows like nobody’s business—the Filipinos would simply attack the hand. When fighting with empty hands, the Filipinos employed the same ideology. Instead of blocking punches and kicks, they used nerve destructions against the incoming limbs. Rather than exchange blows with their opponents, they got inside and implemented strategic knee thrusts, elbow strikes and head butts. Once again, they were trying to circumvent the reality of their situation and put themselves on an equal footing with their enemies.
The Equalizer
Now that the central theme of the Filipino paradigm of David being forced to overcome Goliath—has been described, we will delve into the world of grappling and the topic of this article, kino mutai, or the "art of biting and pinching." Jeet kune do practitioners refer to it as "biting and eye gouging" because their preferred area to pinch is the opponent’s eyeball.
Many Philippine escrimadors (escrima practitioners) possessed an invaluable attribute that most people today simply do not have: incredible grip strength. That was a byproduct of wielding heavy sticks, swords and knives all day long. One of the most famous grandmasters, Floro Villabrille, could actually husk coconuts with his bare hands. By no coincidence, Bruce Lee also possessed incredible grip strength, and he used innovative equipment to further develop tendon strength in his fingers and forearms. A strong grip is one of the most important attributes in kino mutai because being able to hold onto an opponent while biting him is the Philippine way of cheating on the ground.
The Art
Whenever biting is mentioned, the first thing that usually comes to mind is, "Anyone can bite." In reality, that bland assertion is true, but the difference between "just plain biting" and kino mutai is how to bite, where to bite and when to bite. A kino mutai practitioner’s bite is "uninterrupted." That means he knows the exact places on your body to bite and does so with precise timing. He grabs hold of you using his superior grip strength and bites areas that would take you literally minutes to pull him off. There are more than 140 places on the human body that he can bite for as long as he wants. While biting, he is implementing his knowledge of kinesiology and sensitivity to hang on like a pit bull.
In the world of wrestling, Brazilian-jujutsu practitioners are clearly the kings. Their subtle body movements, ground sensitivity and knowledge of leverage, escapes and finishing moves put them in a league of their own. When jujutsu is combined with kino mutai, the result is perhaps the most formidable hybrid grappling art on the planet. In a street fight, you can use the mix against a bigger, stronger ground fighter—if not to beat him on the ground, then to create enough space to get back on your feet (even if your only goal is to run).
Mixing arts: Brazilian jujutsu combines well with kino mutai because its mastery of ground fighting allows the practitioner to jockey for just the right position before he starts biting and gouging with impunity.
The Training
Before you begin practicing kino mutai, you must learn the essential principles. First is how to bite. You should always be cognizant of how much flesh is in your mouth. Typically, the average person will try to use all his teeth and take too much "meat" in one bite. To avoid that pitfall, you must angle your face so the pressure is applied directly on the incisors. The actual motion of the bite is a repeated circular ripping of the flesh, resulting in numerous smaller bites which, when applied cumulatively, inflict considerable damage.
Maximum destruction: Kino mutai is the Philippine art of biting and eye gouging. With the proper jujutsu hold to keep your opponent from squirming, you can use both skills at the same time.The best way to practice this is to get a large piece of beef and place it inside a T-shirt. Next, set a timer and explode into it with the goal of tearing through the entire piece of beef as quickly as possible. At the beginning of the drill, you will encounter several hurdles. First, you will notice your teeth hydroplaning across the surface of the meat without actually penetrating. Varying the angle and pressure of the bite (using the attribute of sensitivity) can mitigate this problem. Second, halfway through the practice session you may discover one side of your jaw muscle cramping. When that happens, you can turn your head to engage the incisors on the opposite side.
The more you practice this drill, the better your body mechanics will become, the easier it will be to make small, circular bites and the faster you will be able to gnaw through the beef. At the beginning, it may take two or three minutes to get through the meat. After 20 or 30 pot roasts, however, you will find that you can tear your way through a 5-pound slab of meat inside of 10 seconds.
The next point that must be addressed is the most important concept of kino mutai: the ability to bite someone uninterrupted. To understand uninterrupted biting, picture yourself holding your opponent in a bear hug with your arms wrapped around his torso (or imagine he is held in your guard and your arms are wrapped around his neck) while you are biting his throat. If you do not have a firm grip on him while you bite, his instinctive response will be to pull away, resulting in a small puncture wound that will hardly do any damage. Applying the proper "vice grip" while making small tears with your incisors, however, will give you the ability to hang on and bite him until next Christmas.
The Targets
That brings up the next item: where to bite. Yes, you can use your teeth just about anywhere on your opponent’s body, but to bite uninterrupted you must target specific areas. What constitutes a good area to bite? First, it should be extremely sensitive to pain. The cheek, neck, ear, nipple, latissimus dorsi muscle and groin are sensitive regions with many nerve endings. Second, it should be an area that will allow you to position yourself so your opponent cannot counter your bite by pulling away or pushing you away. The importance of biting a sensitive area while hanging on cannot be overstated. Using some basic jujutsu positions, we will present a few of the many possible bites.
• If you are mounted on your opponent, you can bite his face and neck.
• If you are in the cross-side position, you can bite his cheek, ear or neck.
• If you are in the north-south position, you can bite his groin.
• If you have him in your guard, you can bite his cheek, ear or neck.
• If you are in his guard, you can bite his nipple.
• If you are on the bottom of the cross-side position, you can bite the latissimus muscle if his elbow is across your body or his neck if his elbow is elsewhere.
Remember: The key is to hold your opponent so you can bite as long as you want. He will try to get the source of the pain—your teeth—away from his body as quickly as possible. That means he will try to create space between his body and yours. You can then take advantage of that space and push or kick him off. If you are pinned under someone much stronger and heavier than you, biting is the fastest way to escape. If, however, you fail to hang onto him while you bite, he will be able to pull away before your bite can inflict the damage required to get the reaction you need.
Target acquisition: If you have assumed the cross-side position on your opponent, you can bite his cheek, ear or neck, Paul Vunak says. Other positions allow access to different targets.
The Drill
Once you understand the concepts discussed above, it’s time to try kino mutai in sparring. The following drill will help you learn when to bite:
While you and your partner grapple, look for the appropriate areas of his body to bite. Called target acquisition, this process can take from one to five minutes. Timing is critical, and only by actually rolling on the mat will you be able to develop the ability to engage in kino mutai at will.
Once you have selected the target, your next step is to hold your training partner as firmly as you can to ensure that your bite will be uninterrupted. Then you simulate the bite by pressing your face firmly against the target for as long as possible. The moment your partner feels the "bite" being applied, he should attempt to defend himself by pushing your face away, breaking the hold, etc. If you apply the technique correctly, it should take him at least 10 seconds to escape the simulated bite.
The Eyes
The second half of the kino mutai equation is the uninterrupted eye gouge. To train for it, you can use the same methodology as for biting: First wrestle slowly while you acquire a target. Each position that is advantageous for biting can also work for eye gouging—with the exception of the north-south position. Grab your opponent’s neck and gently press on his eyeball until he pulls your hand away.
As you get better, he can wear swim goggles so you can practice the eye gouge more aggressively.
Small bites: One of the essentials is never bite off more that you can chew.
One often-overlooked advantage of using kino mutai is the tremendous psychological damage that a vicious bite or eye gouge will inflict. When you bite uninterrupted and your assailant cannot stop the pain, you cause him to panic. Because you are also biting a sensitive area, in essence you are destroying him emotionally.
Kino mutai should be used only as a last resort. These days, the thought of having the blood of an unknown person in your mouth is certainly objectionable. However, in a life-or-death situation, biting at precisely the right time could enable you to create enough space to escape.
In the martial arts, there must be a clear distinction between self-preservation (doing whatever it takes to save yourself and your loved ones) and self-perfection (the sport and training aspects of a style). When you think about bludgeoning someone with a stick, stabbing him with a knife or biting a hole in his face, it is obviously distasteful. However, when it comes to protecting the life of your mother, your spouse or your children, is there anything you wouldn’t do? (Vagelis Zorbas)
Benjang is a traditional game that is believed to have been developed in the Islamic boarding schools of Ujungberung, Cobolerang and Cinunuk districts in Bandung regency.
Benjang players usually pray to have fun and for fair play before a game. The instruments used in benjang include the terbang gendang (a conical-shaped drum resting on crossbeams and beaten with the hands), the bedug (a large drum suspended horizontally) and the trumpet. Sundanese songs are also performed.
Benjang is a form of sumo-like fighting in which the main aim is to push your opponent out of the arena using your shoulders as you are not allowed to use your hands.
According to historical records, the art of benjang was already popular as far back as 1820. In those days, famous benjang fighters were, among others, H. Hayat and Wiranta of Cinunuk village, Bandung. According to Ki Maman, one of the founders of a benjang group called “Ki Sunda”, benjang originally came from Ciwaru village in Ujungberung. Some other people also say this game originated in Cibolerang, Cinunuk. Even today, these two places are home to noted benjang players including Adung, Adang, Ujang Rukman, Nadi and Emun. All of them are endeavoring to preserve benjang.
Benjang is unique to West Java but shares similarities with gedou in Aceh; marsurangut in Tapanuli, North Sumatra; atol in Rembang; patol in East Java; bahempas in Banyumas and sirroto in Bugis/South Sulawesi.
In its development, benjang has undergone a slight change. Some benjang players maintain benjang as a form of traditional wrestling while for others it has become a type of entertainment featuring dancers wearing sarongs and dancing to the accompaniment of traditional music. In the latter case, some of the players might perform feats like eating broken glass or live chickens or setting red-hot coals upon their heads. When benjang players fight, they still use traditional benjang techniques such as nyentok (head butting) and ngabeulit (locking). A benjang group usually comprises about 20 to 25 people including a referee. According to Abdul Gani, the chairman of the Bandung Benjang Association, a number of benjang players have become professional wrestlers.
Currently there are about 30 benjang clubs in Bandung municipality and its surroundings. As many as 20 benjang groups are found in Ujungberung and the rest are spread across various places in Bandung municipality and regency, including Majalaya, Cikutra and Rancaekek. As for benjang players, there are still hundreds of them now.
The benjang club led by Ki Maman in Cikutra now provides only folk entertainment. Does Ki Maman deviate from traditional benjang conventions? “Of course not as we still use the old principles of benjang as our guidelines,” he said.
(Matdon, The Jakarta Post, Bandung)
There are an uncountable number of styles in Phillipino stickfighting, but they all have one common denominator that gives them adaptability. Their principles of combat are based on a pattern of angles that all attacks must fall into, regardless of style, regardless of weapon, discounting of course the use of firearms. The pattern takes the form of combinations of what may be recognized today as mathematical symbols. With the addition sign (+) and the mutiplication sign (X) and dot, a pattern forms that any trusting attack, such as a jab with the fist or a stab with a knife, or any arching attack, such as the wide swinging blow of a club, must follow. The pattern of angles is the same whether the attacker is jabbing and swinging with a weapon or kicking and punching. The addition sign stands for the vertical and horizontal strikes and the multiplication sign stands for the diagonal strikes. The dot in the center of the pattern represents all thrusting or jabbing motions, as opposed to the wide swinging blows. Though the dot only appears in the center of the pattern, representing primarily the center thrust that comes right down the middle, trust may actually occur at any of the angles. Within some stickfighting styles, the angles of attack are treated as the pie-shaped areas between the lines of the mathematical symbols. Any attack, for instance, between the top vertical line of the pattern and the next diagonal line to it is treated as one angle. Escimadors from other styles direct their attention to the lines themselves and practice their defenses against each line that represents an angle of attack. The important thing is that you keep the defenses you will learn flexible enough to blend either way with the attack. Even more important is that you remain flexible enough to flow with sudden changes in angle. There are many styles of Escrima, Arnis, and Kali, and they can all be divided into northern, central, and southern styles of the Philippines. But it is interesting to note that two students coming from, say, the Toledo style, descending from the same man names Santiago Toledo, can be completely different in their movement approach and training methods. Styles borrow fr |
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