Balintawak - Abecedario

[Rich Parsons]

(* A partial Repost from another thread and some minor clarifications *)

Balintawak Basics: ABECEDARIO

Proper Grip of the Cane - two fingers of punyo - The Cane is maintained about 90 degrees from the forearm.

Stance - oblique

Proper weight placement - the weight comes from the same side as the strike. Blocks are not weight dependant.

The Basic twelve angles of attack

Left hand or off hand basics
-- Left hand placement on the cane to monitor, manage, and delay the opponents cane. This is done with the cane in the webbing of the hand.
-- The Snake -- This is wear you snake your hand from one side of the cane to another.

An example: Hold the cane in your right hand. Place the back of your hand so the base of the hand is on the cane in front of you. Place a little pressure with the cane towards you or in other words into the back of your wrist/hand.
Rotate your hand 180 degrees so that the palm is now facing the cane. Leave your thumb across the cane as you rotate using the palm heel as the pivot point to the other side. The cane goes from being towards the left or straight up to the right. The stick should be in the webbing of your hand.

To come back now, the cane is about 45 degree angle across you. Rotate your hand on the palm heel around the cane, having your hand end up back in the webbing.

-- The Curl -- Cane in the right hand and your left hand in front of you. Stirke the cane at your hand as if you would hit the back of the hand. Your elbow should be in and it should not move much if at all through the practice. As your strike the back of your hand you rotate your hand so that it bends at the wrist (* similiar to how a lady bends her wrist for a gentlemen who greets her in the manner of the Queen's court *) Once the wrist is bent rotate your fingers so they point towards you, and then extend the hand back so it is straight with the arm. Your stick should be below your hand.

To come back you reverse the process, start with the palm facing you, bending the fingers/hand in so the fingers point towards you, rotate the hand away from you so the palm is out and then straighten your hand.

This should be done at a slow speed at first, to get the feel and timing or your cane moving in through the palce your hand just was. Your hand "Curls around" and avoids being hit.

This then leads to the Abecedario template where the instructor feeds the angles 1 through 12 in order, and the student blocks and counter strike on the same side as the block was on. The Instructor does not block. This is where the student learns to use control by placing the strike near the target, without hitting the instuctor.

 

[soncen]

Hello Rich,


I just want to share with you some of the mechanics of our teaching method, which was first imbued by Mr. Teofilo Velez. Our group in Mandaue City, Teofilo V. Roma arranges it in proper order. The basic lessons that you call “abcedario” is for us we called also as ”PASEDARIO” derive from the Spanish word as “pasada” which meant to be “PANGAGI-AN” in our Cebuano dialect, and I don’t know the exact word in English for it. I was inspired to post in this thread when I read about your teaching particularly the "Abcedario" it looks like that we have just had the same drill movements and forms of the basic lessons of arnis and it was obvious because we are originated in the same root.

The only difference is that Mr. Velez our Grandmaster innovated the teaching method. In our teaching the first level was the Basic Degree Training which is the fundamental form of arnis fighting composed of the first and second stages of instruction that includes the basic twelve-blow strike forms, twelve-blow defense-offense movements (PASEDARIO) and in the second stage were the five basic grouping lessons, the basic of butting, snatching or disarming, holds, takedowns (grappling), the basic of pushing and pulling, the basic of bare hand combat and the basic of bladed weapons fighting all in successions (SEGUIDAS).

The second level was the Advance Degree Training composed of the third and fourth stages of instructions that includes, the at random, the Advance grouping moves, trapping and tripping moves and in the fourth phase were the advance butting, snatching, pushing, pulling and the advance of bare hand combat and the advance bladed weapons fighting all in one varied motion drills and executions(CORRIDAS).

The third level includes the fifth and sixth stages of instructions we call it the master’s degree training and it is the highest lesson to be accomplished by a member that includes the masters in the advance grouping movements we called the abortion techniques, the double-triple attacking techniques and its defense, the firearm disarming, and the calculation or accounted drill motion executions “CUENTADA” lessons in the sixth and final stage of training.

In the basic lesson of arnis, we teach our students first in stick fighting, and although the emphasis was more on defense-offense situation, the student must learn to execute the twelve basic blows first and foremost. These consist of six slashing blows (strike # 1,2,3,4,8 & 9), five thrust blows (strike # 5,6,7,10 & 11) and one hammer blow (strike # 12 a strike on the forehead). These should be practice with proper footwork in forward and backward motion just like simply walking. This training is done under the first and second stages of Instructions in the first category/level

Starting position – is the on guard position, moving half step backward (to the left for right-handed) forming twelve inches apart in between legs and in a half squatting position? Stick was held firmly in a vertical Position in front of you, while putting the empty hand across the stick and the back of your hand will be placed on the stick while your palm wide open facing to the chest. [/B][/FONT]The basic of parrying and blocking on the opponent’s attack has its corresponding retaliation blows in every attempt. [/B]

This is what we call the defense-counter-offense lessons and the mechanics must always starts at the medium range distance, as it is the only ideal range for a beginner to move comfortably and also it would be much easier for the Instructor to guide the student at one-arm length reachable position. The instruction is hands on (one student at a time per Instructor) and the Instructor will play the role as a dummy opponent. He will deliver the twelve basic blows exactly in a movements explained above although the Instructor will have to make some adjustments on his steps. First thing is that he will deliver the blows in a slower motion so that the student would be able to execute the correct blocking or parrying form.

The correct execution on blocking or parrying at this medium range is just to go with the force of the incoming blow, striking it with force to force is not allowed at this distance because in a real contact fight the opponent can make some fake blows purposely to hit you not on what you think or see he is aiming but rather to hit you at the other side or other parts of your body. So the technique is just to go with the force of stick blows leaning on sideways a little bit backward with your stick in a vertical position parallel to your body to the left or to the right (depending on where the blow is going or coming), your empty hand would always be checking in every move to defend. In this manner it would be easier for the student to quickly move and parry the succeeding blows from the opponent.

But in the knee slashing, hammer blow or abdominal-thrust-driving blow, we have different blocking or parrying procedure. It must be blocked or parried by an empty hand assisted by your stick parallel to your hand in the same position. The Instructor do not block or parry the student’s retaliation blow at this moment until the student mastered his lessons. But in order not to hurt the Instructor, the student’s retaliation blow must be freeze before reaching the target three inches distance apart. Student must keep his eyes on the opponent’s face and not follow the stick with the eyes. He has to use peripheral vision and feel to sense in watching the opponent’s stick movements.

Wilson R. Ceniza
Teovel Balintawak Self-defense Club
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
www.teovel-balintawak.co.nr​