Which do you actually do?

[moromoro]

well i know this is a little late.

but i train in Moromoro orabes haneral eskrima and
Black eagle eskrima......

 

[Brian Johns]

I find it funny that I don't see many Modern Arnis people listing here as a full time art.

I would have to disagree with this comment. I know ALOT of people who do Modern Arnis fulltime, including yours truly. Granted there are those who do it only once in a while (as in "let's get the sticks out every other week). However, as I said above, I know quite a few people who do Modern Arnis full time.

For the record, I do Modern Arnis and Vee JJ.

Take care,
Brian Johns
Columbus, Ohio

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Originally posted by WhoopAss
I know quite a few people who do Modern Arnis full time.

Could you list them? Also could you list who started in Modern Arnis?

 

[Brian Johns]

Could you list them? Also could you list who started in Modern Arnis?

Truthfully I cannot answer who started in Modern Arnis and have done it full time from the beginning other than yours truly. But I can say that I know a few who have switched to Modern Arnis full time. There's Mao and me in Columbus. We don't teach anything other than Modern Arnis. There's Ken Smith. He has dropped the Isshin Ryu in favor of full time Modern Arnis in his school. There's Chuck Gauss. There's Shishir. There's Kelly Worden. There's most of the MOTTs. There's you. There's Scott VanDerZee. Maybe I went overboard when I said "quite a few."

Take care,
Brian

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by WhoopAss
a few who have switched to Modern Arnis full time. There's Mao and me in Columbus. We don't teach anything other than Modern Arnis.

He gave up the Aikido?

There's Kelly Worden.

Doesn't he also do other arts? From his site:

Datu Worden's curriculum covers single stick Modern Arnis, close-quarter Kali, double stick Escrima, Kuntao - trapping, Combat Knife, double knife, Staff - Sibat, Defensive Tactics, Renegade Jeet Kune Do, and much, much, more.

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Originally posted by WhoopAss
There's Mao and me in Columbus. We don't teach anything other than Modern Arnis.

There's Ken Smith. He has dropped the Isshin Ryu in favor of full time Modern Arnis in his school.

As far as Ken Smith dropping Karate, his website doesn't seem to reflect that.
http://www.islanderskarate.com/Schedule.htm

Doesn't Mao still teach Aikido?

 

[Guro Harold]

I am sure he can correct me if I am wrong, but what about Datu Deiter?

 

[Brian Johns]

Arnisador and Renegade,

Yes, Mao does still teach aikido. However, he does not teach Aikido seminars and very rarely goes to Aikido seminars or camps. I think that it's fair to say that he spends far more time on Modern Arnis and promoting this particular art than he does with Aikido. So I really consider Mao to be a full timer with regard to Modern Arnis.

With regard to Kelly Worden, I do perceive that he's a full timer with regard to Modern Arnis. After all, he is the head of his own Modern Arnis organization (WMAC) and I think that the other arts listed help flesh out his Modern Arnis curriculum. I've seen tapes of his and it's heavily slanted toward Modern Arnis. I perceive Renegade to be a full timer with regard to Modern Arnis, even though he has been doing other arts such as Balintawak, Bando etc.

As for Ken Smith, he has indeed dropped the Isshin Ryu to do Modern Arnis full time. I visited his new school a month ago (a beautifui 7,000 square foot facility). He confirmed to me that he is now doing Modern Arnis full time. So there is no sign of Isshin Ryu in the school anymore.

Take care,
Brian

 

[Dan Anderson]

Originally posted by Dan Anderson
Modern Arnis from Remy Presas, Modern Arnis 80 (my curriculum based on my teacher's instructions) and I am hoping to add Balintawak Escrima shortly.

Dan Anderson

I have now added Balintawak Escrima to what I am learning.

Yours,
Dan

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Originally posted by WhoopAss
I perceive Renegade to be a full timer with regard to Modern Arnis, even though he has been doing other arts such as Balintawak, Bando etc.

Since you opened the door, I think I’ll walk through. I have experienced many martial arts through seminars, classes or in someone’s backyard. My first legitimate training was in Modern Arnis. My first instructor was Guro John Bryant. He was in the first tape series GM Remy made and I found out after talking to Demetrio Presas back in 1998 that GM Remy was grooming him to be a serious player. He ran “The Filipino Karate Academy” in Buffalo, New York. This was a full-time Modern Arnis School. It was the only commercial Modern Arnis school that I knew of at the time. Many schools that teach Modern Arnis teach something else as a primary art and offer classes in arnis for extras. Due to problems involving John and myself, I left the school as a brown belt and continued the training on my own.

After attaining my Black Belt, I started searching out the pieces that make up our art. If someone was to ask me “Why do we do this?” I wanted to be able to tell them more than “Prof said so”. I wanted to know where the move came from and theory behind it. Since the Prof was busy teaching all over the world, I set out on this journey on my own.

The first thing I did was to check out as many FMA tapes, books & seminars that I could. I was surprised to see how much I already knew based on the Prof teachings. I eventually hooked up with GM Ric “Bong” Jornales of the Arnis Sikaran system. Much of GM Jornales’ system was similar to Modern Arnis. The major differences were the amount of Sinawalis and the use of the Sibat (Filipino Staff). I had never seen GM Presas teach the Sibat, so this was very new to me. I eventually earned a probationary Black Belt through GM Jornales, but since I haven’t logged the hours of training that I feel I should be putting in to maintain that status, I no longer claim the rank.

The next art I looked into was Small Circle Ju-Jitsu. GMs Presas and Jay were best friends. The two cross-trained with each other and was very evident in the Modern Arnis. Much of our Dumog is really Small Circle Ju-Jitsu. Although I hold no rank in the system I have logged many hours with GM Jay on the seminar circuit. I feel that his concepts have helped both my hand and stick training significantly.

The whole time I was looking at Japanese-Okinawan Karate. GM Presas was a 6th Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and it was very evident in his forms. I patterned my body movement for my Anyos after Isshinryu Karate. I also learned much about dojo etiquette from them and it has helped me a lot while attending and teaching seminars.

Another chapter in my journey led me to Parker’s Kenpo. I’ve been told that many Filipinos in Hawaii used Kenpo as a vehicle for teaching the FMAs. What I gained more than anything else was a method to start a more developed vocabulary. FMAs are not known for their terminology. I will always hear in my head Remy saying “You can do this and you can do that”. The examples of language that are in Kenpo were very helpful and greatly assisted in my teaching, plus I got to see a lot of similarities in material also.

One of the things that I enjoyed the most was fencing. Not the strip fencing you see in the Olympics. We’re talking medieval fencing like the three musketeers. Seeing that the Spanish occupied the Philippines for over 400 years, it would do me good to learn about a system that could have influenced the martial cultures during this time period. What I like most about this type of training is that we tried to hit each other. In FMAs we do drill upon drill upon drill, sometimes semi-sparring and in some schools, you’ll see free sparring. What’s nice about the fencing is that you warm up, practice some moves, and then we fight. When I would go back to my school, I would fence against my students while they would stick fight against me. This gave me much insight as to why we do some of the techniques that we do and why some styles use longer sticks.

The last leg of my safari brought me to Balintawak Escrima. I have had several people in the past recommend that I get involved in the system. At that time I wasn’t ready to add it to my training. I was still working on some things in my Arnis and having some problems with business associates that I had to work out. I started training with GM Buot in July of 2000 and haven’t regretted one moment of it. What many people don’t know is that Balintawak was the last art GM Presas did before forming Modern Arnis. I could see from the moment I started training that Prof was putting more and more Balintawak material into his Modern Arnis. I feel that my training with GM Ted Buot is like me going for my PHD in Modern Arnis. Now before anyone says that Remy might not approve of my training in Balintawak, remember this - Remy was one of the people that sponsored having Manong Buot take me as a student. I don’t feel that is as much a different art as opposed to being an extension of it. You would be surprised how much of Modern Arnis is based on Balintawak moves.

Now I do have exposure to arts that had nothing to do with my Modern Arnis training. Bando is one of these arts. I don’t study the art as much as I study the man teaching the art, Dr. Maung Gyi. I look to him for guidance. He has helped me a lot with my teaching. I feel that he is one of, if not the best, teacher that I have ever met. He has given me teaching formulas that I have been able to implement with great results. Seeing that his program is all about combat it helps me with categorizing my material into what‘s for attribute and what’s for combat. Sometimes people get the two confused.

For the record, I only have active rank in one system of martial arts, and that is Modern Arnis. Besides the Arnis-Sikaran, I have not been ranked in any other system. As far as my Kenpo and Bando status, I would be lucky to earn a yellow belt with all of the material that I have learned. When I practice these systems, it is at the seminars and camps that I either attend or teach. This may amount to 4 or 5 weekends out of the year. When I attend these functions, I look for their theories and strategies. I try to figure how what they do affects what I do. If there were a system that I would be qualified for rank in, it would be Balintawak. The only thing is that the system has no ranking program; you just train and try your best to get better.

One additional thing that I would like to point out is that I didn’t cross-train into the system, I DO the system. It is the first system that I learned. Most of the Modern Arnis instructors today started in a different art. This could lead into misunderstanding of a technique due to the influence of a primary system. My rank was based on what I did in Modern Arnis, not because I had a Black Belt or instructor status in a different art. Of course, we all cross-train. The difference is that most people cross-train into Modern Arnis with an other system as a base, where in my case Modern Arnis was base and I cross-trained out.

I hope I didn’t bore anyone. I feel that there was some need for clarification based on some of the posts I’ve seen in the past.

Respectfully yours,
Tim Hartman
:asian:

 

[Dieter]

I am sure he can correct me if I am wrong, but what about Datu Dieter?

Hi,

sorry for the late reply, but I was a for a few days out of town.

I started martial arts in 1967 with Judo and 1976 I started with Kung Fu and Karate and some other stuff, where I reached different black belt levels.

In 1978 I started with the FMA.
Since 1984 I am training and teaching only Modern Arnis. I am not claiming my other black belts any more, because since 1984 I have been concentrating on Modern Arnis only.

During my studies of Sport science in cologne (1982 - 1988) I was teaching Modern Arnis up to 7 times a week to
different groups in Cologne and Essen. In addition I was teaching up to 35 Modern Arnis weekend seminars a year.
Since the beginning of the 90ies I am teaching only twice a week my groups in Essen and Dortmund and in addition to that I am teaching about 20 Modern Arnis weekend seminars a year in Gemany and wherever I am invited.

So regarding martial arts, I am a full timer in Modern Arnis since about 20 years.
My other profession since 1989 is to produce martial arts instrucional videos and DVDs that you can find under

http://www.abanico.de


Here you can find a more detailled Martial Arts biography of me.

I hope this helps.



Regards


Dieter Knüttel
Datu of Modern Arnis

 

[Mao]

I started training 30 years ago in TKD, mostly because it seemed like there was nothing else on the planet at the time. This was my point system phase. In 1980 I started training in a blend of Bando/JKD which I still work concepts of. This was my tournament/full contact phase. In 1990 I started training in Aikido. This enhanced my movement light years ahead of where it was. It was no longer always about repelling the other guy. Now it was adding how to blend and accept the momentun/movement of the other guy. In late 1991 I was talking to a JKD friend and mentioned that I had seen a "stick art". He said he knew some. It took me about 2 months to pick his brain dry. I then found one of Remy's original students right here in Columbus Ohio. He hadn't trained/taught in about 10 years but I convinced him to come to my school every month for about 2 years when he said "well, you know about everything I do. You need to look up Remy." After wondering why the "H" he didn't tell me you COULD look up Remy 2 YEARS ago, I looked him up. The rest is hx.. Guro Brian is correct in that I do teach/ promote Modern Arnis way way way more than Aikido. One of the reasons is that my Aikido teacher is a 6th dan shihan. I don't have to go very far to get great aikido. In order to get great modern arnis.................well it doesn't get any better than me!! HAA! I jest. I need to travel. I believe that most of the best martial artists are those who have crossed trained because they have seen many ways of moveing so they are far less likely to get surprised in the street by some "new" way of moveing. Their exposure is far greater and more diverse. Of course in Tims case, he is far more exposed and perverse.........HAA, again I jest. I haven't read this entire thread so I don't know why it started. I read Whoops last couple of posts and thought I'd chime in.
Respectfully,
Guro Dan McConnell
IMAF, inc. Board of Directors
Modern Arnis of Ohio
Hilliard Budo Center

 

[Mark Lynn]

My main art is really a blend of Presas Arnis and W. Hock Hochheim's material. I started with Hock in 94 learning Presas arnis (his blending of GM Remy's and GM Ernesto's systems) and he introduced me to GM Remy in 95 and GM Ernesto in 96. Since then I've continued to train with both of them (till the Professor's passing) at their camps. I still study and teach Hock's material as well.

Mark

 

[Brian Johns]

As for me, I started in the martial arts 20 years ago. Due to a Chinese high school friend of mine, I started in Kwan Ying Do Kung Fu, a Shaolin Kung Fu style. I stayed in that until my freshman year in college when I started studying a Vee Jiu Jitsu and Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do blend. I studied this blend for 7 years (1983 through 1990). I'm still somewhat active in this blend. As an aside, when I met with Prof Vee in 1989, he recommended that I study Arnis. But, he did not recommend any particular style of Arnis. This advice was to stick in the back of my mind for years.

I moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1990. From 1990 through 1996, I studied Tracy Kenpo. I achieved Shodan. However, I am inactive with Kenpo. I never gained any sense of satisfaction from this style as they required that you learn 40 different self defense techniques for each belt. Long on technique and short on concept. There was no sense of "connecting the systems." Because of this, I left Tracy Kenpo in December of 1996.

Along the way, I dabbled in Gracie JJ. While it's a great style, I always felt like my standup game still lacked something. In addition, I attended a few pressure point seminars to better understand the Chung Do Kwan TKD forms. I also dabbled a little bit in Aikido.

Also, along the way, I had given private lessons to a few folks in the Vee JJ/Chung Do Kwan blend. As a matter of fact, I still do for a first year law school student right here in Columbus, a referral to me from one of my Vee JJ buddies.

Then I met Guro McConnell through the internet and started in Modern Arnis in Feb of 1998. After all these years of bouncing around and experiencing disappointment, this was it. Then I started going to the Modern Arnis seminars and camps with Guro Dan. For me, Modern Arnis has helped tie together the various concepts of my martial arts background. So since 1998, I've been very heavily involved in Modern Arnis and am thankful to have met Guro Dan and Professor.

Take care,
Brian Johns

 

[Tom Caulfield]

Lapu Lapu Vinas Arnis. I teach it as a seperate class at my School.

 

[jayla]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Arins,Kali,Eskrima mean the same thing. From what I read of FMA history different Provinces or parts of the Philippines call FMA one of these three names and they would add there own name to distinguish there school from others. Example- Bakbakan Kali, Balintawak Arnis, Balitok Eskrima.

JAYLA!

 

[OULobo]

Missed this thread. I guess I train FMAs. I mainly train Marcial Tirada. At this point I would say that it is my primary art.

 

[OUMoose]

I have trained in Marcial Tirade Kali as OULobo has, but unfortuantely it is not my main art anymore.

 

[Flatlander]

Primarily Natural Spirit Modern Arnis, blended with Renegade JKD, Kuntao, and Ninjutsu, all from the same instructor.

 

[DoxN4cer]

I feel that this quote of RP is appropriate here.

"It is all de same"