Why did you choose FMA?

[zilverkakashi]

Explain why you practice FMA, what are the things you like about it and your real life experiences using it.

 

[billc]

I started out in the FMA because I liked anything to do with swords...from just about any culture. As I have practised the martial arts I have found that the FMA are more focused in survival aspects of self-defense than the unarmed martial arts. If you are going to be attacked, as an adult, you will most likely be attacked by one or more attackers, usually armed. It only makes sense to learn an art that teaches fighting and defending against weapons from the very first class. I have also come to realize that the FMA aren't that far removed from teachers who actually used the arts to fight and kill in both war and personal self-defense. If you train with the right people, you could train with someone taught by Master Illustrisimo, someone whose reputation is quite great. The other masters may have fought against the Japanese, and the founders of many of the styles fought in real fights as well as full contact matches. Ask the Balintawak practitioners about the history of their founding teachers...a lot of real survival skills. Ask the Modern Arnis practitioners about Master Presas and his experiences...they are pretty interesting...

So, I began with a love of all things swords, and stayed with the FMA because they focus on surviving against weapons, against trained and untrained attackers, from day one. I hope that is what you are looking for...

 

[MJS]

Explain why you practice FMA, what are the things you like about it and your real life experiences using it.

I was first exposed to Modern Arnis, while I was still training in Kenpo. I had trained in it for a while, then stopped. Shortly there after, I began training again, and have been doing it ever since. I enjoy it because it not only has some very effective empty hand material, but the weapons work is very effective as well. Its given me a different view on things, and I often compare the techs that I've done for so long in Kenpo, to the way things are done in Arnis. Its amazing how well things transition from empty hand to weapon and vice versa.

A few years ago, at our yearly Summer camp, I had the chance to view some other FMAs, specifically Balintawak, as well as Ernesto Presas' take on the FMAs, courtesy of Rich Parsons and Tim Hartman, both of whom are members here. It was certainly a good time and I learned alot.

 

[Le Samourai]

I think part of my fascination with FMA stems from my childhood. Growing up, I was really into anything with swords: swashbuckling movies, Greek mythology, Arthurian legends, fantasy novels, Dungeons & Dragons, etc. My favorite toys were my toy swords. Also, my dad was a really good fencer. I remember messing around with the foils when I was still pretty young.

When I decided to take up martial arts, I was drawn to the idea of something weapons based. Though I knew a bit about fencing, I didn’t take it up as it was a bit too esoteric and removed from real life for me. Same went for kendo.

FMA seemed to be far more “street applicable.” After all, sticks and knives aren’t exactly uncommon. Plus, I liked that fact in incorporates empty hand and disarming techniques as well. And I admit, the idea of swinging sticks around just sounded fun.

To be honest, the Bourne film trilogy also had a part to play in me taking up FMA. When ‘The Bourne Identity’ was released, I had not started training in FMA yet, though I was very interested in the art based not only on what I had read but also on some family history. My grandfather–a Marine saber champion–learned some Kali from Filipino rebels working against Japan during his time fighting in the Pacific during World War II.

Then when I actually saw Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne in action, I knew this was what I wanted to pursue. The mixture of Kali, Boxing, and Jeet Kun Do looked practical, efficient, and (I must admit) cool. After all, the fight scene in Bourne’s Paris apartment is far and away my favorite fight scene in any film.

When I finally got serious about martial arts training, I specifically looked for a school that would incorporate some FMA as part of the curriculum. I ended up finding Burton Richardson’s JKD Unlimited and Battlefield Kali, which utilized not only Kali but also kickboxing, grappling, etc. I started training with Burton back in 2002 and haven’t looked back. Not only am I still a student of Burton’s, but I’m now one of his instructors as well.

 

[arnisador]

To be honest, it was just the most convenient training scenario for me--no deeper reason. I really liked Okinawan Karate at the time but this worked out better for my schedule. But now I'm a convert!

 

[zilverkakashi]

thanks... now i am starting to really understand the greatness of my homeland's fighting art basing on your comments

 

[DennisBreene]

I was looking for a way to start reconditioning after bypass surgery. I was restarting my training in Tang Soo Do simply for the love of it but I had also heard of Arnis from a Filipino colleague who had studied with a man in our area. I was attracted to learning a weapon and reasoned that the simple stick would be more adaptable if I needed and impromptu weapon. As I have been studying the art I have seen how beautifully it blends aspects of many styles. The sticks are just plain cool, but the depth of the art seems to be bottomless. I am just beginning to get skilled enough to see new possibilities in old drills and variations on a theme that are abundant. I was completely ignorant of the history of Arnis before I started studying and have had the pleasure of learning from 3 separate individuals who have studied directly under Professor Presas. The outright love they express for him is palpable and their devotion to Arnis as a core system is infectious. I have gotten the bug and look forward to passing it on.

 

[HammockRider]

I was looking for a way to start reconditioning after bypass surgery. I was restarting my training in Tang Soo Do simply for the love of it but I had also heard of Arnis from a Filipino colleague who had studied with a man in our area. I was attracted to learning a weapon and reasoned that the simple stick would be more adaptable if I needed and impromptu weapon. As I have been studying the art I have seen how beautifully it blends aspects of many styles. The sticks are just plain cool, but the depth of the art seems to be bottomless. I am just beginning to get skilled enough to see new possibilities in old drills and variations on a theme that are abundant. I was completely ignorant of the history of Arnis before I started studying and have had the pleasure of learning from 3 separate individuals who have studied directly under Professor Presas. The outright love they express for him is palpable and their devotion to Arnis as a core system is infectious. I have gotten the bug and look forward to passing it on.

How is it working out as a means of conditioning after the bypass surgery? (And I hope that's going well for you) I'm looking for the same thing after having had surgery for arrhythmia.

 

[DennisBreene]

How is it working out as a means of conditioning after the bypass surgery? (And I hope that's going well for you) I'm looking for the same thing after having had surgery for arrhythmia.

Frankly, Arnis is less demanding than Tang Soo Do, at least from the aerobic standpoint. I supplement with Tang Soo Do and a recumbent stationary bike. I have a bit of cardiomyopathy so my stamina is only moderate on a good day. I have found this keeps the cardiac rehab component more interesting than walking and I have become reacquanted with an old passion for martial arts. Hope you are doing well with the arrhythmia.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

In a way you could say it chose me because I was so young. I actually started at a Training Hall and the instructor taught Tae Kwon do and Modern Arnis. I started in Tae Kwon Do and naturally Modern Arnis was kind've linked to it so there was some cross training. Gradually over time (like thirty years) the FMA side came out more and more and more. It also helped that is just "fits" well with other systems that I have practiced!

 

[Enso108]

Frankly, Arnis is less demanding than Tang Soo Do, at least from the aerobic standpoint. I supplement with Tang Soo Do and a recumbent stationary bike. I have a bit of cardiomyopathy so my stamina is only moderate on a good day. I have found this keeps the cardiac rehab component more interesting than walking and I have become reacquanted with an old passion for martial arts. Hope you are doing well with the arrhythmia.

This is interesting, I'm 10 weeks post op, I had a mechanical aortic valve replacement and after a month of doing almost no upper body exercise I decided to dig out my eskrima sticks and they have become part of my daily fitness routine. I've had no formal training in FMA due to my remote location but plan on getting a few privates when I'm down in London in the summer. I hope you guys are progressing well, take care.

 

[Mon Mon]

I got started in FMA quite by accident my teacher is from the Phillipines and showed me his FMA i now focus combining the other martial arts he showed me in my basics from an FMA perspective. I absolutely Love FMA and am quite grateful to my teacher for showing me.

 

[Happy-Papi]

Explain why you practice FMA, what are the things you like about it and your real life experiences using it.

First I really didn't knew that I was being taught FMA because my original FMA teachers were ordinary grandpops who was tending my father's land. They taught me every summer when school is off where I had to go to the province to help with the work. Then after that I got some paramilitary training during my early teens and that is only the time I realized that my past training was Traditional FMA.

I really can't share much about my real life FMA experiences but will share my 1st because all my family and probably everyone in our barrio knows about this... If I remember it right, I think I was only 11 or 12 years old when my drunk cousin and his buddies (around their mid 20's, 7 to 8 guys) attacked me when I was on my way to the mountains to work on my father's plantation. We were just passing and they started shouting (something about my father and land feud... that they will kill me, etc...) and instantly stones the size of a baby's head came flying toward my direction and they were flying towards my face. I was with a group of kids near my age who was working for my father but all of them retreated. I saw some sticks and some steel coming out from the guys and my FMA instinct just went to automatic mode. Though it happened very fast, I was seeing things somewhat in slow motion mode and this I could't explain the reason why but this happens from time to time, probably because of meditation and training or something (my son and several MA practitioners said that they experience this too???). My itak (machete) found it's way to my cousin's arm then I automatically advanced and grabbed his shirt with my blade horizontally positioned to his left chest making him my shield. His buddies retreated and the kids plus some grannies came running and told me not to finish him. They even told me that he is my older cousin and he is drunk and a bully and there are many people watching and if I run him through that my soul will go to hell I moved away and reported to my father about the incident. My father brought me to the police station to surrender me and report the incident. I served time in jail for 2 hours because my father told me to, the cops were very kind and wanted to release me but I had to polish some bars or my father will bark at me, got some good breakfast plus got a good shoulder and back massage from my fellow inmates and made some new friends. No complaints were filed against me and since I only acted on self defense I was set free and without charges. My father also didn't press charges against my attackers...

I can still remember the big stones flying towards my face plus the big flying wooden bench and the small 2x4 stick (their throwing pace was just like Donkey Kong, lol!) and it was like doing Matrix while advancing. The people who saw the incident told us that only one stone on my face is enough to kill me or if I went down the guys would flock me and I would get stoned and stabbed. I do believe that training got me though safely. Big stones were flying, I saw sticks and blades coming out but was able to see what was happening, was able to read my attackers movements and their position and was able to advance to my advantage. But the biggest thing is that I owe to my FMA training is that I was very much in control even when the adrenaline was pumping and my mind was reasonable (and kind ) enough to let my attackers go. I was young but I know the rules and even heard in from the officers that that FMA taught me to be in control. They also said that I was underage, attacked and only defended myself and I could have decided to finished the job... My father, his cohorts and my FMA grandpop teachers were very furious about my decision...

A few days passed and my father got several request for me to tend and sharpen his friends' blades for them??? The blacksmith who made my work blades told me that business was good and got several people asking him to make the same blade like mine (small barrio with lots of superstition... hahaha!). Next time I went back to the province my blades were missing (stolen)??? I heard comments from the people who saw the incident that I advanced liked a bastonero (stick fighter/old school FMAer). Years passed and people heard new gossip from my training that whenever I go to my father, my main work blades are gone??? The big secret about my work blades is that they are a bit longer, lighter, sharp and was made from a leaf spring that came from a Toyota truck, HAHAHA! This is my 1st experience in FMA and it has saved my skin many times. Last time I used it was last year when a weirdo who I'm sure was on drugs followed me and grabbed my bag in Cubao City, I twisted him to the ground, pulled his arm and stepped on his face and cranked his neck. Cops came to my assistance but I didn't press charges because I'm a nice guy. This is why I love FMA because it is simple, practical and it just works