Your First Filipino Martial Arts Class: What to Expect

[Brian Johns]

A blog post that I wrote up for my website.

The beginning of the post:
"This post delves briefly into what to expect in the first Modern Arnis/Filipino Martial Arts class and applies equally to children and adults.

For starters, you can expect a hell of a lot of fun!

You can expect to start on a fascinating journey through Filipino Martial Arts, which are full of endless possibilities. It’s practical. It works. The training will put a smile on your face!"

The rest of the post is HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[crazydiamond]

"Most Filipino Martial Arts training is with weapons such as stick and knife"

Do you think this statement helps or hurts getting students interested in Kali?

What about panantukan/Suntukan/dirty boxing?

Would Silat fall under FMA?

Sometimes I think FMA is such a wide martial art (due to cultural mix in those islands) it is like saying "Kung Fu" and then asking "what kind of kung fu? northern? southern? Wing Chun? or ...."

 

[geezer]

"Sometimes I think FMA is such a wide martial art (due to cultural mix in those islands) it is like saying "Kung Fu" and then asking "what kind of kung fu? northern? southern? Wing Chun? or ...."

I'd have to agree with that. I know that a lot of what I see on youtube is nothing like what I was taught!

 

[Brian Johns]

FMA IS quite wide. There's no doubt about that. On the issue of whether weapons training such as stick and knife scares most people away. There's no doubt in my mind that is an issue. My classes will likely never reach the sizes of the Karate, TKD or BJJ classes. Yet I'm finding a niche here in Oshawa.

Funny thing is that I teach out of a community center with 4 NHL regulation size hockey rinks that is in use all year round. Kids are carrying hockey and lacrosse sticks through the hallways year round. "Hmmmmm, how do I convert them to arnis sticks?"

Anyway, the majority of the kids class are Filipino. I'm making inroads there. The other interesting demographic trend thus far is that I have more girls than boys (I have 24 children students to date). The parents don't bat an eye to their kids practicing with sticks. Not an issue.