Happy Gypsy
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The review of the titled book above was written by Dr. Jerome Barber, about a month ago on the Amazon website at,
<Amazon.com: Modern Arnis - The Master Text Companion Volumes Set 1,2 and 3 eBook: Robert DeMott: Kindle Store
and is listed under the "Master Text Companion". This review is not your basic, run of the mill, safe, review that puts the reader to sleep. It is pointed and very clearly expressed. Below is the entire review for your consideration.
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Review by Dr. Jerome Barber, Grand Master & Principal Teacher, Independent Escrima-Kenpo-Arnis Associates
The book being reviewed is entitled “Modern Arnis: The Master Text”, and the book most certainly does not live up to that title claim. It is not a “master text” in any shape, form or manner. My full discloser statement is as follows:
Another concern that I had after reading the whole book, centered around the techniques/concepts that were omitted by Mr. DeMott in this book, that he entitled “Modern Arnis: The Master Text”. There was no mention of the following concepts, 1. the stick drop block, 2. Palis-palis technique, 3. reversal of stick disarms, 4. Abaniko Double Action techniques, 5. Crossada, 6. Espada y Daga, 7. Stick retentions against grabs, 8. de cadena drill, 9. the six count drill (combined give and take drill), 10. Double Zero Striking and 11. Slant/wing/sliding stick block.
I am also perplexed that Mr. DeMott would not stress the importance of “body shifting” and “evasive footwork” as Professor Presas did in all of his books. After all Modern Arnis is based on a long blade orientation and is only presented as a stick based art so that it can be taught in physical education classes in Philippines elementary and secondary schools. Professor Presas himself wrote:
“What should be emphasized, however, is the fact that the cane is only for practice purposes for its basically less lethal in nature. For in actual combat, the standard weapon is still the bolo or any bladed weapon which is more suitable and convenient for this kind of combat technique.” (Modern Arnis: Philippine Martial Art – Stick Fighting; 1974, page 9.)
It would seem to me that the subjects of ‘body shifting’ and ‘evasive footwork’ should be prominent in any book on Modern Arnis when one takes into account the above statement by Professor Presas, written in 1974. Yet, there is no mention of either subject in the DeMott book aside from changing stances in the execution of the anyo or forms. The photos in the book do not indicate or imply any evasive footwork.
A core concept of Modern Arnis that Professor Presas consistently taught from 1981 when I first became involved in the art was that the stick was an extension of the hand and even without the stick the empty hand remains an effective combat tool. Yet, I didn’t read anything in the “master text” that pertained to the importance of translations/transitions from the stick to empty hand and back. In my view that is a very serious mistake that the author made in his presentation. In my training under both Sifu Zanghi and Professor Presas the empty hands translations of the 12 stick strikes, figure 8, abaniko, (corto, largo and double action), redonda, sinawali patterns, banda y banda, crossda, palis-palis and flow were emphasized and reinforced time and time again.
From a combative perspective, the omission of palis-palis (go with the force) is quite significant because it is an area where the ‘playing field can be leveled’ for smaller people against larger, stronger attackers. The defender is not required to match size and strength in order to prevail in a combative situation. By using a passing technique against the weapon attack, rather than trying to block and stop, the defender can evade the attack and counter-attack in relative safety with any number of methods, including banda y banda, figure 8, redonda, double sinawali or abaniko double action. The defender could be weaponless, have a single stick, double sticks, stick and dagger or a single knife. Palis-palis works with all of the above combinations.
The palis-palis method is significant because it is one of the three arts that Modern Arnis was founded on, with the other two being the Crossada style and Balintawak Eskrima. Professor Remy Presas was taught the palis-palis and crossda styles by his paternal grandfather, Leon B. Presas and he was taught to use the espada y daga (sword and dagger) method of weapon based self-defense. It simply boggles my mind that Mr. DeMott, never mentions these things in his “master text”.
In my opinion, “Modern Arnis: The Master Text” falls very short of the lofty sub-title that Mr. DeMott used and in my opinion the correct sub-title would have been ‘the beginners and intermediate text’. There nothing, content wise, in this book that approaches ‘master level’ concepts in terms of the Modern Arnis system. There is no way that I can justify giving this book even a single star because the book needs to totally rewritten and greatly expanded content-wise before it can be considered a “master text”.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Gitano Sanchez
<Amazon.com: Modern Arnis - The Master Text Companion Volumes Set 1,2 and 3 eBook: Robert DeMott: Kindle Store
and is listed under the "Master Text Companion". This review is not your basic, run of the mill, safe, review that puts the reader to sleep. It is pointed and very clearly expressed. Below is the entire review for your consideration.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Review by Dr. Jerome Barber, Grand Master & Principal Teacher, Independent Escrima-Kenpo-Arnis Associates
The book being reviewed is entitled “Modern Arnis: The Master Text”, and the book most certainly does not live up to that title claim. It is not a “master text” in any shape, form or manner. My full discloser statement is as follows:
- I do not know nor have I ever met the author of the book.
- I began my study of Modern Arnis in 1981, under Sifu Don Zanghi,
at the ‘Fighting Back Institute’, in Buffalo, NY.
- Mr. DeMott’s name never was mentioned by my instructor and as
far as I know, Sifu Zanghi, does not know Mr. DeMott
- I earned a 3rd degree Black Belt from Professor Remy Presas in 1992.
- I organized and taught a Modern Arnis program sequence for academic credit at Erie Community College from 1987 to 2012 when I retired as full professor with 39 years of service. Professor Presas reviewed the ECC course curriculum and endorsed it in writing. The program is still up and running under the instructorship of two (2) of my former students.
- From 1986 to 1994, my students and I organized and hosted seminars and Modern Arnis summer camps featuring Professor Remy Presas.
- In 2010 I was awarded the titles of Grand Master and Datu by GGM Vincente Sanchez, a long-time close friend of the late Professor Presas.
Another concern that I had after reading the whole book, centered around the techniques/concepts that were omitted by Mr. DeMott in this book, that he entitled “Modern Arnis: The Master Text”. There was no mention of the following concepts, 1. the stick drop block, 2. Palis-palis technique, 3. reversal of stick disarms, 4. Abaniko Double Action techniques, 5. Crossada, 6. Espada y Daga, 7. Stick retentions against grabs, 8. de cadena drill, 9. the six count drill (combined give and take drill), 10. Double Zero Striking and 11. Slant/wing/sliding stick block.
I am also perplexed that Mr. DeMott would not stress the importance of “body shifting” and “evasive footwork” as Professor Presas did in all of his books. After all Modern Arnis is based on a long blade orientation and is only presented as a stick based art so that it can be taught in physical education classes in Philippines elementary and secondary schools. Professor Presas himself wrote:
“What should be emphasized, however, is the fact that the cane is only for practice purposes for its basically less lethal in nature. For in actual combat, the standard weapon is still the bolo or any bladed weapon which is more suitable and convenient for this kind of combat technique.” (Modern Arnis: Philippine Martial Art – Stick Fighting; 1974, page 9.)
It would seem to me that the subjects of ‘body shifting’ and ‘evasive footwork’ should be prominent in any book on Modern Arnis when one takes into account the above statement by Professor Presas, written in 1974. Yet, there is no mention of either subject in the DeMott book aside from changing stances in the execution of the anyo or forms. The photos in the book do not indicate or imply any evasive footwork.
A core concept of Modern Arnis that Professor Presas consistently taught from 1981 when I first became involved in the art was that the stick was an extension of the hand and even without the stick the empty hand remains an effective combat tool. Yet, I didn’t read anything in the “master text” that pertained to the importance of translations/transitions from the stick to empty hand and back. In my view that is a very serious mistake that the author made in his presentation. In my training under both Sifu Zanghi and Professor Presas the empty hands translations of the 12 stick strikes, figure 8, abaniko, (corto, largo and double action), redonda, sinawali patterns, banda y banda, crossda, palis-palis and flow were emphasized and reinforced time and time again.
From a combative perspective, the omission of palis-palis (go with the force) is quite significant because it is an area where the ‘playing field can be leveled’ for smaller people against larger, stronger attackers. The defender is not required to match size and strength in order to prevail in a combative situation. By using a passing technique against the weapon attack, rather than trying to block and stop, the defender can evade the attack and counter-attack in relative safety with any number of methods, including banda y banda, figure 8, redonda, double sinawali or abaniko double action. The defender could be weaponless, have a single stick, double sticks, stick and dagger or a single knife. Palis-palis works with all of the above combinations.
The palis-palis method is significant because it is one of the three arts that Modern Arnis was founded on, with the other two being the Crossada style and Balintawak Eskrima. Professor Remy Presas was taught the palis-palis and crossda styles by his paternal grandfather, Leon B. Presas and he was taught to use the espada y daga (sword and dagger) method of weapon based self-defense. It simply boggles my mind that Mr. DeMott, never mentions these things in his “master text”.
In my opinion, “Modern Arnis: The Master Text” falls very short of the lofty sub-title that Mr. DeMott used and in my opinion the correct sub-title would have been ‘the beginners and intermediate text’. There nothing, content wise, in this book that approaches ‘master level’ concepts in terms of the Modern Arnis system. There is no way that I can justify giving this book even a single star because the book needs to totally rewritten and greatly expanded content-wise before it can be considered a “master text”.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Gitano Sanchez