FMA : Eskrima, Arnis & Kali

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AStone

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This thread is about Filipino Martial Arts.

I'm hooked on the concept.

When I asked about training over in this thread about daggers as back up weapons,
some - especially Hso (thanks, dude) - recommended that I look into FMA.
I'd heard of it before, but never looked into it.

They said that they'd rather enter a SD fight with a stick than a knife any day. I now totally agree.

Within 24 hours after I started researching it, I was totally hooked. It's as if FMA is the martial art and training discipline that I've been wanting to find all my 60-year life, but didn't know where to look. (Yeah, physically 60, but work out a lot; my bike is my main car; I ride fast, am a major dancer, and in general an active scrapper.)

I like the tools - how novel: simple sticks that have been effective for the Filipinos against invaders with swords for centuries,
the techniques for which can be employed with swords, knives, (tomahawk, I suspect) and open hand. How cool is that?

I've spent many hours over the last couple of weeks researching FMA, reading articles, watching videos, contacting local martial arts studios to see if they offer FMA - none in my small city, but I've found some great resources just up the road two hours.

I've made my first kali stick out of a hardwood broom handle: 28", carved, fire scared.
Well, I made 2, but gave one to my love, who is also hooked.
Images of my stick forthcoming.

I even carry it around in town on my day pack, strapped to the side where I can reach back and draw it quickly. I already feel more secure.

I've been practicing on trees and tires, and "shadow boxing" with the sticks, sometimes with her. I feel I've learned a lot about basic strikes; footwork; wrist, arm, shoulder and whole body involvement in strikes. I've learned about figure 8 swinging, and Abiniko hi/low.

So now, I've decided to see what I can learn here on THR, my gun home. I often start threads to see what I can learn about some new tool.

I'd like to learn lots about these arts. Yes, I intend to seek professional training in the form of classes, workshops, seminars.
I've found a group here in town that has bought a video and trying to train themselves. Not the best, but hey ... it's a start.

So, let's get started.

Please share your questions, experiences, training, ideas, caveats ...

I'm here to learn.

Nem
____________

Below are some links that I've found useful so far.

Wiki articles

* Filipino Martial Arts
* Eskrima
* Modern Arnis

Videos

* Dan Inosanto (this is the video that got me hooked)
* Eskrima on the History channel: first of 4 parts.
* Combat Arnis
* Twelve strikes of united Arnis
* Arnis 12 basic strikes : Bruce Chiu
* Arnis drills : Bruce Chiu
* Kombatan Arnis - Grand Master Ernesto G Presas Jr
* Basic Arnis drills
* Kali/Eskrima combo strikes
* Shadow boxing with the stick, plus basic stance
* Single stick disarming
* Abaniko 10 Count -Kali, Arnis, Doce Pares


Books

* Book/DVD: Dan Anderson : Basics

Weapons

* Sticks 1
* Sticks 2
* Barong (knife)
 
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In your link section, under "weapons" the "sticks 1" option has an economical set of rattan sticks. They are inexpensive and will give you years if not a lifetime of reliable service.
 
"Stick" to the simple ratan sticks at first. They don't shatter throwing shrapnel like other materials. It would be a pity to loose the use of an eye from an exploding dowel.

Of course, you can wrap the one you have with tape.

Explain the presence of the stick as being for dogs. Common enough for a bicyclist to carry a stick for dogs. Also consider a bike pump about the size of an eskrima stick. Look into carrying one of those and practice enough with it to learn the balance and speed.

Our charter here is more focused on tools than techniques.
 
Yes - exactly as hso says, the concern is for shattering wood. Consider that in Singapore, when you're sentenced to be beaten with a cane, they use rattan. Here's my set, with a balisong from Manila:

swescrima.jpg
 
^ ^ Good advice there from Hso and Shock. Thx.

Yes, I plan to get a set of rattan soon.

I see this one as the ritual first, much like my first walking stick,
a willow branch acquired 50 years ago, but still in my possession.

We won't spar with these, just practice strikes - shadow and on heavy bag.

Would post a pic, but the digicam isn't cooperating.
 
My canes come in at 33 inches for me, - I am 5' 6" . Helps me walk and I can practice stick arts with it.

Just a thought. Think about it.
 
Hello N,
After you get used to Rattan sticks , think about getting a pair of Kamagong wood sticks or Bahi wood sticks ---- they are great for improveing grip , strength ,etc. and IMHO , are way more deadly then Rattan.
Here are links to my two fav. places for Sandata type weapons;
http://kriscutlery.com/documents/philippine.html
http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/

I've bought blades/sticks from both and they are very good people to deal with. I've bought from Cecil at Kris Cutlery for many years and have two blades from TFW , this; http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Balasiong.html and this one;http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Blade-Art-Slideshow/1/lg/DSC_0132.htm

I can not get the site at TFA to display correctly on my screen --- don't know if its on my end or theirs !!!
 
Eric Draven who posts here makes some synthetic sticks that can't be broken under "normal abuse". Anything can be broken by someone willing to go beyond reason, but I have seen these things abused and not break.
 
I sent Eric an email earlier from his company web site, but it bounced: mailbox full.

I'll send him a PM from here. His sticks are wicked cool looking, but not in my budget at the moment.

Interesting that he's close to where I live (well, within 100 miles).
 
Over the last couple of days, I've been experimenting with an idea.

Imagine a stick with a metal electrical conduit coupling device screwed to the end.

Something like this or this, but the one I'm playing with is more similar to this one:
single bolt/screw holds it on the stick. The threaded end allows a ring nut with 8 blunted spikes ~ 2 mm deep.

The impression left on skin or skull would not be pretty.

Also weights the end; good for practice.

My partner has blacksmith skills, including passable knife-making. We're dreaming of a genre of fittings for the end that include 2.5" blades on a fitting that attaches to the end of the stick. Some blades are sticking straight off the end. Others are 90* angle, like a little tomahawk.

A tricked out one might have both: one blade on the head and 3 or 4 around the collar.

Slice and dice from 28" away.

I would not want to be on the unfriendly side of that.

Just dreaming out loud, mind you.
No production plans. Would probably be illegal.

And probably wouldn't be eskrima, either.

Postmodern battle ax, maybe.

But in some future world that's different from this one,
where different laws apply, it could be a useful tool.

I'm just sayin'.
 
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me said:
[Erik Draven's] sticks are wicked cool looking...
Click to expand...
The ones on this page are amazing to me.

Scroll down to the ones with olives, browns and cream.

So future primitive.

Not sure what I'd think of the 550 handles,
but the sheaths are very interesting,
and the synthetic shafts are ...

In other words, I want a pair.
 
Just a note --- be it battle sticks , nunchucks , etc. ---- while a round shape is good a rectangle,square,or octagon shape is much better IMHO. The round shape has a better chance of "glanceing off " a skull/bone etc. compared to the other shapes.

My "battle sticks" are rectangle with both sides tapering to a "blunted" knife edge. Think of a bed slath shape --- such a shape will "dig in" and are bone breakers !!!

Another set of "battle sticks" that I have , I drilled into both ends about 3" and then poured in melted lead --- got around 6 oz. in each end and they also hit like a train.

The truth is I carry/use the rectangle shape more --- the lead weighted pair I leave at home ---- I slightly worry that if I was forced to use these outside my house , a DA/SA or jury might frown on a "sap/blackjack" pair of sticks.
 
Nem,

Don't try gilding the lilly. Stick with simple sticks and shy away from ghetto mace ideas or you'll end up with badly balanced fugly stuff.

OTOH, if your blacksmith wants to work up modern maces or fantasy maces there's always a market for such.
 
I've spent many hours over the last couple of weeks researching FMA, reading articles, watching videos, contacting local martial arts studios to see if they offer FMA - none in my small city...
Click to expand...

Have you tried looking for Jeet Kun Do? I had my first introduction to Kali when I studied Karate, then had much, much more when I studied JKD, as it's one of the staple arts. Remember, too, that a stick isn't just for bashing, but can also be used for manipulations and chokes. Google Dog Brothers.
 
Not to worry, Hso. I won't embarrass you by going mall kali ninja. :rolleyes:

I'm less interested in the high tech feel of those, esp the 550 wrap of those sticks, and more interested in their synthetic material. I'll definitely start with rattan. I plan to order a set - actually two or three sets, for extras and to have some here at the studio for others - once March client payments start coming in - but just keeping options open for future times.

Gunfighter, good ideas about the non-rnd shape; that makes sense. Are such sticks available commercially, or do you make your own?

Mikhail, I have done some reading on JKD,
am aware of it's history w/ Bruce Lee,
that it involves sticks and includes so much more ...
Given time (and enough years left), I'll look into it.

But right now, given my severe time constraints, I'm going to focus on sticks; I'll add the other elements later.
___________

This is an interesting and helpful discussion. Thanks for the input so far.

Please continue. I'm sure I'll have more questions as this evolves.

Nem
 
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