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Check out this video of Balintawak arnis training from the '70s. Any of it look familiar to you?
You can tell the teacher is the pudgy one (much like me) and the student is the one with the semi-afro looking hair. The teacher has better balance and evades when necessary while the student is all over the place. If I take video of you now (after we refresh our memory and review what we've learned so far) and then take video of you a year from now, assuming you train consistently, you will be pleasantly surprised to see the change in how you move and in what you do.
I'm looking forward to it.
And for those who want to see the Balintawak arnis I learned, here it is. This is only one aspect of Balintawak training. It's actually a very self-defense focused martial art, as demonstrated in the old video. The old masters didn't teach any of it as sport. They taught with the idea that someone was trying to kill you with a knife or a machete and you had to deal with it quickly.
December 30, 2008
December 10, 2008
In our veins
Given: men fight. Doesn't matter what kind of fight, be it intellectual or physical, there is a willingness in all men to do battle. Among the physical fighters, there are four kinds (and they aren't mutually exclusive): one is the brawler, who was most likely abused as a child and hasn't gotten over his daddy or mommy issues. The second is the one dimensional fighter, who only knows fighting and really never developed any other skill, or if he did, it doesn't pay for the bills and so he may fight for a living. The third is the trained fighter, who learned a fighting art, may professionally fight for a living, and is also well-versed in other skills. Then there's the fighter who comes from a warrior culture where fighting isn't just something they do - it's in their blood, it's part of who they are. Warrior culture isn't simple to define, but there are a number of characteristics:
1) The people group inhabit a strategic location that's been invaded and fought over for generations that a readiness for war has become part of their cultural makeup.
2) They have well-developed cultural fighting arts.
3) They are known for their tenacity in war.
In Filipino culture, all three parameters were satisfied in the past. Throughout their history, no matter how often they were beaten down, Filipinos always fought back. There were no less than 50 revolts from various tribes or groups against the Spanish during their 300 year domination over the archipelago. The last time Filipinos showed their warrior spirit was during World War II. With help from the Americans, the Filipinos fought hard to expel the Japanese and liberate prisoners of war. Much of that warrior spirit disappeared after World War II. These days, Filipinos are known for their other side: their hospitality, their fun-loving, peaceful nature. And they are also known for other skills like singing and dancing. The Muslim insurgencies in the southern Philippines are more about finances or simple terrorism, rather than a reflection of the warrior culture.
The only place the warrior culture lives on is in the martial arts community. After World War II, many of the surviving masters brought their knowledge to America. These days, the Filipino martial arts thrive, generally lumped under the names kali, escrima, or arnis. They were popularized by the Canete family, Bakbakan International, Dan Inosanto, and many others who have preserved the traditions of various family styles. Through these people and schools, the warrior culture is undergoing a resurgence. But instead of the unfocused brutality of the past, the new generation of the warrior culture will have a better perspective, a culture that won't perpetuate violence. This is the generation of the peaceful warrior, who will use martial skills for the benefit and the protection of others, not just the protection of the immediate group.
1) The people group inhabit a strategic location that's been invaded and fought over for generations that a readiness for war has become part of their cultural makeup.
2) They have well-developed cultural fighting arts.
3) They are known for their tenacity in war.
In Filipino culture, all three parameters were satisfied in the past. Throughout their history, no matter how often they were beaten down, Filipinos always fought back. There were no less than 50 revolts from various tribes or groups against the Spanish during their 300 year domination over the archipelago. The last time Filipinos showed their warrior spirit was during World War II. With help from the Americans, the Filipinos fought hard to expel the Japanese and liberate prisoners of war. Much of that warrior spirit disappeared after World War II. These days, Filipinos are known for their other side: their hospitality, their fun-loving, peaceful nature. And they are also known for other skills like singing and dancing. The Muslim insurgencies in the southern Philippines are more about finances or simple terrorism, rather than a reflection of the warrior culture.
The only place the warrior culture lives on is in the martial arts community. After World War II, many of the surviving masters brought their knowledge to America. These days, the Filipino martial arts thrive, generally lumped under the names kali, escrima, or arnis. They were popularized by the Canete family, Bakbakan International, Dan Inosanto, and many others who have preserved the traditions of various family styles. Through these people and schools, the warrior culture is undergoing a resurgence. But instead of the unfocused brutality of the past, the new generation of the warrior culture will have a better perspective, a culture that won't perpetuate violence. This is the generation of the peaceful warrior, who will use martial skills for the benefit and the protection of others, not just the protection of the immediate group.
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