Best of the Best~Kali ((Why Esckrima/Arnis?))

[Al~Qiyaama]

If you don't mind sharing to dialogue or exchange knowledge and experience. I ask--Why have you chosen Kali/Arnis as a method or means of self defense? Please feel free to elaborate.
I grew interested because I had a close friend that lived in the Phillipines for several years were he became adept in Kali and Penjtcak Silat. The manuevers that he would do were very impressive and intimidating and to top it all off-- I literally saw him use it in a confrontation. The confrontation/fight didn't last 12-15 seconds. And it was against two people. Some may say oh that's nothing. I have handled 3 people before without using MA. However, not in 12-15 seconds that impressive. I even offered to help him and he said stay back and as soon as he said, "back"--the were on the ground in bad condition. At the beginning of the skirmish, I thought he was in for a suprise then in 30 seconds I felt sorry for the two guys.

It was at that time that I realized that I needed to learn that art for safety purposes. I am not a person that thrives on intimidating or injuring people; however, every one doesn't feel the same.

At first, I was hesistant to allow him to train me. Because he was so throgouh and fanatic about FMA. But eventually I allowed him to of course because it would take someone dedicated to it.+ he would not charge mean anything as far as a fee is concerned...This Art is very impressive to me primarily because it teaches ambedexterity also it trains in disabling an opponent who may have a weapon. And lets face it, in the world that we live in today either someone will use a weapon on you or they will have homies that will attempt to assist them.

[RapidAssault16]

If you don't mind sharing to dialogue or exchange knowledge and experience. I ask--Why have you chosen Kali/Arnis as a method or means of self defense? Please feel free to elaborate.

I chose the FMA's as my primary combat method for a few reasons.

1) It deals with weapons: The whole "schoolyard bully" scenario (i.e. a one on one brawl with fists) isn't the reality in today's world. Unless you are in a fistfight (which, legally, shouldn't be happening anyway), there's no point in training for fistfights or one-on-one bar-brawls. Most violent encounters nowadays involve criminals who are armed and travel in numbers, and may involve the life of a loved one who may be with you at the time. FMA's are great because they teach awareness of one's environment as well as mobility to maneuver and position yourself to fight each attacker on at a time, and the use of weapons makes this job a helluva lot easier. It is a survival method, not a brawling method. As a 20-year college kid who is only interested in protecting his and his loved ones' life, the FMA's are a pragmatic self-protection method.

2) It's my way of getting into my culture: I'm a Filipino-American, and I cannot speak Tagalog well and I am considered by my relatives to be too "American", so I use the FMA's as my way of learning about my history and my culture. It's also a good way to get the culture to non-Filipinos as well. Non-Filipinos may not want to learn the language, or the traditional dances...but when they see the FMAs they get interested because it serves the universal need of protecting oneself and their family. At the same time, people learn a bit of the language, customs, and other aspects of the culture.

3) It's fun: You can only get taken down, armbarred, choked, Thai-leg-kicked, Jabbed, Kneed, elbowed in a cage for so long....after a while I began to lose interest in the whole "MMA-I'm-open-to-fight-anyone" sort of thing. When I would get into altercations on the street, I realized that I wasn't fighting one guy...I was going to be forced to fight 3 or 5 of them, and they would have weapons. As effective fighting systems, the FMAs have a lot going for them...but the training is also helluva lotta fun. In Inosanto Kali, I really dug the pattern drills that people seem to hate so vehemently (I sparred a lot in addition to those drills too) because they were fun and a good way to workout. In Atienza Kali, we do a lot of team vs team fighting: 2 on 2, 3 on 5, 4 on 9, whatever...as well as Blade Simulated sparring and Mass Attack drills, which is also a helluva lotta fun. I have more fun throwing knives, swinging bolos, and sparring with weapons then I did trying to Chuck-Liddel-everyone in the cage.

Hope that helps.

God Bless,
Mike the "RenegadeMonk"

[Gunjin]

[QUOTE]Why have you chosen Kali/Arnis as a
method or means of self defense?[QUOTE]

Because...

[QUOTE=RapidAssault16]I1) It deals with weapons:[QUOTE]

The reason I chose Kali for self defense was
mainly because I carry a pocket knife with me
about 99% of the time when I leave my home. I
came to realize that if I ever needed to use
my knife in a self defense situation I should
at least know how to.

I also know that many other people carry
pocket knives too. So any confrontation in the
streets has the potential to escalate into an
armed conflict. Be it knife on knife, knife on
weapon of opportunity, or knife on empty hand.

So doing my research in finding an art that
would cover these 3 scenerios I came across
Kali. The stick, knife, and empty hand
techniques of Kali were exactly what I was
looking for.

Luckily, I found a school near where I lived
and started studying. The cool thing about the
school was that it taught Silat before the
Kali class. I would show up early for the
Silat class as well.

As life would have it though I could only
train there 4-5 months (can't remember
exactly). I still have my rattans, and rubber
knife though and try to train whenever with
whoever I can. Once I get more control over my
life (repeated deployments to Iraq) I will
definately find another school and continue my
professional training.

Anyways, to summarize it all up. I wanted an
art that would help me gain proficency in the
ways of knife fighting. Not that I am looking
to go out and slice people up, but if $h!t
ever hit the fan and I needed to pull out my
knife I could do so with confidence. Or God
forbid, if anyone ever pulled one on me....

[Eyegouge]

I'm learning it because my g/f does it and she got sick of me one day and started smacking the crap out of me with her stupid sticks....i gotta learn till i can take em away from her somehow.

man those things hurt....

[Escrima Jim]

I chose Escrima Concepts, due to this fact. I have studied and taught Karate for many years, gaining Dan grades in these Arts. I was introduced to a man named Steve Tappin of Escrima Concepts

https://www.escrimaconcepts.com

We had a chat and a good old english cup of tea, I was writing a self defence course for the company I run and I showed him my course. He DESTROYED EVERY MOVE. No hassle, no effort. I'm no soft touch though, Full Contact Champion, three times. There are martial arts and there is reality combat. People lose the martial out of their art.

I now teach Escrima Concepts and my courses are all taught through the Concepts and I now destroy any art that comes to me.

Speak soon and train hard my fellow Martial Artist's

[pixie_pie]

A load of Bull Do Do's

........................!

[MasterKaliSilat]

I began in Kali Silat in 1972, I was looking for this electrifying dance of martial arts back in 1963 when I discovered the Chinese philosophy of Tao. Yet, back then I realized the Chinese weren't ready to teach us white folks. The Japanese arts didn't interest me since I understood that we don't learn much from our enemies. And it wasn't until much later that changed, too. When I met this Filipino doing a demo in the Jersey City Medical Center, I immediately got involved. The Filipino MA are practical, realistic, and you start with the weapon. By now anyway the truth is out and to understand these arts you must look everywhere, and study them all. After all is said and done however, it's the real skill of practice devoted to the rest of your life that makes a difference no matter what you study. Want to know more, check us out at KaliSilat.org and see for yourself why technique is never enough.

[Adept]

The weapons training and concepts from Kali are interesting and applicable.

THe hubud drills are FUN.

[danjuandesiga]

Beacuse... I can DIG IT the most!

[Garland]

I like the FMA's because I find the history and culture surrounding them to be completely enthralling. I enjoy the movements as well, which are not only economical and efficient but also are quite beautiful...As for practicality, they probably rank at the top...but that's not really relevant for most people even though they may believe they need some sort of advanced killing art out insecurity and paranoia, or some sort of adolescent and unrealistic vanity (supa ninja go!).

They are designed for personal protection or killing...and they should be trained with realism and intensity (I love the dog brother's idea of higher consciousness through harder contact)...but a practitioner should have a good enough sense of themselves not to fall into a belief in some sort of persecutory or apocalyptic delusion that they need to actually apply the art in its truest sense.

The goal is to be a better human being as well as a better fighter. The martial arts should be used in creating better people (think armed humanitarians), not paranoid cripples.

What I really enjoy is the academic distinction between particular styles, and looking for points of comparison and contast between...eh...say doce pares and sayoc, or pekiti versus dekiti tirsia, and trying different things out.

They're fun! They are intellectually and physically stimulating! They are rich in cultural and historical value (plus, like many other arts, have some really interesting esoteric religious ties) ...and as an ASIDE...if you ever need something for an unlikely situation, you've got something to give you an edge.

I don't know...I'm just a kid who trains when he can, and mostly on his own...I'm just tossing in my two pesos.

[Febreeze]

I like more FMA since i discover Blancia Family coz theirs story is very different about history of FMA (doce pares arnis kali eskrima) and also in history in the Philippines (Lapu-Lapu and Jose Rizal).

I know in FMA history its Lapu -Lapu to kill F.Magellan but in reality its a arrow nor indian target.

The goal is to be know about eskrima or arnis or kali.

There are many academy about eskrima, arnis, doce pares is kali and everybody using stick.

Im sure for Blancia Family its just a term club stick doce pares arnis eskrima kali. The grand master gloria Blancia explain very well about doce pares arnis eskrima. And im very surpris that nobody FMA knowing her and his family and i watch his video and she is very amazing.

I watch thousand video in FMA and its first time that i see a very authentic pinay doing a true demonstration about a stick.

YouTube - Kung Fu C-S Doce Pares Arnis Eskrima GM Gloria Blancia from iloilo city in the Philippines ( KUNG FU FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS )

His father Angel Blancia was taken from his parents by his grandfather at a very young age and trained him to be the door keeper of their Blancia Family Martial Arts "Traditional Club Stick Doce Pares Arnis Eskrima, blades arts, Kung Fu Filipino Martial Arts System", Esoteric Arts, and Healing Arts ( Hilot ).

Im thankfully for Blancia family can to tell us the true way about FMA.

[Tant01]

I gotta tell you... Kali scares the hell out of me. I've seen it up close and personal in the streets. Those sticks are dangerous (DEADLY) weapons. They break small bones easily and getting hit can mess up your whole day. Sometimes it can mess up a whole month or even longer! It could even kill someone...

My buddy and eskrimador mentor took out three armed men in just a few seconds with nothing but a stick... (one stick) He broke bones in one man's foot and broke another man's jaw and collar bone while defending against six other men... I won't confess helping because I mostly watched as the last three ran away screaming...

Lets just say it makes a lasting impression.

[Febreeze]

I agree with you that a Stick is a Deadly weapon. I know that its poles (Stick ) are very dangerous and deadly, as I now know GM Blancia had several unit as deadly maneuver.
Each unit of Club Stick ( doce pares arnis eskrima kali ) is came from GM Blancia what I understand today.