Filipino Martial Arts
Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) are known by a variety of names depending on place of origin in the Philippines as well as Founder of the various styles. The primary names one hears about in the USA are Arnis, Eskrima and Kali. The Philippines is a Southeast Asian archipelagic nation composed of 7,641 islands all joined together as one. There are almost that many styles as well. The Philippines is geographically often divided up into 3 main areas from North to South: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. FMA are famous for being “edged weapon systems” which most FMA styles begin training with right off and proceed to empty hand training last after the skill with the weapons is developed; unlike the majority of Asian martial art systems which begin with empty hand and proceed to weapons.
The reason for this reversal is that being a jungle nation traditionally everyone depended on blades in daily life, whether one was a farmer, hunter, fisherman, for protection (everyone else had blades), or just to walk from one location to another might entail using a machete to cut the path through the jungle to get there. The blade- all kinds large to small- is so embedded into Filipino culture that a lady would sooner leave her home without her purse than her knife. In such a culture one needs to learn to defend against bladed weapons immediately, not wait years- empty hand vs. blades is generally not a good situation to be in no matter ones skill level. In these bladed systems empty hand fighting is a last resort and in fact is adapted from the use of the weapons. There are non-bladed Filipino systems of fighting but these are not majority systems. There are also many other styles/systems in the Philippines due to trade, travel, and migration of other Asian and Western peoples/cultures to and through the Philippines.
Sifu Mike learned primarily pekiti-tirsia style from his teacher, who he trained with in FMA for 16 years consecutively including as a Full Instructor (Guro) under him. His teacher also integrated elements of other styles of FMA he had learned into his style (such as Inosanto Kali and others). Sifu Mike also trained under Tuhon William McGrath quite a bit over the years and Supreme Tuhon Leo T. Gaje several times on his visits, beginning in the late 1980’s.
Click HERE for a great intro. video to FMA by famous pioneer and leader Guro Dan Inosanto, and HERE to read an overview of FMA. Please see the Class Schedule for upcoming classes in FMA at BMHA. In addition to being tremendous and practical systems all on their own, FMA blends well with and enhances other styles. Check it out! Salamat Po.
Sifu Mike receiving hands on instruction from Tuhon Gaje, head of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali system, from one of his visits to his teachers’ school White Lotus Martial Arts Center, est. 1977, circa 1990.
Sifu Mike’s teacher, Lao Shr Tao Chi Li, with Tuhon Gaje, mid-1980’s.
Group photo after one of Tuhon Gaje’s visits to White Lotus Martial arts Center, est. 1977. Sifu Mike is back row right, Tuhon Gaje seated in front/center, Sifu Mike’s teacher is seated next to him. It was in this seminar that Sifu Mike was initiated into a practice method (on the spot) known as “live blade tapping” by Tuhon Gaje, who yelled out his approval from across the kwoon to Sifu Mike’s teacher (“WHO’S THE NEW BOY!!!”), then called him to the front and began thrusting and slashing at him with a live blade in the basic “blade tapping drills.” He was pleased, thanks to the great teaching by Lao Shr Tao, as always. Circa 1990.
Tuhon William McGrath’s organization, recognized the world over by top experts, military, Special Forces, police and security as one of the premier traditional Filipino martial art systems ideally suited to modern self-protection needs and for it’s combat effectiveness. Tuhon McGrath is the former Chief Instructor of the Headquarters school in the USA under Tuhon Gaje and began training with him as a young teen in personal training sessions and small classes with adults much older who were all mostly already martial arts experts (imagine the movie Bloodsport, but for real and with blades). He is also a defensive tactics trainer and former Chief Court Officer of New York City (among many other accomplishments) with tons of practical, real world experience. Oh yeah, and his sense of humor is almost as legendary as are his training methods.