I just bought "Modern Arnis", a book by Remy Presas. I know he founded the art but i want your opinions on the art of modern arnis and specifically this book. I am not trying to learn with only this book, my instructor has been taught eskrima and is teaching me/ having me experiment. I want the book to explore more of the art. Thanks
IMO Remy Presas was both Good and Bad for the Filipino MArtial arts. While he helped popularise them greatly he also karatefied his Modern Arnis and in doing so blunted what could and should be an excellent martial art. His videos and book include stick and open hand kata that are as useless as any other types of kata I've seen. Maybe he ammended things before he died for anyone who this offends please see below
I cant say I know much about Remy Presas..but.. Karatefying Arnis/Eskrima can never be a good thing! Not that im biased or anythinjg (ahem!) My last Karate instructor struggled like hell sparing against me (and lost badly..bad loser too!) Now when he tried to teach the class some techniques with sticks....kata.. yeh looks ok.. would it work?!? hell no! he had completely the wrong idea when he tried to use sticks with his karate knowledge (stoopid ass!) anyways enuff rant for now! Just my experience when karate meets stick fighting.
is that the american ohara modern arnis book or his better books where written and published in the philippines by the national bookstore much much better....... very cheap also... well like it or not you CANT learn from a book..... eskrima is very basic but it is the strategy, principles and tactics that make the art.... it is best to find a grandmaster of the art with real experience while they are still alive... there are still quite a few of them but they wont be around forever...... thanks terry
By sparring with your last karate instructor, I take it you used FMA empty hands? or was it his stick techniques against yours?
In his defence Joe did say: <<<I am not trying to learn with only this book, my instructor has been taught eskrima and is teaching me/ having me experiment. I want the book to explore more of the art.>>> Good luck with it Joe, hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Check out a book by Mark Wiley called Filipino Martial Culture. A good read if not always 100% unbiased!!! That will give you a much better understanding of the arts when coupled with your instructors teaching Happy stickbashing
it is STILL best to find a grandmaster of the art with real experience while they are still alive... there are still quite a few of them but they wont be around forever.. it may be the only true way to learn... definately if you want to learn the system undiluted and pure.. thanks terry
Fine terry but these grandmasters aren't on every streetcorner...most people won't have the opportunity to find one or train with one. Of course they're the best to learn from if you can....but in the absence of such riches mere mortals have to learn from mere instructors.
Thank you stump. Moromoro i understand but realize i do not have a grandmaster in my closet to learn from , or anyone except for my kempo instructor. However he has been taught by and trained with his instructor who trained with a bunch of FMA guys. I am just interested in learning the arts basics and sparring with the sticks to learn how to use them. I know that will not make me great at arnis but it will be fine for self defense(full contact sparring always is!) Yes it is the american ohara modern arnis book
full contact sparring always is... its all about real fighting and full contact sparring with minimal protection is the best way to mimick an actual fight...... the ohara book is actually quite poor.. compared to presas other books....
placido yambao's book is probably the best i have a photo copied print of it... its in tagalog though..
You know using the term karatefied Modern Arnis adds insult to GM REmy's lifetime of work. I do not know if you met him. But if you've seen him in action I think you'd change your mind. That's one of the things I hate about those who misunderstand what Modern Arnis is all about. But good thing at the end you made a good comeback. YOu should know that the Presas brothers did there research in the FMA and they also did their research in the Japanese martial arts too. They borrowed from it because they felt it would help the system. They never denied that. FYI.did you know that the Presas brothers went to japan to introduce the FMA? Great contribution. Modern arnis is a blend of many arts. But please don't use the term karatefied.It doesn't sound good to the ears.
Keep an open mind. Since you are already learning FMA from your instructor. And remember not all books are the same. Like you said you do not want to learn from it. But you can pick up some information from it. Keep it as a reference. IN my opinion, Modern arnis (like other FMA systems) is good. No art is bad. It doesn't matter if it is chinese,japanese or filipino. Modern arnis is like the jkd of the fma. The founder thought certain arts no matter where it came from would help make modern arnis effective and absorbed it. Modern arnis has one thing that makes it distinct(in my opinion).It's grabbing the stick. It's not all we do but it has it's functions. We also believe in practicing the classical systems of fma. Such as abanico, rompida, banda y banda,etc. If you have a chance check it out. Hope this helps.
<<<Modern arnis has one thing that makes it distinct(in my opinion).It's grabbing the stick. >>> DO you think this isnt a part of other FMA systems?
STump, grabbing the stick isn't included in other FMA systems as emphasized as modern arnis or kombatan. To the Grandmasters in the Philippines this is a mortal sin.(This is coming from a lot of them)Because they consider the stick as a blade. They did not like it at all. When I used to go around doing my research in the Philippines none of the Grandmasters liked it. They used to argue. But I just empty my cup and listen to their advise. I knew it had it's advantages and disadvantages. I didn't say that it isn't in other styles. We only emphasize it more than other styles. I used to ask them don't they do it when they trap or disarm. And the lot of them agree. But they stick to the norm push or tap. But if it weren't for GM Remy and GM Ernesto the grabbing would not become mainstream. And if you agree with me or not. That's only based on my experience and research. I'm NOT the AUTHORITY. It's just my opinion. Even GM Antonio Illustrisimo used to tell me it's a mortal sin and you can't also use it. But he said it is still a good technique. Hope this help.
<<<To the Grandmasters in the Philippines this is a mortal sin.(This is coming from a lot of them)Because they consider the stick as a blade. >>> I stand corrected, very good point.
it's easier to adjust yourself being trained to consider every movement in relation to a blade to stick fighting but doing the reverse is pretty difficult. just an opinion.
Hey Joe (Where you goin' with that gun in your hand? A little Hendrix humor), I wouldn't say they're better but I have written two books on Modern Arnis which would compliment the one you already have. Go to my website listed below and take a look. Yours, Dan Anderson
