?Why do Filipinos prefer foreign martial arts?

aml_01 I don't know if you have to submit a thesis but you'll have to pay for the diploma anyway .... (same thing for the master degree) there are already a few doctors of fmas in the USA.

Yes there are also datus.... you can become a datu in a few fmas (enter datu + arnis on google you will find some) it makes me always smile when I see those american or german datus.... These peoples have no respect for the indigeneous tribes...

 

**sigh** it's good for them that the old practices have been outlawed. you could get killed impersonating a datu!

 

i stand (actually sit) corrected as to the proper names of the bakbakan fighting systems. thanks shootdog.

Eternal Student is always ready to learn

 

This is very strange. From what I have heard and read in certain websites and publications, certain martial artists (it does not matter what art) are sometimes referred to as doctors and professors (especially in the US). They apparently are not content with rather ridiculous references such as shihan or soke.

Whenever, I get that, I get the shivers (of embarrassment).

 

i think it started because of Prof. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo. since then, ever MA "master" puts "prof." in front of their names to sound legit or badass.

 

Jigoro Kano is an educator (also did a stint as minister of education), so I think he has a right to the title.

But what right do these other guys have who may not even have gotten into college?

 

Absolutely none, bro. It doesn't matter if they can kick ass (which I doubt, but who knows?), they don't deserve to be called doctors or professors of anything.

 

haaay! just as long as you're learning the right thing from this so-called-teacher, then it would be all good. the last thing anyone wants is to produce a half-baked fma'er who'll get his @ss handed to him in a real fight.

 

Yun na nga, bok. Di ba nga, ang dami nating mga "teacher" na ubod ng galing, summa cum laude ek-ek, pero di marunong mag-turo? Kasalanan pa ng estudyante kung wala ka raw matutunan. Ganun din, magaling ka nga sa laban di ka naman marunong magturo kung paano lumaban, kahit anong galing mo wala kang karapatan na tawaging "guro" o "master".

[Pharaphrased into English— Well, that's it, ain't it, bro. I mean, don't we have a lot of really excellent "teachers" in our schools, laden with lots of awards and title and all that eclat, but don't know how to teach? And when that happens, it's supposed to be the students fault that he/she can't learn from such an esteemed teacher. Likewise, in martial arts, you may be one ass-kicking badass like Musashi and never know defeat, but if you can't teach and pass on your skills, IMMHO I don't think that person has the right to be called "teacher" or "master".]

In fact, what I liked about the old ranking of Escrima and Arnis is that you can still be a highly ranked Lakan or Dayang (please correct my spelling, anyone) without becoming a Guro. It's like the difference between a knight and samurai from a swordmaster or sensei.

See James 3:1-2

Deus autem pacis sit cum omnibus vobis amen.

 

My first real teacher in FMA (other than my Dad) was a PE instructor in UP Diliman and his instruction really improved my skills. Gryphon can attest to that.

 

My humble appologies to Yoda and those who felt ofended by my humor in writing, It was never meant to exclude my American brothers. Just wanted a light hearted expression of a very serious art that deals with violence. It's my way of coming to terms with things I have done . But now back to wanting to say some things to my Peeps!

YOu Guys make me proud of my Pilipino Fighting arts!

Juramentado, that was a very good analysis from colonial mentality to class separation of our people.
Pinas will always be Pinas. Know that there are peolpe allover the world who look up to our FMA arts. Forums like these prove that to be a fact. from USA to Canada to the UK and Australia and Europe! it is spreading like wild fire!

Our arts may not be in sports tounaments to prove it works, STICK WITH WHAT YOU ARE A MASTER OF. We do weapons..and weapons means combat not sports or toruneys, In a MMA tournament sure monsters like crocop, Tito Ortiz, Sapp, etc, will we ever match up with these guys using our emptyhands? You gotta be realistic, not in emptyhands, Thats their game... but allow me to go in and do my game? HELL Yeah!. Weapons are the equalizers so might as well excell and focus and get skilled at weapons and that's what FMA does. It brings with it the mentality to survive thus the use of dirt tricks! We have the bodycount, true like what some of you brods said, May be most effective in real life. FMA is not used by most MMA sports people, maybe the truth. FMA IS USED by Military and LAw Enforcement all over the world. THAT IS THE TRUTH too. History is on our side. We have the body count and it extends to todays world. Many say that your art is only as good as it's current day use (not many walk around with samurai swords or three sectional staffs etc) But you know ours is being used by todays real warriors. Just look at our local papers. Someone mentioned about the Russian ROSS systema, I am familiar with this because I too train in this but more so as an exchange- Special Ops instrucotrs will find each other. Similar minds , similar skills. The arts are similar in the mentality of survival and use of everything in your midst but In my honest opinion we still excell with weapons, They have valid moves which work with weapons but not vs one as complex and skilled as us, we do not extend and feed with singular attacks. That is what I bring to the table when I work out with them, they In turn teach me how to understand what I do. We have a unwriten science in our arts. Much broguht about by common sense and need to survive. Leave it to the russians to be scientific about it though.

Just let your own skills and actions be the best way to promote your art. Practice and perfect it . When standing side by side with other arts we already know what we are all about. Let your skills speak for itself. Others will see this and will take note. Talking about it all we want brings awareness but the true gift you can give to our people is to get good at what we do (FMA) and pass it on to those lucky enough to see and leran the art. In this age of information and the internet highway, information grows and spreads each day..this forum alone atests to that fact. I believe our country will soon one day crave for our arts both classes will. But will we have the amount of quality instructors or masters to answers the call? Only time will tell and only people like you can make this whole thing a true reality.

And allow me this last thing, We must hard as it may be..unite the FMA systems. How else can we uplift our skills to it's highest potential if we constantly pull each other down with the crab mentality? It satrts with a community of practitioners willing to share and do exchanges for the good of thier own people and cultural mArtial ARt.

 

nice post! welcome to map!

 

Appology accepted Bayani - and thank you for an excellent and insighful post.

I look forward to more input from you on the arts I've devoted the last couple of decades to. Go go FMA

 

imho, the fma styles /systems are unique in its variety.

so why try to unite something that doesnt want to unite? i think the better question is not unification but of respect of each other's style or system and the brotherhood that encompasses and transends petty politics and small minds.

let it come from the new generation of practitioners to cultivate the mutual respect for the arts and selfless magnanimity in relation to the masters
( hopefully the genuine ones).

be it sport or combat, the filipino fighting arts has so much to offer. those who have appreciated this heritage of the pinoy forefathers, have yet to thank its foreign brothers who have kept the fire alive for the filipino to truly embrace his birthright to escrima / arnis or kali (in no particular order) and be the best that he can be!

 

I agree Pepe - I feel acceptance, tollerance & friendship are far more important than unification.

That goes for many things in life - celebrate diversity

 

RMAs can greatly improve fma skills.... as you said they help to underdstand fmas and give important skills for fighting: practical knowledge of body mechanics, striking from nearly any position with non telegraphic moves, developping explosive striking power, spatial awareness, fighting in a relaxed state of mind, psychological tricks.....

In ROSS-SYSTEMA there isn't only single feeder: for example using the wirlwind principle you can actually deliver 3 slashes in one movement... I got myslef the impression that fmas are superior when it comes to weapons but haven't trained with a russian "grandmaster" yet....

Just curious is there already a ROSS-Systema study group in the Philippines?
Thanks.

 

Not that I know of, a certain Pinoy Pastor (yes pastor) of Iglesia is an instructor under Vladimir Vasiliev. He spent many years in Toronto and studied under Vasiliev before he went back to the Philippines , We train extensively together and exchange knowledge because of the similartities in mentalities. Their Spetznaz to our street wise "Tulisan and Jolog" mentality match up quite well

 

Those are very good news.... I'll pm you....
My training partner (Lightining Arnis instructor) is studying with one of Vladimir's and Col. Ryabko's instructors in Systema... he will go to Toronto this summer to take private lessons with Vladimir and plans to return to the Philippines for 3 years afterwards...
I train in ROSS and hope to be able to go to Russia this coming year to train with Gen. Ruchenski....

Yes Spetznaz and Tulisan mentality match well, in my opinion ROSS-SYSTEMA (as well as silat) are the best mas to practice together with Arnis...

 

To answer your post Pepe, that is exaclty what we are trying to find a solution for. Unfortunately this IS a politcal problem and a cultural one too. This is something that those of us with cultural ties and are practitoners bent on preserving not only the true content of the art created with the blood of our forefathers but the preservation of quality and continued passing on of the art to it's people. Nothing against those foreign brothers who rightlfully so desrve credit for it's continued practice and evolvement but it is a concern and embarassment that we as a people have to be educated in our own arts by foreigners would you not agree? I am not saying this is wrong but when you go to the source home land as some have, you should readily find accessible knowledgeable and highly skilled practitioners in the homeland which is not the case. By this I mean that though the Masters are out there you will find more Tae Kwon do , Karate , aikido that FMA. Some still preffer to teach underground, who suffers? it's very people and some arts are lost in the midst or become obscure...can you count how many Dumog, Boltong and Buno schools active in the Phlippines? I bet you can and that's a problem. Ask most Pinoys here and abroad and you will find the ratio to be more on ignorance of the art rather then highly knowlegeable of what FMA is, it's use in History, Military and Law Enforcement. Once again I point you to read previous posts regarding how most PINOYS think about or know about our art. But to those educated int he arts, it is a powerful source of national pride and a weapon against colonial mentality.

Yes we are around in the Philippines but there are far more foreign arts as mentioned in previous posts. Unite systems of FMA? impossible ? We have to look at others that have succeeded.

This is not impossible to do.
If we could emulate the way Muay Thai did for Thailand. Or Silat systems of Indonesia, Malaysia and Southern Philippines have organized themselves to have a similar nomenclature so that they can have a set of standards for which to compare. but still have the option to be different for whatever reason...Religion, ethnicity or region. Like speaking "tagalog" our national language yet still speak numerous dialects.

Salamat.

 

You can add economic to the list. Here in the Philippines it is very hard to make a living out of martial arts instruction. Quality clubs have closed because the fees were usually not enough to make ends meet.

This is true in all martial arts. The instructors usually teach part-time rather than full-time because it just does not pay enough.