Arnis Class

[Dana Sheets]

So I visited an Arnis class last night. It was a blast!

It was taught by this guy:

http://acrocombat.netfirms.com/about.shtml

He's a very personable fellow - a good teacher with a great attitude. He's really focused on getting people on the floor and getting them to try Modern Arnis.

The class was one hour and instead of watching we were invited to play.

We did:
12 angles of attack
4 disarms off the vertical block against strikes #1-4
Briefly - double & single sinwali
Briefly - Bani Bani? Sideways back and forth hitting and straight up and down hitting with a single stick.

Ed was good at showing how the drills worked in a partnership setting while at the same time demonstrating how the same techniques get used against an unwelcome antagonist.

I'm very pleased. There's a seminar this Saturday

Seminar Saturday, June 21st. Guru Brian Pancia, and Myself will be teaching a 4 hour seminar in Bethesda, MD (same location as Arnis Classes). The Seminar is 12-4pm.

Which I'm hoping to attend since it will be ANOTHER rainy day in DC.

There was one beautiful disarm we did against a #3 angle attack that used the wa-uke technique to send the attacker's stick flying away with little to no effort on my part. (Raffi - he called it the hitchhiker circle in the upper right quadrant)

There might be something to this "art within your art" stuff, and even if there isn't it was a whole lot of fun and very...practical...in how it was taught - even in a one hour session.

[Raffi Derderian]

12 angles had me thinking it was the late Remy Presas.
Glad to see you had fun Dana. I hope you make a regular trip to the class.
It is Bandi-bandi, side to side striking.
I am pretty sure I know the disarm you are referring to.
Raf

[Halford]

styles as well. It is a side-to-side motion and represents the slash of a sword, especially against those who wore armour. The areas were at the places where the armour ended, like the throat or the waist. That is one interpretation of the method. For some, it was a sort of style rather than a technique.......Glad you enjoyed the arnis. Keep it up. Halford

[Deep Sea]

Hey Raf! Maybe you can help. It seems that different islands in the Philippines all have their own versions of the daily dozen. I’ve often wondered why that is and if any are wild variations of maybe a "standard-12? Could you expound upon that please?

[Halford]

This question or observation has been stated before by others in other forums,etc. but deserves an answer certainly. First of all, some systems are not based on twelve but on other numbers,while some are based on certain descriptive motions. That is, the basic or advanced striking methods which also have several terms to describe them. First, the original Sayas-Lastra system in and around Imus Cavite had jsut three strikes if my memory serves, while others used the Cinco Teros or five strikes, while others used the 8 strikes. The variations on the twelve strikes is also interesting. Some other systems have thirteen,the Trece Pares as distinguished from the Doce Pares and some go up to 18, possibly more. Still, some reduce all strikes to just two, those on the right and those on the left.....and then you have the single strike pattern, they're all one strike! Take your pick. You can find some of this information in Mark Wiley's book(s). Thanks for your time. Halford

[Deep Sea]

This question or observation has been stated before by others in other forums,etc.

Thanks. I haven't read the answers to my question in forums but am curious to learn others' explanations. For some reason I thought, and possibly incorrectly, that the daily dozens were different and unique because of the different tribes that inhabited the different islands.

There was also a system that I used to do that had a 64-movement set that started with their basic 12 and continued from there. I have practiced several other "systems" and their basic 12 are always close but not the same, usually varying after the first 4 strikes. But it's been over nine to ten years for me, and memory fades with time so my question was valid and genuine.

And thank you for your time.

[Halford]

Yes, you are correct in stating that some systems may well have a 64 set of strikes,which are just the numbers 12 multiplied if my math is correct. All this means is essentially a shifting,shuffling of the order, and actually random strikes are possible in all systems to a certain degree(no pun intended). some groups prefer to refer to motions or angles and not to targets, but most of the masters and experts I have occasionally met and asked, tend to prefer actual targets and that is why some spend a good deal of time, which can be boring and tedious to beginners,etc., on repetitive drills or strikes to specific targets, often in a highly prearranged order. Sometimes this is done standing still, that is, the target person(s) or moving about in various ways. Personally, I think you have to try all kinds of things yourself to see how they work and you can do this on your own,outside of the classes, schools, groups, and instruction.You can also do this with a trusted partner or person,etc. Focusing on specific body targets is important in many martial arts systems but the difficulty is comes in when the target is shifting, moving, evading, and protected in some way,either through parrying, blocking, armour, or other things,then other targets, often targets of opportunity, have to be sought or used. This happens,as you know, at terrific speed in the heat of combat,etc. Not to belabor the points made, however, if you know the five strikes essentially, you can locate them within the basic twelve,usually, though the order, again, may be changed,etc. Variations of strikes are there, as you know. The sinawali which are intricate, weaving patterns with double sticks(although you can do such with a long stick and empty hand,generally the left one, and also with espada y daga) are infinite in essence. When I attended a seminar with Dan Inosanto in Canada, he stated this in his brief lecture, thus confirming my already formed opinion in the matter. His sinawali,however, differed in some respects from mine as you might expect,since mine was based on those in Modern Arnis at the time. Anyway, to put this in what I think is much needed perspective for arnis practitioners,the words of the late Remy Presas are important in this regard:'THE SOUL OF ARNIS IS THE STRIKING TECHNIQUES' or another way of stating such is,"Without the strikes there is no arnis,no stick fighting" or,'THE SPIRIT OF ARNIS LIES IN THE STRIKES' Hope this clarifies some things for you. It also brought me back into focus to remember this.Thanks for your time. If and when I think of more to add to this discussion, I will. Regards,Halford

[Halford]

I thought you might like to see this: please go to http://go.to/selfdefense and see the women there. The links are also interesting as well. The site features Lara De Ubago-Sia who is also a columnist for the MANILA TIMES. She writes a column on martial arts weekly. Another website is http://www.philtime-usa.com where you can find three articles by Edessa Ramos who is an arnis practitioner, a writer and poet by clicking onto the section there Across the Ocean. Thanks for your time. Halford

[Deep Sea]

Thank you so much for the links, Halford.