Looks like we’re in for more Hollywood-style action featuring the FMA with the latest Denzel Washington movie “The Book of Eli”. Here’s a very cool clip featuring footage from the movie with interviews of Denzel, the directors of the movie and Jeff Imada, the stunt choreographer of the movie:
Philippine Sports Commission To Lead Implementation Of Arnis Law | AHN.
Manila, Philippines (AHN) – The Philippine Sports Commission will get P5 million to lead the implementation of a law declaring the martial art of arnis, a form of stick fighting, the national sport.
President Gloria Macapagal signed into law earlier this month Republic Act 9850 sponsored [...]
I have been thinking lately a lot about fundamental skills. And from what I can tell, the most fundamental skill in any martial art is balance. This should be pretty obvious, of course. Balance, harmony, wa whatever you want to call it, it’s all the same. While I am specifically talking about physical balance, the [...]
I came across this really cool article about learning and the way the brain learns new skills. One of the coolest parts about it is, it is highly technical, but breaks things down very well so a layman can understand it.
To summarize, though, it says synapses for new skills start forming an hour after [...]
Yahoo News Article: Election massacre the result of a clan war?
I found this really interesting because it gives you an idea of the ‘hidden’ culture of the Philippines and the environment that Filipino Martial Arts developed in.
Thanks for reading,
Joel
Someone related this story to me about the late Grandmaster Remy Presas Sr:
At one of his seminars, he decided to have the students practice Siniwali drills. So he had the students pair up and had them have a go at it as a warm up. He turned to me smiling and says: ”Do you hear [...]
I’ve done a little bit of silat, a couple of years of Modern Arnis, and Kempo Jutsu Kai (Professor Kimo Ferreira). One of the things I noticed in all of these experiences is that the difference between a good practitioner and a beginner is balance. (And flow and knowledge, of course.)
So my question today [...]
I was having a talk with a friend today about self-talk. About how belittling yourself damages your ego and self-esteem. And how belief in yourself is self-reinforcing. The discussion was really about women’s body issues; women thinking they’re fat or ugly or stupid, and how the media contributes to them.
Every message we hear has an [...]
In the Philippines the police are learning arnis to combat crime. I’d say about 40% of the people I see in classes and FMA seminars are LEOs here in Washington State. I’d imagine that’s pretty representative of the general population.
It’s interesting to me that the Philippines can afford to not only pay officers to do [...]
I watch TV…a lot.
When I watch TV I try to have a stick in my hands and practice arnis. Really.
I wonder how many of you reading out there do the same thing. It’s simple — just sit there watching TV and have ’something arnis’ in your hand. This could be a stick, a training bolo, [...]
