Recently, Guro Ramon Villardo invited me to conduct a two-hour Modern Arnis workshop at the Canada Bakbakan HQ. The workshop took place last Saturday, February 5th. 10 eager students attended the workshop.

At the workshop, I focused on single sinawali techniques, a common root between Modern Arnis and Bakbakan.

At the beginning of the workshop, I quoted from a book entitled “The Secrets of Kalis Illustrisimo” by Antonio Diego and Christopher Ricketts. There is a section on Christopher “Topher” Ricketts’s martial arts career. In particular. this section recalls his tutelage under Dr. Guillermo Lengson. It states as follows:

“It was in 1969 that Topher met Dr. Guillermo Lengson, an arnisador from Pangasinan, who was studying arnis under Remy Presas at Lengson’s dental clinic in Manila. At that time, Presas had not yet developed his so-called modern arnis style and was teaching Balintawak to Lengson, who, in turn, taught Presas the double stick art of sinawali.”

This section further indicates that under Dr. Lengson, Topher and several other students won several tournament competitions.

The cover of "The Secrets of Kalis Illustrisimo"
The cover

Based on this common root, I focused on the Modern Arnis version of single sinawali, both cane and empty-handed.

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Throughout the workshop, I taught one right vs. right technique and one left vs. right technique out of single sinawali. I also taught them applications of the armbar and the standing centre lock based on single sinawali. I challenged them to put it all together at the end of the workshop, and the Bakbakan students rose to the challenge and did a great job.

If you are not able to view this video, click here.

The hospitality that Canada Bakbakan displayed was outstanding, adding to the workshop’s enjoyment and fun! I look forward to seeing this outstanding group soon!

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