Musashi and Arnis

Below is a terrific video about Muhammad Ali and the famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The video draws upon Musashi’s famous book, “Book of Five Rings.”

For me, it’s interesting to see Musashi’s martial philosophy through the prism of Modern Arnis. One would be wise to watch the video and consider how Musashi’s concepts can apply to Modern Arnis and other martial arts.

If you are not able to view the video, go here.

The first concept the video discusses is the idea of “No thought, no idea.” Musashi believed in practicing your techniques until you could do them without thought. 

An updated version of this concept is Bruce Lee’s famous quote: “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” One who has practiced one kick 10,000 times will likely do so without thinking or much conscious thought.

How many of you can execute Angle 1 with your dominant hand without thought? Many of you can. Now, put the stick in your non-dominant hand, and it’s not entirely “without thought.” There is a bit of consciousness that goes into using your non-dominant hand.

When I train on my own or teach private lessons, I first do several repetitions of the 12 angles of attack. EVERY TIME. I generally practice the angles of attack with control, pull-back, follow-through, double zero and abanico double action. I also incorporate the attacking combinations to ingrain the angles of attack deeply.

Check out the abanico double-action version of the twelve angles of attack.

The constant practice of the angles of attack informs your offensive maneuvers and your defensive maneuvers. It informs your footwork for both purposes. 

You will notice that your angles of attack become more compact and quicker (in the same way Ali’s acu-punch evolved) the more you practice.

The second concept discussed in the video is “Attack – No Attack.“

Never favor one offense over another. Musashi emphasized the need to change your attack at any moment. Change the entire structure of your attack. The video cites the simple example of attacking high and changing course to attack low. 

One could do this with banda y banda. Cut low and strike high.

To see the original video, go here.

Note that after I cut low on Alex, I have the option to strike angle #2 to his head (as opposed to angle #7).

Changing the attack includes changing your timing and/or rhythm. You will be toast if you don’t vary the approach, timing, or rhythm. For example, I like to use “sudden acceleration” to throw my training partner off their game. It’s a great tactic. Note the “sudden acceleration” after the cross-body thrust. I accelerated into the leg strike and disarm #7. Hoo boy, I love it!

The third concept discussed in the video is “Body of Spirit.”

This is the idea of being adaptable to any circumstance. The video cites how Ali abandoned his usual “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” strategy in favor of the “rope a dope” strategy against George Foreman in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” fight.

How do you adapt this to Modern Arnis?

Consider tailoring your Arnis style to different training partners. For example, angular footwork and maneuverability are key against bigger opponents. It is risky to stand in front of a Mack truck opponent. Creating angles and staying one step ahead of the opponent will give you an edge.

Other Stuff I’ve Written

• Angles of Attack in Filipino Martial Arts
• Friday Recommendation #21
• The Vital Triad: Leg Strength, Balance, and Stability
• “It Has To Be Done This Way!”
• Flow Drills vs. Techniques

In contrast, a speedy player presents a different challenge. Don’t play their game and try to match their stick speed. It’s a losing proposition. You will fall behind, guaranteed. One good strategy against speedy players is to grab their stick or employ delaying tactics to interfere with their speed. It will frustrate them and cause them to lose focus.

In short, different opponents require different strategies.

The next concept discussed in the video was “Impressing Your Attitude.”

I believe the modern-day version of this is “imposing your will.” This is self-explanatory.

The best illustration, for me, is when I asked Professor Presas a question at a seminar. I forget what my question was. But I’ll never forget the answer. He drove on me, probably at half speed. I did my best to defend myself against. He hit me high. Then he hit me low. He switched from his left to his right hand and back to his left hand. He hit me with a stick and his check hand.

As I said, he was going half-speed. I was frantically trying to defend myself and failing miserably (while laughing simultaneously). He completely imposed his will on me through this brief exchange, which lasted no more than 10 to 15 seconds. I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life.

I dare say that Musashi would have approved of that exchange!

In closing, this video has inspired me to re-read Musashi’s “Book of Five Rings.”

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