Fix It Friday: Which Way?
“Which way do you step against angle 5 or angle 12?” is a question I often hear from my students. If you are not able to view this Fix it Friday video, click here. The left vs. right defence against the #5 thrust can be…
The Redonda Drill
In this post, I discuss the Redonda drill, one of the core drills of Modern Arnis and many Filipino martial arts. Heaven Sinawali I teach Heaven Sinawali before teaching Redonda as both overlap movement-wise. As demonstrated in the above video, the sticks are always pointing up….
Fix It Friday: No Flailing!
Regardless of technique, if you see signs of flailing, you know something is wrong! If you are not able to view the video, click here. As with many of my Fix-It Friday videos, bad structure is at the root of terrible techniques. The video shows…
Angles of Attack in Filipino Martial Arts
The twelve angles of attack are among the first things learned when starting Filipino Martial Arts. Many Filipino Martial Arts use their version of the twelve angles of attack. The Modern Arnis 12 angles of attack are as follows: Regardless of which FMA you are studying,…
Slap off/Pull Off in Filipino Martial Arts
In this post, I discuss the slap-off/pull-off* in Filipino martial arts. These moves are also common in other arts. The slap-off/pull-off drill is a mainstay of Modern Arnis training groups and classes. Professor Presas spent time on this drill in every camp I attended while…
Defending Against Angle 12
In this post, I discuss defending against angle 12, which is typically an overhead strike. If you are not able to view this video, click here. The 12 strike is a powerful caveman-type strike. The power comes from two factors: (1) the attacker’s intent; and…
5 Effective Ways To Practice Double Sinawali
Double sinawali comprises one of the four basic sinawalis taught in Modern Arnis (single, redonda and reverse) and, for a beginner, takes a fair bit of coordination. If you are not able to view this video, click here. There are several benefits to training any…
Fix It Friday: Take A Stab!
The concept behind this “Fix It Friday” episode is pretty simple. Any time you have a thrust or a stab coming at you, it is wise to avoid the tip by moving out of the way. Additionally, you can parry the tip. If you are…
How I Teach Filipino Martial Arts to Children
A couple of caveats: This is not about WHAT I teach, or WHY I teach children. This covers HOW I teach Filipino Martial Arts to children, and this post mainly focuses on the 5 to 8-year-old age range. Moreover, I will focus on the technical aspects of teaching children based on…
Fix It Friday: It’s the Stick Buddy!
“It’s the Stick, buddy!” refers to grabbing your opponent’s cane instead of his hand or wrist, as illustrated in the video below. If you are not able to view this video, click here. As pointed out in this video, a common mistake among beginners is…
