Footwork
While perusing various videos on The Modern Martial Artist YouTube channel, I came across this fascinating video and loved the footwork analysis! If you are not able to view this video, click here. Quick background: Willie Pep is considered, pound for pound, among the top…
Modern Arnis Concepts: Stealing The Lead
Stealing the lead is a term often discussed in tapi tapi. It means that one player has reversed the momentum of the other and is driving on the other. In other words, one player has gone from a defensive mode to being on the offensive…
Stealing and Keeping The Lead
Last week, I wrote about 3 Ways To Grab The Cane in which I offered ideas on opportune times to grab your opponent’s cane in the context of tapi tapi play. Grabbing the cane is often referred to as “stealing the lead” in some Filipino Martial Arts circles….
The Power of Similarities
I have encountered martial artists who like to focus on the differences between martial arts. I think these martial artists are done to distinguish their martial art from the “other” martial art. Often, it serves as the premise of an argument proving the superiority of their martial…
How To View Private Lesson Videos
Private lesson videos can tremendously aid your martial development if you have the instructor’s permission. Below, I discuss how to watch private lesson videos based on my experiences. Those who practice martial arts have different preferences regarding retaining material from a private lesson. Some prefer…
A Surefire Counter!
A surefire counter to most techniques is simply hitting your opponent, either with the cane or with your check/alive hand. If you are not able to view the video, click here. The above video illustrates a simple way to prevent an opponent from grabbing your…
Three Reasons Why Filipino Martial Arts Suck
Over the years, I’ve heard several reasons calling into question the effectiveness of Filipino Martial Arts. Not surprisingly, the opinions often come from those who have not trained in Filipino Martial Arts and, consequently, are uninformed. Those uninformed about Filipino Martial Arts often say the following:…
The Most Dangerous Angles in FMAs
This post will discuss the most dangerous angles in Filipino Martial Arts to defend against. Not discussed in this post are the difficulties of defending against some “traditional” striking styles, such as banda y banda, abanico double action, double zero, etc. The focus is on…
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…
How to SuperCharge Your Private Lessons
Previously, I’ve posted about the 7 Killer Reasons to Take Private Lessons. Once you start getting into private lessons, how do you maximize them? In this article, I discuss how to supercharge your private lessons. If you have the opportunity to pursue a private lesson or…