Get Out of the Comfort Zone!
Often, martial artists stay in their comfort zone and practice the same form or workout routine daily. They perform their favourite kata the same way several times a week. As a result, some get stuck in a rut. Why not challenge yourself? Why not get…
Archie Moore’s Crossed Guard
Recently, I came across a fantastic YouTube channel called The Modern Martial Artist. This channel has tons of videos analyzing many boxers and martial artists. The technical breakdowns are often superb. I have found several videos explaining techniques that are amazingly similar to martial arts that…
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…
Sinawali Applications
Sinawali practice is an integral part of Filipino Martial Arts. I am amazed to see how little some understand the value of sinawali. Some don’t get beyond the double stick practice of the patterns or the “pattycake” empty-hand version. There is much to be mined…
Counters to Disarms
“How do you do these counters to the disarms?” “It’s easy; you must relax and practice them repeatedly.” During one class, I taught some counters to the #1 disarm taught in Modern Arnis. I taught these counters in the context of some principles I wanted…
Flow Drills vs. Techniques
Over the years I’ve taught Modern Arnis, I have flipped back and forth between teaching the art through techniques and flow drills. Lately, I have begun to emphasize flow drills more. Why? While teaching one-step techniques has its place, there are limitations to this method….
What Are Filipino Martial Arts?
Recently, a prospective student attended a trial class. She had some previous martial arts experience, consisting of karate. I taught her the 12 angles of attack and other Modern Arnis basics. She absorbed the material quickly and enthusiastically. After the class ended, I asked her…
Reaction vs Anticipation
Learning the difference between reaction and anticipation is challenging for a beginner student. In the beginning, students will often anticipate their opponent’s next move, often leading to bad outcomes. Over time, with guidance and experience, they will learn that reading and reacting is a better…
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….
Three Ways To Grab The Cane
One of the major concepts of Modern Arnis is “stealing the lead.” If the opponent presents his stick, you can steal the lead, usually by grabbing the stick. This is illustrated by the video below when I grab Alex’s stick and counter him. Learning to grab…
