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The Triple Effort
Here’s a quickie for today… Last night I was talking to a young man named Rahsaan, who is an aspiring martial arts teacher. He probably has a few years before I would recommend he round up his family...
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Reputation-Building in the FMA
I have mentioned a “Mastery” book that I’ve been working on over the last two years. I haven’t settled on a title yet because the focus changes (as does my desires for the reader), but when it’s...
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Why I Require Competition
Let’s begin by stating that I actually don’t require competition of all my students; only the ones who wish to one day teach. I will not grant a student permission to teach if he or she has never...
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Ninth Degree Eskrima Masters
I never really understood this one. Let’s just say up front that I never liked the Black Belt ranking structure for the Filipino arts. I don’t have a problem with that structure being used for students...
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Learning the Rhythm of Styles (Knife At a Gunfight)
I would like to introduce you to a concept that few fighters understand, but many great fighters use to their advantage. There is a little-known characteristic of fighters that few fighters are...
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Preparing Your Eskrima for the Street
Is your Eskrima still “street-effective”? One of the things drawing street defense/self defense enthusiast to the Filipino art is our simplicity and our effectiveness for the average man’s needs. I ask...
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Teaching Notes for New Teachers of the FMAs
Concerning the Art of TEACHING the FMAs… I’ve mentioned several times on this blog that in the Filipino Martial Arts world, we have many ways of teaching fighting and drills but very little addresses...
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Revere Your Art, pt II
This article is actually “part two” of a series I am in the process of writing, although I’m releasing this one first. In part I, I discuss how the art is treated as a “hustle” for those who claim to...
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Dominant FMA
Just a quick note to my readers… We now have a website to advertise my books! I’ve read all kinds of advice to “monetize” my blog, but just like my school–I’d rather keep the art as pure as I can and...
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Warriors of Righteousness
I’m going to let you know right now, this article, which will read like a manifesto, is going to lose me some fans. I don’t care. This is my truth, my blog, and like it or not–it will be a truth for...
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Streetfighters vs Ring Fighters
There is an ongoing debate among martial artists, actually between three groups–although there appears to be a debate among just two of them: Streetfighters. Martial artists who train strictly for...
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Straw vs. Waterhoses
It is no secret, that I am the anti-FMA Grandmaster. I respect them. But I disagree with most of them when concerning teaching the art. The proof is in the pudding, and I support my side of the debate...
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Teaching Patiently (Straw vs. Waterhoses pt II)
This message is just as much for my own student-Instructors, as it is for my readers. It is a continuation of this article, entitled “Straw vs. Waterhoses”. When you get a chance, check it out. An...
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Gatekeepers of the Lineages (Bahala Na, Serrada and Presas)
Some feelings might get hurt on this one. I decided to tag the four systems in the title of this article (Presas, meaning Remy as well as his brother Ernesto) for a reason: I know people on several...
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The Illusion of the Old Warrior Past His Prime
I’ve said it many times on this blog–that my favorite boxer is “The Executioner” Bernard Hopkins. I see in him many of the qualities of a true martial arts fighter-teacher, and I consider him a Master...
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The Illusion of the Old Warrior Past His Prime, pt II
My grandfather had told me to look for old warriors along my martial arts journey, and to learn from them where I could. I discovered that many of these old men still possessed their fighting skills,...
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On Martial Arts Alliances
There are many roads to the top of a mountain, and likewise–there are many paths to perfection and mastery of the martial arts. One of the most underused and misused of these paths is the Martial Arts...
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Eskrima Broken Rhythm Attack
I would like to offer some fighting advice I think you will find valuable, regardless of style or method of fighting you do. A young man who studies with my Kung Fu brother Sharif Talib has recently...
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The Power of Specializing in the FMA
If you want to learn it, study it If you want to excel at it, practice it If you want to become an expert at it, use it If you want to master it, teach it There are many paths to Mastery, but almost...
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Missing Pieces of Modern Eskrima Practice
This topic may become a series, as I have much to say on the subject. Look for future posts, and if you see this title again–“Missing Pieces of Modern Eskrima Practice”–you may notice that I’ll have...
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