From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #92 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Wed, 3 March 1999 Vol 06 : Num 092 In this issue: Re: eskrima: Have you Seen-a-Wally [none] eskrima: RE: Questions eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #88 eskrima: Re: peta Re: eskrima: Re: peta eskrima: Siniwali - Some answers to Big Joe's Questions. eskrima: Paul Vunak eskrima: twirling eskrima: Senor Clements eskrima: Eyd / food eskrima: sinawalli eskrima: RIP .......................................................................... Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. 1050 members strong! Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Inayan System of Eskrima, Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe eskrima-digest" (no quotes) in the body of an e-mail (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To send e-mail to this list use eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and online search the last two years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Ray Terry, PO Box 110841, Campbell, CA 95011 FMA@MartialArtsResource.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 13:30:51 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: eskrima: Have you Seen-a-Wally > Mik and Ray - > > Can someone describe "assymetrical sinawali" in slow motion, for those > of us who haven't seen it? They can be assymetrical in more than one dimension, yes? eg. in one dimension I might not mirror every move you make, i.e. instead of high right to hight right I might do a high left to your high right. In another dimension there may just be patterns in which there are four strikes on one side of center, but only three on the other side of center. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: "Marc Denny" Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 13:57:23 -0800 Subject: [none] A Howl of Greeting Raphael wrote: "Another fact is that SOME of the Filipino guerillas were not exactly thinking of the people - there were roving bands of guerillas who preyed on the locals- stealing the food and doing the pillaging/rape thing. They fought the Japanese but also did much harm to the natives- my uncle's efforts were also to police their own kind and make sure that those guerillas who were doing more harm than good would be 'taken' care of." An interesting point to consider. I remember GM Estalilla speaking of this and List member David Reyes is usually informed about these things. Perhaps he can be persuaded to come out of lurking? Crafty Dog ------------------------------ From: "Allen Eastwood" Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 16:07:24 -0600 Subject: eskrima: RE: Questions > -----Original Message----- > From: "big Joe A." > 1. How many of you out there practicing FMA are learning Siniwali? From everything I've seen, every FMA system has some type of double-weapon combat system, some more espada y daga oriented, others choosing weapons of equal length. > 2. How many of you think you could actually apply the > Siniwali that you > are or have learned to an actual combat situation involving a skilled > opponent? In terms of two equal-length weapons, probably not much at all. One, I like having a short and a long weapon, be it knife or empty hands for the short. That's just a personal preference thing. Also, I tend to feel that if you're looking a what you can pick up off the "street" two perfectly equal weapons is a pretty rare beast. However, I do think that siniwalli is great for getting both hands coordinated together in all kinds of meaningful ways. > 3. Do you agree that a weapon such as a stick is used as an > extension of > your empty hand? To a degree. There are slight variations between say, a punch and a stick strike in terms of body mechanics. > 4. If so then why, when using such long sticks in Siniwali > (The average > size that I have seen is 30" long.)do you remain at a close range and > block using the middle of the stick instead of the end as logic would > dictate. Wouldn't one want to utilize the full added range from the > length of the sticks as a safety margin to work out of? Myself, I'm constantly reminding my students to back off and use the length of the stick. One thing that I've really picked up from Serrada is, even when using a short stick, to keep out of range of the second weapon. I think a lot of this just stems from having to learn how to gauge your distance with a stick. If you're used to an empty hands range, then add in a stick, even a relatively short one, say 21 inches, you do have to account for that extra length in your ranging. It's along the lines of people who fight giants or midgets when they practice. They're not thinking of ranging the strikes to actually hit. If you get them back onto that as a focus, things tend to even out. Of course, then there's the whole discussion on the relative merits of stick lengths. - -Allen mixal@onramp.net ------------------------------ From: Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 17:20:16 EST Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #88 from:leighans@aol.com a note on the european sword techniques.......during the colonial days of america, the aristocracy here often sought out european sword masters to teach their sons.....the french were sought after because of their skill, the italians were sought out for their deviousness, the spanish for the best combination of the two, and lastly, the english if you werent to attached to your child.....obviously english swordfighters were not highly regarded......on a historical note.....for the entire time that the philipines were a spanish colony, wouldnt it make some sense that there were some intermingling between the two cultures in regards to sword and knifefighting?....so magellan lost his life, maybe he was just not that good a swordsperson.....while being so prompt to criticize one for supposedly bashing a fellow asian art, why does it sound like we are now bashing an art from the other side?....it doesnt matter where the technique originated, each style will have its own unique character while still possessing similarities to others, even across a few oceans........you know, like why does a jab and a lead punch look similar?..........it also appears that we hold the notion that the only two martial arts to originate from europe are wrestling and boxing.......twould be foolish to think that the knights of yore and the vikings and countless others were just clumsy oafs who resembled wwf on a friday night of drinking...the asian arts do not have the monopoly on fighting skills, strategy or anything else.......there are no superior arts, just superior practitioners........if there is one thing we should have noticed by now, that is that fighting arts are indigenous to all parts of the world........ciao ------------------------------ From: Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 17:22:02 EST Subject: eskrima: Re: peta from:leighans@aol.com peta??.....does that stand for 'people for the eating of tasty animals'? ------------------------------ From: Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 14:58:32 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: eskrima: Re: peta > from:leighans@aol.com > > peta??.....does that stand for 'people for the eating of tasty animals'? I believe it was first, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. However, once the web got big, someone grabbed www.peta (com or org?) as People for Eating Tasty Animals. IMHO, a very funny move on their part... Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: "jallen@tac.coe.unt.edu (Jeff Allen)" Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 17:54:26 -0600 Subject: eskrima: Siniwali - Some answers to Big Joe's Questions. Joe,=20 I=27ll try to give my responses by the numbers. 1. How many of you out there practicing FMA are learning Siniwali? Me and everyone that I have guided. I learned siniwali as a training drill not necessarily a fighting drill. You can break into the formal siniwali pattern at any time to create a combat training scenerio. 2. How many of you think you could actually apply the Siniwali that you=20 are or have learned to an actual combat situation involving a skilled=20 opponent? Me. My combat perception is that a formal siniwali pattern only works for the first few attacking strikes. The skill development from the siniwali is to learn not to hit or cut yourself as you switch from the left to right hand. In combat, you will move from a formal pattern to a switching pattern dictated by the fighting circumstances. =20 I DO like the siniwalli as a defensive movement against novice or moderately skilled opponents . . . thought not against highly skilled opponents. The reason is that there are too many places in patterns when I=27m in a less than favorable attacking/defensive position. I=27ll leave this last point for another discussion.=20 3. Do you agree that a weapon such as a stick is used as an extension of=20 your empty hand? Yes. When holding a weapon, I consider that the punyo of the weapon becomes another elbow and the point/blade of the weapon becomes my =22empty hand=22. Thus, I=27ve mentally changed the make-up of my arm to have two elbow joints rather than one. . . giving you many more options for attack and defense. 4. If so then why, when using such long sticks in Siniwali (The average=20 size that I have seen is 30=22 long.)do you remain at a close range and=20 block using the middle of the stick instead of the end as logic would=20 dictate. Wouldn=27t one want to utilize the full added range from the=20 length of the sticks as a safety margin to work out of? =20 This is really answered in =233. If you have long arms =AF your close range is someone else=27s long range. I try to use the first 1/3 of my weapon unless I=27m forced closer. Keep training, Jeff Allen (jallen=40unt.edu) ------------------------------ From: Michael Koblic Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 13:09:37 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Paul Vunak ><< Does anyone out there have any "nuggets" on Paul Vunak and/ or his > system( PFS)? >> > >He is an excellent communicator,......funny, articulate, and can really demo >well, and gets his point across. I liked his seminar and point of view. I know >he does lots of in house personal training. Does anyone on the list know if >Paul can travel from Long Beach?? >I consider him a first class fighter/teacher with lots of good marketing >sense. >I hope he can overcome personal problems and travel more. > I got interested in FMA after seeing Paul Vunak's tapes. They are very slick. I agree that he is an excellent communicator. He seems to have a lot of common sense. He has been training a lot of instructors under the auspices of the Progressive Fighting Systems. Last I heard he insists that to keep their instructor status they have to visit him in California at least once a year to maintain quality control. I do not know about his travelling but his "Second-in-command", Tom Cruse does seminars as far north as here. They are very good. His weapons tapes are also out there. The PFS e-mail is pfs@deltanet.com. They publish a quarterly magazine called the Probe. Mike Koblic, Quesnel BC ------------------------------ From: tenrec Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 03:08:11 +0000 Subject: eskrima: twirling Kelvin Williams wrote: >How long does it take for the wrist to be able to execute >this motion? Does anyone have any suggestions on exercises that can >"loosenup" my wrists? The ff is just an IMHO: First off, always start with basic wrist limbering exercises before training with the stick...these can include that "aikido" exercise of slowly turning your wrists inward toward your chest, and then the reverse, and the "prayer" routine, among many others. When adequately warmed up and limber, use the stick. Twirl SLOWLY in a forward direction. Keep twirling slowly as your wrist begins to loosen up. Rest. Then perform twirls in a backward direction ("upper-cutting" motion). Rest. Repeat in several sets. Perform for both outside and inside twirls, and for both right and left hands. Also: devote certain hours in the day and/or certain days to nothing but wrist limbering (if it is a particular problem) and twirling. My co-practitioners have had surprisingly good results with this. You can even practice twirling in front of the TV. Keep in mind always to 1) start SLOWLY and 2) never force of prematurely speed up your twirls during practice, so as to avoid injuries... Bernd Giller wrote: >1. Use heavy and long sticks! Cannot say we would recommend heavy sticks right off the bat...you might want to try long sticks though, as this makes twirling much easier... Good luck and keep twirling tenrec tenrec@avcorner.com ------------------------------ From: tenrec Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 03:20:47 +0000 Subject: eskrima: Senor Clements Peter A. Kautz wrote: >After hearing all the discussion on his essay, John Clements has told me >that he is updating the FMA/Spanish essay so that his point will be both >hopefuly clearer and the wording of it will be less offensive to FMA >people. If people still get torked, well, at least he tried. I sure hope so...I find his field very interesting and would like to check his site out again some day... and >Found a video at the Cornell library of fights by Pinoy boxers from the >20's-40's. Prices per copy? tenrec tenrec@avcorner.com ------------------------------ From: Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 20:13:30 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Eyd / food >Jeff, One thing that is often missed is that the blade was used for >everyday use as well, to cut down trees, to hunt, make huts and the >knife was used for game and cutting down fruits etc. So the indigenous >people were well aware of how to use a blade long before the Spaniards >or else there would've been alot of mud huts Absolutely, but this says nothing of the tactics of fighting with both stick and knife together. Interesting, when I was in the RP as a kid (age 11), my father bought a bolo from a roadside stand, and told me to pick out a blade for myself. I took a bowie, and together they make one nice espada y daga set. >... remember that the Spaniards chose to BURN the villages And the Filipinos did this to each other too. In fact, villages often moved every few years to get fresh land/fishing. Historically in many cultures, housing was cheap, food expensive. Our modern culture has reversed this. >As for the double weapons, by the time WW2 came around ... in fact, he >had a hard time convincing the kali men to take up guns as well as >having the blades as back up. He told them they weren't fighting the >Spaniards anymore and the Japanese had heavy fire power... too tough to >get close unless snuck up on (which they did several times anyway). >Even when they had some ammunition, he said they were ambushing Japanese >columns with nothing more than two shots (bullets) PER man!!! Yes, bullets were a difficult commodity. Also, guns give away position to the enemy, a problem in guerrilla warfare. Again, I would guess that bolos would be the primary choice for close encounter, and that the free hand would be used to grapple, move brush out of the way, carry things, etc. Not too much Eyd, as it takes more training than basic single blade. >But people don't taste as good as furry, little, harmless creatures. >Then again, I hear they taste like chicken, along with every other thing >that people wouldn't regularly eat. Eat whatever you want to eat.... be >it diniguan( sp?) or bean curd. Wrong! Pacific Islanders (and Idi Amin) refer to people as "long pork". We are "the other white meat" (more or less ... ;) >I personally don't like to eat while I'm training, so what gives? Actually, one of Angel's old tricks. He'd take me out for all-you-can-eat at Gertie's Mabuhay Restaurant (Wed. buffet lunch) and get me stuffed on adobo and dinuguan (yum!). He'd hardly eat at all, THEN he'd want to spar! Hard to resist good eats .... Jeff "Stickman" Finder stickman@autobahn.org ------------------------------ From: Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 23:51:07 -0800 Subject: eskrima: sinawalli >1. How many of you out there practicing FMA are learning Siniwali? Serrada doesn't really do the classical double stick thing, but we were taught that sinawalli, meaning weaving, could apply to any intricate motion involving both hands. >2. How many of you think you could actually apply the Siniwali that you >are or have learned to an actual combat situation involving a skilled >opponent? In context of the above, I've used these learned patterns in security work. Quick blitz of hands taking out the guys options, fast. Of course, many of these guys were drunk or Raiders fans (same difference), but some were big belligerent drunks ... (am I repeating myself? ;) >3. Do you agree that a weapon such as a stick is used as an extension of >your empty hand? Yep, but it takes a lot of practice to feel as comfortable with as without (not to many non-FMA martial artists really seem to get this). Now if I just used a funky rattan stick instead of something harder, maybe I'd get it ....... >4. If so then why, when using such long sticks in Siniwali Back to square one. I do Serrada, so even when I do double, I use short sticks (24" preferred length, from Sonny Umpad ...) On the question of asymmetrical, the benefit of doing a lot of drills is getting familiar with changing patterns. The downside is one has to learn patterns, which tend to be somewhat static. Takes LOTS of practice to get beyond mechanical repetition, which is why I like Sonny's centerline roll; doesn't matter which hand the other guy throws, just take it out with the roll. I'm a sucker for simple solutions .... Jeff "Stickman" Finder stickman@autobahn.org ------------------------------ From: Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 07:35:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: eskrima: RIP Angel Cabales March 3, 1991 RIP Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #92 *************************************** To unsubscribe from this digest, eskrima-digest, send the command: unsubscribe eskrima-digest -or- unsubscribe eskrima-digest your.old@address in the BODY of email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com, directory pub/eskrima/digests. All digest files have the suffix '.txt' Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Inayan System of Eskrima, Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.