Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 02:23:06 -0800 (PST) From: eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: Eskrima digest, Vol 9 #56 - 5 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.8 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Sender: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net List-Help: List-Post: X-Subscribed-Address: rterry@idiom.com List-Subscribe: List-Id: Inayan Eskrima / FMA discussion forum, the premier FMA forum on the Internet. List-Unsubscribe: Status: OR Send Eskrima mailing list submissions to eskrima@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Eskrima digest..." <<-------------- The Eskrima/FMA mailing list -------------->> Serving the Internet since June 1994. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The Internet's premier discussion forum devoted to Filipino Martial Arts. Provided in memory of Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay (1944-2000). http://InayanEskrima.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of the Eskrima/FMA list at http://MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Today's Topics: 1. Guru...guro...grrr.. (AnimalMac@aol.com) 2. New Muay Thai book (Sidney525@aol.com) 3. help request from Italy (Ray Terry) 4. Bob (Michael Koblic) 5. Gu-Ru (kalkiusa@netscape.net) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: AnimalMac@aol.com Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 19:26:32 EST To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Subject: [Eskrima] Guru...guro...grrr.. Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net >From Marc Animal MacYoung Victor wrote << 1. Who are you? that you can speak with such authority of Indonesian/Indian Culture? 2. Who are you to judge, who "GURU TUA" Dan Inosanto is? 3. Who and were have you gotten your schooling in the Mah Hat Mah? 4. Who are you? and How old are you? 5. Who are you to attached Spiritual meanings to a Pentjak Silat Serak Guru? 6. Who are you? to ask what is a Indonesian Guru vs Indian Guru? 7. What are the Seven Enlightment Structures of Guidence? I will be the first to agree that the the individual who asked that question did so from a very Amero-centric point of view. And yes, in the United States there is often a conotation of the term "guru" to imply someone who studies his bellybutton. Simply stated, the pool was peed in during the sixties when many so-called Hindu variant mystics made a whole lot of money off young, gulible American kids, did tax dodges and rode around in 47 Rolls Royces because of "bad backs." To the *average* American, the term "guru" is going to have these conotations. Yes it is erronious, yes it is ignorant and yes it is wrong and yes, in many of the countries of the southeastern hemisphere it would be considered a grevious insult. However, having said all that...where did you wake up this morning? Although a whole lot of the rest of the country would like to deny it, last time I checked California is still considered part of the USA. That means the culture and society both he and you live is something different than Filipino, Indonesian or Indian. Yes, there are small enclaves of those cultures, but they are not the majority. And individuals who are in the majority are NOT required to learn the intriciaes and nuances of these other cultures. Therefore any attempt by people in this society to learn other people's culture and the significance of their language, customs or ways needs to be encouraged. To show them that there is benefit from learning about other people and other cultures. Displays of niavete do not need to be beaten down, challenged or ridiculed. When you do that you do nothing to encourge that person or others to continue seeking understanding of your own particular culture. In short, you assumed this young man's question to be disrespectful and inflammatory without determining his intent. Hell, he might have been taking a cheap shot...but it is just as likely he was speaking from niavete based in a cultural perception -- one that, for the most part, takes a dim view of Oriental mysticism. As a transplanted Californian I can assure you that A) the United States does extend further east than San Bernedino B) the United States does extend west beyond Buffalo and C) all that space in the middle has it's own way of doing things and it really isn't necessarily interested in learning all those things you listed. Simply stated, it is not germaine to life as they know it. So why should anybody learn it? Why should they change their minds? And more importantly why should they try to "ape" another culture when they live in this one? Personally, I have the same knee jerk reaction when I hear the term "guru" because I too grew up in this culture. However, I can override that by putting the second, third and fourth definitions on it. But at the same time I know something, outside a very narrow field of interest, the term guru has very little weight or significance. In short, in the real world, the title "guru" and two bucks will get you a cup of coffee. Like I said, he could have been being a snarky little prick with his question. But assuming that this was indeed a legitimate question by this young man, based on his culural bias...let me ask you a question... With that answer you gave, what have you done to encourage him to seek further understanding? Marc Animal MacYoung --__--__-- Message: 2 From: Sidney525@aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 05:59:27 EST To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Subject: [Eskrima] New Muay Thai book Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net There is a new muay thai book available with nice color photographs that Master Chai had consulted on. Check out www.sprypublishing.com --__--__-- Message: 3 From: Ray Terry To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net (Eskrima) Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 07:18:44 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Eskrima] help request from Italy Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net > I'm Antonio,i'm 27 and live in Italy. > I'm searching a student/students who were Raymond Tobosa's students. > Can you help me? If you have any info, please let me know and I'll pass it along. Thanks. Ray --__--__-- Message: 4 From: "Michael Koblic" To: "Eskrima digest" Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 13:44:17 -0800 Subject: [Eskrima] Bob Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Since I moved and lost my training partner, my mini dojo and the hanging bag all in one fell swoop, my loving family bought me "Bob" for Christmas. For those who don't know, it is a mannikin with a torso, bull neck and a head on 270 lb water-filled base whose sole purpose is to be hit. After some initial experimentation I found the following (note, some of these "revelations" will not be exactly news to the experienced majority): 1) My main concern was that the manikin will be easily pushed over. This is not the case if one trains for "anatomically correct hits" with the exception, perhaps of a teep. 2) The body mechanics of generating an "anatomically correct hit" (i.e. a hit that will produce most damage to the opponent, e.g. rotational acceleration of the head) are quite different from the punches one tends to practice on the bag. Is this one of the reasons that street fighters can be more effective than those practicing in a conventional MA way? I often wondered why guys in our boxing club who could beat the hell out of the hanging bag just did not seem to deliver the same power in their fights... 3) Size does matter. Trying to throw effective elbows agains someone taller is much more difficult if not impossible unless they are brought down to your own level. Shovel hooks rule against a taller opponent! Note to self: need more low line techniques to bring the head down! 4) The distance judgement and the path of a strike is quite different if a whole person is involved (e.g. for an ear slap, which is easy on a focus mitt, is quite different if one wants to hit the ear square on and not the cheek, also one has to keep out of the way of the ipsilateral shoulder.) 5) There are many techniques that one can practice on the manikin with full power which are impossible to do otherwise: consider the combo eye jab-straight blast-head grab with a bilateral eye-gouge-neck pull into a headbutt - not many partners will let you tee off on them fully in this fashion. Bob does not even flinch! I have never been able to practice the web hand strike to the throat before. What surpised me that it is not as painful as i though it would be. 6) Other techniques can be practised with a bit of visualisation: e.g. full power SPEAR (tm) as taught by Tony Blauer. 7) Partial techniques can be trained e.g. wrestling grips (neck, torso, grip changes) etc. 8) My only regret is that Bob is not weapons-resistant. Does anyone else have experience with Bob and can give advice how to enrich the training repertoir? Mike Koblic, Campbell River, BC (Not A Guru) --__--__-- Message: 5 Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 20:18:07 -0500 From: kalkiusa@netscape.net To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Subject: [Eskrima] Gu-Ru Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net I was taught/told that the word "gurur" means darkness and light. In other words, the person referred to as "guru" is supposedly capable of leading us from darkness (ignorance) into light (knowledge, ability). This is sorta like "educator" which literaaly (fomr the Latin) means to lead out ... implying to lead us out of ignorance into knowledge, ability. The spiritual/religious meaning of guru is very clear and I won't attempt to display my level of ignorance about it here :-) but I'm aware that the term could be used to describe an accomplished one in various fields, just as "Shih Fu" (Cantonese, Sifu) can apply to someone in fields of activity other than martial "stuff". Finally, though, there are traditional, ashram-based, "spiritually knowledgeable" educators of matters both 'cosmological' and combative who have the title guru. Check out Kalari Payyat and/or Vajra Mushti. Mitakuye Oyasin. Be well, Mik -- __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ --__--__-- _______________________________________________ Eskrima mailing list Eskrima@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and the Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply. Remember 9-11! End of Eskrima Digest