Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 06:30:53 -0800 (PST) From: eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: Eskrima digest, Vol 9 #65 - 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. 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Today's Topics: 1. Re: Master Rey Galang , Bakbakan International , Kali (Ray Terry) 2. Re: later, all (Kes41355@aol.com) 3. Re: Master Reynaldo S. Galang (Bakbakan@aol.com) 4. Re: Master Reynaldo S. Galang (Bakbakan@aol.com) 5. Re: Master Rey Galang (Lester S.) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: Ray Terry Subject: Re: [Eskrima] Master Rey Galang , Bakbakan International , Kali To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 18:30:13 PST Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net > inquiry about Master Rey Galang's credentials. Check out the following > books for reference: > > Filipino Martial Culture by Mark Wiley , Filipino Fighting Arts, Yes, I believe that Mr. Wiley is a Bakbakan member. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com --__--__-- Message: 2 From: Kes41355@aol.com Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 22:37:54 EST To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Subject: [Eskrima] Re: later, all Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Hi all, Well, Tuesday is surgery day, and I'll be in the hospital for at least a week, so will be gone from the digest for a bit. Talk to you all later, Kim --__--__-- Message: 3 Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 00:15:49 EST From: Bakbakan@aol.com To: , Subject: [Eskrima] Re: Master Reynaldo S. Galang Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Esquire956, I usually do not respond to e-mails from individuals who do not identify themselves but felt there was a reason(s) you chose to copy me on this submission to the E-Digest. Therefore, I will reply for all Members to read. Bakbakan International is a brotherhood of martial artists that was established in the Philippines in 1968. Many of the members are senior disciples of the late GM Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo. To name a few, Master Rey Galang, Master Tony Diego (Heir to Kali Ilustrisimo), Master Christopher Ricketts and even the late PG Edgar Sulite of Lameco Eskrima. Although these gentlemen were highly experienced in other styles of Arnis, Kali & Eskrima, Kali Ilustrisimo was adopted as the weapon system of choice by these members. Regarding his LEO training, it is not uncommon for Police Officers to seek out instruction from FMA instructors so the answer to your question is yes. As far as working with our Military, he along with Master Christopher Ricketts have trained personnel from several Specials OPS divisions (not to be disclosed) in Fort Bragg and Fort Louis. Most recently personnel at Whidbey Island Naval have had the opportunity to train with Master Galang...so "hype" it is not. He is without doubt a leading authority of Filipino Martial Arts and respected by other greats such as GM Jose Mena of Mena Arnis, GM Jerson "Nene" Tortal of Pekiti-Tirsia and Master Elmer Ybanez of Lightning Scientific Arnis to name a few. He was at one time appointed Commissioner of Modern Arnis by the late GM Remy Presas which he respectfully denied due to other obligations and is a Senior instructor in Lameco and Vee-Arnis. Need I say anymore? Obviously these are not just bias opinions but fact. You don't need to be in the limelight to be a Great Master. Please feel free to contact me directly should you have further concerns. Yours in the Arts, Guro John G. Jacobo BAKBAKAN International --__--__-- Message: 4 Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 08:47:53 EST From: Bakbakan@aol.com To: , Subject: [Eskrima] Re: Master Reynaldo S. Galang Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Bakbakan wrote: > He was at one time appointed Commissioner of Modern Arnis by the late GM Remy Presas which he respectfully denied due to other obligations.. CORRECTION - "he respectfully DECLINED"... Yours in the Arts, Guro John G. Jacobo BAKBAKAN International --__--__-- Message: 5 From: "Lester S." To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net, Esquire956@aol.com, berdugo9@hotmail.com, Bakbakan@aol.com Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 04:20:34 -0500 Subject: [Eskrima] Re: Master Rey Galang Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Hello, this is in regards to the inquiry by Esquire956@aol.com in regards to his inquiry about Master Rey Galang of Bakbakan International. I'm not currently a member of the Eskrima Digest--however, some of you may know me, either via having met/spoken with me at some point, by reading my posts on BladeForums.com under the screen name of "bayani", or my posts on EzBoards under the name of "Acala", but in any case--please allow me to introduce myself to you, the reader, and the rest of the E-Digest community. My name is Lester Salvador, Jr., and I have been an on/off student of Master Rey's in Bakbakan Kali (Ilustrisimo) since approximately the summer of 1997 (a rough guess). I hold NO rank at Bakbakan--indeed, I am only an associate member of the Bakbakan brotherhood, and when I was regularly attending class at both the Lodi Gym and "the Church sessions" in Garfield, NJ, I was most definitely NOT one of their top fighters. I am a plain-old "Dojo Grunt" in other words...just a regular student, with a need to improve and grow at my fighting art like most of you. Yet, perhaps I can shed some light (for those of you who are curious) on who Rey Galang is, what training with Master Rey has been like for me, and why I not only wouldn't personally study FMAs with ANYONE ELSE on the North American continent (although I respect the right of anyone to choose their teacher and their style, and have real, solid friendships with other FMA practicioners of other styles)--but also why Bakbakan Kali is MY chosen Filipino blade art. Allow me to begin... There will be many other posters (like my senior Bakbakan brother John Jacobo) that, no doubt, will go into explicit detail regarding Master Rey's training background. Indeed, there exists already a lengthy profile on him in Mark Wiley's book, FILIPINO MARTIAL CULTURE--from his early days doing Judo, Karate, TKD, Sikaran, Jujutsu and Aikido in the Philippines, to his exposure to Arnis in the Sixties and his (prior to his being with GM Antonio Ilustrismo/Bakbakan) involvement with the Balintawak and Presas Family (Modern Arnis) systems. He is (along with Master Christopher Ricketts) one of the founders of Bakbakan itself--and is Bakbakan's International Director, the creator of the Bakbakan grappling/groundfighting system known as Hagibis, is the Chief Instructor of Kali Ilustrisimo's knife fighting art (Tulisan), was instrumental in the arrival of FMAs to the country of Australia, and (along with Master Ricketts, the late Master Edgar Sulite and Tatang's heir, GM Tony Diego) directly studied Kali with the late GM Ilustrisimo himself, plus much more besides. This is all a matter of public record, and easily verifiable with either a trip to a good local bookstore, a well-stocked library, a websearch, or if one wished to take the time to do so, a series of phone calls to either the North American headquarters or the Philippines. One would find, if one did one's homework, that the term "Master" is not something one awards oneself (especially in the proud and often violently ruthless martial culture of the Philippines), but is rather a token of acknowledgement from other master-level fighters of one's personal skill and understanding of the fighting art of Eskrima. So, with that said, please allow me to address some of the other issues/questions that were posed by Esquire956 regarding Master Rey and Bakbakan. Bakbakan Kali, while retaining Tatang's Art as it's core, contains within it, from what I understand, methods and training concepts drawn from Sagasa (the Bakbakan empty-hand striking method), Lameco Eskrima, the Sinawali techniques of the people of the province of Pampanga, as well as the sword and dagger methods of the eskrimador, Placido Yambao. However, it is still Kali Ilustrisimo at its most core level, and retains within it all of Tatang's fighting strategies and techniques. As far as I know, that is really the only difference. As for why one might not really have heard much "buzz" about Master Rey--it's really quite simple. He doesn't promote or talk about himself ceaselessly. I rather think he doesn't LIKE to. Indeed, up until the opening of the Lodi Gym a few years ago, the Bakbakan group in N.J. was a "closed door" group to outsiders--you needed to know someone in Bakbakan, and only via personal introduction and a period of screening were you allowed into the training fold. There are others (like the legendary WW2 Close Quarter Combat/Jujutsu expert, Mr. Carl Cestari, and his students/instructors) in my experience, who PREFER the quiet to the limelight, and who prefer to accept students via personal introduction ONLY. And, frankly, that lack of a need to endlessly promote himself and his system has worked to his detriment when it comes to a larger awareness of what he has to offer in the larger Martial Arts community, now that he has opened up a commercial venue with the Lodi Gym. Sure, other FMA Masters (especially ethnic Filipino masters in America and the P.I.) and "the hardcore players" know who he is--but your average "stick-swinging karate guy" probably wouldn't know Master Rey at all--much less anything else. (No offense intended.) As for Master Rey instructing members of the Law Enforcement and Military (SpecOps) communities--well, there are active duty officers with the Bergen County PD (I believe) that are actively involved with training at Bakbakan. Both Mr. Steve Antonsson and Mr. Pete Bumanlag of Bakbakan are "on the job", so to speak, and could speak with more authority than myself on that topic. As for the Military/SpecOps connection--it is my understanding that when Master Topher was in the USA last year, both he and Master Rey had a series of training sessions with a group of "high-speed operators" (as they say "in the trade") who prefer that their business not be publically discussed. I do know that there is a very nice thank-you letter from someone in the military in Master Rey's office at the Gym, and that there is a affiliate branch of Bakbakan at Fort Bragg. Apart from that, again, I cannot comment on any of the above with any certainty, but I wouldn't doubt it. Why do I choose to train in Bakbakan Kali? I have many reasons--but one of the most important ones is that, of the FMAs I have been exposed to, it is one of the most purely blade-oriented Filipino combat systems around. Indeed, I'd say that (and my Bakbakan brothers will no doubt be annoyed at me for saying this, but it is MY opinion, after all) Bakbakan Kali (Ilustrisimo) is so purely a BLADE-oriented art that it might have some inherent difficulties (one might say "flaws", but not really) when transitioning to the realm of stickfighting. The closed chamber forearm position that so many FMA stickfighters adopt, or the "stick chambered on your lead-hand shoulder with the punyo projecting outward" fighting stance--all that is oriented towards the power shot, as in heavy forehand and backhand slashes. Kali Ilustrisimo/Bakbakan Kali emphasizes an "open chamber position" rather than a "closed chamber position"--kind of like a boxer's stance--but with a weapon, preferably a blade, in your hand. Pointwork, thrusting, as well as edgework, is emphasized in Bakbakan Kali--which further makes the parallel between the Ilustrisimo/Bakbakan systems and methods of sword-fencing worldwide. There is somewhat less emphasis on merely "swinging hard and fast" and "taking the shot to deliver a knockout" that stickfighters, like boxers and kickboxers, often cultivate (perhaps unintentionally). On a similar note, Guro Hock Hockheim of Presas Arnis/The Scientific Fighting Congress, in one of his writings, has stated correctly when criticizing the rear-hand lead "military stance" for knife-fighting, that if you put a bunch of U.S Soldiers with their Ka-Bars to the rear, and their left arms in front of them vs. a group of Ghurkha soldiers with their Khukuris held before them, and they were to fight blade vs. blade--that a whole bunch of G.I. forearms would be wetly hitting the ground...The same could be said for the stickfighter's "closed chamber position" vs. the Bakbakan bladesman's boxing-style "open position"--in a stickfight, the "closed position" position has an advantage in that your weapon hand is protected from shots, and under the adrenal dump of a match, you might not even notice a shot to your forearm until later, plus you can deliver some nifty power shots...in a bolo/sword fight, your forearm is now just a juicy target were you to assume that "closed" fighting stance. If you reflect on the phrases "closest weapon, closest target" and "the shortest distance to a destination is a straight line"...well, you get the idea. Granted, the above is really just a minor point--but it is one thing that further illustrates Bakbakan Kali's bladed weapon orientation. What is more, there is, woven into Mang Rey's curriculum, all of the strategies and tricks of "Mean Old Man" Ilustrisimo himself >;-) , all of his fakes and baits and traps for the unwary and unwise enemy--one begins to think in a different way in regards to how one fights when one trains at Bakbakan. One becomes a wilier, more crafty, more malicious fighter...natural movement, deceptiveness, and a highly cultivated sense of awareness, timing, and ruthless aggression are qualities that our curriculum cultivates. One might think that we are not entirely unique in this...and that may be true. But, of all the FMA training I have the blessing to experience (and I have truly fond feelings and real emotional ties to all of my former FMA teachers and fellow classmates), the Kali training I have recieved from Master Rey and Bakbakan has been truly beyond compare. My knowledge of FMAs and my apprciation of my own Pinoy culture grew by leaps and bounds via my contact with them. The debt I owe both my Bakbakan brothers and Master Rey Galang is bone-and-marrow deep...there is a phrase among us Filipinos that perhaps some of you may know: "Utang Na Loob". It is similar to the Japanese notion of "Giri" (duty and debt) in many respects...and that, with joy, is what I feel in my heart when it comes to my Teacher and my Brotherhood. It is something they have earned from me for their kindness, generosity, enthusiasm and patience. I am happy to be counted among them. Esquire956, I truly hope that my post addressed some of your curiosities and concerns regarding my teacher, Master Reynaldo S. Galang of Bakbakan International. If you have any further concerns or questions, then please feel free to contact them with your thoughts and inquiries at http://www.bakbakan.com. I also invite you to attend the seminars scheduled for March...by experiencing the Art of Bakbakan Kali by doing it yourself, that may even further put to rest any other misgivings or corcerns you may have as to my teacher's abilities. If, even after all of that, you have any further doubts, please do not hesitate to express your concerns while there--I'm sure, no doubt, that someone will aid you towards further increasing your sense of understanding. The road of wisdom, after all, is one of direct experience. I wish all of you the very best in your collective and individual endeavors...Train hard and smart, love your Art, be safe and joyful! Mabuhay Ang Eskrima! KARUNUNGAN--KATAPATAN--KATARUNGAN!!! Yours in the Arts, Lester Salvador, Jr. _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.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