# Why????



## Brian R. VanCise (Nov 23, 2007)

Why do the Filipino Martial Arts in general blend so well with other systems?  Certainly the FMA's can absolutely stand on their own but why do they easily integrate into other systems or other movement's from other arts integrate into them?


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## Rich Parsons (Nov 23, 2007)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Why do the Filipino Martial Arts in general blend so well with other systems? Certainly the FMA's can absolutely stand on their own but why do they easily integrate into other systems or other movement's from other arts integrate into them?



In conversation with a friend of mine who studied Modern Arnis and other systems, he stated that it is the Filipino Teaching Matrix.

I think it is this as well as the old Manong's and eldars would say do this block for this strike. The strike did not need to be perfect for they recognized the requirement for their teaching matrix is to get the person moving. Once the person is moving, then you can go back and fine tune and improve. 

I always relate it to mathematics. For when we being to do math it my tables and memory only. We do not know the proofs. Imagine the laearning process if a proof was required to learn that 1 + 1 is 2. Instead we learn the basics and then we move on, and later we learn to ask why and to prove why it works. 

The same is true for FMA. Once you see the block working against the strike you can then begin to defend yourself. Then you learn to fine tune the timing and body position. 

Now here is the key that many will start with. It is all the same. The blade and the stick and the empty hand are all the same. In general they are. The gross movemetns can be made with all. Yet, once one understands the attributes of the weapon then one can optimize their body and movements to adjust the technique. 

My opinion I would like to hear others.


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## robertlk808 (Nov 23, 2007)

I think the FMA blends well because of the universal concepts i.e. angles of attack or evasion. It starts with general concepts that are easily learned and then begins to refine as you advance. Drills like Hubud are easy to translate into other systems as well.

FMA Hubud to Karate (I could be way off in terminology)

Left hand Rising block
Right hand Outside Block
Left Hand Hammer Fist

FMA Hubud to Wing Chun

Left hand Bong Sau
Right hand Tan Sau
Left Hand Pak Sao

or you can just break it down even simpler to Pak - Tan - Pak.


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## arnisador (Nov 23, 2007)

robertlk808 said:
			
		

> Drills like Hubud are easy to translate into other systems as well.
> 
> FMA Hubud to Karate (I could be way off in terminology)
> 
> ...



I like this comparison! But it also brings out some of the differences. I've done Karate and WC and when we did drills like that we did them in a very stiff, formal, staccato way--less so in WC than in Karate, but either way it was very different than in the FMA. In the FMA we were moving back and forth and in circles from day one, changing up the rhythm, and the techniques did not have to be done in a just-so way, with a properly chambered hand and a formal stance. 

I really think that not enforcing a set of stances that are rigidly defined (70% of the weight on the back foot, feet at such-and-such an angle, etc.) and a set of techniques that are rigidly defined (elbow exactly one fist-width from the body on the middle block, etc.) is a big difference, that allows for more freedom of expression and helps the other arts fit with the FMA. In Modern Arnis the anyos would be demonstrated Karate-style by one person, then the next person would do the same form Kung Fu-style, and the Prof. would approve of each! It's like viewing your examples as just two specific interpretations of the Filipino way of doing things.

The FMA fit so well with other arts because they focus on concepts and flow, rather than techniques and patterns!


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