# Pondering Tapi-Tapi



## Dan Anderson (Jul 7, 2006)

Hi All,

Here's fan interesting question that came to me today: Is Tapi-Tapi the zenith of the art (Modern Arnis) or the zenith of _his_ art (Remy Presas)?

Before anyone thinks I am starting a "My datu is bigger than your MoTT!" yip, hear me out.

The technical aspect of Tapi-Tapi can be simplified down to _capture-bait-capture._    Your capture your opponent's cane.  You bait him into a defensive action.  Your capture his defending limb and you lock, choke, throw, beat on him, whatever.

These all cater to Prof. Presas' attributes.  His hand speed and hand/eye coordination were very well developed.  He was gutsy.  He had a close in base of training in a group which specialized in grabbing their opponent's cane (Moncal's balintawak).  He was powerful so his bait would be _honored_ far more readily than someone who had less power and speed.  To top all that off, he was a fighter so his intention was strong as well.

Like I said, Tapi-Tapi caters to Prof. Presas' attributes.  It's very much like the Bill Wallace system of fighting.  This is a primo example of a fighting style that caters to the founder's attributes.  If you aren't as stretched as Bill is, his fighting style is harder to execute.  The same with the Joe Lewis Fighting System.  

My viewpoint is that Tapi-Tapi is the zenith of the Professor's art but not necessarily the zenith of Modern Arnis itself.  We all have different attributes.  There is wide technical and approach latitude in Modern Arnis to embrace pretty much everone, no matter what their own personal attributes are.

So I post that Tapi-Tapi is actually, as regards the Professor, the art within _his_ art.  Any comments?

Yours,
Dan Anderson


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## modarnis (Jul 7, 2006)

You make some astute observations about Profesor Presas Dan.  I also don't want to get into a tiff over who's Datu or whatever is better.  There are certainly some who view tapi tapi as an approach, system, mantra or whatever, others who view it as a drill wthin a system, and others who generally view it as a counter for counter concept.

While generally speaking, I fall into the latter with a few qualifications.  Certainly Modern Arnis is much more than a few prearranged sequences that people practice.  Those drills fit into a larger heading of attribute development which in my opinion fits under a larger umbrella of Modern Arnis.

Professor was certainly a gifted athlete.  He was also a skilled and experienced fighter.  Unfortunately for many, if not most MA practitioners, we will not have the kind of opportunity to fight, challenge, and test our skills the way Professor did.  Couple that with the harsh reality that most of us did not begin to develop our MA skills until teen years or later, and we are already behind the curve.  Professor had the unique privilege of learning some basics very young coupled with real world testing of the theories, and payment for mistakes with hard knocks.

Absent those hard knocks and the survival attitude that real fighting ( not sparring) cultivates, most of us are left to reverse engineer the art from the skills Professor left them in the form of sets, drills etc.  For a great many, mimicking those drills will satisfy their needs for the art.  For others, exploration of the concepts is far more important.

I submit that the tapi tapi drills, flow drill, six count, much of the empty hand, and the knife all interelate and ebb and flow seamlessly in the whole of Modern Arnis.  For some, at least the ones who have some understanding of the concepts of range, movement, timing, striking, and countering contained in the art, that statement will be self evident.

I think the true zenith of Professor's art was the notion that it was constantly evolving.  I would argue that he knew for the art to evolve, individuals would have to explore and understand the concepts.  The zenith of his art is whatever the individual endeavors to make it.  He wanted people to take his training and make the art their own


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## Guro Harold (Jul 7, 2006)

It seems to me that those who were able to train personally and consistenly with the Professor had to pleasure of training at the highest level.

Tapi-Tapi are drills that compresses incredible amounts of techniques into manageable preset drills.

The reality of Tapi-Tapi is that is like the chromatic scale. Everything is in there but it means nothing if the student doesn't take the time to understand the underlying notes.


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## modarnis (Jul 8, 2006)

Palusut said:
			
		

> It seems to me that those who were able to train personally and consistenly with the Professor had to pleasure of training at the highest level.
> 
> Tapi-Tapi are drills that compresses incredible amounts of techniques into manageable preset drills.
> 
> The reality of Tapi-Tapi is that is like the chromatic scale. Everything is in there but it means nothing if the student doesn't take the time to understand the underlying notes.


 
Exellent analogy in the last sentence Harold.  Professor was very skillfull at providing his continuing students with a taste, or flash, or glimpse of a technique.  He was always the proud father when the next time he saw you that you figured it out and expanded on it.  Usually the reward was a public beating and a few more glimpses to direct your independent study


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## Rich Parsons (Jul 8, 2006)

modarnis said:
			
		

> I submit that the tapi tapi drills, flow drill, six count, much of the empty hand, and the knife all interelate and ebb and flow seamlessly in the whole of Modern Arnis. For some, at least the ones who have some understanding of the concepts of range, movement, timing, striking, and countering contained in the art, that statement will be self evident.
> 
> I think the true zenith of Professor's art was the notion that it was constantly evolving. I would argue that he knew for the art to evolve, individuals would have to explore and understand the concepts. The zenith of his art is whatever the individual endeavors to make it. He wanted people to take his training and make the art their own



I like this.


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## Rocky (Jul 9, 2006)

Ah Tapi Tapi...........When you absolutely positively have to have your Eskrima Spoon Fed to you...



Hey I like that I think it will be my new signature.





Rocky


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## rompida (Jul 11, 2006)

Rocky said:
			
		

> Ah Tapi Tapi...........When you absolutely positively have to have your Eskrima Spoon Fed to you...
> 
> Rocky


 

Care to elaborate on that one?  

Do you think Tapi Tapi is a spoon feeding drill?

or that we are all spoon feeding each other by having this discussion?


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## Guro Harold (Jul 11, 2006)

rompida said:
			
		

> Care to elaborate on that one?
> 
> Do you think Tapi Tapi is a spoon feeding drill?
> 
> or that we are all spoon feeding each other by having this discussion?


 
Rompida,

I'm not a psychic, but I am sure Rocky's distaint is not aimed at this thread!:rofl: 

-Palusut


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