# I had no idea I'd enjoy it this much!



## TwentyThree (Jul 19, 2008)

I just started Modern Arnis about two months ago (one a week, usually).  My teacher is really just showing a few of us the basics so "he has somebody to play with" - his teacher is Bruce Chiu.  There is no school in my area that teaches Modern Arnis.

I can't get over how much FUN it is.

I'm stunned that this hasn't become more prevalent - as GM Remy Presas said, it's the "art within the art", and I can see how useful it'd be to so many different styles (or just by itself).

Man, how is this being kept under wraps?  It's awesome!


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## arnisador (Jul 19, 2008)

Good for you! I've been doing it since the mid-80s and still enjoy it. Many instructors in other arts have picked up a little arnis and added it to their arts.


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## stickarts (Jul 19, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> I just started Modern Arnis about two months ago (one a week, usually). My teacher is really just showing a few of us the basics so "he has somebody to play with" - his teacher is Bruce Chiu. There is no school in my area that teaches Modern Arnis.
> 
> I can't get over how much FUN it is.
> 
> ...


 
Glad you are enjoying it! It snuck up on me too. I tried it mainly out of respect for my teacher, who spoke highly of it, and I have been training ever since!


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## Guro Harold (Jul 19, 2008)

Great!

But be warned:

"once you start down the rattan path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..."


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## Rich Parsons (Jul 19, 2008)

Palusut said:


> Great!
> 
> But be warned:
> 
> "once you start down the rattan path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..."




Shhhh, Do tell them they may also find the path of the blade as well.


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## Guro Harold (Jul 19, 2008)

Rich Parsons said:


> Shhhh, Do tell them they may also find the path of the blade as well.


Yeah Rich,

That's how Kali gets you!

It starts with rattan, then aluminum trainers, then real blades and swords!


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## theletch1 (Jul 19, 2008)

Ya know, it ain't just the rattan path that will suck you in.  Martial arts in general can sweep you along before you know it.  Of all the addictions out there the study of the martial arts has got to be the best one.  At least you can remember how you got the injuries you have the next morning.


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## tshadowchaser (Jul 20, 2008)

welcome to the world of FMA.  As you can see from some of the responses you have entered an area that sucks you in and never lets go.

Happy to hear you are enjoying your training


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## stickarts (Jul 20, 2008)

Palusut said:


> Great!
> 
> But be warned:
> 
> "once you start down the rattan path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..."


 
LOL! Funny....but true! :0)


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## TwentyThree (Jul 20, 2008)

I'm already sucked in - in fact, my husband and I are going to do an impromptu "class" at my teacher's house this afternoon - in the blazing hot sun in Mississippi.  And next weekend we're going to a seminar... :ultracool:

At work, I have some wall calendars a vendor gave me - when rolled up, they're almost 26 inches long.  If you think that I practice while I'm on conference calls and such - you'd be correct!  

Heh - so, from what you guys are saying, it's a progression from rattan sticks to this:

:jediduel:

I'm good with that.  :uhyeah:


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## DragonMind (Jul 21, 2008)

Did not know you, Jedi is Urdish for Arnis, hmmm?


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## Dan Anderson (Jul 21, 2008)

Bruce is a good egg.  You're in with a good family.

Yours,
Dan Anderson


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## Brian Johns (Jul 21, 2008)

Oh yeah, Modern Arnis will suck you in big time as well as it has for me for quite some time now ! 

Brian


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## TwentyThree (Jul 22, 2008)

Well, you guys won't believe what happened to me.

Got hurt bad doing a 3-8-12 drill.  Details on my blog here: http://martialartslatestart.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/im-sidelined-for-a-while/

:vu:

And I was probably going to go to a seminar this weekend.

:waah:


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## TwentyThree (Jul 22, 2008)

Dan Anderson said:


> Bruce is a good egg.  You're in with a good family.
> 
> Yours,
> Dan Anderson



Thanks - I get the same impression.  I get to meet him in September, and I'm looking forward to it.

Watching his instructional tapes is really helpful.  In my regular art I'm getting ready to start sparring - or I was until I got hurt - and some of the things he said (some of it I'm sure it just quoting GM Presas) and I've been shown in Arnis I think will help me avoid getting pummeled.

For some reason, I don't want to get pummeled!


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## arnisador (Jul 22, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> Got hurt bad doing a 3-8-12 drill.



I'm sorry to hear that! Heal up and get back to it.


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## Rich Parsons (Jul 22, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> Well, you guys won't believe what happened to me.
> 
> Got hurt bad doing a 3-8-12 drill.  Details on my blog here: http://martialartslatestart.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/im-sidelined-for-a-while/
> 
> ...




Sorry to hear about your injury.

I refer to that drill as 6 count, as each side can do the strikes and blocks and it counts 6. (* GM Presas also called it six count. *) Variations are called 10 or 8 based upon who does what. But it is all good. Keep up a good spirit and heal well and do your physical therapy. 

Thanks


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## TwentyThree (Jul 22, 2008)

arnisador said:


> I'm sorry to hear that! Heal up and get back to it.



I plan on it.  I figure I'm going to have crazy upper body strength and the world's best cat stance by the time I get off crutches.  :lol:



			
				Rich Parsons said:
			
		

> Sorry to hear about your injury.
> 
> I refer to that drill as 6 count, as each side can do the strikes and blocks and it counts 6. (* GM Presas also called it six count. *) Variations are called 10 or 8 based upon who does what. But it is all good. Keep up a good spirit and heal well and do your physical therapy.


I understand what you mean by calling it a 6 count...

So if you were to do a 3-8-5-12 it'd be an 8 count, and 3-8-5-12-12 a ten count?

Still learning terminology - I guess I have more time to delve into such things since I'm sitting on my butt for a while...


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## Guro Harold (Jul 23, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> Still learning terminology - I guess I have more time to delve into such things since I'm sitting on my butt for a while...


 Sorry to hear about the injury as well.

FYI, did you know that the Professor would teach and drill his students while both were seated face to face?

I have done this as well and it's also a pretty cool way of sharpening reflexes while aiding the students to concentrating on what the upper body is doing.

Please always consider what you doctor has ordered but if you are able to do this safely, it can keep you going in the meantime.


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## arnisador (Jul 23, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> So if you were to do a 3-8-5-12 it'd be an 8 count, and 3-8-5-12-12 a ten count?



I too learned this high-middle-low drill from the Prof. as the 6-count drill, and there's a standard 10-count extension of it in many arts that goes something like 12-3-8-5-7ish (the last one is more an abaniko to the head than a true backhand poke). Many arts call it _sumbrada_. There are lots of variations.


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## TwentyThree (Jul 23, 2008)

Palusut said:


> Sorry to hear about the injury as well.
> 
> FYI, did you know that the Professor would teach and drill his students while both were seated face to face?
> 
> ...



I didn't know that!  Can you please elaborate?  Any Youtube links I can go look at?  That's an AWESOME idea - I'll ask about it when I go to class tonight with my hubby (staying home by myself is a little scary to me right now).

My doctor looked at me all of 10 seconds and ordered 3 months.  We'll see what the orthopedic surgeon says on Friday, but honestly, I can't see any reason why I can't practice sitting down - I just can't support my own weight right now standing up.

All I know is, I have to do something.  I can't just sit around - this has become too important to my emotional and mental well being!



			
				arnisador said:
			
		

> I too learned this high-middle-low drill from the Prof. as the 6-count drill, and there's a standard 10-count extension of it in many arts that goes something like 12-3-8-5-7ish (the last one is more an abaniko to the head than a true backhand poke). Many arts call it sumbrada. There are lots of variations.



Thanks for the information.

While I'm sidelined, are there any good books you guys can recommend with the drills as the Prof taught them?


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## Guro Harold (Jul 23, 2008)

Yeah,

We learned this with a #12, #1, and #4 strike!

You can still do this seated. Also it would be good to do that drill seated with training knives and eye protection.

Here are some other drills that you can do seated:
#1 - #12 Disarms (both seated, or one standing).
- I actually had a student in a defense situation who had to perform a disarm seated on his backside (emptyhand vs pool que).

#1 - #12 Blocks
- Block-Check-Counter.
- Block-Check-Counter-For-Counter.
- Block-Check-Counter-Release.
- Payong Striking/Blocking Drill (Downward Figure-8 feeds, upper Figure-8 blocks)
- Payong Parry Drill  (Downward Figure-8 feeds, first use payongs to parry the stick, then the arm ) - there are other combinations too (double handed - truncheon type parries). The last combination leads to...

- Abanico Corto (left and right) - in response to a #1 or #2 strike. That leads to...
- Abanico Corto with a Power Figure-8, present, strip (the stick), and trap the hands. You can then transition to an armbar or backwards lock when you are able to.

Empty Hand drills:
- Trapping hands
- Six Count
- Tapi-Tapi #1 and #2.
- Hubad
- Abanico Corto/ Double Action (Check the videos)
- Sinawali Boxing Drills
- Sinawali Empty Hands (Patty-Cake) Drills
- Joint Lock Flows (modification might be needed)

Don't know if there are any footage of these things.

Also, from a self-protection perspective, this might be a good exercise to train in a dis-advantaged state, if you can
do so safely without furthering or lengthening your recuperation.

Take care,

Guro Harold


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## TwentyThree (Jul 23, 2008)

Palusut said:


> Yeah,
> 
> We learned this with a #12, #1, and #4 strike!
> 
> ...



Thanks a bunch!!  I haven't tried figure-8 yet.

I'm very much looking forward to it!


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## arnisador (Jul 23, 2008)

TwentyThree said:


> While I'm sidelined, are there any good books you guys can recommend with the drills as the Prof taught them?



There are lots of videos/DVDs, but for books, there's mainly the Yellow book (that link shows a newer, non-yellow cover) and the books by Dan Anderson. Consider getting the DVDs!


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## TwentyThree (Jul 23, 2008)

arnisador said:


> There are lots of videos/DVDs, but for books, there's mainly the Yellow book (that link shows a newer, non-yellow cover) and the books by Dan Anderson. Consider getting the DVDs!



The Yellow Book is already on order, and I'll definitely look into Dan Anderson's books as well.

Books are more portable than DVD's are, and I have to travel for work next week.

Although of course I've already ordered a bunch of DVD's too! 

Thanks again!


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