# Eskrido



## KyleShort (Mar 17, 2004)

Pardon my ignorance, I have much to learn =)

I was hoping that someone could give me some more information on Eskrido.  As my research (limited as it is) has shown, Eskrido most commonly refers to a style of Doce Pares taught by GM Cacoy that has influences from several other martial arts including Shorin-ryu, Judo, Aikido etc.  However I have also seen that Eskrido is basically eskrima with some judo techniques thrown into the mix.  I have even seen it portrayed as any joint locking and throwing techniques found in eskrima, much like the terms dumog and buno are sometimes used.

So what is the curriculum of GM Cacoy's Eskrido and how different is it from other flavors of doce pares?  Does it have more, or different things to offer than other forms?  Does it simply take join manipulation and wrestling to a level beyond most other eskrima?

Thanks in advance!


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## pesilat (Mar 18, 2004)

KyleShort said:
			
		

> Pardon my ignorance, I have much to learn =)
> 
> I was hoping that someone could give me some more information on Eskrido.  As my research (limited as it is) has shown, Eskrido most commonly refers to a style of Doce Pares taught by GM Cacoy that has influences from several other martial arts including Shorin-ryu, Judo, Aikido etc.  However I have also seen that Eskrido is basically eskrima with some judo techniques thrown into the mix.  I have even seen it portrayed as any joint locking and throwing techniques found in eskrima, much like the terms dumog and buno are sometimes used.
> 
> ...



Well, the curriculum is mostly Doce Pares - though it's very much GM Cacoy's personal flavor of Doce Pares. It's more circular than traditional Doce Pares and thinks more in terms of locking/throwing than traditional DP. When GM Cacoy works, he'll tell you [in his own phrasing which isn't nearly as "American" as my version], "My hits with the stick are just to keep him busy while I set up what I really want." [indicating the lock/disarm/throw/combo of them that he's gotten set up in the midst of beating the crud out of the guy he's playing with]

I would say that it definitely has different things to offer from other Eskrima systems - but whether it's "better" or not will vary from person to person. It works *exceedingly* well for GM Cacoy, though 

I wouldn't say that it has more "wrestling" (at least not the way I think of "wrestling") - but it does have more emphasis on locks and throws - and they have a very distinct Aikido/Judo flavor to them. But it's not just Aikido/Judo with a stick and it's not just Eskrima with some Aikido/Judo thrown in - it's a seamless merging of them. Watching GM Cacoy work someone over with a stick is like watching Liberace play a piano or Agassi play tennis. GM Cacoy is a master craftsman who really enjoys his craft. He cackles all the time. And he's not shy about challenges - he'll step right up and go. Even now, in his mid 80s, he won't hesitate and doesn't care who the challenger is. He's also one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet.

If you have an opportunity to attend a seminar with him, do so - as much as I hate to say it, the fact is that he's not getting any younger and there's no way of knowing how long he'll be around.

As far as Eskrido in general goes - it doesn't really matter what I or anyone else says about it. If you can go train in it some, that's the best option - then you can form your own opinion. But even if you don't like the system, I'd still recommend training with GM Cacoy if you have the chance.

Mike


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## Joe Eccleston (Mar 18, 2004)

i heard GM Cacoy Canete was visiting los angeles in May or June of this year.  anyone know any more of this?


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## pesilat (Mar 19, 2004)

Joe Eccleston said:
			
		

> i heard GM Cacoy Canete was visiting los angeles in May or June of this year.  anyone know any more of this?



GM Cacoy travels around the US doing seminars during part of the year and spends the rest of the year in Cebu. I don't know his exact schedule but he probably is teaching somewhere in the L.A. area this year. I'd recommend that you contact Sifu Richard Bustillo's school. Sifu Bustillo is, as far as I know, the highest ranking Eskrido player in America under GM Cacoy and I would assume his school's probably hosting a seminar with GM Cacoy - if not, then they'll almost certainly know the details of any seminar GM Cacoy will be teaching in the area.

The contact number I have for his school is: (310) 787-8793

Also, you can visit their website at http://www.imbacademy.com

Mike


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## Joe Eccleston (Mar 19, 2004)

Great!!!

thanks, Mike.


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