# Passing GM Ben Luna Lema and the Future of LSAI.



## arnisador (Jan 8, 2003)

Did he leave a clear successor?


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## Angus (Jan 8, 2003)

Guru Elmer Ybanez (sp?), last I heard. The only really good FMA teacher in my area. He taught at my old school. He's been GM Luna Lema's protege for a long time, and was in the "Filipino Arts" book published a while back. He's damn good (I've NEVER seen someone so small hit so hard! He's broken brand new rattan sticks with the first couple hits. Crazy!), very humble, and teaches only for the sake of the art, not the money. Very cool guy. Good system, too.

I talked to him not too long ago about Mr. Luna Lema, and I guess he's been pretty close to death since mid last year, with no real hopes, so he was just holding on as long as he could. RIP.


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## tokwa (Oct 16, 2003)

Hi arnisador,

Sorry, no successors, yet.
If there were to be any successor to Lightning Scientific Arnis, it should be one of his sons, since it is a family art.

Mang Ben had been teaching Lightning as early as 1936. There are a lot of his personal students who came from all walks of life. 

Many of them, aside from Elmer Ybanez, have the same highest rank like him, and are tuned in for the latest LSAI update from the GM himself before he died.  Mang Ben had worked hard to visit each of his old and trusted students just to give them his latest additions to the LSAI curriculum.

For a fact, Mang Ben promoted most of his trusted students to the highest level, a year before his passing. 

These LSAI instructors are quietly spreading the art in its purest form, without even bragging their ranks.  They would rather fight and show their worth than even mention their certification.

Tokwa



> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> *Did he leave a clear successor? *


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## krys (Oct 18, 2003)

I do not practice LSA but two of my training partners are instructors of this system.
What I heard is that  GM Lema asked M. Ybanez to become head of Lightning Scientific Arnis (he was already old) as he was his top student but he refused out of respect for his teacher.....


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## tokwa (Oct 19, 2003)

That's an old rumor.  
Anything new?

No proof, everyone in this forum would just dismiss this as a barber's tale (In tagalog, we call it "kwentong barbero")

Stop quoting the grandmaster (there are no certificates to prove it.  Maybe wishful thinking) when he is reduced to ashes.  Let's have some respect here for the old man.



> _Originally posted by krys _
> *I do not practice LSA but two of my training partners are instructors of this system.
> What I heard is that  GM Lema asked M. Ybanez to become head of Lightning Scientific Arnis (he was already old) as he was his top student but he refused out of respect for his teacher..... *


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## krys (Oct 20, 2003)

Wow,

Calm down man. I didn't quote the Gm, just repeated what some instructors told me in the Philippines, a.o. he was his personal student for 15 years. I have no personal interest in the subject....  for me it's end of the discussion.


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## tokwa (Oct 21, 2003)

If he *really* was a personal student of the grandmaster for 15 long years,  

*ASK HIM THESE QUESTIONS:*

1. *Do you know the nationality of the grandmaster's wife?*  Being a student that long, he must already been acquainted by the family.

2. Being a student that long, *is he sure that Elmer Ybanez is being considered by Mang Ben as the next grandmaster?* Doesn't he know that there a lot of students are being considered for that gm rank since Mang Ben had been teaching since pre-world war 2?

3. *Who are your LSAI friend/s?*

*Tell your "LSAI friend/s" to answer these three questions, to verify that he has been studying that long * because I had been coordinating closely with one of Mang Ben's children on your tales.  You have a week to get their responses.

TOKWA




> _Originally posted by krys _
> *Wow,
> 
> Calm down man. I didn't quote the Gm, just repeated what some instructors told me in the Philippines, a.o. he was his personal student for 15 years. I have no personal interest in the subject....  for me it's end of the discussion. *


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## Cruentus (Oct 21, 2003)

1st question: krys has a week to respond, or what?

2nd question: What makes you think he can get answers from these people anyways, and why does it matter? He did say "some instructors" did he not? They might not even be his instructors. I think a better question would have been, "who had told you this information?"

3rd question: It's obvious that you've got beef. My question is with who? With krys for stating something he HEARD? Or, is it with the people who might have told him what he heard?

So, these are some of my questions. I don't do LSAI. I don't know you. I don't know krys. 

What I do know is that the death of a GM is a tragedy, and it can be complicated when there is no clear successor. Trust me...I know, the art that started me in FMA is Modern Arnis, and Professor Presas' passing put us in a similar circumstance that you LSAI guys might be in right now. So, from someone who has been through it, here is some advise. You can't fight everyone, and if you try you will lose. You can't jump all over every person who says this or that. And being hyper-sensitive won't help. Just tell the truth as you see it, and people will listen, even if it seems like they aren't.

From a bystander with no affiliation to you, your art, or krys, it would appear that you are being a little hyper sensitive regarding the issue.


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## Toasty (Oct 22, 2003)

Keep your petty bickering off my thread.

This was started/posted by me months ago in response to hearing about the passing of another FMA legend.
If you are not posting regarding condolences...START YOUR OWN THREAD!

that is all
Rob


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## Cruentus (Oct 22, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Toasty _
> *Keep your petty bickering off my thread.
> 
> This was started/posted by me months ago in response to hearing about the passing of another FMA legend.
> ...



Good point. Perhaps the Mods could split the thread; Successorship of LSAI being one thread where people can pettily bicker, and your condolences thread being the other.


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## arnisador (Oct 23, 2003)

Thread split from:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5451

-Arnisador
-MT Admin-


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