Maharlika Kuntaw

[kuntawguro]

Brian V. asked me to expound on this- so I will, stop me if I get sidetracked.

In Kuntaw there is a formula in any exchange of blows orin any confrontation
1. Remove- This means remove yourself from danger by leaving or by removing possible targets by turning or getting little.
2. Control- This part covers controlling what your opponent can do or limiting his ability.
3. Counter- Provide a follow back or complimentary move or attack that gets the job done with the least amount of commitment
4. Reset- Get ready to do this all over in case your attack/counter missed it's mark or wasn't enough.


Let's put this formula in perspective.
You are in a room and someone comes in waving a gun, find an exit or something to get behind where he can't see you.
Second- the more substance or attributes you can put between the bullet and you is good. If he fires and goes to reload- grab the opportunity to escape or subdue.
If you fail- find a door or someone you can use as a shield! he he

Now, in a fighting situation- our art has a creed- the fight you have to fight -you lose. To the macho guys out there , this simply means you failed to use your most important weapon- your mind. To leave, avoid,negociate or to defuse the situation. The control is putting yourself in a sideways or 45 degree position to limit the targets that are available to your opponent or even to position yourself to your opponent's outside ranges.


Questions?

 

[kuntawguro]

Hi Todd

 

[kuntawguro]

While most Filipino stick arts employ a 12 striking pattern- Maharlika Kuntaw uses an 8 angle pattern.

Angle 1 & 2 do0wnward figure 8
angles 3&4 side to side horizonal strike
angles 5 & 6 upward figure 8
angle 7 & 8 Up and down strikes

Thrusts are under hand, over hand, and back hand. The targets don't matter. Stike/angle # 1 could be to shoulder or elbow or knee
Strike/ angle 3 could be to head, knee, shoulder, ankle

This pattern flows from one strike to the other. It also mirrors the emblem for the art as in my avitar

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Buzz what are some of the differances between your brand of Kuntaw and some other FMA's?

 

[kuntawguro]

Hey Buzz what are some of the differances between your brand of Kuntaw and some other FMA's?

I have only touched on a few other Filipino arts, but what I have seen they tend to go toe to toe where Kuntaw tends to get off the tracks and instead of treating the sticks ( yantok) as sticks, we tend to use them more as a sword or knife. Dis arms are not stick directed but more into arm and wrist control. We don't use force on force defenses , but, rather use redirectional techniques.

There are some FMA that are similar to us, but I haven't seen that many non basic techniques to form an opinion. You have to realize- I live way up here in the sticks. He he. Of note tho- we do not do a lot of largo spins and twirls attacking at the hands , there may be one hand strike and we progress to the body. There are no abanico/ abaniko strikes- only parries.
Another difference that I have seen is that there are different techniques for hand, knife, and stick where as in Kuntaw the techniques for hand are the same for the sibat, which are the same for the yantok, which are the same for a grab. Kuntaw is a sword shield art (bugtongan) so there are a lot of single stick stuff and not a lot of double stick stuff. Bugtongan is also a word for trickery or to puzzle. So we do a lot of misdirection and false attacks to lure our opponents. Just a simple comparision. The more I look at this- the harder it is for me to put in to words how we differ.
As I have said earlier, Kuntaw took an alternate route in the late seventies being made more karate-like. I was in the Philippines in the beginning of this transition and was exposed to both varieties of the art. I was in TKD before i started Kuntaw and already had a kicking back ground. They were expanding the kicking arsenal at that time- so I was caught up into that as well. KICK THE CEILING, the floor is easy mentality. I still subscribe to that , even tho most kicks are directed below the waist.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I have only touched on a few other Filipino arts, but what I have seen they tend to go toe to toe where Kuntaw tends to get off the tracks and instead of treating the sticks ( yantok) as sticks, we tend to use them more as a sword or knife. Dis arms are not stick directed but more into arm and wrist control. We don't use force on force defenses , but, rather use redirectional techniques.

There are some FMA that are similar to us, but I haven't seen that many non basic techniques to form an opinion. You have to realize- I live way up here in the sticks. He he. Of note tho- we do not do a lot of largo spins and twirls attacking at the hands , there may be one hand strike and we progress to the body. There are no abanico/ abaniko strikes- only parries.
Another difference that I have seen is that there are different techniques for hand, knife, and stick where as in Kuntaw the techniques for hand are the same for the sibat, which are the same for the yantok, which are the same for a grab. Kuntaw is a sword shield art (bugtongan) so there are a lot of single stick stuff and not a lot of double stick stuff. Bugtongan is also a word for trickery or to puzzle. So we do a lot of misdirection and false attacks to lure our opponents. Just a simple comparision. The more I look at this- the harder it is for me to put in to words how we differ.
As I have said earlier, Kuntaw took an alternate route in the late seventies being made more karate-like. I was in the Philippines in the beginning of this transition and was exposed to both varieties of the art. I was in TKD before i started Kuntaw and already had a kicking back ground. They were expanding the kicking arsenal at that time- so I was caught up into that as well. KICK THE CEILING, the floor is easy mentality. I still subscribe to that , even tho most kicks are directed below the waist.

Great post Buzz! It is interesting to not that the Kuntaw you taught is a sword/shield art. (bugtongan) That is cool!

 

[kuntawguro]

I have been involved with Modern Arnis, Pekiti Tersia Kali, JKD, Lameco Arnis, and LaTosa Arnis. These all share similar techniques and attributes but they all differ in other ways. I could spend hours picking them apart and putting them back together. But, that would serve no purpose. They are like all FMA - they compliment each other. Tho some of their ways of handling attacks and counters are outside of the formulas of Kuntaw. They still work very effectively.

The sword and shield arts are set up for a different mindset. Almost along the same lines as the live hand post you set up. In Bugtongan , the lead hand is a distraction, trap, hook, and an alternative weapon rather than just another stick to twirl.
Again, this art is based around the sword and shield, generally, the weapon is hidden behind the shield.

 

[Bill Bednarick]

Hey Buzz what about the other concepts of Kuntaw?

 

[kuntawguro]

What other concepts? (shhhhhh, we don't want to give away all our secrets do we?)

Let them buy the book ( he he)

 

[kuntawguro]

Maharlika denotes royalty or upper class according to many Filipnos who have contacted me. It is not supposed to be put together with anything that is not inherantly top notch Pilipino. When I left the Philippines in 1973 i was given a charge by GM Lanada to promote and propagate the art of Maharlika Kuntaw in the US. So, I guess i was given the right to use the name Maharlika by the one who was authorized by President Marcos in the Philippines. I was told that Maharlika meant free or Royal people to denote those who lived in the Philippines were unto themselve free to choose and free from harness or being ruled. Kuntaw meant hand way or art. Now I guess it means sacred fist. What ever the denotation- it is a fighting art from the Philippines with a history of coming from the Tausug tribe. These people have a history of being feirce fighters.

And whether it is right or wrong to use the monikker Maharlika- it is the name of the art i was given- so i use it.

 

[DanJuanDeSiga]

And whether it is right or wrong to use the monikker Maharlika- it is the name of the art i was given- so i use it.

If it were to take another Filipino(yours truly) to blatantly show support for your use of the name, then count me in.

USE IT!
​

One famous FMA instructor that we all know and admire greatly had an instructor that once said, "It's only a name. Please don't fuss over it".. even though it did not originally applyto FMA, I'm making it apply now.

Can you dig it!!!

 

[kuntawguro]

Bill was asking me to share our concepts- this is a little hard to do without video presentations. unless HE would care to try. Bill? you out there? Bill?
hehe

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

What other concepts? (shhhhhh, we don't want to give away all our secrets do we?)

Let them buy the book ( he he)

Hey Buzz if someone was interested in buying your book where would they purchase it?

 

[kuntawguro]

As soon as we have all the pictures arranged and get the thing printed- you'll have a copy- no charge. 207 pages so far

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Buzz that is great that you are getting a book out and hopefully you can make some DVD's in the near future as well. Your system definately deserves to be out there in the spotlight!

 

[kuntawguro]

Matt Lamphere is our video technician, he has a bunch of stuff he is currently working on,

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Yes Matt has a good eye with a camera and video work. You are in good hands.

So Buzz since your Kuntaw is blade and shield oriented how does that transfer to your empty hands? I am sure there are some people out here who are FMA practitioners who have never worked with the Filipino shield so you could tell them quite a bit.

 

[kuntawguro]

Yes Matt has a good eye with a camera and video work. You are in good hands.

So Buzz since your Kuntaw is blade and shield oriented how does that transfer to your empty hands? I am sure there are some people out here who are FMA practitioners who have never worked with the Filipino shield so you could tell them quite a bit.

How do you describe the color blue to a blind man?
The translation of shield to hand is pretty easy. The lead hand becomes a hook , a shield, a jam rather than just a slapping or hammer block. Also we use a lot of high elbow deflections or rolling deflections. The Filipino shield takes many shapes small for parries, tall for hinding behind, ornate to distract, and notched to use as a rest or catch. Form follows function.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Nice link and thanks for the clip!

 

[kuntawguro]

I guess Bill isn't in the mood to share his concepts