Not wanting to make my last post to long my FMA program is called Presas Arnis. Short history I got started in the FMAs back in the early 80's through Guro Inosanto and through JKD Kali, I then met Hock Hochheim and through him the Presas brothers Remy and Ernesto. I studied with each of them during the same time frame, among others, but my focus became Modern Arnis and Kombatan Arnis. Since then I have continued to train with senior instructors in Modern Arnis and most recently Kombatan (along with other FMAs) as well.
So what do we do that is different. Well taking a cue from Hock, I originally blended; Inosanto Kali, Hock's, Remy's and Ernesto's and had a huge bloated curriculum, very heavy on the front side and lower belt levels and then less when it came to advanced ranks. That was the first one.
My 2nd rewrite I actually sat down with my senior students who had prior training and we hashed (or fleshed) out my ideas and evened out the curriculum. Then after teaching 3 more years that curriculum and talking with other senior instructors and how they did theirs. I rewrote mine again (3rd) and am in the process now 2 more years later going through that again.
My current curriculum I broke it down into beginner levels, intermediate, and advanced under black. I'm currently rewriting black belt and beyond as well. I did simplify things each time because over time with experience teaching more people my focus on what was important shifted. So using the first five levels as an example of slimplfying here is what I am now going to. I have a main concept for the first five levels that are build around the double stick which we call Defensive Responses (DRs) that is based on force to force blocking, one DR per level. Students will use the same DR for double stick and empty hand (two equal weapons) and I try and tie in the singe stick with that as well where applicable. In each level the same basic striking or feeding patterns are used, along with similar drills, so the learning process is shortened, and the student is able to use the DRs quicker. Same goes for disarming skills, everything is tied to the DR where applicable.
In the higher ranks then other concepts come in such as Palis Palis (or going with the force, passing) skills. Now that the student has the five DRs down in one level the student can be introduced to passing techniques (concepts) and apply them (where applicable) using the DRs (for double equal weapons) as a base to work from.
I am currently debating on changing my original 3rd rewrite order of material so I won't go further trying to explain this, other than to say, my first view point was to have the students learn sparring type drills, such as Sumbrada, Hubud/Hubad, Tapi Tapi (Modern Arnis), and or the Freestyle (Kombatan) pattern. My goal had been to have the first several levels giving the student the basics from which to learn to lead and set the person up for learning the sparring drills (especially for the Tapi and Freestyle patterns). So I focused on double stick (to build both left and right sides of the body, and learning to feed with both sides), singe stick, and empty hand. Everything was geared for developing the student to that end.
Now because developing the student for the Tapi or Freestyle counters (i.e. locking, trapping, off balancing, take downs, all this fun stuff) the student really needs a lot of time to learn. I believe, they need a lot of personal training to start getting the hang of it. So lately I've been thinking about removing all of that type of material and putting it in above black belt (instructor) levels. Replacing it with what I had before as after black belt material; such as knife, espada y daga (sword/stick and knife, or long and short weapons), and staff (bangkaw or spear).
In closing I'm not a purist, by that I mean, I don't teach pure Modern Arnis as GM Remy taught it. I don't teach pure Kombaton either, nor JKD Kali, nor Hock's system. But all of these men (and others) have influenced my version of Presas Arnis. Here is an idea of what is different.
- Modern Arnis primarily taught 3 main subsystems or weapon groups; double stick (a little bit), single stick, and empty hand. Kombatan taught mainly 5 adding in espada y daga and knife
I teach 6 including the staff (inspired by GM Ernesto) and my Kobudo training. I also created several blocking striking drill series that are different than Kombatan's but where influenced/inspired by GM Ernesto's organizing of his material.
- Kombatan Arnis had four systems for supported blocking
I added a 5th, and adapted it to other weapons; sai, tonfa, kama
- Modern Arnis taught passing (Palis Palis) and so did Kombatan
I adapted the concept of palis palis to coincide with the DRs.
- GM Ernesto taught several blocking/striking systems or feeding patterns in Kombatan in single stick and several feeding patterns in double stick i.e. 14 count, 24 count and I heard of a 30 or 36 count drill (but never learned that one).
I went to one 12 count system from Modern Arnis for singe stick and then created one 8 count pattern for double stick (inspired by Kombatan, Modern Arnis didn't teach it in this way).
Off the top of my head those are some of the differences. Let me finish by saying that I am not claiming my style of Presas Arnis which is a combination of Remy's and Ernesto's material is better than Modern Arnis or Kombatan. Or that when I say I adapted this or created that, that I am inferring that I did something they didn't. I'm only saying that I didn't learn it from them. This is my attempt at honoring them by carrying on their teaching while evolving in my training and learning.
As I have trained with several of the top instructors in Modern Arnis and Kombatan, I have found we all have evolved in our own ways making the arts our own. My goal is to help my students do the same.
Another thing I missed was the purpose of the training. If it was self defence, it would include scenario training and, of course, law... and other stuff. More recently the idea as moved to striking (that list), being it simpler (or smaller scope), but still helping me to unwind after the daily troubles; and helping to keep some skill. BUT it is just an idea and perhaps it will ever be.
