Some questions from someone who's interested in FMA

[Danny T]

Guys!... I'm back... Home... After my 1st class!!!
Just... WOW! I can't believe it! I can't say any word!...
Way better from what I was expecting for, I'm 100% happy and 110% satisfied!
No... I won't say "100% proud", because... there were no warm up, at all, so, I didn't have the chance to show what I can - or, can not - do!
(I don't know if this is how the 1st lesson takes place, usually, or if the instructor just didn't want to "scare" us...)
First contact: We introduced ourselves, and the instructor gave, to each of us, a... rattan!!! (plastic hose, OK? Educational! But still!...)
It took me almost 3 years to learn how to grab my weenie and go to the WC, by myself, with no help, and now, you come to me, and you tell me, just like that: "Here... Take this!"?
1st lesson: "Triangle"... First, the steps... Then, the steps with 2 strikes, on the first 2 steps... After, the steps with 2 strikes on the 1st and 3rd step and an "entry" between, on 2nd step...
And finally, the greeting... The salute... OMG!!! What was that? So complicated, but so impressive and so unique! You have to watch it - well... not you, of course, my schoolmates and anyone who has seen it and knows... But ALL the others! And there's more: This was the greeting / salute if you hold 1 stick; there's another, if you hold 2 sticks, and another if you are unarmed!!!
The first lesson, was free of charge... a trial, a test. When it finished, I went straight to the instructor (and school owner) and asked him to pay him the monthly fee... Oh! And I ordered 2 uniforms - T-shirt with shorts.
(The above, have a "reply" function to the questions: 1) Did you like it? and 2) Will you go again?)

Welcome to the world of Sticks, Blades, Pointed objects, Sore Arms, Sore Legs, Sore Knuckles...It's a Wonderful World.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Oh... I didn't tell you: I have some great news:
From now on, I can consider myself, as a proud FCS Kali student - on Thursday, I'll have my first class!
And, guys, I'm sooo excited!!!
In addition, I told to the Guro about my "idea", the weapon I have into my mind (see no.5, above, on my opening post).
I didn't mention that, but obviously, the sticks will be "buttoned" or "screwed", to each other, able to form a long stick, a pole, together. My (future) instructor, didn't turn me down, at all: He told me that, such a weapon, it could be made, it is doable! Either as a construction, by me, either I'll have to address some... cue (Pool / Billiards) constructors!
Wasn't that wonderful?
For one more time, allow me to thank all of you together, and every one separately!
Nice to meet you, guys!

Congratulations! FCS Kali is an excellent art.

 

[pankaixilaren]

Welcome to the world of Sticks, Blades, Pointed objects, Sore Arms, Sore Legs, Sore Knuckles...It's a Wonderful World.

Congratulations! FCS Kali is an excellent art.

Thank you! Thank you very much!!!

 

[pankaixilaren]

Oh! Something else, guys! I'd like some help, a suggestion from you...
Here's the situation:
OK, even we are at the beginning of a "technology revolution" on communication, there are, still, some "cliché" things, that will never change. I want to believe, that, many-many years will pass, before a screen totally replace the paper (snail mail, newspapers, books).
As a nostalgic, romantic and traditional person I am, I do love books - nothing beats the smell of paper! - and sure, I prefer them from e-books. So, a couple of months before, I started my research on FMA books. It didn't take me so much time, because, simply, there are no such books, not even one, in my country!
Searching on net, I found two relating books, on PDF form, free to download, so, now, there are both on my hard disc: Danny Innosanto and Remy Presas books. Which one do you suggest me to print, bind and read? They look so different to me!

NOTIFICATIONS
1) I want just to read them, and not to learn from them! No book - not even video, nowadays - can replace or beat an Instructor! Period. (Yes... I learned that, after the first time I watched "Karate Kid"...!). I don't want, anything, to influence and affect me and my lessons, at the school. That's why I'm asking you to suggest me which one to print. I will never try to mimic, what I see on the pics, in front of a mirror! Of course not! Just... just knowledge, interesting, curiosity!
2) No! Absolutely not! I don't support "piracy", and I'm 100% against this crime!...
...BUT! This is Greece, guys, and I'm Greek, too... ("xilaren" means "Greek", in Chinese mandarin). Unfortunately, and because of the "capital controls" are applied to my country, my debit card (Greek, too... from a native bank) is totally useless for purchases out of my country! (You may know that, already...) I can't purchase anything from abroad! Not only books, but, not even e-books! Neither I can send or transfer money to a foreign bank account. (Yep, that's right: I can't use nor "Paypal" services...). We used to have two big bookstores, that were accepting orders for foreign books from the customers, but, now, they're both shut - not for holidays... "padlock"!
I have nothing more to say... Thank you for reading this, thank you for your understanding, and sorry if I was - kind of - "melodramatic"...

 

[KenpoMaster805]

heck ya kali is the best filipino arts eva aka escrima

 

[Juany118]

Think everyone else answered your questions well so I will only comment on fitness. Many Martial Arts schools now have a "conditioning day"/class each week now. Think body weight exercises and cardio integrated with the fundamentals of the art you are studying. So if you find a school with such a program you will not only be learning the system but also getting more fit at a faster pace than you would studying just the art itself.

 

[Charlemagne]

I would add that conditioning in FMA is largely dependent on the particular art you study. I can say that my current study of PTK is way more demanding physically than other FMA's I studied in the past. This is largely due to the emphasis on long range footwork and striking mechanics.

I really don't depend on my MA instructor to have knowledge in fitness. I expect them to teach me the strategy, tactics, and techniques of the particular art I am trying to learn. Most MA instructors are probably not competent to provide information on exercise anyway.

In some arts, it is pretty much impossible to train them without getting more conditioned in the process (MT, BJJ, Boxing, etc.), while in others... Well, let's just say that there are plenty of morbidly obese blackbelts running around.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Glad you found a place to train. The South East Asian Martial Arts are simply awesome and have the potential to be great for fitness and of course personal protection. In the end though you have to make it yours and put in the work!