Tapi-Tapi by the numbers.

[chris arena]

Over the past few years of learning and teaching Tapi-Tapi / Visidario techniques, I have noticed that there is some interesting dualities that help me plow through all of the techinques and commit them to intrensic muscle/mind memory. Lately, I have been able to pull a lot of these techniques off without really thinking about em, they just sort of happen once I get to touch hands. I refer to them as 2-2-2-2-2 tapi-tapi technique commonalities. Again, I am no master, just a plugger here and at the moment I have WAY to much time on my hands! So here goes.....

1. The attacking stick (1.)(any weapon). (2).or the hand is what will be attacking you.

2. You will attach your live had to the opponent. (1.) stick or (2.) the hand.

3. You will attach your live hand (1.) to the top of the opponent (stick/hand) (your thumb facing his hand).
or (2.) the back of his stick. (your thumb facing the tip of his stick).

4. Before striking/baiting the opponent with your live hand, you will have pointed the opponent stick (1.) tip up to heaven so that you can strike the top of his wrist with his stick. or, (2.) tip down to earth so that you can strike the back of his hand from below and behind.

5. Upon striking your opponent (to the head) with your live hand, you will either give him a (1.) backhand number 2 type strike and in most cases he will counter with a grab or pak sao to the back of your hand/wrist. or, (2.) you will pull back your live hand and send a number 1 type strike to his temple area causing him to counter with a grab/pak sao to your inner hand / wrist area.

All of this 2 x 2 stuff may sound a little simplistic to those who all ready can play. But I remember a few years back when the Prof. first showed tapi-tapi to me, it seemed like rocket science and in no way could I hope to apply it. by breaking it down in dualities, the practitioner can continue with addl technique or just blast in and stike at any one of the one or two choices. It seemed to me easier to make the moves natural and easy to commit by feel and without thinking about it. It just happens.

I have two students who have been learning from this methodoligy and their results are interesting. One student (Jeff) graduated from his college and moved back to his home town. He was up in the area last week and dropped in for a class. He stated that upon resuming Kempo study from his previous school at his home town, his old classmates were impressed with how much faster his hand speed had become as he was easily getting in with da strikes. (Isn't Kempo all about fast hands?) Hmm.

Another student (Ginny) is a practicing Isshan Ryu Brown belt and a few months ago got tired of bieng overpowered by a black belt student 6" taller and 50 lbs larger. Got a bit pissed off and reverted to Visidario techniqes (she had been practicing them for a year), but at this one moment in time she (MADE THE CONNECTION) and even with the sparring gloves on reverted to rapid-fire visadario and totally took control. She not only struck her opponent numerous times, she even passed her attackers right jab over her left and put an arm bar on her, (with gloves on)! so far, nobody in here karate class has caught on the her technique and ( she isn't mentioning it)!

After attending the 5th Dr. Remy Presas Tacoma, WA. seminar and experiencing his Dulo-sa-Dulo palm stick techniqes, I have found a new respect for my AA small maglite flashlight! I now carry it with me at all times in a velcro pouch. It seems that this small maglite is MADE for Tapi-Tap- / Visidario and I use is a lot in class as well, in order to gain as much real-world experience as possible. Loads of fun!!

By the way, there well be a FMA Magazine MARPIO special edition coming out soon, I have read the preliminary and it is an interesting read!

Nuff for now!
Chris Arena.

 

[arnisador]

That's an interesting way to look at the techniques! I'm sure it helps keep them from looking like an arbitrary collection of separate mini-kata.

I bought a tactical flashlight recently after reading a second newspaper article about them and finally giving in to my curiousity. I had heard of them before, of course, but reading about them in more detail is what really got me thinking about trying one. I am playing around with it as a pocket stick.

Is there something distinctive about Dr. Presas' style of using the pocket stick?

 

[chris arena]

Hello Arnistor!

Dr Presas's Dulo-sa-Dulo methods are simply and extension of the Visidario/Tapi techniques you already know and can easily be incorporated with the palm stick. The striking techniques are straight forward and simple. As far as tapi-tapi goes, just use the palm extension of the flashllight, cell phone or whatever as the trapping end. The old tapi tapi standbys fall right into place, whether it be a "side by side" throw, Wrist lock, etc. Simply put, it just adds a bit more "punch" to your hand-to- hand work. No magic here, you already know the techniques, just experiment with what tools are handy. You can buy his MARPIO Dulo-Dulo tape. It is a great addition to any FMA library.

My outlook on FMA is such that we won't have the weapon in our hands at the time of attack, but the attacker will. We will have to use hand-to- hand just in order to access whatever weapon we carry! However, as a civilian I can use a folded short umbrella, (another favorite of mine up here in the Seattle area), a cane, small flashlight or closed folding blade at least, or Datu Worden's Travel Wrench to give a great edge, especially when these tools come out of nowhere and litterly go off like a bomb in your attackers face! These tools make Modern Arnis streetable! It takes the art out of the Dojo and into the real world. I don't expect my students to strap on a Bowie Knife. Cover themselves with black clothes and put on all of the Velcro tactical b.s., carry a cane like Kwy Chang Caine or even know how to play the flute! I don't even expect that they will ever get into a stick fight. But the enviromental weapons I have mentioned should all be familar with my students and at least one of them carried at all times. This is where Modern Arnis will meet the street!

Dulo-sa-Dulo technique is a great introduction into this type of thinking!

-As well as just another branch addition to the tree that is Modern Arnis.- (God, is that corny or what)!

Chris A.
Gig Harbor Modern Arnis
[email protected]