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Pilipino Knife Fighting
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We teach a Pilipino Knife Fighting (Kali - Modern Arnis - Sasamba) martial art which supplements our kung-fu nicely. We incorporated and blend this art form into our system of kung-fu and also teach it as a separate system. Modern Arnis which uses a variety of joint locks, sweeps, throws and low kicks also develops a flow of movement that is in it own right ...brilliant. As a complete system, it can stand as your only art form for self defense or it makes an excellent supplement to any stylist or martial artist. In our school it is like learning two completely different systems for the same membership commitments. Clinet spent 8 years training with Grandmaster Rick Ward and world famous Grandmaster Remy Presas in the art of Arnis. He was promoted to black belt in 1997 on behalf of the Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines and continues to teach Arnis in his school. Clinet was also inducted into the Pilipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1998 as "Instructor of the Year" by the United States Kali Association.
The History of Modern Arnis and Remy Presas
The Origins of Arnis are difficult to trace, primarily because there are nearly
as many styles of Filipino stick fighting as there are islands in the
Philippines archipelago--more than 7000. The people who settled in the islands
came from India, Southwest Asia, China and Indonesia. These people were very
diverse in culture and beliefs. Over the centuries their cultures mixed and
they developed a common method of employing sharp swords, daggers and
fire-hardened sticks in combat. These highly sophisticated fighting styles have
grown in popularity in the international martial arts community.
One of the earliest known forms was called "tjakalele" (Indonesian
Fencing). "kali" is another term familiar to stick fighters around the world
today. When the Philippines were invaded by the Spanish, the invaders required
guns to subdue their fierce opponents. The deadly fighting skills of Filipino
warriors nearly overwhelmed them, and they dubbed the native stick style "escrima"
(skirmish).
At age 6 Grandmaster Remy
Amador Presas (Filipino Arnis master and founder of modern arnis) was
already learning the fundamentals of kali, the forerunner of Modern Arnis de
mano.
In Cebu, Presas studied Arnis under Rodolfo Moncal, Timoteo Marranga and
Marranga's instructor, Grandmaster Venancio Bacon, all experts in Arnis and
the "Balintawak" style of stick fencing. In addition to Arnis, Presas became
proficient in judo, jujitsu and karate.
When Presas first traveled his country, he took what he considered to be
the most effective principles of each island style and combined them with his
own knowledge of other martial arts.
Presas also insists on modernizing a particular training aspect traditional
in Arnis: that of hitting your opponent's hand or arm instead of his stick - a
painful practice that was tolerated because the rattan canes used in arnis were
considered sacred.
Presas does not merely combine techniques, he encourages the individual
student to adapt Arnis principles to his own feel for each technique.
The method should suit the person and not the other way around. This is
known simply as using the "flow."
"Arnis makes many martial artists discover new things about their own
style," Presas says. "They recognize the beauty of Arnis because it blends
naturally the best movements from many arts. Most of my students continue to
study their own styles - they just use Arnis to supplement their understanding."
In 1982 Presas was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as
Instructor of the Year for his devotion to teach the art he loves. Years of
refinement have given Presas a personal style that makes his seminars among the
most popular at many martial arts schools.
Master Rick Ward,
Sifu Clinet Furr and Grandmaster Remy Presas 1992
Grandmaster Remy Presas dies in 2001
December 19th, 1936 to August 28th, 2001
You can find out more about our Arnis instructor at...
843-576-9011