Informative Issue No. 35 2012

Senkotiros Tour Itenary Order of Lapu Lupu Award 12th WEKAF World Championship 6th FMA Festival (Grand Gathering Arrival 1st Day of Training 2nd Day of Training 3rd Day of Training 4th Day of Training 5th Day Fun Day/Tour 6th Day of Training Gala Event Moal Boal

Each issue features practitioners of martial arts and other internal arts, other features include historical, theo-retical and technical articles; reflections, Filipino martial arts, healing arts, the culture of the Philippines and other related subjects. The authors, publisher and owner of this online magazine are not responsible for any injury, which may result from the instructions contained in this online magazine. Before embarking on any of the physical activates described in the magazine, the reader should consult his or her physician for advice regarding their individual suitability for per-forming such activity. The ideas and opinions expressed in the FMA Informative online magazine are those of the authors or instruc-tors being interviewed and are not necessarily the views of the publisher, editor or owner of the FMA Informative. The articles are the property of the author’s that wrote them and cannot be used without the permission of the author. The FMA Informative is for the promulgation and promotion of the Filipino martial arts and the Culture of the Philippines. NO issue can be printed and Sold for Monies, without the express permission of the Owner and Publisher of the FMA Informative.

The Senkotiros Tour (UFMAC/WEKAF Philippine Trip) was from July 15, through July 31, 2012. Offered by Grandmaster Max Pallen and Senkotiros Inc., all were welcome, and for those who went it was a most memo-rable trip. Imagine leaving the United States going to the Philippines and while there beside visiting and travel-ing around seeing the sights of the Philippines, stopping in to witness and be a part of the 12th WEKAF World Championship in Cebu, the 6th FMA Festival in Negros Occidental, and then back to Cebu and on to Panagsa-ma, Moal Boal. All this within 2 weeks. As a practitioner is was invaluable in knowledge and experience and even as a tourist it must of been a most amazing trip. FMA Informative would like to thank Karl Royer of Senkotiros for his help obtaining all the information for this issue. He also gathered the information for the Lupo Lupo Award and Moal Boal articles. Next Professor Jim Schaufele of Senkotiros for his submission of the 12th WEKAF World Championship article and not to say the least a big appreciation to Linda Reim of Modern Bujutsu who went on the tour for her great coverage of the 6th FMA Festival. She has presented a day by day - blow by blow aspect of the event. To be able to attain such training and knowledge would enhance any practitioners skills. And the friendships made are invaluable.So needless to say if this kind or similar type of tour is offered again, by Grandmaster Max Pallen and Sen-kotiros Inc. get on the bandwagon and go.Photo’s Courtesy of:

Karl Royer - (Lapu Lapu Award and Moal Boal) Jim Schaufele - (12th WEKAF World Championship) Linda Reim - (6th FMA Festival)

www.senkotiros.org

Senkotiros Tour UFMAC/WEKAF Philippine Trip

July 15, 2012 - July 31, 2012

The Order of Datu Lapu Lapu

The 12th World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) Championship paid tribute to 20 Grandmasters by bestowing upon them the order of Datu Lapu-Lapu. “The Order of Datu Lapu-Lapu is the highest honor and title one can receive for his selfless devotion to the Filipino martial art,” said Supreme Grandmaster Diony Cañete. “These living legends of eskrima were honored not only for their skills, but also for their undying passion, integrity, values and character that are worth emulating by the younger generation of martial artists.” This inaugural enshrinement occurred on July 18th at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City. Topping the list was

WEKAF Chairman emeritus and Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio “Diony” Cañete. He was joined in the distinct club by his uncle Ciriaco “Noy Cacoy” O. Cañete of Cacoy Doce Pares, Bonifacio “Loloy” Uy of BDU Eskrima Club, Isidro Casio of San Miguel Eskrima Club, Andres “Cano” Cañete of San Miguel Eskrima, Nick Elizar of Nickel Stick Balintawak, Rodrigo Maranga of Eskrima Maranga Kombati, Prudencio “Ondo” Caburnay of Lapunti Eskrima de Abaniko, Felix “Tenciong” Gutang of Doce Pares, Pacito Velez of Balintawak International and Alfredo Carin of Carin Eskrima Club. The United States were represented by Grandmasters Arnulfo “Dong” Cuesta of FIMA

Academy/Doce Pares USA, Alfredo Bandalan of Bandalan Doce Pares, Max M. Pallen of Senkotiros, International, Vincent Cabales of Serrada Eskrima, Leo Giron of Bahala Na Eskrima, Remy Presas, Jr. of Modern Arnis Federations USA, Dr. Carlos N. Patalinghug, of Kick Connection/Doce Pares and Dexter Labonog of Martial Art Club. According to incumbent WEKAF President Master Gerald Cañete, “It’s a very significant event because for the first time, we will enshrine our treasures, our living legends in eskrima. We feel that it’s high time that we bestow them such distinct honor for the indelible mark they left in the promotion of our very own Filipino martialarts all over the world.”

Leaving SFO (San Francisco): July 15, 2012 Arrive Cebu International Airport: July 17, 2012

WEKAFJuly 18, 2012: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Registration for Congress & Competitors 2:00-4:00 pm - Meeting, Board of Directors 4:00- 5:00 pm - Meeting, Officers & Head of Delegates 5:00- 6:00 pm - Formal Inauguration- Eskrima Temple & Museum 6:00- 10:00 pm - Reception/Welcome PartyJuly 19, 2012: 8:00 - 10:00 am - Registration 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Congress, Election of Officers for 2012-2014 3:00 to 4:00 pm - Oath Taking of Officers for 2012 – 2014 4:00 - 9:00 pm - Competitions-Forms, Children’s, Seniors Sparring 8:00 - 10:00 pm - Officials, Judges and Referees Meeting 9:00 - 10:30 pm - Meeting- Board of Directors (Outgoing and Incoming)July 20, 2012 8:00 - 10:00 am - Final briefing - Referees and Judges 10:00 am - 8:00 pm - Competitions 8:00- 10:00 pm Officials, Judges and Referees MeetingJuly 21, 2012 8:00 - 9:00 am - Briefing Referees, Judges, Staffs 9:00 am -7:00 pm - Competitions 7:00 - 7:30 pm - Break 7:30 - 11:00 pm - Award (Dinner)July 22, 2012: Leave Cebu to Negros Occidental

The 6th Filipino Martial Arts World FestivalJuly 23, 2012 - July 27, 2012 FMA Training / Seminars CampJuly 29 - 30, 2012: Panagsama, Moal BoalJuly 31, 2012: Fly back to Manila/San Francisco, CA.

Members from left to right as follows: Grandmaster Pacito Velez of Balintawak International, Grandmaster Rodrigo Maranga of Eskrima Maranga Kombati, Grandmaster Felix “Tenciong” Gutang of Doce Pares, Grandmaster Prudencio “Ondo” Caburnay of Lapunti Eskrima de Abaniko, Grand Master Andres “Cano” Canete of San Miguel Eskrima, Grand-master Alfredo Carin of Carin Eskrima Club, Grandmaster Isidro Casio of San Miguel Eskrima Club, Grandmaster rnulfo “Dong” Cuesta of FIMA Academy/Doce Pares, Grandmaster Nick Elizar of Nickel Stick Balintawak, Grandmaster Max M Pallen of Senkotiros, International, and Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio Canete

12th WEKAF World ChampionshipJuly 18 - 21, 2012

The ceremony was held during the 12th WEKAF World Congress at the Amnezia Super Club in the North Reclamation Area of Mandaue City,

Philippines. This being the first class of honorees, their portraits now adorn the newly-built Shrine of Eskrima located at the Doce Pares Mountain Park in Barangay

Malubog-Busay. This is the second martial arts temple in Asia after the renowned Kung Fu Temple located in China.

On July 19 and 20, the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federa-tion held its 12th World Champi-onships at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City in the Philippines. The event was a great success with over 30 countries represented and some 700 competitors taking part. Gen-erally recognized as world’s most prestigious Filipino martial arts tournament, the biennial cham-pionships feature competition in both stick fighting matches and choreographed forms, or sayaw. Countries competing in this tour-nament for the first time included Indonesia, Liechtenstein, and Oman. Competition was intense

with many of the world’s premier Filipino martial arts competitors taking part, yet a general atmo-sphere of camaraderie and good sportsmanship prevailed. The talented host team had the largest contingent and they outdistanced the reigning champion United States in both gold medals and the overall medal count. In third place was the Reunion Island team, which was accompanied by an official representative of President Didier Robert, the head of state of the French overseas department. Among the Filipino dignitar-ies present were Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, and Senator Miguel Zubiri, the legislator who

authored the bill that recognizes ar-nis as the Philippine national sport. Long known for its live stick fighting bouts featuring ar-mored competitors wielding rattan weapons, this year’s combative matches included padded stick sparring as a demonstration sport. This style of fighting, which is characterized by continuous inter-action with no body armor, will be included as an official part of the thirteenth WEKAF World Cham-pionships to be held in Hungary in 2014. The live stick fighting competition included the custom-ary single stick, double stick, and team sparring categories. Traditionally a three day event, this year’s tournament featured a new format which con-densed the same amount of com-petition into only two days. This innovative system for running the tournament was introduced by the tournament director, Professor Jor-dan Pallen from San Leandro, Cali-fornia. He and his staff were credit-ed with conducting a smoothly run, fair, and well-received tournament. Outgoing WEKAF President Ger-ald Canete was pleased with both the management of the tournament and the results, stating, “I’m very happy because it was a successful tournament.”

WEKAF Congress

Live entertainment, local dance troupe

Banquet Hall

Setting up day two

6th FMA Festival, Mambukal Resort, Negros, Philippines Picture yourself on a moun-tainside resort built into the base of a volcano in the Philip-pines. Now add about 100 pair of rattan sticks and you will have the perfect training/ vacation week. I attended the 6th FMA Festival at the beauti-ful Mambukal Resort in Negros Occidental, Philippines. There were people from many different countries Germany, Russia, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Austria and from Philip-pines attending. We all had one common agenda: To train with all the grand masters that were there. We had lodging that when you opened the door, you immediately felt a sense of calm just wash over

you. The smells were so relaxing; calming and invigorating at the same time to all your senses. The meals were all included with our “package” and every day you had breakfast which always consisted of rice, egg, a type of fish and a type of fruit. Lunch was always a type of fish, rice, a type of fruit and they added either chicken or pork. Dinner always started with soup, a type of fish, rice, chicken or pork, fruit and maybe a small dessert. I found out I LOVE ban-gus fish-a milk fish. I also learned I do not like the “potato chip”

6th Filipino Martial Arts Festival July 22-27, 2012 Mambukal and Natures Village Resort, Negros Occidental, PhilippinesJuly 22 - Formal Registration/Check-in/Welcome party/Orientation July 23 - Modern Arnis Training Camp July 24 - 25 - FMA Training Camp July 26 - Fun Day / Tour July 27 - Grandmaster / Master Training Camp / Ranking Ceremony/Gala Night Instructors: Grandmaster Max Pallen, Grandmaster Samuel Dulay, Grandmaster Cristino Vasquez, Grandmas-ter Rene Tongson, Grandmaster Ibarra Lopez, Grandmaster Mike Vasquez, Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego, Grandmaster Bram Frank, Senior Master Ludovico Losanes, Master Ed Kwan, Master Sven Barchfeld, Senior Guro Romeo Ballares, Master Paulo Motita II, Jay Enage (Baybayin)

Arriving at the airport

Home while at the event

fish; it was too salty, not for me. I love their mangos and jackfruit, and their pineapple you could eat all day long sweet not acidic. Of course you had all the water, coffee and soda you could ask for.

application of drill. Initial coun-ter backhand after thrust is power strike. If he does not block, you are striking neck. Working in the “middle part”-within the body outline; do not extend past. Start drill and go to #2 strike, block and grab stick, while still holding stick do upward punyo strike and bring elbow down under his stick to his face trapping his right hand. OPP punches with left and you hook punyo over his hand and bring down over other arm, shoot stick up and around neck (his right side), grab with left hand (at OPP left shoulder), choke. Variation: Do drill and go to upward punyo strike but quickly reverse direction and punyo strike #1 to OPP right side of head, he blocks with hand-you are still holding on to his stick with your left. Block, check his hand before punyo strike; flip his stick over on top of his left hand and punyo traps his hand. Variation: Do drill and go to right before upward punyo strike and instead bring stick as if you are

going to strike across chest hori-zontally. He grabs your wrist, you

ward strike-right backhand strike low (still on left) leg is bent to the left. Left high forehand strike, right backhand, shift to right, strike low-stepping to right and left backhand high-right forehand high-pivot and step to left. Right backhand low-left forehand low-right forehand low-left backhand low (on right side now) left back-hand high- right forehand high and right backhand low. You are put-ting single and reverse together. Lunch and then Afternoon SessionNext was Grandmaster Romeo Ballares who had been in Japan and had just returned to Philip-pines. No fighting-this is just a drill: One stick-Single sinawali 1-2-3-4 and thrust, OPP blocks and counters with #2 strike backhand, you block and check his stick hand holding his stick move his stick to the right and roll punyo strike to

his face. OPP parries and #1 strike, checks hand. You par-ry hand down

and upward punyo strike to face. OPP blocks with left pushing out to left and loading right for drill to start again with single sinawali. Next we got into combat

First Day of Training Morning Session: Master Ed Kwan, Clear Lake Modern Arnis, Houston, Texas, USA Morning session worked a tapi-tapi drill. OPP does a #1 then #2 strike, you block both, grab his stick and slide off stick with punyo strike to opponents head and OPP with his left hand parries down and then punyo strike overhead. Parry with your left to the right and pu-nyo strike to face. OPP pushes pu-nyo strike down and punyo strikes at your face. You block and rolling punyo strike and you do this back and forth for a few times. (Step forward with punyo strike and back with block). Whoever started the drill releases by left palm up circle and parry down to grab, OPP palms your hand off and drill starts again.Tapi-Tapi Drill Applications: 1. Disarming technique: Start drill and go to rolling punyo strikes. As he is striking rolling punyo, you spin back with right leg so you are next to OPP facing same

way-same time grab his wrist (it is in nikyu position-pinky up) hold-ing arm out in front of you. Hold tight and still, strip stick with your stick to your right back. You will grind against his fingers with your stick. Then diagonal strike down to hand. 2. Do tapi-tapi drill-get to punyo roll and push his stick hand up blocking his face-you then upward thrust/poke at his chin/throat as you are stepping in. 3. Do drill to punyo roll, grabs hand, spins around as before and strips stick with punyo end from front to back on your left side. You are actually striking the hand as you are step-ping back and you put your stick in front of his hand to punyo strip.

Our next master instructor was Sven Barchfeld, Deutscher Arnis Verband e.V., Germany Sven worked starting with long range and working your way in to the medium range but stresses that you don’t re-start a move-ment. Continue with medium range strikes and don’t “re-chamber” or “re-load out by your side” but con-tinue with strikes from last strike; hit elbow, hand. Use abanico-disturbs OPP. Go in a way you are already going. Worked on closer range and used piano strikes to face right into backhand to head. All strikes while you are in corto range. Don’t re-start movement, continue its path. Each strike is preparing for the next strike. No new technique. Staying in close range with access to head, body and hand; you have good coverage.All techniques are for the stick, not the knife. Stay in closed positions for best coverage: Arms tucked like boxer, hands up.Next he added an arm bar and then adds locking his foot behind OPP and pushing. We worked the techniques and then added elbows, knee, head butts.

Next was Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay, International FMA Instructor from Philippines. 1. Started with single sinawali-dou-ble sticks. Start with right hand up and by face, left in bent parallel to waist and under your right elbow with stick facing behind you. a) Right forehand strike to OPP head. b) Continue downward with strike to his right knee. Same time your left hand comes up and out away from body-head level. Your hands are now reversed and on the left side of your body. c) Left forehand strike to head and d) Strike to knee bringing right hand up and stick is behind your back diagonally. 2. Work single sinawali walking forward and backwards. 3. Add a thrust and step sideways to block downward. Add thrust downward (low level to knee area). Block by stepping back and side-ways and striking down.

4. Two sticks versus one stick: OPP is two sticks doing single sinawali and adding thrust high and low. You would side step to inside and block stick by striking it and checking his hand. If weapon was a knife, strike the hand-wrist-forearm area with stick. 5. Both sticks: Do right, left back-hand high, right forehand high-go into right down strike, left down-

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares with Satoshi in wing block lock

Grandmaster Dulay and Manuel crossing sticks

Sven hitting OPP hand

Grandmaster Bram Frank and Master Thomas Lehmann doing Modular knife

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares with Satoshi in neck lock

bring your hand circular (with his left hand still grabbing your wrist) and you hook over his right hand locking both hands at your right side. Stick is already vertical next to his head, just grab at top with left hand and choke pushing your left elbow down like a nutcracker. Do the drill and do an upward strike under his armpit and bring your hand (holding the stick) up and around his head; bringing him down and lock by using his own stick. Variation: Do same technique but when you bring his head down, you have his stick with your left hand and circle right down, around

and up his back into a wing lock and your stick is in his elbow-lock.Next was Grandmaster Bram Frank of CSSD/SC in Largo, FL USA I have personally known Bram for over 15 years through World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame in Florida. He always starts his seminars with three rules: Rule #1: Steel cuts flesh, Rule #2: One can’t change Rule #1, Rule #3: unless one have a blue suit with a big red “S” on it, Rules #1 and #2 always apply! Began by discussing bolo and length of bolo. You measure it

by holding it under your arm from armpit to hand; it has to be LESS THAN that measurement; inside of your hand because it will be turning inside your body. It does not matter with a knife. It is not a small sword; it is a big knife-extension of your hand. You do not hit edge to edge-aim for knuckles; it’s primitive. You pass with the flat and back. Lay it on and push or pull, it will cut. Do sinawali-don’t hit edge to edge. OPP does #1 strike with bolo, you block with flat-edge is up towards him. OPP does strike to low line to knee, you block with flat-edge is facing him. OPP does backhand to face, you do flat abanico OPP strikes low line-block flat-you can parry his hand and go in for cut. Practice sinawali and flat abanico drill Simple single sinawali. Block #1 with flat abanico, pivot, hook his hand/wrist and left elbow arm break. Step back right and left arm swings down palis-palis and bring up parallel to ground and blade on triceps, cut his arm (your hand is palm up and thumb on back of his wrist almost like a come along), pick it up circling down to left wing block-bong-sao. Do like a head block circle around and pass down to your right gripping his right hand (hand in position like wrist lock), come up under hand, step up with right and bring bolo up gently-slowly to his face and stop. Do not hurt partner! His knife is parallel to your right forearm which is below his knife, pivot towards left - which disarms knife to your hand- right cut neck-pass down right palis-palis, come back up locking his hand against right chest/shoulder and left elbow check to elbow-using left hand,

pull in on his elbow with punyo edge of knife-bending his elbow- right hand cuts-pass around cut his leg-come up to “edge in” towards person at his neck, do sinawali takedown.Final Advice: Do not grab a blade. Do not block a blade with hand; it will cut it off or go right through. Check his hand or arm. Do not put body parts in front of blade.Next was Master Ed Kwan, Clear Lake Modern Arnis, Houston, Texas, USA Working tapi-tapi drill with application. Strike #1, block with verti-cal strike and brace to your body and strike to face. OPP grabs your right hand, you bring his stick right side over his left hand and punyo trap over his stick locking. Brac-ing his stick to your body same

time you “feed” strike to his face to make him block. Variation: Do same technique and go to grab-do push and pull and do same trap. If he lets go, just do a power strike #1 keeping his stick pushed against his left shoulder. So if he holds on, you trap with punyo; if he lets go, you strike. Variation: Carotid choke: Do technique where you push and pull, go to his right, stick is over his left hand which is grab-bing your right hand and your right stick has punyo lock. Drop to his knees. Take your stick and lay it on side of his neck and grab with left hand behind his head-close to head, choke-carotid

choke, then you can pivot and take him down.Trap: Same technique: Do #1 strike-he blocks OPP’s strike and you block then step to left and pu-nyo strike to face holding onto his right hand with your left; his stick is under your right arm. OPP steps to left to parry punyo strike over. You bring up his right stick and turn stick horizontal over his left and right hands and you bring your right punyo over and lock. Variation: Same technique: Go to where he parries your punyo stick and you bring his stick up hori-zontal and lock, then you lay your right stick against his neck and reach with your left hand behind his head-grab the stick and choke. Variation: Same technique up to lock and move his body to your left then instead of put-ting stick on his left shoulder/neck area, put

stick on his right shoulder/neck area, reach across your right arm with your left and grab stick behind his hand (You can’t do that unless you shift his body to your left).Choke: Similar to what we would call “spin the collars”: OPP comes in with strike, you block and grab with your left hand, step beside him in horse stance, take your right stick and place it on his left shoul-der/neck area, bring your left arm up and wrap/bend arm over stick at elbow and place your left hand on side/back of head, palm pushing into head-pulling your elbow back and pushing with hand does choke.Sven Barchfeld, Deutscher Arnis Verband e.V., Germany He is now working in closer area than earlier in the day. Working in close quarters: Block #1 strike and then come in with punyo strike and flip up to backhand or come in punyo, push hands down, backhand, punyo to jaw, elbow and then hook the neck, pivot and left strike to jaw or left elbow to jaw, knee strike to his knee. You want to work your techniques on right and left side of person. Don’t mix them. To get closer still: OPP has stick-you do not. Same principle, block and in close use elbows, backhands, knees. That ended the first day of training and we left for dinner. I always headed back to the room to download pictures and video, charge my camera, shower and change and then went to the din-ing hall. Sometimes I got there in time for dinner to eat with the rest of the participants, sometimes I didn’t. If I was late, it was still ok; then I ate with new friends Ginalyn Jadia, Grandmaster Samuel Bambit

Grandmaster Bram Frank and Master Thomas Lehmann doing Presas bolo

Dulay, Master Henry “Bobong” Burbano, my new girlfriend, Shiela Duran and all the ukes and camp members that I worked with all day (because they ate when everyone else was done), so it was still a great time.

Day Two - July 23, 2012 After a breakfast of rice, egg, a type of fish and fruit, we got ready for Day #2 of the Festival. I noticed the day before one of the guys had a Sayoc Kali t-shirt on and I trained with Grandmaster Baltazar Sayoc Sr. a long time ago and my Sensei, Grandmaster Marty Manuel had him to our dojo and also for a couple of semi-nars. So, today when I saw him I spoke to him; his name is Rhodem “Hunter” Roldan. He also trained with Grandmaster Baltazar Sayoc Sr. but here in the Philippines! Now who would think I would find a brother in the Phil-ippines, my brother lives in Florida, but I did! Rhodem says I am his sister, and he is my brother. It’s fun having a new brother, and his group (purple bands) was with the group I was in (white bands) for most of the rest

Sun, unknown, Grandmaster Bram Frank, Linda Reim, Takuma Yoshida, Satoshi, Grandmaster Romeo Ballares and Thomas Lehmann

of the festival.The next master instructor we had was Grandmaster Rene Tongson of Abaniko Tres Puntas or Fan Style in Three Points or Edge. He started by explaining his system and talking about some of the techniques or concepts: Ocho, Banda y Banda, Reverse, Rompida, Redon-da. Now on his web site, he spells it Otso-Otso or figure 8, what we call Ocho. He also demonstrated the correct way to strike making sure the body is in correct position, head is in correct position; proper body alignment. Working ocho-ocho, #1 diagonal strike down, #2 diagonal strike down and then banda-y-banda, horizontal across and back with proper form. Sunkiti: practiced it with proper form. Pivot to left with

Grandmaster Rene Tongson talking with group

sunkiti and snap it (stop-ping your right hand with your left on bicep); as you snap, you are going to stop the force of your right arm by palming your right bicep with your left hand. Ocho, banda back (in air) and sunkiti.#1 diagonal strike down, horizontal and thrust with snap and palm bicep. From a #2 back-hand-do reverse ocho, diagonal strike down hit-ting his forearm and sunk-iti-thrust. From #1-ocho, banda, sunkiti.

Deliver with fluidity-feel the flow, beauty and grand-ulation (his word). Try to simulate attack-see the person in front of you. Most important element of any sport is footwork! Cutting ocho drill: Give and take. OPP strikes down from either side or

from top and you check hand/parry wrist and bring down and then you strike and he checks and parries (inward palm down at fingers). Move feet when striking, forward-circle. Parry arm to inside or you can hook arm to outside. Still do-ing the ocho drill, insert a sunkiti

strike, person parries, insert punyo. Now you’re doing the drill and you insert upward ocho strikes, continue motion with upward parry and to outside. Same ocho drill adding “rolling punyo strike”, OPP parry down and punyo. Do rolling punyo or a palm up punyo strike to face. Now insert a reverse sunkiti (#7 strike) or backhand after punyo and OPP parries and cuts waist.We then reviewed all the strikes. Now we have an applica-tion: From ocho strike/parry, you do an arm bar. Then you can palm face, spin him to your left to take-down and strike with stick. Same ocho drill, go to pu-nyo and he strikes, you do a back-hand, hook parry continue down-switch to empty hand and parry further to your left side and strike #1 and he blocks was left hand and parries to right and you left hook and grab hand parry to your left. Do a #1 right strike, he par-ries with left to right and overhead strike back, you parry and punyo strike-he parries and overhead, parry, right overhead punyo strike OPP, he grabs the stick hand, you let go of his right hand and left slap hand off of your forearm/wrist.

* When he overhead strikes the second time, you parry with stick hand-cross arm-check his right hand-punyo right overhead and he grabs wrist, slap wrist away and backhand punyo to temple. OPP parries away from face with stick hand to his left and continue drill. * Adds from #1 strike from OPP: Block with left hand and punyo strike to bicep and back-hand to face-he palm blocks and continues flow.

You do these two “add-ons” right

Grandmaster Rene Tongson and Sun doing arm bar

after each other in the drill. Try them separately as drill, then do them: Drill, 1 add on, 2 add on, start again from beginning. Same drill as before but in-stead of striking bi-cep, do wider strike to temple making him block and grab, palm slap his hand off and continue to punyo strike to bi-cep. Variation: You can also after wider strike-immediately go into hook behind head/neck pulling in head with punyo pressing into center spine at neck level.Variation: You can also hook neck from opposite side after punyo to bicep into right elbow. Variation: Also hook from bicep into mobility throw. Variation: When he hooks from wide strike, as he pulls in he can do a shoulder strike to head (twist-ing his head on your body). Variation: As he hooks with stick to neck, his left hand palms OPP elbow pushing OPP arm into his body, trap. Variation: Same thing with takedown from twisting head and body. Variation: Same drill-hook neck, pull towards you bending him. Sometimes when pulling in, they are very strong and resist, you strike again with side of forearm to face, then hook and pull in, twist takedown-elbow to neck/chest. Variation: Do the drill: From a #1

strike, parry arm with stick hand and continue pulling into an arm bar and left palm strike to ear/head, go immediately back to arm bar if he resists, put your hand under his chin and push back using back of hand on throat area, drop him to ground, right strike.Next master instructor was Grand-master Max M. Pallen of Sen-kotiros from California, USA. Grandmaster Pallen started by discussing the target areas and five angles of strikes. Using right and left hands, you would have 10 and then you do random. If you go out from perim-eter, you become vulnerable. Long stick to develop close range-stays out long range and he is cutting hand, legs and head. Have to reach with hand again.

Don’t want to write down every-thing or memorize, you become slow. Develop counter part of memorization-develop your reflex. Memory is good but develop sen-sitivity and you will be a lot faster. Develop flexibility. Power of strike is at very end-block in middle. Shielding-develop instinct which increases speed and develop good defense. With good defense, you can counter ZONES right and left. Flexibility-use both hands when shielding or your own stick will bounce back and hit you. He is giving you details to build you higher skills. You need to develop free style-have goals. If he can’t see-he can’t do technique but if he can feel-he can. Difference between memo-rization and sensitivity. Use your whole body. Projectiles-strike and toss a stick at him. Use two hands. Don’t block, shield. Mind, body and spirit. Selection/partition of things-zoning.Twirling is very important!! Use both hands-develops parrying.Showing random and then going into zones.

Shielding: He gave an analogy to baseball pitcher and a catcher: The catcher doesn’t reach out to catch the ball and lock his arm, he would break something. He rides it back a little. That is shielding. There are four zones: Zone #1: From a #1 strike: Shield vertical: Transfer your hand on stick to left of your stick and back-hand to head. Zone #2: From a #1 strike: Shield vertical: Transfer your hand on stick to right of your stick and backhand to knee. Zone #3: From a #1 strike: Shield vertical: Transfer your hand on stick to left of your stick and #1 strike to head. Zone #4: From a #1 strike: Shield vertical: Parry hand over and backhand strike to head. Transfer hand: Don’t pull out and re-do strike, it takes longer and long way to go. Also make sure to put stick back on their stick and then trans-fer hand, don’t grab-place your hand on their stick with a bent, loose hand. Grabbing slows you down. Practice shielding and zones: Shield 1) hand to left of stick, backhand to face-put stick back on their stick 2) transfer

hand to right of stick and backhand leg-put stick back on their stick 3) transfer hand to left of stick and #1 strike to head 4) transfer hand and roll over/flip hand and right backhand to head.

Grandmaster Max M. Pallen (looking away) with David Schurz, sensitivity training

Variation: Using punyo: Shield 1) hand to left of stick, punyo down on hand/ knuckles- put stick back on their stick 2) transfer hand to right of stick, strike under to knuckles with punyo- put stick back on their stick 3) transfer hand to left and punyo to knuckles- put stick back on their stick 4) transfer hand and flip stick over and back-hand punyo to knuckles. Minimize movement, only one block-shielding. Tapi-Tapi came up with cuentada which is counter for counter; cuentada for balintawak. Working on zoning, if he holds the stick, you insert stick and trap hands. Just bring stick up from underneath and put over his right hand and trap. His hands and sticks make an X and you grab in center of that X where they cross and hold. From a backhand-OPP blocks and grabs your stick with his left. With your left hand, push his stick down and over his left hand (which is holding your stick next to your hand), snake your stick end up and over his hand and lock under his right wrist. Drop your right arm onto sticks pulling him forward and down. Strike face with left hand or switch hand and right vertical punch face.Strike and he counters: Your stick is vertical, his is horizontal. He grabs your stick at top in front with his left hand. With your left hand, you slide his stick up to your stick stopping at his left hand, rotate your stick up and lock on top of his right wrist. Then drop your hand/arm on top of sticks-dead weight. You strike and he counters: Your stick is vertical, his is hori-zontal: He grabs with his left hand to your stick at bottom in front (right above your hand). Lift and

rotate his stick and put on top of his left wrist. Same as above, grabs was left to bottom, you slide his stick down to meet hand and just insert your stick under his right wrist-drop arm over sticks. Random now, he reversed lock we did in previous section. He discussed disarms off of random. You strike, OPP counters with vertical strike, he grabs your stick at his right, twist his stick down over his left wrist (which is grabbing your stick) and push your stick over his twisted arm and stick (looks like cross) and push down. You strike backhand: He counters with vertical and checks/grabs your stick on right side of his stick; you push his stick down and rotate under the tip of stick and lock-push down. Anyone can start and coun-ter. Any time your hand crosses OPP stick you use punyo strike shuto edge palm down strike. If it is to right (and open) do a shut palm up punyo strike.Simplify!!This is from the right side:Right side 10 strike pattern:

1. #1 strike 2. counter vertical 3. left palm grabs his stick par-ries down (open) 4. right punyo (shuto palm up) to face OPP blocks with left arm 5. left hand hooks his hand and 6. strike horizontal to neck area, he blocks and counters with ver-tical strike.

As they practice-Grandmaster Pal-len does low #6 and step strike to the sides, as a thrust, as a punyo.

7. OPP grabs your stick on left of his vertical stick 8. OPP #1 strike, you counter with vertical

9. OPP puts in back of hand, palm against your stick parrying it to the left 10. counters with right hammer punyo to face area-you shuto block

Left side 10 strike pattern:1. Using right hand but striking to your left side. 2. #2 backhand-OPP checks and right #1 counter strike-you verti-cal shield 3. left hand place over left of vertical stick and 4. right punyo to face (he blocks with hand) 5. left hand take off his left hand and 6. right #1 strike and he counters vertical 7. OPP puts hand over at left of stick and counters with 8. right backhand-you counter with vertical strike 9. OPP pushes down your stick to his right and 10. punyo strike to your face and you check with your left hand to his wrist

Next we had Grandmaster Cris-tino Vasquez of Philippines whose style is Largo style. You block to the arm, not the stick. Largo range, if striker uses blade, strike arm, forearm or elbow. Body must be far to the right or to the side. Against a #1 strike: 1) Step to right and strike inside forearm 2) strike backhand under to arm 3) abanico left and right strike to head 4) doblada (double strike down-head or arm) 5) watik-(abanico) short backhand to head. Against #2 backhand strike: 1) Step to left outside and control strike to forearm/ elbow-even if he had a blade you already hit him 2) upward strike to inside of arm

(still on outside) (should be dis-armed by now) 3) doblada 4) watik to head 5) doblete-small circles down and 6) doblete-small circles up. [Footwork: Step with left foot (on angle so it appears in the back), shift little to #2 strike upward, step back to do doblada, shuffle in watik] From #1 strike, step to right and strike under to forearm and then over to forearm, from #1 strike, step to right and strike abanico, drop to left and figure 8, figure 8 up to right, figure 8 to left, watik.

1. #2 backhand strike low-step to left and strike wrist bone, rotate 2. stick striking on top 3. Doblada to left side 4. Watik 5. Doblete to right side going down 6. Sunkiti1. #1 strike, hit inside of forearm stepping to right with right 2. rotate and strike on top of wrist bone 3. abanico-hit right side, left side 4. watik 5 .doblete to right down 6. sunkiti 7. double strike

BOLO OPP has bolo, you have stick. If fight between mountain man with bolo and stick master, against #1 strike with bolo, you MUST step right to right side-body shifting and POWER strike down on forearm then if still in hand, swing low and to right and disarm against back of bolo. #1 strike with bolo: Side step, strike up (from underneath) to elbow-humerus bone, abanico to right side and left side, doblada to left and watik. #2 strike with bolo-backhand:

Step to left with left and strike to elbow-then strike up from under-neath to humerus bone, have to emphasize the strikes, watik and doblete, sunkiti and punyo back-hand to temple. Stick versus stick: Showing dif-

ference between doblete (to left or right sides-small circles) and doblada which are large circles and step back for second one. Always target the arms. Practice sunkiti to chest rather than eyes. Upward sunkiti is very dan-gerous.Be creative. Five strikes and #6 is right thrust. Step to right and strike forearm, do rompida, doblete across horizontal (like sunkiti) stop with slap to own bicep, watik. #1 strike close range-block stick and grab-use punyo to face-he blocks and grabs hand with palm down on wrist, you pull hand down over his stick hand and lock and left palm to forehead. If OPP lets go and blocks, then palm to face grabbing hand (like with a head block), you bring stick up to back of his hand and grab with your left hand. (His hand is in a trapped nikyu

position-his right stick hand you pulled into your stomach with punyo end of stick and your fore-arm). Twist clockwise putting on lock and push forward and down (nikyu lock) From a #2 strike backhand,

Rhodem “Hunter” Roldan with Grandmaster Cristino Vasquez-who has him in lock. Starting take down with wrist lock. Rhodem “Hunter” Roldan on ground with arm in stick lock.

close range, block and circle arm up trapping his stick in your elbow, OPP punches left, block left and put arm over his stick arm, punyo lock over forearm (his arms are crossed), left palm side of head.

Day Three - July 24, 2012Grandmaster Alejandro Doza with Carlo Barzo, Golden Ka-magong International Arnis Kali Escrima OPP punches right, you block and strike the right knee, left leg sweep to OPP right leg, strike the chest. Low strike to your right knee: You block with a right backhand strike and your left hand will be on top of your stick palm up and put your hand on the back of his hand with your thumb and index finger on the stick. Rotate his hand up, step with your right leg and right backhand strike to his right knee, right strike with punyo and strike back of head (you have his right hand twisted up in a wrist lock and he is bent forward slight-ly), strike straight down on his hand, releasing his stick; you now have both sticks-strike redonda. #2 backhand strike low: You step forward with your left leg and you are blocking/strike down onto stick and your left hand will be palm up on his forearm, (you are in a side horse stance in line with him), grab his wrist, right thrust stick to his stomach, hold his punyo with left hand, pull back from thrust and strike up to his bend of elbow, pull up with his stick hand and snap stick down (leveraging stick) and this will release his stick, (your stick is now on your left side fac-ing back), strike the knee, (or if in front then strike knee cap in front) hook his right hand up and around and right #1 strike to head, left

kick to his back of knee and strike down. #1 strike: Step forward right and roof-umbrella block to your left side and your left hand shoots to palm block his right forearm (stick hand), step in further to his body and backhand with punyo to his throat, step back into horse stance and power strike down on his stick disarming, right thrust, stand back up and going to your left step with your right and power strike his right back of knee, then backhand head, strike body. #2 strike backhand: You step in right low and umbrella block, your left hand will be near his stick hand, grab his wrist, right downward thrust (#6) and twist his hand back so his stick is vertical to the ground and his pinky is up, right #1 strike to head/face, disarm by punyo strike to the hand like hammer hand almost to the ground and backhand to leg/knee, left stab down with his stick. Linda Reim working with John Mark Barzo: From a #2

Grandmaster Alejandro Doza and Master Michael McFarland

backhand strike: He steps in left and right hand comes up to block (hand in head block position-stick straight forward-sticks will be crossed when blocks) your left hand is palm block to OPP stick hand. Right thrust with stick, twist stick hand (to outside wrist lock) and right punch to hand, disarm-ing and take stick, and right punyo back or strike, doblada back.Grandmaster Doza with Carlo Barzo Variation: Same one as above with roof-umbrella block, instead of punyo, he did strikes to the head repeatedly and then continue same. Variation: Same as above with roof-umbrella block, instead of punyo did a #12 to the head, step back and power strike to stick disarming, thrust, power strike to his fist, strike.Grandmaster Ibarra E. Lopez, Golden Kamagong International Arnis Kali Escrima with John Mark Barzo.Disarms:

Strike #1-strike the back of the hand holding stick, twist his hand to wrist lock position. Variation: You can also block with the stick, insert left hand and circle up into outside wrist lock stretching out the arm, punyo strike to his wrist/fingers. Variation: Do same thing up to circling up to outside wrist lock but only go as far as his hand in a pinky side up position, strike his stick (your hand is close to his hand) force going towards his thumb and fingers. #2: backhand low-strike stick to block, put your left hand on his wrist, grab (pull his hand to you) and at same time push forward with your stick, disarming. (Still holding wrist) Rotate stick to strike back of head, then put stick under chin and take down using leverage (push/pull). Variation: Block and grab hand where your thumb and index fin-ger are not on the punyo side-palm up grab to back of his hand). Right hammer elbow down to OPP fore-

body shift (pivot) gets out of Thomas’s grip and also cuts him; stick a #1 in between his arms. He guides it by and cuts up and the drill repeats on opposite side. 1-2-2 cutting over the arm. Forehand, backhand, cut up toe-to-heel. After Thomas feeds a #1, you can go high line or low line. Low-Thomas will do 1-4-12 until he feeds #1. Then his choice, if he does high line-you have to do all the way to the 1. Drill now where you either do high line or low line after #1 feed. Doing 1, 4, 12 or 1, 2, 2 af-ter (#1). Have to continue the drill until you get to the #1 again, then partner will decide what to do.

Day Four - July 25, 2012Grandmaster Max M. Pallen Right hand-right side: One stick: #1 strike (1-2) going into figure 8, from right back-go to (3) overhead strike, bring to your left and (4) circle overhead strike

again, (5) bring it up and (6) over sideways and (7) back again and (8) overhead again and stop at your left elbow. When you strike overhead down, your left hand is moving up-two forces create power. Go right into next session: Right hand-left side: do 8 strikes with right hand starting with left side-doing left side but (8), you will be striking out to your right side behind you. Working with Master McFarland who was doing random right and left strikes: Do 8 strikes with right hand on

your left side: 1-2-Figure 8, 3-cut to middle, 4-cut overhead again, 5-strike up, strike side to 6-left and side to 7-right, circle and strike 8-behind to right back. Left side, one with follow through strike, highest point. Have power with follow through with slapping bicep.Left hand, left side Start with the left hand going to the left side- 1-2 figure 8, 3-overhead, 4-inside overhead, 5-up, 6-to the left, 7-to the right, 8-circle strike to your left side. Go right into next section:

Left hand, right side 1-2 figure 8, 3-overhead and 4-overhead again both coming on your outside left -5 stick up, 6-go to left, 7-go to right, 8-circle and strike to your right side back.

Group Shot with Grandmaster Max M. Pallen

arm and then punyo strike to back of head, mobility throw with stick. #3: Forearm strike: Power strike/block down on stick, grab his wrist twisting it outward and right up-ward backhand strike with stick to body, snap stick over and down to strike his stick disarming it, right upward strike to elbow, keeping stick on arm, rotate stick and push taking him down. #4: Backhand strike high level: Bring your stick up striking his stick (head block stick pointing to OPP) and grab his wrist and twist down and outward, hammer fore-arm disarming. Variation: Block and immediately grab his hand and right strike chest area-you are facing him from the side holding his hand, pull his hand with your left to your right (snatch) while stepping to slight horse stance and you are now next to him on his right facing same way and at same time with stick hand snatching his hand and pull-ing to right which disarms. Variation: block and snake-circle up (trapping the thumb between the sticks) and push down (which puts his hand in wrist lock). #5: Right strike has level: strike downward on stick blocking, grab his stick with left, insert stick up under his stick up next to his thumb and wedge on your stick, twist his stick down rotating around your stick (keeping your stick horizontal and over his arm to chest area), slide and remove stick from his hand. Variation: Block and hooking block with stick (grabbing his hand with left) and continue down until hand is parallel to ground, strike downward with your stick disarming.(Words of Advice) Depends on how you use your stick: One

strike, one death, one person. Do not allow him to counter. Go into your strikes immediately, you always have punyo or backhand to strike if he starts to counter. It is how you practice!! Always go for block, strike the hand on back of hand/wrist area and then on the knuckle area (1-2-3 combination)-he can’t hold stick any longer. Abanico motion. Important: In be-tween you and person is his hand, not his head.Grandmaster Bram Frank with Thomas Lehmann Has stick on ground butt at feet, tip away from body. When you twist your body by shifting on your heels to get out of way of knife attack, your core is still on that line. If you shift on the balls of your feet, your core moves off the line of attack. When you step back, body shift. If you teach mil-itary, police anyone with protec-tive equipment on chest, they are not able to reach past the center of their chest, so if you tell people to just reach over and cut, they can’t do it and you lied to them. They won’t believe you after that.Bram is doing Double Sinawali-High-Low (forehand, backhand, low) Step back and body shift taking your core out of line of attack, put your knife at his wrist intercepting. Not necessary to swing. Draw the edge through, check with left hand and cut across waist (blue line). As you cut waist line, OPP drops his arm to stop your cut, OPP drops his right side back (body shifting out of line) and cuts your hand cut-ting fingers off, puts his knife on your forehead (Danger Zone). You won’t let it get there but Bram wants you to feel the danger.

Intercept at his wrist with your knife and raise slightly. Look to your right (OPP’s left) and there is a hole-a doorway-go through the doorway (do not do umbrella and spread hands like using stick as you go through-he will split your core). After going “through the door” do not spread your arms (umbrella) he will cut you down your core. Put your left hand through and monitor his hand/head as you cut up and step “through the door” (crossada-drawing up and away from own hand-elbows in like fighting stance). Body shift and start again. As you step through, do not put arms up and wide (umbrella), you aren’t con-trolling or checking his knife hand in that position, he will slide right under your arm cutting you. Body shift as soon as you step through, you can check hand, strike him etc. For the drill, body shift and put it on his neck, he steps back and body shifts and intercepts-cuts. Sombrada, six-count drill, Bram calls it “1, 4, 12” and do it with a beat. He does not want flowing. In-tercept and cut. Intercept and cut.Double Sinawali-High-Line (forehand, backhand, backhand) Thomas cuts at him (#1 strike), step back left, same body shifting but you cut forward toe-to-heel, put hand under knife hand and check his forearm by elbow, do backhand-feed a #2-Thomas catches it, slides hand to elbow and does a slant block cut to his forearm, feeds a #2-backhand. You check his hand with your left hand. You can’t turn or shift because Thomas has a check hand on your right elbow-but you can turn your hand with blade. Turn hand up and put blade at his forearm near elbow. Step right foot back and Jay Enage giving a Baybayin Buhayin language lesson

repeating Left side with Left hand. Starting twirling, bring his elbow to inside and switch to other side, circle. Work on right and left, twirling, tapping hand bounce off. Demonstrated you can start doing kicks, disarms, power strikes #1 strike, serrada (block with cross), reach

Grandmaster Rene Tongson with Vladimir Troynykh sequence

hand over side of stick, check (grab) hand, shoot the pu-nyo. Grandmaster Rene Tongson From a #1 strike, you do hooking block and grab his stick hand pulling him to your right and down, left palm to side of head, palm to chest and push head back-ward taking him down.do same #1 and hooking block, put hand in front of chin (elbow is up), push head back and down (elbow is down), right bicep strikes the face as you put your left palm at OPP’s back (waist level), palm back

Rene Tongson hooking OPP chin

and push/strike with arm on face. #1 strike, you go with the strike, parrying to your right, left palm to OPP elbow, he punches, you hook block his left hand and pull it over the other arm making an X keeping your left hand on his hand/wrist. Right punyo behind the neck-below and to rear of his right ear and pull into your chest. Same technique-block and parry then you fake a strike with stick and he grabs your wrist, you rotate elbow over his arm and drop quickly, then hook punyo behind head at same point. Same technique with the elbow over his arm but add takedown that he did with Vladimir Troynykh with hand in small of back.Grandmaster Samuel Bambit Dulay Crossada: Sombrada is part of crossada Espada y daga: Knife is in left hand. Starts with an overhead-(OPP umbrella with stick and left knife), #1 strike OPP block, stick goes under OPP left arm and cut your neck -(your stomach is open)-backhand strike with stick to stomach-midline-You will do like a short jab parry with your left knife to your right and

shoot forward into his side with knife and strike down on top of his stick with yours as block. Variation: #1 strike, you block stick goes under your left arm and cut neck with knife-sidestep to left and block stick with knife to fore-arm-slide forward and stab side. Variation: Starts with an over-head-(OPP umbrella with stick and left knife), #1 strike OPP block, stick goes under OPP left arm and cut OPP neck-then OPP backhand stick to low line-you strike down with block to stick and left knife slides into ribs simultaneously. (EK=Ed Kwan, SBD=Grandmaster Dulay) EK overhead, SBD strike #1, EK blocks with stick and continues under left arm, knife is on top and shoots to throat. EK punyo back-hands to SBD midline, SBD side step, right downward strike/block to stick and knife slides into abdo-men. SBD steps right and thrusts with stick, EK blocks cutting fore-arm and has stick over arm vertical butt up. EK overhead strikes to SBD head; SBD steps to left out of center line and blocks with knife cutting down and does upward punyo roof block to stick Showed same sequence

with empty hand. Can be either daga or empty hand. Six count drill with knife: (RB= Grandmaster Romeo Bal-lares, SBD= Grandmaster Dulay) RB does #1 to SBD, SBD cuts up umbrella block and checks fore-arm, then SBD cuts #1 to neck/face region, RB cuts down on forearm and then checks hand, RB thrusts at SBD midsection, SBD cuts down and left palm to RB elbow, SBD does overhead cut to RB, RB does umbrella and left checks forearm, RB cuts with #1 to SBD head region, SBD side steps and cuts down on forearm and then checks elbow, SBD backhand cuts at stomach-midline of RB and RB steps back and cuts down on fingers and checks left elbow, RB thrusts at SBD stom-ach-midline, SBD umbrella block/cuts up and then palm checks hand and then SBD cuts inside over-head to RB. RB cuts the wrist upward and checks the hand and does overhead cut to SBD. SBD does umbrella cut and palm checks hand and goes into #1 cut. Shows the thrust to all three levels to his right side and he can umbrella, cut up and parry

hand for each level. Same classical movement. Six count drill: 1- RB overhead to SBD, SBD umbrella cuts up and checks hand; 2- SBD does #1 cut to RB, RB cuts down and then checks hand; 3- RB thrusts at SBD and SBD body shifts and cuts down on fingers and left palm checks the elbow. SBD does #1 cut to RB, RB does umbrella cut up and parries left hand; 2- RB does #1 cut to SBD

face, SBD cuts down and then left palm checks RB elbow; 3- SBD thrusts at RB and RB body shifts and cuts down on fingers and left palm checks the elbow. RB does inward hook-ing thrust to SBD midline, SBD cut down and left palm block RB elbow; SBD does inward hook thrust at RB head on his right side, RB cuts down and left palm el-bow upward; RB thrusts at SBD midsection, SBD spins-body shifts and cuts up on arm and left palm blocks wrist pushing to his right side (SBD right leg is back); SBD thrusts to RB head, RB cuts up and checks elbow and #6 thrust to SBD head; SBD does inward up cut to forearm and checks RB wrist which is a RANDOM, SBD does downward block with knife going under arm and palm checks the elbow simultaneously and slides knife into RB midsection. RAN-DOM: If he blocks the #6 thrust with a down-ward block but stay-ing on top of RB’s arm and check-ing/grab the wrist, continue push-ing arm down toward body and knife cuts side of RB body to the front as RB arm is moved. Then go up body with knife to his neck. #6 thrust, cuts up to his left

Grandmaster Rene Tongson group shot

and checks hand, thrust to neck and swing arm down circling up where you are now facing OPP left side, his wrist is in a wrist lock with knife pointing down, put your upper arm against knife and pivot disarming it-(not near blade, you’re hitting wrist area) or you could grab his wrist and blade and pivot (bending wrist in wrist lock opening fingers and thumb) taking knife out of his hand. Variation: #6 thrust, cuts up to his left and checks hand, thrust to neck and swing arm down circling up where you are now facing OPP left side, his wrist is in a wrist lock with knife pointing down, you raise your arm/elbow parallel to ground and elbow is under his el-bow (you have an arm bar on him with your elbow) pulling down on his hand. You can either redirect to his groin area or bring it up and over to OPP right and cut throat and elbow on neck and takedown.Grandmaster Roberto Laban-iego and Orly Junio Traditional Espada y Daga Largo mano now does close quar-ters; did largo mano but felt it took longer for the fight, get it over with so close quarters. Starts with a “Ready” stance, then “Move” and go to right foot forward, body twisted to right, left hand up, right stick hand up and stick loaded behind your neck, weight dropped: They hold the stick one inch from the bottom. Hold where you’re comfortable. Striking pattern: Low stance, 1: Diagonal-high right to low left. 2: Waist level left to right and continue to load behind head. 3: Waist level right to left continue-you turn sideways and load stick. 4: Right shoulder. Not

follow through, stop at shoulder. 5: Drop down and pull back to thrust to groin, come back to left and 6: inside overhead. 7: Draw back and inside thrust to chest (#6) to center right. 8: Drop down and back thrust to chest (#7). 9: Con-tinue up and circle to groin strike. 10: Figure 8 into another upward strike to groin. 11: Right thrust to eye (#11) (OPP right eye). 12: Drop down and come in from right to thrust eye (#10) (OPP left eye). 13: Inside circle strike to over-head. Drop stick down. 14: swing up behind you and strike groin-tilt upper body backward when strik-ing. Partners simultaneously strike with #1 and then #1 follow through with power to the left side, backhand #2 and then #2 follow through with power to right side. Strike with #1 and then #1 follow through with power to the left side, backhand #2 and then #2 follow through with power to right side. Grandmaster Labaniego showing flow with Orly. Forehand and then backhand high, step back, backhand low; forehand, forehand power, backhand, backhand low continue to right side; forehand, forehand power backhand, back-hand low… When he steps, he is moving forward in circle. From flow drill-the 1-2 count: It’s a counter strike!! Back-hand is counter! Power backhand strike. Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego must have thought we were as dumb as a rock! I think it was one of those “looking at the little tree so much you didn’t real-ize you were in a forest” type of things. Also last strike in combina-tion is power strike. You will do this eventu-

ally shuffling forward. Striking sequence: 1-right high to left low diagonal strike, 2- left high to right low diagonal strike, 3-horizontal right to left, 4-inside overhead strike stopping on your left side-forearms are parallel to each other. Vladimir Troynykh strike overhead and Grandmaster did #4 and #1 as counters. As soon as Vladimir started strike, he was already doing #4: strike is already there as block/strike. Person strikes overhead: Grandmaster Labaniego does upward diagonal strike right low to left high hits under hand, then upward diagonal strike left low to right high hits under hand, lifts OPP hand up and thrusts under-neath to abdomen and right to left horizontal strike. Variation: Grandmaster Labaniego does upward diagonal strike right low to left high hits under hand, then upward diagonal strike left low to right high hits under hand, if he pushes the hand down, he does a right to left horizontal strike to face, OPP attempts backhand strike, he strikes overhead down on his forearm/wrist. Variation: From overhead strike, he lifts up stick hand and does upward diagonal strike right low to left high hitting elbow/arm, grabs hand and punyo strike groin pull arm close to your body, right arm goes over his elbow, swings down and circles up (still holding onto hand) to the front and put stick to neck, grab with your left hand be-hind his back and choke. He is 72 years young and still soooo fast!!! Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego and Orly Junio another group (Hunter, Ken-Ken, Ashley, Sun, Scott)Doing the 14 strike sequence. Step right with 1, step left 2, step right

3, step left four and thrust 5 (no step with 5). #1 strike with a backhand and #6 strike with backhand. Right-to-left forehand strike and up backhand-power, left-to-right backhand strike and forehand power. To add stepping-circling, do forehand strike and backhand; on that second count, your feet will switch-right forward will move to back and left back will move for-ward, then opposite side backhand strike and switch feet as you do forehand power strike. On the power strikes, the right forehand will go all the way to your left as you shift your body to the left and load on your left over your left hand (which he moves the hand all the time) circu-lar and the backhand will go all the way to your right side and continue circularly up to your shoulder and load behind your head. All strikes high unless noted: Forehand, forehand power, backhand; switch the feet and backhand low, forehand, forehand power and backhand, switch the feet and backhand low, forehand, forehand power and backhand, switch the feet and backhand low. You will be moving in a circle while doing this. Little shuffle to side when you do power strikes. Grandmaster was advanc-ing when he did the power strikes. So he was moving on both the power strikes and the low back-hands. Forehand, backhand high,

switch feet as backhand low; forehand, power forehand switch feet, backhand high, switch feet as backhand low. Grandmaster Labaniego showed correct form of the four count sequence.

Day Five - July 26, 2012Butterfly Garden, Mambukal Re-

Linda Reim in front of Professor’s house

Grandmaster Roberto Presas

sort, Negros, Philippines a.m. Hinigaran, Professor’s Grave p.m. On Thursday, we had a “day off” and went to Hinigaran to see Professor Presas’s grave site. We stopped and saw his house and Grand-master Cristino Vasquez’s house (he is Professor’s cousin) who lives across the street.

Day Six - July 27, 2012 We checked into Natures Village on Thursday after we visited Professor Presas’s grave. So this morning, after breakfast, I see Mike Gubat coming in from his run. He stops for a second to say “Hi Linda” and his pose seems to say “I am glad to be alive, I am glad to have done my daily morn-ing run, I am glad I am here!” Then on my way to the training area, I ran into Ginalyn Jadia.

We started in a nice grassed enclosure with Grandmaster Sven Barchfeld who was discuss-ing sinawali drill (OPP two sticks, you one stick) where you can start blocking and just grab the stick af-ter a block, and OPP will continue his sinawali drill, and as he brings the stick up to hit the head you al-

ready have his stick and rotate his stick to your left and block his stick (#1 strike), then hook pu-nyo trapping his hands, pushing down and right strike. Then he added after you block and grab his stick, you can strike any technique you like; then block his #1 strike coming in, punyo hook over hands and do any technique you like.

Now he is block-ing with his right and instead of grabbing OPP stick and bring-ing OPP stick up to block strike, he uses his right hand to cross over OPP hand and block stick (make sure it is a strike/block to stop the stick from hitting you), then he hooks OPP wrist/stick, dropping

it over his other hand, trapping. When he drops it over the other hand, he is actually striking/drop-ping it (like a jolt) which releases the stick under his arm and he can get it with his left hand. He will now have two sticks.

Grandmaster Max M. Pallen discussed developing a parry. If you are an uke, you have to train yourself to react to what your teacher wants you to do. Sticks or not, blade or empty hand, you have to understand how to get in. Sen-kotiros is designed for infighting. Sticks are extension of hand but they aren’t used to reach you. Do sinawali to develop infighting. You block/ parry and strike. Against a bolo: You have to learn how to take away a bladed weapon. It is not a stick. You block the strike with weapon and immediately grab his wrist, either cut him (stomach, neck) or block weapon and grab weapon (back edge with just fingers-not wrapping your hand around it) and bring your bolo underneath and cut his hand like disarm (removing the hand/fingers). OPP bolo, you-empty hands: OPP strikes, you parry into a circular movement, twisting his hand into a wrist lock and remov-ing bolo from his hand. He uses two hands to block/parry. From an overhead strike, he blocks and circles down but stops it holding onto his elbow with left hand and with right moves OPP hand across his own stomach cut-ting himself. Attacks again, circles into swinging it by his leg and cutting his own leg with blade, take weap-on away and stabs him in the chest.Attack with a knife: You use de-flection: Protect yourself but don’t block it so far away that you can’t do anything. From a frontal attack, you would do a down block motion with your right hand striking the outside of his forearm and deflect-ing the knife little to your right, your left hand is already there to vertical punch his face (wing chun Grandmaster Sven Barchfeld and Karl Royer

Linda Reim and Ginalyn Jadia

Grandmaster Sven Barchfeld and Master Michael McFarland

punching). Attack with knife: You de-flect and knife is inches from your body, OPP will attack immediately to other area, high or low and you can just raise your hand up or down to block/deflect, then circle down and around vertical punch face, circle into outside wrist lock and as he goes by OPP face, he cuts his face with his own knife. You use a stick like a stick, a knife like a knife and a bladed weapon like a real bladed weapon. Have to train yourself that you do not stop. You continue attacking and blocking/ deflecting/shield-ing. If he blocks/deflects a cut, you cut another area, continue, don’t stop. You don’t block, you shield. When you grab the weapon to take it away, you always take it behind your body (use left hand take it to the left); you don’t bring it in front of you. Your right and left are working. You can’t memorize everything, you become slow. You have to develop your feel, your sensitivity. Two ways of blocking a stick, palm up or palm down. Block with palm up and rotate it to wrist lock and disarm. You can circle rotate his arm either to the inside or outside-use both hands. OPP strikes, block palm down, circle down and step back right pulling him off balance and twist-ing his hand into wrist lock, take stick away and “give it back to him”-he stabbed him with it. Need to have right instruc-tor. You need someone with skills, otherwise you will become stag-nant. Just stay at same place all the time. Develop your skills. As Grandmaster Max M. Pallen blocks/parries a stick at-tack, circles up to disarm, he is also striking the face as he goes by

it. Backhand, both hands like palis-palis, go with it and right hand grabs wrist, twist wrist as you circle hand up and when it gets up to shoulder area, put your left arm on side of stick and strike his neck which flings the stick over his head, grab his neck (your left hand still). Then just bring your left hand back and go under his arm (you still have it holding out in wrist lock) and you put your left hand behind his head, swing his right hand behind your left side (with your right hand) and you trap him. His head is locked with your left hand on his neck holding his head down by your thigh. You can do things on both sides. Against someone that blocks your strikes, grab their fin-gers or thumb and put into locks. You have to learn how to make it work. The whole part of your body is a weapon. Use your feet. Step in and break the knee, kick the shins. Watch the bottom part. Use head butt. Learn the funda-mentals. Block and swing arm up and disarm, strike. Now add strike combination after block then swing up, disarm and strike combination. If you take the stick away, stab him with it. Add the brush, grab and strike. You want to work strikes coming from top down. Don’t work going from bottom up or you might have accident (hit partner).Grandmaster Bram Frank Bolo: Explaining that you need a long knife or stick. You cannot use a short knife because big blades and little blades do not move the same. He wants us to feel the leverage, we have length. OPP strikes #1, slap his arm with knife, keep body away and pass it away (palis-

palis), check it and come through and cut his leg and come back up to his arm. You can monitor his left hand here. Your wrist can move so the blade can go back and forth. Your right hand is under your left by his right elbow. If OPP goes to punch, you can just flick knife and cut it. Lay it right on the right arm, check the elbow again and cut the leg again. He does not want him to be able to move. (When you pass the blade after the block-DO NOT hit your partner’s face with the blade) OPP coming in with a #2, you

block with flat of blade, pass it to your left and forearm is on his forearm keeping the blade away from your body-you can push to-wards him a little (you can abanico if you have to with blade), pass it to your right, as you go by his leg you can cut it; you will cut leg from your right to your left check-ing his elbow. Same thing: cut the arm down, still checking and cut the leg (from back to front). Knee the back of his knee to take him down. What you do on the right hand side, you do on the left hand side. It’s the same as single sinawali, high –flat of blade, low-palis-palis, high take out of hand-strip. When he pushes, do palis-palis, don’t lose contact. Put base of thumb to base of his thumb.

Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay demonstrated the rice cutter tool. Let me just say for everyone that I was so grateful that he did not make us get down on the ground in that position and move around. You squat down to the ground where your right foot is flat on ground, shin and knee per-pendicular to ground and left knee is bent

pointing down and touching ground. You are on the ball of your left foot. I don’t think I would have been able to get up after that. I will attempt it soon though. We should all work that and surprise him next festival. Of course you move around the ground switching legs, spinning, trapping OPPs legs, striking him in groin, pivot-ing and of course you are doing it quickly. He also did it with the help of his hands on the ground to speed his movement. Attack the joints, do fan hooks and go to either side because you have the stick part and the metal part as weapon. Strike the elbow, the armpit A lot of circular movement to block; circle up and around body, attacking joints, throat, target areas. Sikaran-foot locks, tripping, sweeps. Get in close, put your right foot in front of you’re your left foot is near the back of his foot. Hooking your right foot in front of his right and your left in close, twist your body quickly to the right and your knee strikes the back of his knee, dropping him. As we would say, “Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay was jamming!

Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay with Sun takedown foot lock

Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay demonstrating rice tool

Orly Junio, Linda Reim, Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego and Master Efren during break

Ginalyn Jadia with rice tool

Grandmaster Bram Frank and Thomas Lehmann

Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay Sikaran foot lock

hand strike. Striking sequence: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 1-2. 1-diagonal right high to left low, 2-diagonal left high to right low, 3-horizontal from right to left, 4-circle inside into over-head strike, 6-downward strike on right side, 1-2 doblada. He went around to different people work-ing with them and correcting their stance and striking technique.Grandmaster Ludi Losanes with two sticks. The stick in your left

Do an arm bar dropping his face to ground, low mobility throw, twist feet that are on both sides of his body at waist and dropping knees to body and let left leg twist more to land on back/groin area. Foot is between legs. Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay showing us the “squat walking”, practices it in circle, spinning and changing legs that advance forward or spin. Tapi-tapi demonstration: Master Paulo O. Motita II started the seminar with technique using what Professor used to call “plant-ing the rice”-an arch starting from the ground on one side of your body and then come up and over and down to other side of body (looks like a rainbow curve). From #1 strike, block using the “planting rice” curve strike from your left to right and #2 block from right to left and #3 low (comes in to your left thigh) block/strike backhand strike and #4 low (comes in to your right thigh) block/strike forehand strike. From a #1 strike, OPP blocks/strikes horizontal down, you do a #6 thrust low, OPP blocks/strikes horizontal strike down, you do a #6 thrust, OPP blocks/strikes horizontal strike

down on stick. As soon as he strikes down, you drop low and strike his arm at forearm and parry his hand to the left and punyo strike which he blocks. (Still holding onto his hand with your left hand) You will drop your right arm into bend of his elbow-lock-ing). Now he is adding a break-out from the last elbow lock. As you lock his elbow with your right arm, let go of his hand with your left and palm his upper arm pushing away. Start the drill again. Then using thrust, parry arm to other side and you can thrust to both sides and parry to opposite sides. Another technique to add to tapi-tapi drill so you can also attack from your left side (to his right side). You strike the arm with stick and parry with hand. Again, emphasizing use of two hands. Every instructor emphasized the use of both hands working together. Add-ing strike #7

to the drill.Grandmaster Mike Vasquez demonstrating the big stick. You attack the hand as they strike. The stick is very long and heavy. Strike #1, load over your right shoulder, holding stick with both hands. Strike down to ground and snap it back up again to shoul-der position. Practice going for-ward and reverse. Then he added a horizontal strike. You horizontal strike first and go into an inside overhead strike to the ground. Demonstrated how you strike with the overhead and it slides down stick to hit the hand. Defang the snake. Start with two of the overhead strikes and then horizontal.

I happened to catch Grand-master Romeo Ballares for a few seconds “doing his thing” with a karambit.Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego demonstrating the 14 strikes of his system with Orly Junio. He then demonstrated the power striking of forehand and backhand with a partner. He continued with the forehand power strike and backhand strike; backhand power strike and fore-

Instructor demonstrating big stick.Master Paulo O. Motita II with uke

hand you hold about halfway up stick. Right stick is #1; top half of left stick is #2 and bottom half of left stick is #3. His striking pat-tern is #1-diagonal right high to left low, #2 diagonal left high to right low, #3 is horizontal right to left and #4 is horizontal left to right, #5 overhead going into #6 thrust. Thrust with left stick after #1 strike. Demonstrated how you use the left stick. As the OPP grabs the hand, you rotate the stick and either strike with the top part or thrust/poke/stab with the bottom section. Demonstrated using empty hands, same circular techniques and takedowns.Grandmaster Rene Tongson: His interpretation of the stick to the knife. OPP Takuma Yoshida cuts with a #1 and you cut inner upper arm and check hand, right elbow towards his face, OPP blocks, you roll your elbow over his arm and cut throat (from back to front). OPP cuts with a #2 back-hand: You cut down on forearm, checking his elbow with your left hand; fake a strike, he blocks your arm/elbow and you move arm to

Group shot from the day

Grandmaster Celso Sandigan, Grandmaster Max M. Pallen and Master Michael McFarland

behind head and hook head slight-ly pulling down and cut his neck (from back to front). He is working the same drill that we did in the other ses-sion with the stick. Cutting exer-cises, cutting ocho. Grandmaster Rene Tongson is working with Sun who as the OPP cuts with a #1 strike and you cut upper arm and check elbow, (rotate your hand under their wrist) right hook arm and left checks elbow and right cuts neck (from back-to-front). Variation: Takuma Yoshida as OPP cuts with a #1 strike and you cut upper arm and check elbow, hook with right hand, left palm checks elbow and cut down from neck to shoulder/ arm. You parry that arm down and fake a strike to face, he goes to block your arm with his left and grabs your right wrist, you rolling elbow down on top and your knife is right there at the neck to cut. Using banda of the elbow-going from one side to little further sideways to hit/strike. You always go with the force. OPP cuts with a #1 strike, you cut down on inside of arm, then bring knife down and up to outside of arm (doing sunkiti strike with knife) hook his arm-hit his elbow with your right elbow forcing it upward and push elbow down with left palm, attempt to cut the neck, OPP blocks with his left palm-just turn your knife and cut his palm-it is right there. Palm arm down and thrust knife to throat. Grandmaster Rene Tong-son is working with Ferdinand Misko who as the OPP cuts with a #1 strike and you cut upper arm and check elbow, (rotate your hand under their wrist) right hook arm and left checks elbow and go to

cut neck/face, OPP blocks your arm/wrist-you just cut his palm-move your knife back four inches and it is done, palm his arms down and thrust/stab at throat. Hook head with knife butt as you left palm his elbow twisting his body and pull head into chest, cut the back of the neck, use the knee and twist, takedown. Slight variation of technique in previous paragraph. Grandmaster Rene Tong-son working with Takuma Yoshida does the cutting drill with knife, starting with overhead strikes and parries, then feed a #6 thrust and he parries, then feed a #7 thrust and he parries. Then he started going on the inside and strike and parry.

You do sunkiti, banda, abanico. Put them altogether and continue and even use the punyo end of knife. It reminded me of an empty hand “de cadena” drill of Profes-sor done with knife.Grandmaster Romeo Ballares working with Francis who cuts with a #1 strike, he cuts inside forearm, checks with left hand, using both hands swings down and back into a wrist lock and disarms knife by cutting his inside wrist, you have his knife, bring around under his left arm and up behind his head (his back is to you), spin him around by his neck (you control the head), cut the neck and step forward hitting with knee tak-

ing him down. In the very begin-ning the right leg is forward, as he cuts, you cut inside arm and step back right leg and palm his knife hand over to you right by your ear. From a lunge knife, cut across, OPP goes to punch left and you circle from outside in cutting his face as you go by, ending with your knife under his forearm, ham-mer the back with punyo, pushing his body down (his arm is in an arm bar on top of your elbow (re-verse arm bar?), you have his right hand in your left and you bring it back and he cuts his own neck, right knee to face. Then Grand-master Romeo did it empty handed against the knife.

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares with Takuma Yoshida

Grandmaster Rene Tongson and Vladimir Troynykh

Grandmaster Rene Tongson and Takuma Yoshida

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares Group Shot

Group Shot of Everyone

Maritza, David Schurz, CJ, Karl Royer, Grandmaster Max M. Pallen, Master Mike McFarland and Linda Reim, our group from USA

Grandmaster Max M. Pallen and Grandmaster Romeo Ballares

Grandmaster Sven Barchfeld and Grandmaster Rene Tongson

Gala Night - July 27, 2012 The final get together was the big Gala held on Friday night with all the grandmasters do-ing demonstrations and receiving awards, certificates and special master and grandmaster sticks. We arrived early to see all the festivi-ties and see all of our friends. During the evening, one of our new friends, Ferdinand Misko with his wife, Magna, received an award for promoting the Filipino martial arts. The following Masters and Grandmasters received a special stick during the evening:

I had to have a picture with my new girlfriend, Master Shiela Duran from Grandmaster Ibarra E. Lopez dojo.

Ferdinand and Magna Misko, presenter of award

Grandmaster Bram Frank

everybody’s favorite photographer Alex delaCruz

Grandmaster Max M. Pallen

Linda Reim and Master Shiela Duran

Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego

Grandmaster Cristino Vasquez,

Group shot with other Masters

Masters Paolo and Henry Bobong Burbano Grandmaster Ludi Losanes

Grandmaster Celso Sandigan

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares and Master Ed Kwan

Between award presentations, some demonstrations were done: Grandmaster Max M. Pallen demonstrated on Karl Royer with a bolo and then did a random demonstration finishing with a kick to his chin! Can I say this grandmaster is 72 years old! Then did a random with the bolo with David Schurz disarm-ing with foot, throwing over his shoulder and then stabbing him while on ground and another where he did a double kick to

stomach and head. Of course you can’t forget the “hat trick” switching hat off OPP’s head onto his head while doing the bolo random and not at slow speed. Master Ed Kwan and Ashley West did a demo where he attacked her with two sticks and she disarmed one and then he attacked with remaining stick, and she disarmed him Then who can forget Professor’s brother, Grandmaster Roberto Presas and Grandmaster Cristino Vasquez doing a tapi-tapi drill. At least I think it was, they were both so fast you would have to play it in slow motion to see! They received a standing ovation! Next from Germany, we had Ferdinand Misko, Jones and another student doing self defense. When Grandmaster Sven Barchfeld was up with Christopher, the speed and skill of his years of training was very evi-dent. Grandmaster Romeo Ballares just had fun with Satoshi, spinning him and locking him into every posi-tion imaginable. I think Satoshi felt like he had been on a merry-go-round and a roller coaster at the same time when he was done. Grandmaster Romeo gave him a break and then used Takuma Yoshida. When Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay and Ginalyn Jadia got on the floor, well you could hear the whistles when they started twirling and then started attacking each other. Ginalyn had been our “host” all week and we had not seen her “in action” until this time; wow is an understatement! Even in heels and sliding on

the slippery floor, she didn’t miss a strike or block. When Grandmaster Dulay was attacking her all of a sudden they both realized that he didn’t have his sticks anymore, she had been clipping his fingers! It didn’t look planned. Then she proceeded to take him down and he hit his head on the floor. Of course Grandmaster Rene Tongson got on the microphone and was joking and said she would be promo-ted the next day for bouncing her Grandmasters head on the floor. We saw Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay with his uke and then it turns out the announcing lady also trains because she had fun with the uke also. We then saw Grandmaster Rene Tongson show the beauty of the knife with is uke. The uke would have looked

Grandmaster Samuel “Bambit” Dulay with uke

Master Shiela Duran

Grandmaster Celso Sandigan

Grandmaster Max M. Pallen

Announcer with uke *love expression on his face!

like he had been put through a food processor when Grandmaster Tongson was done with him. There were more award certificates given out to Grand-masters and Masters. I also met Grandmaster Celso Sandigan during the day where he taught me a knife self defense during a break in the training and had picture in evening with him.

Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego

Grandmaster Celso Sandigan and Linda Reim

We also had some students who brought their weapons with them.

Sun dancing and singing

Master Michael McFarland

And of course the evening would not be complete without some fun and dancing. And of course, who could for-get Francis singing “My Endless Love” to the girl in the band!!! He could really sing!!! Well, that ended that sec-tion of my first trip to the Philip-pines. Still had more training to do at Grandmaster Max M. Pallen’s compound in Maol Boal yet to do before returning to states. It was a memorable, un-believable, unforgettable trip that I think and hope changed all of us for the better I actually had to get on Facebook for the first time so that I could see other people from the trip and I have also been talking to some of my new friends from Philippines which is so amaz-ing-of course I have to remember it is usually the next morning when I am talking to them.Linda ReimModern Bujutsu Vineland, NJ.

Grandmaster Romeo Ballares dancing,

Panagsama, Moal Boal - July 29 - 30, 2012

At the conclusion of the festival, we flew back to Cebu and traveled to the Senkotiros temple, which is located in a small scuba dive town called Moal Boal. Two extraordinary days and nights of exceptional knife training trans-pired followed by what I dis-covered to be the true gift of the Philippines, her people. During lunch on our next to final day in the Philippines, our host Grandmaster Pallen asked if the group was interested in donat-ing to a local day care/preschool. We may have raised a couple of hundred dollars from the members of our group. The next morning we were invited to stop by the school. I didn’t know what to expect and was informed that the students wanted to thank us personally. Prior to entering the school the students and teachers provided each of us with a garland or lei. These were hand crafted by the students themselves, beautiful and fragrant. Refreshments were offered in the form of fruit and coconut milk. The gift of funding was a simple thing for us to provide, and incredibly useful for the students and school. Their gratitude was genuine and immense. From our

side of the table, not a dry eye was seen. I think all of us left with a sense of ap-preciation for our lives and how little it takes make a huge difference in the life of someone less fortunate. This trip was planned and orches-trated by Grand-master Max Pallen. It was a trip that improved with each transition. All of my expectations were either met or ex-ceeded. The logistic details were handled so well that most of us were unaware of the difficulty. Trans-portation for a group of nearly 20 people with luggage was no easy feat, and yet it all happened as if my mag-ic. Vans, taxis or tricycles were available as needed. We traveled from island to island or store to store with the ease of a local. The trip successfully met the needs of those who train in the art and the spouses that accompanied us. The

stress level from a logistic stand point was pretty much non-existent for us guests. We com-peted and trained with the best the world has to offer. The memories of the sights, sounds and tastes of the

Disbursement of supplies

Recess! The students watching halad demonstrations

Philippines remain to this day. The relationships garnered were un-locked for and immensely gratify-ing. As a practitioner of the Fili-pino martial arts, I now know that my training would never have been completed without a trip to the islands. A month after our return I find myself marveling at our good fortune, having had the opportunity to travel, compete and train in the Philippines with one of the greatest Filipino martial arts Grandmasters while simultaneously sharing the experience with our spouses.

Part of our group with students

Grandmaster Pallen with head instructor

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