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Brief History Of FMA

The fighting arts of the Philippines are well known in the Orient for their lethal effectiveness. They have always been a part of the culture, developed over many centuries with input from many lands and races because of the country’s central location in Southeast Asia. These arts include the use of sticks, spears and bladed weapons of all types; flexible weapons such as whip, chain and stingray tail, and a variety of projectile weapons. The history of the Philippines, before Spanish rule, is a confusing mass of fact, speculation, and myth.

Just like other cultures and their martial arts, the Filipinos have hundreds of styles and systems. Styles such as Arnis, Escrima and Kali are weapons-based. Empty hand styles include Sikaran (kicking), Pantantukan, Pangamot and Suntukan(punching, grappling and boxing), Dumog and Silat (ground fighting and wrestling), to name a few.

There are numerous systems that practice these styles inclusively; Pekiti Tirsia Kali, San Miguel Escrima, Doce Pares, Kali Illustrismo, Serrada, Lameco Escrima, Kali De Leon, Modern Arnis are just some of hundreds of styles in the Filipino martial arts. For the purpose of this article we shall focus on discussing the most prevalent styles: Kali, Arnis and Escrima.

Speculation of myth, hearsay and lore.

FMA was never taught as a school of thought. Much was taught on a need to survive basis handed down from family or close ties. Nothing was ever writen of systematized compared to Japanese and Chinese arts. It is hard to find writen documentation to back up many of the stories behind our fighting history but what can't be denied is the effective fighting form as it exists today. We are not historians and are not here to study history but the concrete movements and tactics of the Filipino fighting arts. if our teachers say Kali instead of Eskrima or Arnis...good enough for me. I trust in the fighting motions rather spoken or writen words. That being said, here are some of those stories....

The ancient art of Kali is what we practice.. The word itself has numerous interpretations as to its meaning once again dependent on the region and system of the practitioner. Some believe that it is taken from the word Kalis, a type of bladed sword used in the southern part of the Philippines. Mindanao the third main island of the Philippines, and is mostly Muslim. Ka is a pre-fix very much Filipino. Ka-tarungan, Ka-tipunan, Ka- kain, kakan..ta etc. So as a language you will find this quite often used.

Filipino Fighting Arts from the South.

Throughout Philippine history you will find that these Muslims (Moros as they came to be known), brought with them other fighting methods, as well as various types of blades, including the Kalis, Barong, Kampilan, Lahot, Sudang and the feared Kris, which is also popular in the neighboring countries of Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is also popular.

In the early 1900's the U.S. Marines were unsuccessful in trying to colonize Mindanao. The term "leathernecks" was coined because the Marines had to wear thick bands of leather to help protect against bladed slashes to their throats. Filipino Muslims also employed suicidal tactics to inflict damage on the U.S. troops, in the form of "juramentados".

A "Juramentado", a form of mujahadin or holy warrior, would strategically apply tourniquets around his body to stem the flow of blood and run "amok" with sword in hand. He would slash and cut his way through crowds, killing U.S. troops, who at the time only had .38 caliber pistols and Springfield Rifles, which to their surprise was hardly enough to stop a rampaging Moro.

This brought about the development of the Colt .45 cal pistol model 1911 for stopping power, which later paved the way for today’s handguns. In time, Moro fighting methods became systemized and training methods were developed.






Note , this is but one version of FMA. it is not to be taken as gospel for all FMA. It is taken from a conversation of one of the Legendary Grandmasters of the Filipino Fighting Arts in training the Special Forces of the Military. it may seem very offensive but it also drive the point home about combat and martial arts.

"Ours Is a fighting martial art. It is different than other martial arts that are more defensive while ours which is made for fighting is offensive in nature. The system is designed for fighting not defending. it is blade oriented. Do not confuse the use of the sticks, it is just a trainng aid. The moves, the strikes and techniques used in offense and counter offense come from blade fighting principles. They are designed to destroy the opponent. That is a fighting art. The true nature of combat is weapons. All wars have been fought with weapons not emptyhands. So it follows that because we know this then we train with weapons not emptyhands.

Pretty hard core and over the top to some but an honest point of view.While combat is not for everyone, it is the source that created FMA as it is today.

If there are systems that train FMA for the spiritual- there are other ways to get there..go to church , pray etc. Those that get into it for health...go run, lift weights, eat a good diet. Not to say that we can't get there using the arts but it was created to SURVIVE and we chose the best way with higher percentages as passed on to us by our forefathers that used the blades to guarantee our survival.

As for the mixing and how it changes things- things is a touchy subject. I guess we can use Katas with sticks as an example of how it deviates form the combative principles. This makes the moves static. War is dynamic. Those that don't move...die. Those that are stiff...are like the dead. Rigor mortis. Those that move are alive.
If you incorporate disarms , know it's place. Many have become focused on this aspect of the art which to those of you that really train in it may I ask...will anyone here really think that anyone can disarm the blade in their hand? I mean with your skill do you think anyone can take it from you? It is taught on a dueling like scenario. One feeds and you remove it from your partner. In reality if you make a move to your partner he will likely cut you to pieces. Your best bet is to strike him multiple times of which the disarm is the dismembered limb! So there is the original principle- learn to strike properly and correctly and to the right targets..not practicing to disarm a weapon when you have a weapon. It's a different outlook but one that makes sense in the realm of a combat form that is based on weapons fighting.