Filipino/Moro Martial Arts question...

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by FilAmfighter1

Here is my two centavos on this-
I am teacher of a FMA system that comes from the Visayan Mountains. My teacher favored the Pinute. He always told me that it was chinese that brought steel making to the island and then the Filipinos learn how from them. Many Chinese married into families in the Visayan region. He said that Chinese made trade weapons and swapped for gold along time ago.
I have taken a number of my weapons and used them working out. What I have found is this: The type of strike and grace of motion is effected by shape and the weight of the blade. Depending if the FMA system and range you fight affects the sword, sword & dagger you would use. Yes many systems have influence of Indonisian, Spanish & Chinese as they would cross over when fighting and spying on them. I am current working on book on the basics of Filipino Martial Arts, it based upon my research of working with 30 different masters and teachers and keeping notes on common threads. The names of some of the moves may be different due to local dialect but the motion is always the same.

FilAmfighter1, thanks for your comments! Looking forward to the publication of your book.

I met in Manila once the head of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He told me that in their field, some architects would keep their cards close to their chest.

But this person (a prominent architect in the US) said that he does the opposite. He shares everything to his competitors he said.

And his goal is simple -- he wants the other architects to better him, so that in turn he'd be able to come back and beat them. And then another cycle ensues ... and so forth and so on. A virtuous cycle is thus created.

And he said that that's how things can be brought to the next level.

I am not into FMA or any martial arts (my first love was firearms and explosives). But if I were into FMA, I'd encourage my mentors to adopt that mindset