Book Description
The Filipino martial tradition, its history, cultural perspective and technique, makes for a rich and fascinating story. This is the first book to delve deeply into that legacy, examining the different schools of arnis and contributions made by leading arnisadores through history. This book examines training regimens, fighting techniques and innovations, and provides an exhaustive bibliography of all the books ever written on the subject. With 125 remarkable photographs, Mark Wiley's groundbreaking study of arnis stands as an important source book for all serious practitioners of unarmed Filipino martial arts-as well as any serious student of martial arts as it is practiced worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

overall a worthwile read
There is so much information that I read this book in a week.The other reviews of this book are correct.What I came away with this book is that Filipino martial arts(FMA)is hardly in danger of extinction although it is probably practiced by not a great number of people.It came as a surprise to me that some universities in the Philippines have FMA in their curriculum.There are gems in this book, for instance it identifies the earliest published book in the subject which is a tract entitled "Mga Karunungan sa Larung Arnis" roughly translated means "A Body of Knowledge in the Game of Arnis", it was written sometime in the 1950s.A book like this is appropriate for discussing FMA.A how-to book would not be instructive by the very fact that mere pictures cannot encapsulate the essence of the various movements.In early book on the subject Danny Inosanto wrote about it, in his book the most useful parts are the stories of the Grandmasters and history of FMA, and not the instruction with pictures.FMA can only be learned through corporal instruction, that is because FMA is a social martial art.That means that you are only as good as the people you are around you, that includes practitioners who you can steal knowledge from.

I do have some misgivings about this book and that is when they discuss FMA in the United States, they only focus on California, particularly Stockton.They leave out the vibrant FMA community in Hawaii, which is very much a Mecca as Stockton is.They even cover the distant FMA communities in Europe and ignore Hawaii where many grandmasters reside.

Collection of Academic Filipino Martial Arts Articles...
Be advised there are no pictures in this book, it is an academic undertaking.If you are looking for something with visual historical material in it, try the two books authored by Mark Wiley: "Filipino Martial Culture" and "Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice".

The placment of Mark Wiley's name on the front cover suggests he is the AUTHOR, where he is in fact, the EDITOR of this collection of articles (he is also a contributor).Not Wiley's fault--he credits the collective group in the introduction.Small point that only matters to us fans of footnotes, I know...now, on to assessing this collection of articles!

In Part 1, writers offer perspectives on the origins of the Filipino arts, including five articles such as "A Question of origins", by Felipe Jocano, Jr., and "Questioning the Origins of Escrima", by Dr. Ned Nepangue, etc..Part 2 focuses on Historical Perspectives with five offerings like "A History of Eskrima in Cebu and Negros", by Krishna Godhania.Part 3, Cultural Perspectives, includes eight articles by different contributors, including "Passion from the Crescent Moon" by Marilitz Dizon, and "The Making of the Batangas (Balisong) Knife" by Dr. Jopet Laraya.Part 4, Facing The Future, includes three articles including Combative vs. Competitive Escrima by Krishna Godhania, and "The Implimentation of Arnis in the Physical Education programs of Tertiary Schools in Cebu City" by Abner G. Pasa.

Overall, this is a good collection of topics of a calibre more advanced than most newsstand martial arts magazines could tolerate.The tone is clearly academic in nature, although less than half of the article include notes of some sort at their conclusion.Wiley does include a well-rounded list of source materials for further reading.If you are tired of how-to manuals, here is a book which will present new information, even for those of us who have pretty well "been around the block" when it comes to learning about other cultures and practice.The variety of perspectives are insightful.

Well worth a read for FMA practioners.
Be aware, the "editiorial comments" above do not accurately reflect the content of this book; I suspect they are based on another of Mark Wiley's books.

There are no pictures in this book.

This book is actually a collection of articles about various aspects of the history and development of FMA. Some of them are new and some have been taken from the pages of Rapid Journal (published in the Phillipines). Some of the articles are written by well known people on the FMA such as: Tony Somers, Krishna Godhania and Mark Wiley, other names are new to me.

As the title suggests, the articles are about the history of the arts, not the technical side and as such this volume fills a gap in the reading of most practioners.

On the down side, some of the articles are very thin; it hardly seems worth while to have bothered with the item on the history of FMA in Europe.(This is a real contrast to some of the others).

I enjoyed the book, but was left wanting more.

JB ... Read more

Book Description

In Modern Arnis: The Filipino Art of Stick Fighting,Remy Presas covers a variety of preparatory stretches and warm-upexercises, the 12-zone striking and defense systems, hand-to-hand combat("trapping hands"), flow-practice drills, sinawali andredonda.

Customer Reviews (17)

A good introduction
This is a good introduction to the system. It is unfortunate that master martial artists have not worked with professional writers to produce detailed volumes chronicling their systems. This, like most works of its kind- leaves the advanced student wishing MORE had been written.

The book will be informative to the beginner of Modern Arnis and a source of fond nostalgia for advanced students who know that this great man taught us all so much MORE than the pages of this book contain.
Filipino Combat Systems: An Introduction to An Ancient Art For Modern Times

Great Staring point
.

This book is a great way to supplement your formal instructions.

Great
Received the book in excellent condition and as described. Just needs to send an update via email of when the book was shipped.

A brief comment
Now over 20 years old, this was one of the first books in English on escrima. At just over 150 pages and with 9 chapters covering the different topics, Guru Presas packs much good information into this small book. Many of the most important topics and skills are covered, and the photos and decriptions are clear and easy to understand. Although I have a more recent edition, the photos are still clear and not too dark or too light, as sometimes happens with the plates with older books. Close-ups are used when needed to show the details of hand positions. There is also a brief history of escrima at the beginning of the book.

Nowadays videos have in many ways replaced books as instructional materials in the martial arts, but video was still relatively new when this book was written, and it still stands on its own as one of the best early treatments of escrima. To see the actual movements, though, there is really nothing like a video, many of which are available used on the web for less than the price of the book. But books on the martial arts can still serve a useful purpose by discussing more technical matters such as theory, strategy, and topics like history, and perhaps as as catalogs and references for the techniques of a particular style.

Among Guru Presas's many legendary abilities, he was perhaps best known for his ability to perform disarms, and this is covered in the last chapter of the book, in addition to hand techniques, flow drills, trapping, the various single and double stick techniques, and other topics.

I have to mention that I had an opportunity to do a demo for Guro Presas back in the mid-80s with my teacher of Chinese Chin Na, the Kung Fu holding and locking art. As you probably know Guro Presas is also skilled in the Filipino version of this art, and was also a champion in Dumog, or Filipino wrestling and grappling, when he was younger. He enjoyed our demo and was very impressed with my master, Sifu Tony Ho, and his skill.

I am also a certified instructor in Kali/Escrima through the Ted LucayLucay lineage under Chuck Gonzaga, and have studied Serrada Escrima in addition to Kali. Chuck is a great martial artist himself and I am proud to be one of his students and instructors, and to have had the honor to demo for Guro Presas many years ago when I was still a young martial artist.

Modern Arnis for the Beginner, Good text for the Advanced
This is a great book.My Jeet Kune Do instructor and I had the privelage of meeting Remy at a seminar he was conducting in NC.Needless to say Remy was a priceless instructor and it shows in this text.Mr. Presas conveys the information of stickfighting in an easy to understand format.While this book may have some age on it now, it has invaluable tools for the modern day martial artist.

In addition, if you enjoy studying lineages, histories, and influences of other martial arts, this is also a good book.I always knew that other martial artists would pull from other martial arts, but I had never actually "seen" or read it.As a student in Self Defense Systems Jeet Kune Do I automatically picked up on all the trapping hands influences from Filipino Martial Arts found in our system.You can also see the influence Filipino Trapping hands had on Bruce Lee as well and the slight changes he made in taking them as his own.Regardless of your style, modern or traditional, with an open attitude and a desire to learn, there is alot to take away from this simply constructed and well thought out book.I recommend this book for the non-martial artists alike. ... Read more

Book Description
The fighting arts of the Philippines are so vast and dynamic that few are able to grasp the true scope and essence of their training methods, techniques and fighting strategies.With this in mind, Mark Wiley, a renowned expert on Filipino martial arts, set out to write a book on the Filipino systems that would offer a structured comparison of 25 Filipino systems in terms of their training methods and progressions, fighting concepts, theories and strategies.In researching this book, Mark traveled to the Philippines a dozen times to meet and train with the masters and to uncover the secrets of these deadly arts.Profusely illustrated with over 500 photographs, this book reveals the incredible diversity of the martial arts which thrive today in the Philippines.Many of the photographs and much of the information in this book have never before been presented to the world at large. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Comparative Book
This book gives an excellent insight into the various forms of Filipino Fighting Arts.It examines 27 different styles, giving a brief description of the history of the style, training progressions, training methods, fighting strategies and free sparring.The only downfall of the book is that due to the wide range of styles discussed, it does not go into depth on any of the styles.However, once you obtain this background, you can then select books that are more in depth on a particular style.I enjoyed see the stylistic difference and learned some of the background of each style.

Good book, but not everyone is in it
This is a very good book about kali and Filipino martial arts. I wish that there would have been chapters on Villebrille, John LaCosta, and Tuhon Leo Gaje, three of the main Filipino M.A. greats. Maybe in the next edition.

filipino fighting arts
the book is very informative on filipino martial arts.some of the photos were hard to follow?? anyone who is interested in studing filipino martial arts will enjoy this book and the many different styles to choose from!!

A New and Different FMA book by Wiley...
In the introduction of his third book, Author Mark Wiley states that his purpose is not to rehash materials already presented in his previous two books ("Filipino Martial Arts: Cbalas Cerrada Escrima" (1994), and Filipino Martial Culture" (1996)).Unlike his volume"Filipino Martial Culture", the focus of this writing is on 27 different specific Filipino arts, rather than the history of the masters or organizations which propagate them.

Wiley admits his work is not exhaustive, but it is (as I write) the most exhaustive guide to concern itself with he stylistic differences between different schools of Filipino arts.Wiley describes training, training methods, theory, fighting concepts and progressions, strategies, and photographic depictions of fighting techniques.You will gain as I did, a better understanding of the similarities and differences between different schools, from practice and theory to custom and tradition.The closest I have come to seeing a collection Like Wiley's is the out-of-print book, "Masters of Arnis, Kali and Ecrima" written by Edgar Sulite of the Bakbakan, which focused on teachers and styles of Filipino fighting.It is nice to be in the middle of the Filipino arts renaisance, and finally have the resources available to understand these practical combative methods.

Pretty damn good...
If you're looking for a somewhat detailed look at Filipino Martial Arts, whether it be Arnis or escrima, you'll love this book. It's packed with different sub-styles of Escrima & Arnis. If you want to learn Filipino MA, go to a qualified instructor. Don't learn from a book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Martial arts book but flawed history
This excellent book on the Filipino martial arts has become an out of print collectors item.

It covers angles of attack, empty hand infighting parrying, double dagger, rattan stick single and double as well as an excellent solo training skills section.

The only area that it falls short in is in the historical description of Magellans death at the hands of King Lapu lapu.

According to many Filipinos magellan landed with his men ready to assault the local village, Lapu lapu and his corageous tribe of warriors attcked the spanish with only rattan sticks.

The firceness and bravery of the filipino warriors were too much for the spanish bandits and after a good fight, Lapu lapu overcame magellan and killed him Thus he became a Legend.

The above story sounds amazing, however we do know from historical spanish records and by recreating the conditions weaponry and situation of the 1600s that the above version found in Inosantos book is a fallacy.

In fact there were fewer than 40 spaniards accompanying Magellan( a portuguese explorer) to shore on that fateful day, Magellan had thought he had rights of passage due to a pact he had with another chief.

Not long after disembarking Magellan and his men realised they were in an ambush. Surrounded by more than 2000 filpino warriors the lightly armoured spaniards who thought they would be on a scouting mission were soon in the midst of a hail of arrows and spears and gunshots ( yes the filipinos had small cannons albeit handheld as historians noted).

Here we then have the truth of the matter, over 2000 filipno warriors armed with high powered bows, spears swords and to some extent hand held cannons against 40 spaniards that were manly armed with sword and dagger and a few muskets. They fought back the Filipinos fiercely, killing hundreds of them in close range combat before being completely overun by the ferocity of the arrows and spears being hurled at them from a greater vantage point, magellan was pierced by several spears and arrows thus he was leaning forward half dead when Lapu Lapu and his thousands of warriors finally surrounded the spaniards. It was at this point that LApu Lapu took advantage of the situation and felled magellan with a blow to the back of the head severing it from his body, not with a rattan but with a kampilan sword.

The Filipinos were intrigued by the efficiency of the dagger and sword method, it is said that it was a combination of portuguese , Italian scrimia methods and Spanishtechniques that the Filipinos incorporated as the bulk of what later would become the Escrima that we know of today.

Incidentally just in the last 10 years or more ancient Italian books on their art scrimia dating back to the early 15th century were translated into English, it is strikingly similar to the later art we now know as Filipino Escrima. Evidence that the European Martial arts were in full force and influential in helping to forge modernised FMA.

This book is the authority on Filipino Martial Arts
This book contains great information on the history of Kali (arnis, escrima, etc) as well as the basic concepts and drills that are taught by Dan Inosanto. None would argue that Danny Inosanto is one of the leading authorities on Filipino martial arts and his book demonstrates his depth of knowledge. It is complete with pictures and diagrams, making a lot of the information relatively easy to learn. Learning any type of movement from a book is difficult, but this book does a pretty good job of making the information clear. If you can find a pretty inexpensive copy (under $30.00) grab it! It's a collectors item as well as a great martial arts reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

No politics, just a review...
I'll preface this by saying I don't know ANYTHING about the politics behind Mr. Wiley and Mr. Cabales... I'll just stick to reviewing the book, thank you.

This book attempts to be an brief overview on the basic history, concepts, and techniques of Cabales Serrada Escrima.Without knowing anything about Escrima as a whole, I'd say that it looked good to me.

The first two chapters are on the overall history of escrima and the specific developement of CSE, suggesting that the system may have it's roots in India and noting that Spanish sword-and-dagger techniques had a significant influence on the overall style.The third chapter very briefly covers superstitions/ spiritual beliefs prevalent in the Phillipines and their relavence to CSE, though I'm sure entire volumes could be written on that subject.The fourth chapter, "Psychological Attributes", has a few paragraphs on awareness, motivation, imagery, and emotional control; while dealing specifically with escrima, I'm sure that they'd be useful to any martial artist.The following chapter covers some pretty intangible concepts, such as "innovation is your best teacher" and "mastery requires dedication", and seeks to bring together both the artistic and scientific qualities of escrima.Like the preceeding chapters, I just don't feel like this one was long enough.

Chapter Six starts into the physical aspects of Escrima, covering the arsenal (both anatomical weapons and the blunt and edged weapons).Mr. Wiley explains that the system uses a slightly shorter stick than some other escrima systems, and that the anatomical weapons and movements should mirror the armed weapons and their tactics.Chapter Seven covers the foundation of the system, as far as movements and posturing.In this chapter, there is the usual mix of stance and salutation presented, but also footwork, fundamental distance concepts, basic ways of striking, and the use of the "alive" (non-weapon) hand.

Starting with Chapter Eight, we are presented with the twelve basic attack angles (mostly with a single-stick, but also with stick-and-dagger), basic defenses against strikes along those angles, unarmed defenses (basic blocks, jointlocks, and "bodylocks" or takedowns), and disarms vs. the single-stick.

My complaints?Not many.It's clearly a book simply on basics (one block for one angle, one disarm per angle, no empty-hand strikes illustrated), and I was disappointed there wasn't more to it.And far be it from me to criticise something I'm not particularly learned at, but we're not actually getting twelve "angles" here, as some of the attacks presented follow the same "flight paths" of others, or are simply stick-dagger combination strikes.The fact that the possition of the wrist in some of the strikes looks weak lends some credence to the suggestion that the author isn't an athority in the CSE system, but again, what do I know?And as I said, I don't think there was enough substance to the cultural, philosophical, and mental chapters to really do any system justice

Overall, though, I'd say the book serves as a good intro to escrima and basic stickfighting.The pictures are clear and the writting, while not very detailed or in-depth, is understandible and easy to get through.I'm glad I spent money on it.

I'M LOST W/ THE CABALES STORIES.
Hello everyone. I hope this message gets to the write person. I was taking escrima serrada in San Francisco from IESA. They have since broke into two factions. I just don't know what the deal is since I've been gone so long. I was in New Jersey and stumbled on one of his books and all my memories of studying came back to me and I long to complete my training in escrima. Does anyone know of anyone teaching in NJ/NYC area? I do go back to the bay area once in awhile and if i must continue training there then I will start again. I am also looking for a master to train with in the Philippines if you know of anyone. Thanks very much for reading!

glad I didn't buy it
Unfortunately the book can only be as good as the practitioner and this one is not that good.He underestimates his readers by simplifying the concepts and techniques of his art, generalizing cultural and spiritual aspects.(BTW, he doesn't really do any better in Filipino Martial Culture.)The stories that he relays about the lineage are haphazzard.He picks and chooses which legends/stories he wishes to believe and uses that argument to counter other stories to the point where he essentially calls Dizon's boyhood training partner a liar.This is just bad research and bad oral history.He is not arrogant enough to say "this is my training experience" outright, but he serves the injustice of claiming this is real "research," when it seems he's only stepped as far as his back door.He may be an instructor, but it doesn't mean he understands his art to its very depths.

Mark Wiley's first version book on Cabales Serrada Eskrima
Mark Wiley is to be congratulated/encouraged for at least writing about this art of which there wasn't much info around. Mark does make some mistakes when he shows the basic counter routines, specially with the check hand sequence. In some photos every position is incorrect. The story about Guro Cabales and his anecdotes also is not really correct. Yet, I will keep the book as an important source of some information and a promising presentation. The next version is supposed to be out in coming months. Initially, in order to prepare for this story, Mark should have spent some time training in Stockton with Serrada's top Guros. He did not allow them to contribute to the book. This next version "Secrets of Cabales Serrada Eskrima" is supposed to ammend all mistakes.

Not a good martial arts book!
This book is not worth wasting your money on.The techniques that are represented look OK to the untrained eye, but if you examine them closely, you will notice many mistakes.The techniques are sparse, one per angle.They are also demonstrated with poor posture and attack.To the novice,this book may appear to represent the art of Cabales Serrada Escrima, butit does not.More than half of the book is unrelated to the system ofSerrada. This book does nothing to show the effectiveness of CabalesSerrada Escrima. ... Read more

Book Description
Filipino Combat Systems chronicles the creation, evolution and core concepts of one of the fastest growing martial arts in the world. It overcomes the shortcomings inherent in martial art instruction manuals by focusing not on technique, but on the strategy and philosophy of movement behind the technique. Written by a first generation student under the authority and supervision of the system's Founder and Grand Master, this work is an excellent introduction to the system. FCS is one of the most practical combat oriented martial systems in existence, bridging the gap between the ancient fighting arts and the modern world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Do not buy if you hope to learn
It has concepts yes but other than that it doesnt have much.

It is not a book for those looking to learn the art.

It does not contain flows or drills.

missed potential
When I ordred this book, I expected lot more after seeing the contents in the preview. First of all, I do not like Ray Dionaldo being signed as a co-author...I mean being interviewed in the book does not exactly make one an author, even if the book is on the system he has created.
Now, the principles and concepts featured are very well chosen nad valuable, but the presentation could have been much better. I mean, the "fortune cookie" type advice gets kinda irritating after a while, no matter the "wisdom" it caries.
Finally, with all due respect to author's background in karate, and its influence on is understanding and interpretation of FMA, there could have been less stuff directly referring to karate/bushido/zen...as in essence it has very little to do with FMA. After all, that is why Mr. Cody has authored another book on that subject.
Also, I have no ide whatsoever why have some reviewers described the book as "ultimate" knife fighting resource, as it is clearly not. For that, go to Rey Galang's "Masters of the Blade", or several other books, for that matter.
On the good side, the book does have a sort of familiar atmosphere to it, which is very nice, and I liked the dictionary section quite a bit, and it is technically very well done.
The bottom line is, it is not a bad book, but if your interest is FMA in particular, you should look elsewhere, as this one should not be on your priority list, though it makes an interesting read in certain points.

Finally Somethiing New in the Martial Arts
It was a late friday night when I picked this book up off the front porch. All I wanted was a hot shower and to go to bed. That didn't happen because I started browsing through this book. Before I knew it, it was much later and I was still going over the photos sequences. This is the freshest breath of air I have had in the martial arts in a long time! From the author's dedication to the closing pages it is the passionate writing of a man who understands what warriorship is all about. It is a terrfic blending of spirituality, mentality, and technique. The photo sequences are sufficient to explain the technique and show a great awareness of line, spacing, energy, and groundedness. I could not find any glaring errors in movement or openings anywhere in the techniques. Most of the books today written by so-called experts are filled with bad techniques, rehashed from one volume to the next. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It is absolutely tops on my list of over 50 books on the topic. I want to thank the author and his instructor for producing this book.

An Excellent Introduction to the Core Concepts of the Tribal Arts of the Filipino Combat Systems
Filipino Combat Systems (FCS) by Mark Edward Cody begins with a preface written by Guro Ray Dionaldo where he describes FCS as a "Tribal Art" as opposed to a martial art or martial science.He explains that "tribal arts" have the mindset that they are training family members, and lack the political hierarchy found in more traditional "martial arts".

The core text of Filipino Combat Systems offers a great deal of information for warriors, written by someone who obviously as a true warrior's mindset.The book begins with a description of the birth, history and origins of the Filipino Combat Systems.

Several core concepts of the Filipino Combat Systems and basic martial concepts are demonstrated.This includes flowing drills, quadrants, and combat distances, and much more.We are also introduced to weapons, including single and double sticks, the karambit, the kris, and the modern expandable baton.

We are also presented with a review of Musashi's strategies from the `Book of Five Rings'.We are also presented with the author's idea of the basics of self-defense, discussing awareness and preparedness, including:

> Be aware of all avenues of escape, cover and concealment
> Look for potential improvised weapons within your environment
> Attempt to stay informed about criminal activity and other dangers in your area.
> Be aware of defensive options and the pros and cons of each:
* Firearms
* Other weapons: Tear gas, knives, impact weapons, and stun guns
* Martial arts training... and more
> Take security measures to make yourself more difficult to victimize.

And perhaps most importantly:
>Be aware that your safety is YOUR responsibility.Do not depend on others to protect you.

Filipino Combat Systems is very well illustrated with numerous photographs and contains well-written, informative text offering insight for those who follow the way of the warrior.

Highly recommended!

This book sucks!
I made the mistake in buying this book. I thought it was about Filipino Martial Arts....it's about how a supposedly avid practitioner of the FMA keeps refering to Japanese and Indonesian arts trying to lump everything and anything under FMA.It's really sad because these so called 10th degree grandmasters let these guys crap all over Filipino Martial Arts and get away with it.It's not Japanese or Indonesian..it's Filipino....The author wrote a book with nothing but his own opinion...he probably never been to the Philippines.
Sorry but Sarongs and Kerambits are not Filipino...Guys need a reality check.Stop bastardizing the art!I'm sorry I bought this book and I'm sad that this is how some Filipinos are teaching the art just to make everybody happy and to fatten their wallets! ... Read more

Book Description
Follow the path of the Filipino knife fighter and the blinding blur of the deadly balisong in motion--its whirlwind lethality--can be yours. Three experts, having combined their knowledge of the balisong, martial arts and self-defense, show you the basics of techniques perfected in the Philippines over the course of 400: concealing, drawing, flipping and gripping the balisong; checking and rolling; and the four main phases of training. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good book for someone starting out
This book is an interesting overview of basic balisong topics.I wasn't quite a beginner when I purchased this, so much of it was useless, but for someone just starting out, this book will get you started very quickly.It covers all the basics and it's filled with pictures that are easy to follow.If you already handle a balisong fairly well and want to expand your skills, you're better off using the internet to find online resources for techniques that are more advanced.Overall a good book.

Bali-Manual
This was a pretty informative, well written book. It lacked a little depth, but that wasn't a problem seeing as how I was up and using the balisong in no time.

Interesting concepts. . .
This was an interesting book.It would, however, be easy for a novice to misunderstand a few concepts, as they are not always presented clearly.For example, in the section on traditional slashing methods, it seemed as if the author was advocating a 19 step kata to be followed precisely when confronting an adversary.I doubt very much if this was the author's intent.Indeed, a 19 step kata -- with several plates illustrated with a series of numbered arrows (then later backed up with B&W photos) is provided, along with instructions to memorize the moves as shown.This is wrong.It is important to repeatedly practice certain movements to integrate them into one's "muscle memory"; and it is advisable that all multi-step moves be performed in a flowing and circular manner; but I feel that the author meant to convey that, while the kata should be practiced, only select portions of it are meant to be used during a given confrontation, as all scenarios are different (i.e., a flowing 3-step movement, rather than the entire kata).

Other concepts were presented that I have not seen elsewhere.The use of balisong as a fistload is nothing new, nor is the use of the tang to crush pressure points.Snapping the tang -- like a sap -- is also familiar to FMA enthusiasts.However, using the partially opened balisong -- both as an extended fistload and a hinged sap -- is something I've never seen before.Of course, such moves are unique to balisong and cannot be applied to other knives.

Another interesting topic was that of compelling an opponent to "yield."One technique finished by brushing the opponent's arm wth the flat of the blade, rather than cutting him, as a "warning."Another finished with the blade lightly resting on the opponent's throat.However, this is not the Phillipines, and a "Master" who spares an opponent is not likely to receive a humble apology from a bested former aggressor.Crackheads and wannabe Gs have no concept of honor or chivalry, and would blindside you the moment you turned your back to walk away.Sad, but true.

This was a good book, with unique concepts and sound advice.One of the few things I took issue with was the recommendation that one utilize an "aerial" opening technique versus an opponent!!!That is known as "show boating" and I wouldn't even try that against someone who was both drunk AND retarded.If your EDC knife is a balisong, this would be a good book to have.If you carry something else (as most of us do), the section on slashing techniques is worthy of study.

Average brief overview to knife fighting
I don't claim to be a master knife fighter, but I have found most of the information in this book elsewhere on the Internet and available for free.There were some parts that I found new and interesting.For example the chapters on rolling and closed knife techniques.

But, everything thing in this book is still just an overview.The chapters are very short and don't go into much depth.They just give you a few pictures to work with.I was hoping to see detailed step by step manuevers for foot work and perhaps a detailed map of the body labelling pressure points.

The book was not what I expected.Try google before you commit to buying a book.

Sonny Umpad - a creative master in Filipino martial arts
Sonny Umpad is an innovative master of Filipino martial arts, creator of the Visayan Corto Cadena system.I've had the privilege of knowing him for many years, and I've watched many skilled practitioners of other systems come to him for advanced training.This book is an introduction to one aspect of his system, co-written by Sid Campbell, another martial art master, and Gary Cagaanan, one of Sonny's long-time students.Anyone with an interest in Filipino martial arts should really have this in their library. ... Read more

Product Description
The Filipino Fighting Whip reflects the 1,500-year-old legacy of the Filipino martial arts updated for todays realities. The technical foundation for the techniques in the book come primarily from two Filipino systemsInosanto-LaCoste Kali taught by Guro Dan Inosanto and the Corto method of Doce Pares eskrima taught by Grandmaster Cacoy Canetebut also incorporates Western and Australian influences. This book is a comprehensive guide for advanced training methods and combat applications as practiced and taught by the best fighters and whip practitioners in the world, including Inosanto, Canete, Snookie Sanchez, Anthony DeLongis and the author, Tom Meadows, among others. These methods offer a hands-on, no-nonsense approach to progressively training in combative whip techniques. This important addition to martial arts literature features chapters on the evolution of whips and their fighting techniques; the various types of whips, including the Western bullwhip, the Doce Pares rope whip and custom self-defense whips made by Peter Jack and Joe Strain; manipulation skills and range-control techniques; self-defense theories and sparring drills; cracking and slashing with the whip; safe handling techniques; and construction, care, maintenance and repair of whips. The Filipino fighting arts are known for their versatility, graceful movements and effectiveness, and this is especially true of the whip arts. Let Tom Meadows show you how to safely, enjoyably and easily incorporate the whip into your fighting arsenal. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, softcover, photos, 216 pp.Tom Meadows began his study of the whip in 1957 when he was 5 years old. In 1962, he began his formal training in the martial arts with the study of archery and Kodokan judo in Tokyo. In 1987, he began his training in the Filipino martial arts under Guro Dan Inosanto. Currently he holds instructorships under Guro Inosanto in the Filipino martial arts and the Jun Fan martial arts of Bruce Lee. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good tool for Martial Artists interested in whip cracking.
First of all, let me preface this by saying I do not consider myself a martial artist.I have done theatrical and recreational swordplay and combat, and have some background in Tai Chi and Kendo, but nothing serious.I can look good taking a fake punch and know one end of a sword and knife from the other, but in a real fight.I'm useless.

I have, however been training with professional instructor, Gery Deer in the art of bullwhip for competition, sport and performance for almost two years now.The performance style Gery teaches is in the style of Alex Green, (legendary Hollywood stunt person and whip master on Mask of Zorro and whip coach on "Catwoman" with Halle Berry,) and is quite different than that of Anthony DeLongis, the martial artist and performer who has worked extensively with the author, Tom Meadows, and is mentioned often in the book.

That said, I found the book to be a great wealth of knowledge on physics, history, and martial application of the bullwhip, as well as an in-depth study of the Eastern approach to bullwhip skills, (as opposed to the western style of Australia, Europe and the Old West.)It's a fascinating read and I found exactly what I was looking for in it, (the flow of Chi through the whip, and the meditative kata approach the author attributes to Master Ron Kew.)I plan on applying some of the escrima techniques and drills Meadows applys to the whip in my own practice.

Bear in mind, this is NOT a beginners guide to whip cracking, and I think the only reason I followed many of Meadows' descriptions is my already strong familiarity with the flow of a good whip, (I own whips by two of the makers mentioned in his book.)I am not blaming Mr. Meadows for this shortcoming, since as I mentioned, i am no martial artist, and have only a smattering of experience with Escrima or the kali arts his techniques are based upon.He is writing this book as a martial artist for other martial artists.

I feel that individuals experienced in the Kali and Arnis techniques mentioned will benefit greatly from this text, and learn to love the flow of the whip as much as I have.

But if you're not a martial artist and are just getting started, I highly recommend Andrew Conway's "The Bullwhip Book," (also available on Amazon,) as a good way to get started.Then, when you've mastered the techniques described in Conway's book, and want to take your skills to another level, or explore new styles and applications, then this is a very good read! ... Read more