GM Vincent Cabales Interview

GM Vincent Cabales Interview

Cabales Serrada Escrima

GM Vincent Cabales Sr. Accepts Father's Award at Banquet of the Masters by Matedor KaliEscrima

Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr. Accepts Father's Award At "BANQUET OF THE MASTERS" by Matedor KaliEscrima

Back in 1993, in Northern California, SGM D co-sponsored & hosted a very historical event featuring many legendary Professor's, Grandmaster's, Master's, and other top notch celebrities. Receiving a very special award from SGM D, on behalf of his legendary Father SGM Angel Cabales, is Grandmaster Vincent Cabales

Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr. At The "BANQUET OF THE MASTERS" 1993 by Matedor KaliEscrima

Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr. At The "BANQUET OF THE MASTERS" 1993

by Matedor KaliEscrima

Around two & a half years after the legendary 'Stick/Knife Fighter' SGM Angel O. Cabales' death; SGM D, presented a very special & unique 'Honorary Grandmaster's Martial Arts Awards Seminar Ceremony' headlined as the "BANQUET OF THE MASTERS". One of the very special guest stars present at the seminar/awards ceremony was the eldest son of SGM Angel O. Cabales, Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr..

Other top notch distinguished Professor's & Great Grandmaster's awarded at the ceremonial awards production were, Grand Professor Wally Jay, Great Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio & son Richard Tenio, Grand Professor Bill Chun Sr. & son, Grand Professor Bill Chun Jr., Grand Professor Leo T. Fong, Grandmaster Ron Marchini, Master, Grandmaster Muntu Buchongo, Grand Professor's Emelio Bautista Sr. & son Joseph Bautista, Grandmaster Ron Van Donk, Guru Jeff "Stickman" Finder, and many more others.

ESKABO DAAN/Presents GM Robert Castro Honed in Serrada Escrima/Lock & Block by Matedor KaliEscrima

ESKABO DAAN/ Presents GM Robert Castro Honed in Serrada Escrima/ Lock & Block by Matedor KaliEscrima Back around the year 2000, prior to flying into Berlin, Germany, SGM D, conducted a special 'D/C Serrada System of Escrima' seminar at the San Francisco, California, home/dojo location of Grandmaster Guru Rob Castro. This was just one pre seminar stop-over out of many that SGM D, conducted before his international departure.  Today Many of GM Castro's students have gone on to become recognized FMA Instructor's in their own rights. The blessings, gifts & ancient techniques of the 'Cabales Serrada System of Escrima were first bequeathed over to the legendary Great Grandmaster Guru Angel O. Cabales by way of his Guru/ teacher Felicisimo Dizon in the Philippines, then from GGM Angel Cabales to his many hundreds of graduate students, then from his students, to their students. In this way, the ancient fighting system has been preserved from one generation to the next possibly for many hundreds of years.  This art was kept secret by GGM Angel Cabales, until he opened up the very first public Escrima school in Stockton, California, in 1966. Many students came through Cabales' academy doors such as, Professor Leo T. Fong, Guro Dan Inosanto, GM Richard Bustillo, GM Ted Lucaylucay, GM Graciela Casillas, GM Darren Tibon, Master David Mau, Prof. Sultan Uddin, GM Ron Saturno, GM Wade Williams, SGM Anthony Davis, Master Guru Jeff, Dr. Mark V. Wiley, Jeff Finder, and scores of others.

Ground Zero by GM Ron Saturno

I grabbed a 'short' Serrada stick last night to work out with. I was visiting the old Harding Way School where Angel Cabales started Filipino Martial arts on the mainland in 1968. There is 'a lot' of history in that building.

So many famous people have gone through the doors of the Harding Way School that I can only hope that it is never torn down for 'any' reason. If it should ever come up for demolition, it should be lovingly taken apart brick by brick and moved to another ...location and reassembled.

I couldn't help it when I was walking around to 'not' feel the energy of the place. Just a few blocks from the Cabales Serrada School Angel Cabales himself rests in a nearby cemetery. History. I was asked yesterday to sit down in the old school and speak about Serrada Escrima, Angel Cabales and the history of Filipino Martial Arts in Stockton, Ca. Stockton, Ca., is the epicenter, the very ground zero of Filipino Martial Arts in the United States.

The school on Harding way is sacred ground. It is 'the' very center of the epicenter. Serrada Escrima and Angel Cabales cannot be separated from this truth.

When someone asks you how it felt to have been trained by a legend? It's very hard to answer such a question easily. How can you describe your Master's gifted poetry in motion with his weapon? How can you abley describe in words the many fabulous skills of a renowned Master Martial Artist? How can you tell someone how lucky you truly feel to have been trained by such a man? How can you thank him in words and deeds long after his passing? I owe the man 'is all' that I can truly say and that I do try to push his art in any way that I can. I was placed into a corner last night to display my art on video.

I showed several basic moves last night, with another whole new generation of students standing and sitting nearby watching. I can only hope that in someway I inspired this new generation of students to continue learning the art of Serrada Escrima. It felt good to be back at the ground zero location where it all began.

When Angel Cabales started teaching Escrima at the Harding Way location, there were four Masters that soon started training there as well along with him. Max Sarmiento, Angel Cabales, Gilbert Tenio and Leo Giron were all at one time under the same roof. All of these men later went on to each become very famous in their own right and deservedly so. To be showing off my Escrima at such a rarified location made me have goose bumps.

To think that so many famous men and women came through the Harding Way location truly humbled me. Richard Bustillo, Dan Inosanto, Dentoy Revillar, Rene latosa, Mike Inay, Graciela Casillas, Jimmy Tacosa, to name just a few of the many. It felt good to be back at ground zero last night. It was a blast.

2nd Annual Manong Memorial in Stockton

This was the 2nd Annual FMA Ground Zero Memorial Event in Stockton, CA. Last year, we gathered together to remember the Big 3 Pioneers of Eskrima - Angel Cabales, Gilbert Tenio & Leo Giron

A Happy Marriage by GM Ron Saturno

"Master Saturno: When do you feel that you're doing your most effective training?", he asked. 'He' is a guy standing next to me at a recent seminar that seemed to have a knack for asking the right questions. I quickly replied to him, "When I perform the solemn duty of a priest". "When I can marry my art with a mans Reptilian Half...then I will have done my job", I then said. "My job is to bring the two of them into holy wedded matrimony", I then said. A man learns best when he is challenged and in a nurturing environment. He learns quite well when his learning process is done in a story. All kinds of brain chemicals get released when a man is 'stimulated' in the process of his learning. Some of those chemicals get us euphoric: They get us high. This is why we love our Senseis. He's kept us high. We love, respect and appreciate him very much for this. It's a good high. Its legal and healthy to get high with our martial arts. We're hooked many times on brain chemicals that mimic morphine. You've never wondered why you find it so stimulating to attend class? Those hard fought Kumite, Rendori, Stick Sparring and rough play workouts in class have made many a martial artist an addict. Black Belt? You're a drug addict. I'm a dopamine addict my damn self. We in the martial arts are addicted to the rush of fast feet, fast hands, fast weapons, challenges and extreme focus. Throwing the dice and taking chances is also an important part of most mens very makeup. Dodging hands, feet, sticks and knives is another form of gambling. You are betting that you can hit them, before they can hit you. Martial Arts 'can' provide a stable, sure and meaningful way for us to enjoy our many vices. We like to gamble, we like or drugs, we like like to hang out with our Reptilian selves: Martial artists are Biker's in GI's! OK! I've gone too far....but, martial arts 'are' best done by a man in his reptile costume and practicing the dirtier version of his respective art. There I've said it. Martial does imply the military. The military doesn't train their G.I's to cuddle, "They train them to put you in a bloody puddle." The mental focus, time-in and dedication that it takes us to achieve competence in the martial arts is enormous. But if the man or woman who has achieved martial arts competence hasn't 'yet' gotten married to their Reptilian Half: They are still 'not' fully functioning martial artists. In order for us to survive under the very worst of conditions, we can't survive for very long alone. We 'need' a partner. We 'need' to have a 'mate' that will have our back: We need to get married and quickly, when we find ourselves in dire circumstances. We will 'need' to quickly marry our reptilian half. I cannot deny the fact that even when I teach the basics I am desensitizing my students about hitting another human being. Me personally? I don't give much of a shit any more about hitting another human being, other than if I can hit someone under extreme pressure and duress. My playing now days is mostly cerebral, but I do love my martial arts in its many forms. Now days my focus is primarily upon teaching a student to prevent a fight. My secondary focus is to teach them how to quickly recognize a threat that could lead to a fight. My least focus is upon teaching fighting. After a while of training with me I teach through story. Activating the 'mind' of a student is a sheer joy. I teach students how to gamble. I help them become drug addicted. I get them married. I keep them away from home and send them home bruised and tired, I guess that I am a bad man, but they wouldn't have it any other way