My Experience in Cabales Serrada Escrima by Charles Rutherford

My Experience in Cabales Serrada Escrima
I had an interesting exposure to Cabales Serrada Escrima and to Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr.  My first experience in the wonderful world of Martial Arts is from an after school Karate group. I spent about 8 months in the course and I was 8 years old. The instructor of the group would pair the new students with the senior students, a few times I was able to take the senior student down using my size (I am a big guy). So I got discouraged thinking if I, as a new student could take a senior student down what kind of class is this? So I left the school. My mom then signed me up for Tai Kwon Do at the Stockton Civic Center.  Again 3 months into the class I was able to man handle some of the students, I got discouraged and quit.
I had quit the world of martial arts for about a year. My dad asked me if I was still interested in martial arts and I told him yes. So on a visit with him (my dad was in prison) he wanted to introduce me to his cell mate’s brother. It just so happened that on that day I was visiting my dad his cell mate also had a visit. My dad introduced me to his cell mate John Cabales and John Cabales introduced me to his brother Grandmaster Vincent Cabales Sr. when my mom met Grandmaster Vincent Cabales she recognized him from work, they both work for San Joaquin County. Grandmaster Cabales invited my mom to take me to his academy that next Monday.
On that next Monday my mom asked me if I wanted to go to Grandmaster Cabales academy to see if I wanted to do martial arts with him. When we got to the class I saw students working out with sticks which I thought was cool, in no other art had I seen weapons used. Grandmaster Cabales met us at the door and invited me in, he introduced me to some of the senior students Guru Dennis Serveas and Guru John Thomason. Grandmaster Cabales had the two senior students put on a demonstration for me starting with the sticks, then the knives, then empty hand, and grappling. I loved what I was seeing, but was still cautious from the other schools and cocky as hell. I told Grandmaster Cabales “I bet you can’t take me down”. Grandmaster Cabales laughed and then I hit the ground twice and I have been a student since.
Just like every student who trains with Grandmaster Cabales I started by learning the 12 strikes and the outside block on strike 1. I have been training with Grandmaster Cabales for about 15 years now and have loved it. I am currently working on obtaining my Masters Degree from Grandmaster Cabales. I achieved my Advanced Degree in 2009. Grandmaster Vincent Cabales has not only been my Martial arts instructor, but more of a father figure to me. My dad was in prison my whole life, I had contact with him and a good relationship, but when my Father passed away Grandmaster Cabales stepped up and helped raise me. He is a big part of my family.
Grandmaster Cabales is an amazing teacher. He preaches;  practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. He will not move you up a number or teach you new counters until you completely understand the ones he taught you. It has been an amazing and great experience growing up in the academy. I plan to keep working with Grandmaster Cabales on growing his art. It is an amazing experience to work with him to expand his art all around the world.
In Cabales Serrada Escrima the student starts off learning the 12 strikes and starts on strike 1 the outside block. They progress learning more counters such as the roof block, inside block, cross block, ect.  After learning around 12-13 counters for strike one you will be tested on your counters then you will be moved up to strike 2 you will learn around the same amount of counters then move to strike 3 so on and so on. As you learn the higher strikes they affect your lower ones, by the time you hit strike 12 the student should know anywhere from 20-30 counters for strike one, as well as should have started the drills: 3 step, lock and block, and flow sparing and adding the aspect of picking. The drills, more knife, empty hand, and take downs are covered to the intermediate student.
After a student spends about a year or so in intermediate training they can go into Advanced Training if they choose to. Advanced training is done directly with Grandmaster Vincent Cabales; most of my advanced training was done in the office of the boiler room at the county hospital. Advanced training covers advanced concepts of the stick, knife, espada y daga, empty hand, grappling, and teaching. It is a very intensive and informative training. Upon completing Advanced training and obtaining your degree you can move into masters training.
When I started Masters Training I worked out with Grandmaster Vincent Cabales for an hour and felt like I didn’t know anything in the system, I was starting over. I started back on strike one, outside block. Masters training is learning how to reverse the counters you were taught. These counters are to give you the advantage and finish. I have learned so far about 6 counters for all the counters from strike 1 – 4 so far. Once I complete all the counters for all 12 strikes I start will start over and learn the counters to the counters, so forth and so on for about 5 times. Then I will start knife and empty hand counters, eventually you will learn counters to everything you have been taught then counters to those about 5 times over.
Cabales Serrada Escrima is not only a lifestyle for me, it has become part of my life. I have loved being a student of Grandmaster Vincent Cabales and am looking forward to learning more and more in the art. 

A special Gift....another great story from Ron Saturno

When someone has a 'special gift' they will be envied and envie will 'eventually' turn into hatred. Fitting 'into' a group has survival value. Being a member of a group was the primary way that man has survived many a moonless night. We have all but forgotten about a not too distant time, that men's hearts sank with the sun as it slowly disappeared over the horizon.
Fear of the dark today is 'downplayed' as just a primordial vestige of our past: Fear of the dark is something that only children should worry about. Modern lighting has supposedly conquered the darkness of night. When men found themselves at the mercy of darkness, they have looked up into the sky since our very beginnings and have found comfort in the sister of the sun
. The moon could be found high up in the night sky on certain nights, offering hope and comfort until the slowly returning morning. The moon is a pale sister of her brother the sun: she is mysterious and unfathomable. We can gaze upon her in the night, unlike her brother in the day. She is 'The Mother' of the night and has comforted man since time immemorial. She 'holds back' the night until her brother rises up and over the horizon. It is not strange to me that many of the Filipino blades of old were finished being made during the nights of full moons.
Man still wants a connection with his mysterious side, the side that is little understood. The side that may offer us advantages, special knowledge and powers. There is 'still' something within us that has us calling out to the moon for aid and comfort during times of darkness. Few men can look up into the night sky and 'not' be mesmerized by the mystery and majesty of the moon. Steel is considered male in nature. The moon is considered female in nature. A good blade has to be soft and yielding in its center like a woman and strong and resilient on the outside like a male. If a blade is 'too' male than it will be brittle and may snap. If a blade is 'too' female then it will be 'too' soft and yielding and may bend easily and also won't easily take an edge and won't be able to remain sharp. We need balance in all things, even in our blades.
There were prayers that some of the old master Filipino blade makers would chant that offered homage to the male and the female aspects of their blade while they were being made. Female urine was used in the process of making a blade in the old days to signify the female aspect of the blade. Dried plants that were considered female in nature were cast into the fire as well. The temperatures of the blades when they were being made were decided by the blades 'color' and all of the colors had proper names. Many of the old masters would seldom let 'anyone' actually see 'their' blade making process.
In some cases an Escrima Master would help 'his own' students learn the process of blade making and the student would eventually make his 'own blade'. The blade that the student made for himself was to be handled 'only by him'. Nobody else was ever allowed to touch it. He was expected to become one and the same with 'his blade'.
All of his Escrima practice was done with his own blade. Practicing 'only' with his own blade was believed to put the 'energy' of the man with the 'energy' of the blade: They both would eventually become one. A practice stick should be the same weight as his blade.
My Dad and I were driving to Tahoe City, Nevada when he explained some of the blade making process of his Uncle. It was 'all' that he remembered. My Dad was working in the Nevada Lodge in North Shore Lake Tahoe and I was driving him back to Nevada from Stockton, Ca. My Dad was about nine years old when he watched his Uncle make some of his blades. This was around 1912. Blade making was how his Uncle made 'some' of his living. He also grew, picked and dried herbs for sale, did some massage and grew crops to sell. It was an existence. There were times that my Dad was 'not' allowed to see parts of the blade making process. My Dad was basically 'allowed' to hand things to his Uncle.
The men who purchased his Uncles blades came and remained for a few days, before they left to return home. The men who purchased the blades were 'united' with the blade that was made for them. The arcane rituals that were used to 'unite' the blade and the men would be 'extremely' interesting to know.
I would love to reintroduce the process of students making their 'own blade'. A student would be 'making' a lifetime friend that would always be there in good times and in bad times. I love many of the old ways. A lot of the things that we now have to do and are now expected to believe in is bullshit. We now live carefully scripted lives that are determined by accountants, actuary tables, Madison Ave., promoters and politicians working at the beck and call of the Super Rich. I find comfort in the Old Ways. I just let others buy into the modern myth that we really do live safer and better lives. I pray for the day that 'all' students in FMA will start making their 'own blades'. I believe that this would help us remain in contact with ourselves.
I have no ill feelings about store bought blades. But a well made blade could be passed from father to son and in this way unite families in ways that are now being lost. A blade would have stories and history. This would also help us pass down our knowledge by teaching the art of FMA to following generations.
A small child would be surrounded by important family history when he walked into an area which has bladed family heirlooms. My thoughts anyway.

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

Atillo Balintawak - Saavedra Eskrima Successors; My Observations and Comments

      This essay is a re-posting that was originally published in the FMA Informative #108 that was released on Saturday, January 25, 2014.  I have added the revised and updated linear charts for Professor Remy Amador Presas and myself .  I understand that there will be some people who object to my charts, but I challenge them to do their own research, cite sources and show us where we are in error.  Until they can document their objections there is nothing that they can say that has any merit or that anyone should consider as being relevant.

Jerome Barber, Ed. D.
___________________________

Atillo Balintawak - Saavedra Eskrima Successors; My Observations and Comments

                On July 10, 2013, GM Crispulo Atillo posted a notice on his FB site announcing his official listing of the Atillo Balintawak Eskrima, Masters, Disciples and Successors-Disciples.  That notice was duly reported in the FMA informative, Volume 12, Number 8, on page 17.  I’m not going to repost the notice here but I would like to comment on several things related to the notice because in my opinion GM Atillo did a very smart thing publicly naming those people who he wants to see carry on the Atillo Balintawak –Saavedra Eskrima tradition in the future after he passes on. 

Historically there is usually a very large, nasty and ugly intra-system fight among the top students after a GM has passed away.  Sometimes the fights have included family members battling amongst themselves and with some non-family members of the organization.  Everyone will claim that they are the best qualified people to take over the leadership responsibilities of the system while their opponents are phonies and under-qualified status seekers.   These fights are never pretty, they drag on for many years and splinter groups are formed with each claiming to be the only true lineage of the art.  I watched from the sidelines as this very thing happened in Modern Arnis after the illness and passing of the late Professor Remy Presas.  The bickering was very disturbing to watch and worse yet was the fact that I knew some of the people participating in the fight.  I refused to get involved or support any of the participants. 

GM Atillo’s listing of Masters, Disciples and Successor-Disciples is a wonderful gift to all of us who have trained with him and learned from him. Those people named on the list are clearly legitimate heirs and the next generation of Atillo-Saavedra Balintawak Eskrima leaders.  He clearly states that the list members are the only legitimate proponents of his system and all others are acting on their own and without his official sanctioned endorsement.  This endorsement is better than being named in a will because it allows everyone who is interested to ask GM Atillo directly why someone was left off the list.  It eliminates the shill argument that the endorsements are misleading or falsely contrived by someone other than the GM.  If only Professor Presas had compiled a similar document and made the listing public prior to falling ill in 2000. 

I want to congratulate everyone named on the GM Atillo’s list.  In addition I also want to especially recognize three (3) people on the list who I know personally, GM Tom Bolden, Master Peter Vargas and Master Douglas Pierre.  All three of these men are personal friends and associates of mine who I have known and trained with for the past 24 years.  Given the fact that these men are being acknowledged by GM Atillo with the highest honor of being listed asSuccessors-Disciples, speaks volumes regarding their martial arts skills, personal dedication and integrity. 

The fact that I am referencing these three men should not be construed as a slam against the other people named to the same position by GM Atillo.  It is simply that I do not know any of the others personally and have not trained with them in the past therefore I can comment on them from my own personal perspective as a martial artists and teacher.

The Successor-Disciple award recognition is doubly impressive to me because of the fact that GM Bolden and Master Vargas is a teacher-student pairing.  This is as far as I can recall in my 35 year career in martial arts the first time that I have seen or heard of a teacher-student pair being promoted at the same time and within the same organization.  I also want to point out that GM Bolden, GM Pierre and Master Vargas, are the only Modern Arnis trained people on GM Atillo’s successor listing.  This is quite significant because most of the so-called Modern Arnis leaders in the post-Remy Presas era that began in 2001 after the passing of the system founder and GM have studiously avoided acknowledging or working with these three men.  These three men have been characterized as minor or marginal players in the Modern Arnis world, in spite of the fact that GM Bolden and GM Pierre were instrumental in building a following for the late Professor Presas in the Mid-Hudson and NYC regions respectively. In fact it was GM Bolden who first brought the art and Professor to the eastern side of NYS and along the Hudson River Valley between Albany and NYC in the mid 1980's. 

The MoTTs (Masters of Tapi-Tapi) and the WMAA (World Modern Arnis Alliance) leaderships were adamant that anyone not associated with their respective groups were not and should not be considered as Modern Arnis Players.  The heads of the aforementioned groups would not recognize the rank certificates issued by Professor Presas and insisted that everyone who joined their organization would have to be re-tested under the new organizational rules and standards.  These same leaders, through their own students/associates were also quite critical of Master Peter Vargas because he had not trained directly with the late Professor.  That standard is very interesting because if one applies it across the board to everyone some of their own students in 2001 and beyond could not be considered authentic Modern Arnis students because those people had never had the opportunity to train under Professor Presas at a seminar or camp.  I have been criticized for bring up the re-testing rule of both the MoTTs and WMAA, but since I spoke with Dr. Randy  Schea, Mr. Jeffery Delaney (MoTTs) and Mr. Timothy Hartman (WMAA) personally and through e-mail exchanges, there is no doubt in my mind about their positions in 2002 on the matter of rank recognition.  Their current associates can decry my statements as loudly and often as they wish, none of those people were part of my conversations with these three men in 2002.  If these organizations have subsequently changed leaders and/or policies that is fine with me and I am not making an argument that nothing has changed since 2002.

There is also the matter a good number of Modern Arnis and Balintawak Eskrima people in the USA are not willing to recognize GM Crispulo Atillo as a senior Balintawak practicitioner whose credentials go back to 1953 when joined the newly formed Balintawak Self Defense Club as a charter member.  The BSDC was founded  in Cebu City, Philippines by Venancio Bacon, Delfin Lopez and Vincente Atillo with Bacon serving as the lead instructor and Atty. Eulalio Causing as club president. (Cebuano Eskrima,  Neprangue & Macachor,  p.167).

   The BSDC was the first group to utilize the word “Balintawak” in its club name wnd the first spin-off from the BSDC was the Balintawak International Self defense Club led by GM Jose Villasin and GM Teofilo Velez in 1957.  GM Crispulo formed the “Ogok Gang” in 1957, which consisted of a number of younger Balintawak stylists from the BSDC and in 1975 GM Atillo founded the Philippine Arnis Confederation.   (Cebuano Eskrima, p. 170).   He later changed the organizational name to the World Balintawak Arnis-Eskrima Association after Marcos era of martial law ended in the Philippines.

 GM Atillo is among the last of the people who knew the Saavedra's, Lorenzo and Doring, personally.  His art is the closest thing that we have to the original Saavedra Eskrima System, which is also known more popularly as "Balintawak Eskrima".  Couple that fact with the reality that Crispulo Atillo assisted his father, GM Vincente Atillo, with teaching the art of Balintawak to a future Balintawak GM Arnulfo Mongcol, who in turn was Professor Remy Presas’ first Balintawak instructor.  This is a significant set of connections because the Saavedras were the instructors of GM Bacon, GM Lopez, GM Timeteo Maranga and GM Vincente Atillo and all four men trained under GM Teodoro “Doring” Saavedra prior to WWII at the Doce Pares Club in Cebu City.  Some of the training sessions took place at the Atillo home and the younger Crispulo Atillo knew all of people mentioned in this paragraph and witnessed their training sessions at his home.  He formally began his eskrima training under his father Vincente Atillo at the age of 14.  He was trained in the Saavedra system of eskrima and credits his father as his instructor.  GM Atillo maintains that there is no real difference between Saavedra Eskrima and Balintawak Eskrima  other than the name used.  After training with GM Bobby Taboada for 4 years in the Toevel’s Balintawak system, plus viewing a number of Balintawak people on YouTube such as Nick Elizar, Bob Silver Tabimina and Henry Jayme, I have to agree with him on this point.  The differences are not significant and they all can easily be identified as Balintawak people.

The Atillo’s taught GM Anfulo  Mongcol, who in turn served as Professor Remy Presas' first Balintawak instructor.  Afterwards, the young Remy Presas was passed along to GM Timeteo Maranga for further training.  GM Maranga was a classmate of GM Vincente Atillo, GM Bacon and GM Delfin Lopez under the Saavedra's.  The network couldn't be any tighter and we must keep in mind that Balintawak forms one (1) aspect of the five (5) arnis methods that are at the root of Modern Arnis.  These five roots as mentioned by Professor Presas in some interviews are Balintawak, figure 8 striking, banda y banda striking, palis-palis method and crossada method.  The latter two methods are espada y daga styles of mid to long range fighting and were taught to Professor by his grandfather, Leon B. Presas, who was Professor’s first arnis/eskrima instructor at the age of 6. 

Based on the information cited above, I will re-write my own lineage chart to reflect the newest information that I have found regarding the roots and lineage of Professor Remy Presas through my immediate Modern Arnis and Kenpo Instructor, Sifu Donald F. Zanghi to myself and beyond to the students who earned their black belts and instructional certifications under me.

GM Tom Bolden, Master Douglas Pierre and Master Peter Vargas have been training with the man who indirectly helped to establish part of the foundation for Modern Arnis.  They have been acknowledged and accepted by GM Crispulo Atillo as highly skilled practitioners of the Atillo-Saavedra connection to Modern Arnis.  I am extremely happy for them and wish each of them even greater success in the future.

Sincerely,

Jerome Barber, Ed. D.,                                                                                                                                     Grand Master, Datu & Principal Teacher                                                                                           Independent Escrima-Kenpo-Arnis Associates  

  

Modern Arnis Lineage Chart of Founder/GM Remy Amador Presas

 Leon B. Presas /                                                                                                                                                Traditional Arnis: Palis-palis, Crossada, Banda y Banda, Figure 8,

                  |

                    |                                  Arnulfo Mongcol – Balintawak Instructor

                    |                                                 |

                    |                                  Timeteo Maranga – Balintawak Master

                    |                                                 |

                    |                                  Venancio Bacon – Balintawak GM

                    |                                                 |                                         

       Remy Amador Presas – Founder, Grand Master, Professor,

           Modern Arnis – International Modern Arnis Federation

Palis-palis, Crossada, Banda y Banda, Figure 8, Flow, Up & Down, Abanico,                                 Rompida, Espada y Daga, Stick & Sword Disarming, Trapping Hands, Redonda, Single/Double/Reverse Sinawali, 12 Zone Striking, 12 Zone Striking Defense

 

Saavedra Eskrima and Balintawak Eskrima Lineage to Modern Arnis

Lorenzo Saavedra – Founder

                |

        Teodoro (Doring) Saavedra – Master Instructor

                |                                   |                                     

Venancio Bacon  -  Timeteo Maranga  -  Vincente Atillo (Balintawak)

                |                                    |                                      |               

                |                                    |                        Crispulo Atillo

                |                                    |               (Saavedra & Balintawak)

               |                                    |                                       |                                                                                         

               |                                    |                        Arnulfo Mongcal

               |                                    |                     Balintawak Instructor

               |                                    |                                      /

Remy Amador Presas – Founder, Grand Master, Professor,

    Modern Arnis – International Modern Arnis Federation

Palis-palis, Crossada, Banda y Banda, Figure 8, Flow, Up & Down,  Abanico, Rompida, Espada y Daga, Stick & Sword Disarming,  Trapping Hands, Redonda, Single/Double/Reverse Sinawali, 12 Zone Striking, 12 Zone Striking Defense

 

Martial Arts Lineage of Dr. Jerome Barber

Modern Arnis Lineage:

            Remy Amador Presas,  Founder & GM -  Modern Arnis                            

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              Donald F. Zanghi       Vincente Sanchez

                       |_______________|

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                     Jerome Barber, Ed. D.                                                                                                    

             GM, Datu & Principal Teacher,  

     Independent Escrima Kenpo Arnis Associates

Kenpo Karate Lineage:

Hoon Chow 

(Hung Gar)         James Mitose

          |                   (Kosho Ryu Kenpo)

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William K. S. Chow (Chinese Kenpo)

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Adriano Emperado (Chinese Kenpo, Eskrima, Kajukenbo)

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Marino Tiwanak                                Edmund Parker, Sr.

(Kajukenbo, CHA-3 Kenpo)     (Chinese Kenpo, American Kenpo)

       |                                                                        |

Florentino Pancipanci                                Al & Jim Tracy

(CHA-3 Kenpo, Pancipanci Eskrima)    (Tracy System of Kenpo)

|                                                                          /                            |

Tom Bolden                           Ernest McPeek              Donald F. Zanghi

(CHA-3 Kenpo)             (Tracy System Kenpo)     (Tracy System Kenpo)

(Pancipanci Eskrima)                            |                         (Modern Arnis)           

(Modern Arnis)                                        |                                  |

           |____________________________|_________________|

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                       Jerome Barber, Ed. D.,

               GM, Datu & Principal Teacher,

      Independent Escrima Kenpo Arnis Associates                                     

__________________|_____________________________

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Tim Kashino - Richard Curren - Tom Verga - Paul R. Martin - Kenneth Q. Boehm

Debra S. Moore - Keith Roosa - James “Buddy” Antonio - Frank Heinan

Kathleen Geiger - Mary Altair - Keri Marotti – Frankie Heinan – Stephanie Heinan

Michael Zelli      (Certified IEKA Black Belt Instructors)

Additional Martial Arts Influences for Dr. Jerome Barber:

Bram Frank, Billy Bryant, Dan Donzella, Bobby Taboada, Abundio Baet,                                                       Eddie Lastra, Ric Jornales, Roberto Torres, John Kovacs, David Battaglia,                                             Ernie Delts, Dan Carr

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Posted By Jerome Barber, Ed. D. to SE Asian Martial Arts at 1/28/2014 04:06:00 PM

Pure Simple Mathematics by GM Ron Saturno

You can't go back faster than a man can come forward. You can't come forward faster than a man can side step out of your path. I was once teaching an algebra class and was playing with the Pythagorean Theorem. The theorem solves passing issues and can accurately determine speeds and distances that weapons will travel and their direction. The center leg of a triangle moves faster than the other leg and the hypotenuse of a triangle. Hence, the safety of side stepping is based on mathematics, pure and simple. This is the proper way to deal with the heavy hitters. Side step them. I am shocked at how many times that I've seen men attempting to defend themselves against a hard hitting man and freeze, or even try to out hit their hard hitting attacker. I do understand that you do have to do something, but trying to out hit a man who hits harder than you may not be the most correct answer. I was watching the teacher of GM Marc Lawrence a few months ago. Marc's former Master really Isn't that large of a man, but he is muscular and hits like a small truck would hit you running through a red light in an intersection. I like Marc's former teacher, he is very serious and dedicated to his art. He had great skills many years ago when I first saw him perform, he is even better now and hits even harder than when I first saw him perform. Damn, it's pretty hard. I wouldn't want to be at the other end of his weapons, should he seriously mean to come after me. What I wouldn't do would be to try and out power hit this hard core power hitter. Out would come the Pythagorean Theorem and proof of my need to side step the power. It's just hard to hit something that just Isn't there to hit. It has surprised me how many times that math has solved my martial problems. The great Escrimadors may not have had any formal training in higher math, but they were great problem solvers who innately used math non-the-less. The great Escrimadors had a self-taught Ph.D in higher mathematics. My art of Serrada Escrima is deeply based upon applied math principles that helps make Serrada Escrima an inherently fast art. Basic Serrada is a great FMA that can make a man capable of defending himself in six months or less. This is fairly fast by most martial arts standards. Perfecting the upper level skill sets of Serrada Escrima takes a life time. We get really large jumps in skill level in the beginning with relatively little effort, but after the first few months elevating your skill level starts to become much harder. It will then take lots of effort to gain small increases in skill level. There is an equation here. Nothing good is cheap or easy. I can only but laugh my ass off at the periodic advertisements that promises (guarentees) you the ability to be able to defeat seasoned street fighters and upper level Black Belts with just $69.95 and a few hours of watching a DVD. In the end my late teacher Angel Cabales didn't really have to do much to kick my ass. He didn't move fast and he didn't hit appreciably hard: But, that didn't stop him from pissing on my Escrima parade on any given day of the week. Manong Angel knew what to do and when to do it. This is priceless. He had little or no wasted effort when he performed. He had near perfect timing. He had five decades of experience. He could perform through his fears and wouldn't hesitate to hit you. Applied math skills...you bet ya'. Knowing what to do and then being able to do it without any glitches is proof of great skill. But, this really wasn't his true forte! More importantly, Angel Cabales knew what to do when things didn't go right. He could quickly change up on real time and still find a way to beat you. Was it arcane math that allowed him to accomplish this? In a word, yes. He may not have been able to explain this via formulas, but after years of studying mine and his art: It was math that allowed him to become and remain a great martial artist. Movement, power, distances, time, leverage, etc., is all about math. It is kind of hard to start looking upon great martial artists as consumat mathematicians, but that they are. So here is my salute to math and the great martial artists who perfected maths use in their arts.

Tom Laughlin, Star of "Billy Jack" Has Died

This man & this movie in particular were the primary catalyst for my beginnings into the study of the martial arts.  For me personally, even prior to my exposure to the legendary Bruce Lee, I saw this movie & this man & I said to myself, "I want to do THAT!"
This is a short article published on another public blog called "Dojo Rat".  The author sums the effect of this movie & this actor very well. Thank you Tom Laughlin, you are missed.

Tom Laughlin, the stoic and flawed hero of the Billy Jack movies has died at age 82. It was Laughlin’s “Billy Jack” that inspired me to invest a lifetime studying martial arts. Laughlin’s character was more tangible than the more distant battles of Bruce Lee, and “Billy Jack” was played out in a contemporary “cowboy vs. Indian” scenario. Here’s one of the classic fight scenes:

Back in 2007 I wrote this piece about Laughlin and “Billy Jack”, and I think it holds true today:
The Significance Of Billy Jack
…I cannot overstate how much this movie influenced me, sitting in the theater when I was thirteen or fourteen years old. It had everything; cute young hippie chicks, evil rednecks, horses, Jeeps, Corvettes, motorcycles and some of the best fight choreography ever.
While actor-director Tom Laughlin was the hero Billy Jack, Hapkido Master Bong Soo Han did all the most complex fight stunts. I read a review of this in a magazine years ago, and a few of the stunt rednecks got hurt pretty bad in this scene.
The movie was a spin-off of Laughlin and wife Delores Taylor’s original flick “Born Losers”. That scenario was Billy Jack vs. evil bikers. The big follow-up was of course, Billy Jack, which is still a cult classic.
Billy Jack treaded on many social taboos of the time: exploring murderous prejudice, alternative education and communal living, rape and revenge, and the most controversial aspect– using violence to stop violence.
The movie is steeped in the paranoid culture of the late ’60′s and early ’70′s, touching on the assassination of Jack and Bobby Kennedy, racism and the unknown territory of alternative lifestyles. This film is so much more than a Karate flick, it’s loaded with questions about ethics and honor and pride.
I know friends who go nuts over Jet Li movies and the like, but have never seen the pure simplicity of the fight scenes or social commentary of Billy Jack. There are also some famous supporting actors, like Howard Hessman from WKRP in Cincinatti.
Tom Laughlin has remained politically active, even running for Congress several years ago. He and wife Delores Taylor have been working on a sequel that is filled with events of our time, such as the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
For those who have never seen the movie, or need a good recharge of 1960′s-’70′s energy, watch it again — I highly recommend it…
——————–
Rest peacefully Tom Laughlin, you inspired a generation…

Missing Bobby Antuna.....another great story from Ron Saturno

A few years ago I some how got pulled into a talk down situation between myself and another Master in the back yard of a party.
Beer and whiskey was freely flowing and I had consumed more than my share of fire water. There was great food, great company and a whole lot of fellow Escrimadors attending this party.
At least six Masters were attending the party and everyone else were mostly graduate students of any number of schools. There were more knives and other weapons than I would wish to count. Some Escrimadors carry multiple knives.
Several sworn police officers were also in attendance.
I was carrying a Model 42 Balisong that was given to me as a gift by a student who was also attending the party with me. In California, carrying the ventenueve type of knife is a felony. The model 42 is a good combination of high grade stainless steel and titanium.
This model is no longer made, but it is a seriously beautiful and functional knife.
It is a cherished gift that I very much appreciated.
The Master that I was having words with was simply drunk. He was well trained by a very famous Master and quite truthfully he was someone that I really didn't care to match up with on that night. I just went out for a good time. I was over full of great Filipino food. I was drunk.
I had a knife that would get me an automatic felony and there were police officers at the party. It was all in my favor to try and make the best of the situation and calm everything down.
When things got more heated the man loudly stated," That you aren't a great Master!" OK. This is probably true. I just couldn't gut a man for saying something that is most likely true. But, he just wasn't making my life easy at the party. He kept coming forward and slowly towards me while he was talking. At some point I had squatted down with my right leg slightly forward and had my knife open and behind my right knee. This was done very smoothly and imperceptably, or so I thought.
The late Master Bobby Antuna quickly walked up and started talking to the Master. Bobby was a gentleman and truly gifted Escrimador that has sadly passed away. Time then began slowing down while Bobby was speaking and I knew that I was feeling the effects of psychometria. I had unknowingly entered into the mind state of do or die.
God Bless Bobby that he was able to create a new energy and everything calmed down. If I had seen a weapon I would have immediately gave my best effort to have stopped the man from killing me. As I look back on this situation, there were a lot of things that could have been done much differently and I have put my new way of thinking in place. I could still be in prison or dead, because of my muddled thinking that night.
I later became friends with the Master and it would have been a very sad thing that either of us would have harmed the other that night. I actually learned to really like the Master, his system and his teacher.
There is no doubt that the Master was more than capable of handling himself that night.
As I am writing this I am finishing the last chapter in my book. The last chapter in my book will not only be about how to handle a very bad situation, but will also be about how to avoid one. Sizing a situation up that could lead to a life and death will be what my last chapter will be about. Stopping something before it happens and having your awareness working to your best advantage at all times will be my Chapter 13. "Any one can die", will be the title of my last chapter. If even Jesus didn't make it out alive, this alone should make a lot of us ponder about our mortality. Well, back to work my friends.
By the way I can only hope that my book is well received. I just want to leave my take on the bladed art of Serrada escrima. God Bless

The Endless Journey

In essence: peacefull non violent marches. demostrations. Sit-ins, along with several effective boycotts which resulted in equal rights in all arenas of
The Endless Journey                       

    Recently in Atlanta, Georgia- Extrodinare martial arts expert/actor Gradmaster Michael Dee made a special pilgrimidge from his martial arts headquarters out of Cleveland, Ohio, in order to pay special homage, and respect at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Natiomal Historic Site.

 Grandmaster Dee is a national/ international martial artist with well over 35 years of actual training, and teaching experience within the illustrious field of martial arts. the various combat arts that he has intently studied and mastered are, Kajukenbo, Chinese Kempo Karate, Western Boxing, Muay Thai Boxing, and the ancient Egyptian/Asian martial arts known today as Kali and Escrima.

 In similarity to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Grandmaster Dee' combative spiritual training was influenced by a humble man from the far away east. In the case of Martin Luther King, Jr. it was the legendary Mahatma Ghandi that inspired Dr. King, Jr. to instrumentate and to execute the universal concept, and law of civil disobedience.

Tribute to GM Filemon " Momoy" Canete (+playlist)

An outstanding display of speed, power & precision that shows the complete excellence of the Filipino Martial Arts regardless of system.  

Sparring With Angel Cabales by Ron Saturno

"Why in the hell won't that damn ash fall.", I said to myself. It was damn embarrassing that an older man could walk through ten or twelve men and not only was he hardly breaking a sweat, but could do this and the whole while could keep a long ash hanging from his lip. J.C. Cabiero had brought his crew in from Merced, Ca., and Jimmy Tacosa was also there with some of his crew from the Bay Area.

Angel Cabales had asked all of us to attend the Saturday training session. We had been training on Wednesday and on a Saturday. For some reason the afternoon training sessions would be the ones where we stayed the latest. There were times that we didn't leave into really late in the night.

These were the times that we would sometimes just sit around and shoot the shit after training. These are the kind of times that I so dearly want to have again and also share with my students. It was an honor and a deep blessing to have sat at the knee of Angel Cabales during those late night training sessions

. He would keep us enthralled with his stories and just by his taking the time to talk with us about life. when people tell me how lucky I was to have trained with Angel Cabales: They can never truly understand how well that I know this. Manong Angel made you feel that you were the only one in the room that he was speaking to. He had charisma leaking from his diminutive frame. GM Carlito Bonjoc and myself had tried to do our best to avoid being the first ones to spar Angel. We continually gave our spot up to others. We thought that he would surely be tired by the time that he finally got to the both of us.

Come on...there were at least ten guys ahead of us that Angel was going to spar. He intended to take everyone one on one until everybody had a chance to spar with him and he was going to do this non-stop. Most of the students were already advanced graduates of either Jaime or Angel himself. He had never done this before that day and so we figured that it would take a toll upon him, because of the sheer number of people that he would have to spar.

Shit, were we wrong. As I was standing in line watching I could see the ash of his cigarette just get longer and longer, but it just wouldn't fall. I don't know what was more fascinating: Angel fighting a dozen men non-stop, or that he could do this without the long ash hanging from his cigarette not coming off while doing this. You could see the tip glow a little more bright red periodically. By the time that Carlito and I were getting to our turn, not only was there a really long hanging ash, but Angel was now really warming up and was ready to go full blast.

Now Carlito and I were gently juggling each other to be next. We both knew that we didn't want to be the very last one up. I can't truly say who was the last man up, but it may have been myself. Hell, I don't really remember too much about actually sparring Manong Angel that day, after all its been many years ago. But, what i can remember was a man in his upper years being able to go through at least a dozen trained men without breaking a sweat or dropping his ash off of the end of his cigarette. I do remember towards the end of the sparring session that he had a little perspiration forming on his forehead.

Now days GM Bonjoc and I get to periodically attend functions together. I know that he looks at me sometimes and wonders why I am staring at him. During those staring moments I am fondly remembering this time and moment that we shared so many years ago. There are many more. There are some things that we can never ever forget, it is how we are made. We can't help this. There are a lot of men that I have met who have out grown their teachers. They say this and they say that about their teachers. I say that I will never forget Angel Cabales, because of the many gifts that he gave me and the honor that it was to have been trained by him. As I write this I am picturing that long ash hanging from his lip. God Bless you Manong: If they allow smoking in heaven light one up on me.

Speed, Flow, & the Joy of Play-Play with a Short Stick by Ron Saturno

Master Ron, "You do a disservice to the FMA Community Sir, by using a short stick for your demo's on Youtube." Using a short stick makes you look faster than is possible. "We will sometimes talk about you Serrada short stick users in class", he told me. Obviously, the short stick using Serrada players have pissed in peoples pots of adobo again. So I tell him, " I don't use a short stick." And then I tell him that, "I slow my hitting down so it can be seen on video. In the old days guys would stop me for banging their pretty sister's and/or cousin's. Times change, but I'd rather get complaints about my indiscretions than my speed. I'd rather fight about something that I did with someone's sister than fight over the years that it took me to develop unconscious speed. I had been walking around the San Jose, Ca. Flea Market yesterday with a small piece of ballistic material hanging from my belt with my name and the U.S. and Philippine flag embroidered upon it. It is supposed to be used as a stick bag tag or on my luggage bag. I wanted to have a few more made at the Flea Market. It was a birthday gift from Master David Mah. He had it sewn overseas. The guy recognized my name and struck up a conversation. The guy looked stout and I really didn't want to imitate a star wars light saber scene, but with real weapons on an otherwise good day. So I asked him, "Do you have a sister?" Yes, he says, I have three sisters,"But they are in the Philippines and have never came to the U.S." So I then relaxed and started chatting with him. Are you sure about your sisters?", I asked. He then said, "Why do you keep asking about my sisters?" "Oh shit", I think. I answer, "You look like a girl that I once knew." I tell the guy that I developed speed in order to deal with what I learned in play-play. He then says, "What is play-play?" Play-Play is when you stand around with padded sticks and play-play. I had been swinging sticks for a long time. Yet, when the light padded sticks came out, it was really hard to deal with the speed of the play, because my footwork couldn't keep up with the speed of the weapons. My foot work that I really can depend upon is practically nullified and can even be negated when weapon speed increases beyond a certain point. Padded stick play is extremely fast and is almost too fast for the mind to properly deal with. And so I developed swift weapon speed to use against guys that slither back and forth and attempt to use their foot work as a means to defeat me. I also use weapon speed to quickly come behind a regular blow during a sparring match, because the tempo change is unexpected by an opponent and I can usually score if I had wanted to. I use weapon speed to increase the number of hits that I can deliver within a given amount of time. I would use weapon speed and accuracy to hopefully end a fight quickly. Mohammed Ali did say that, "The firstest with the mostest is the bestest." Yet, just hitting something, even anything first, is not the end all of end alls. Hitting at the right time in the right way is truly what it is all about. I like to hit where it's least expected, least wanted and hopefully never seen, but just felt. Now I'm talking about the good shit! I can take a normal Escrima player and pick their speed up appreciably. And oh how they will fight me. They will huff and puff and tense up and argue with me. They will fight me every step of the way sometimes, because they just can't believe that what I teach to actually use, really is actually usable in a combative situation. I teach simplicity! I teach natural flowing responses against men with nasty and evil intentions. The real problem that they will have is my slowly taking away what they took so many years to learn. Some are bound and wrapped within their respective systems. Sometimes I have to tell them that, "If you want to get your ass kicked as a died in the wool member of your school than go ahead, our training is over." I am not against "any" system. I am against holding on to your system when it no longer offers answers to the deep riddles that weapon fighting can usually offer us. I have had the opportunity to watch some really good Escrima players: As I have also had the enjoyment to watch some of these men teach. How they teach many times is "not" how they would really fight. I do not spar the way that I teach. I teach a basic system that allows a man to hopefully survive until he can accomplish an ability to flow! It is flow that I teach. If my system doesn't have an answer to a problem I will lovingly put my system on time out and search for the answer to my riddle. I later usually discover that my system had the answer, but I was too stupid to see it. Some men will keep a death grip upon their system's teachings. If their system didn't invent something than it doesn't exist in their hearts and minds. In the end flow is when you have to allow the moment to cut out most unneeded movements and if you are good enough...all unneeded movements. Flow is purity of movement. Flow is lightning with a stick or blade. Flow doesn't give a shit about a man's system or lineage. Flow is the perfect blending of mind, body and spirit. Flow is a beautiful example of actualized body mechanics. Flow is the quickest way from point A to point B. Flow is what the great Master's do when they dispatch you for your permanent dirt nap. Flow is a man who gives himself to the almighty and trusts the almighty to move for him. Every system aims for the achievement of flow. Some men acquire flow and some don't. Every system is a basic way to learn to achieve flow: Some systems are just better vehicles than others. But it is the desire of a man to become great at what he does that outweighs the system that he chose to be the vehicle he will ride toward his greatness. In the end, it is not about your system limiting you, it is about you limiting your system. You are the system and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Trombonists Son Learned The Beats by Ron Saturno

My Dad was a trombone player. He sang with a professional voice. I can still hear his voice sometimes while walking around the house. He played some of the better venues in the 40's. When he was a 16 year old kid while in Hawaii someone had decided that he would play the trombone in order to fill out a make do band on a sugar plantation in Hawaii. I never got to hear him play a trombone, but was rasied on his great voice. In better days he might have become a noted singer. He was the one who started teaching me about music, although my training was with a retired Nun and a Baby Grand. Angel Cabales finished my classical music training. Lest anyone not know of my teacher: He was a truly gift Escrima Maestro who waved a very gifted stick. Many may not see any connection between an Escrima stick and music. They could not be more wrong. My rather inept knowledge of Escrima truly puts me in the back row of the Escrima Musicians Band. A third or fourth chair Escrima Band Member and I say this, because I've barely learned how to play with my stick on the off- beat. Oh, I'm good on the beat, but truly becoming a Maestro with your stick requires perfecting the off-beat and you're being able to effortlessly put your personal interpretation into your creativity and still remain true to your sheet music of survival. Some of this and some of that, some of the time is much harder than I could have ever imagined. To have stood near my teacher and in front of him and getting lessons in timing was truly priceless and something that I have honored and cherished for many a year now. Teaching what I gleaned from Angel Cabales has been my primary life focus. To be able to distill the totality of a very gifted martial artist and pass it on has not only been hard, but very challenging as well. To date, there has not been one of my students who I feel truly understands the truly gifted teacher that was mine and many others. Angel Cabales had MoJo. Just describing MoJo is an effort in itself, than teaching it becomes just that much harder. I do see a lot of men swinging sticks. Some talk a lot of shit before they start swinging and afterwards as well. As if that is truly needed. Now don't get me wrong, as an initial part of intimidation: I do get it. But, what I am talking about is walking up to another man and making your martial arts discourse with that other man a very part of the musical fabric of the Universe. For that moment of time, the performance that is transpiring between you and the other man becomes noted in the annals of time. It is not for anyone else, but your posterity. You will have made your mark, scratched the 33 LP of time. Wrote your name on the rock of ages. Scratched your name into the bark of the Tree of the Universe: Otherwise you are just another hairless monkey swinging a stick, like our many ancestors have done since time immemorial. Becoming a meaningful member of the Universe is quite a goal. Thousands will come and thousands will go. To play with your stick and display beauty and gift is my goal. Maybe someday I will be looked upon as my teacher, although I have a while to go, but this does not mean that I can't hope and pray for that day. But, it really Isn't about fame, nor adulation. It is about Mastery! So today I hope to put a little time in with my stick. Pushing and hoping for the day that I can look into the mirror and smile back at myself. On that day I hope to see Angel Cabales looking back at me with a smile as wide as mine will be.