Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas was born on July 21, 1968 Manila, Philippines. He was barely 13 when the passion and determination to pursue his training in the field of Arnis led him to another Master of renown, flourishing under the tutelage of Grandmaster Ernesto A. Presas Sr. for no less than 12 years.

THE story we ran last year, about most Filipino cops being poor shooters, falling below the Philippine National Police’s “marksman grade,” has been confirmed once more in a Philippine Star story that came out yesterday. 

Leo Fong is a Methodist Minister, Filmmaker, Fitness Coach, Martial Artist, and Founder of Wei Kuen Do. In this issue, Leo being an avid boxing enthusiast and in fact in his younger days a very good boxer, talks about his thoughts on boxing. Let us start at the beginning and learn how Leo got into martial arts and how boxing became a part of his life and also a part of his art.

I would like to begin this article by saying I believe in the magical power of oracion – I believe in the supernatural as well as the spirit world.

DOCE Pares announced the celebration of its 80th anniversary today. The event will be participated by martial artists from, at least, 15 countries.

The FMA Informative brings you Founder and Senior Instructor of “All Things Institute Jamen Zacharias and he is sharing his basic concepts and theories on the Locking and Shifting Art’s (Chin Na & Dumog).

It should be mentioned that each practice associated with Balintawak Eskrima and shadow fighting enhances balance, precision, concentration, coordination, and endurance.

In Balintawak Eskrima, an efficient block is executed against lighting fast and sufficiently strong strikes to stop the actual momentum from the offense, and extend the limit of range necessary to soak up the inbound impact.

The importance of pace and speed is best indicated in the subsequent phrases: "When the opponent cuts you through the skin, cut him through the bone." Samurai Saying

Right from the beginning, a large part of the study of Filipino stick fighting is devoted to the understanding of movement concepts. It is for this reason that the majority of systems of arnis, escrima and kali begin its training with a numbering system. The numbering system, as its name implies is simply a way of assigning a number to a particular angle of attack. It’s a convenient way to label the different strikes so a student can remember them easily.

The FMA Informative was lucky to be able to have Bella Marie Baron Saguin (Peachie) tell us of her experience in Kalis Ilustrisimo and share the basic concepts that Masters Tony Diego, Christopher Ricketts (passed away October 5, 2010), and Romeo Macapagal have carried on with their experiences in learning Kalis Ilustrisimo from Tatang Antonio Ilustrisimo.

The mind is the most powerful weapon in a martial artist’s arsenal and this is true not only in the Filipino martial arts (FMA) but in other martial arts as well.

Gat Puno Abon “Garimot” Baet is the latest member to embrace his family art of Hilot. He has also categorically organized and promoted the system outside his family by means of public demonstration and treatments.

An in depth interview with one of the founders of the Dog Brother Martial Arts (DBMA). Guro Marc Denny is a Guro of martial arts legend, Guro Dan Inosanto and Punong Guro Edgar Sulite. Guro Marc talks about his organization, the "Dog Brothers," and his views on the Filipino Martial Arts.

MANILA, Philippines – Jeremy Renner must be exhausted these days. You could say that two-time Academy Award nominee (Best Actor for 2009’s “Hurt Locker” and Best Supporting Actor for 2010’s “The Town”) has been giving his acting chops quite a workout. Then recently, Renner has discovered new sides to his acting persona.

The mission of the First Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame is to recognize the achievements of martial artists in the development and propagation of the Filipino Martial Arts and in bringing honors to the Philippines. Our goal is to serve the fundamental martial arts community and to promote our culture as well as our nationalism. We honor all people that dedicate themselves to excellence; both the well known as well as the hidden treasures that never see the limelight.

There is an enormous variety of bladed weapons in the Philippines. In my FMA Corner article titled “The Existence of Pre-colonial Filipino Martial Arts,” I mentioned that the immense assortment of knives and swords in the archipelago is a solid indicator that there once existed a pre-colonial Filipino martial art. For in design, function precedes form – the early Filipinos would not have made those so many weapons unless they knew how to use them.

The FMA Informative is proud to bring some information on Grandmaster Floro Villabrille and Grandmaster Ben Largusa, legends as practitioners of the Filipino martial arts and Founders in establishing the Kali Association of America.