Filipino Martial Arts Videos
You Should Have In Your Library
By Jay de Leon

Originally published in FMADigest, 2005

     One of the ways to enhance your skill as a Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) practitioner, (or any other martial arts for that matter), is to watch videotapes or DVD’s of Masters in action. I do not recommend learning from videotapes if you are a beginner. Learn the basics from a qualified instructor. There are too many nuances of a fighting system that is difficult to pick up from a video or DVD unless you have a minimum level of expertise.
     Some of these nuances include footwork, angles, timing and flow. In addition, most of the techniques or sequences presented involve a level of so-called attributes, like speed, power, coordination and balance. It took a lifetime for these Masters to execute at that level. Chances are, you will not even come close after one viewing. I would say, after at least two solid years of training in one particular system, only then would a videotape or a DVD provide you with enough instructions or information to improve your skills.

     Some videos are enjoyable just as historical documentation of the system of a Master, especially if he has passed away. For example, some of my favorite videos are those of Punong Guro Edgar Sulite. The videos are excellent instructional videos. They also serve as a memorial and remembrance of the superb arnisador and beautiful human being who was Edgar Sulite

     Well, of course, the technical or production aspects of the video or DVD also come into play. I guess it helps if the video has excellent quality, proper lighting, good pacing, professional editing, audible sound, and so on. It goes without saying that DVD generally delivers better viewing than videotape, and the newer videotapes present better quality than the much older tapes. Some viewers also want to be entertained, so they want the performer to be livelier, with a few jokes thrown in between the techniques.

     There are literally hundreds of FMA videos out there now. Lately, there has been a slew of videos produced in Europe and now being marketed in the U.S. As a caveat, beware of videos by individuals of dubious credentials and FMA lineage. What to watch? It all depends on what you are looking for. Are you looking for a particular instructor, a particular system, or a particular subsystem (e.g., defense against a blade, baton techniques, etc.)? Or do you just want to be entertained?
     Finally, I have seen a lot of FMA videos in my time, but of course, I have not watched every FMA video out there. This was a hard list to compile. I have tried to be objective, but of course, I am biased towards certain instructors and certain systems and certain personalities. Also, some of these videos I bought a long time ago, and I have no idea if they are still available on the market..

Here then are FMA videos that I recommend for your library:
“Double Stick Fighting, Part 1 & 2,” and “Espada y Daga,” by Punong Guro Edgar Sulite - Produced by Unique Publications Video, Burbank, CA, USA.
Advanced Laban Laro,” by Punong Guro Edgar Sulite - Produced by Lameco International.
     Punong Guro Edgar Sulite is revered as the founder of Lameco Eskrima. Unfortunately, Edgar Sulite died while on a trip to the Philippines, at the young age of 39. I never got to meet Edgar Sulite, but I like his style and I am now a student of Felix Valencia, one of his senior students. These tapes are excellent instructional videos of Lameco, and a poignant reminder of Edgar Sulite. I also get to watch my fellow instructor Phil Rapagna “play-fight” with Edgar in one of his tapes.

Modern Arnis by Remy Presas
Produced by Black Belt
     Prof. Remy Amador Presas, founder and Father of Modern Arnis, lost his battle to brain cancer in 2001. Undoubtedly, many of his able senior students, including his own children, will carry on to preserve his legacy, including producing videos of his techniques. But nothing will ever replace the original. Here, forever preserved in video, are the techniques of Modern Arnis presented by Prof. Presas himself. If nothing else, for those of us that knew Remy, these techniques serve to remind us of the grace and fluidity of Remy’s flow, and the joy that radiates from him as he demonstrates his art.

“Kali Ilustrisimo Foundation,” “Kali Ilustrisimo Drills and Blocks,” ”Kali Ilustrisimo Flowing Drills & Fighting Grips,” and “Kali Ilustrisimo Espada y Daga,” by Christopher Ricketts and Rey Galang

Master Christopher “Topher” Ricketts

Produced by Unique Publications Video
     Kali Ilustrisimo is the highly regarded FMA system founded by Grandmaster Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo, and both Christopher Ricketts and Rey Galang are first generation senior students of the art, in addition to being top echelon members of Bakbakan International. In these tapes, they reveal for the first time various techniques of the art : Bagsak, Lastiko, De Cuerdas, Patapyas, Estrella, Media Fraile, Pluma, Cadena Real, the signature flow drill of Cuatro Cantos, Dos Manos, and the Tulisan knife forms of Alas and Lengua de Fuego.

“Vee-Arnis-Jitsu: Stick Concepts Part A & B,” by Prof. Visitacion & Shihan David James
Produced by ESPY-TV Martial Art Video

Professor Florendo Visitacion (right) and Shihan David James

     Professor Florendo Visitation, known affectionately as Prof. Vee, is the founder of Vee-Arnis-Jitsu, the product of many years of training in several martial arts, including FMA from Prof. Remy Presas and Rene Latosa. These tapes reflect the FMA portion of his art. Shihan David James is the current inheritor of his system, teaching out of their New York facilities.

“The Art of Filipino Weaponry—Pananandata: Balisong, The Art of Opening & Closing,” and “Pananandata : Double Balisong,” by Mat P. Marinas
Produced by ESPY-TV Martial Art Video
     Amante “Mat” P. Marinas is the founder of Pananandata (literally, the art of weaponry), and one of the most prolific writers on FMA around. A true master of Filipino weaponry, he has either written about or produced tapes on a whole array of weapons including blowguns, throwing knives, ropes, nunchuks, bolo, the 14-inch diameter ring, horsewhips, tonfa, chain and, of course, the balisong (Filipino butterfly knife). The other tapes in this series, in addition to the balisong tapes, feature single stick, double sticks, tonfa, and self-defense with common items.

“Balintawak Eskrima” by Bobby Taboada
     Guillermo “Bobby” Taboada is the foremost authority on the Balintawakstyle here in the U.S. Balintawak is a hard-hitting, dynamic and efficient system, with plenty of feints, ruses, and combination blows with stick, fist, elbow, knee and foot. Bobby Taboada’s tapes have an eight-volume set from the basics of the system, to footwork drills, equipment drills, and power drills, and a seven level instructor set including a course examination that prepares and tests you to be a “full qualified instructor.” These tapes are as definite as you can get with the Balintawak system.

“Lightning Scientific Arnis” by Grandmaster Benjamin Luna Lema
Produced by Mandirigma Productions
“Lightning Scientific Arnis” by Master Elmer Ybanez
Produced by LionHeart, 75 min.
     Grandmaster Benjamin Luna Lema was the founder of Lightning Scientific Arnis, while Master Elmer Ybanez was his most senior student. Sadly, Master Ybanez died in 2001 at the young age of 49, soon after the passing of the Founder himself, “Mang Ben.” I believe that these are the only two tapes produced by these two masters. I have never formally trained in this style, yet this is one of my favorite styles just from watching these particular tapes as well as other practitioners. I would love to train with my friend and now one of the senior instructors of this system in the Philippines, Bot Jocano, who is actually in the tape as one of Master Ybanez’s demo partners. Bot, you’re on my list to train with on my next trip to the Philippines.

“Pekiti-Tirsia Solo Baston Part 1 &2,” and “Pekiti-Tirsia Abcedario,” by Master Instructor William McGrath
Produced by LionHeart
     Tuhon William “Bill” McGrath was at one time, the heir apparent to the Pekiti-Tirsia organization in the United States under Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje. He now heads his independent organization Pekiti-Tirsia International. I do not believe Grand Tuhon Gaje himself has produced any tapes of his own system. So the material in these tapes are as authentic Pekiti-Tirsia Kali as you can get.

“Knife Fights” by Felix Valencia
     Felix Valencia is a senior instructor of Lameco Eskrima and one of the premier martial arts and law enforcement edged weapons training specialists in the US. He has provided defensive tactics training to numerous law enforcement agencies, knife companies and firearm/weapons schools, including the Los Angeles Police Dept., Trident Knives, Gunsite and Close Quarter Battle. He has also worked as a fight choreographer for martial arts and action movies. This set of six DVD’s gives you the bladed techniques Felix teaches to his elite clientele.

“Real Contact Stickfighting:  Volume 3 Sinawali,” Featuring Eric Knaus with Marc Denny and Arlin Sanford

Eric Knauss, “ Top Dog”( left), on the cover of “Real Contact Stickfighting: Vol. 3 Sinawali.”

Produced by Panther Productions
     Eric “Top Dog” Knaus and Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny are, of course, the founding members of the “Dog Brothers.” The Dog Brothers are known for, and sell tapes of their “Gathering of the Pack”, which is their annual or semi-annual full-contact tournament wherein participants fight with live sticks or other impact weapons, wearing minimal padding or protection. This particular tape is one of a six-volume set. In this tape, the emphasis is on using double sticks and applying sinawali patterns in combat, as well as in transitioning from sinawali to empty hand fighting. As in all their tapes, the material taught is illustrated throughout with fights.
     Other videos out in the market include those of Rene Latosa (Latosa Escrima), Dan Inosanto (Inosanto Kali), Arsenio Advincula, Richard Bustillo (Doce Pares) , Kelly Worden, Ernesto Presas (Kombatan), Dominador D. Ferrer (Kalantiaw Arnis), Nes Fernandez (Pangasinan kali/eskrima/arnis), Blaise Loong, Hock Hochheim (Modern Arnis and Kombatan), James Keating (Comtech), Mike Inay (Inayan Eskrima), Ron Balicki and Diana Inosanto (JKD, Inosanto Kali), and Graciella Casillas. Again, depending on what you are looking for, you probably can not go wrong buying videos of these real-deal arnisadors. Anything else outside this list, you’re on your own.  And if you do find a good one, please let me know.
     So start building your video library.  And if you yourself have a new video up for release soon, let me know if you would want a review of it.