A concept that I teach in class concerns spinal alignment. I often explain that a weak structure will be easy to exploit. By breaking an opponent’s structure or moving the spine out of alignment, we can gain the advantage. Thus, disrupting
One of the fundamental concepts taught in Modern Arnis is the obstruction removal. Removing the obstruction is both an offensive and defensive maneuver. Among the vital obstruction removal skills are the slap off/pull off, clearing, and lifting. As one might
When playing the Modern Arnis version of tapi tapi, one will encounter the concept of baiting. In short, baiting creates advantages for the driver. By baiting the defender, the driver places the defender in a disadvantageous position. For starters, a
In recent weeks, while playing with Dref, I’ve experimented with training parameters. Some of those parameters include playing with the left hand only, limiting myself to specific Modern Arnis techniques, or limiting myself to defending against Dref. Among the parameters
One of the major concepts of Modern Arnis is footwork. In short, proper footwork creates favorable angles for the player. To do this, we utilize 45-degree footwork. By utilizing proper footwork, we can protect our centerlines while attacking an opponent’s
The late Professor Remy Presas said, “The check hand wins the fights!” One can check, defend, remove, and blunt the opponent’s attack. With this concept, one can delay, monitor, lock, and strike the opponent. Examples include the slap-off, clearing, joint
Every attack will have a counter, to which it will also have a counter. One can counter a strike, a lock, or a punch. The late Professor Presas often said “you must counter” or “you must counter the counter.” While
This will be the first in a series of posts focusing on the Modern Arnis concepts I teach my students. I often advise my students to “Go With The Flow!” However, it is not enough to utter that phrase mindlessly
The Hamburg Seminar, hosted by Master of Tapi Tapi Gaby Roloff, was a rousing success. Instructors included me, Master Gaby, Master of Tapi Tapi Ken Smith, Professor Leon Jay, and Shihan Borut Kincl. Master of Tapi Tapi Chuck Gauss was
“Focus on progression instead of perfection.” Too often do I see students focus more on the idea of perfection rather than progression. If they fall short of perfection, they either become disappointed in themselves or unnecessarily berate themselves. This mindset,