International Modern Arnis Federation

Heart of the Arts: Modern Arnis and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Article by Chris Drechsler-Martell

On the surface, Modern Arnis and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu don't appear to have much in common. While there are a certainly a couple of locks and throws in common, the two curricula have little they share. Why, then, do I consider them to be thematically similar? What is the correlation between a Filipino weapon-based combative system and a sport-popularized Brazilian submission grappling system?

The answer actually lies in the strategy of these arts. The heart of Modern Arnis is Tapi-Tapi, which means, "counter for counter." The idea is simple: no matter what your opponent does, be educated and prepared with a counter. When two practitioners work together, the counters continue back and forth until one partner "catches" the other.

Training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also centers on this idea of countering what your partner gives you. No matter what move initiates the sequence, each partner must know how to defend, escape, or counter the incoming attacks in order to continue. When one practitioner catches the other in a move he is unable to counter, he is victorious.

The obvious difference, of course, between the Tapi-Tapi of Modern Arnis and the free grappling (or "rolling") of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is the tools used: in Arnis, the focus is on the use of the cane(s) and related weapons of the body; in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the entire body comes into play. Joint locks are prevalent in both arts, sometimes even with similar technique. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice sometimes involves striking, adding an additional dimension.

The intense mental contest that occurs in this type of training (especially when it is done competitively) creates a dynamic chess-like struggle, with each participant working hard to outwit the other. It requires a sharp mind and a good knowledge of technique, as well as the precise physical skill and combination of attributes that make the techniques effective. Additionally, it requires the ability both to follow the opponent, using whatever energy they give you to your own advantage; and also to lead the opponent down a certain path, causing them to choose techniques that you are prepared to counter. These advanced tactics bring efficiency, making victory closer and your partner's margin of error slimmer. All of these factors also develop a will to survive and a will to succeed despite the situation.

So why do I love training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so much? Because it allows me to play the same mental chessgame that Tapi-Tapi provides, but with my entire body. It challenges me to keep my mental and physical skills sharp, and to constantly develop and train all of my techniques. And that, truly, is the heart of both arts.

AHHHHHHRNIS!—A Journey To The “Dark Side”
Article by Sondra Kaighen

I am a neophyte to martial arts, having only practiced for three and one-half years the Tae Kwon Do-based, eclectic-style art I happened upon at Master Al Garza’s Martial Arts America in Houston. I consider myself quite lucky to have found AFMAA, as it has truly changed my life. Master Garza’s program exposed me to so many different styles, and to some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met.

After having made it through one-third of the AFMAA curriculum leading to the pursuit of my Black Belt, I noticed this faction of people dressed entirely in black, who would begin gathering at the school on Wednesday evenings. Some of these faces I recognized from my karate training, but many were unfamiliar to me. Aside from the friendly, smiling faces, another striking contrast I noticed in these “others” was what were noticeably not there—identifiable ranking belts. I could not discern who was more advanced than the next of those “others.” With a few inquiries I learned that these, darkly clad, stick wielding, happy people were “Arnisadors.”

Intrigued, I wriggled my way into an invitation (which I’ve since learned was not necessary, as the Arnis program at AGMAA is open to all), to look for myself to see what the “dark side” of the dojo is doing with those harshly fragrant sticks. Well, one class of just watching piqued my curiosity enough so that I decided to borrow a pair of sticks and to try my hand the following week in this very foreign realm. Needless to say, one class and I was hooked (primarily because of my inherently stubborn nature and the fact that I apparently had no talent in this area, but would not let this seemingly difficult and complex art get the better of me.)!

After a month or so of repetition, I finally got the 12 striking zones, a lock or two, and surprisingly only 10 or 11 knots on my head from a passively checked stick (although the constant bruising in unusual places requires much explanation to my spousal unit!). After only three months, I had the unique pleasure of testing for the first time at Master Ken Smith’s Chicago camp—what an incredibly fun and educational trip that was! It was my first inkling of the true breadth of the Arnis Family, IMAF and what all the stories about the Professor was really all about.

Throughout my short time as an Arnisador at AGMAA (I’m in my second year), I’ve learned SO much under the tutelage of Earl Tullis. Once I got over the stark fear of this mountain of a man, and understood his East Texas dialect (I carry an English-to-Earl & Earl-to-English Dictionary to assist me with the more difficult translations), I discovered a truly unique individual who lives and breathes this art and the memory of the Professor. He instills in each and every one of us that it’s not enough to just “go with the flow,” but one must master the subtlest features of each technique and to be able to perform it with conviction and strength in order to truly prepare us for any potential adversary. Another little known fact about our Mr. Tullis is that he carries this fervor and intensity throughout every aspect of his life, be it in cycling in the MS150, teaching a sparring class in the karate side of the dojo, or preparing for wedding of his only daughter. Mr. Tullis has the knowledge and arsenal of a true warrior to be reckoned with and a heart made of gold, for all those who take the time to really notice (many of the Texas players have had the distinct pleasure of learning this other, less-than-“dark” side of Earl).

Being a Texas Arnisador (or Texas “playa”) has also allowed me to have the benefit of training with Dr. Schea, an incredible twist of luck. Assuredly, the legend of Dr. Schea at AGMAA long preceded any formal introduction I experienced until I became a full-fledged member of the “dark side” of the dojo. Once I saw Dr. Schea move (or glide would be a better description) across the mat to perform a technique, I knew that I had many years ahead of me if I wanted to even attempt to emulate this man. I immediately cornered Dr. Schea in order to learn about his martial arts background. He kindly referred me to some reading materials, and then offered to meet me early before class each week in order to practice some of the basic Aikido movements in order to help me flow better. Again, I became amazed at how little I really knew about how to perfect this new art I was beginning to devour. I know that no one reading this piece needs any additional comment on Dr. Schea and his enormous talent, fluidity, power, because if you are a member of IMAF, or in any way connected to Modern Arnis, this is redundant.

In retrospect, while I have so very far to go in Modern Arnis, I have developed a true love of this art—a complete art, no doubt—and the people that radiate the Professor’s spirit of Modern Arnis. I’ve never had the opportunity, and unfortunately never will, to train directly with the Professor, but I “get” him. I mean I feel like I’ve known him for years merely through the association and training with those who trained with, respected and loved him. I even “get” his unique distortion of the English language, by all of those who impersonate him on a regular basis. (Seriously, some of you people need to consider standup comedy as a full-time career!) Many of my classmates in the karate-side of the school, inquire about my participation in Arnis and what it is all about. While I try and explain as much as I can, the best testimonial that I can give is my smile (which is the disease I caught immediately after my exposure to the art (and apparently is highly contagious, as we apparently we are all infected with it!). I can’t really convey all that I wish to convey in the moment, constantly worrying that I might miscommunicate or leave out something terribly important, so all I do is invite them to come, don the “dark” attire, forget about pecking order of traditional belt ranking, grab a stick, and step into the “dark side!”

I got the Tapi-Tapi blues
by Guro Tom Cushing

As if this year’s Arnis Fest wasn’t going to be enough fun (and it was Master Ken !), a few of the Connecticut players flew in a day early to enjoy some real Chicago blues at a club downtown and prove, once again, that the Arnis Camps provide great opportunities to get together with friends. So (here’s the plug); if you think it’s only about the training , it’s time you attended a camp and had some fun ! Anyway, our little foray into the Chicago music scene got me thinking about music and Arnis. I have always found that music theory, in general, is very applicable to the martial arts, and if you play an instrument you will find that successful practice habits are the same in both arts.

How and when we practice [anything] will determine how successful we will be in increasing our proficiency. You’ve heard them all: “Practice Makes Habit”, “Perfect Practice makes Perfect”; but it’s the how and when of practice that are most important and the “how” should be slowly. Admittedly, it’s a lot more fun to go fast. However, current studies in neurology have proven that practicing a physical pattern slowly makes stronger neurological pathways. The benefit, therefore, is that a pattern of movement will be easier to perform at higher rates of speed if it is initially practiced at a slower rate. Slower movement also allows us to make minor biomechanical changes during a particular movement that would not be possible to make at higher rates of speed. For the martial artist this means that we can adjust our footwork, angles, positioning and target accuracy. Furthermore, in a stressful situation, or at a faster pace, a particular movement will be more accurate and more consistent if it is first ingrained at slower speeds.

Gary Dahl, recording artist and music educator, lists the benefits of practicing slowly in his A Brief Guide to Slow Practice : The following excerpt applies beautifully to the martial arts and if you didn’t know this was written for musicians you would swear it was written for martial artists

- The student actually learns the pattern faster, having had time to read the correct notes, time values, dynamics, etc. (ie. feeling the distance, flow of movement, timing of the strikes, blocks and feeds, ect)

- Performance slips (memory slips) are greatly reduced. (Mr. Dahl differentiates between slips and mistakes, a mistake might be an incorrect movement in a Tapi Tapi pattern vs a timing or directional stutter).

- Slow practice eliminates practice mistakes. Obviously, we don’t want to practice our mistakes.

- Control, especially at faster paces is more secure. This is especially true in longer sequences.

- Because dynamics are exaggerated in slow practice, they retain their color at tempo (how many times in your training have you been told to practice “good extension” and “keep the technique clean” - we never want to trade the “color” or quality of the technique for speed)

- Short practice and many repetitions of short passages is essential to increase learning speed and eliminate mistakes

While practicing slowly is not particularly enjoyable, it will secure a movement and make it feel natural at higher speeds. Gradually increasing the speed is recommended to help the student build up to that next level. In addition to developing speed, this gradual increase results in a reduction of “mistakes” or “slips”, and.…this is big: it improves the ease of recovery when such a slip occurs.

It is important to understand that speeding up a technique does not so much require us to think faster as to retrieve information faster. Muscle memory is all about securing basic movements in our subconscious so that we don’t have to “think” about them. When we walk and chew gum, [most of us] aren’t thinking of either task. It’s basic and we just do it. When an unexpected obstacle appears in our path we can easily make the adjustment to avoid it by stopping, speeding up or changing direction. It sounds obvious enough but if you had to concentrate on every step; say you were walking on a balance beam, that same obstacle would be much more difficult to avoid without losing your balance, or biting your tongue. How many times, during the flow of tapi-tapi play, have you resorted automatically to some technique other than the one you are practicing ? It just comes out ! It has been secured in your mind and in your body. But that’s a good thing !!! So don’t shake your head in despair. Just practice slowly and get the new technique ingrained the same way as the one that slipped out … And don’t forget to have some fun.

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