Customer Reviews

Filipino Combat Systems: An Introduction to An Ancient Art For Modern Times

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Filipino Combat Systems (FCS) by Mark Edward Cody begins with a preface written by Guro Ray Dionaldo where he describes FCS as a "Tribal Art" as opposed to a martial art or martial science. He explains that "tribal arts" have the mindset that they are training family members, and lack the political hierarchy found in more traditional "martial arts".

The core text of Filipino Combat Systems offers a great deal of information for warriors, written by someone who obviously as a true warrior's mindset. The book begins with a description of the birth, history and origins of the Filipino Combat Systems.

Several core concepts of the Filipino Combat Systems and basic martial concepts are demonstrated. This includes flowing drills, quadrants, and combat distances, and much more. We are also introduced to weapons, including single and double sticks, the karambit, the kris, and the modern expandable baton.

We are also presented with a review of Musashi's strategies from the `Book of Five Rings'. We are also presented with the author's idea of the basics of self-defense, discussing awareness and preparedness, including:

> Be aware of all avenues of escape, cover and concealment
> Look for potential improvised weapons within your environment
> Attempt to stay informed about criminal activity and other dangers in your area.
> Be aware of defensive options and the pros and cons of each:
* Firearms
* Other weapons: Tear gas, knives, impact weapons, and stun guns
* Martial arts training... and more
> Take security measures to make yourself more difficult to victimize.

And perhaps most importantly:
>Be aware that your safety is YOUR responsibility. Do not depend on others to protect you.

Filipino Combat Systems is very well illustrated with numerous photographs and contains well-written, informative text offering insight for those who follow the way of the warrior.

Highly recommended!

When I ordred this book, I expected lot more after seeing the contents in the preview. First of all, I do not like Ray Dionaldo being signed as a co-author...I mean being interviewed in the book does not exactly make one an author, even if the book is on the system he has created.
Now, the principles and concepts featured are very well chosen nad valuable, but the presentation could have been much better. I mean, the "fortune cookie" type advice gets kinda irritating after a while, no matter the "wisdom" it caries.
Finally, with all due respect to author's background in karate, and its influence on is understanding and interpretation of FMA, there could have been less stuff directly referring to karate/bushido/zen...as in essence it has very little to do with FMA. After all, that is why Mr. Cody has authored another book on that subject.
Also, I have no ide whatsoever why have some reviewers described the book as "ultimate" knife fighting resource, as it is clearly not. For that, go to Rey Galang's "Masters of the Blade", or several other books, for that matter.
On the good side, the book does have a sort of familiar atmosphere to it, which is very nice, and I liked the dictionary section quite a bit, and it is technically very well done.
The bottom line is, it is not a bad book, but if your interest is FMA in particular, you should look elsewhere, as this one should not be on your priority list, though it makes an interesting read in certain points.

Filipino Combat Systems seems to be, on the surface, an overview of the Filipino martial arts. But, it is much more simply because it was written with what I believe to be the WARRIORS point of view. Grand Master Dionaldo is on of the most sought after masters for seminars in the world. He is considered one of the best if not the best knife instructor in the world. The book includes the Kerambit, the Sarong and the expandable Baton. I have over twenty years experience in the martial arts and I tell you buy this book while you can.

As a martial artist for many years in numerous styles, I find the Philipino systems the most versatile and useful. This book is an excellent primer for both beginners and veterans alike. Well illustrated, extensive background on history and tactics, and a probing philosophical view gives this book something to offer everyone.

It was a late friday night when I picked this book up off the front porch. All I wanted was a hot shower and to go to bed. That didn't happen because I started browsing through this book. Before I knew it, it was much later and I was still going over the photos sequences. This is the freshest breath of air I have had in the martial arts in a long time! From the author's dedication to the closing pages it is the passionate writing of a man who understands what warriorship is all about. It is a terrfic blending of spirituality, mentality, and technique. The photo sequences are sufficient to explain the technique and show a great awareness of line, spacing, energy, and groundedness. I could not find any glaring errors in movement or openings anywhere in the techniques. Most of the books today written by so-called experts are filled with bad techniques, rehashed from one volume to the next. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It is absolutely tops on my list of over 50 books on the topic. I want to thank the author and his instructor for producing this book.

Overall the philosophy is sound and well presented. I do feel more comprehensive flow drills should have been included; but other than that, the book was excellent & very informative! FCS is an ever evolving system that truly brings the art of the warrior into the 21st century! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the *core* concepts too weapons/empty-hand combat.

A splendid piece of martial arts literature! Brilliant, witty and insightful... A must-have for beginners and adepts.

I bought this book with the hopes that it would contain a lot of techniques from the Filipino martial arts systems. While FCS certainly contains some techniques with good pictures from different angles, that is not what the text was created for. FCS emphasizes what is referred to as "conceptual" learning, which is thought to be a method that develops rapid learning.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of Filipino martial arts, and also enjoyed the chapters dedicated to weapon work, particularly the karambit. This book inspired me to look into the karambit, which is a curved knife that is excellent for in-fighting. I purchased a karambit off of Amazon.com shortly after reading through FCS. If you are interested in a good introduction to Filipino martial arts, I definitely recommend this book. However, if you are already an intermediate to advanced student, you probably won't get much use out of this.

this is a very good book that gives a glimpse of the fcs kali system founded by master ray dionaldo with a showcasing of techniques.nice!!

I've posted a detailed review of the book at[...]. In summary, though, the book is disorganized and presented in an amateurish manner. There's some good information in there, but it's too scattered to be useful for a novice and too shallow for an expert. Not recommended.