Customer Reviews

Modern Arnis: The Filipino Art of Stick Fighting

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I disagree with anyone that says this book is not a good one. I am an arnis instructor with the IPMAF, and Remy's book is exactly what many lucid readers have deduced: an introduction to a great martial art. Also, keep in mind that for years, the art of arnis was considered, even by some of its own practitioners, a "stick-fighting" art. It wasn't until Ernesto Presas and his brother Remy developed this into a more comprehensive art.

In closing, this book is a good, fundamental book upon which one may make a somewhat educated decision on whether or not they would like to further pursue the art.

As a long time student of the Filipino martial arts, I have seen many books on the subject, and this is a must have. This book is an introduction to the art of Modern Arnis written by the man who spread the art around the world. "Modern Arnis : Filipino Art of Stick Fighting" is great for beginners or as a reference for those more advanced. Many basic exercises are photographed step by step and are easy to follow. The instructions are very clear and the pictorials are well done. Anyone interested in stick fighting should own this book!

When I first started training in Modern Arnis 6 years ago,this book was my bible. It provides the most clear and concise breakdown of techniques of any martial arts book that I have ever read (I own about 75). As a student of a Master of Tapi-Tapi in Modern Arnis, I can not reccommend a better to supplement to training.
Sadly, Professor Presas passed away this fall, but his art and his spirit live on through his books, videos, and Masters.

This book is not a comprehensive primer on Modern Arnis, but is rather a very simple overview of the basics. It covers the 12 basic angles of attack and a defense for each angle, then briefly touches on the empty handed applications of the art. The coverage of sinawali was interesting and clear, but was, again, very simplistic, although I did find the basic flow drills to be useful.

In short, this book is interesting and a potentially useful source of information for someone who studies an art that doesn't incorporate the concept of flow, however, if you study Escrima, Arnis, Kenpo, etc., you might want to keep looking.

Now over 20 years old, this was one of the first books in English on escrima. At just over 150 pages and with 9 chapters covering the different topics, Guru Presas packs much good information into this small book. Many of the most important topics and skills are covered, and the photos and decriptions are clear and easy to understand. Although I have a more recent edition, the photos are still clear and not too dark or too light, as sometimes happens with the plates with older books. Close-ups are used when needed to show the details of hand positions. There is also a brief history of escrima at the beginning of the book.

Nowadays videos have in many ways replaced books as instructional materials in the martial arts, but video was still relatively new when this book was written, and it still stands on its own as one of the best early treatments of escrima. To see the actual movements, though, there is really nothing like a video, many of which are available used on the web for less than the price of the book. But books on the martial arts can still serve a useful purpose by discussing more technical matters such as theory, strategy, and topics like history, and perhaps as as catalogs and references for the techniques of a particular style.

Among Guru Presas's many legendary abilities, he was perhaps best known for his ability to perform disarms, and this is covered in the last chapter of the book, in addition to hand techniques, flow drills, trapping, the various single and double stick techniques, and other topics.

I have to mention that I had an opportunity to do a demo for Guro Presas back in the mid-80s with my teacher of Chinese Chin Na, the Kung Fu holding and locking art. As you probably know Guro Presas is also skilled in the Filipino version of this art, and was also a champion in Dumog, or Filipino wrestling and grappling, when he was younger. He enjoyed our demo and was very impressed with my master, Sifu Tony Ho, and his skill.

I am also a certified instructor in Kali/Escrima through the Ted LucayLucay lineage under Chuck Gonzaga, and have studied Serrada Escrima in addition to Kali. Chuck is a great martial artist himself and I am proud to be one of his students and instructors, and to have had the honor to demo for Guro Presas many years ago when I was still a young martial artist.

This is a decent introduction to Arnis, which typically begins with sticks before moving to knives and empty hands (hence the focus of this work is the stick and basic stick technique). Presas has, I believe, produced some additional volumes since this one, though I'm not sure of their publication status.

This is a good introduction to the system. It is unfortunate that master martial artists have not worked with professional writers to produce detailed volumes chronicling their systems. This, like most works of its kind- leaves the advanced student wishing MORE had been written.

The book will be informative to the beginner of Modern Arnis and a source of fond nostalgia for advanced students who know that this great man taught us all so much MORE than the pages of this book contain.
Filipino Combat Systems: An Introduction to An Ancient Art For Modern Times

This is a great book. My Jeet Kune Do instructor and I had the privelage of meeting Remy at a seminar he was conducting in NC. Needless to say Remy was a priceless instructor and it shows in this text. Mr. Presas conveys the information of stickfighting in an easy to understand format. While this book may have some age on it now, it has invaluable tools for the modern day martial artist.

In addition, if you enjoy studying lineages, histories, and influences of other martial arts, this is also a good book. I always knew that other martial artists would pull from other martial arts, but I had never actually "seen" or read it. As a student in Self Defense Systems Jeet Kune Do I automatically picked up on all the trapping hands influences from Filipino Martial Arts found in our system. You can also see the influence Filipino Trapping hands had on Bruce Lee as well and the slight changes he made in taking them as his own. Regardless of your style, modern or traditional, with an open attitude and a desire to learn, there is alot to take away from this simply constructed and well thought out book. I recommend this book for the non-martial artists alike.

"Modern Arnis", by Remy Presas, presents compact flowing Arnis in a compact flowing book. It has very clear photos and prose -- precisely ordered on macro and micro scales -- from over-all patterns to small details -- from chapter to chapter. The angles of the moves, for each move-set, are some of the best I have seen of any defense/combative art.

If, the essence of defense is to turn opposition [of opponents] away, down and out -- removing foes'-balance while keeping self-balance -- until "check-mate". Then, "Modern Arnis" shows how to do this -- in a streamlined way. Many move-sets end with the foe in check -- yet the final position [and the foe] could be easily extended in various directions. So, Remy Presas shuts-down foes' options while keeping his options open.

I first learned a little Modern Arnis as part of an [informal] Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu off-shoot of Kosho-Ryu Kempo and other Arts. My own small and casual Kenpo off-shoot of that lineage, like many others out of Hawaii, adds bits of other Arts with Kenpo. Core Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu inspired by -- a little Tibetan White Crane, Isshinryu Karate and Jiu Jitsu Complete and some Medieval Fencing, Savate and Boxing into "anti-grappling". We seem to search for ways to combine these aspects in a smooth, compact, and effective way.

When going over all of my experience and tendency recently, I realized that Modern Arnis had worked-on and solved this kind of streamlined-combination spot-on. In "Modern Arnis" [this book], as well as in other Modern Arnis works, Remy Presas shows how to combine various Arnis Arts with some Judo, Karate, Jiujitsu, and Kenpo, into Modern Arnis -- Going With The Flow +++

This Book is an excellent learning resource for the beginning arnisadore. Remy Presas is among the highest authority in arnis today. The book's presentation is excellent. I especially liked the easy to follow diagrams of drills. This book was my first exposure to arnis, and I recommend it to anyone just starting in arnis.