Product Details

• Actors: Remy Presas
• Directors: Remy Presas
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Black Belt Magazine
• DVD Release Date: January 1, 2004
• Run Time: 50 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001FFJSC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,735 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 13, 2006

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Modern Arnis By Remy Presas: Vol. 1 (DVD)

This is the first of 3 videos by Presas done in a seminar format on stage. I found the material quite useful and helpful but I am a long time practitioner of the Filipino arts as well as a karate and kung fu instructor, and I knew a lot of the material but not all. But for a beginner this might be too much too fast, so be aware of that. Presas's students file out from behind the curtain as he works various stick, empty-hand, joint locks and even ground grappling methods. Although famed for his stick skills, one must remember that Presas was a champion dumog or Filipino wrestling exponent in the old country before he came over here, and some of the those grappling methods get demonstrated here.

Besides showing many stick entries, especially to the number one feed, he also gives considerable attention to the upper twist lock, straight arm bar, several variations of gooseneck bent arm and wrist locks, and finger locks. His students also demonstrate this on stage. Also shown are the disarms for the different angles, sinawali or two stick drills, single stick technique, and also as I said quite a few ground pins and locks. Overall I thought it was a lot of information in fairly brief format, as he flows along at a fairly fast clip, so again, this might not be the best place to start for a beginner.

An earlier reviewer complained about Presas's "broken English." His English isn't that bad and his meaning usually comes through loud and clear. English was not even Presas's second language; it was his third since his tribe didn't speak the main common Filipino language of Tagalog, and he does all right considering that. Besides, this is not a comparative lit lecture on the merits of Melville or Tolstoy; it's a video on Filipino martial arts, so who cares if his English isn't impeccable?

I have to mention that I had the opportunity to do a square wu style tai chi chin na (joint locks and their reversals) demonstration with my teacher 20 years ago, which is an art rarely seen in the U.S. in pure form, and Presas said he was quite impressed with our demo. It was an honor to perform for Presas and the world lost a great martial artist and a selfless and dedicated instructor and man when he passed away all too soon a few years ago.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "real" master............, March 13, 2010

By 

The CAT "The CAT" (QUEENS, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Arnis By Remy Presas: Vol. 1 (DVD)

Remy Presas is indeed one of my favorite martial arts gurus on my personal all-time list. He is a man who embodies the term "Master". I was saddened to hear of his passing from brain cancer some years back as I always wanted to meet him and never got the chance although his family is carrying on their Arnis tradition and continuing his work.

Anyway, these videos make the art of Arnis, also known as Kali or Escrima, easy to understand. He has a way of making you very confident in your ability to learn his art. He has a very humble common-sense approach to training and you will quickly grasp the fundamentals. I love how he can show you one simple movement, then go endlessly showing how one technique if mastered, can be a handful in itself using it over and over until you start to think "imagine if I knew 10 of these principles" and hungry for more detail.

On a positive note, he does offer a more complete training set on his website along with his son's work. This DVD is a rite of passage for any new Arnis, Kali or Escrima student.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remy Presas Rocks, May 25, 2004

By 

A. Evans (Topeka, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Modern Arnis By Remy Presas: Vol. 1 (DVD)

GM Remy Presas is one of the greatest martial artists ever. He's probably the best to ever pick up rattan. I've had the honor and privilege of crossing sticks with him. His Modern Arnis is very easy to learn and can compliment any martial arts. Thus earning its title as "the art within your art." It would also serve as a good primary art.