Customer Reviews

The Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima (Secrets of the Martial Arts)

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This book provides the reader with a very good taste of Grandmaster Giron's system of self-defense. It is particularily strong in the largo-mano or long range area, with clearly photographed techniques using sticks, knives and empty hands. In addition to the techniques, he puts his system into an ethical framework. The only part I would have liked to see more of was the excellent empty hands techniques present in the Filipino martial arts, including guntings and limb destructions. Nonetheless, this will make an excellent addition to anybody's library with interest in the subject matter.

I`ve bougth this book in order to support my own escrima training. As a rookie in escrima, it gives you the basic understandings in the escrima-fighting art of Grand Master Leo Giron. I think it`s not written with the intention to replace training under a qualified teacher. In my view it supports your training as a beginner in the art. What's more, it gives you a good overview including the origins. Escrima has to be practised to be learned.

this book gives us a look at the late grandmaster leo giron. this great man and founder of the bahala-na system was one of the last of the true warriors of his tried and battlefield tested art.this is a valuble edition to any martial arts library.

Grandmaster Leo Giron is one of a handful of key figures in the history of Filipino Martial Arts in America and this book preserves a snapshot of his teaching style and philosophy along with a visual record of how Giron himself performed fundamental techniques in his system. You will not learn Giron Arnis Escrima from this book alone, but I've found dozens of little bits of information in here that supplement the training I receive in my FMA class.

This book is most valuable to the student or interested observer who wants to find out more about how a Master's philosophy of life colors his martial arts practice. This is bare-bones information -- less about 'secrets' as things that the master tries to hide from the public and more about 'secrets' that are subtle elements of the art that one only gets from observing someone who has achieved Giron's level of quiet competence in any situation. It's also one of the only records we have of this grandmaster's method and emphasis in his practice studio that was done while Leo Giron was still alive and teaching. It captures something that would otherwise be lost as his teaching is passed on and evolves from teacher to student.

Somera is a competent and functional writer and the book is laid out in a logical manner. The photos don't show all that is going on in the techniques, but they do capture the most critical elements and are enough for a student to piece the techniques together with just a bit of qualified training and a patient and willing training partner.

If you are interested in an engagingly written history of FMA in general then you would probably do better with one of Mark Wiley's books like Filipino Martial Culture (Martial Culture Series). If you are more interested in Leo Giron's life and how his combat experience in the Philipines during WWII helped to shape his art or details about the birth of American FMA in Stockton, CA during the '60s then you would be more interested in Somera's other book Giron Escrima: Memories of a Bladed Warrior, which covers Giron's life story in more depth and also talks about the cultural environment that led people like Giron and Cabales and LaCoste to open their schools. But none of these books offer a no-nonsense record of Giron's legacy of instruction the way that this book does.

I really liked this book. I know it was not as deep in technique and theory as many would have liked, but for the price it is a great introduction. I would like to see a more in-depth version, akin to Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do the text book, or something as nice as either of the new Gracie Books. I am still waiting for the Filipino book that gives real grasp to the newbie, but still has a lot for the experienced player. In short I am looking for some thing with the thought and grace of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Theory and PRactice, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Self-Defense, or maybe a book as comprehensive in its coverage as is Simco's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master Text.
Never the less it is still good to see old Giron, moving around and swinging a stick.
Nice job.

This book is bad for beginner and practically useless for a master. There is no comprehensive description of training complexes, footwork drills and other important details, which were completely omitted. It gives just an overview of the system in general, so the reader can have some vague feeling of what Giron escrima is.

This book told a lot about the background and philosophy, but didn't offer a lot of instruction. It was also hard to read and understand.