Training Method

This is not a traditional martial arts school or gym. We offer no belt system, promotions, or list of titles. There is no uniform. No one is expected to bow or address anyone as Sir/Ma'am, Guro, Sensei, etc. You must, however, be willing to accept discomfort, frustration, and occasional failure. Sometimes this involves scraped knuckles and joints, busted noses and lips, or the occasional black eye or bruise. Your hands will become blistered and then calloused from handling weapons. We train outdoors, in the elements; an analog to where real fights take place. There is no heat or air conditioning. There is no en masse training. The nature of this system cannot be taught in a group. There is you, the instructor, and the occasional nosy bystander or passerby.

Our training combines the principles of combatives style self-defense and traditional Filipino Martial Arts; with a heavy concentration on the concept of Sinawali, polished with instruction in the style of the Balintawak Family of FMA... specifically Askal Hybrid Arnis. 

Sinawali

Sinawali, roughly translated, means to weave. It is a flow exercise which, on the surface, may appear to merely teach the practitioner coordination. However, Sinawali is an entire ocean. It is the driving force; the engine from which all techniques are derived, whether they be the explosive and ballistic techniques used in self-defense or the polished and well-timed techniques used within the myriad FMA styles taught worldwide. In addition to coordination, Sinawali teaches the practitioner timing, reference points, and intensity.

Its application reaches from the familiar "Fire Poi" looking 2-stick drill, to single stick, long blade, knife, and empty hand techniques. It is the gateway from the most basic self-defense to the next level, the art.

The Balintatwak Family of FMA

Balintawak Arnis is a traditional style of Filipino Martial Arts from Cebu in the Philippine Islands. Its founder and creator, Venancio 'Anciong' Bacon, left the Doce Pares System and created his own style, emphasizing the single stick, with a focus on real world self-defense and survival. There are many Grandmasters teaching different styles and their own particular takes on the original Balintawak system internationally.

It is a style that teaches an appropriate response to a given strike or cut; at first within a pattern, or systematically, and then at random, as in the way of an actual fight.

Askal Hybrid Arnis 

Askal Hybrid Arnis, is an advanced style of the Balintawak family of FMA. It was developed by Grandmaster Danny Vedua in the city of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. GM Vedua is a lifelong martial artist and street fighter, and spent his professional career as the bodyguard and personal security agent of various politicians within Mindanao. The style focuses on speed, precision, and efficiency in attack and defense, far beyond the scope of techniques found within the more traditional Balintawak Styles. 

Ready to Elevate Your Skills?

Join us at Cadre Bruin FMA to experience the exciting world of Filipino Martial Arts and take your self-defense skills to the next level.