New Member Seeks Info on Balintiwak Video Series

[BlackScorpion47]

First of all, I am new to this forum though I have visited and read many forum threads for the past two years. I have found the site to be always fascinating. It ( the forum ) is a great supplement to my escrima / kali knowledge which started formally back in 1975 at the old Filipino Kali Academy in Torrance, California.

Could anyone give me info on the value of the entire Balintawak video series featuring Guro Bobby Taboada? Is the entire set worth the bucks, or would I do better to only purchase certain volumes. Same goes for the Rene Latosa escrima series-are they worth the price?

Tranquility to all!

P.S. Anybody out there who trained at the Filipino Kali Academy in the summer of 1975 have any info on twin brothers in the entry level class taught by Richard Bustillo, who made some really beautiful and hard escrima sticks for fellow classmates. I always wanted to contact them about making more sets of sticks for me after I returned to the midwest, but I lost their address. Great sticks! Those sticks served me well for over three decades of hard use, believe it or not. The brothers were both medium height, husky build, and at least one of them wore glasses. I believe they were either Hispanic or Filipino. Great fellows...I've always regretted losing touch with them.

P.P.S. Another golden memory I have from that summer at the Kali Academy ( aside from learning the basics from Guro Richard Bustillo ) was meeting one of Ben Largusa's top students one evening. He impressed me so much with his skill, his knowledge of the Filipino arts, and his outgoing personality that I vowed to someday study the Largusa system. I'm getting real old now, so I don't have much time to fulfill that vow, so, if anyone out there knows of an instructor near Chicago, Illinois who has knowledge of the complete Largusa / Villabrille system, let me know. I'm not interested in trying to become a master, but I do want to learn the whole Largusa system in order to complete an old vow.

[Robert Klampfer]

While I can give you insight into Bobby Taboada's video series, some may consider me biased - I'm a student of and instructor under Bobby. Having said that up front, here goes...

Prior to my training with him, I'd been a collector of various instructional and documentary videos. I can honestly say that the quality of the material in Bobby's video series is top notch. They were designed and produced to be instructional, not promotional. There is a lot of material in those eight volumes. There's also great material on each volume so, it's difficult for me to recommend one volume over another. If your preference is to enter on the shallow end rather than take the plunge, try the first volume or two and see what you think. I don't think you'd be disappointed if you purchased the entire series, however.

Personally, I always recommend that our students obtain the videos as a supplement to their training. They can watch the appropriate lessons for review of what they've already learned and also have a look at what's coming up. It maximizes their training time by reducing the amount of review required and gives them a head start for the next lesson. I can always tell when someone has watched the video when they show progress between lessons. Otherwise, they start right where we ended the previous lesson and typically require more time spent reviewing. Some students buy the videos individually, some buy the entire set at once - it really comes down to personal preference and finances. When I first started, I bought the set at once. And I still watch them from time to time.

If you do decide to purchase any of the videos, I'd be interested to hear your review.

I picked up that you're in the Chicago area. Been there quite a few times. Nice city, other than during the winter! (I have no use for snow) Bobby and I will be not too far away, in Grand Rapids, MI over the Memorial Day weekend.

Regards,

Robert

[BlackScorpion47]

Robert-You were very kind and gracious to respond to my post. could you send me info on your visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan with Bobby on the Memorial Day weekend? You can send it to me as a private message if you wish.

BlackScorpion47

P.S. Chicago is indeed vicious in the winter, but the (way too short) summer is always memorable.

[lhommedieu]

Could anyone give me info on the value of the entire Balintawak video series featuring Guro Bobby Taboada? Is the entire set worth the bucks, or would I do better to only purchase certain volumes. Same goes for the Rene Latosa escrima series-are they worth the price?

I don't keep a lot of videos - but these are on my shelf for reference (and I don't even practice Balintawak). Great quality - and as Robert says more instructional than promotional. If you're interested in Balintawak then get these - it's a solid representation of the system.

Re. the Rene Latosa series: it's been at quite a while (7 years?) since I've seen them (there are some new ones out as well) but if my memory serves me they are representative of the Stockton area Serrada art that Mr. Latosa's family learned/taught while he was growing up. There is a certain "gritty" quality to them (and I mean that in a nice way). Mr. Latosa presents 2-3 key concepts in each video that inform the basic yet solid fundamentals that he teaches, e.g. the "so what?" theory of parries, etc. Definitely worth a look at. If I was to buy one today I'd probably start with the "Machete" volume.

Best,

Steve Lamade