DeCuerdas Eskrima

[dark_hadou]

has anyone trained with Grandmaster Tenio and his style of DeCuerdas Eskrima ? i know that Master Richard Van Donk is the sole inheritor of that style
http://www.decuerdaseskrima.com/
http://www.ninjutsu.com/shihan-van-donk.shtml

[Buwaya]

Are you sure?

http://www.decuerdas.com/

Besides Arthur Gonzalez
There's also Dentoy Revillar (SLD Eskrima).
I don't know if Master Revillar classifies as a heir though.

The Del Mar system also has Tenio Decuerdes in it.

[Buwaya]

BTW, I have no idea why my post as a thumbs up icon on it.:confused: weird.

[langgaw]

hello all,
Does anyone know if there is decuerdas in the island of Cebu and who is propagating it? I am curious because I heard this art is still in the shadows. ...-rd-

[dark_hadou]

hello all,
Does anyone know if there is decuerdas in the island of Cebu and who is propagating it? I am curious because I heard this art is still in the shadows. ...-rd-

yea it seems there are several styles that hav intergrated Decuerdas system into there own system

[langgaw]

That is very true. I want your opinion on its quality compared to the other schools. I know a little decuerdas myself but I have no idea how is this integrated with the Master Van Donk school since it looks like a Japanese one...-rd- Do you practice FMA too?.. and what kind?.-rd-

[Brian R. VanCise]

To my knowledge when Tenio unfortunately passed away all of his senior students went their own way and all of them are Grandmaster's now. I believe his son is the sole inheritor to his system. All of the other senior students have I believe added a slightly different name to their system.
Example : Van Donk system = Dynamic DeCuerdas Eskrima! That is my take on it anyway.

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com (http://www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com)

[dark_hadou]

hmmmmmmm interesting

[agimat]

Are you sure?

http://www.decuerdas.com/

Besides Arthur Gonzalez
There's also Dentoy Revillar (SLD Eskrima).
I don't know if Master Revillar classifies as a heir though.

The Del Mar system also has Tenio Decuerdes in it.
There's also Wayne Caseria too.

[kotaro]

I realize this post is a little late but I figured I'd throw my little bit of info in the mix...

To qualify myself to comment here - my FMA lineage includes Tenio Decuerdas. My instructor received his master's certification under Gilbert Tenio and I have received some training from Master Tenio myself prior to his passing (I was also a participant at what ended up becoming the last class he ever taught). My instructor (and his school) has been an active member under Tenio since the mid-80's.

What I am aware of is that before Master Tenio passed, he allowed Art Gonzalez and Rich VanDonk to label themselves a grandmaster in Decuerdas. Why? They both paid him $2,500 for the title. Master Tenio wasn't exactly a weathy man and no doubt could've used the money. Note that I wrote "a grandmaster in Decuerdas", not "THE grandmaster of Decuerdas". Master Gonzalez currently teaches "Decuedas Original Eskrima" while VanDonk has created "Dynamic Decuerdas Eskrima". Both individuals have grandmaster title but neither are the recognized heir to Master Tenio.

VanDonk has claimed to be Tenio's senior student/inheritor since Master Tenio passed but NOBODY in the Tenio clan and no other Tenio-taught Decuerdas master recognizes this claim, that I am aware of. One opinion (and this is just an opinion) is that he only claims senior student/inheritor within his ninjutsu organization and uses the claim to help sell instructional DVDs. He does not participate in our annual gathering and his signature is not one of the three required on our promotion certificates.

If you follow bloodline/family for determining an inheritor then Richard Tenio (the son) was recognized as heir but he never continued developing his skills enough to be considered a grandmaster (no offense intended). So, (unofficially) Master William Foster was looked to as the head of the organization. When he passed in late '05, his oldest son was offered the opportunity to inherit his family's art. He is currently looked upon by many masters (Decuerdas and otherwise) as the upcoming Decuerdas patriarch.

This is just a nutshell post and I'm sure there are many other opinions out there but...I figured this thread could use a post from someone who is actually a member within the Tenio "clan".

[dark_hadou]

thank you again so much for ur reply very very infomative indeed, i wish there was someone that would continue his legacy

[langgaw]

I hope to learn more of how this matter is resolved and why there was no formal handing over of the system to a more legitamate (objectively saying) inheritor. This is also happening to many systems where there is no clear delegation of who should carry on the baton after a GM passess away. Egos and money sometimes become suspect for situations like this and yet there may be reasons and legitamte reasons that we do not know yet. It would be best to hear from the learned ones direct from the clan itself. Someone out there could shed some facts............just me talking.

[Rich Parsons]

I hope to learn more of how this matter is resolved and why there was no formal handing over of the system to a more legitamate (objectively saying) inheritor. This is also happening to many systems where there is no clear delegation of who should carry on the baton after a GM passess away. Egos and money sometimes become suspect for situations like this and yet there may be reasons and legitamte reasons that we do not know yet. It would be best to hear from the learned ones direct from the clan itself. Someone out there could shed some facts............just me talking.


Just me writing as well:

What if the one chosen is not the one you want to support?

What if the one chosen does not fit your idea of who should be in charge?

What if the one who as told to teach was not native born the culture or heritage?

If any of the above were true, and yet the person in question, had witnesses or video tape or documents, would that change your mind? Would you support in pulic but not in private?

Would you walk away and teach what you thought you yourself was taught in the manner you were taught, even if it was different from the chosen sucessor?

Just curious

[kotaro]

thank you again so much for ur reply very very infomative indeed, i wish there was someone that would continue his legacy

Indeed. Many of "us" are simply waiting for Foster's son to assume the role. He's got a lot of reasons for his hestiation and has a pretty negative attitude toward all that's happened the past 12 years since GM Tenio passed - and that's his perogative. I hope he'll soon be able to see the positive side of his family's legacy and focus on that.


I hope to learn more of how this matter is resolved and why there was no formal handing over of the system to a more legitamate (objectively saying) inheritor.

Learning more would be nice but is probably not likely to happen. Instead of answers, I can only offer a little more history: (bear in mind that I'm reaching back a ways and never anticipated that I'd be explaining any of the things that happened back then...I guess I shoulda paid closer attention)
After that last class I mentioned in my previous post, GM Tenio and his wife had actually disappeared for a couple of months. His wife finally showed back up (or she was found, I don't recall now) with news that Tenio had passed. Apparently they were in the woods or some back-to-nature-type place where Tenio spent his last days returning his oracions back to nature - at least that's the story we were all told. So, since he was essentially missing for his final days, no one was openly appointed the inheritor. We can only speculate that he assumed his son would take over and the other family members and masters would make sure things would work out (?).

Unfortunately, since Richard Tenio didn't seem too interested, the clan members weren't very business oriented and organized and the other recognized masters (like Gonzalez, VanDonk, Revillar, Moro, and others) were already doing their own thing, the organization didn't go very far. I wasn't around during the late 90's (had moved to Florida) but from what I understand there were NO promotions and the clan sorta stagnated.

After all is said and done, I'd guess that the only non-bloodline masters that right this minute could be considered for GM after William Foster's death would probably be either Dentoy Revillar or Gilbert Cordoncillo. I say this because promotion certificates require 3 signatures in order to be valid. When GM Tenio passed in '94, Revillar and Cordoncillo were each asked to fill the third spot. Cordoncillo declined stating that Revillar was more qualified (out of respect for his having many more years affiliation with the clan). I don't know if Revillar accepted - I think he may have but don't remember. Now, Revillar currently is into his SLD Eskrima and has close ties with Bahala Na which makes Cordoncillo the 'man of the hour' by default. About a year ago, Cordoncillo formally announced to his own organization that he recognizes Foster's oldest son as the inheritor and would work on pulling the other masters together to polish his skill and teach him to use his oracion.

So, final word (at least from little ol'me) is that Foster is the sole inheritor of Tenio Decuedas. He's certainly got the support within the clan.

dark_hadou: Just wondering - you originally opened this thread asking if anyone had trained in Tenio Decuerdas. I'm assuming you're looking for instruction or were you just looking for more info sources than VanDonk's websites?

[langgaw]

Just me writing as well:

What if the one chosen is not the one you want to support?

What if the one chosen does not fit your idea of who should be in charge?

What if the one who as told to teach was not native born the culture or heritage?

If any of the above were true, and yet the person in question, had witnesses or video tape or documents, would that change your mind? Would you support in pulic but not in private?

Would you walk away and teach what you thought you yourself was taught in the manner you were taught, even if it was different from the chosen sucessor?

Just curious


This puzzles me as well. If I am reading it right, the inheritor needs to be trained some more (not saying he is not up to par) or polished some more. Inheritors could either be by bloodline or by skills. I am the wrong person to opine on this but I sure need more views as most of us wants. It makes one think whether an "Inheritor" should be a skilled follower or must be of bloodline regardless of skills. Yet , a bloodline might prove to be better thatn anyone considering the masters that surround and polish his/her skills. The other followers who claimed succession may just want to continue the art/system (?) w/out mailce maybe because it has stagnated and could have evolved the system too ,... trying to preveent it from dying, could also be considered a candidate because of hte loyalty shown. What should be right and acceptable to all. I have more questions than I can handle. What if there are other groups too who would want to use DeCuerdas as their base system? This is really an interesting topic as it is happening to other clans too. Boy, do we need more inputs to qualify the historical facts shared to us here in.

[kotaro]

hmm...the "new" inheritor is qualified to take the position IMO and others. Unfortunately, HE doesn't believe this...yet...hence the need for polish. I'm sure there are things he hasn't quite seen or realized within the skills he currently has and that will also be something the other masters will help to bring out of him - ultimately allowing him to fully step into his mastery of the art.

Within our organization, we tend to recognize bloodline first - those guys are usually given the "core" (if you can call it that) teaching that very few others are allowed to learn. If the family member cannot/will not fulfill the position, then the one of the senior members is given the lead - by the other senior members. Which is what happened after GM Tenio passed.

[Rich Parsons]

hmm...the "new" inheritor is qualified to take the position IMO and others. Unfortunately, HE doesn't believe this...yet...hence the need for polish. I'm sure there are things he hasn't quite seen or realized within the skills he currently has and that will also be something the other masters will help to bring out of him - ultimately allowing him to fully step into his mastery of the art.

Within our organization, we tend to recognize bloodline first - those guys are usually given the "core" (if you can call it that) teaching that very few others are allowed to learn. If the family member cannot/will not fulfill the position, then the one of the senior members is given the lead - by the other senior members. Which is what happened after GM Tenio passed.


Please understand my questions were abstract and not directly related to the person currently being discussed

[kotaro]

Please understand my questions were abstract and not directly related to the person currently being discussed

Not a problem at all...thx tho for offering to clarify. Actually I was responding more to the last post by Langgaw - which did reference your post. You do bring interesting questions - and ones that many of us face whenever someone "moves up the ranks". It doesn't even have to be an art's inheritor; master and even guro rank can make some people get weird.

[langgaw]

I always enjoy objective discussion such as this. Is not a Grandmaster given to the the original teacher andthe students can only reach masters? somehow that is always my understanding.What would the inheritors title be? where I come from has alot of GMs and Ms and I can not tell who is who. My teacher himself do not follow the title system but has to because that is the norm. Others become masters by virtue of number of years, by fight experience, by number of certificates, no. of actual training, by politics, by money and some by skills and age. A title to me is a respecteable status but what would the basis be. I am strongly inclined towards bloodline basis as the first logical choice for a successor/inheritor.Is it possible for you to get the facts from the source,(not that I am imposing) because we are all curious to know.I have to be extra careful with asking more than necessary. Salamat po.

[kotaro]

I've been moving the past few days but things are starting to settle back down now...I'll call "the inheritor" (I've purposefully left his name out for his privacy) tomorrow and see if I can get him to open up a little. Will post what he says.

[kotaro]

OK - moving took up way too much time. I've never had so much hassle before - sorry for the delay.

Ok, the difference between a system inheritor and a grandmaster, at least for us. Here's the progression of titles: student, guro, master, grandmaster/eskrimador. A guro develops students. A master has students that have become guros. A grandmaster has guros that have become masters. Grandmaster is supposedly one who has both skill and teaching experience. More than one grandmaster is allowed since it's merely a title, recognition of what one has accomplished.

A system inheritor is different. Since Decuerdas is a family-specific art (the families in the clan are Tenio, Besira and Ranario), then an inheritor to the art is expected to be family - usually eldest son/nephew who has been trained - altho there are plenty of females with training too. In this particular family, there will always be someone that is trained; these people live this stuff, it's who they are, not just what they do. So, by bloodline and by age and by training, the active clan masters are able to determine an inheritor in the event one is not appointed. Since it's possible for the inheritor to not be a master, then it becomes the duty of the other masters to provide training. The inheritor is looked upon as the family "martial partiarch", the head of the art.

[La Diestro]

Hey!!! The next time you call him up, ask him just how much he HATES Arthur Gonzalez. The responce you receive will not be allowed to be posted, or at the very least severely edited.

Now, I assume you are talking about Billy Foster, Jr.?

I, like you, have heard mostly stories of the history of the De Cuerdas group. Who was there, who was taught what? Did anyone outside the family receive any family secrets? Who did Grandmaster Tenio like the best?

Well, I can attest for one story involving the next blood-line inheritor. I was in class one night at the Stockton Martial Arts Academy. Halfway through class, a big fat kid wearing a do-rag gangster style, and his skinny little buddy came into our' school. First, they sat down in the front row of chairs, closest to the floor. The assistant instructor turned over the class to Ernest Childers, a visititing instructor and student of both Tenio and Juan Eliab. As Guro Childers was showing us a disarm for a reverse grip #1, he was interupted by William Foster's tall fat son. He wanted to demonstrate the REAL De Cuerdas disarm. He couldn't even do it, he was so damn drunk! None of us knew who he was, but we didn't want to cause a scene just in case he knew Arthur. Well, now we know who he is, and if we had known before hand, he wouldn't have made it to the seat. That was just totally disrespectful of the new heir. This happened 6 years ago.

One story that relates to the "who is the inheritor, who has the real De Cuerdas" question occurred one night when I was at my favorite Stockton bar called Bogeys. My friend Terry told me to say hello and introduce myself to a member of the Tenio family. I think he was the grandson of Gilbert. Terry introduced me as a student of Arthur's, and we talked for a few minutes. I forgot who Terry said he was related to, and I made a mistake by asking him if he was Lee Foster's grandson. He said no, and that he is from TENIO, and that the De Cuerdas that Art Gonzalez and Billy Foster wasn't the FAMILY style like he was taught.

The next time I went to class, I told Arthur what happened. He told us that when something like this happens, to just shine it on. People are going to claim to be the "Grand Pooba", when they are just sycophants and charlatans.

As for me, I could care less who is the Emperor of De Cuerdas, because I know what Arthur's got, and I know what THEY got, and they can HAVE it. If you wanna claim something, then PROVE IT WITH YOUR' SKILL!!

[kotaro]

Interesting...One thing you may not have known...there are two sons. Unfortunately one of them has had a real bad time with substance abuse and it sounds like he may be the one you met. I'm not exactly sure how he's doing lately but I sure hope he's gotten better - that kind of life can sure get rough. Plus, a lot of toes get stepped on and a lot of bridges burned...

Whether or not anyone likes or hates anyone else wasn't the topic of this thread so I didn't write anything regarding that. I am aware that there are a lot of bad feelings, justifed or not, between many individuals. I just hope that someday people can/will leave the past where it is...in the past...and look forward to continuing excellence in the FMA's.

[kotaro]

Upon La Diestro's suggestion I called...

There is no hatred or bad blood on the part of Foster's son toward anyone in any system. This does not necessarily mean that others feel the same about him. He acknowledges that he did/said many things in the past that he's not proud of today but he is not able to change what has already happened. If others want to hold on to "drama" then that's their perogative. He realizes that his actions were partly based on being "hot-headed" as a youth (extremely hot, I recall) and partly from substance abuse. You've heard he saying "Young and dumb and full of..." (you know how this line ends). If apologies are in order, then he's willing to dish them out with total humility and no ego.

He's now focused on growing up, taking care of his family and teaching what he has learned - no quest for fame, fortune or glory. If anyone wants to take control of the Decuerdas style...go ahead...it's free for the taking. He's going to do his own thing.

[La Diestro]

Hi again.

Lee Foster has 2 sons and 1 daughter, if I'm told right. The one that showed up was Billy. Arthur had met the other son and daughter on different occasions, and felt good about them.

I'm sure I'll see Billy at Bogey's bar someday. My friend Terry, who knows him, said I missed him by a couple of minutes one night. If I'm introduced, I'll tell him that I'm a student of Arthur. Hopefully nothing will come of it, but I hope he comes correct. I also hope he has recovered.

[diestro]

Additional information, I am a student of Grandmaster Gonzalez, and have been training with him for nearly 10 years. In the entire time he has not once claimed to be the inheritor of Tenios’ system and we have always assumed that Richard his son would be the next legitimate inheritor of Tenios’ Decuerdas. Several years ago Master Gonzalez had asked, on more then one occasion for Richard Tenio to return to the FMA seen and continue where his father had left off, when he didn’t Master Gonzlez asked permission from Richard Tenio to start his own system with the inclusion of much of the late Tenio’s Art. Permission was granted and Richard even passed down his father’s belt to Master Gonzalez. Since then we continue to pay honor to the late Gilbert Tenio, but we never claim to be the sole inheritor of his system. We did have the name of Decuerdas Original Eskrima and have since settled on the name of Diestro Decuerdas Fighting System. In order to legitimize his new system he also obtained the concurrence of several other legitimate Grand Masters, Masters and Professors within the martial arts community and obtained their signatures of approval

[tanod]

is this the same as serrada eskrima? i know they have a technique called decuerdas

[arnisador]

I thought this was a different style?

[StknDecuerdas]

Yes, it is a principle. Yes, it is a technique. Yes, it is a system. Is it the same for everyone? No. I believe Inayan has a sub-system called Decuerdas, where they focus on certain blade attributes. Others define the term as going "by the Chords" meaning a technique to connect multiple hits. The same definition was explained as reffering to the three chi-esque lines that run parallel in a flow on the outside and inside of the arm and how to manipulate with various nerve attacks. Still another considers it to refer to reenforced blocking. While others associate the term with the particular system as taught by the late Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio. Except for the Inayan system, which I have not been personally acquainted, I have been taught by various instructors all of these at one time or another. Decuerdas can REALLY be as ESOTERIC or as PRACTICAL as you want to make it. that's just my experience.

[408kali]

Just a very quick topical comment regarding Cabales Serrada Eskrima. I am by no means an expert on the lineage of the system, but- have found Cabales Serrada Escrima to be generally regarded as a derivitive of the DeCuerdas system as taught by Felicisimo Dizon. I am sure there are former students of Angel Cabales who can give more detailed information.
I myself eagerly await when more information regarding the lineage of this devastating system is more readily available.

Respect, ~John

[platypus]

Now, I assume you are talking about Billy Foster, Jr.?

I, like you, have heard mostly stories of the history of the De Cuerdas group. Who was there, who was taught what? Did anyone outside the family receive any family secrets? Who did Grandmaster Tenio like the best?

This is the kind of talk that keeps the bad blood flowing. Questions like those just recycle gossip.

The De Cuerdas clan in general is not blabby and quite private. This may have led to a lot of the gossip, speculation and myths. If it's a family secret, only the family knows. If others know, it's not a secret.

[arnisador]

Certainly, let's focus on the positive!

[hnb5]

concerning the subject of finding someone to learn decuerdas from. i have been learning from Prof james muro for the last eight years. He was part of the first group to learn from GM tenio. who was given a masters certificate from tenio himself. i have asked him who else teaches and he mainly states arthur gonzalez in stockton.
I would like to comment as well on the method decuerdas as some have stated before.That

[hnb5]

concerning the subject of finding someone to learn decuerdas from. i have been learning from Prof james muro for the last eight years. He was part of the first group to learn from GM tenio. who was given a masters certificate from tenio himself. i have asked him who else teaches and he mainly states arthur gonzalez in stockton.
I would like to comment as well on the method of decuerdas as some have stated before.That it is direct in it attitude and as prof muro puts it a combat art.

[PATTONCLAN]

I would like to start out by saying that i have ben away from Eskrima and all martial arts for about 20 years until now ,something sparked my interest and found me here. I have nothing to gain or loose by what i am about to share since i do not have any contact or afiliation with any of the old school boys and now live in the pacific northwest ,i nolonger am even around the area for many years so please take what i say for being the truth for as best as i can remember and please forgive for misspeling of names or being unaware of deaths. to start out my name is Mark. I was a direct student of GrandMaster Tenio, Jhon Eliab and Aurther Gonzalez starting in 1980 till about 1990, I was 13 years old when i first started to train with Tenio. I thought i would have to stop training with him because my father could nolonger aford the classes , a wopping 20.00 a month, but he said do not worry about it it was not for the money and so i continued my lessons out of kindness to share. In my 10 years of training i never accepted any rank it was not important to me or him. there were some in our small group that were just the 2 hour 2 day a week students one of those students were van donk who i only seen be a part of the classfor about one year i believe in 81 or 82 and then he got into that ninjitsu hahahaha stuff!!! never to be seen of again untill Gilbert died, so the $2500 mastership i can believe. As far as Aurther Gonzalez goes, he treated Gilert as a father as far as i could tell and Gonzalez live and breathed Decuerdas, we would work out with each other from 8 am to 8 pm in Acampo CA at least 3- 4 nights a week, i spent more time training than i did in high school. I think we ate and pooped ratan sticks. it was realy somthing when the sun went and you could see the sparks flying off the blades when we spard and played. to say that Aurther payed for his mastership would be a lie and insult to the great dedication that man spent learning and a insult to Tenio himself who i know spent alot of time teaching us . And Threw very hard work and countless hrs of practice pesonally seen Aurther demonstrait i also was a eye witness to him reaseiving his mastership in the form of a red belt publicly given to him in the dojo of Grandmaster Wally Jay JUJITSU school, there was also a dinner that followed the honer later and had heard Gilbert refer to Aurther as being a master. I have no belt or rank or cert. of any type ,just fond memory of my teacher mentor and freind and to say it was my privaledge to learn his style and proud to say "I was there", Mark.

[PATTONCLAN]

i would have to agree I have trainded with Art and Tenio in the early days.

[Epa]

PATTONCLAN, Since you trained with Grandmaster Tenio for awhile would you be willing to talk a little bit about the style and the way he trained you guys. I'm always interested to hear about how the older generation of teachers taught the art. Thanks in advance.

[PATTONCLAN]

Well for starters, the first year all we learned was Serrada and largo mano, nothing wrong with that , was a grat foundation and gave us the skills to play with other eskrimadores when we traveled. then he would start us on disarms and espade y daga, and 2 bolos, we did have a school from time to time but moved around alot from a dojo to back yards and a navy base at rough n ready island. There was those in our class that were not as serios as others about learning. but to those who wanted it he taught Dequerdas. I remember i and Raul Gonzalez had a hard time with footwork until we got a willow switch on the back of the calves a few times then we realy new how to move our buts in positions, in the class he would have us train with ratan stick but when we had personal training at Arthur Gonzalez's house, Grand Master Tenio would have us train with cocobolo or bolo mechette for many hours until we coud do our stuff in the dark , and we did. the grapling and weapons i found to be second to none as i put it to the test in other non eskrima schools by my third year. its realy hard to explain what its like if you had not tasted it youself, but i think grandmaster Tenio said it best when he held his double edge blade in his hand and would say "devistating" and it was! one of the other practices is he would have us go threw a gontlet and defend ourselves as we went threw, that was cool. the weapon removel he showed us to have compleat control of blade by our first move and dealing a death blow by the aponets weapon within that first move somtimes by the second. the amount of stuff we learned and how far we took it was unbelieveable from armed to unarmed i do not think it could all be contained in a book. He took the killing style so far that our minds and hands flowed into endless posibilities. every techneek we did multiplied into a dozen and each of those into a dozen more and so on, we thought we could name and number the moves but found it to be to much a task and our speed became like that of a high speed fan, you could not see the weapon, you Knew when grandmaster Tenio was pleased with what you did when he would smile and say "that was most devistating" .Like i said , i took no belt or rank, just stayed in the shadows, and loved to be the guinypig when other masters showed up to share there stuff like Dentoy Revalar, Angel Cabalas and others, my memory is a little cloudy. I would have to say besides grandmaster Tenio and Art Gonzalez that Master Dentoy Revelar left a great impresion on me when i seen him move and felt how fast his hands and weapons were as i was being the demo man. What a awsome Eskrimadore! Corect me if you will on his title. Any other thing i can anser i would be glad too and any stories of our travels i will post as the fog clears, thanks Mark.

[PATTONCLAN]

I remember another practice that grandmaster Tenio would have us do he called it stick hands, we would practice it for hrs and days until we owned it then we did it blindfolded until we felt it and knew what the other man was going to do before he did it then we did the same thing with a blade in our hand and then 2 blades from that we incorperated the grapleing joint locks from every joint starting with the fingers up to the neck down the spine and to the legs, after we did well with the locks all the locks became brake and we practiced all the locks and brakes threwout the body with all the body weapons that God equiped us with our hands, arms, fingers ,elbows,shoulders head, teath ,hips legs ,knees feet each weapon became a atack per there joint to lock or brake times the inside, outside, under and over. after the locks and brakes we atacked the soft points and presure points prety much the same way exausting very posible angle of atack to every posible strike zone with every posible weapon on our body, there was much more hand to hand than that. we were taught a reversals for every lock we were taught and how to defend at every angle but the defence was not realy a defece it was a atack apon there atack at minimun it was 1-1/2 times advance to a kill to a aponets atack. and when we had exausted that Tenio would show something more.

[Hello]

I hate to burst your bubble of esotericism, but Gilbert Tenio was with his family for the final month of his life. He was not in the woods on some mystical quest to return his "gifts" to nature. The Tenio brothers are laughing at this from the grave, and so am I! ROFL!!!!!! Thanks for the laugh!!!!:laugh:

[Crafty Dog]

GM Art G. will be the guest instructor at the Dog Brothers Martial Arts Winter Camp Feb 17-19.

http://www.fmatalk.com/showthread.php?9376-Feb-17-19-DBMA-Winter-Camp

[karambits]

Master Angelo 8th Dan and my instructor has trained with and was taught by Grandmaster Rene R. Tongson who is one of the two most senior Masters of the International Modern Arnis Federation – Philippines (IMAFP) under the Professor Remy Presas Clan. You can read about it here (http://filipinomartialart.co.uk/arnis/)