Blitz - June-July 2017

ĉĀƫđƫ333ċ(%06)#ċ*!0 | (^) FEATURE STORY
...and steps to the left while
scooping his forearm around
to capture the assailant’s torso.
Lifting his elbow, Dean takes
Mick’s shoulder back to break
his balance and covers his face,
using Mick’s head for leverage to
throw him to the ground.
SPORT ESKRIMA
Sport eskrima was developed to
promote FMA as concern grew
that the arts were dying out.
Filipino parents did not want
their children practising their
indigenous martial arts, which
in some instances were borne of
a criminal element (unlike other
Asian arts that were practised
by nobility) who tested them
in brutal fashion. Promoting
the art via sport was to be
the way forward, much to the
credit of Grandmaster Dionesio
A. Canete, who volunteered
to draft and formulate the
tournament rules now used in
WEKAF tournaments today. To
compliment the rules, Canete
designed and produced the
protective wear such as helmets,
body protectors and gloves.
The rules on sparring matches
had received such broad
acceptance that by early 1970
they were widely employed by
eskrima, arnis and kali schools
and organisations around the
country (as documented in
Espada y Daga – Doce Pares
‘Multi-style’ System by GM
Dionesio A. Canete). Hence,
sport eskrima was established
to promote the art in a positive
manner to not only men but
women and children too. It was
also deemed a convenient way of
ending the traditional no-holds-
barred fights.
Nowadays women, girls and
boys are expanding the playing
field, with Australia producing
several gold medal winners,
including Tamara Bellinger
and Tanya Farnsworth in the
world women’s divisions, and
Hayden Carter in the children’s
division. They will each compete
internationally at the Bali
International Stick-fighting
tournament in 2017, and defend
their world titles at the 2018
WEKAF World Championships.
Both events are open to a variety
of different FMA styles and
groups, which until recently
was generally frowned upon.
Thanks to initiatives like this,
FMA is not only surviving, but
growing.
Empty hands vs Empty hands
As Mick (right) rushes up to throw a heavy, wide
haymaker at Guru Dean...
...and immediately stop-hits the attacker’s other
shoulder as he grabs the punching arm...
...as he drives in behind it to strike with an elbow
to the jaw.
Dean then pins Mick’s forearm to
his chest as he steps to the side and
wraps his arm over Mick’s elbow,
creating a shoulder lock...
...Dean circles away to the inside to avoid the power of
the blow, jamming it with a double block...
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