My kids have started taking parkour so I’ve had a lot of time to think about parkour while sitting and watching them practice.  For those of you who are not familiar with parkour, here’s a video of David Belle, one of the founders doing what he does best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x98jCBnWO8w.  Now my kids aren’t at this level yet, but a father can dream!

Anyways, what make martial arts like parkour and unlike a track meet?  Track meet have specific events with specific techniques for those events.  You see every hurdlers jump the hurdles the same exactly way.  Every high jumpers tackles the high jump in almost the same manner.  You can use high jump techniques for a hurdle. Some people think martials are is like that.  You have techniques for when someone punches your and you can techniques for when someone kicks you.  You can’t use the punch techniques for kicks.  Unfortunately some instructors teach the martial arts this way too.  Regimented movement and techniques.

However, to me, martial arts is more like parkour.  Parkour teaches you techniques.  And while the techniques may have specific purposes, they can be used in a variety of situations.  No restriction is in place that only a certain technique can be used for scaling a wall or jumping a fence.  Technique are taught and it is up to the traceur (someone who practices parkour – don’t ask…it’s French, I would have called them parkourers) to choose what techniques to use when based on their ability.  Someone may use their hands to vault over a bench, whereas someone else may just jump over it.  Parkour teaches your body how to move, and a traceurs goal is to get from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible using any techniques in their arsenal.  Unlike a track meet, their terrain and obstacles are everchanging.

This is what martial arts is–a set of techniques that teach your body how to move and it is up to the practitioner to select the right movement for the situation.

When people think of weapons, they immediately think of long range fighting techniques.  But weapons can significantly improve close quarter techniques as well. Using a weapon tranforms how your body works, how it moves and how it reacts.   Over the years I’ve observed several ways in which weapons have helped me adapt to open hand/close uarter techniques.

1.  Staying close to the body.  Because you’re not the only one with a weapon, you learn to keep your hands and elbows close to the body, extending them only when striking.  Keep them, extended unnecessarily only creates a nice target for your opponent’s weapon.  This habit carries over to empty hand where techniques are executed close to the body.
2. Body shifting .  Given the speed at with weapons move, the ability to block requires not only putting obstruction in the way of the attacking weapon, but also getting your body out of the way.  This is reflected in the practice of Sinawali.  This ability to maneuver is essential in close quarter combat for not only moving around your opponent but other objects and obstacles.
3. Reaction speed.   Parallel to number 2, given the speed of weapons, your hand-eye coordination significantly improves.  Since the distance that an opponent’s punch or kick has to travel is minimal in close quarters, the quicker reaction times are a distinct advantage.
4. Strength and flexibility.  Using weapons trains and strengthens and stretches all the stabilizing smaller muscles in the wrist and hand that aren’t as frequently used in unarmed combat.  This gives the hands much more flexibility and effectiveness required for close quarter combat.

There are probably many other ways that weapons help your body perform better in close quarter combat.  What have you observed in your own practice?

This is a repost of an article I wrote 3 years ago but since they’re disappearing from the web, I thought I’d post it here.


Originally published on Chicago Tribune and LA Times around 1/2010.

Choosing a Martial Art – Filipino Martial Arts

If you’ve seen any of the Jason Bourne movies, you’ve seen the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) in action. FMA is a generic term referring to several different Filipino arts including Arnis, Kali and Escrima. These variations stem from different regions of the Philippines however, at their foundation, they are very similar and many times the terms are used interchangeably. The most differentiating characteristic of FMA from other arts is that training starts with weapons. While Filipino martial arts are lesser known amongst the populace compared to Kung Fu or Karate, their simplicity and effectiveness have made them a integral part of training for martial arts practitioners as well as many armed forces.

Background: The first written record of the Philippine systems date back to the 1500’s as documented by the Spanish conquistadors. However, these arts are generally assumed to be significantly older. After the colonization of the Philippines by the Spanish, indigenous arts were banned and most FMA were taught in secret, being passed down family lines. It was during the 20th century that Filipino arts began to gain more visibility, first in the Philippines and then eventually internationally as skilled practitioners left the islands to spread FMA throughout the world. One of these practitioners was Remy Amador Presas who founded Modern Arnis. This is the art I have been studying for the past fifteen years.

Self Defense: The FMA are an extremely effective and complete self defense systems. Training starts with weapons techniques that evolve into empty hand techniques. Students generally learn techniques using a single stick (baston), double stick, dagger (daga) and stick and dagger. Weapons training can also translate to almost any object. Students learn weapon against weapon, weapon against empty-hand, and empty-hand against empty-hand. Additionally, depending on the exactly style of FMA, training can include joint locks, throws and grappling (dumog). Because of the variety of techniques taught and translated to use with or without weapons FMA can appeal to a wide range of individuals and body types. Additionally, because of the various fighting ranges incorporated in the art, FMA is well suited for those who want to keep their distance from their opponents as well as those who want to close in on an attacker.

Physical aspects: Because FMA are technique focused, most technique can be executed regardless of strength and flexibility, if done properly. Many schools, however, incorporate exercises to develop strength, agility and flexibility that can be an asset in more advanced training. Due to the significant focus on the use of sticks, the average practitioner will quickly develop arm and shoulder strength through the repetition of drills. Additionally, training with sticks that can move at significant speed also helps rapidly develop hand/eye coordination.

Typical Class: My typical class is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes long. When I have new students I will do a formal stretching and warm-up session for about ten minutes. Typically most of my students will stretch on their own prior to the start of class. The class itself consists of about twenty minutes of basic drills to develop speed, strength and muscle memory, followed by about twenty minutes of practicing previously acquired techniques. The latter half of class usually consists of building on previous techniques or learning new ones. If time permits, we also practice reality based situation analysis (i.e., how would you defend yourself in a certain situation).

Classroom atmosphere: Class atmospheres can vary depending on the instructor, but they generally tend to be more relaxed and less regimented than traditional martial arts. My classes generally bow in at the beginning of the class and bow out at the end, however, the rest of class is fairly casual. Uniform requirements can also vary and most school will required some sort of uniform, whereas individual instructors may just require sweats and a t-shirt.

Overall: The Filipino martial arts are an effective system of self-defense and one of the best training for weapons techniques. Due to the simplicity and effectiveness of the system, it can be adapted to many different situations and individuals. It is ideal for those who want to be able to quickly learn skills to defend themselves and expand their martial knowledge.

This is a repost of an article I wrote 2 years ago but since they’re disappearing from the web, I thought I’d post it here.

Originally published on Chicago Tribune and LA Times on 10/2009.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-health-choosing-martial-art,0,1811106.story

Choosing a Martial Art

Important steps to take before you decide which move to make.

Mukesh Pitroda

October 30, 2009

The success of the various Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations has increased interest in martial arts and self-defense systems. With so many different arts and styles now available, choosing the right martial arts for you can be a daunting task.

Here are a few things to consider:

Interest: First, it is important to understand why you want to take martial arts. While the most obvious reasons include self-defense, fitness and confidence, there are plenty of other incentives such as stress relief, meeting new people, cultural interests and personal growth. Make a list of your top five reasons, this will help determine which art is best for you.

Self-defense: This is a given, however it is important to consider what type of situation you are preparing for. While boxing may not be a formal martial art, it is very well suited for a confrontation where two opponents are squaring off. Or, you may want to be prepared to defend yourself should you ever be physically threatened. Reality based martial arts that focus on techniques are more likely to prepare you for self defense situations more quickly than a traditional martial art. Likewise, someone more concerned with being pinned on the ground may find wrestling or Brazilian jujitsu best suited for their training.

Physical limits: Some bodies are better suited for some martial arts than others. That is not to say that physical aspects cannot be overcome. In fact, martial arts are a great way to conquer physical limitations. Generally, if your stature is small and wide, you may more naturally take to Judo or jujutsu, given a lower center of gravity whereas a thinner person may find more comfort in being able to kick rather than end up in a clinch or on the ground. Additionally, if you’re barely able to touch your knees, Tai Chi may compliment you more than arts that use high, fancy kicks and acrobatic techniques like Tae Kwon Do or Capoeira .

Learning style: How instructors teach can greatly impact how effective a school and art is for you. Think about how you best learn. Are you a better learner when the curriculum is more rigid and formal, or when things are more flexible? Do you see yourself in a uniform when you train or sweats and a t-shirt? Will you gain more from an instructor who you consider a teacher or a friend? Generally, Asian based arts tend to be more formal given the deep history and tradition they bring with them. Newer arts such as Krav Maga, tend to be less formal, focusing more on techniques.

Consider this: What you get out of a system will depend on many factors besides the art itself. Some of these factors will be internal, such as your physical abilities and your dedication. Others will be external like the style of the instructor. Use the information above to help narrow the list down several different arts and then choose a school you feel will be a good fit. Be sure to visit a class for each of these. Talk to the instructors and the students (those who have been training there for awhile, and those who just started).

The cold months are a great time to build up incorporate some strength training (I know I should be doing this all year around–it’s just easier staying indoors when it’s cold) and indoor aerobic exercise. 

Here is the routine I started this week

Strenght training (Su, T, Th)
1 Dips to failure + 3 negatives
2 Pullups till failure + 3 negatives
3 Dumbell Bench Presses
4 Lat Pull-downs
5 Dumbell Flyes
6 Inverted rows
7 Hanging leg lifts
8 Hanging on bar till failure

Indoor aerobic (M, W, F)
1 Kettlebell swings (5, 10, 20, 10, 5)
2 Kettlebell squats (5, 10, 20, 10, 5)
3 Elliptical 20 – 35 mins
4 Kettlebell swings (50)
5 kettlebell somethings (10 each hand)

Feedback?  What do you do during the winter months?

Different martial arts approach the fighting stance from different angles.  Some are meant to keep the opponents at a distance, some are meant to allow for quick defense.  All incorporate some level of the following things into the stance to allow for quick defense either from footwork, angling, of parries and/or blocks with the hands.   A lot of these stances are, however, meant for hand to hand combat.  When you bring weapons into the equation, especially bladed weapons, these stances have several weaknesses, especially when you move away from the traditional weapons practice of thrust and defend.  On the street, you may not even be aware that your opponent has a weapon.  Take for example, the follow stance. 
While this stance may be perfectly effective in defending against a punch or a kick, the first thing I think of when I see this stance is that:

1.  the elbows are in providing protection to the vital organs from the front such as the heart, lungs and liver. 

Any confrontation with a bladed weapon is going to be quick, complex and messy.  No stance is going to ensure that I don’t get hurt.  Footwork and parrying will help, but asI’ve heard many times–if a blade is involved, you’re going to get cut.  However, at least here there is a fighting chance of ensuring that the first strike is not one that damages a vital organ.

After almost 2 years since my last post, I’m starting this blog again.  But I’m changing the format and purpose.  Initially the blog was just about Modern Arnis and martial arts, but there’s more to all of us than just one facet and rather than try to keep multiple identities online, I’ve decided just to move forward with this one.

However, I am keeping the title of the blog the same, because the concept of defending the snake is applicable to many things in life.  In martial arts, it refers to either debilitating an appendage or an appendage with a weapon.  It’s the removal of something that is a threat, yet it is not the complete destruction of it.  You can take out a hand with a knife so they can’t hurt you, but you’re not taking someone’s life. 

That concept can be used in other things in life as well to refer to things that are a threat to what we want to achieve whether it is motivation, fear, time, support, etc.

On this blog I plan on writing about many of the things I’m involved in besides martial arts, like writing and the million ideas that I’m working on but only getting 51% of the way to success (hence 51% entrepreneur), and running, etc. 

I hope that this will lead to two-way conversations, feedback and hopefully new ideas and new friends!