Quote:
Originally posted by swan104
So what is the difference between the FMA that is practiced in JKD schools and authentic FMAs from the Phillipines?
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Well, here's a little story from my own experience about this.
The Inosanto blend is at the core of my FMA. Most people who train in Inosanto blend are JKD guys. But that's not true in my case. My instructor is a Kali and Silat man first and foremost and his knowledge of JF/JKD was peripherally picked up because he was training with Guro Dan.
I was talking to a guy a few years ago. I told him that Inosanto blend is at the core of the FMA I train and he said, "Yeah. I started in Inosanto blend but it didn't have enough depth for me."
I thought this was a pretty strange comment since I have yet to even have a clue of what the actual depths of the Inosanto blend are. But I didn't say anything. I just let it slide. He had moved from Inosanto blend to another FMA system and was, obviously, happy there. No skin off my nose.
A few hours later, we were playing. He asked me about some of the knife work I do. I showed him some of it (using my wallet as a knife because we didn't have a trainer handy). He said, "Wow. Is that Uncle's knife work?" ["Uncle" being Willem de Thouars ... it was one of his events where we met]
I said, "No. Though Uncle does some similar knife work, his flavor is different. That was straight out of the Inosanto blend."
He said, "Wow. I've never seen an Inosanto guy with that kind of depth in his knife work."
I said, "Then you've not really worked with an Inosanto blend FMA guy. I'd guess you've worked with Inosanto JKD guys who've picked up some FMA at seminars or as an extension of their JKD."
There's quite a bit of difference between a "JKD guy who does some FMA" and an "FMA guy."
*** Note: I'm not detracting from JKD guys at all. They're very good at their JKD. It's simply a matter of specialization. People who really focus on the FMA are, obviously, going to have more depth in their FMA than people who dabble in FMA. ***
And, what's really humorous about the above, is that my knife work is one of my weaker areas. I'm competent with it and certainly have some skill with it. But it's much less developed than my stick work or empty hands (which is where I spend most of my focus).
Mike