Kombatan?

[Golok]

Try it, and you will soon know

Try it and you will find out, if it suits for your needs. You will find out sooner than five years, if you dont, then there is something wrong with you. By the way, you cant judge that Kombatan dojo as mcdojo if you dont go there and try, because if you suppose, that it is mcdojo stuff with out trying it, it sounds like gossip.So justice for kombatan gym of Pori Finland, no gossips, go and try, and then tell us if it is good thing or not.
Mittumaarin merkeissä Golok

[johnzag]

Firstly I would like to enter into this debate by giving my credentials (might save us time down the track). I am a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kombatan and I was personally graded to this rank by Grand Master Ernesto Presas and 6 of his top masters including his son Master Ernesto Presas Jnr in the Philippines on the Island of Negros in May of last Year.
Kombatan in my opinion (and its only my opinion) is probably the most all round efffective martial art that I have seen. I have studied Karate and Jiu-Jitsu as well. It more then any other art stresses the similarities between weapon fighting and hand to hand combat. Couple that with the fact that it is extremely effective and works for everyone (70% of my club is made up of females i wouldn't want to mess with) and you have an art that whilst new is seeped in tradition and belongs to one of the greatest Filipino martial art familys.
I read an article by Datu Kelly Warden (6th degree back belt under Remy Presas who is acknowledged as one of the best practitioners of arnis EVER). Where he said that Arnis Presas style in all its forms (kombatan, modern Arnis etc) belonged only to this great family (the Presas's). My point being that an art passed down by the Presas family whether it be from the Remy Presas lineage, Roberto Presas lineage or as Kombatan is from the Ernesto Presas lineage is worth learning. Embrace the art study it, if the teacher is any good you will no be sorry.

[chris84ae]

Have you tried pointing out these methods you dont like to the instructor and talking to him about it, not everyone teaches it exactly the same one. I'd also take any promo video as a rough guide, its might be like that cause its emphasising a point, explaining drills/patterns, made flashy on purpose, edited by some profesional editor who as no idea.

[szorn]

Go For It!

I've heard some good stuff about kombatan (from practitioners mostly), and some people say it's all crap (obviously people from other arts). I guess some of you have experiences and opinions to share? There's a new Kombatan Club nearby me and I wonder if it's worth the money, time and effort.

Having trained with Ernesto Presas and some of his instructors I would highly suggest that you look into it, IF you are interested in solid filipino martial arts. Regardless of what others here have said, Ernesto is a very knowledgable and highly skilled instructor of his arts. I have trained in other filipino systems, including serrada and modern arnis, I have also been exposed to other systems via videos but I would still recommend Kombatan over any of the others.

Regardless of what anyone says, the only way you can find out whether or not it's for you, is to actually go and check it out.

Take care and stay safe,
Steve

[Keeper]

I trained at the Manila Kombatan HQ with Grandmaster and his blackbelts.
I reached brown belt in the mano mano and solo/doble baston system and had some experience but wasn't ranked in it's other systems (knife, ground etc) and so I've seen alot (but certainly not all) of what Kombatan has to offer.

All I can say is, GM and his guys are the best... some of their moves are kinda fancy but they can REALLY make them work. How? They train everyday. And I mean EVERY day. Hard. If you wanna go to a school once or twice a week, maybe it wouldn't be wise to practice some of the arts' more complex movements.

And to be honest, out of the hundreds of complex joint-locks and take downs and fancy stick and knife work I was exposed to.... I do filter some of it. By that I mean, I don't train those techniques anymore because I can't make them work on the street like the guys in Manila do. But then, those guys are made of different stuff.
BUT.... I'm eternaly grateful that I was taught them, because every now and again the oportunity to pull off those moves come up. And if I wasn't shown those techniques, I'd still be baffled at the various other seminars I attend. Whereas now I can say, oh yeah I know that one.

And as for the Kombatan stuff that I do continue to train, I KNOW they work. Before going to the Philippines i had ZERO FMA experience. Less than a year after coming back I entered the first european Killshot tournement (Hock Hochiem's answer to the Dogbrothers fights - full contact stuff, no rules) I got 2nd place stick and 3rd place knife.
All I did was put some JKD footwork into the training mix and got much better results than I expected at the tournament.

So.... should you train Kombatan? Just frikkin try it and once you have the experience with it... filter, change, enhance do whatever you like with your training, just make the art your own. That's the rule with all martial arts. Once you learn the basis of the arts' methods... make it fit you. No one expects you to fit it.

Good luck brother

Keeper

[LAKANPOPOT]

Keeper,
Good for you. I can tell you this I used to teach at that gym in Quiapo. From my experience all FMa and other martial arts have Fancy movement. That's where the art comes in. Effectivity, always your main purpose. I see flashy taekwondo kicks. But the koreans make it work. Everybody who has seen GM Ernesto will tell you he is the real deal. It is just taking the risk of trying something. Don't we hear bad stuff about Gracie jujitsu? We cannot satisfy everybody. But all styles have their good sides and bad sides. We all just have to choose it based on our taste or preference. LIke coffee and wine.

[johnzag]

I attended the Kombatan World training camp in 2003 and there was a lot of stuff that I thought may not be that practical for Westerners.. By this I mean guys or girls infact who have bigger body sizes and less agility and dexterity then the filipino's. However on the whole most of the stuff that Ernesto Presas Jnr (who was doing most of the teaching) was showing was really practical and to the point. i think with some of the fancier stuff you just have to play with it until its comfortable! At the end of the day if it doesn't work for you move on.
For me though coming from a Japanese Formal approach to Martial Arts Kombatan was a breath of fresh air and whilst I will always dabble in new styles and continue to look for new techniques etc I doubt that I will ever stop training in Kombatan. It just blends everything together too well!

[Keeper]

Everybody who has seen GM Ernesto will tell you he is the real deal.

Especialy if they know the story of what happend on that beach in Negros all those years ago (don't know if you heard about that, I'm sure you did) Even something as tame as doing sinawali with GM is a scary experience... he has the fire in his eyes.

Jonzag,
Couldn't agree with you more!



It seems my show-off picture didn't download fully... never mind I'm sure you guys can tell that's GM and Ernesto Jr!

Peace

Keeper

[jubaji]

I see flashy taekwondo kicks. But the koreans make it work.

Really?

[LAKANPOPOT]

Really?

REAAAAALLYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especialy if you met the Koreans I met from Korea. But that's just my opinion. Y'all don't have to agree.
\
Keeper. Tell me the story. Maybe I haven't heard of this one. Thanks.

johnzag, I totally agree with you about fancy movement. The thing I like about Kombatan is you learn what you want and weed out the ones you don't like. It let's you make your Kombatan fit your personality. GM does not like robots or Photocopies.

[jubaji]

REAAAAALLYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especialy if you met the Koreans I met from Korea.

If you say so.

[johnzag]

You know the funny thing about Kombatan is that most people come to it from another martial art! Which is a prety good indication of its value.
My instructors down here in Australia have always told me to approach it with the attitude learn everything but use only what works for you. The funny thing is some things that you discard to begin with come back to you when you need them.
Its pretty funny when you hear GM start talking about finding the flow and how everything is the same.. and your like get off the drugs man.. but later on the track when it "all comes together" your like hmmmm thats probably why he is a Grand Master and I am the boot cleaner.

[LAKANPOPOT]

If you say so.

hahaha! great fun. My friend.

johnzag,
I feel the same after learning from GM. He just a good teacher. A big honor to meet somebody of such talent.

[johnzag]

I think the only way to judge an instructor is to go and train with he or her. I dont think it will take you 5 years to work out if they are any good. In terms of Kombatan Arnis as a martial art it is as good as any other variation of Modern Arnis.
You cant really go wrong with it as a MArtial Art plus if your instructor has access to GM E Presas then he's probably worth training with even if its only to meet and train with GM.

[spirit teacher]

kombatan

You just have to seep out the marketing, sure several have been promoted super quick, including ones who are on this forum. source out the instructor not the style as quality is time multiplied by experience and several who came to the style after GM'S hall of fame in the states in 2000 have neither. I interviewed GM senior for magazines and asked direct questions, when you watch him the footwork in books is replaced by his kendo footwork training, basic blocking is replaced by advanced. Kawada or Solar were the best teachers but both are no longer with Presas. Dont pay for supplies in advance as they will never arrive and the Admin is a joke. Ask how long has this person been in this style - can I trace his instructor and ask who trained him. If you cant walk, away and spend your time wisely.