History of Integrated Eskrima

Introduction by Alan Orr

I am often asked what is Integrated Eskrima? Well, as my teacher Guro Mark Wiley has the roots of his system heavily connected to Kalis Ilustrisimo. I would basically say it was Kalis Ilustrisimo as a base, but with Guro Marks unique teaching methods and vast knowledge of the Filipino arts to make it more comprehensive. But really that does not do justice to the great body of work he has brought into his art of Integrated Eskrima. So, who would be better to give a clearer insight into the history of Integrated Eskrima than the man himself -
Guro Mark V. Wiley.

My training in the Filipino martial arts goes back 20 years. While my martial arts life did not begin with the Filipino systems, these arts certainly grabbed me by the throat and took me to task. There was work to be done, it seemed, and I was somehow chosen to carry it out. And it is this work of more than half my life in deep research, travel, documentation and training in these arts that not only led to training under the world’s greatest teachers and writing prolifically on the topic, but the gradual formation of a my own “method” of Eskrima. To get a more complete picture of how Integrated Eskrima came to be, we must start from the beginning.

History of the Art
I started in the early-Eighties exchanging Wing Chun techniques for JKD/Kali techniques with a close friend of mine who was actively attending JKD seminars. I then began formal study of Modern Arnis under the direction of Grandmaster Remy Presas and Joe Breidenstein. By the mid-Eighties I was full swing into the Filipino arts, traveling across the United States attending seminars and booking private sessions in various systems, such as JKD/Kali, Serrada Escrima, Inayan Eskrima, Pekiti Tirsia Arnis, Sayoc Kali, Kalis Ilustrisimo, Hagibis and others. The early-Nineties saw personal training at the hands of Grandmaster Angel Cabales (Cabales Serrada Escrima), Grandmaster Herminio Binas (Binas Dynamic Arnis), Master Onofre Escorpizo (Cinco Tero Arnis), Professor Florendo Visitacion (Vee Arnis Jitsu) and Grandmaster Ramiro Estalilla (Rigonan-Estalilla Kabaroan) among others.

It was in the early-Nineties that I also started writing articles for magazines like Black Belt, Eskrima Review, Tambuli and Karate/Kung-Fu Illustrated. With this writing came the need for topics. And one thing I noticed was that while the younger generation eskrimadores were getting their fare shake of press and articles, the older more established masters were being left behind. I decided to write a book about them. But before there is a book there must be material for a book. And so I began interviewing masters (formally and informally) in the United States, such as Herminio Binas, Onofre Escorpizo, Rey Galang, Chris Sayoc, Bo Sayoc, Amante Marinas, Florendo Visitacion, Remy Presas, Angel Cabales, Ramiro Estalilla, Leo Giron, Tony Somera, Sam Tendencia, Ben Largusa, Edgar Sulite, Carlito Lanada, Omikl DelRosario, Raffy Pambuan, Bobby Taboada, Toby Tobosa, Eddie Lastra, Fred Lazo and others. With these interviews came private training, explanation, personal insights. While some masters were guarded, most tried their best to either convince me or prove to me that their art was superior to those of the other masters. And what great insights I gained!

In 1994 I made what was to become the first of more than a dozen trips to the Philippines to further my research and training in the Motherland of these arts. I was accompanied on my first trip by Master Rey Galang and hosted by Bakbakan International. Master Rey and Bakbakan were wonderful hosts and helped me immensely by not only training me in Kalis Ilustrisimo, Tulisan, Sagasa and Hagibis, but by introducing me to masters both within and outside of their own association. It was also the help of Master Alex Co that led my training and research in so many more directions. During these intensive fieldtrips I was able to train with, interview, photograph and videotape dozens of grandmasters, masters and teachers, including:

Antonio Ilustrisimo, Christopher Ricketts, Antonio Diego, Romy Macapagal, Rolly Maximo, Pedring Romo, Porferio Lanada, Meliton Geronimo, Jimmy Geronimo, Benjamin Luna Lema, Elmer Ybanez, Jose Mena, Jerson Tortal, Federico Fernandez, Ernesto Presas, Napoleon Fernandez, Abner Pasa, Pacito Velez, Alejandro Abrian, Abon Baet, Gergorio Baet, Daniel Baet, Modesto Madrigal, Reynaldo Baldemor, Rogelio Alberto, Julius Obregon, Ely Pasco, Bobby Go King, Dioney Canete, Scioc Glaraga and many others.

Research Findings
During my research and training I witnessed the same things time and again: great systems, great demonstrations of technical skill, great underlying concepts and ideas, but a true lack of spontaneous application in non-prearranged scenarios. While I found many of the masters of Filipino martial arts to be tough fighters themselves, many of their respective systems did not have a training program in place that efficiently or completely addressed the issues the art espoused: self-defense, fighting effectiveness, inner power, sports excellence, etc. As a result, each generation of students seemed to grasp less and less of their arts’ essence. Sure, talented practitioners and insightful teachers emerged, but the majority of practitioners tended to lack insight and true understanding of their art.

Through two decades of observation, training and questioning I came to understand that what makes one art or technique more "useable" in authentic situations is based on proper training methods and mental attitude. In other words, the Means must justify the Ends, and in many arts the means and ends never meet. As a result of this “insider’s view” of the arts, I was able to see a through-line and developed the Integrated Modular Training method and paradigm to teaching and training.

I call my method Integrated Eskrima, since it not only integrates the compatible teachings and methods of my teachers, but each technique is fully integrated with every other technique as they are learned. This method needs to be understood rather than dismissed, for the very reason that it is not a haphazard collection of techniques or teachings, as many other “new” systems tend to be. On the contrary, Integrated Eskrima is a method of learning and teaching Eskrima that provides a platform for both and a through-line that balances means and ends. That is, the means (basics, techniques, training methods) must justify the ends (hoped-for results of training). Merely grabbing and combining techniques will never achieve this balance. I was able to understand the arts and achieve this balance only after 20 years of thorough and intensive training, interviewing and recording at the hands of the arts’ greatest masters.

Essence of the Art
While Integrated Eskrima is not a new "style" of Filipino martial art, it is a unique “system” of methodically learning and teaching. What differentiates Integrated Eskrima from other Filipino martial arts is not the Content (root techniques) found in the system, but the Context (methods) in which they are learned, trained and taught. Integrated Eskrima is a system of progressively learning, training and teaching the footwork methods, striking methods, angles of opportunity, primary techniques, secondary techniques and the various ranges, concepts and strategies found in different numbers and in varying combinations across the many established styles and systems of Eskrima. It is a system of Linking and Integrating these methods in fully functional ways through the Integrated Modular Training methodology (IMT). To understand this better, let’s first discuss the differences between the terms "system," "style" and "technique.

Integrated Eskrima’s modular teaching progressing is based on first Linking methods and techniques and then Integrating them with the other methods and techniques as applicable. Therefore, as each new Module or block of information is learned, its conceptual parameters are understood and are made fully functional with what has been previously learned. Therefore, every technique is applied in its proper range and Linked with other techniques in that range, and then is Integrated with its proper footwork and follow-up strikes, disarms, etc. In this way, while the art limits the number of techniques to range and footwork and follow-up strikes, when combined they form countless new techniques. For example, within Medium Range we have the possibility to make over 3,500 techniques based on proper Linking and Integrating of relevant material in that range alone!

In essence, Integrated Eskrima teaches no new techniques. On the contrary, it confines (limits) its techniques and methods to particular circumstance and by so doing, only trains its practitioners to utilize them in their strongest moments. This is learned, trained and taught through the Integrated Modular Training methodology, which is unique
to the system.

The highest form of Integrated Eskrima is Kalis Lusot Palisog—a sword method that is like water flowing down stream: it moves around obstructions and fills voids and crevices, as opposed to being obstructed by them. The optimal goal of the system is to discard blocks, always move forward, and strike without being struck.

Closing Respects
Although the past 10 years of traveling, collecting documentation and training in these arts have been trying and expensive, I feel honored to have done so at the hands of such great masters. I have learned several lifetimes worth of lessons from these warriors while they trained me, gave their demonstrations and speeches. For this I am eternally grateful. Many masters have told me that without me and my efforts their arts may have died; yet without them, my own development would not have been possible.

Maraming salamat po!

Alan Orr is a disciple of Robert Chu Sifu and the European representative of the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun system.

He is also the UK representative for Guro Mark Wiley in the Filipino martial arts and Sensei Eddy Millis of Shark Tank in NHB/Grappling.

Web: www.alanorr.com

For further information Tel: 07958 908 196 or email: info@alanorr.co.uk