Catchin Up

http://www.fcscalicrew.com/2014/05/29/catching-up/

Ok here's what happened in the last week or two:

New Website

First off I've been working on the new FCS Cali Crew website. If you haven't check it out yet, swing on over, browse around, and let us know what you think. I will also be posting my FCS Kali related blogs on this site as well anything else that is FCS Cali Crew related including news and events.

Practice

Second, though I missed practice last Saturday and Sunday due to family coming down from the Bay Area for Memorial Weekend, I did practice on Friday with James. He missed last Sunday's practice so we basically went over everything that Manong Rich showed us when he came down to San Diego. So Friday's practice had a focus on Cinco Teros and Sarong/Malong.

Since James already had the concepts down for Cinco Teros I basically showed him the combinations that we worked on. From there we took turns going over the drills that were shown to us on Sunday. No stick breaking this time though. lol. James was having a little trouble on the outside redondo so I showed him how practicing with one of my bolo trainers helped with my hand/wrist positioning, but in the end it was simply a matter of practice, practice, practice because though similar, hitting with a stick vs a blade has it's differences. That said we messed around working with bolos after.

Finally we went over Sarong/Malong. I showed him the two techniques that we went over. My Sarong is shorter than some so we had to make adjustments in positioning to make it work without strangling each other to death. The Wifey and I really like working with Sarong/Malong and we're looking forward to learning more techniques.

Kajukenbo Seminar

Third, on Saturday June 7th we will be attending the Kajukenbo Seminar being held at:

Place:
10440 Black Mountain Road
San Diego, CA 92126

Time:
9:30am-3:30pm

Contact:
Sigung Phil Dang
Kajukenbofight22@hotmail.com
(619)840-6964

Price:
$40 Pre Registration
$50 at the door

Well that's it for now. We have more things coming up so keep posted on this site. Thanks for reading, happy training, and see you next time. ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

http://www.fcscalicrew.com/2014/05/29/catching-up/

What happened over the weekend

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/19/happened-weekend/

After having a really hot week packed with fires through out the county, the weather was great this weekend. During the week it was so hot that I hardly practiced. I picked up the training bolos once in a while, but didn't do too much due to the heat. On Friday we headed out to our usual destination, Crown Point. I practiced by myself under a tree in the shade while the Wifey and kiddo played in the water and playground under the sun.

I went over all of the material that I know from curriculum. As usual I start off with my warm up. Then I move on to double sticks to single stick. Then I go from single blade to double blade, and finally to empty hand. Double blades isn't part of my curriculum yet, but I've been doing it along with my training so that when it does come I'll be a little more comfortable with it (holding blades in both hands). So I practice both forward and reverse grip double knife work off tapping and guntings.

 

(Cinco Teros with my left.)

On Saturday we hit the beach. The Wifey warmed up and did a little stick work with me. After that I turned on some Carenza music and went through all of the material. I did a lot of Carenza and Cinco Tero work that day as well. Trying to prepare for when Manong came down on Sunday in which Cinco Teros was part of the agenda. After a couple of hours of practicing, playing in the sun with the kiddo, and having snacks, Osairis fell asleep in Mama's arms so we packed up and headed home.

Sunday came and we were running late. When we got there Manong was going through the strikes for the Cinco Teros. I accidentally tagged Tracee twice with my stick. Once on the arm and another on her thumb as my stick glided down hers on the strike. SORRY BABE!!! lol. It's ok though. In the middle of all the stick work I eventually got tagged in the eye by her stick. Haha. But man I was really feeling the Cinco Tero drills. Tracee and I even broke one of the sticks we used during the drills and the guys demolished on of the thicker sticks as well. Drew and Manong demonstrated more stick drills and then after doing that for a while we went on to Sarong/Malong.

It seemed like it was a Sarong/Malong day for the FCS tribe because other groups were doing Sarong/Malong work too! I've been wanting to learn this for a long time. I've had one for a while now, but just never had anyone show it to me in person. All I had were videos so I was pretty juiced to learn this stuff. I like how it takes little effort to create so much torq. Bernie demonstrated on me so I learned just how tight things could get. He also explained how the techniques are great for women who carry bags with long straps or say a duffle or laptop bag with a shoulder strap. Really cool stuff. Everyone was getting tied up and choked out.

Throughout practice Richie would sneak attack us with either sticks or aluminium training hawks. lol. That kid is going to be breaking sticks in no time. I love the tornado strike he does. Everybody gets hit! Ha ha. Good times! Wish more could have made it out. Well that's what all happened this weekend. See everyone soon and happy trainings. ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/19/happened-weekend/

Sunday Training, May 18, 2014 with Manong Rich

Weekly Sunday Group Practice
This Sunday, May 18th, Manong Rich will be coming down to train.  For those interested, a $20.00 donation is recommended to cover Manong Rich's time and travel from Los Angeles. He would like to cover stick drills this weekend.

FCS Kali San Diego Group Practice will be held at Heritage Park at the Outdoor Stage area.   Newcomers interested in checking out our training are welcomed, all we ask is that you come with an open mind and interest.

Let's preserve our culture through learning Filipino Martial Arts.

When:     8:00am - 11:00am

Where:   Heritage Park
             1381 East Palomar Street
           Chula Vista, CA 91913

Ed, Erwin and Bernie

My First Students

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/11/first-students/

 

Friday

 

So my son, Osairis, is starting to copy me more and more. Its pretty awesome. He knows that when I pull out a stick or trainer that it's time to practice in which he usually asks for one to play with too. He can even wave around my bigger sticks which are heavier than our standard sticks that we practice with. Hopefully soon he will actually start picking up the moves that he sees me doing. Reminds me of when I first started teaching my daughter how to defend herself. She eventually lost interest, but I'm hoping that if or when the time comes she will retain and use what I taught her.

I haven't been doing much extra fun stuff other than trying to mess around with the karambit and playing with Osairis. Just pretty much following the curriculum so that I can get ready for my Level 2. I know recently I haven't been going into much detail about my training, but it was just getting a little too redundant for me to keep writing the same things over and over. So I won't bore you with the same stuff, but what I did do differently these last couple of days is try to go over some knife disarms that I learned from my curriculum video.

The disarms are done from the Pikal grip. Some may know it as the reverse grip or ice pick grip. They are done from Hubad. One of the disarms would hook the knife hand and destruct or hyper extend  the elbo which would assist in the knife strip for the disarm. The other disarm would basically snake the knife hand causing the strip, but I need more direction to make sure I'm actually doing this one properly.

 

Saturday

 

On Saturday I headed out to the beach alone to practice. The Wifey and kiddo were at home making vegan ice cream! Anyway, I was going through all of my stick work and toward the end a woman comes up to me and asks what I was doing. "Kali" I told her. She asks, "Do you teach? Can you teach me?" I happily responded "Sure!" She tried to give me money to pay so I could teach her in which I refused the money. I told her I would teach her for free.

Since I was right already working on stick work I showed her 1-6 of the 12 basic strikes. She told me that she was 55 years old so she needs to go slow, one thing at a time so that she could learn it easier. "One hand first, then I learn the other. Two hands same time too much." So I had her put her left hand behind her back as we went through strikes one and two. I had her incorporate some footwork right off the bat so that she would not get tangled up later. I explained the main target areas for each strike as we went on and also explained the "X" pattern when following through with these strikes. She immediately picked up on the "figure 8" pattern.

We finally got up to strike 6 in which we started to incorporate the left hand. I explained briefly that we consider the left hand in this drill the live hand, that this is where the real danger lies because most will focus too much on the weapon hand which may leave them open for an attack. I like how she saw deep meaning in every movement that I showed her. So when I showed her the parrying motion that I do with the live hand she also interpreted that as washing away the evil spirits. She literally found symbolism in everything we did. You really do learn more from the people you teach. After that I showed her our formal salute. I explained the meaning and significance of the salute and with each movement. In the middle she needed to take a quick breather so I ended our little lesson there because I didn't want to get her too tired and she still had to walk home.

After she asks how often do I come here and when and where do I usually teach? So I told her that I train on Fridays at Crown Point and here at Windansea Beach on Saturdays at 9:30am and that our official group practice is at Heritage Park on Sundays. She doesn't drive so she can't make it to the official practices, but she lives close by and Saturdays works best for her so she wants to come learn on Saturdays.So the Saturday practices at the beach just might get a little bigger by +1.

I finished up my training with knife work.

So these last couple of days have been pretty awesome. The Wifey and I also locked in a spot for our son's 2nd birthday party on June 21st at Tecolote Shores Park  South from 11am-6pm. All FCS members are welcome! Bring the kiddos too! Well that's it for this weekend. Tomorrow is Mother's Day so no practice. Till next time, happy training. ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/11/first-students/

Practice, practice, practice

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/08/practice-practice-practice/

So for the last few days I've been practicing at home. I've been going over all of the Level 2 material that I know so far. The goal is to do it enough so that it all becomes muscle memory and flows smoothly. Still got a bit more practicing to do till I get there, but I'm getting closer. I've also been going over some photos and videos from our practices and I'm nit picking where I see mistakes. It hit me the other day when I wrote my last blog, going through what photos to use, and noticed my live hand was down when it shouldn't have been. So for that brief moment my guard was down so I was open. Bad practice habits turn into real bad habits so I need to work them out.

Tomorrow is going to be a videos kind of day. To go over my Level 2 DVD and try to learn what I don't have down yet. Trying to get my Level 2 folks! Oh and we ordered some new training gear a few weeks back which should be coming in within the next week or so. Excited! Well that's it for today. Just want to keep you guys updated with where I'm at. Till next time, happy training! ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/08/practice-practice-practice/

Things you missed over the weekend

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/06/things-missed-weekend/

Saturday was a great day to be at the beach. Nice clear sunny weather, lots of people, and ocean water to cool down in. The Wifey and I warmed up with some stick work and then went over her Level 1 knife tapping. In addition to this I also messed around with karambit and did a little Sinawali. After that we just had a family fun day in the sun.

On Sunday Bernie started us out with defenses and counters with single stick. So we would go over our 4 Walls defenses and follow up each block with  1-3 strikes. We practiced with the different ranges as well. Then we did 4 walls followed up with disarm, and finally 4 walls followed up with disarm and then 1-3 strikes.

Next we went over knife on knife tapping. So first we started out with the basic knife tapping only both participants held a knife. Then we continued the drill, but applying a cut per tap. From there we did the same drill with a minimum of 3 cuts. Finally doing the drill with finishing moves where the cuts could kill the opponent. We would rotate partners so everyone would be able to work with everyone and that way you could get a feel of how the drill feels against different body types.

Then we went over Knife Template. This went along with the theme of defense and counters. Again we continued to rotate partners.

After we went over defensive hubad  from empty hand strikes. So your partner can throw a punch or kick and then you would do hubad against it. From there we did the same drill, but followed up with counters.

Finally we went over Cincoteros. This particular drill we went over had both defenses and offenses and multiple partners so Bernie started off with showing parts A, B, and C. Then we would get into groups of 3 or 4 and start the drill. The two outer partners would do parts B, and C, while the center partner would do part A. The partner standing in the middle, part A, would start the drill and  when they are done with the sequence they would follow up with a punyo entry and throw in one of the out partners in which the rolls would switch. So the person getting thrown in the middle would do part A and then the person coming out would take that person's role. This way everyone gets a chance at playing all 3 roles and it would continue until we were told to stop.

So it was a lot of fun this weekend, not to mention that Sunday was Star Wars Day, and yesterday was Cinco de Mayo. So does that make today Revenge of the 6th? lol. Anyway, till next time, happy trainings. ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

 http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/06/things-missed-weekend/

Funday Friday - Hot Point

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/03/funday-friday-hot-point/

It was hot at the Point today (Crown Point). Great day to have a picnic and get some training. Today James and I focused on Level II material right from the book. We went over a good amount of the material from Cincoteros, to 36 of 64 Stick form, to Sumbrada, to disarms, to transitions, and knife tapping (not in that order). We wont over a lot of stuff. The Wifey and I went over all of her stick material for her Level I. Saving the knife stuff for tomorrow at the beach. Even Osairis joined in on the fun.

After we just enjoyed the sun. The Wifey and babes got wet, we all ate some healthy food, and relaxed. It was just a  really nice day out. I know most aren't available on Friday mornings, but for those who are, feel free to come and join us! The more the merrier. Same on Saturday. All are welcome. Oh and I know I haven't been posted as much lately, but I have been training throughout the week. I'll start posting regularly again as soon as I get used to this new regiment. (Been getting up early and working out in the mornings and doing Kali during the day for a total of 2 workouts.)

Well sorry for making this short. Tired from all of the fun, not to mention that the Wifey and I worked out prior to this. Well till next time ItsYoBoyFlex and I'm out.

http://www.itsyoboyflex.com/2014/05/03/funday-friday-hot-point/