Acknowledgements

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." - West African Proverb

Acknowledgements:

FCS Kali San Diego - Established September 25th, 2011

Saturday, August 25, 2012

A Note from Kuya Bernard - A thought on Motivation

A Note from Kuya Bernard - A Thought for Motivation

I took this motivational speech from Bob Dorris, who is responsible for the submission master grappling dummy, and changed the words.

A quick motivator for you...

Do you practice FCS in between group practices? If not, think about this...

…would you ever consider taking music lessons and NOT practice in-between sessions? 

Or, would you take classes at a university, and NOTstudy in-between classes?

I'm sure you'd never consider doing that... it would be a waste of your time and money, and itwould waste your teachers' time as well.  So, why wouldn't you do that with your FCS training?  The point is, if you approach your FCS training the way you'd approach studying anything else, you'd make incredible progress compared to what most others make.

If you're not “hitting the books” in-betweentraining session, start now. You'll be glad you did.



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Private Session with Manong Rich Verdejo and Guro Ray Khanomtom Cole

FCS Kali San Diego Crew:

Regular Sunday Group Practice at Heritage Park for 8/26/2012 has been cancelled.   

In place of this practice a Private Invitation Only Session with Manong Rich Verdejo and Guro Ray Khanomtom Cole will take place at Kuya Ed Jonson's house. 

San Diego Crew please check your emails or FB messages for details on this.  As always when we have Manong Rich or a special guest trainer teaching us, we are taking donations for their time.   

Any San Diego Crew members who have not heard about this and are interested in attending this special session, please message me in Facebook or via email for details.  FCSKaliSD@gmail.comm

Regular Sunday Group Practice will resume next week.

Maraming Salamat Po,

Erwin


Thursday, August 23, 2012

Kadangyan's Madirigma - Music for the Filipino Warrior

Every once in awhile you come across something that is so right for what you are passionate about and it immediately becomes a part of you and you embrace it and know you will love it forever.   For me my Filipino Martial Arts came into my life like that last year, and this year as we approach our 1st Year Anniversary another cultural infusion has immersed me.  To compliment my Filipino Martial Arts buzz I have discovered an OPM band (Original Pilipino Music), the hypnotic sounds of Filipino Ethno Tribal music infused in a rock foundation that will inspire me further.  They've been around for awhile and maybe I am playing catch up, but to my readers I introduce,  Kadangyan Band.   Below is their latest album cover to give you a sense of this band and some links to Youtube of them performing Live.  I hope you like them, enjoy.















Their albums can be purchased at the following website, very reasonable, I downloaded both their albums for $10.00


Support OPM!

Maraming Salamat Po!



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Saturday, August 18, 2012

FCS Kali San Diego Crew Sunday Group Practice - 8/19/2012


FCS Kali San Diego Group Practice will be held at Heritage Park at the usual area in the Outdoor Stage area or the park benches where we were last week on the other side of our hill.  


When:  8/19/2012     8:00am - 11:00am

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




Erwin G., Bernard H., and Eduardo J.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

I See the 2nd Ripple - FCS Kali San Diego Sunday and Wednesday Night Practice Commentary 8/15/2012

I see the 2nd ripple..... I want to first start off with an apology, apologies to the Readers of this blog I've been a little busy but confess I've had a little bit of writer's block as well, as a result I have fallen behind in keeping you all up to date on what's been happening out here in the West Coast.  We've been busy to say the least, so let me catch you all up.... 1) Last month a group of us tested out for Level 1 and Level 2 and that was another special day testing skills and wills, endurance, and heart.  2) In the last 2 months we have grown, it seems we are averaging a peak group count of 16 members, we have new faces eager and willing to train, I'm especially proud of the younger generation that is lowering our average age in the group, this is a very good thing to see!   3) Last Sunday Manong Rich began introducing Level 3 material, and we realized how really cool it is, this is the beginning of where it really gets interesting and deadly.  4) Tonight was the first night we began a renewed energy and discipline to have a mid week group practice on Wednesday nights, and we had a good turn out of 9 from our Sunday group, including a new younger generation brother trying our Kali for the first time.

Tonight  a great moment happened and it was special and I missed it.  Before I share it with you all, let me refer back to my opening words, I see the 2nd ripple.....  If you look back in my archives on this blog, it was the birth of our FCS Kali San Diego group, if I recall I had written something about our first days as the FCS Kali San Diego group dropped it's first stone in the pond, and the ripple was expanding out.  That was almost a year ago and as we approach our Sept. 25th date, the day of our 1 Year Anniversary, tonight I think we saw the second ripple of another stone being dropped and casting itself out to our universe.  

Back to the special moment this evening....  I arrived to this evening's group practice late, getting off work late and fighting traffic I had missed most of the early part of the practice.  At the end of practice, our lead, Kuya Ed shared something that happened earlier.  At our park it is vibrant with activity especially at dusk, there is a half mile track around us, basketball courts, a small community pool and amphitheater, and a large field used mainly for soccer. Our share of the community buzz is our activity of FCS Kali.   Ed retold a moment that had happened as practice had begun, an older generation "Kabayan" approached Ed and one of our newer members Allan and asked what we were doing, he asked "Are you guys doing Kali?"  As Ed and Allan explained to him yes it was Kali he proceeded to gush over how he remembered the Pilipino Marital Arts of Arnis and how his uncles and grandfather used to practice the art in the homeland, he went on to say he was very happy and proud to see that finally the younger generation was learning and respecting this part of Filipino culture. I wish I was there to have seen this for the way Ed retold what had happened early it was a heart warming moment.  

These are the moments that make what we are trying to do worth it.  Last year I had written how I was not only motivated to learn our Filipino Martial Arts for physical, mental discipline, and self defensive purposes, but for our culture and heritage. Though I missed this moment this evening, I know what a feeling it is. It is the same feeling I get when I share our group's progress with my father, he too feels the same way, he is proud to see us the younger generation preserving a part of our Filipino culture, I think of all the things I have ever tried, this may be one of the things he is most proud I am involved with.  So I call to my "kabayan" of the FCS Kali San Diego Crew, be motivated and energized, I know at times our busy schedules and lives may drain us to train, but think that what we do.  Be proud of what we are doing, it is not only for  personal development we learn the Art of FMA, but it is for our heritage and culture, be inspired

FCS Kali San Diego Crew, we thank you for being with us and appreciate your dedication.   Every Sunday as it should be, be thankful of each other and let's train hard.   

Maraming Salamat Po,

Erwin G.


P.S.   Sorry for now pictures lately, my good camera needs to be repaired, so I know....  get it fixed.

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