First of all, there's really nothing wrong with training with antiquated stuff most especially if one is really drawn to these type of things and enjoying much of the skill and history behind it. And it's not entirely useless either. But some do go way overboard and think that these are highly practical arts for the streets and convinces others as well. Until someone asks: Now we're on the streets, so what do you do when someone attacks you without your sword or stick? Some may quickly argue that the weapons are just mere extensions of the hand. Could be true, but how much is your empty hand translation actually practical for defense? or how much time did you train in it? let alone pressure test it. One should distinguish between those that areTHEATRICAL, HISTORICAL, a mere SPECTACLE for movies and to what is PRACTICAL for the streets. Let us ask ourselves the probable outcome from this hypothetical question: Who would likely survive on a real rough and tumble situation on the streets between a group of men or women who goes in and out of prison for either stabbing, mugging, abducting or shooting someone and has committed their lives into doing notorious and horrendous crimes against a group of skilled martial artists who have trained hard and entered competitions or even perhaps even engaged in challenge matches just to prove who's better than the other.
So just my two cents regarding this. It's probably safe to say that 8 out of 10 times those group of men who went in and out of prison would surely have a better chance in surviving the rough and tumble on the streets or who are more unlikely to fall into a street attack set-up. Why? because they have experienced how to run around their lives in it. They do most of the walk, run, jump, roll, slide, sleep, hustle and practically lived on it. These are the type of people who could go around and would politely ask someone to light up their cigarette and then out of nowhere stabs the person with a knife or shoots them with a gun even while inside their jackets then simply walks away. We see that these guys may not have what a skilled martial artist may have. They might not even posses the good physical fitness or conditioning that martial artists do have. They may not be familiar about the techniques, drills, and what have you. But what separates them on top when it comes to the real deal is their minds (a thug's/criminal's mind) and their way of doing things (a thug's/criminal ‘s strategy). You see, they do have their own ways of training too. Just ask those boys (if you happen to catch one) who does pickpockets out in the open without being detected. They're like magicians when it comes to the art of pick pocketing. They have adopted training methods and drilled all types of scenarios to perfect this particular skill. So when they actually do it they know every in and out of it. And if they get caught-they are willing to pull a knife and stab a person with it. Ok back to a more professional type of hard core thugs. Remember that these are the guys that are likely to shake your hand after they lost a fist fight then later goes back to your house at night with his friends and destroys everyone else's life including yours. These guys don't have a notion of getting fair with no one. And they are willing to take someone else's life to do the job done. It's their strategies and their mind-set and experiences that literally gives them that edge.
So am I suggesting to adopt the same strategies and mindsets? No, of course not. But we can always learn from them and study ways to guard ourselves against them. That's why I value the wisdom of my very first teacher who was actually living and dealing with such men at the time I met him. He left me one advise that I will never forget. He said: Kapag pumasok ka sa isang lugar, lalo pa at hindi ka pamilyar - MAG INGAT KA. Kapag may biglang estranghero na lumapit sa iyo, babae man siya o lalake - ALERTO KA. Kapag nakakaramdam ka na ng hindi maganda - SIBAT NA! Kapag kailangan lumaban - GAWING MADALIAN at MABILISAN. Kapag bumulagata - TAKBUHAN NA!
Eng. trans. - "Upon entering an unfamiliar place (most especially) - BE MINDFUL OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. When a stranger approaches you, be it a man or a woman - BE ALERT. When you start to feel something's not right- GET OUT or BE GONE ALREADY! But if you have to fight - MAKE IT FAST AND BE QUICK ABOUT IT. If you drop the assailant - RUN! That is strategy! And there are many more regarding tactics or strategies that any martial artists should acquire and begin to practice. This is why we at AKS started training more with weapons that are more relevant on the streets instead of focusing on what we usually did before such as sword to sword or stick to stick fights which in reality is very unlikely to happen. We are more focusing now on defending against knives, ice picks, lead pipes, baseball bats, firearms while at the same time learning how to use them in order to understand the mechanics on how it could be used against us or in case if we must use them also to defend our lives and others if we have to. We engage more on drills that involves good tactical response which balances offense and defense. Then we train to adopt a SURVIVAL MENTALITY with the help of our brothers that have related background and actual experiences which they share and that we could learn from and vise-versa. That's why we stick together and therefore rely on each another and find no need to outshine one another.
Note: Yes we still do practice with swords, sticks and other things we have but it is no longer our primary focused. What may be true for us yesterday may not be necessarily be true today and certainly could be different tomorrow. AKS continues to evolve.
Beware of people claiming to know our system. Some of which may have learned a few things from us but haven't got a clue of what AKS isall about. The only reliable sources are instructors currently on our official list.
Bong Abenir
Kapatiran ng Abenir Kalis
