Knives, Sticks, Bikes, Tattoos, Art and Punk Rock

Knives, Sticks, Bikes, Tattoos, Art and Punk Rock

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Filipino Boxing

The history of the Filipino boxing is mired with myth and half truths. Regardless, the style forms the bridge between classical filipino arts and the contemporary combatives such as sport muay thai. I have heard it called Suntakun, Panantukan, Panuntukan, Pugamut, and a number of others. There is a great deal of conjecture that western boxing evolution was influenced greatly by American Sailors witnessing traditional blade-aware kali empty hand sparring while stationed in the Philippines. The essential differences between Filipino boxing and Western style, is that the filipino art is a no-holds-barred style. Based off knife techniques, the filipino style of boxing emphasizes, stop-hit striking to limbs, body and head manipulation, headbutting, and eye, groin and throat targetting. Pinning the foot is common as are elbows, knees, and low line kicks.

Essentially, Panantukan is a street based combative striking style. It represents a finishing skill set alternative to breaking or more severe techniques commonly found in the Filipino arts. The goal is swift and efficient elimination of the opponent. Panantukan specifically is the variation of filipino boxing founded by "Lucky" Lucay lucay and propogated by his son Ted Lucay lucay.  Through the father and son, the "panantukan" style was adopted by Dan Inosanto, and has slowly gained popularity in North America.



As a skill set, Filipino Boxing is easily summed up as a number of street effective supplementary techniques and variations on traditional Boxing. Emphasis is placed on limb injury and body control, and an avoidance of trading hits "blow-for-blow", in favour of angled footwork and strategic targeting. 

At Nemesis Athletics, our variation of Panuntukan is heavily based on the KAMA Kali Ilustrisimo Panuntukan program, with elements from other Filipino arts added for functionality. Most notable additions include heavier emphasis on Elbow and Hammer-fist techniques. We also heavily emphasize the principle of  blade awareness with our boxing drills. Techniques should be easily adapted to blade use with little modification.
Our own Panantukan program logo emphasizes the 
CROSS and HAMMER as striking techniques.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Dumog Training

Dumog is Filipino groundfighting. It is kind of like Kali's answer to Jujutsu. As Grand Tuhon Leo T Gaje says, it is the "science of dirty tricks" and "Bone and Tendon Destruction".


Often the techniques are more gross motor movement than fine, but they are battle tested and definitely debilitating. I have had the occasion to train Dumog and Pangamut variations for a few years, and incorporate a number of principles into the Pintados Stickboxing program.

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