Proven Martial Arts for the Modern World
Most martial arts you have heard of today such as Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Judo, Jiu_Jitsu, etc., were recent creations over the past 100 years and practiced just for the historical and spiritual aspects of other cultures. Combat during this age was not fought hand to hand, but with guns and mechanical weapons of war, so these martial arts are not considered fighting arts. If you want to learn "True Self-Defense", you have look to classes that have been proven in combat and the instructors experience of knowledge. Grandmaster Gaje of Pekiti Tirsia said it well. He stated this art is for someone who wants to learn to survive an assaultive/combat encounter. If someone attacks you in your home, the street, a school, etc., you are in an assaultive encounter. It does NOT mean a military encounter. We are proud to offer classes from arts that have been proven over hundreds of years and to this day are used by elite military agencies, Presidential Security, police and anyone who wants to learn to effectively protect themself and family when the need arises. These are the most practical and complete Self-Defense/Counter Offense arts. I am always happy to answer any questions you have and assist in creating a program that will fit for what you are wanting.
What is Pekiti-Tirsia Kali?
​
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali basically means "close quartering." Pekiti in the Ilongo dialect means "to close" or "get in close," tirsia means to "quarter." The word tirsia is also derived from the medieval Latin tertiarius, meaning tertiary or "of a third."
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is a proven system of combat strategy and tactics that provides protection from an opponent’s strikes and attacks. It dominates a combat or self-defense situation with the counter execution of techniques that attack, quarter and neutralize single or multiple opponents quickly. These techniques include edged and impact weapons, firearms, hand to hand, ground combat and complex footwork. It is the most effective and complete system in the Philippines today. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is the indigenous close-quarter combat system of the Tortal family from Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Officially founded in 1897 and evidence of Filipino combat arts as far back as 1521 by the national patron of the Philippines Lau Pau Lau Pau against the Spanish explorer and conquer Fernand Magellen. These Spanish conquers and army members were killed by Philippine warriors using Filipino combat arts that later evolved into the art today.
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is the official martial art combat system of the Philippine Marine Corps and is the only Filipino Martial Art system approved by the Government for use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Sport martial arts are considered martial arts in the inactive way as they are governed by rules, weight classes and unauthorized techniques and not true combat arts. Pekiti Tirsia is an active combat martial art intended for individuals who want to learn to survive and dominate a self-defense situation. It is currently taught and used against violent individuals, terrorists and extremist organizations. It is quietly used world-wide by elite military and security forces, law enforcement, special operations groups, presidential security personnel, etc., and anyone who wants to learn real protection for themselves or family. As tactics and weapons of war evolve, Pekiti Tirsia combat principles and strategies analyze and counter those tactical developments.
What does the system look like?
If you have seen the movies titled, "The Hunted", "Jason Bourne" series, "Taken", "Troy", "Deadpool" etc., then you have seen Filipino Martial Arts techniques including Pekiti Tirsia. In fact, most movies and TV shows fight scenes include Filipino Martial Arts due to the effectiveness and combat aesthetics. The public rarely knows this.
​
What is Baraw Sugbo (Knife of Cebu)?
Baraw Sugbo history dates to the prestigious Lorenzo Saavedra (also known as: "Tatay Insong") (1852-1944). Saavedra is considered as the father of a number of existing Eskrima-styles, such as the Doce Pares and Balintawak. "Tatay Insong" did not teach all his skills to one individual or group, but taught the techniques to different groups of people. Saavedra taught a distinct brand of knife fighting that he shared to only a few chosen disciples.
When the Spaniards first came to the Philippines, Filipino warriors were fighting them with bladed weapons, sometimes using single or double sword. Eventually, Spanish firearms and their use of local rivals (divide and conquer) were able to overwhelm the Filipinos and this resulted in 400 years of Spanish rule. The Spanish imposed a ban on the use of bladed weaponry and anyone caught using them or practicing Filipino martial arts were thrown in jail and accused of being a rebel.
During this time, Lorenzo “Tatay Insong” Saavedra (born 1852) was arrested by Spanish soldiers on suspicion of being a rebel and thrown in jail. While in prison, Saavedra met a Frenchman who was a master of French blade fighting arts (arts used in battle by European knights and were body guards to the King). Over a period of time they became good friends and compared their styles and techniques. They improvised and used wood for fuel as their weapons. When they sparred, Tatay could not counter the Frenchman’s techniques. Eventually, the Frenchman taught his style to Tatay, who later mastered the Frenchman art.
After Tatay was released from prison, he started teaching his new and improved art which was a combination of the Frenchman art and Filipino Arnis fight systems.
In 1932 Tatay Saavedra organized the Doce Pares Eskrima Club. Doce Pares is now the most famous eskrima stick fighting club in the world.
"Tatay Insong’s" complete knife defense system (Baraw Sugbo), was taught exclusively to Simeon "Simo" Saavedra. Simo then instructed Lucresio "OKIT" Ceniza Albano. Albano, then taught the system to his nephew Gregorio Ceniza (also known as: "Noy Oyong") (1925-2007). Grandmaster Oyong specialized only in the deadly business of knife fighting. The system was considered so secret that it use to be practiced under a canopy of blankets to screen and hide the deadly techniques so others would not see and steal the techniques. The system was then passed from Gregorio "Noy Oyong" Ceniza to his son Eduardo "Boy" Ceniza the current Grandmaster in Cebu, PH.
This is the most practical empty hand against a weapon system that I have seen. There is reason this system was kept secret for so long. There is no unrealistic application of combat theory or techniques that is rampant in some popular combat martial arts. I call that type of training blade ballet. You have seen this type of training as the pretend attacker executes an attack and just stands there and lets the defender apply all kinds of unrealisic follow up attacks and strikes with no resistance from the attacker. As a student of Baraw Sugbo, you will start directly learning and applying knife sparring tactics and disarming with training blades in unrehearsed defensive situations.
I am a direct student of Grandmaster Eduardo Ceniza in the Philippines and honored to be his student. Join our club to be a part of this rare and devestating Filipino knife defense system.
Authentic Muay Thai
Classes are fun and you will get a great workout. This class if for persons 12 and up.