Can we start an FMA index?

**realjanuary** · Posted On: 9/28/2012 8:34am

Originally Posted by Bodhi108

I love how when you start to list major players of various styles, Inosanto pops up everywhere.

You know the game six degrees of Kevin Bacon? In the martial arts version you get bonus points for not using nosanto.

**Honey Badger** · Posted On: 9/29/2012 10:49pm

Dan Inosanto was in Out for Justice with Steven Seagal
Seagal was in Executive Decision with Oliver Platt
Platt was in Flatliners with Kevin Bacon.

Or are we not doing that?

**realjanuary** · Posted On: 9/30/2012 10:13am

The Bacon-number game is usually played with film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon_number#Bacon_numbers

In mathematics, there is an Erdős number, which usually involves co-writing a paper with Erdős : link

There is a Erdős–Bacon number, which is a combination of the two: link .

How I've played the Inosanto game before, it's who trained with who (much like a lineage thing).
This is becoming YMAS worthy, but I'll say that an appreciation of the cross-breeding and lineage in different arts not only honours the innovators, but can only hint at why we do things certain ways.

**wikidbounce** · Posted On: 10/01/2012 5:01am

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Holy crap wikidbounce. That's an insane amount of info.

Ray Terry and Bill Cox the creators of the FMA FAQ have put years of work into it. Whenever I come across a style I'm not familiar with I'll Google the FMA FAQ.

It would be good if someone continued their work, updated it from the old wall of text style webpage to a wiki format with links, images and profiles of the major players. Like the Historical European Martial Arts Wiki but for SouthEast Asian Martial Arts.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/05/2012 7:55am

This project looks like a big undertaking maybe we should just start with a list of the various FMAs and see what we can come up with. Each person can name a few styles than after we've added a few we can regroup the list and organize it as we see fit. Also, we may have to discuss and debate if a style should be listed. For example, what about hybrid systems like vee arnis jitsu, i'd say we should list it because it's a well known style but It looks mainly like JJJ with some sticks thrown in from what i've seen. Should we include every style that sprinkles in some Arnis? The difference I see with Vee Arnis is a Filipino master (who gave him that title?) contributed to the forming of the style. I just don't know that we should include every new hybrid style that's where it gets messy, perhaps is the system has been around for a few generations we could list it, and all other hybrid systems could be grouped based on how old they are?

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/05/2012 8:00am

Here's an attempt to get the official list started:

Balintawak Arnis
Garimot Arnis
Serrada Escrima
FCS (Filipino Combat Systems)
Pekiti Tirsia Kali

I kept it short and limited to arts I have personal experience with and have at least seen at seminars rather than add systems i've only heard of. Later on when we start adding less popular systems that we may not have personal experience perhaps we could add that we only have heard of them and see if someone else can verify the system and name spelling. Jump in and add to it.

**pakua42** · Posted On: 10/11/2012 10:29pm

For me, As I have learned on this board in particular, that there really is just Silat, Escrima, Arnis and Kali for the jungle arts. And I believe all jungle arts are stick and bladed weapon arts too. Indonesia and the Phillipines and Malaysia have many overlaps in Geography and customs. The arts have to be principally almost the same, no? Then in NY many years ago I had a guy try to tell me Arnis teachers like to fight with shorter sticks than Kali or Escrima. If, big if, but if thats true, there are only so many ways to move that stick!

All the rest are just geographical differences in titles and name. Sure their are softer, harder and different influences amongst say Kali people. But if an old time Grand master like Angel Cabales saw a Remy Presas doing great stick work, he'd smile and approach him and know he found his "kung-fu" brother" no matter what he named his art.
Its not like Tae Kwon Do and a Kenpo man. Too many differences and they are different arts. But, compare a kenpo man vs a kempo man, a Hawaiin Kempo man vs an "American" kempo man and they would see much more sameness than anything else. Great example is Wing Chun. You can go to m30 different Wing Chun schools where the teacher was born in a different part of China, but a Pak-Sau will always be done with the same motion, the 1st form(to my knowledge) will always be the same first form.