"Kicks and Sticks" FMA Studio & General Questions on FMA's Worth

**nwbreneman** · Posted On: 12/29/2007 2:26pm

(Sorry if this belongs in the FMA forum, I figured it would go here because I am asking about a school's validity.)

Here is the only link I could find about a FMA school I am thinking about visiting:
http://kicksandsticks.00go.com/

The website covers a typical class as well as a bio on their instructor. I am not sure how up to date it is. Could anyone tell me if this is worth looking over?

Also, could I hear opinions on whether this school's focus on "Filipino Martial Arts and Modern Arnis", as well as the instructor's background, would be effective at teaching me a well-rounded system including weapons, striking, and grappling? I have been searching these forums but cannot find any terribly concrete/specific answers, just that it seems possible. I have been training in bad CMA (luckily only for three months) and would like to learn something real.

Thanks for your time,
Nathan

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 12/29/2007 4:54pm

I don't know too much about FMA, but they seem low-key (which is a good sign, in my books) and lacking in the pretentious rhetoric martial arts schools usually use to try and sell their product (2000 years old, too deadly for the UFC, etc.), which is also a plus. I think you've got a decent school here, and you should investigate further.
Also, your chances of getting a well-rounded system of weaponry, striking, and grappling is extremely difficult to find in one school. Hell, it's hard enough to get just a well-rounded grappling system in one school (thus the number of people around here who cross train BJJ and Judo). But chances are, FMA is going to give you good weaponry training, and probably at least a bit of skill with the other two fields.

**variance** · Posted On: 12/29/2007 6:15pm

That's odd.
the color belt ranking there is different than my modern arnis school was.
I've been in it on and off for 4 or 5 years (Lima is my grade i think)
with additional Doce Pares training with another teacher.
some Lameco seminars and Dog Brothers DVDs.

anyway FMA is great and probably the most functional/complete self-defense (in that we typically spar/drill with weapons with aliveness and noncompliance).

a pure FMA place will be a great place to get well rounded in standup/self-defense.
Without weapons FMA empty hand is closer to Muay Thai/Silat.

The groundwork might not be the best or most technical. but thats what BJJ is for later on.

Now as for Modern Arnis itself
I'm not the most fond of some of the traditional approach modern arnis takes
(ie. having to learn some forms) but as long as there are alive drills, actual sparring
and the teacher is good.

Originally Posted by Website

Kicks and Sticks is a full contact studio giving you the opportunity to fight in simulated real-life situations. That means, while sparing, unless you are new, punches and swings will not be pulled and you will be hit. Although, at the time you will be wearing protective gear, it will still hurt to some degree.

From the sounds of that. the definitely train alive so you should get some very good training.

Much better than empty form CMA training.

Like my Guro says.

If you get hit while training. it's your own damn fault for not paying attention/keeping guard up

Edit:

Originally Posted by Website

Laberge has studied numerous styles of martial arts, including Modern Arnis, AMOK! Tribal Knife fighting, Dog Brothers Inc. Real Contact Stick Fighting, Silat, Ju Jitsu, Judo, Kali and Escrima.

If all his credentials check out.
Sounds like a VERY good FMA place.

**deiseldwarf** · Posted On: 2/23/2008 2:52pm

The Fort Worth School is headed by a good man. He and Guro Laberge are both very talented fighters, teachers and human beings.
The Kicks and Sticks way is to leave the faculty's background open for inspection. In short, they ask that you make your own judgement, not take their word at face value. This is a big part of how one learns to trust their word and the quality of their information.

**jayy1** · Posted On: 11/02/2009 6:35pm

I train in Modern Arnis all I can say is that if you have the right instructor to teach you then go for it. Also, look at some of the different styles of FMA on youtube. I hope that helped. Don't look so much at the belts, I mean make the belts of course, but think more about the applications and the mindset. Good luck.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 11/02/2009 8:19pm

Ranking systems in FMA scare me. Automatic knee jerk badness

**Dan Anderson** · Posted On: 11/03/2009 10:27am

FMA is good for reflexes, paying attention, weapons training as well as developing fluid action (the flow) and the ability to counter the counter. Go for it.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

**jwinch2** · Posted On: 11/03/2009 11:12am

Originally Posted by JKDChick

Ranking systems in FMA scare me. Automatic knee jerk badness

Its no different than ranking systems in BJJ or any other art for that matter. I actually like the ranking system in Modern Arnis because it give a level of understanding as to what the progression through the curriculum looks like. To me, this removes subjectivity on the part of the instructor or head of the system out of the equation to the point possible. Many other FMA systems have a grading structure as well. Modern Arnis, Kombaton, and a few others are the only ones I am aware of using belt structure but that doesn't mean that other styles don't have it. Heck, Doce Pares uses a rank structure as does Balintawak, Sayoc Kali, Pekiti Tirsia, Filipino Combat Systems, Inosanto-Lacoste Kali, etc. Hard to argue that those systems are not representative of FMA.

**jwinch2** · Posted On: 11/03/2009 3:18pm

Also, to the OP, if you are in the Springfield, MA area, you may consider this training location as well. http://www.psdtc.com/About/

According to the instructor bios, one of them has been making the drive from Springfield for a number of years. You may be able to talk him into some privates or take turns driving and get some good training if you are not happy with what you see at the other location.

Cheers,

**Ryno** · Posted On: 11/03/2009 7:03pm

The quality of FMA varies wildly. Some instructors are well-rounded badasses, while others can't fight and got their "rank" at a seminar. There's no consistent quality control.

Most good clubs I've met have very good weapons work, solid basic boxing/empty hand, and some basic tadedowns. This would be fairly typical for a good club. Of course what you will actually find could vary substantially from this, as the areas of emphasis, quality of instruction and amount of sparring can be quite different.