Lapunti Arnis de Abanico

**Relaxis** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 6:39am

A penny for your thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpddW9guzBg

**Ryno** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 1:52pm

It's tough to tell much about how someone can fight, or a system in general just from seeing forms and simple drills.

What I can tell is that they have a catastrophic lack of power. I mean almost none. Looking at his hand/arm position, there is no commitment of the body in the strikes. Slappy arm punches with a stick. Lots of flourishey-twirling for no discernable reason. Crossing step footwork will get you set on your ass in a hurry. Very Wing-Chun-esque in that all attacks are focused in a little square target right in front of the demonstrator. Very linear footwork to go with it.

Lots of twirl and stickhandling, but little demonstration of combative application. Tough to judge though without more live-style drills or sparring. From what I can see, I definitely have my doubts about the applicability of the style in an acutal fight.

**escrimador6** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 2:34pm

I'll echo what Ryno said about not being able to tell much of a system from forms and drills.

That aside, what I did see was crap. First off, the video production is so very, very terrible. Sepia tone with crappy New Age music is awful. I feel like I'm watching an instructional video on yoga for seniors.

Second, this looks like some kind of Wu Shu. Very flashy with odd stances that contort the body in ways that I can't see any benefit from. In fact, most of them seem like a bad idea. The weapons work is fast and flashy, impress to watch, but seems to have little application to actual combat.

Third, echoing Ryno again, no power. Everything was from the wrist or arm. There was no power generation from the body.

I can't say much about the system. It may be great and some one involved just made a crappy video, I don't know. From this video though, I wouldn't train in it.

**Frank White** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 3:03pm

It wasn't insanely bad. It just seems they concentrate on looking pretty more than fighting. Maybe if they put some Motorhead on there I would throw up in my mouth so much.

**escrimador6** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 3:10pm

Originally Posted by Frank White

It wasn't insanely bad. It just seems they concentrate on looking pretty more than fighting. Maybe if they put some Motorhead on there I would throw up in my mouth so much.

Everything looks better if it's set to "Ace of Spades". It's a fact. You can look it up if you don't believe me.

I do have a problem with form over function. I would hate to see FAMs go the route of some other martial arts.

**Relaxis** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 4:43pm

Well - crap though you think he is - Ondo Caburnay was his master and is the founder of the line of Lapunti Arnis de Abanico, he also just became the only 10th Dan in the art in the western world - graded by whatever national escrima foundation is in charge of that - from what I hear there is only the club in Lapunti itself that exists and the one next to my house (that does this style of arnis)

Here are some more videos -

YouTube - Lapunti: Continuous multiple strike drill (1)

YouTube - Lapunti: Tapi-Tapi System (Pangigo)

YouTube - Lapunti Counter Attacks

And oh yeah - I'm a Wing Chunner so I deliberately chose this because of the linear footwork.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 5:04pm

I liked what I saw of Master Edgar Caburnay. Even if it was a drill, he was very decisive in his movements, and put more than arm whip into his strikes. What he shows, even if it was just a drill was far better than the original videos.

Also dan is a japanese term. I flinch when I hear anyone in the FMA (especially Filipinos) use it.

**escrimador6** · Posted On: 6/02/2008 5:44pm

The last three videos were definitely better then the original. Saying crap was a bit harsh, and I apologize. The sepia tone and New Age music was really annoying.

The footwork was still odd to me.

**Relaxis** · Posted On: 6/03/2008 7:08am

Thanks for your comments. Yeah, I hate using the word "Dan" too but you only have the Doce Pares school to blame for that after their unification of escrima and the implementation of Japanese forms and katas. Thank god they still call them "anyos" though.

I'm glad you all approve - my first class is tonight - I'll post a rating of the club next week.