Filipino Martial Arts

Tuesday 7:00pm – 7:50pm

The Atlanta Martial Arts Center’s Filipino Kali / Escrima program (Kali) is generally considered one of the most proven effective weapons systems available today. Filipino Kali utilizes weapons of all different lengths and sizes, both bladed (KNIVES, SWORDS) and blunt (STICKS, STAFF). Kali also teaches empty‐hand fighting using feet, hands, knees, and elbows along with joint locking, takedowns, throws & sweeps, and pressure points.

Filipino Kali is unmatched in its ability to deal with attacks against a knife or a blunt weapon. Kali is commonly sought after due to the increasing number of attacks from weapon-yielding individuals. The Filipino arts are equally unmatched in their ability to train students to possess ingrained, instinctive reactions instead of giving them a list of techniques. Many of our students add Kali to their training in order to develop the tactical skills the system offers.

Kali uses training methods that train the left and right sides of the body in the same manner; a great way for improving hand/eye coordination, balance, and overall motor skills. The use of various weapons Kali greatly improves grip and forearm strength and the range of movement in the joints of the arms and shoulders. The rhythmic flow drills of Kali improve reflex timing and relaxed speed in movement. Due to the flowing nature of the system, it is great for the joints of the upper body by keeping them loose and open.

The fighting arts of the Philippines were influenced by the migration of many different cultures and migrants. There are at least three very distinct martial influences on the Filipino fighting arts: Indonesian Pencak Silat, Malaysian Silat Melayu, and Chinese Kuntao.

Chinese martial arts were introduced during the trade era with the Tang Dynasty of China and also by the migration of the Hakka soldiers who brought with them their fighting art of Kuntao. Today, almost every Southern Asian country can find Kuntao influence in its local martial arts.

The Kali Program at AMAC

Kali offers outstanding self‐defense training. This class will teach you to use and defend yourself against a large variety of common weapons, regardless of whether or not you have a weapon yourself. A High percentage of assaults that are committed today is done with some type of weapon in hand.

You will learn to turn almost any object into a usable weapon to defend yourself (keys, lipstick case, pin, umbrella). Many people carry a folding blade on their person today, but very few have the training to be effective with it while under the stress of being assaulted. If you carry an edged weapon with the intention of using it in a self‐defense situation Kali offers exactly what you are looking for.

The empty hand training of Kali covers all ranges of self-defense and fighting (weapons, kicking, punching, trapping, stand‐up grappling, ground fighting), and more. The flow drills of Kali will ingrain quick, instant response into your body so your reactions will take over in a stressful situation when there is no time to think…only react. And the training is loads of fun.

Due to the principles used in Kali of dealing with multiple opponents, it is one of the few self‐defense systems offered today that can effectively teach you to deal with more than one opponent which is a common scenario in real-world self‐defense situations.

AMAC’s Chief Instructor, Guro Alan Baker, is a Certified Instructor under Magulang Na Guro Dan Inosanto. Guro Alan is also a Charter instructor under Tim Waid and Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje, Jr. in the art of Pekiti‐Tirsia Kali. Both are considered one of the foremost authorities on Filipino Kali in the world. Call the school for more information.

Lessons are taught in a personal training format with an individual or a small group. There are countless benefits to training with a personal trainer. People of any age and experience level can see better results and live a healthier lifestyle. A personal trainer will help create a unique workout plan to fit your individual needs and goals, and can accommodate an injury or other obstacle that might otherwise prevent you from training or exercising.