Hanuman Combat Arts

ool is named for Hanuman the white-furred monkey who appears in many legends and stories of south-east Asia. He is most famous for helping Rama to find and rescue his wife Sita from the demon-lord Ravanna in the story called the Ramayana. Hanuman is usually shown holding a “Gada” (cudgel, club) in his right hand and a mountain in the left. Hanuman is known as the quintessential warrior and the “patron” of stick-fighters, wrestlers, and engineers. His most famous attributes are his mischievousness, sense of humor, his devotion to friends and family, and his prowess as a warrior. Hanuman embodies the qualities that I personally strive to achieve and hope to instill in my students. My Background

My love affair with martial arts began over 40 years ago and continues today. I began my formal martial arts training in the late 1980’s under Guru Rennie Saunders at the New River Academy studying Pencak Silat Mande Muda. This is an Indonesian martial art was created by Pendekar Uyuh Suwanda, expanded world-wide by his son Pendekar Herman Suwanda. Upon their passing, the art is continued by Guru-Besar Rita Suwanda. This martial system is best described as self-defense oriented and one of the pre-eminent very close, in-your-face combat styles. A typical technique from this style deflects an incoming attack, “traps” or tangles the attack, breaks some bone or strikes a sensitive pressure point, then trips or throws the assailant to the ground, and incapacitates the attacker lying at your feet. While training with Guru Saunders and Pendekar Herman Suwanda, I achieved assistant teacher status. Though no longer my primary style, I continue to practice the art and the martial arts I teach is heavily influenced by this style. In the late 1990’s, I watched the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which introduced me to the new world of Mixed Martial Arts. This modern art incorporates the concepts and techniques from punching and kicking arts, throwing arts, wrestling and grappling arts, and submission techniques of all kinds. Fortuitously at that time, I also met Coach Brian Burns who had begun to teach Mixed Martial Arts. I became a student of Coach Burns and over the years I have achieved assistant teacher status at his gym. The effectiveness of this fighting style is continually demonstrated during the UFC televised events. This fighting style is the “yard stick” upon which I measure the effectiveness and practicality of all the martial arts and techniques I practice and teach. To augment my martial arts repertoire, I began to study Bahala’Na Arnis Escrima with Guro David Hines in the late 1980’s. I immediately fell in love with this martial art and it now forms the basic core of the martial arts I teach. This martial art is a weapons based art created by Grand Master Emeritus Leo Giron. GME Giron was taught traditional Filipino martial arts by his father, relatives, and family friends from the time he was old enough to pick up an escrima stick until he moved to California by himself at the tender age of 14. In his new home, GME Giron continued his study of escrima with masters and teachers he met in the area of Stockton, California, known as Little Manila. When World War 2 broke out, GME Giron joined the US Army and was assigned to the 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment and later to the famous 978th Signal Group and The Allied Intelligence Bureau (also known as the “Eyes and Ears of Macarthur”). As part of this commando group, GME Giron was dropped behind enemy lines in the Philippines and spent over 1 ½ years sending information back to the Allies, disrupting enemy activities, and generally helping to lay the groundwork for the re-taking of the Philippines by the Allies. This is the crucible through which GME Giron truly forged his fighting style. For his actions during this time, GME Giron was presented with The Bronze Star Medal, The Philippine Liberation Ribbon, The Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, The American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and received a letter of commendation ordered by the President of the United States of America. Upon returning to California after WW2, GME Giron entered back into civilian life and worked as a Stockton crop picker for many years. In 1966 on the east coast, a depraved individual tortured and killed several nurses with a knife during a home invasion crime. Most of these nurses were young Filipina. This hideous crime spurred GME Giron to start teaching his escrima to members of his community so that they could protect themselves. He also felt it was very important for his community to be proud of and practice their Filipino heritage and martial arts. He took all his life experiences and his escrima skills and organized them into the system we know today as Bahala’Na Arnis Escrima. This is where GME Giron’s genius truly shined. The name Bahala’Na came from the battle cry motto of his unit during WW2 and may be generally translated to mean “Come What May”. Since his passing at the age of almost 93, GME Giron Bahala’Na legacy is continued by Grand Master Tony Somera. Under GM Somera direction the Bahala’Na Arnis Escrima family now extends internationally boasting many excellent escrima schools in US and around the world. I graduated from the Bahala’Na Arnis Escrima system in October 2004, achieving the title Escrimador.