History
iKali, founded by Tuhon Apolo Ladra, is an Indigenous fighting art in its truest form. It is a systematic art of combat fighting based on the science of Strategic and Tactical applications of Counter-Offensive techniques as a defense. Its methodology of “Learn to Teach, Teach to Learn” speaks of its core process of knowing, Understanding, and Applying in order to “Flow.”
iKali is a complete system for Self-Protection. A characteristic of iKali is the use of one or two arm-long sticks, swords, and knives for practice (and fighting). The combative strategies and tactics within iKali are developed within the motion and the mechanics of the flow. They are structured according to the characteristics of the weaponry employed – whether it be edged, impact, or empty hand – combined with the principles of human anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology as the foundation and basis for tactical manipulation and application.
iKali is the Indigenous fighting art of the Philippines. With its Cultural and Philosophical values, its history traces back more than 1500 to 2000 years in the past. The Pekiti-Tirsia System of Kali originates from the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines, and was formulated by the Tortal family of Negros and Panay islands. The family patriarch, Conrado B. Tortal, passed this system and its attributes onto his only grandson, the sole heir and its present guardian, Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. Majority of Police Officers and Law enforcement personnel in the US, Europe, and Asia have viewed the Police Training Film “Surviving Edged Weapons” which was produced by Calibre Press Of Chicago, USA, recognized worldwide as the best training tape on Edge Weapon awareness which featured GrandTuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is the only system recognized by the Philippine government including the teaching of the system to the elite ForceRecon Philippine Marine Battalion, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Where Did It Come From?
iKali is the Indigenous fighting art of the Philippines. With its cultural and philosophical values, its history is traces back more than 1500 to 2000 years. The Pekiti-Tirsia System of Kali originates from the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines, and was formulated by the Tortal family of Negros and Panay islands. The family patriarch, Conrado B. Tortal, passed this system and its attributes onto his only grandson, the sole heir and its present guardian, Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. Majority of Police Officers and Law enforcement personnel in the US, Europe, and Asia have viewed the Police Training Film “Surviving Edged Weapons” which was produced by Calibre Press Of Chicago, USA, recognized worldwide as the best training tape on Edge Weapon awareness which featured GrandTuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is the only system recognized by the Philippine government including the teaching of the system to the elite ForceRecon Philippine Marine Battalion, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
How Is It Different?
The distinguishing characteristic of Kali and Filipino martial arts is the principle that weaponry is instructed first and then progresses into the final stage, which is empty hands skills. The strategic reasoning behind this structure is that:
- The nature of warfare is the utilization of weaponry – not empty hands.
- Attribute development – the use of weaponry, and bladed weapons in particular, develops and enhances combative attributes and application at a more intensive level and faster rate than empty hands training.
- The Filipino methods of empty-hand combat are derived directly from the application of weaponry versus having completely different styles of empty-hand skills and weaponry techniques. This principle of parallel methodology and transferable technology in its truest form can only be found within Filipino martial arts. In modern applications, these methods and skills transfer from bladed, impact, and other edged weapons to empty-hands combat and directly back to weapons, including modern firearms.
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