Online Resources for Learning Filipino Martial Arts

It is important to learn the essentials of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). The essential elements of FMA are basic strikes, stances, footwork, sinawalis, and twists. You will also need some basic equipment such as 1 pair of training rubber/escrima sticks and 1 pair of hard escrima sticks, as well as a training knife to get you started.

Wmpyr is an amazing YouTube channel for learning, you can check it out if you do a YouTube search for “Wmpyr”. He has literally hundreds of videos on the basic and intermediate aspects of Filipino martial arts. Whichever video you decide to watch will be appropriate for people of any skill level and experience with FMA. Wmpyr teaches the basic strokes, turns and handling of fencing sticks, as well as many other concepts.

It also applies FMA concepts to other weapons such as knives, larger sticks, makeshift weapons, and other weapons not normally used in FMA. He also has a number of other non-FMA art related videos. Wmpyr is also trained in other martial arts besides FMA, such as mixed martial arts, and also incorporates those martial arts in his videos.

While Wmpyr has plenty of solo practice videos on his YouTube, Bayani Warrior or Guru Mike Pana have plenty of partner exercises and live training drills. He also has a website at http://www.bayaniwarrior.com/

What separates him from other FMA teachers on YouTube is that he teaches some concepts that are not always taught in FMA. He also teaches Suntukan (Filipino boxing), personal (tungkod) which is not always taught in FMA.

For those with more free time and money on their hands, he can help set up training groups and often runs seminars and clinics around the world. He is also trained in Jeet Kune Do under Guruo John Ferguson.

Another YouTuber who has some videos online that have helped me understand heaven and earth sinawali is “Me Bodybuilding”. He has some videos about heaven and earth 6 sinawali, which is an important sinawali for FMA. He demonstrates the sinawali of heaven and earth on a punching bag, which is very helpful when you visualize and do the sinawali yourself. The sinawali of heaven and earth is a sinawali with many variations and from the 6 of heaven and earth you can flow into many different sinawalis and strikes.