What is Panantukan?

"Panantukan" is a term that refers to the empty-hands component of Filipino Martial Arts. In some circles, this striking art is called "Filipino Boxing," "Suntukan," or "Dirty Boxing." The art is derived from the same movements when using sticks and blades for combat. Several characteristics of this martial art make it unique: 1.) Focus on limb destructions, e.g., striking the arms and legs, 2.) Fighting from both the Orthodox and Southpaw stance, and 3.) Unbalancing your opponent by pushing, grabbing, foot sweeping, etc. The martial art requires a lot of practice and dedication in order to master the techniques and be able to apply them effectively in the octagon or the streets.

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Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn Jr

My first martial arts instructor Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn passed away on May 9, 2024. He was a 10th degree black belt in Nisei Goju Ryu. Thank you Sensei for being a mentor and positive role model to me when I was growing up. Until we meet again in heaven.

The Day I Became A Ronin

Miyamoto Mushashi In feudal Japan, there were two types of warriors: Samurai and Ronin. Samurai were loyal to a particular Master, while Ronin answered to no one. One of the most famous Ronin in history was Miyamoto Mushashi who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. He wrote the masterpiece of swordsmanship known as the "Book of Five Rings." In more recent times, Bruce Lee could be considered a Ronin. He famously broke from the teachings of his Master Yip Man to create his own unique martial art of Jeet Kune Do. His conversion from Samurai to Ronin was prompted by his difficulty in winning a fight against fellow martial artist Wong Jack Man. Lee discovered that sticking dogmatically to the Wing Chun techniques taught by his Master limited his growth as a martial artist. I had a similar epiphany. One day I attended a martial arts class and I was asked by my instructor to demonstrate effective defenses against a straight right or cros...

What is Filipino Boxing?

Filipino Boxing means different things to different people. For example, some consider Filipino Boxing as strictly a striking art, while others include grappling in their expression of the art. The art also goes by many names. It is also referred to as Dirty Boxing, Panantukan, Suntukan, Pangamot, etc. At its essence, Filipino Boxing is an empty-hand self-defense system whose techniques are derived from the use of weapons, such as sticks and knives, in Filipino Martial Arts ("FMA"). My understanding of Filipino Boxing comes primarily from training under numerous well-regarded FMA instructors. I have also gained an appreciation of the art from spending countless hours studying books and videos on the discipline. I have also been fortunate to be able to experiment and explore the use of Filipino Boxing techniques with my training partners and students. My personal expression of Filipino Boxing is a combination of traditional Western Boxing, limb des...

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