'This book is long overue, and a welcome addition to my martial art library.'-Dan Inosanto

'Tony Somera has done a thorough jpb of describing the philosophy and techniques of Giron arnis escrima...a fitting tribute to Grandmaster Giron and his martial legacy.'-Mark V. Wiley, author, Filipino Martial Culture

The history of the Philippines and her martial art is a history of resistance and revolt. Born into this fertile time and place, Gandmaster Leo M. Giron became a child of revolution. He grew up in a time when martial arts training was a necessity, not a luxury. His sytem was taught to him by five renowned masters; his experience honed in the jungle warfare of World War II.

The Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima is an engaging biography of Leo Giron, a senior master of escrima and survivor of numerous hand-to-hand encounters in the Philippine jungles. It is also a visual and descriptive survey of Giron's fighting art-a classical weapons and empty-hand self-defense system applicable in today's modern society. Included herein is an overview of the twenty styles that make up the Giron system in general, and an analysis of the de fondo and cadena de mano styles in particular. Packed wth over 300 historical and instructional photographs, this book truly reveals the secrets of Giron arnis escrima.

Tony Somera is the only person to whom Grandmaster Giron awarded the master's degree in the art of Giron arnis escrima. He is the presiding master of the Bahala Na Martial Arts Association, and his articles have appeared in Free Voice and Martial Arts legends magazines.

Contents

Foreword by Dan Inosanto
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part One Background and overview
1 Development of a fighting art
Regionalism
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
The symbols of unity
Leo M. Giron
World War II
Giron's philosophy of escrima
The Bahala Na Martial Art Academy
2 The twenty styles of Giron arnis escrima
The master's fan
Overview of the twenty styles
Part Two The nucleus of Giron arnis
3 The foundation of an art
The clock method of teaching
Distance
The eight original strikes
Defining the baston
The attributes of striking
The natural position
The attention position
The ready position
Salutation with a weapon
Salutation without a weapon
4 Basic defensive concepts
Blocking
Parrying
Deflecting
Evading
Hand checking
Releasing, reversing, and counter blocking
5 Preparation for training
Escrima as sport and art
Training the mind, heart,and body
Warm-up exercises
Part Three Estilo de Fondo
6 The twelve strikes of Estilo de Fondo
Discipline of delivery
Analysis of the twelve strikes
7 Basic single stick defenses
Introduction
The defensive system
8 Stick to stick disarming
Introduction
Part Four Cadena de Mano
9 Empty-hand to knife disarming
Introduction
10 Basic hand-to-hand defenses
Introduction