A Japanese Stylist’s View on Kali Majapahit

">always moving. Drills with single/double stick are used
After more than 20 years in the Japanese martialto create “chains” of movement
arts (Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu, Aikido, Aiki-jujutsu, kobudo)that are later seamlessly linked into a never-ending
and 16 years living in Japan, I walked into Ni Tienloop of attacks. This is radically different from the
Martial Arts School in Singapore curious but not quitesolid stances that typify Japanese and Okinawan arts.
sure what to expect. What a surprise!The Filipinos believe a fight to be dynamic and
After about six months’ training in Kaliunpredictable, and that view is represented by the
Majapahit, here are the key differences I have foundflow. I was reminded of Capoeira’s hypnotic
between FMA and traditional Japanese martial arts:ginga, which keeps the opponent guessing all the
Constant Motiontime. In the Japanese arts, there is a lot of focus on
Kali places a lot of emphasis on“committing the attack” and using
“flowing” (called “tuloyone’s full body power to deliver a strike or
tuloy”). We spend a lot of time working tokick.
develop fluid movements, and good Kalista are