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Title: The Secrets of Cabales Serrada Escrima (Secrets of Series) by Mark V. Wiley ISBN: 0-8048-3181-5 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: November, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.6 (5 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A few comments
Comment: Despite the controversial and critical reviews of this book, I found it useful in learning about some of the history and background of grandmaster Cabales, and also the techniques of Cabales Escrima. I can't comment on the criticisms posted here on Wiley's book, as I'm not primarily an escrimador, being mainly a karate, kobudo, and iaido practitioner. However, I've trained in the Philippine stick arts too and I was just looking for a book that could provide some basic history on the art in addition to what I already knew.
The first few chapters are a brief bio of master Cabales, from his boyhood in the Philippines to his eventual arrival in the states, and his opening up the first Escrima school in the U.S. It was interesting to read about master Cabales's early training experiences and his teacher, F. Dizon, the origins of the first Doce Pares organization (which Wiley claims precedes by over a hundred years the current organization under the Canete family), and other interesting bits of history. After many years of working odd jobs everywhere from the Tondo docks in Manila to Alaska, master Cabales finally settled in Stockton, where he stayed the rest his life, founded the first Escrima school, and saw his art spread from a small inland valley school in California to dozens of countries and thousands of students around the world.
The following chapters are written by students and instructors who were close to master Cabales and who relate their training experiences with him, and the last half of the book is devoted to actual techniques. These show the basic strikes, blocks, disarms, and wrist and armlocks. I enjoyed these chapters too, although the problem with books on the martial arts these days is that you can get video tapes that are excellent on literally hundreds of martial arts which show the art far better than the static photos in books. I myself have dozens of tapes by a number of masters on various styles of Escrima and other Pacific Rim arts that are far better than the photos in any book. Nevertheless, since the book basically combines a brief history and biography of the master, a number of personal memoirs of the master, and a presentation of the basic technical aspects of the art, I didn't mind that too much.
Now not only is Cabales Escrima well established in the U.S. but a number of other Pacific Rim arts as well, including Filipino and Indonesian Kuntao, Indonesian Pekiti Tersia and a number of styles of Indonesian Pentjak-Silat. I've studied Kali Ilustrisimo, Inayan Escrima, and Pekiti Tersia myself, and enjoy them very much although they're not my main focus as a martial artist, as I said. But I've certainly learned to appreciate the Philippine and Indonesian arts more, which are truly great martial arts themselves, and I think it's great they're finally getting the recognition they deserve, although it looks like the Escrima world has the same political problems as the rest of the martial arts. It's interesting to consider that a once obscure art only about 20 years ago is now an international phenomenon with hundreds of instructors in the U.S. and many more overseas. Angel Cabales's Serrada Escrima has perhaps had the greatest influence of all and I hope his and the many other fine Filipino stick arts continue to grow and prosper.
Rating: 2
Summary: Mark Wiley, what?
Comment: If the book had been a more technical treatment, that would have been great. It has that, but not enough. But even still, what it did have would have been ggggreat if, only if, Mark had not put in a bunch of sillyness.
What is the sillyness you ask? It is the goofy stories. I couldn't stand his little asides about the Magical Angel. I am so weary of the the "super-master" stories that some martial artists find so appealing. Keep in mind that I am not criticising Master Cabeles in anyway at all. I am sure he was great. But I think we diminish the greatness of lives lived when we begin to exagerate the reality of them. Let us be in awe of the real, not the fabrication we can easily make up.
At times Mark seems like a 4 year old who sees in his mentor superhuman quality. That can be endearing the hands of a capable writer, but that Mark Willey is not.
Rating: 1
Summary: The Secrets of Cabales Serrada Escrima (Secrets of Series)
Comment: For those of you that haven't heard of me, I have studied Serrada extensively in Stockton, California. I read the other reviews, and Master Khlid Khan, should not have complimented Mark Wiley. He did so to promote the book because he is in it. Guru Dennis Servaes, also in it and has trained with Grandmaster Vincent Angel Cabales and gave a review which tells it like it is. I would also advise against the purchase of books by Mark Wiley, or anything to do with Daren Tibon. Angel would not have authorized either book, and I cannot recommend either of wiley's books! Too much misinformation. I understand Daren is no longer recognized as a Master!
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Title: The Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima (Tuttle Martial Arts) by Antonio E. Somera, Tony Somera ISBN: 0804831394 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: July, 1998 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Complete Sinawali: Filipino Double Weapon Fighting (Complete Series) by Reynaldo S. Galang ISBN: 0804831564 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: November, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Secrets of Kalis Ilustrisimo (Tuttle Martial Arts) by Antonio Diego, Christopher Ricketts, Mark V. Wiley ISBN: 0804831459 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: May, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Filipino Martial Culture by Mark V. Wiley ISBN: 0804820880 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
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Title: Pananandata Yantok At Daga : Filipino Stick And Dagger by Amante P. Marinas ISBN: 0873644476 Publisher: Paladin Press Pub. Date: December, 1987 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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