PTI Blog

  • PEKITI-TIRSIA EMPTY HAND VS KNIFE: OVERVIEW

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
    The main purpose of Pekiti-Tirsia hand vs knife training is NOT to end the fight against a knife with your bare hands. The purpose of any good hand vs knife system should be to buy you enough time to make the fight your weapon vs his weapon as soon as possible.
    Posted in KNIFE TRAINING, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • THE PEKITI WAY: Teaching the Pekiti-Tirsia system, then and now.

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
    Here are two lesson plans for teaching the Pekiti-Tirsia system; the Classical way, which Grand Tuhon Gaje learned as a child in the Philippines (...
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • Five teaching methods for the martial arts instructor

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
    This essay will examine five methodologies of teaching techniques and principles for the martial arts instructor. The five methods we will discuss are:

    1.  AUDIO-VISUAL-KINESTHETIC
    2.  4 ACES
    3.  3 SUPERHEROS,
    4.  GO ASK SOCRATES
    5.  STRESS TRAINING
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • How to design a FMA based Self-Defense/Defensive Tactics Drill.

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath

    The drills described in this article come from two sources. The first are the fighting principles found in the Pekiti-Tirsia system of Filipino martial arts. The second are the teaching methods I learned during my time as a defensive tactics instructor for my department.

    I began training in Pekiti-Tirsia in 1975 and began teaching defensive tactics for the NY State Court system in 1987. Both of these have contributed to my understanding of how to teach this material to a wide variety of people. I have tried to structure this article so it can be adapted to any martial arts or defensive tactics program.

    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • The “Thought Provoking Process.” Leo Stories Part 3: (AKA “Go ask Grandma.”)

    by WILLIAM McGrath

    Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje used to tell us some interesting stories about his training under his grandfather, Conrado Tortal. Several of these were about Conrado’s teaching methods.

    One of these stories that I found the most interesting was about the “Thought Provoking Process.” This was a somewhat Socratic method of teaching, in that a student was asked a question about a subject, rather than being given the answer from the start. It began like this:

    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • PTI ADVANCED HAND VS KNIFE: Part 2

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath

    The way I teach Pekiti-Tirsia advanced hand vs knife has evolved over the years.

    When I first learned the system from Grand Tuhon Gaje, hand vs knife was divided into two stages:

    Posted in KNIFE TRAINING, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • THE SAGANG-LABO DRILL IN THE PEKITI-TIRSIA SYSTEM

    by Bill McGrath
    A few techniques from the Sagang Labo drill of Pekiti-Tirsia. There is much more to this drill than what you commonly see at seminars. Sagang-Labo translates to “Block” and “Hack or Slash” in the Hiligaynon version of Visayan from the island of Negros.
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • MODERN TRAINING TIME: HOW FAST VS HOW MUCH (Leo stories part 1)

    by Bill McGrath
    Grand Tuhon Gaje would often tell the story of how he began Pekiti-Tirsia training at the age of six, under his maternal grandfather Conrado Tortal. Conrado began young Leo’s training with three long years of footwork. Conrado started Leo on a rickety old table in the home, moving in forward and reverse triangles, while his grandfather tapped his leg with a stick at the apex of the movement to get him to move faster. After a few weeks of this Conrado moved his grandson to training on the halves of three coconut shells, while stepping with only one foot at a time on each shell.
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL FIGHTING STYLE

    by Bill McGrath

    While a fighter needs to know just a few good techniques that work for him and his own fighting style, a teacher needs to know many more techniques, since he can’t predict what type of fighter will come train with him.

    Here are a few ways to help your students refine their personal fighting style and which techniques, tactics and principles best fit that style.

    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • HOW TO HIT HARD

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
    ( In this article I will discuss how to train using equipment such as the tire stack, heavy bag and focus mitts and which weapons are best trained on each training tool )
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • SURVIVAL DRILLS – BEYOND SPARRING

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath

    Basic symmetrical sparring, with two evenly matched opponents, each using the same evenly matched weapon, is a great way to introduce students to many of the skills they need for combat. They can even stay in this symmetrical mode their whole martial arts careers, if the only place they will ever fight in are tournaments.

    Things are different in a real fight though.

    Posted in sparring, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • LEARNING THROUGH COMPARISONS: Part 1

    by WILLIAM McGrath
        Comparisons Based vs Rules Based learning methods (and how to combine them).   I read an interesting article several years ago on an experiment...
    Posted in Learning Through Comparisons, TEACHING METHODOLOGY