PTI Blog

The Golok of Indonesia is a large, stout knife, comparable in use to the Parang of Malaysia and the Bolo of the Philippines. While Google and Youtube will translate golok as “machete,” it’s really a different tool than what we in the west would think of when we use that term.

The purpose of this series is to learn how to learn; i.e. the technique of learning something new. One way human beings do this is by learning through comparisons. In this essay we will examine the differences in drawing three categories of weapons; the bowie, the kukri and the hatchet/tomahawk.

I first met Penchak Silat instructor Suryadi “Eddie” Jafri in June of 1978. He had come to watch a Philippine Independence Day festival in lower Manhattan because he had heard good things about Filipino martial arts and wanted to see if some would be demonstrated at the event.

For many years I have been diagramming Pekiti-Tirsia weapon techniques. I was even able to do this in the pre-desktop days, drawing by hand, since my diagrams were so simple.  However, I have not been able to create diagrams of empty hand techniques as easily. I really should do a better job on the empty hand end of things, so I have a request.

The main factors that separate beginners from experienced fighters are the latter’s level of understanding of distance control and timing.
Distance control in striking arts is usually accomplished via footwork: while timing is the ability to use specific elements of fighting at the correct time.
Getting good at these skills helps you be in the right place, at the right time and using the right tools to accomplish your goals.

If I ever had to use a bowie knife for defensive purposes, I’d want to cut with maximum effect at the longest possible distance. This means putting the Center of Percussion (C.O.P.) as far forward as possible; while still retaining a functional, piercing point (1). Therefore, I’d want to have a relatively short false edge or swedge (2). For most of my bowies, it seems that a swedge length between 1/4 and 1/3 of the overall blade length strikes the right balance.

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.

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 (...

. I’ve been interested in the bowie knife for several years now and and have been exploring the pros and cons of different designs. One element I...

Here is an article I wrote for the July 1999 issue of Inside Kung Fu magazine on the subject of knives for self defense use. I was specifically writing about a pet peeve of mine in the 1990s. Some instructors back then were teaching techniques developed in the Philippines and designed for use with a large blade, but were teaching the same techniques to their students in the West, who are carrying much smaller knives. My problem with this was expecting the small knife to be able to do the work of a much larger blade. Like much else in life: SIZE DOES MATTER!

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

I’ve been traveling to Finland since the mid-1990s to teach Pekiti-Tirsia seminars hosted by my friend Sensei/Guro Kaj Westersund. Here are some of the knives he and his students have given me, along with a look at my 2009 trip to the shop of Finnish custom knife-maker Markku Vilppola; as well as a look at the Finnish military Ranger knife designed by J.P. Peltonen.