Kombatan

Kombatan is a Filipino martial arts system. The founder of the system was GGM Ernesto Amador Presas (10th DAN). The current head of the system is Ernesto Presas Jr. The style is known for its double stick techniques, but it features other stick and blade techniques, as well as empty-hand methods.

Ernesto A. Presas Sr. was born in the coastal town of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental on May 20, 1945. At age 8 he began his martial arts training under his father, Jose Presas, a well known escrima practitioner at that time. He went on to be an athlete in his college years, participating in various sports. His training in the martial arts is eclectic, having studied judo, jujutsu, karate, and various forms of Filipino and Japanese weaponry. He was Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in arnis and Mano Mano (hand-to-hand combat) and Lakan Walo (8th Dan) in Philippine Weaponry.

Remy Presas recognized that the classical arts of their country were losing their appeal and therefore slowly dying. He modernized the native arts into an effective fighting system that would be appealing to martial arts students living in modern Filipino society and called it Modern Arnis. His dream to re-introduce the native arts led to the development of Modern Arnis. Ernesto Presas continued the work after his brother emigrated to the US in 1975. He changed his version of the art extensively in the nineties, and renamed it Kombatan.

In 1970 he began to teach the Filipino martial arts in the University of the Philippines and Lyceum of the Philippines. Later other classes expanded to the University of Santo Tomas, Central Colleges of the Philippines, the Far Eastern Military Academy, Philippine National Police Academy, and the Philippines Air Force Officer's School. Also in 1970 he was invited to Japan at Expo '70' to demonstrate Arnis. He quickly earned the respect of many of the Japanese masters who called his Art Filipino Kendo. After returning home, with the help of his friend Frederico Lazo, he opened his first club. Later he formed the Modern Arnis Association of the Philippines International and the ARJUKEN (which stands for Arnis, Jujutsu, Kendo) Karate Association to formally spread the art within the Philippines. In 1975 he founded the International Philippine Martial Arts Federation (IPMAF) and began to spread the Filipino art to the outside world. In time his Arnis Presas Style and techniques became widely accepted and adopted by countries in Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Puerto Rico. He has also published numerous books and videos and has been featured on the cover of Inside Kung Fu magazine with the title "Ernesto Presas: The Father of Mano-Mano" (which art he created).

Ernesto Presas traveled the world teaching seminars to spread his art. Many visited the Philippines to take lessons from him in Manila.

Major practitioners include: Ernesto Amador Presas (deceased), Fred Lazo (deceased), Ernesto Presas Jr., Pepe Yap, Mike Bowers, Alex France, Lito Concepcion, Tim Hartman, Juerg Ziegler (deceased), Dr. Carlos Deleon, John R. Malmo, Librando Castillo, Jon Rudy, Jeff Traish, Chris Traish, Andy Elliott, Richard Marlin, Shelley Millspaugh, Vincent Pernice, Wolfgang Schnur, Walter Hubmann, Edwin Lao,  Thorbjørn “Toby” Hartelius, Scott Taylor, Johan Skålberg, Alex Ercia, Audy Ercia, Tomi Harell, Jose G. Paman, Randy Remolin, Fredrik Johansson, Henning Hansen, Jess Pablo (deceased), Matt Nocerino, Carlos Pulanco, Giovanni Zagari, Patrick Paulo, Marina Regnér, and Uno Feldthusen.

Current Chief Instructors

 * Grandmaster Ernesto Presas Jr. (10th Dan) - Manila, Philippines
 * Grandmaster Wolfgang Schnur (10th Dan) - Germany
 * Grandmaster Carlos Deleon (10th Dan) - USA, Guatemala, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain.
 * Grandmaster Mike Bowers (10th Dan)- Portland, USA


 * Grandmaster Tim Hartman (9th Dan) - New York, USA
 * Grandmaster Alex France (9th Dan) - California, USA
 * Grandmaster Rick Manglinong (9th Dan)- California, USA
 * Grandmaster Shelley Millspaugh (9th Dan)- Colorado, USA
 * Grandmaster Toby Hartelius (9th Dan) - Denmark
 * Grandmaster Scott Taylor (9th Dan) -Nebraska, USA
 * Grandmaster Randy Remolin (9th Dan) - Italy


 * Grandmaster Andy Elliott (8th Dan) - Australia
 * Grandmaster Matt Nocerino (8th Dan) - California, USA
 * Grandmaster Bernard Lapointe (+)(8th Dan) - California, USA
 * Grandmaster Alex Ercia (8th Dan) - California, USA
 * Grandmaster John R. Malmo (8th Dan)- Midwest, USA
 * Grandmaster Walter Hubmann (8th Dan) - Austria
 * Grandmaster Roland Herlt (8th Dan) - Germany
 * Grandmaster Tomi Harell (8th Dan) - Finland
 * Grandmaster Mike Waite (8th Dan) - Australia


 * Senior Master Chris Delgado (7th Dan) - California, USA
 * Senior Master Mark Cox (7th Dan) - California, USA
 * Senior Master Kurt Graham (8th Dan) - New Zealand
 * Senior Master Vincent Pernice (7th Dan) - Kansas, USA
 * Senior Master Ask Agger (7th Dan) - Denmark
 * Senior Master Marina Regner (7th Dan) - Sweden
 * Master Daniel Tiliano (6th Dan) - Oregon, USA
 * Senior Master Salvador Caballero (6th Dan) - Spain
 * Senior Master Henning Hansen (6th Dan) - Norway
 * Senior Master Maic Andreé (6th Dan) - Germany


 * Master Paulo Vilaça (5th Dan) - Portugal
 * Master Jorgen Jorgensen (5th Dan) - Thailand
 * Master Fredrik Johansson (5th Dan) - Sweden
 * Master Pablo Gobbi (5th Dan) - Argentina
 * Master Edwin Mejia (5th Dan) - Guatemala
 * Master Richard Bigham (5th Dan) - USA
 * Master Librando Castillo (5th Dan) - California, USA
 * Master Fidel Bonifacio (5th Dan) - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
 * Master Giovanni Zagari (5th Dan) - Singapore
 * Master Ralf Notter (5th Dan) - Germany


 * Guro Damian Rosatti (4th Dan) - Argentina
 * Guro Gustavo Garcia Leon (4th Dan) - Argentina
 * Guro Federico Dinatale (4th Dan) - Brazil
 * Guro Joe Delgado (4th Dan) - California, USA
 * Guro Richard Bigham (4th Dan) - California, USA
 * Guro Ted Villanueva (4th Dan) - Oregon, USA
 * Guro Vernon Taylor (4th Dan)- Nebraska
 * Guro Daniel Kroupa (4nd Dan) - Czech Republic
 * Guro Damon Abraham (3rd Dan) - Colorado, USA
 * Guro Rosemary Solis (3rd Dan) - Guatemala
 * Guro Perry Zmugg (3rd Dan) - Austria
 * Guro Kalli Schlauch (2nd Dan) - Ireland
 * Guro Cian White (2nd Dan) - Ireland
 * Guro Jhun Occidental (2nd Dan) - Virginia, USA
 * Guro Shahla Deleon (1st Dan) - California, USA
 * Guro Carlos Deleon II (1st Dan) - California, USA

Styles
Kombatan combines several traditional Filipino styles that have been blended into a single art:
 * Palis
 * Hirada Batangueno - Pinayong. Commonly referred to as hirada bantagueña, after the Batangas province from which it originated, pinayong is Kombatan's "umbrella" block-and-counter pattern. It consists of an umbrella-like covering block/counter followed with any number of strikes; often an upward strike that can impact areas such as the groin, chin, or forearm.
 * Sungkiti Tutsada - Sungkiti also called tutsada, tuslok, or salag tusok represents the deadly thrusting techniques that can devastate an opponent. It is especially effective for combat in places where lateral movement is restricted.  Sungkiti aims to attack vulnerable areas like the eyes, throat, solar plexus, underarms, and groin.
 * Abaniko Largo / Corto
 * Doblada / Doblete
 * Banda y Banda
 * Ocho Ocho - Ocho ocho means "figure eight," and this pattern of movement follows the path of the infinity symbol. Ocho ocho may be delivered in a wide or tight manner, depending on the situation.
 * Sinawali
 * Espada Y Daga - sword and dagger, or stick and dagger methods
 * Daga sa Daga
 * Dulo Dulo - The dulo dulo is a specialty weapon of Kombatan. It is simply a short stick, or horn, of about six inches with points at both ends.  It is used in close quarters to attack sensitive areas of the body.  It can be utilized to strike; to force your opponent to release you from a grabbing attack; or to magnify the effect of a joint lock by attacking the sensitive points you are controlling.
 * Dos Puntas
 * Tres Puntas
 * Bangkaw - The bangkaw is a staff, usually around six-feet in length, used to attack and defend. Kombatan features techniques for its use against another staff, as well as other weapons.  Its primary advantage is its long reach.  With it, one can counter an attack from an opponent armed with a bolo or knife without coming into close proximity.  The bangkaw is a martial adaptation of the long stick that is used in rural areas of the Philippines to carry two large buckets of water on ones shoulder.
 * Sibat
 * Mano-Mano
 * Sipaan
 * Dumog