A typical training session in Kuntaw Kali Kruzada covers single stick and double stick techniques, moving on to unarmed defense against boxing, kickboxing and grappling followed by defense against a knife attack. We do have pre-patterned drills in our curriculum, but our goal is to enable our students to break out of the set patterns and feeds. Training reflexively in un-patterned freestyle drills where the feeder can start out slowly and work their way up to full speed attacks from random angles. This can be practiced with single stick, double stick, stick and dagger, empty hand, knife against empty hand, knife to knife and in multiple attack scenarios both armed and unarmed.

Kuntaw Kali Kruzada practitioners are taught anti-grappling techniques, counters and escapes from the ground. Deceptive, and more importantly stable, low-line kicks to sensitive nerve clusters and other vulnerable areas are taught in conjunction with close range empty hand fighting methods, utilizing every available part of the human anatomy. Kuntaw Kali Kruzada practitioners are taught how to strike, control and throw their opponents. Treating every scenario as a possible encounter involving multiple attackers.

Our goal is to keep the training in our system as close to what might happen in a real altercation, incorporating unexpected angles of attack from all sides. Simulating both the speed and aggression of a real attack. This is a very difficult method of training that our students have to steadily work their skill level up to, but we believe that the more mistakes our students make in the training hall, the fewer mistakes they will make outside where it really counts. The Kuntaw Kali Kruzada curriculum has been designed to provide beginners and advanced practitioners alike with a complete set of armed and unarmed self-defense skills.

Many students that have studied with us have had to use what they have learned to defend themselves and others. Our students have successfully defended themselves in knife attacks, bar fights, mugging attempts and mass attacks. One of our Black Belts survived an altercation involving 20-plus armed assailants against himself and eight of his cousins in the Philippines unscathed. In another incident one of our new students prevented a woman from being raped by five assailants in the subway on the way home to Brooklyn, using a single rattan stick.

Aside from its focus on effective combat techniques and principles, Kuntaw Kali Kruzada is also a traditional system of Filipino martial arts that places great importance on moral and ethical development, with equal emphasis on imparting knowledge of Philippine culture and traditions. We are a system that prides itself in our connection to the Philippines, staying true to our cultural roots by propagating the FMA as they are taught in the Philippines.

The following is a comprehensive list of what is taught in the Kuntaw Kali Kruzada curriculum;

KUNTAW COMJUKAI

In unarmed combat we utilize nerve disruptions, limb and bone destructions, coupled with low-line kicks, elbow and knee strikes from Kuntaw; synthesized with empty hand techniques from other Filipino martial arts and Chuan Fa. Joint locks, seizing and throwing techniques from COMJUKAI (Combat Judo Karate Aikido) also compliment our Kuntaw to form a unique modern pragmatic system of unarmed self defense which is constantly evolving to address situations that our students might encounter in a street confrontation.

SOLO BASTON

Single stick techniques from various styles/systems of Kali, Arnis and Eskrima covering respectively; Long Range (Largo), Medium Range (Media), and Short Range (Corto). Training in solo baston techniques progress towards the use of the itak (sword). Students are first taught the proper form for striking, defending, evasion, and disarming and progress towards free sparring drills. Discarding preset patterns, slowly moving towards expert training at their own pace.

DOBLE BASTON

Double stick techniques are regarded as being the highest form of Kali Arnis requiring many years of training. Students begin with preset coordination drills, and progress towards defensive skills. Training with doble baston is necessary for moving to the next phase of training. Because of its complexity, many years must be spent studying doble baston in order to become proficient in its combative use.

ESPADA Y DAGA

Espada y Daga (Sword and Dagger) techniques are favored by many grandmasters in the Philippines. The practicality of it's training can enhance the practitioner's single and double stick skills; providing an essential link in any Eskrimador's progression. The student will learn the basic form for Espada y Daga, and move towards partnered drills. Eventually he/she will begin free form practice learning to defend against single stick, double stick, and stick and dagger attacks without preset patterns.

KNIFE FIGHTING

Knife defense is learned alongside unarmed Kuntaw training, but is addressed more when a practitioner reaches an Intermediate level. Unarmed defense against knife attacks are stressed first, but these same techniques will apply to knife versus knife training. This training is practiced in pairs and progresses towards free form practice, discarding preset patterns. Capturing and controlling the knife hand is stressed, along with disarming techniques in conjunction with joint locks, takedowns and throwing techniques.