Eskrima DeCuerdas
Filipino Martial Arts

The late GM Gilbert Tenio was the patriarch of a family style of FMA named DeCuerdas Eskrima and the grandmaster of our lineage until his death in 1994. He is regarded today as one of the "Big Three" FMA masters who helped start the FMA training movement that originated in Stockton, CA in the late 1960's. The late Senior Master Juan ELiab Sr. was GM Tenio's protégé and the heir apparent of DeCuerdas Eskrima until his untimely death in 1992.

We use the word "kadua" (which means "companion" or "associate") as a title for students leading a training group or an instructor/school owner who offers the ECC-FMA curriculum at their school. It is not a rank and does not mean the title holder is a certified instructor. The individual with a kadua title is allowed to teach up to their own rank within the ECC-FMA curriculum under the supervision of the association and is expected to maintain their own personal training.

Yes! However, it's not the art, the style, the system or the type of weapon that makes it effective; it's the manner in which it's practiced. Ultimately, it's the practitioner who is effective...or not. This will apply to any martial art, not just to FMA.

The decision just to begin training is extremely multifaceted. The first thing to consider is the "Why?" What are the training goals? It's also important to distinguish between training for art, competition, defense or fighting (including the many nuances of each of these types of training). The school location, schedule, costs, even the group dynamic of the class and the personality of the instructor are other aspects to evaluate.

The Eskrima DeCuerdas system is designed to train from the perspective of both art and fighting. The art aspect honors the masters of our lineage and the methods they used to teach. During training we then teach the student to bring out the fight from the art; using the exercises and drills in the system to develop viable fighting skill. Staying true to the old style, we teach a bladed system, not a modernized version of Filipino stick fighting. If this teaching and training stance aligns with the training goals, then Eskrima DeCuerdas may be a good choice.

There aren't any fundamental differences; each is just a different name for Filipino Martial Arts.

FMA is most known throughout the world as a stick fighting art. However, calling it stick fighting is a far cry from its full potential. Traditionally, the Filipino Martial Arts are based mostly on medium or short swords and/or a sword and dagger. Sticks are commonly used as a proxy for the edged weapon. The concepts behind FMA's bladed use allow practitioners to translate the movements into stick, knife and empty hand techniques and extend to improvised weapons, allowing practically anything to become a weapon.