Pangasinan Arnis:
Philippine Martial Arts Institute
Punong Guro Anthony Blankaflor Marcial was born in Quezon City, Philippines to Edgardo & Aurora Marcial in June of 1954. Tony as his students call him began his martial arts training with his father at the age of 7 years old in Shotokan Karate, where his father Edgardo is a 3 Dan Black Belt. At the age of 8, Guro Tony had the privilege of studying Kali in The Philippines under Punong Guro Roberto Sarmiento.
Tony moved to the United States in 1969 where he settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Tony started teaching the Roberto’s Chuan Chi Tzuan Gung Fu openly and then teaching the Pangasinan Arnis underground to only the most loyal of students. I remember meeting Tony in the June of 1986 at the age of 16 years old at Tony’s very first martial arts school called the “Philippine School of Martial Arts”. The school was located on Fulton Ave just a few doors down from the second district police station.
Tony’s first school closed down only after six months of being open. Tony continued to teach the loyal student followed him from his school to basements and garages. There were very few traditions in this school than other martial arts schools. The system had no real restructure to it, you just came in and what Tony taught is what you learned. At first you learn only hand strikes and kicks, then only after mastering them do you move onto learning Gung Fu forms and fighting techniques. I remember a two-man single stick form that showed how the Arnis and Gung Fu was combined into one system which Roberto developed himself.
The basic of Chuan Chi Tzuan Gung Fu is like most other Gung Fu system with fast, flashy, and fancy high kicks. However, the sparring was very steady and direct like most Filipino Martial Arts. As you progressed your training included weapons like single stick, double sticks, stick and knife (espanda y daga), sibat (Filipino Staff), knife fighting, and broadsword. Tony became very well known in the City of Cleveland because of students like me and James Ortega competing in local tournaments. Tony also would compete usually taking home a couple of trophies. For a basement school we where tough fighters and earned the respect of the other schools. In 1990 Tony open his second school called the “Philippine Institute of Martial Arts” teaching Roberto’s Pangasinan Arnis.
When Tony started teaching traditional Filipino Martial Arts, the system of Kali was very well known at the time because of the Jeet Kune Do stylist. Tony decided to teach his teacher’s art as Pangasinan Kali. For the first time, Tony had to put this art into a structured system so he could market the art to the general public. During the late 1990’s Tony mixed Roberto’s two systems into one system and re-named it Marcial Tirada Kali. Tirada means continuous rapid strikes with any weapon or no weapon. The Tirada Kali stick fighting system is base on multiple rapid hitting coming from odd angels while the empty hand skills employs in close fighting using Panantukan (Filipino Boxing), Dumog (Filipino Grappling), and brutal finishing moves.
Tony continues to teach his art in the Ohio. Tony has now taught hundreds of people and has been inducted into the Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame, in Ohio & Texas. To this day, Tony refuses for anyone to call him Tuhon (Master) because of his humbleness. Anyone that has ever seen him move and ever trained with him will tell you that Tony is a true Master of his art.
Thank you Punong Guro for all the training you have given me over the years. You are my role-model, my mentor, and my friend.
Tony moved to the United States in 1969 where he settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Tony started teaching the Roberto’s Chuan Chi Tzuan Gung Fu openly and then teaching the Pangasinan Arnis underground to only the most loyal of students. I remember meeting Tony in the June of 1986 at the age of 16 years old at Tony’s very first martial arts school called the “Philippine School of Martial Arts”. The school was located on Fulton Ave just a few doors down from the second district police station.
Tony’s first school closed down only after six months of being open. Tony continued to teach the loyal student followed him from his school to basements and garages. There were very few traditions in this school than other martial arts schools. The system had no real restructure to it, you just came in and what Tony taught is what you learned. At first you learn only hand strikes and kicks, then only after mastering them do you move onto learning Gung Fu forms and fighting techniques. I remember a two-man single stick form that showed how the Arnis and Gung Fu was combined into one system which Roberto developed himself.
The basic of Chuan Chi Tzuan Gung Fu is like most other Gung Fu system with fast, flashy, and fancy high kicks. However, the sparring was very steady and direct like most Filipino Martial Arts. As you progressed your training included weapons like single stick, double sticks, stick and knife (espanda y daga), sibat (Filipino Staff), knife fighting, and broadsword. Tony became very well known in the City of Cleveland because of students like me and James Ortega competing in local tournaments. Tony also would compete usually taking home a couple of trophies. For a basement school we where tough fighters and earned the respect of the other schools. In 1990 Tony open his second school called the “Philippine Institute of Martial Arts” teaching Roberto’s Pangasinan Arnis.
When Tony started teaching traditional Filipino Martial Arts, the system of Kali was very well known at the time because of the Jeet Kune Do stylist. Tony decided to teach his teacher’s art as Pangasinan Kali. For the first time, Tony had to put this art into a structured system so he could market the art to the general public. During the late 1990’s Tony mixed Roberto’s two systems into one system and re-named it Marcial Tirada Kali. Tirada means continuous rapid strikes with any weapon or no weapon. The Tirada Kali stick fighting system is base on multiple rapid hitting coming from odd angels while the empty hand skills employs in close fighting using Panantukan (Filipino Boxing), Dumog (Filipino Grappling), and brutal finishing moves.
Tony continues to teach his art in the Ohio. Tony has now taught hundreds of people and has been inducted into the Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame, in Ohio & Texas. To this day, Tony refuses for anyone to call him Tuhon (Master) because of his humbleness. Anyone that has ever seen him move and ever trained with him will tell you that Tony is a true Master of his art.
Thank you Punong Guro for all the training you have given me over the years. You are my role-model, my mentor, and my friend.
The Pangasinan Program
A practitioner of Kali will be taught all ranges of fighting & empty hands. As you progress in your training, you will develop better awareness, sensitivity coordination and quick reflex action. You will be able to flow & act against single & multiple opponents.
Weaponry training will focus on...
Empty Hands training will focus on...
Weaponry training will focus on...
- Single stick
- Double sticks
- Single knife
- Double knives
- Stick & Dagger
Empty Hands training will focus on...
- Filipino boxing drills & techniques
- Low line kicking
- Usage of knees & elbows for close quarter fighting
- Hubbad sensitivity training
- Locks, traps & take downs
- Ground fighting & loose grappling