PTI Blog

  • PTI ADVANCED HAND VS KNIFE: Part 2

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath

    The way I teach Pekiti-Tirsia advanced hand vs knife has evolved over the years.

    When I first learned the system from Grand Tuhon Gaje, hand vs knife was divided into two stages:

    Posted in KNIFE TRAINING, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • THE SAGANG-LABO DRILL IN THE PEKITI-TIRSIA SYSTEM

    by Bill McGrath
    A few techniques from the Sagang Labo drill of Pekiti-Tirsia. There is much more to this drill than what you commonly see at seminars. Sagang-Labo translates to “Block” and “Hack or Slash” in the Hiligaynon version of Visayan from the island of Negros.
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • MODERN TRAINING TIME: HOW FAST VS HOW MUCH (Leo stories part 1)

    by Bill McGrath
    Grand Tuhon Gaje would often tell the story of how he began Pekiti-Tirsia training at the age of six, under his maternal grandfather Conrado Tortal. Conrado began young Leo’s training with three long years of footwork. Conrado started Leo on a rickety old table in the home, moving in forward and reverse triangles, while his grandfather tapped his leg with a stick at the apex of the movement to get him to move faster. After a few weeks of this Conrado moved his grandson to training on the halves of three coconut shells, while stepping with only one foot at a time on each shell.
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL FIGHTING STYLE

    by Bill McGrath

    While a fighter needs to know just a few good techniques that work for him and his own fighting style, a teacher needs to know many more techniques, since he can’t predict what type of fighter will come train with him.

    Here are a few ways to help your students refine their personal fighting style and which techniques, tactics and principles best fit that style.

    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • HOW TO HIT HARD

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
    ( In this article I will discuss how to train using equipment such as the tire stack, heavy bag and focus mitts and which weapons are best trained on each training tool )
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • SURVIVAL DRILLS – BEYOND SPARRING

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath

    Basic symmetrical sparring, with two evenly matched opponents, each using the same evenly matched weapon, is a great way to introduce students to many of the skills they need for combat. They can even stay in this symmetrical mode their whole martial arts careers, if the only place they will ever fight in are tournaments.

    Things are different in a real fight though.

    Posted in sparring, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • LEARNING THROUGH COMPARISONS: Part 1

    by WILLIAM McGrath
        Comparisons Based vs Rules Based learning methods (and how to combine them).   I read an interesting article several years ago on an experiment...
    Posted in Learning Through Comparisons, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • ISSUES REGARDING SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW

    by Bill McGrath
    The following is adapted from the lecture I gave as part of my job as a firearms instructor for the New York State Court system. I am not a lawyer ...
    Posted in KNIFE TRAINING, TEACHING METHODOLOGY, Training

  • PTI ADVANCED HAND VS KNIFE: Part 1

    by Bill McGrath
    Introduction: There are three categories of Pekiti-Tirsia Hand vs Knife training. Each has its pros and cons, depending on the needs of the student...
    Posted in KNIFE TRAINING, TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • CONTROLLED HUMAN AGGRESSION FOR THE MARTIAL ARTIST PART 2

    by Tuhon Bill McGrath
      How does an understanding of Controlled Human Aggression aid the modern martial arts instructor in his ability to teach his students the vital s...
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY

  • CONTROLLED HUMAN AGGRESSION FOR THE MARTIAL ARTIST PART 1

    by Tuhon McGrath
      CONTROLLED HUMAN AGGRESSION FOR THE MARTIAL ARTIST Part 1by Tuhon Bill McGrathCopyright 1999 William R. McGrath Anthropologists tell us that man...
    Posted in TEACHING METHODOLOGY