What: Filipino Fighter
When: June 14, 2013
Where: London, UK
Our featured UFO Sighting for today, June 14, 2013, is a Filipino FMA fighter in London, UK.
A Filipino fighter is in this month's edition of a popular martial arts magazine in the United Kingdom.
Ermar "Alex" Alexander, 36, features in a four-page spread in Martial Arts Illustrated, which is dubbed as "UK's Number One magazine" for the fighting arts.
Interviewed by former Great Britain stick fighting coach John Harvey, Alexander shares how he discovered the art, his experience competing across the international circuit, representing the British team, and his life as an instructor.
Alexander, who began training in arnis, eskrima and kali at the age of 21, has amassed a hoard of achievements.
Considered one of the top exponents of sport stick fighting in the UK, he holds 39 gold medals, 8 silvers and 4 bronzes across a range of national and international competitions spanning from 2000-2013.
The 5th degree black belt is a 4-time world champion, 2-time European champion and 37-time British champion, who has competed in full contact stick contests, knife fights and only recently MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), or cage fights.
But before all of that, Alexander had no idea the Philippines even had its own indigenous combat system.
Born in Cebu, Alexander moved to the UK when he was nine years old. His interest in martial arts began aged 14 where he trained in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do.
He then tried his hand at other styles including Praying Mantis kung-fu, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, and Bruce Lee's own creation Jeet Kune Do.
It wasn't until the age of 21 when he found out about Filipino martial arts through an English friend. That is when Alexander decided to join the Doce Pares club, which is the oldest FMA institution in the Philippines.
"The main reason I think is because of the background of the art. It's from my homeland," he explained.
"I grew up not knowing I had a system when I was young. And also, at that age I didn't really know who I was. I didn't even understand I was a Filipino. When I did the Filipino martial art I kind of went back to my roots and I loved it," he added.
Since 2010, the eskrimador has been running his own school in Harlesden, north west London, where he teaches weapons and empty hand techniques, also known as mano-mano, as well as Yaw-Yan, a form of Filipino kickboxing.
"I've got a very good mix of students here. All from different backgrounds. A lot of Caucasians as well. Filipinos, I'd probably say [they make up] 25% of the students that I have here," he told ABS-CBN Europe.
Aside from its practicality, Alexander feels many students are attracted to FMA because they are introduced to weapons like rattan sticks, knives and swords from the very beginning, which is unlike other traditional martial arts where weapons training comes afterwards.
Alexander has mentored around 70 pupils since 2007, four of which have gone on to win world titles, while 22 are British champions.
Alexander, who regularly holds FMA demonstrations at Filipino community events, is pleased to be in this month's Martial Arts Illustrated.
This is the second time he has appeared in a mainstream UK publication after featuring in Men's Health magazine in 2008.
While he admits FMA is gaining public awareness, Alexander believes the art requires a lot more promotion.
"I'm very happy that they [Martial Arts Illustrated] did this kind of thing. There's not a lot of people that know about it and it needs that kind of promotion, whether it's in a martial arts magazine or any type of media," he said.
"I think FMA needs to be done because it has been used in a lot of films. This is the big thing in film now, using FMA, and a lot of people don't know what it is. They think oh it's just another Chinese martial art, but it isn't," Alexander added.
FMA techniques have been used in Hollywood movies like "Mission Impossible", "Kick-Ass", as well as the "Bourne" series.
By Edward Lao, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
When: June 14, 2013
Where: London, UK
Our featured UFO Sighting for today, June 14, 2013, is a Filipino FMA fighter in London, UK.
A Filipino fighter is in this month's edition of a popular martial arts magazine in the United Kingdom.
Ermar "Alex" Alexander, 36, features in a four-page spread in Martial Arts Illustrated, which is dubbed as "UK's Number One magazine" for the fighting arts.
Interviewed by former Great Britain stick fighting coach John Harvey, Alexander shares how he discovered the art, his experience competing across the international circuit, representing the British team, and his life as an instructor.
Alexander, who began training in arnis, eskrima and kali at the age of 21, has amassed a hoard of achievements.
Considered one of the top exponents of sport stick fighting in the UK, he holds 39 gold medals, 8 silvers and 4 bronzes across a range of national and international competitions spanning from 2000-2013.
The 5th degree black belt is a 4-time world champion, 2-time European champion and 37-time British champion, who has competed in full contact stick contests, knife fights and only recently MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), or cage fights.
But before all of that, Alexander had no idea the Philippines even had its own indigenous combat system.
Born in Cebu, Alexander moved to the UK when he was nine years old. His interest in martial arts began aged 14 where he trained in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do.
He then tried his hand at other styles including Praying Mantis kung-fu, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, and Bruce Lee's own creation Jeet Kune Do.
It wasn't until the age of 21 when he found out about Filipino martial arts through an English friend. That is when Alexander decided to join the Doce Pares club, which is the oldest FMA institution in the Philippines.
"The main reason I think is because of the background of the art. It's from my homeland," he explained.
"I grew up not knowing I had a system when I was young. And also, at that age I didn't really know who I was. I didn't even understand I was a Filipino. When I did the Filipino martial art I kind of went back to my roots and I loved it," he added.
Since 2010, the eskrimador has been running his own school in Harlesden, north west London, where he teaches weapons and empty hand techniques, also known as mano-mano, as well as Yaw-Yan, a form of Filipino kickboxing.
"I've got a very good mix of students here. All from different backgrounds. A lot of Caucasians as well. Filipinos, I'd probably say [they make up] 25% of the students that I have here," he told ABS-CBN Europe.
Aside from its practicality, Alexander feels many students are attracted to FMA because they are introduced to weapons like rattan sticks, knives and swords from the very beginning, which is unlike other traditional martial arts where weapons training comes afterwards.
Alexander has mentored around 70 pupils since 2007, four of which have gone on to win world titles, while 22 are British champions.
Alexander, who regularly holds FMA demonstrations at Filipino community events, is pleased to be in this month's Martial Arts Illustrated.
This is the second time he has appeared in a mainstream UK publication after featuring in Men's Health magazine in 2008.
While he admits FMA is gaining public awareness, Alexander believes the art requires a lot more promotion.
"I'm very happy that they [Martial Arts Illustrated] did this kind of thing. There's not a lot of people that know about it and it needs that kind of promotion, whether it's in a martial arts magazine or any type of media," he said.
"I think FMA needs to be done because it has been used in a lot of films. This is the big thing in film now, using FMA, and a lot of people don't know what it is. They think oh it's just another Chinese martial art, but it isn't," Alexander added.
FMA techniques have been used in Hollywood movies like "Mission Impossible", "Kick-Ass", as well as the "Bourne" series.
By Edward Lao, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
No comments:
Post a Comment