Great Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas Sr.
is the founder of the
International Philippine Martial Arts Federation.
Ernesto Presas was born in the coastal village of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Philippines on May 20, 1945. He began his training in the Filipino martial arts at the age of eight under his father, Jose Presas, a well-known stick fighter of his generation.
As a young man, his dream was to reintroduce Arnis, the art that was for so long an integral part of Filipino history and culture. However, he realized that the classical systems presented a limited appeal to those living in the modern world. By analyzing the conceptual framework of the classical systems, he revolutionized the native martial arts into a complete effective fighting system appealing to contemporary martial arts students. Nevertheless, he was confronted with a Filipino society that valued foreign cultural icons, including those in the martial arts.
Great Grandmaster Presas held the rank of Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in Arnis, Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in Mano-Mano (hand to hand combat) and 8th Dan in Filipino Weaponry. He is recognized as a ranking expert in Judo, Jujutsu, Bo Jitsu, Kendo, Tonfa, Sai, Chaku, Balisong, and Karate.
He went on to be an athlete in his college years, participating in various sports. He was a collegiate athlete in track and field, football and basketball. His training in the martial arts is eclectic, having studied judo, ju-jutsu, karate, and various forms of Filipino and Japanese weaponry. He was Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in arnis and Mano Mano (hand-to-hand combat) and Lakan Walo (8th Dan) in Philippine Weaponry.
In 1970 he began to teach the Filipino martial arts in the University of the Philippines and Lyceum of the Philippines. Later other classes expanded to the University of Santo Tomas, Central Colleges of the
Philippines, the Far Eastern Military Academy, Philippine National Police Academy, and the Philippines Air Force Officer's School. Also in 1970 he was invited to Japan at Expo '70' to demonstrate Arnis. He quickly earned the respect of many of the Japanese masters who called his Art Filipino Kendo. After returning home, with the help of his friend Frederico Lazo, he opened his first club. Later he formed the Modern Arnis Association of the Philippines International and the ARJUKEN (which stands for Arnis, Jujutsu, Kendo) Karate Association to formally spread the art within the Philippines.
In 1975 he founded the International Philippine Martial Arts Federation (IPMAF) and began to spread the Filipino art to the outside world. In time his Arnis Presas Style and techniques became widely accepted and adopted by countries in Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Puerto Rico. He has also published numerous books and videos and has been featured on the cover of Inside Kung Fu magazine with the title "Ernesto Presas: The Father of Mano-Mano" (which art he created).
Ernesto Presas traveled the world teaching seminars to spread his art. Many visited the Philippines to take lessons from him in Manila.
IPMAF Kombatan combines several classical and modern systems, meaning that students learn several different approaches to different attacks and drills that improve the reflexes and reactions of students, which are very important in training of Kombatan and could help save you and your loved ones lives, especially in This day and age.
Usually the first thing that is taught in martial arts are techniques that are traditionally taught from a specific stance and too, in certain order. On one hand, this helps learning but on the other hand, studying this way requires years of practice to be able to use these techniques in free fight.
Unlike in many Asian martial arts systems, students of IPMAF Kombatan learn first to use weapons and defend themselves against them. This philosophy is widely based on Filipino culture, where both women and men use swords and knives in their daily work. This is why it is more popular to defend oneself using a weapon than without it. Training with sticks is also safer than training without them (when training without weapons, strikes and kicks are performed on the body). When the student learns to defend him/herself against a weapon, it is easier to learn to defend oneself against an unarmed opponent.
IPMAF Kombatan includes hand and weapon techniques and empty hand techniques which are based on the paths of the weapons. The weapon is only an extension of the hand. Kombatan combines several different martial arts and it focuses on reacting instinctively. It is ”an art within an art”.
Kombatan is based on 12 attack angles. These angles have 12 basic ways of counterattack (with feet, hands or weapons). The students learn several different strikes, kicks and blocks, locks, grapplings, sweeps, throws and takedowns, blocks, counterattacks and disarms with weapons, armed and unarmed sparring, unarmed vs. armed, armed vs. unarmed styles, footwork, solo and doble baston drills as well as solo and doble baston sparring and combinations.
Kombatan is especially suitable for today’s busy adults, who wish to learn a classical martial art, which teaches real and valuable self-defence skills. As a result of years of studying and developing, the most effective techniques and strategies have been implemented into Kombatan. Our goal is to provide students an effective self-defense system. Kombatan is based on self-defence techniques and their practicality. Weapons are used only as an extension of the hand.
Advantages of Kombatan
1. Effective and realistic self-defense system, which combines all the sparring styles - unarmed, ground and weapon techniques
2. Students learn to move fluently - not respond to force with force
3. Students are encouraged to apply the techniques and sparring style suitable for themselves
4. Teaches to relax when training
5. Improves coordination - training develops ambidexterity
6. Effective workout
7. Improves reflexes and observation - students learn evasive movement, controlling and neutralizing the opponent
8. Increases confidence, self-esteem, character strength and peace of mind.
Currently Kombatan has schools that reach from the United States, Australia, Mexico and Europe.
Great Grandmaster Presas was known for this and he was highly respected in all martial arts styles. He held the rank of Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in Arnis, Lakan Sampu (10th Dan) in Mano-Mano (hand to hand combat) and 8th Dan in Filipino Weaponry. He is recognized as a ranking expert in Judo, Jujutsu, Bo Jitsu, Kendo, Tonfa, Sai, Chaku, Balisong, and Karate.
Great Grandmaster Ernesto Presas diligently researched the Filipino martial arts for over 30 years to develop a systematic approach to the application of Arnis style into a complete hand-to-hand combat style called Mano-Mano. In the June 1991 issue of Inside Kung-Fu, he was featured in the cover article Ernesto Presas: The Father of Mano-Mano.
Great Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas passed away in his sleep on November 1, 2010 in Manila, Philippines, (October 31, 2010 in the United States).
We all, especially as IPMAF Kombatan and Modern Mano Mano teachers and students, will miss the Great Grandmaster. Thank you for all the inspiration, teachings and kindness you have given us.
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It is our honor and privilege to be able to continuing the work he has begun and by developing our knowledge in his styles to a higher degree. The legend will live through us all now and forever.
Rest in peace, we all miss you.
Join us in a memoriam video honoring Great Granmaster Presas