ANGEL CABALES' LAST PERSONAL INTERVIEW
By Anthony Davis
( Part Five )
In (Part Five) titled " Angel Cabales' Last Personal Interview " GM Davis continues, and completes his
journalistic interview on the late Great Grandmaster Angel Cabales. In this interview GGM Angel Cabales
discusses with Anthony why he feels that his short stick method of Escrima is more superior than the "
Largo Mano or long-hand style of Escrima." GGM Angel Cabales contends that no matter how long an
escrimadors stick or blade might be, he states that he can still effectively counter them with a blade or
stick no longer than 18 inches in length.
Anthony Davis: Grandmaster Angel Cabales, why do you think or feel that the short stick is more effective
than the long stick?
Angel Cabales: Because it is short, and when the short stick is used in combat it has more power than the
long stick.
AD: it seems like the long stick would have the command of reach in this case?
AC: It has reach but not a lot of power.
AD: So even with a short stick you can counter a long stick effectively?
AC: Even if a person uses a stick one mile long, I can still counter them with a stick eighteen inches long.
AD: This means that the Serrada Escrima system must be highly effective?
AC: Well, see in my style, once again I am very familiar with the long stick tactics.
AD: Even against any type of blade will the Serrada Escrima techniques still work the same way?
AC: All of the Serrada Escrima defensive techniques are the same, nothing changes. For instance, we
have at least nine different counters for a number one strike; which is the most basic attack in all styles of
fighting. Whether or not your opponent strikes you with a weapon, or even if you have no weapon at all,
you will still be able to counter your opponent in the same way.
AD: I've noticed that the Serrada System of Escrima is a very tight style of fighting. It's as if you let or allow
your opponent to commit an attack upon you purposely, is this correct?
AC: Well, Serrada Escrima's favorite strategy is that the opponent will hit us first, but once a fight has
started, and if the opponent doesn't hit us first, then we hit them.
AD: It appears that most of the people who come to you for training are already experienced in some form
of martial arts?
AC: Right! well see the people that are involved in the martial arts, especially the one's who have been
involved for many years, are smart enough to figure out which system of martial arts that they prefer the
most. They know what they are looking for.
AD: When you have actually engaged in combat like yourself, would you say that you can more readily
teach a person what to expect in an actual confrontation?
AC: Yea! thats right.
AD: How do you work on honing a persons reflexes in your system in order to make a person react more
quickly to an attack?
AC: Sparring, and a drill that I call " Lock and Block."
AD: You have another technique in your system called " Picking." Exactly what is picking?
AC: Picking is the art of faking a person out so that you can force them to commit an offensive or
defensive maneuver in order to counter-attack them more easily.
AD: Are there things that your master teacher Felicisimo Dizon taught you that you do not teach to anyone
else?
AC: No, I teach everything I know.
AD: A lot of people would consider that to be an unwise business strategy on your part. Why dont you see
it that way?
AC: Because my reason is; is that if I teach everything that I have learned my students will be prepared to
face any kind of an attack. " So I teach everything that I know."
AD: Would you say that Serrada Escrima is a complete system of martial arts?
AC: Oh Yea! because all of the other styles can easily be found mixed within Serrada Escrima. So whatever
you are looking for you can find it within Serrada Escrima.
AD: So where do you see Serrada Escrima ten years from now?
AC: I see Serrada Escrima expanding all over the world and passed down from generation to generation.
AD: Are there any last words that you would like to leave your readers with before we end this interview?
AC: Yes, I hope people who practice Escrima will not use Escrima as an instrument to oppress anyone, but
instead, will use their craftsmanship as a shield for other people's rights.
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