LESSONS FROM ANGEL;
" Learning from the great Angel Cabales involved much more than fighting technique."
By GM Anthony Davis
This article is dedicated to the memory of the late escrimador
Grandmaster Angel Cabales, whose pioneering efforts were
responsible for introducing the Filipino art of combat known as
Serrada Escrima to the Western world in 1966. Those fortunate
enough to have trained with Cabales discovered his simple, but yet
profound approach toward close-quarter combat. On the surface the
different techniques that Cabales devised and perfected look simple
and basic, but in practice his movements reflect depth and
emotional content. Not only is the Angel Cabales Serrada System of
Escrima a practical, spiritual and scientific system of combat, it is
also an adaptable combat system as well. In his younger days,
Cabales engaged in many fights, some of which were life-and-death  
encounters. The fact that Cabales survived his combat skirmishes is
a testimony to the effectiveness of his approach.
On June 3, 1990, I traveled to Cabales' home to conduct an interview.
Although I had spoken to Cabales many times about his style, I was always
reluctant to ask him about his death matches. Cabales told me that escrima
death matches were an integral part of the ancient warrior traditions of the
Philippines. " To willfully test one's skills in an actual match to the death is
the ultimate test of true skill and courage, " he noted. Cabales added, "
Whenever you are engaged in mortal combat you must forget about all of
the antics of your opponent. One must not worry about things like how big
or strong or how great your opponent's reputation is. One must remain calm
but as alert as possible and strike the enemy down with accuracy, certainty
and power. "
Cabales insisted that to survive in any life or death encounter, you have to bypass all negative and positive
conflictualities. Any type of conflictuality constricts the natural flow or " presence of mind." Freezing in the midst of
a life or death encounter can be fatal. It is only in a natural state of mind that one can effectively defend himself
against myriad of attacks. Cabales taught me that obtaining high levels of rank or degrees should never be the
primary focus of a martial arts aspirant. Instead, a practitioner should focus upon the metaphysical ingredients that
lie behind all of the external formulas for fighting. According to Angel, no level of rank could ever equate with the
raw courage and skill that is latent within the hearts and minds of every human being. A real warrior works from a
position of practicality, and begins the process of becoming a master craftsman by using whatever personality he
has at the time.
To Angel Cabales, befriending and assisting a person with the elevation of their mind was his greatest and highest
achievement award in his life.The Cabales Serrada System of Escrima was designed for thinkers and for all those
who are seeking a supreme martial arts lifestyle.  The art of escrima as developed by Grandmaster Angel Cabales
entails many aspects of the art of combat. " In order to make my art of Serrada Escrima serve the present time, we
only have to assemble or reassemble my art into its fullest dimension scientifically, and then my students have to
bring to life my art of escrima and then make it there own," Cabales suggested. Angel stated that his style of
fighting could not fail him in any combative encounter. In Angel's mind his art could never fail him because he
always thought in a positivistic way.
The Serrada System of Escrima as taught by Angel Cabales was very people oriented.  Cabales was not only the first
escrima master to open an escrima academy in America, he was also amongst one of the first Filipino masters to
teach outside of his race. Finally, Angel Cabales believed in the eternal goodness of man. Even when the usurers
were closing in on him, he still had faith in the Serrada Escrima system. After more than 21 years of practicing and
promoting the Serrada Escrima System of martial arts; I still discover hidden clues that unearth some of the
deepest secrets of the Angel Cabales Serrada System of Escrima. It's these energy-releasing secrets that continue
to propel me upon an " Endless Journey " of self-discovery.
Serrada Escrima is not only based upon technique, but also, on theories and, concepts that were developed and
refined through the years by Cabales himself. Cabales learned the rudimentary foundation of the Filipino art of
escrima from his mentor Felicisimo Dizon. I began studying Serrada Escrima in 1984 in Stockton, California. With
several years of genuine combat experience under my belt, I knew that after having witnessed Cabales in action he
was indeed a genuine weapons master. Cabales said to me that his intentions were not to inflict on me his style of
martial arts, but rather to show me things that I could use to make my style of martial arts better. Cabales also said,
"Any student whose primary focus is to be a carbon copy of his teacher is doing themselves a great disservice. No
one can be exactly like the teacher and still retain their own personal identity." In essence, the Cabales Serrada
System of Escrima was designed as a method of self-transformation of the soul. In this hands-on learning system,
Cabales called the highest level of attainment " presence of mind " or spontaneous intelligent reaction. When a
person is seriously engaged in close-quarter combat, there is no time for thinking, feeling, choosing or judging
what is occuring from moment to moment. Here's how Cabales described it: