Filipino Martial Arts Schools in the Philippines

I remember when I first visited the Philippines and looked for a good Filipino martial arts school to train at, it was really difficult, and known options were limited and not necessarily the best choices. I looked in the Yellow Pages, checked the Internet, kept my eye open while driving the streets, and asked a ton of people. Yet, it was real difficult to find the "top" schools. In the end, I had to rely on my network of martial arts friends to get more information.

Many years have passed, and more Filipino martial arts schools and clubs have opened, but there hasn't been much improvement in regards to exposure. A lot of foreigners want to go to the Philippines to train, but when they try to get more information, their choices are limited. The Internet has helped people all over the world find many different things easily; however, when it comes to finding a complete list of the "top" schools in the Philippines, it's still difficult.

It's nice to know that their are FMA associations people can call to get school addresses, but finding these associations is not an easy task--especially for a foreign visitor. As MMA and BJJ is growing in the Philippines, more and more schools and clubs are popping up that need more exposure. A great way to get your school's name out in the public is to have your team compete in different competitions. If your team puts on a show and displays good skill, people will ask about your team and through the grapevine, others will hear about your team. Also, list your school with an official association (e.g. if you are into Filipino Martial Arts, make sure Arnis Philippines has your information). If your art has a local, Filipino site that lists school, make sure your school is on there even if you have your own website. Sites like PinoyMMA probably get a lot more visits and have international and local visitors. Ultimately, it still seems that the best way to find out about the "best" schools in the Philippines is through contacts. With that said, if you're looking for a school and need some help, feel free to contact me. You can also ask about schools in the forums. There are a lot of people who are kind enough to help.

Tags: random thoughts, filipino martial arts, philippines, schools