Safety First Karate in University Place, Washington, had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Remy Presas Jr. The seminar was a great success and was the first ever seminar that the school has ever hosted.

We have been blessed in the University / Tacoma Washington area to have one of the most outspoken and skilled Modern Arnis practitioners, Datu Kelly S. Worden as the pivot able Filipino martial art player in the Tacoma area. Datu Worden has taken this art to new levels through his NSI Organization. It was through his efforts that we all have had the pleasure of meeting and training with Dr. Remy Presas Jr. in Tacoma WA, every year since MARPPIO has been established. In an effort to help our local practitioners develop their skills, we have invited Dr. Remy Presas Jr. to come to our area during the winter season as well, thus giving our local players two seminars yearly. Once in the summer, hosted by Datu Worden and once in

Dr. Presas and student Brandon Kortenbach. the winter at our school as a continuing opportunity to brush up and develop our skills.

Unfortunately Datu Worden was unable to attend due to a conflicting NSI seminar he was committed to back east. In his place, he sent some of his top students, Guro Ken Smith, Tito George Hoover and Radio Bob McKloskey over to assist. Their contributions went a long way in helping to make our gathering a seminar that all of us will remember for some time.

Dr. Remy Presas took the time during this seminar to review the Tapi- Tapi / Visidario / Dulo sa Dulo skills that he has been focusing on over the past two summer seminars with Datu Worden. The Participants spent two days working on these techniques. It was an awesome indoctrination for the new players and welcome review to those of us who were regulars from the past.

“Radio” Bob, Dr. Presas The seminar, according to one of our attendees, and Safety First Karate and Chris Arena.

head instructor, Bill Kortenbach on his first experience to witness the skill level of Dr. Remy Presas Jr. brought to the table was beyond any seminar he ever attended. This is a strong statement from a 6th degree Isshin Ryu instructor with 35 years experience!

Dr. Presas, over the past two years, has been instructing the finer points of trapping and joint locking techniques that are deep within Modern Arnis. This is not something you can easily get in one seminar. His method appears to be that of coming to a school, observing the level of players in that particular area and working them up. This method of instruction takes a lot more time and effort than presenting a “canned” stick seminar.

Each school gets to grow at the speed of its attendees. It is up to us as instructors to use our past experiences gained from our teachers, the tapes of the father and son to build the basics. Then, when the seminar arrives, we have students capable of “keeping up”. At present, this approach has worked well for us in the Tacoma / University place Washington state area. It is our goal to be growth orientated and help to build Modern Arnis as a respected and recognized martial art in our portion of the US.

www.modernarnis.comOur own “auntie” Ginny, with the blade!

Dr. Wiley and Sensei Bill Kortenbach Even an “old grandfather” gets to play, “He went that away”!

Safety First Personal Protection Strategies

(A Non-Profit Corporation) 8307 – 27th Street W University Place, WA 98466 (253) 223-6769 or (253) 495-2985 Email

www.safetyfirstpps.org