SEACA Systema In Seattle

A Time To Learn

2011-11-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

Almost a year since my last post.
Here is my update.

I'm on a teaching hiatus.

If you are interested in SEACASystema and Kali I am happy to direct you to my Manu for more information. I'm available for conversation about SEACASystema, I just won't be taking any more students till further notice.

On my martial journey I've found it important to become a student again.
I'm training with the folks at http://www.seattlecrt.com/

Sifu Walken and his team are well trained, good spirited bunch.

Peace,

Bahi

What is SEACA Systema?

2010-12-13T14:57:00.001-08:00

Components of what we call SEACA Systema (Southeast Asian Combative Arts) come from the Philippines, and Indonesia (Java, Borneo, the Celebes). The art has been influenced by Japan, India and China. The Southeast Asian Combative Arts are known by other names: Kuntao, Kali, Pentjak Silat.

New phone number

2010-08-31T20:19:00.001-07:00

New quote from Bruce Lee and a local number for SEACA Systema in Seattle: (253) 642-7458.

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

It is not daily increase but daily decrease; hack away the unessential

2010-05-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

"In JKD, one does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.

Before I studied the art, a punch to me was just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. After I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick. Now that I've understood the art, a punch is just like a punch, a kick just like a kick.

The height of cultivation is really nothing special. It is merely simplicity; the ability to express the utmost with the minimum. It is the halfway cultivation that leads to ornamentation. Jeet Kune-Do is basically a sophisticated fighting style stripped to its essentials.

Art is the expression of the self. The more complicated and restricted the method, the less the opportunity for expression of one's original sense of freedom. Though they play an important role in the early stage, the techniques should not be too mechanical, complex or restrictive. If we cling blindly to them, we shall eventually become bound by their limitations. Remember, you are expressing the techniques and not doing the techniques. If somebody attacks you, your response is not Technique No.1, Stance No. 2, Section 4, Paragraph 5. Instead you simply move in like sound and echo, without any deliberation. It is as though when I call you, you answer me, or when I throw you something, you catch it. It's as simple as that - no fuss, no mess. In other words, when someone grabs you, punch him. To me a lot of this fancy stuff is not functional.

A martial artist who drills exclusively to a set pattern of combat is losing his freedom. He is actually becoming a slave to a choice pattern and feels that the pattern is the real thing. It leads to stagnation because the way of combat is never based on personal choice and fancies, but constantly changes from moment to moment, and the disappointed combatant will soon find out that his 'choice routine' lacks pliability.

There must be a 'being' instead of a 'doing' in training. One must be free. Instead of complexity of form, there should be simplicity of expression.

To me, the extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way, and martial arts is nothing at all special; the closer to the true way of martial arts, the less wastage of expression there is.

In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject. Actually, he keeps chiselling away at the inessentials until the truth of its creation is revealed without obstructions. Thus, contrary to other styles, being wise in Jeet Kune-Do doesn't mean adding more; it means to minimize, in other words to hack away the unessential.

It is not daily increase but daily decrease; hack away the unessential."

- Bruce Lee

Tacflow

2010-05-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

I am inspired by my "brothers in arms" at Tacflow and I continue to teach the principles that Manu Gardea and my brothers have helped me ingrain in my life and my training. http://www.tacflow.com/

Close Quarters Battle Defensive Combative Tactics

2010-04-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

Stop Teaching and Teaching Again

2010-03-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

I am no longer teaching at the YMCA downtown. Teaching @ the YMCA really, really got me fired up to teach privately. The more I taught basic self defense the hungrier I became to return to teaching the whole art of SECA Systema.

The students at YMCA were great, but there is something special about teaching people who are dedicating themselves to following a path, or people whose path has lead them to Kali.

So... I return to teaching privately. I am teaching one student now, and he is brilliant.

Here's to a world where each person finds their artist, martial or otherwise

Basic Defense Skills and Conditioning with Guro Bahi

2009-11-30T22:10:00.000-08:00

Starting December 8th @ the Downtown YMCA - Basic Defense Skills and Conditioning with Guro Bahi.

Guro Bahi will teach students fundamental skills for self defense. He will also introduce some conditioning practices. This class is suitable forboth adults and young adults. Tuesdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

About Basic Defense Skills and Conditioning:

Basic Defense Skills has its roots in SEACA Systema. SEACA Systema is

Southeast Asian Combative Arts Systema. It comes from the Philippines,

Indonesia (Java, Borneo, the Celebes).

The Southeast Asian Combative Arts are known by other names: Kuntao, Kali,

Pentjak Silat. The name we give our art is SEACA Systema. SEACA Systema

teaches the natural linkage and relationship between empty hand skills

and weapons. Therefore the SEACA Systema is a complete martial arts system

that develops many different types of skills for combat.

About Guro Bahi:

Maha Guro Bahi started his martial art journey in 1985. He has been a

student of Tai Chi, Aikido, Capoeira and SEACA Systema. He taken

seminar(s) with Guro Dan Inosanto and students of Remy Presas.

He is most at home teaching the Mariposa de Combate form of SEACA

Systema and has been teaching since 2003. Maha Guro Bahi has taught

students in Phoenix, San Miguel de Allende and Seattle.

Kali in the movies

2009-07-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

I got to workout on Sunday with a new student.
Of course it got me thinking about what could be next for this student.

And whenever I think about the power of Kali I think of The Bourne Identity.
It features kali, via Matt Damon. The director says that the kali's principles of minimal effort informed their development of Bourne's character. Very cool!

Here we go!

2008-11-03T22:23:00.000-08:00

One of the background conversations of SEACA (SouthEast Asian Combative Arts) Systema is Newtonian physics. "An object continues in a state of rest, or in a state of motion at a constant speed along a straight line, unless compelled to change that state by a net force."

While we work on footwork, hand techniques, kicking, grappling, striking empty hand and with weapons the conversation in the background is what happens when we don't have an appropriate answer for the question called, "Someone is throwing a punch at your face?"

Email me if you have questions about SEACA Systema @ gurobahi@seacasystema.com

You can also check out seacasystema.com