About The Course

This 12 week course explores the fundamentals of how to manipulate a medium sized stick as a weapon.

The techniques and movement strategies are primarily from Filipino martial arts, but this is an agnostic learning method and is not particular to any one style.

We will emphasize total body movement and control, where the leverage of the weapon becomes an extension of your body. The implement is a stick, but these fundamentals do apply to shorter and longer weapons wielded in one hand.

This is a foundational course with the majority of the practice focusing on the single stick, with the last four weeks introducing the basics of double sticks.

This is not a "fighting" program, but rather a course designed to teach you how to deftly and smoothly maneuver and use a weapon.

This is the first part of learning how to fight with one.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Week 1 - Fundamental Body Movement, Slashes, Beginning Footwork

    • Welcome to the Course!

    • Week 1 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Course Communications

    • How Feedback Works

    • Warmups

    • Body Movement Fundamentals

    • Edge Awareness

    • Slashes

    • Weight Shifting

    • Kneeling Lunge
  • 2

    Week 2 - Introducing Jabs and Cross Stepping

    • Week 2 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Jabs

    • Cross Stepping

    • Slashes Common Patterns
  • 3

    Week 3 - Introducing the Floating Step

    • Week 3 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Floating Step

    • Footwork with Jabs

    • Striking Details
  • 4

    Week 4 - Putting Slashes and Jabs Together

    • Week 4 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Combining Slashes and Jabs
  • 5

    Week 5 - Introducing Circles and Triangles

    • Week 5 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Circles

    • Triangles
  • 6

    Week 6 - Refinement of Striking with Footwork

    • Week 6 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Circles with Footwork

    • Combining Slashes, Jabs, and Circles

    • Demonstration of Slashes, Jabs, and Circles combinations
  • 7

    Week 7 - Introducing Abaniko and Thrust Strikes

    • Week 7 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Abaniko

    • Thrusts
  • 8

    Week 8 - Refinement of All Strikes and Footwork

    • Week 8 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Karenza Demonstration
  • 9

    Week 9 - Introduction to Double Weapon Training

    • Week 9 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Double Weapon Introduction

    • Double Weapon Reference Positions

    • Open Position Basic Concepts

    • Closed Position Basic Concepts

    • Closed Position Starting Patterns

    • Double Open Position Demonstration

    • Double Closed Position Demonstration
  • 10

    Week 10 - Double Weapon Combining Open and Closed Positions and Intro to Heaven Six Pattern

    • Week 10 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Combining Open and Closed Positions

    • Heaven Six Pattern
  • 11

    Week 11 - Heaven Six Pattern with Triangle Footwork

    • Week 11 - Outline and Suggested Practice

    • Heaven Six Pattern with Triangle Footwork
  • 12

    Week 12 - Finishing Up the Program!

    • Week 12 - Outline and Suggested Practice

Highlights & Takeaways

This one is for you if...

  • You are interested in learning how to use a weapon but don't know where to start

  • You are interested in adding some novel and fun work into your movement training

  • You are interested in being supported individually through personal feedback and guidance

  • You are interested in improving your hand/eye coordination

  • You are interested in improving your total body awareness and movement intelligence

  • You are interested in improving your upper body mobility

  • You are interested in becoming a badass

Watch Intro Video

Strike Demonstration

About Jarlo

Jarlo Ilano began training in various martial arts as a teenager, with an emphasis on Filipino arts. He holds instructorships under Burton Richardson in the use of the stick, knife, and sword, as well as obtaining his brown belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu.

He also has instructorship in Modern Cimande Silat under Guro Ed Wong.

Jarlo has been a Physical Therapist since 1998, and was board certified as an orthopedic clinical specialist from 2011 to 2021. He is also a co-founder of the international GMB Fitness, and has a rich, broad and experienced perspective in working with clients towards their physical movement goals.

Working with Jarlo

He Loves To Teach

Vanessa Asari

After my first session with Jarlo, it was obvious to me that he loves to teach and has a great depth of knowledge in the areas he teaches.

He is not teaching just to teach, you can see that he cares about his students and wants to help them on their journey - whether their goal is to feel safer on the streets or delve into the depths of the systems he is knowledgeable in.

One of the aspects that draws me to Jarlo's style of teaching is that he incorporates full body movement and synchronicity into everything he teaches. A block or strike does not only come from the arm, but originates in the legs and hips to become an incredibly powerful movement.

That connection to the body is a key component to learning any martial art.

Incredibly Realistic & Grounded

Hilary Murphy

Jarlo has been my teacher for seven years and has served as head coach for several of my competitions and fights.

He is without a doubt the reason I was able to learn as much and get as far as I did.

Jarlo's instruction is incredibly realistic and grounded. He is diligent about teaching skills that work in real-life scenarios. His understanding of how different people learn, and his ability to adapt his techniques and teaching methods to match his student's needs is just outstanding.

I highly recommend him to anyone who's interested in learning martial arts whether it be for fitness, competition, fun, or just general badassery.