Frequently Asked Questions
Dragon MMA was not formed as simply another martial arts organization to collect membership dues. But rather to promote traditional Filipino Martial Arts as it remains loyal to and supports the dying art because we believe them to be some of the best curriculum's and martial arts experiences that we can offer our students.
Dragon MMA is a family oriented school that share a philosophy and an attitude of excellence. We believe that such a family experience with shared goals can further enrich the student's experience.
01
What is Modern Arnis?
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino martial arts founded by the late Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. The term Modern Arnis was used by Remy Presas' younger brother Ernesto Presas to describe his style of Filipino martial arts; since 1999 Ernesto Presas has called his system Kombatan.
Filipino martial arts became in danger of dying out; in most areas of the Philippines, Japanese martial arts such as Karate and Judo were much more popular than the indigenous systems. Remy Presas' modernization of the training method was intended to help preserve the Filipino martial arts.
Training covers empty-hand self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of the Filipino martial arts. Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (sword and dagger fighting), sinawali (double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills with the stick). In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of anyo (kata), solo forms both with and without the stick.
02
What is Judo-Jujitsu?
Danzan Ryu is a system of martial and healing arts that captures the essence of traditional Japanese Budo (warrior skills) and delivers it with the warmth and power of Hawai'i nei (Hawaiian culture)
The system was created in the early 1920s by Henry Seishiro Okazaki. Professor Okazaki had immigrated to Hawai'i from Japan at an early age in search of work in the islands.
Danzan Ryu Judo/Jujitsu training is systematic and comprehensive. It involves learning to roll and fall (Sutemi), to move and balance (Tai Sabaki), to escape from grabs and manipulate joints (Yawara), to throw & project (Nage), to submit an opponent (Shime), to counter and transition (Oku), to reverse damage and heal injuries (Seifukujitsu), as well as many other in-depth areas of focus.
03
What is Muay Thai?
Muay Thai (มวยไทย) is a hard martial art from Thailand. It is similar to other Indochinese styles of kickboxing, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and Muay Lao from Laos. Descended from muay boran, Muay Thai is Thailand's national sport.
Muay Thai is referred to as “The Art of the Eight Limbs“, as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A practitioner of Muay Thai (“nak muay“) thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight “points of contact,” as opposed to “two points” (fists) in Western boxing and “four points” (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.
04
What is Taekwondo?
"Tae" means "foot" or "to strike with the feet". "Kwon" means "hand", or "to strike with the hand". "Do" means discipline, art, or way. Hence TaeKwonDo (foot-hand-way) means literally "the art of the feet and the hands" or "the art of kicking and punching".
Taekwondo, which is a national martial art of Korea, is one of the proudest cultural heritages for the Korean people.
Taekwondo has been developed into a modern sport as a result of painstaking researches and experiences by the Taekwondo practicioners through their incessant upgrading of technical and spiritual refinement. At the same time, it has been firmly established as a real natioanl martial art enabling the people to defend the nation.
05
Why do we bow?
Without a doubt the most recognizable display of martial arts etiquette is the bow. A lot of attention has been given to this gesture for all the wrong reasons, and sometimes not enough attention has been given to it for the right ones.
The bow as it is performed in Dragon MMA etiquette does not have any religious connotations. Rather, it is simply a display of respect, much like a salute. It is believed that the outward display of respect to the flags and training hall, to the instructor, will ultimately instill a greater degree of respectfulness in the individual. It further helps to foster relationships among practitioners, ever reminding us that the other person or competitor is not an hated enemy but another individual who has made the same commitment and sacrifice to self betterment through the martial arts.
Often, the bow also serves as a powerful symbol: a gate between the realm of the dojang and the outside world. Once we bow when we step into the dojang, it signifies we have entered a place very distinct from the outside world-one that should command our full attention until we bow back out of the dojang realm.
06
Why all the culture and terminology?
Learning different terminology in class is sometimes met with resistance, and other schools may not teach it (or may not know it in order to teach it). While we try not to overburden the student and make them feel that they are in foreign language immersion program, we do feel that some basic competency in foreign terminology and culture is important for several reasons.
Most importantly, it is done out of respect for and to gain an appreciation of the parent culture. Learning how to appreciate a different culture and gaining a larger world-view is just another benefit of martial arts training.
Second, it aids in our martial arts education. Many times such cultural nuances and the philosophical elements of the martial arts go hand in hand, so understanding the parent culture enables one to get more out of the martial way.
07
Can I come in and just observe a class?
Yes, of course you (and your child) are invited to sit back and watch our classes in action. However, for safety and security reasons, we ask you to notify the instructor that you are present.
08
Can i try classes before joining?
Yes, we offer a 7 DAYS FREE TRIAL - there is absolutely no risk and no obligation. Simply try any of our programs for an entire week, then decide. It's as simple as that!
09
How much is the cost?
We offer the lowest most competitive price on the area with "No Long Term Contracts". Please give us a call or drop us a line on our Contact page for further details or visit our Membership page under Resources for more discounts .
10
Should I "shop around"?
Yes, you should. You need to find the school that fits your personality. We encourage people to check out other schools because we are confident of what we offer. Our school is a TRUE mixed martial arts school. Our students will learn to defend themselves and learn to behave and be respectful.
Don't be fooled by schools with large ads, that doesn't mean their better. We are a small school that cares about our students. We are not about seeing how many students we can get through our school, we are about making the ones we have the best they can be.
