Echoes of My Neighborhood

I’m joining Jacqueline’s Echoes Of My Neighborhood. If you would like to join click on the hyperlink above. I’m not really a photographer so please excuse my photos.

Ever since I moved jobs, I have had a hard time finding a good gym. I’m a gym rat so working out is pretty much a must for me. So high and low I searched for a place to scratch my gym itch but sadly the choices were insufficient for my needs.

Suddenly, I spied something in the corner of my little eye one day while I was out sunning myself in the penthouse (writer’s note: I don’t really sun myself, it’s a figure of speech). It was this small building and emblazoned on its side are these words: Hybrid Yaw-Yan. I wanted to learn something new so I trooped on over there and signed up

To the uninitiated, Yaw-Yan is a Filipino Martial Art which in full is written as Sayaw ng Kamatayan. Translated into English, this means Dance of Death. In retrospect,  it sounds intimidating but it really isn’t. Half of the students when I got there were women wanting to learn self defense.

Anyway, Yaw Yan looks really similar to Muay Thai but the methods are actually based on Bolo Arnis, another Filipino Martial Art. Instead of sticks and Machetes, however, what you use are your own legs and hands. The Hybrid part comes from integrating other disciplines, like wrestling and jiu-jitsu.

The first few weeks, I learned how to strike and had to incorporate a ton of cardio and HIIT into my training.

I also love the grappling sessions as this is where I learn the most. The first thing they teach you is how to fall correctly (hugot: In hindsight, I should have learned this way, way earlier than this) and how to fight effectively on the ground.

At first it was strange when they sometimes partner you up with girls, as they have to straddle you on the ground, but you get used to it pretty quickly and there’s an almost familial aspect to the whole thing. Michelle, one of the girls was partnered with, is like half my age so I pretty much think of her as a sister. Plus the fact that she knows how to break my arms is pretty scary.

I'm not the half naked guy

Anyway, this is where I end my post. I share with you the creed we recite at the beginning and end of every training session.

The Yaw-Yan Creed

In these times of guns and knives,
I travel in this world nothing on my hands.
If anyone comes to molest
and evil begins to dominate
God is my only shield,
Faith is my guide,
Honor is my wealth,
Truth is my fortune,
and YAW-YAN is my weapon.

anghulinghugotero