Inayan Eskrima program

Inayan Eskrima is an abbreviation for the "Inayan System of Eskirma" a complete martial combat system, founded by Mike Inay.

Eskrima is a martial art that originated in the Philippines. It is the national sport of the Philippines, and has a very long history of combat use. One difference from many martial arts is that the student is taught to train with weapons from the very start, rather than beginning with empty-hands training. The Filipino martial arts ingrain an interrelationship between empty-hand skills and weapons, and because of this philosophy, Eskrima is widely recognized in the martial arts community for its effective weapons techniques.

Inay studied privately under the tutelage of two great Eskrima masters, Max Sarmiento and Angel Cabales. It was Inay who proposed, to Angel Cabales, the formation of an organization to preserve and promote the Cabales Serrada Style of Eskrima. With Inay's help, Cabales formed the first Cabales Serrada association. Inay also developed a ranking structure for Cabales.

Max Sarmiento is credited with convincing Cabales to open the first public Eskrima school in the United States.

Mike Inay studied under both these men for over 11 years and was instrumental in bringing both of their arts out to the greater public. Since the death of Sarmiento and later Cabales, Inay had continued to expand and propagate the styles of Eskrima he learned from them in their truest form. Since his death, his teachings continue through his most senior students.

Since the death of Michael G. Inay in 2000, Inayan Eskrima has continued to be taught by his son, Jason, and his senior instructors, Emmanuel Hart, Steven Klement, Cory Hanosh and Jon Ward, as well as by other organizations that branched off after his passing.

Inayan Eskrima is composed of seven styles

• Kadena de Mano
• Serrada Eskrima
• Largo Mano
• Dequerdas
• Sinawali
• Espada y Daga
• Sibat/Bankow

A brief description of the three core styles of the system:

Kadena de Mano Kadena De Mano translates to “chain of hand” and is a combination of empty-hand and knife/dagger techniques. It covers basic and advanced blocks (or counters), basic and advanced hand and knife drills as well as permuted locks from the basic/advanced drills. Lock/flow/trap practice drills are stressed as well as subject control through the use of Vital Points (Pressure Sensitive Nerves).

Serrada Eskrima Serrada translates to either "to close" or "close quarters". The style is noted for using a shorter stick, male triangle footwork, and quick, linear, in-close fighting. This blade and stick system translates well into empty-hand applications.

Largo Mano Largo Mano translates to "long hand" and is a long-range system of Eskrima. Evolved to use a longer/heavier cane (~40") and to use the cane as if it were a Kampilan, the longest sword found in the Philippines. This style is credited as being the first complete formal style to teach the use of the Kampilan.

Starting formal training at the age of six, Suro J. Inay has trained under some of the best names in Filipino Martial Arts, all of whom he calls his "Uncles" as his father Mike Inay guided him in his pedigree in the martial arts. "The Originals" of Stockton California, Mangisursuro Mike Inay, Master Al Concepcion, Master Jimmy Tacosa, and Inayan Guro Remi Estrella are all his teachers and helped form this dynamic martial artist into what he is today. In addition he has trained with Maha Guro Dan Inosanto, Professor James Muro, and Instructor Dave Burt. Suro J. Inay also owes a great deal of his training and knowledge to Inayan Sursuro John Peterson, Inayan Masirib Guro Frank Difanti, and Guro Rob McDonald.

Suro J. Inay teaches the Inayan System of Eskrima, the proper name of Inayan Eskrima, with pride and distinguished insight. He brings a unique and enlightening perspective to both the contemporary elements and traditional methods of Eskrima-Kali-Arnis. As Head of the family art known to most as Inayan Eskrima, Executive Director of the Inayan Training Organization (www.inayan-eskrima.biz), and the Director of Weapons Training for the Kilohana Martial Arts Association, Suro J. Inay represents both Inayan Martial Arts and Filipino Martial Arts in general with integrity and insight.

Inayan Eskrima was developed by Suro Mike Inay. Suro Inay devoted his entire adult life to the promotion, preservation, and propagation of the Filipino Martial Arts.

Suro Inay studied privately under the tutelage of two great Eskrima Masters, Max Sarmiento and Angel Cabales. It was Suro Inay who proposed, to Master Angel Cabales, the formation of an organization to preserve and promote the Cabales Serrada Style of Eskrima. With Suro Inay's help, Master Cabales formed the first Cabales Serrada association. Suro Inay also developed a ranking structure for Master Cabales.

The ranks that were developed and presented to the budding Cabales Serrada Association were:

The Basic Level Certificate
The Advanced Degree Certificate
The Masters Degree Certificate

The Advanced Degree and the Masters Degree gave the certificate holders permission to award rank in the Cabales Serrada Style of Eskrima. Each certificate was an acknowledgment of proficiency achievement by the student named there-on. Master Cabales accepted and adopted the three certificates and at least two of the certificates were in use as of 1998.

Suro Inay co-founded the West Coast Eskrima Society with its first chairman, Max Sarmiento in 1979. The West Coast Eskrima Society was formally inaugurated in Los Gatos, California in Suro Inay's home. The West Coast Eskrima Society was founded in the hopes of preserving, propagating and promoting the Filipino Martial Arts. The "West Coast Eskrima Society" was, for the first time in the Filipino Martial Arts community, able to unite several Filipino Masters under one organization. The Society's Charter was signed in Suro Inay's house in Los Gatos, California on January 13, 1979. Many notable Eskrima Masters joined the West Coast Eskrima Society and were present during the Charter signing. Some of the original members were: Max Sarmiento, Mike Inay, Jimmy Tacosa, Jeffrey Elliott, San Tendencia, Dentoy Revillar, Gilbert Tenio, Leo Giron, Narrie Babao, Dan Inosanto and Richard Bustillo.

Suro Inay was instrumental in bringing both The "West Coast Eskrima Society" and the "Cabales-Serrada Eskrima Association" to light. They were the forerunners of the present day Filipino Martial Arts organizations that have emerged in the last 20 years.

Suro Inay also played an integral role in the events over the past several years that lead to the growing acceptance of the Filipino Martial Arts in the U.S.

Suro Inay began teaching law enforcement throughout the United States and became well known and respected in the law enforcement community. Suro Inay also began traveling abroad to conduct seminars and clinics on Inayan Eskrima in England, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Australia.

At the request of a large Midwest law enforcement organization, PPCT, Suro Inay developed the first nationwide law enforcement knife defense program called "Spontaneous Knife Defense". He also appeared on Law Enforcement Television Network (LETN).

During this period, Suro Inay also developed and refined the Inayan System of Eskrima (ISE). Inayan Eskrima is comprised of 7 distinct styles of Eskrima. Each of these styles have a complete set of basic, intermediate, and advanced techniques and concepts that make them independent of each other in terms of self-defense viability.

Suro Inay put a learning structure to these styles and a ranking system for grading. Suro Inay elected to call all of the styles he teaches "Inayan" to avoid confusion with other teachers and styles that have the same or similar names. This also reduced the amount of controversy and claims of validity others could or could not profess with regard to "Inayan" Eskrima.

Suro Inay developed several courses dealing with pressure sensitive nerve areas, riot baton and advanced knife training. Suro Inay also developed the use of the knife as an alternative weapon for executive protection in instances where a firearm is not warranted or safe to use.

Suro Inay passed away while doing what he loved the most - teaching Inayan Eskrima. Though he was taken from us long before his time, he made a profound impact in the Martial Arts world and improved the lives of many. Those that he touched most have vowed to keep his dream alive by spreading the word of Inayan Eskrima.