Counter-Offensive Moves, Strategy and Tactics

Many ask about the difference between Defense and Counter Attack. In Pekiti-Tirsia, we practice counter attacking procedures rather than defense. In the war game, attacking is the only way of having a good surviving chance to come out unscathed. Having the mentality of defense or self-defense already puts the person in a disadvantageous position. If that person is attacked, there is no objective whatsoever in fighting back within a defensive mentality. Controlling the aggressor is more of the primary objective. However, most of the time, the aggressor cannot be controlled. If the attack is well-planned, the defensive party would have a hard time controlling the attacker. Your training dictates to you the kind of mentality and attitude one practices when faced with conflict. The way you train is the way you fight and vice versa. If someone trains purely defense, then you will be expending a lot of energy nullifying the attacks if it can be nullified in the first place. In my opinion, running is the best defense although most of the time, running cannot be the best solution either. When placed in an isolated area, it doesn't matter whether you run or not. Your attacker/s can still catch up to you. In our system, we do not practice defense. We practice offense and counter-offense. With these procedures laid out, there is a good chance that you will survive not only an attack but an onslaught.

Our training regimen is no different from an athlete training for a fight. The more you bleed in training, the less you bleed in battle. We believe that if you train this way, you put yourself in a warrior's mentality that you have to win and survive at all costs. If you were a serious martial artist, you shouldn't be wasting your time on defense, making flashy moves or looking good to a public viewer. One should not overly concern himself about looking good in martial arts since the fight game is an ugly business. Blade disarming and stick disarming is simply just wishful thinking. If someone was attacking in slow motion, then a disarm maybe possible. But in reality, if someone was going to whack you with a lead pipe at full force, going for a disarm may only result with you having a destroyed hand or a fractured skull. Disarming techniques are only for movies. It may only work with a child or someone who was completely out of his game. But with a person who even has beginner skill level in impact weapon manipulations, it would be near to impossible to do a disarm. One should not shy away from sparring either. In the civilian world, only through sparring can one test the knowledge they have learned in the arts.

Strategy and Tactics are well-planned maneuvers wherein you are not compromised in battle. In the Filipino Fighting Arts, the way you hold a weapon, the way you chamber the stick, the way your body moves after delivering an attack are simple examples of how tactics are employed. Strategy and tactics are essential most importantly when faced with multiple opponents. Without tactics, one would just be a sitting duck up for target practice. You should always be at an advantageous position to your attacker. Having leverage and first strike always is a healthy practice. If your tactics doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean that it is inefficient. Your strategy and tactics should be flexible enough for it to adapt to the current situation. Strategy and Tactics are studied at an intermediate to advanced level of Pekiti-Tirsia once the basics have been mastered.