Having spent a large portion of my adult life training directly under Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje and having lived in the Philippines and spoken to relatives and direct witnesses of Conrado Tortal I can write with a degree of un-derstanding about Pekiti-Tirsia.

In the early 70’s and 80’s Grand Tuhon Gaje brought Pekiti-Tirsia to the US where he taught first what was called 64 Attacks. Later he expanded to teach the 12 Methods or Doce Methodos of Pekiti-Tirsia which is a collection of 12 different bodies of material that start first with preset repititions and then expand later into variations. The purpose of the 12 Methods or Doce Methodos is for the construction of different tools that one can use in the fight. From Grand Tuhon’s own lips: “The Doce Methodos is the construction of the Hammer and Nails, but it does NOT really teach you how to build the house”

Now I am in no way attempting to say any thing negative about the Doce Methodos as it is part of Pekiti-Tirsia and I have used it myself in fights. It just becomes obvious to anyone who practices the Doce Methodos that each part, of any element in it works for a specific “preset” attack or counter. You are practicing repetitions of “fixed” attacks and counters that always occur at the same range and timing. For example I love “Break In – Break Out” and it develops certain skills for certain attacks, but it only works if I get that specific attack launched at me in the range that the preset drill has trained me to react in. A good tool for sure, but I must be confronted by that attack at that range in order to use that tool. What if your opponent does not use that attack, mixes it with other attacks, fakes or diverts?

That is why Grand Tuhon brought to us what his Grandfather called the “Tatlong Palapag” or Tri V which again in Grand Tuhon’s own words is: “more on building the house”, or for this analogy “making the fight”. The Tri V takes now all of the Footwork, Body Mehcanics, Attacks, Counters and Recounters you have learned and goes far beyond now into much more of a live action free flow. Here the student develops the Instincts, Movement, Range & Timing he needs to fire the weapons from “Multiple Loads” as he reacts and changes to a variety of different attacks in different situations. At the end of the day it is all about you gaining the ability to “React The Right Way” against whatever Attack, Fake, Pattern, Diversion, Counter or Recounter you experience with the most effective “Non Counterable” response.

With the Tri V you will engage in more free flowing, random drills from the Long, Mid and Close Ranges as well as from different Depth (Standing, Kneeling, Sitting and Laying confrontations). Here the more advanced tech-niques really begin to grow as you experience greater variations of Attacks, Counters and Recounters. You will start to think less and become more “triggered” by the action of the attacker. This helps immeasurably before you spar and more so after you are sparring to improve any areas you have holes in.

Beyond the Tri V as we continue in Pekiti-Tirsia we then get to experience the Qol Demamma (Advanced Double Knife), Capsula Methodica (Capsule Method), Lima-Lima (Principles Of 5), Contra Tirsia Doble Doz (Weapon & No Weapon Contact) and Pekadum Trigo (Blade Geometrics) which are even moe advanced areas of study in Pekiti-Tirsia – Mandala Allen J. Sachetti