Tradition - Evolution - Future - Sayoc

written by Harley Elmore (originally published in Martial Arts Experts - Fall 2007)

One of the biggest challenges facing martial artists today is integrating age-old tradition, technique and style with a modern strategy and approach toward the future. Being successful in this industry means having the foresight of what is going to work in the future and blending it with the knowledge of what has worked in the past. A great example of someone who has been able to do this successfully is Pamana Tuhon Christopher Sayoc, head of Sayoc International Group (SIG). In fact, it is his uncanny ability to merge his system's past with the future of martial arts that is responsible for the success of his family's system and his organization.

The Sayoc family system began the same way as many other Filipino martial arts. It originated in the Philippines and can be traced back over hundreds of years. During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines, members of the Filipino rebellion gathered forces, armed and trained locals then led battles against the invaders. This time of struggle formed the basis of what has led to many of today's Filipino martial arts, including the Sayoc system. Tracing its roots back to General Licerio Tapacio, close friend and advisor to the first president of the Philippines, the Sayoc system has now spanned five generations of military leaders, doctors, and clergy, all having added their own unique aspects to the system.

Pamana Tuhon Sayoc has taken the information bequeathed to him and created a unique training structure that has produced a phenomenal organization of instructors. he has developed a logical progression of material taught through a combination of traditional and nontraditional training methodologies. Instructors are groomed through intense physical training and more importantly psychological conditioning and development.

These instructors are the foundation for Sayoc International Group. One of the most distinctive aspects of their training is that it focuses on them attaining personal success outside of the martial arts. It is about the culmination of each instructor's personal, family, business, and training lives. The idea behind this all inclusive training is that when those around him have achieved success, Pamana Tuhon will himself achieve success. Plainly put it is about helping every member reach full potential.

It is this training methodology that has lead to the evolution of the system into a multi dimensional organization with diverse branches of specialty. What was once one style of martial arts is now Sayoc Kali, Sayoc Fighting Systems, Sayoc Tactical, Sayoc Combat Choreography, and most recently, Sayoc Group Film Productions.

The most publicly known area of the system is Sayoc Kali, the "all blade, all the time" branch. Pamana Tuhon Sayoc's vast knowledge and understanding of the blade has brought this system to the forefront of Filipino martial arts. The students and instructors he produces are also recognized as leaders in the field. This evolution takes a student through a course designed to teach them the dominance of feeding the blade. It concentrates on teaching superior angle, timing, and strategy in order to obtain a direct and efficient use of the blade along with the ability to quickly overcome an opponent.

Complementing the "blade" aspect of Sayoc is the Sayoc Fighting Systems. This branch focuses on areas such as stick fighting, empty hand striking and grappling with or without weapons. The same underlying principles and characteristic methods of training are used in these areas. Recently, Sayoc Fighting Systems caused a lot of controversy in the Filipino martial arts world with its release of the Stick Grappling DVD. All the uproar was over the fact that viewers watched full contact stick fights with absolutely no protective gear. It was something that had not been seen before and it demonstrated the effectiveness and versatility of the Sayoc Fighting System in real time.

Another less publicly known branch of the system is Sayoc Tactical. This branch focuses on the training of military and law enforcement groups. High level military groups within the special warfare community including U.S. Marine Corps S.E.R.E., U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, F.B.I., S.W.A.T. and other branches of law enforcement are among the groups the team has trained. The training for these groups is extremely specialized and contains information not available to the public. For instance, military Special Forces Groups may need to have the training and skills necessary to make improvised edged weapons, carry, conceal, and deploy them while in hostile environments. Law enforcement officials might need to understand how criminals might improvise, carry, conceal and deploy edged weapons. The instructor's specialized understanding of edged weapons makes the Sayoc Tactical Team world leaders in this type of training. The area of the system that has grown most substantially is Sayoc's work in the film industry. Sayoc Combat Choreography specializes in fight choreography. They have choreographed scenes and trained actors for movies like "The Hunted" and "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind." They also have an amazing live performance show that has been featured in "The Art of War" and the "Annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Martial Arts Expo." The newest development is the Sayoc Group's movie production division called Sayoc Films. Pamana Tuhon Sayoc is working very closely with Hollywood on featuring a story loosely based on the SIG.

This latest project represents Sayoc's growth into yet another field of martial arts. He has taken the traditional one-dimensional form of martial arts, with the school and the students and teaching self-defense and physical fitness and turned it into multi-dimensional organization that is succeeding in various areas of specialization. His unique training methodologies and his vision have led him down this path. Pamana Tuhon Sayoc's ability to help others succeed is a testament of his own success.