Guro Erick
AI SHIN KAI ESKRIMA is Guro Erick’s personal style of Eskrima (or Kali or Arnis). It is indigenous Filipino martial arts full-contact stick fighting intertwined with KAI SHIN KAI AIKIDO. Guro Erick is one of the few Philippine-born Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) instructors based in the United States of America (USA). 1999 was when he began his Eskrima journey in San Ramon, California under the direct tutelage of Senior Grandmaster (SGM) Alfredo Bandalan, a core anchor for bringing the DOCE PARES expression of FMA into the United States.
It was through SGM Bandalan that he was introduced to the many “Orihinal” FMA styles incorporated within the Doce Pares curriculum of authentic traditional Filipino martial arts.
In the year 2000, Guro Erick won the prestigious World Eskrima, Kali, Arnis Federation (WEKAF) Millennium Cup representing Team USA in Cebu City, Philippines. In front of a full stadium attendance with 28 countries in participation – he defeated a 4-time world champion in the final match for the Middleweight Division title. On his return after the historic event, his coaches and fellow team members gave him the nickname “The Legend” for winning his first division title on his first ever world championship match competing as a White Belt. In 2015, SGM Bandalan promoted him to the rank of “Professor”.
These days, Guro Erick devotes much of his time and experience in sharing the richness of Filipino culture, history and regional languages (through its indigenous martial arts) to the adult and youth members of his community in his home state of Nevada. He also privately teaches firearm systems marksmanship, safety and tactics to local law enforcement and security personnel, as well as training professional mixed martial arts fighters to win their first title bouts utilizing his accumulated knowledge in aikido, ground fighting, striking, blunt and bladed weapon principles.
In the fighting arts, Guro Erick believes on having an open heart and an open mind in one’s journey to enlightenment.