How To Find Kali/Escrima/Arnis Full-Contact Sparring Helmet?

Question

I was hoping someone could help me. A couple years ago I took a Kali class where we practiced full-contact sparring, and we wore those helmets with the metal cage over the face for use with rattan Kali sticks. In my mind I seem to remember that the helmets used in that school had wood or metal on the crown (top) of the head, but a helmet I just recently bought only has foam padding. So here are my questions:

1. Do Kali sparring helmets normally have wood/metal on the crown of the head?

2. And, does anyone know where I can buy one?
(any websites that sell kali helmets would be helpful, and please do not tell me to just search in Google)

Thank You Very Much

Answer 1

Well, actually it doesn't matter. Kali is not like Kendo where there's a governing body that requires certain specific gears for use in training, hence the proliferation of so many schools and styles of Kali(yep, they're not immune to the Mcdojo syndrome either). As far as Filipino Kali goes in the Philippines, most pinoys practice without headgear and foam padding, besides being cumbersome and creating a false sense of security, they're also pretty expensive and a burden on most Filipino's wallet, these were only incorporated into the training specifically for foreign students in western countries to avoid lawsuits and to meet western safety standards to be able to get a liscense to open a school. For safety purposes, you can use a Kendo helmet or even a football helmet and it wouldn't matter as long as your head is protected although there now are companies that manufacture and sell headgears marketed specifically for kali practitioners. To the best of my knowledge, Eskrima/Arnis schools are more likely to use headgears since a good part of their techniques and training are specifically geared towards stick fighting and competition, not fighting with bolos and bladed weapons(hence some disarms that require one to grasp the stick where a live blade would be). So you would probably be better off making inquiries at Eskrima/Arnis sites. Try the Doce Pares Eskrima school, If I remember right, the Canete brothers from the visayas were instrumental in promoting competition Eskrima with headgears and all back in the 80s. I'm sure they pretty much set the world standards for safety gears since their double stick fighting art was very popular back then.

Edit: Ok, I just found their site go to http://www.doceparesusa.net

Answer 2

It can still be practical but the problem with that idea is two fold. The element of surprise is critical then as well as that initial technique working then if you are going to have a chance of surviving a situation. Without those two factors then you are really at a huge disadvantage then if you have had little in the way of full or heavy contact type sparring in your training I think. Part of being able to take a punch is being able to still give one back afterwords and you don't learn if you can do that or develop your ability to without some type of hard contact sparring. Its a little late to discover this and maybe if you can't if that initial technique does not work or you don't have the element of surprise in your favor to begin with. Another thing about this is many of those techniques that you learn in martial arts become harder to apply successfully against a ready and wary opponent. Your approach and execution for some of them is different when that's the case and some you might not even use at all once there is no longer that element of surprise that goes with them. The above are reasons why awareness and avoidance are still your best and first lines of defense and should be heavily relied on by most. Their skill is also often times suspect and that along without the element of surprise in their favor and if that initial technique does not work can often leave them in a worse situation then. Once it goes down that road they better be able to make adjustments and fight and defend themselves in a longer, more protracted confrontation and the ability to do that mainly comes from contact sparring.

Answer 3

Sparring Helmet

Answer 4

I dont know much about the helmets and gear. But I'm sure you will find what your looking for on the Century Martial Arts Web Page.

http://www.centurymartialarts.com/

GoodLuck

Answer 5

yes and karatedepot.com I kno it sounds like it is just for karate but i even bought my mma and escrima stuff there