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Eskrima is a Pilipino Martial Art which descends down from the late Great Eskrimador Grandmaster Angel Cabales and his Pilipino instructor, the legendary Feliscimo Dizon, Grandmaster of De Cuerdas.

One of the Great Grandmaster's top students and Certified Master Instructor is Jimmy Tacosa. It is this direct lineage that Michael Coconis and his father, Dr. Ko descend from. Both son (2nd Level) and father (1st Level) are Certified Instructors of Eskrimador Master Jimmy Tacosa.

Few Eskrimadors living in the United States have had the opportunities which Guro and Master Jimmy Tacosa has experienced. By virtue of his Philippine ancestry and of growing up in Stockton, California, he learned from 2 Great Masters. He was taught the Philippine empty hand system of Cadena De Mano by Max Sarmiento and is a first generation instructor. After a 15 year tenure under Grandmaster Angel Cabales, Guro Tacosa was awarded a Masters Diploma and Certificate in Serrada Eskrima and was asked to pass the art onto a new generation. Master Tacosa is recognized as one of the foremost exponents of Serrada Eskrima in the world. Although there are many instructors of the Philippine Martial Arts, Master Tacosa is one of a select group of Qualified and Active Eskrimadors to have trained with the Grandmasters while they were in their prime. Master Tacosa was part of the Grassroots movement for the perpetuation of Philippine Martial Culture in the United States and the World. Official Website of Master Tacosa and his organization, Pacific Eskrima Academy.

Both Dr. Ko and his son, Michael, have been training in the Filipino Martial Arts since late 1985 under Mr. Bruce Albach. Both of them have also trained extensively in other Filipino Martial Arts of Dan Inosanto, Paul Vunak, Terry Gibson (deceased), and Grandmaster Ernesto Presas (Arnis De Mano, Mano Y Mano, Espada Y Daga). There are as many different Pilipino martial systems as there are Islands of the Philippines. Dr. Ko and his son, have also studied the Cadena de Mano (Chain of Hands), Sinawalli, Largo Mano, Free-Flow, Block and Lock, Banda Y Banda, Espada Y Daga, Derobio, Redonda, Ritriada, DeCuerdas, Sumbrada, Fraile, Abaniko, Ocho-Ocho (Figure 8 Method), Bati-Bati, Sticky-Stick, Dumog (Pilipino wrestling), Panantukan (Pilipino boxing), and Pananjakman, Sikaran and Sipa (Pilipino Kicking).

Although Dr. Ko and his son, Michael have both received extensive training in these various styles from the Philippine Islands under different instructors (Guros) since 1985, they both are solely focusing their training and teaching under Master Tacosa and his Tacosa Cadena Eskrima System. Mr. Coconis is now teaching in and around Phoenix Arizona on a private or small group basis. This is a very rare opportunity to train with a direct descendant to a Great Eskrimador, Master Jimmy Tacosa, who is among only a few left living that trained, extensively, with the Great Grandmaster, Eskrimador, and Founder, Angel Cabales while he was in his prime.

It is said by many historians from the Philippines that Kali is the ancestral martial art of the Southern Philippine Islands. Whereas Arnis (Northern Luzon Island) and Eskrima (Central Visayas) are considered somewhat modern and of Spanish influence. Other old Pilipino men still living near Mactan Island and Cebu City say that Eskrima was really the original martial art of that area and preceded the others.

J. Michael Coconis is in charge of all the martial arts of the Philippines being developed at the Ko Mu Do Kwan. His skills and adeptness in Eskrima and other Pilipino Martial Arts are quite evident to many who have come up against him. His father, Dr. Ko seen this early in his training and has stepped aside to allow his son to flourish in these rare martial systems of the Philippine Islands. Even though Dr. Ko brought his son, Michael, up in the martial arts at the age of 9 (nearly 26 years ago), he considers himself a student of his son now. Of course, Dr. Ko's time is extensively consumed with work and his highly technical research on Time and Frequency, but trains regularly with his son, Michael. They depend on each other in training the higher more advanced levels and extensions of Tacosa Cadena Eskrima as well as "Full-contact" stick and empty-hand 'Reality' fighting. Michael Coconis was awarded his second-level instructor's certificate by Master Tacosa in January 2003 and is extensively training for his third-level.

Mr. Coconis is dedicated to Philippine tradition and teaches the Cadena/Serrada Eskrima System of Master Tacosa exactly as he wants it taught.

Click on Image of Mike Coconis for his BiographyClick on Image of Dr. Ko for his Biography

Mabuhay ang Tacosa Cadena Eskrima and the Pacific Eskrima Academy!

You may reach Michael Coconis at: tsefreeflow@yahoo.com or:

Tele: (602) 920-9724

Phoenix, Arizona

Group Training Fee Schedule:

These costs are according to the amount of days per week the group wants to attend training. The length of each class can vary for a variety of reasons but will not drop below one hour. These costs are not by the hour but by the training day. Classes could go for as long as 1-3 hours at the discretion of the instructor, depending on what is being taught and how much attention the student needs, but what you pay for is one hour per day. If you request more than one hour, the costs will fluctuate accordingly.

So for example for 1-2 days per week you pay $11.25 per class twice a week or $22.50 once a week. For 3 days a week you pay $10.50 per class and for 4 days a week you pay $9.57 per class. If you want more than 4 days a week, fees can be figured but will get pretty expensive due to my availability.