Dagang Kidlat Martial Arts Center

Martial Art School: Dagang Kidlat Martial Art Center
Founded: 2005
Chief Instructor/Founder: Master Jose Antonio "The Dagger" O. Ogardo
Asst. Instructor: Master Eugenio O. "The Thunder" Ogardo, Jr.

Courses Offered:
A. Arnis De Mano: Traditional Lightning Arnis/Mordern Arnis (for children)
B. Combat Judo
C. Ramirez Knife Fighting System (advance course only)
D. Other Weapons: nunchak, tonfa, bo, jo, and boken

Address: Eastwind Greenview Village Phase 2 Block 9 Lot 93 San Isidro, Montalban, Rizal, Philippines.

Cel. No. 09093011801

Short History:

Master Jose Antonio Ogardo was born on June 11, 1972, Quezon City. He is the second child of 4 siblings. His parents are Mr. Eugenio Ogardo, Sr. and Mrs. Caridad O. Ogardo. He learned his basoc art in arnis de mano through the late GrandMaster Benjamin Luna Lema, founder of the famed Lightning Scientific Arnis Intl., founded since 1937, he then continued and finished the entire course under the GrandMaster's latest protege, Master Michael Ronald Ramirez, residing at Marikina City. He first met the GrandMaster at the famous Marikina Sports Park in the year 2000. Since then, it has become a memorable journey. Together with his elder brother, Master Eugenio O. Ogardo, Jr., also a student of the 2 famous masters, they have met several well known and respected arnisadores, 2 of them are Master Jon Escudero and Master Nathan Dominguez, whom they have crossed trained and learned a great many things. For now they are teaching full time at their residence in Montalban. Dagang Kidlat Martial Arts Center is a non-profit, non-sectarian, and pure combative martial arts school.

To those who are interested pls. contact us through the following details:
E-mail: dagangkidlat@yahoo.com / dagangkidlat@aim.com / ogardotoy@yahoo.com/ my_dagger@yahoo.com/ tony@lightningarnis.com.

Cel. No. 09093011801

Blog: www.dagangkidlat.multiply.com

Facebook: Jose Antonio Ogardo

Twitter: dagangkidlat

YouTube: dagangkidlat

Thank You! Have a nice day! Semper Fidelis!

Traditional Lightning Arnis

"If you hesitate then I'll strike first, if you strike first I'll strike hard, if you strike hard I'll make a counter attack, and when you make a counter attack then your dead."

(L.S.A.I. fighting motto )

Before explaining what is Traditional Lightning Arnis is let me first explain about my GrandMaster Benjamin Luna Lema and his martial school called the Lightning Scientific Arnis International. My GrandMaster was well known, not only in the Philippines but also in the different martial arts community in the whole world, well loved and well respected by both enemies and friends alike. To those who know him well he was called Mang Ben (Lolo Ben). Mang Ben resides in Mambusao, Panay, in his youth, were he learned his first arnis under his Father and Grandfather. He learned knife fighting from the great fighter Mr. Lorenzo Weinstein; a German national. It is also here were he learned other sports that spark his interest, like body building and boxing. During the second world war he joined the guerillas (HUKBALAHAP) under Gen. Macario Peralta; one of the founders of the said group. Thus, he gained many valuable experience of warfare. It was also in Panay that he defeated many of his enemies in arnis, two of them are the famous Mauro Buhat of Panay and Jose Fernandez of Roxas. According to Mang Ben, his system of arnis de mano is comprised of 2 types of fighting strategy, the "media largo" (medium range) and espada y daga (baston y daga). The first strategy is a supplement to the second strategy, espada y daga. Using fast and destructive blows it enables the practitioner to intimidate and penetrate the strongest defenses of the enemy. The second strategy enables the player to fight in a "serada" (close range) position. It is in the latter that his system is most famous. It is in this strategy that one can "close" an enemies ability to move or make any type of counter attack. And this is the system that Dagang Kidlat Martial Arts Center promotes the most. Traditional Lightning Arnis is a physically and mentally demanding style. Like the late GrandMaster Ben Lema once said, "lahat ay may kasiguraduhan." That means, the style's approach in combat is scientific. It is a style that demands in the practitioner perfection in everything he or she does. One false move or incorrect application of a certain technique will result in defeat at the hands of the enemy. That means that if a certain technique fails it is certainly not the fault of the system but definitely the fault of the practitioner itself. It is also teaches the practioner in how to perceive the action of the enemy in an almost psychic way. This is what we call interception and perception. Master Ronald Ramirez, my second teacher in Lightning Arnis, said that "the stick (baston) is the great equalizer." It means, no matter how strong or skillful your enemy is in the field of battle your weapon always gives a great advantage. It levels the playing field. Traditional Lightning Arnis enables the practitioner to dispatch his/her opponent before he/she can react. To accomplish this one must use the two main strategy and fighting stance of the system known as the Abierta and the Serrada. Abierta enables the practitioner to bait the opponent to strike first in order to entrap him. It also forces the opponent to "open up", thus becoming vulnerable to attack. Serrada enables the practitioner to "close in" his opponent by going inside his defenses. Serrada also prevents the opponent to fight back and use his techniques by "closing" his ability to attack. Unlike most Visayan styles of Arnis De Mano, that mostly use linear strikes, TLA uses a circular type of defenses which is virtually unknown in most styles of arnis. Most of my clan members in LSAI would say that the system they teach is the evolutionary Lightning Arnis type after the demise of Mang Ben. If that is true, then me and my fellow comrades and disciples, faithful to Mang Ben's wishes, represent the traditional and classical fighting system, unchanged since 1937 and up to the present. Which explain why Master Ronald Ramirez coined the term "Traditional Lightning Arnis", so that those who wish to follow the path that I have undertaken, will know that we have not changed one iota in the system that my GrandMaster have faithfully and jealously guarded. It is this wish, before his death, that I continously and faithfully teach, to those who would take up the path, until the end of my days.

To my fellow warriors of the Way, may the light that shines in you cotinue to burn to the very end!!