This book is the black and white version of the third instalment in the series on Grandmaster Bobby Taboada and his Filipino Stickfighting system of Balintawak Eskrima Cuentada. This volume details the training for the student after the Basic Syllabus. It introduces many new drills to improve timing, body movement, speed and power. It guides the reader in learning how to develop their own techniques, by not just giving examples of variations and counters to the techniques of the Basic Syllabus, but through explaining the underlying principles of training in the Balintawak system beyond the basics.
Drills are presented on how to develop the use of the empty 'live' hand in both striking and grabbing, as well as in how a student can improve the skillset of transferring the stick between the right and left hands. The development of Cuentada and being able to counter any counter is discussed as well as training in the no touch method. The reality based training of defending full power strikes with body movement and full power blocks are covered as well how to develop the semi-hitting skillset of striking an opponent before they can deliver a full power strike.
In a special chapter, 50 of the most renowned contemporary FMA grandmasters from around the world contribute a favorite self-defense technique. This serves as not only a demonstration of how much the Grandmasters of the various FMA styles support each other, but how much students of any martial art can learn from cross training in different FMA styles.
With 476 pages of content illustrated through nearly 4000 photos the Spectrum of Balintawak is great value and essential reading for anyone interested in the advanced levels of training in the Filipino martial arts.