Did Professor Presas Really Hate Sparring? Think Again.

I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Professor didn’t like sparring.” Really? Let’s dig into that, because I think people are getting this one wrong.

Here’s the reality—Professor didn’t give the same answer to everyone. He sized people up and gave them what he thought they needed. That’s what a good teacher does. But somewhere along the line, folks turned those tailored conversations into blanket statements, and now we’ve got myths being passed off as facts.

Add to that the language barrier. English wasn’t Professor’s first, second, or even third language. He taught himself, and yes, things got lost in translation. And let’s be honest—communication is a two-way street. Sometimes both sides weren’t fully understanding each other.

Now, did he discourage sparring for some people? Absolutely. But here’s my experience: he encouraged me. I was running tournaments, buying gear, building a dedicated program, and working with other FMA groups to grow the art. When I floated the idea of hosting a tournament, Professor actually suggested airline sponsorships so champions could win trips to the Philippines. Does that sound like a man dead-set against sparring?

Here’s what people miss: he wasn’t going to tell someone training once a week to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment they’d barely use. That’s just common sense. But if you were serious, if you were putting in the work, he supported it. My school ended up with the largest sparring program in Modern Arnis because we weren’t dabblers—we were committed.

And here’s the kicker: whenever someone insisted “Professor didn’t like sparring,” I’d ask if they had his books. They’d say yes. Then I’d ask if they’d actually read them. They’d say yes again. So I’d hit them with this: “What about the section on how to run a tournament?” Silence every time. Funny how people forget that part.

So let’s be clear—Professor Presas didn’t “hate” sparring. He wrote about it, promoted it, and encouraged it—for the people willing to do the work. He just wasn’t going to waste time or money pushing half-hearted students into something they’d quit after one bad round.

That’s my two cents. If you had different conversations with him about sparring, I’d love to hear them. But let’s stop pretending one person’s experience equals the full truth. Professor wasn’t against sparring—he was against wasting potential.

Respectfully,
Datu Tim Hartman
World Modern Arnis