Modern Arnis: More Than Just “The Art Within Your Art”

By Datu Tim Hartman

I’ve always had an issue with how Modern Arnis gets reduced to just a catchphrase—“the art within your art.” That line has been repeated so often, and so casually, that it’s led to a widespread misunderstanding of what Modern Arnis truly is.

For me, it wasn’t just an add-on. Modern Arnis was my first martial art—and I trained it as a complete system from day one. At the Filipino Karate Academy, under John Bryant and with Professor Remy Presas as a financial backer, we did it all: striking, kicking, locking, throwing, and of course, the signature weapon work that defines Filipino martial arts. This wasn’t a hybrid or a patchwork—it was a full system.

The phrase “the art within your art” came from a magazine article in the early ’80s. It may have been catchy, but it’s been misused ever since. People started using it as an excuse to mash together whatever they wanted and call it Modern Arnis. But that’s not how Professor Presas taught it. He created a structured system—with books, videos, rankings, and a clear methodology. That’s not the work of someone just adding flavor to another art. That’s someone building a legacy.

Saying it’s only “the art within your art” is like saying it doesn’t have what it needs to stand on its own—that Professor wasn’t a complete martial artist, or that what he was doing in the Philippines was only supplementary. But they didn’t have “the art within your art” there. Modern Arnis was a complete system from the start. It stood on its own, and it still does.

So why am I so vocal about this? Because I teach Modern Arnis as a complete system—and I believe that’s what Professor Presas intended. When people treat it as “just a supplement,” it implies that Modern Arnis isn’t enough on its own. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Now let me be clear: I have nothing against cross-training. There’s real value in blending arts. But there’s a difference between incorporating Arnis into your system and actually studying Modern Arnis as its own complete art. If you want to do the latter, you need to train with someone who teaches it that way.

Too often, people overlook the fact that Modern Arnis stands on its own. Maybe it doesn’t fit their narrative. Maybe they just don’t know better. But the truth is, it’s a full-fledged martial system—and it deserves to be respected as such.

At the end of the day, this is about honoring the art, honoring Professor Presas, and honoring those of us who have dedicated our lives to keeping his system intact—not as a footnote, but as a complete martial art.

Respectfully,
Datu Tim Hartman
World Modern Arnis Alliance