Biceps, chamber, hip, point. Thrust, slash, cover. The rhythmic shouts come from a kali master instructor, and they’re echoed by hundreds of students who are mimicking his every move. It’s part of the training that’s taking place at the 2018 Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas.
In attendance are police officers, former SWAT team members, Special Forces operatives, U.S. Marines, and ordinary martial artists representing disciplines that range from krav maga and taekwondo to Brazilian jiu-jitsu to kung fu san soo.
Men, women, and children from all walks of life have assembled in the Bellagio ballroom to learn pekiti tirsia kali from one of the most visible exponents of the art, a man named Apolo Ladra. Let your mind wander, and the clack of their kali sticks can evoke images from different eras and locales.