David brings rare, firsthand depth to Backyard Gladiator Training, forged through decades of dedicated study and teaching in the Filipino martial arts.

He trained personally with Grandmaster Remy Presas, the legendary founder of Modern Arnis—the revolutionary system that modernized traditional Filipino Escrima, Kali, and Arnis into a safe, flowing, adaptable fighting method. Presas emphasized "the flow," weapon-to-empty-hand transitions, and real-world utility, and David absorbed these core principles directly from the Professor himself.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, David served as the living "blackboard" for Michael Replogle and Jeffrey Arnold, two of Presas' original personal students and co-founders of American Arnis. As they innovated a new integrated approach—building on Modern Arnis foundations while incorporating elements of traditional karate, kung fu, judo, taekwondo, and other arts popular in the U.S. at the time—David tested, refined, and helped pass on their evolving techniques.

At the American Arnis Academy, where he became the de facto head instructor, David led classes, demonstrated innovations, and ensured the material was practical and teachable. A key transformation under Replogle and Arnold was a more scientific approach: emphasizing timing as the central factor in every technique's success—distance management, rhythm disruption, and precise entries/exits that make actions work against resistance.

This evolution drew from historic sources—European fencing manuals, medieval weapon reconstruction, and of course Modern Arnis itself (a comprehensive summary of Filipino systems)—to create a non-stylistic, principle-based method free from rigid forms or cultural dogma.

Today, David distills this lineage into Backyard Gladiator Training: one cohesive system that honors Presas' vision of adaptability while delivering timeless, effective skills for modern life.

Authentic. Proven. Yours to master.