“Get those hands up!” That’s something I’ve gotten used to hearing lately, since I started studying Filipino martial arts and boxing with Master Christopher “Topher” Ricketts. While I’ve always been interested in all kinds of martial arts, only recently did I get a glimpse of Kali Ilustrisimo…and it was love at first sight! Ever since my first couple of training sessions with Master Ricketts and his two sons, Bruce and Brandon, I have been hooked. Here are a few images I grabbed during our last training session. Enjoy!
Here is Master Topher and his son Bruce doing a demonstration in Ilustrisimo:
Bruce and Brandon demonstrating:
Master Topher showing me the “fighting form”:
Bruce looks like he’s about to knock his opponent out!
Brandon looks like he’s having way too much fun in the ring:
Brandon gives his opponent some pointers after their sparring match:
And here’s Bruce giving me some pointers during my sparring match. “Keep those hands up!”
The lovely Catrina Catalano, my opponent that day. Don’t let the pink gloves fool you, she packs a mean punch!