About

FMATalk Live is a live call in show/podcast dedicated to the promotion of the Filipino Martial Arts in a politics free environment.  Our mission is to help promote all forms of Filipino Martial Arts and Culture, through interviews and panel discussions with Filipino Martial Artists from all over the world.  Topics range from training, tournaments, FMA Culture/History, and much much more.  Above all, we are Filipino Martial Arts enthusiasts who simply enjoy discussing everything related to the Filipino Martial Arts.  Join in the fun every Sunday at 8pm CST.

Our show hosts are: Guros Mark Basel and Federico Malibago of The Bahad Zubu Midwest Chapter, and Guro John Bednarski of Dekiti Tirsia/Midway Kodenkan and Datu Tim Hartman of Modern Arnis/Horizon Martial Arts reports in from now and again to fill us in on his journeys.

Host Bios:

Guro Mark Basel is a lifelong martial artist dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the traditional Filipino Martial Arts.  As a child he was introduced to martial arts like many children starting in Tae Kwon Do.  Later in life, shortly after college, he took up contracting work in the South Pacific where he first encountered a vibrant Filipino community and traditions.  He soon became a member of the local Filipino Cultural club, promoting native dances and other traditions.  Upon his return to Minnesota, he soon combined his two interests by pursuing the study of Filipino Martial Arts, and has since made many research trips to the Philippines to learn traditional Filipino Martial Arts culture and history directly from the masters.  He is one of two Guros in MN authorized to teach the Filipino ancestral art of Bahad Zubu Eskrima.

Guro Federico Malibago was born and raised in Minnesota the son of Filipino immigrants.  Growing up in the US, in a small but very tight knit Filipino community and family, he was raised to value and preserve traditional Filipino values and traditions.  Amongst the men in his family and community, fighting skill and the practice of martial arts, were highly valued and encouraged.  This early passion for the martial arts, as well as Filipino cultural traditions and history in general, has led him to conduct many research trips to the Philippines to learn traditional Filipino Martial Arts culture and history directly from the masters who keep the traditons alive.  He is on of only two Guros in MN authorized to teach the Filipino Ancestral art of Bahad Zubu Eskrima.

Guro John Bednarski begun his traning in Filipino martial arts in 1985 after attending a martial arts seminar taught by the legendary Dan Inosanto. Since then Mr. Bednarski has trained in Inosanto –Lacoste Kali under Ron Balicki, off and on until the present. Mr. Bednarski in the 1990’s trained under Remy and Ernesto Perasas as well as W.Hockheim receiving various levels of instructorship. Also Mr. Bednarski has trained with the late Herman Suwanda in his family system of Pencak Silat Mande Muda, as well as various other systems of Silat.  Since 2001 Mr. Bednarski has been a direct student under Grandmaster Jerson “Nene” Tortal and is an Instructor in his family system of Dekiti Tirsia Siradas Kali.  Recently Mr. Bednarski has been training with William Anderson inheritor of Master Reston’s systems of Filipino Martial art.

Datu Tim Hartman (producer)  has been a personal student of the late Grand Master Remy Presas for over 16 years. He has been featured in multiple magazines including Black Belt and Filipino Martial Arts Magazine.  In addition to teaching in the United States, Mr. Hartman has taught in Canada, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and England.  Mr. Hartman has been publicly endorsed by GM Presas as his number one black belt in the United States. When Grand Master Presas’ announced his retirement for medical reasons, Mr. Hartman formed the World Modern Arnis Alliance as a vehicle to preserve the foundations of the art and share it with the next generation of students.