Gokusa is a hybrid system formed from kuntao
and balintawak. It was founded by Jose Millan, also known as “Ju Go,” who
was a student of grandmaster Anciong Bacon, a well-known Filipino stick
fighter. The system’s emphasis is on shifting the body weight and aligning
the spine correctly when delivering the force of the system’s 12 strikes and
defenses.
A change of name
Sometimes referred to as “gokosha,” the art was originally known as “tat kon
tao” (meaning “the way of the kicking fist” in Mandarin). The name change to
gokusa almost certainly reflects the move away from Chinese techniques
toward indigenous Filipino techniques, and the increasingly common practice
of nationalizing martial arts in the Philippines. |
