This interview features Maha Guro Nate Defensor and his Defensor Method of Filipino Martial Arts. Guro Nate has been teaching his Defensor Method in the Chicagoland area for almost 30 years and has trained and studied with notable FMA figures such as Floro Villabrille, Leo Gaje, Mike Inay, Angel Cabales, Raymund Tobosa, Dan Inosanto and Jimmy Tacosa to name a few.

His Defensor Method was obviously influenced by those FMA Instructors as he explains that the Defensor Method is a mix consisting mainly of Serrada Eskrima, Pekiti Tirsia and Villabrille systems, with a strong mixture of specific elements from Silat (mainly the take downs), Muay Thai, and western boxing. During our interview with Guro Nate, we got to learn more about his background and how he was first introduced to the Martial Arts.

he stories of his childhood growing up in the Philippines and the necessity of having to carry a knife with him to school as early as the age of eight to defend against gangs was interesting and surprising to say the least.

We also enjoyed the story of how his father who was a teacher, actually had Remy Presas as one of his academic students and how he would wake up in the morning to the sound of sticks clacking to see it was his father and Remy Presas training in Eskrima.

In this Featured Instructor interveiw, you will get a chance to listen to Guro Nate talk about his views on the Filipino Martial Arts, FMA in the movies, his thoughts on why FMA is not as popular as Martial Arts from other countries and also, just to get to know him better as a person.

Anyone who has ever been to one of his seminars or classes can testify to his vast knowledge of the Filipino Martial Arts and his effective teaching methods, as well as his great sense of humor and infectious laugh.