GURO GERRY VALIDO - Founder/Chief Instructor
If a student of the martial arts constantly pushes the "boundaries" of the box in which they were placed when they first started training, eventually that box will no longer contain them. Barriers take the form of stagnation, deficiency, inconsistency, restriction, and poor leadership. Liberation occurs through CREATION, EFFICIENCY and EXPRESSION. That's how a martial artist grows. Guro Gerry Valido is a Los Angeles, California native. He was strictly an "armchair martial artist," as a youth, whose sole exposure to the martial arts were movies, books, and occasionally coming across someone who actually trained in some form of martial art. Like many other youngsters of the 1980s, his first exposure to the arts were Saturday afternoon "Black Belt Theatre," or "Kung Fu Theatre," and frequent visits to the local library to read any books he could find. Unfortunately, as a kid, it is not your decision whether or not you can train--it's your parents' decision. As a smaller, Filipino-American child, growing up in a predominately Caucasian city, Guro Gerry was a victim of bullying and racism. Standing up for himself was a trait instilled in him by his father, Pastor Valido, formerly a Sergeant and paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 1st Filipino Infantry, during WWII. As a toddler, Guro Gerry was already being taught by his dad how to throw a punch, and how to not let a bully get the best of you.
Guro Gerry was already a Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, when in 2001, he witnessed a Filipino martial arts (FMA) demonstration. He was so inspired, he contacted his good friend, and former supervisor, David Dizon. David had previously mentioned he had experience in FMA. To Guro Gerry's pleasant surprise, David was actually GURO (teacher) David, of the Giron Arnis System (founded by the late Grand Master Leo Giron). Guro Gerry spent the next 5 years training in the Giron system under Guro David until his untimely passing in 2006. The heir to the Giron system, Grand Master Tony Somera was Guro Gerry's teacher until he too, passed away from cancer in 2013. Three years later, Guro Gerry felt the need to separate himself from the Giron fold, in search of self-evolution as a martial artist. He began training with Guro Alex Reyes of the Lucaylucay Kali tradition. Simultaneously, Guro Gerry started to formulate his original expression of the Filipino martial arts -- Cinco Estilos Urban Arnis.
Guro Gerry is also a Sensei in the art of Kenpo Karate, and holds a 3rd degree Black Belt. He holds ranks in Chinese Kenpo Karate, the Tracy System of Kenpo, as well as American Kenpo Karate. He has been teaching Kenpo since 1994, and has taught students as young as 3 years, and people well into their 70's. He was a founding member of a Kenpo school in Burbank, CA, and then later owned his own dojo in the same city. He last served as a Senior Instructor at Sensei Donnie Jeffcoat's Shaolin American Self-Defense Academy, in North Hollywood, CA where he taught for almost 4 years. He continues his training under the tutelage of 8th Degree Black Belt and Associate Master, Mr. Angelo Collado, whose international reputation precedes him. Guro Gerry considers himself honored to have studied with some of the greatest Kenpo and Filipino Martial Arts teachers in the world.
In March 2024, Guro Gerry completed 30 years in the martial arts. Over the years Guro Gerry has:
> Served as the defensive tactics contractor for Occidental College Campus Safety Department in Los Angeles;
> Worked security for one of the most popular salsa nightclubs in L.A., Steven's Steakhouse, in the City of Commerce;
> Taught Women's Self Defense courses for the Cities of Los Angeles, Glendale, and Burbank;
> Taught Self Defense courses at the Glendale YMCA, the Heartbeat House in L.A. (now closed), Edison Elementary School (Glendale, CA), and Artistico Dance Studio in L.A.
In 2026, it was necessary to evolve the system by changing its name to reflect the liberated platform upon which we train. MALAYANG LIMA ("Independent/Free Five) represents this concept, and pays tribute to the 5 base methodologies in our system, as well as the 5 sources of knowledge from which we learn. We still represent a PROGRESSIVE, URBANIZED, LOGICAL, and LIBERATED approach to our teaching/training. Malayang Lima FMA exists to create a MANDIRIGMA, or warrior, of the modern world--an empowered human being, physically, mentally, and emotionally. To be empowered in this manner is the only way you have a chance at surviving the threat of a combat situation, and even more importantly, living an empowered life.
What EXACTLY is Malayang Lima Filipino Martial Arts?
The people and country of the Philippines are no strangers to liberation. Liberation from the Spaniards, the Japanese, and Americans are historic examples of this statement. MALAYANG LIMA FMA is a positive light, and a conduit to train and empower individuals through the beauty and the fighting prowess of the Filipino martial arts (FMA). We applaud, support, and seek out those masters of FMA who have taken their own paths to cultivate their own flavors and create their own "brand" of effective FMA. Malayang Lima FMA is the amalgam of what works on the urban battlefield, derived from a variety of traditional systems of FMA and various martial ideologies.
We respect the martial traditions from which our system came, but we are not bound to tradition and instead choose to be PROGRESSIVE in our mindset, and training focus. We do not focus on the jungle warfare, or battlefield application of our movements. Our "battlefield" is the urban landscape where we live, work, and play. The teaching methods have been "urbanized," so to speak, and are trained and drilled with a modern day, real world approach. The 5 main styles are our core, but there are various "ghost" styles which we employ as well. These "ghost" styles are termed as such because they are supplementary styles that are employed, or appear when needed--then disappear.
We embrace - both in movement and overall methodology, INDEPENDENCE.
Please click on a video to see an example of each style:
Estilo Isang Armas-Single Weapon Style (Stick)
Estilo Abanico - Fan Style
Estilo Isang Armas-Single Weapon Style (Knife)
Estilo Doble Armas-Double Weapon Style
Estilo Sonkete - Thrust/Poke Style
Kamay ng Kaguluhan - Empty Hand Combatives
What is "Kulturang Mandirigma?"
"Kulturang Mandirigma," or Warrior Culture is something very important to Guro Gerry. He believes that those who train in the warrior arts cannot simpy be content with learning ways of violence, despite how benevolent the purposes of that violence may be. The physical side of the warrior arts must be tempered with a righteous spirit, proper behavior, and an honorable decisions and purpose. It is important that students of Cinco Estilos cultivate the followihg 6 virtues--for without virtue, one is nothing but a person skilled in violence. A Mandirigma cultivates the body, mind and spirit.
KARANGALAN / HONOR
Hold yourself as an honorable person and martial artist. Be positive, truthful, and above those who embrace negativity.
KATAPATAN / LOYALTY
Demonstrate loyalty to your teacher and classmates. Loyalty is reciprocal. You have to give it, so you can get it. Once one side falters, it is destroyed.
PAGBABANTAY / VIGILANCE
Develop this trait and always maintain it. Be vigilant for yourself, your family, your community, and your country.
RESPONSIBILIDAD / RESPONSIBILITY
Be responsible for your words, and actions. You wield a deadly weapon. Be responsible for your actions with that weapon, and as a representative of the art/your teacher. Be responsible for your debts, care for your classmates in training, don't train haphazardly, or without focus.
TAPANG / COURAGE
A key trait of a warrior. Doing what is RIGHT and JUST,
despite the presence of FEAR.
ESPIRITU / SPIRIT
Cultivate not only the physical aspects of training. Hone awareness, a sense of self, perceptive abilities and the "warrior spirit," which will empower you to dispatch your opponent.