ABOUT PIMA ACADEMY

About PIMA Academy

PIMA was founded in 1981 by Grandmaster Arnulfo “Dong” Cuesta--or as students call him, Guro. Charged with bringing the Doce Pares Multi-Style System to the United States, Guro arrived with $22 in his pocket and laid roots in New Jersey. Now in its 37th year, PIMA is home to world champions, budding martial artists, and those who simply want to learn self-defense. PIMA now is the Doce Pares International U.S. Headquarters, and, as an adjunct professor at the prestigious NYU Tisch School's New Studio, Guro introduces Doce Pares to a new group of students every year. Guro remains the Dean of Curriculum for Doce Pares International, and is proud of the legacy he’s built here in the United States.

There are now several Doce Pares Multi-Style schools throughout the country including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Hawaii, with branches in many other states.

All of our instructors at PIMA Academy are certified black belt instructors who have undergone significant training and instruction to bring the art alive to a new generation of students.

• First Doce Pares Multi-Style System in the United States
• Doce Pares International United States Headquarters
• Official member school of Doce Pares International, the only officially recognized Doce Pares Organization in the Philippines
• Home to over 20 world and national champions in both stick-fighting and sayaw/forms
• NYU Tisch School's New Studio offers Eskrima as part of their movement dynamics curriculum
• Many of the highest ranking Eskrima black belts and instructors in the United States had their Doce Pares start with Guro Cuesta at PIMA (and many now run successful multi-style martial arts schools)
• PIMA has been covered several times by local newspapers and in a documentary on The Learning Channel

Eskrima is a Filipino Martial Art known for lighting fast movements utilizing weapons (sticks, knives, sword and dagger) as well as empty hand trapping and striking techniques, including takedowns and locks. Doce Pares refers to a Martial Arts organization founded in 1932 in Cebu City, Philippines. The term "Multi-Style" system refers to an assemblage of various styles of Eskrima that were introduced into the organization by the founding masters. These various styles of Eskrima were gradually incorporated into one training method which we now know as the Doce Pares "Multi-Style" System of Eskrima.

Still not sure what Doce Pares Multi-Style Eskrima is about? Check out this playlist of classic videos featuring Supreme Grandmaster Diony Canete and Guro teaching the basics Eskrima. Shot by Guro Gary G.