Martial Arts Influence
Practical fighting, not sport or performance karate
Koryū Uchinadi Kenpō-jutsu (KU)
Between 1999 and 2005, David undertook intensive study in Koryū Uchinadi Kenpō-jutsu (KU) under Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, during a formative period when KU was explicitly focused on practical civilian self-defence rather than sport or performance karate. During this time, he was awarded 3rd Degree Black Belt and the teaching title of Renshi, recognising not seniority, but demonstrated competence in applied understanding, teaching method, and instructional responsibility. He also attained 1st Degree Black Belt in Kobudō, reflecting integrated study of classical Okinawan weapons as extensions of body mechanics, distance management, and combative principles.
Within KU, the title Renshi denotes a practitioner entrusted with the accurate transmission of method, including the ability to translate kata from mnemonic reference into functional, pressure-tested application, manage learning environments safely, and uphold KU’s non-sport, non-performance ethos. This responsibility reinforced David’s enduring focus on simplicity, adaptability, and robustness under stress.
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Modern Arnis
DAVE Training in NZ with Kurt
David also undertook long-term study and practice in Modern Arnis, primarily alongside Kurt Graham, extending his focus on practical, weapon-aware self-defence systems. Modern Arnis, founded by Remy Presas and further developed in the Philippines by Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, emphasises weapons-first learning, seamless transition between armed and unarmed contexts, and adaptive problem-solving under pressure. Through this work, David engaged with principles associated with Ernesto Presas’ Philippine-based teachings, particularly the integration of stick, blade, and empty-hand methods, tactical angling, limb control, and intent-driven application.
Training under Kurt Graham was grounded in the Modern Arnis tradition, a Filipino martial system developed to preserve the effectiveness of indigenous fighting methods while ensuring their relevance in contemporary contexts. Modern Arnis is distinguished by its weapons-first pedagogy, reflecting the reality that Filipino martial culture evolved around bladed and impact weapons long before unarmed systems were formalised. This approach treats weapons not as specialised tools, but as extensions of human movement, intent, and problem solving, ensuring skills remain transferable across contexts.
Instruction emphasised timing, angling, distance management, and intent, rather than reliance on fixed techniques or predetermined responses. Training consistently addressed the fluid transition between armed and unarmed engagement, recognising that real encounters are dynamic, unpredictable, and often involve environmental or improvised tools. Effectiveness was measured not by technical appearance or conformity to form, but by the practitioner’s ability to maintain function under pressure, disruption, and uncertainty.
A defining feature of this tradition is its insistence on pressure-tested learning. Techniques were subjected to resistance, fatigue, and contextual constraint, ensuring that skills remained robust when fine motor control diminished. This emphasis stands in contrast to sportive or performance-based martial models, where success is shaped by rulesets rather than consequence.
In 2015, while training and teaching in New Zealand, David da Silva was awarded 5th Degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis, recognising not only technical proficiency, but sustained commitment to the system’s functional ethos, teaching responsibility, and applied effectiveness.
These experiences reinforced a consistent philosophy that has shaped David da Silva’s later work across coaching, education, and high-performance systems: skill has value only insofar as it survives contact with pressure and reality. This principle underpins his rejection of cosmetic technique and over-structured learning, in favour of adaptability, robustness, and performance under real-world constraints.