Combatives Academy

Reprinted with Permission from Bahala Na Escrima. The following is the Biography of Grand Master Leo Giron, founder of Balaha Na Escrima.  Biography of Grand Master Emeritus Leo M. Giron (1911 - 2002) Leovigildo "Leo" Miguel Giron was born in Bayambang a little barrio in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines on August 20, 1911. Young Giron first started his training in the Filipino arts because of the neighborhood children and bullies that would take advantage of him and others. Giron soon learned, however, that if he stood up to hem and made one of them cry, the rest would run away and leave him alone. All of Giron's early training was with family members. They would train under the mango tree late at night. Giron would first hold the lantern for the training until his father had asked the teacher to train young Giron. His training started in 1921 and lasted until 1926 until Giron would set sail on the USS President Lincoln for America. Giron landed in San Fr