Mark V. Wiley is a Doctor of Oriental and alternative medicine, martial arts grandmaster, author of 15 books, editor of 70, researcher, book publisher and film producer. A sufferer or chronic pain and bullying since childhood, Mark set out to change his life, and by extension, to later make it his mission to improve the lives of others.
He began martial arts training in 1979 and the study of mind-body health practices in 1987. Since 1994, Wiley has been conducting extensive research on martial arts and healing traditions in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States. During that time, he lived in Japan and the Philippines. 1990 saw the publication of his first article in Black Belt Magazine, and he has since published over 400 more. In 1994 his first book was published, in 1995 he joined the editorial board of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, and in 1996 he became the martial arts Editor for Tuttle Publishing in Tokyo, Japan. In 2000, Mark was the first person to conduct martial art research among the MatigSalog tribe of Mindanao, Philippines. Some of his senior ranks, titles, and awards include:
Master’s Degree in Cabales Serrada Escrima, awarded by Grandmaster Angel Cabales (1990) – 7th Degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis, awarded by Grandmaster Remy Presas (2001) – Associate Grandmaster of FMA and 6th Dan Master of Kabaroan Eskrima, awarded by Grandmaster Ramiro Estalilla (2005) – Honorary Grandmaster of Serrada Escrima, awarded by the World Serrada Escrima Federation (2013) – Lakan Sampu (10th Dan), awarded by Grandmaster Vicente Sanchez (2013) – Datu and Grandmaster, awarded by the Modern Lightning Kali Arnis de Abaniko FMA Association (2013) – Recognized as ‘Publisher of the Year’ by the United Fellowship of Martial Artists (2015) – Named “FMA Ambassador” by iArnis, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Department of Tourism, Philippine National Commission for Culture and Arts (2015) – Master of Ngo Cho Kun (2015) and Head of Beng Hong Athletic Association (1998), awarded by Sifu Alexander Lim Co – Inducted into the Philadelphia Historic Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame (2016) – Faculty Member of the Global Fellowship of FMA Legends and Grandmasters (2016) – Named as an Adviser to the Mataw Guro Association, by MG Louelle Lledo (2016) – Board of Advisers and Medical Consultant to the Society of Black Belts of America, by Shihan Christopher Viggiano (2017) – Board of Directors of the Arnis Pederasyon International, Inc., awarded by GM Reymond Velayo and Datu Shishir Inocalla (2017) – Recognized as “Holistic Healer and Martial Arts Historian” at the Legacy of Mosses Powell (2018).
Within the Filipino martial arts, Wiley was a direct student and disciple of seven FMA grandmasters, Remy Presas, Angel Cabales, Herminio Binas, Florendo Visitacion, Ramiro Estalilla, Benjamin Luna Lema, and Antonio Ilustrisimo. Wiley is the developer of Integrated Eskrima, a cutting-edge system of teaching and training Filipino martial arts. Within Chinese martial arts, he is the disciple of Sifu Alexander Lim Co and as the head of Beng Hong Athletic Association, one of the standard bearers of Ngo Cho Kun (Fujian Five Ancestor Boxing), and Instructor of Wing Chun under Sifu Robert Chu. He is also a student of Pak Mei, Jook Lum and Chu Gar.
Mark is a prolific author on the topics of Filipino and Chinese martial arts and natural wellness. His martial arts books include: Filipino Martial Arts: Cabales Serrada Escrima, Filipino Martial Culture, Martial Arts Talk, Arnis: Reflections on the History and Culture of Filipino Martial Arts, Secrets of Phoenix Eye Fist Kung-Fu, Mastering Eskrima Disarms, Secrets of Cabales Serrada Escrima, Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice. His health books include: The Hypertension Solution, Outwitting Headaches, Headaches Relieved, Natural Solutions for Pain and Inflammation, Arthritis Reversed.
He has written chapters for the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Body-Mind Disciplines, the Encyclopedia of World Sport, Indo-Malay Martial Traditions, Asian Martial Arts, Monks, and Ways of Thought: An Anthology, Filipino Martial Arts Anthology, in addition to penning forwards to over 20 books, and has been profiled in the The Martial Arts Directory, The World’s Greatest Martial Artists, and Escrima Masters. He has served as executive martial arts editor for Tuttle Publishing, in their Tokyo and Boston offices, as publishing manager for Multi-Media Books and Unique Publications, as associate publisher of Martial Arts Illustrated magazine, editor of Martial Arts Legends magazine and Quality of Life, and as associate editor of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. Wiley has been featured on the cover of six magazines and inducted into several Hall of Fames. In 2013 he founded Tambuli Media, and since 2018 has been involved in film writing and production, including his award-winning feature film, Made in Chinatown.
Integrated Eskrima 