Amante P. Marinas Sr. holds black belts in aikido from the Philippine Aikido Club under Sensei Ambrosio Gavileno and in shorin-ryu from the Commando Karate Club under Sensei Latino Gonzalez and Sensei Anselmo ""Pop"" Santos. He studied the snake form of kungfu under Sifu Benito Coo before immigrating to the US and has been practicing his family's fighting system, Pananandata, since he was eight years old. He has authored several books on the subject of knife and weapons throwing, as well as on the Filipino martial arts.