Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Two men circle warily in the center of a colorful gym mat. Each holds a three-foot long wicker stick in one hand and a blunted aluminum knife in the other.





A sudden rush and surge of adrenalin. Both are engaged in a swirl of weapons. The air rings to the sound of sticks striking each other and the duller whomp of sticks striking legs, arms and torsos.





The battle is engaged at full speed and full power. Punches aren't pulled. When the grueling two-minute bout is over, both combatants display an angry array of bumps, bruises and welts. The fighters embrace and depart the battlefield. Neither has been declared the winner or the loser. The idea of winning or losing is not what the Dog Brothers are about.





"We don't keep score," says Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny, one of the Dog Brothers' founders. "No judges, no referees, no trophies. That would be contrary to the way we do things."





In 1988, Denny and 10 other martial arts enthusiasts formed the loose tribe they called the Dog Brothers. They were all drawn to an obscure form of the combat arts that originated during times of tribal warfare in the Philippines. This form of combat is primarily hand to hand using weapons that were available in the forests and jungles of the Philippines. It is a fighting discipline known in different parts of the world as Arnis, Escrima or Kali.





"In the past it had been a very, very secretive art," Denny said, "a weaponry art that originated in tribal warfare in the jungles."





Dog Brothers gatherings feature bouts of stick fighting, knife fighting, fighting staffs, even the occasional use of chains and other weapons. Punching, kicking and wrestling also come into play. Combatants wear a fencing mask to protect the eyes and gloves to protect hands, but there is no other padding. Their motto is, "Higher consciousness through harder contact."





"There was definitely a part of me that said, these guys are way out there," Roan Kalani "Poi Dog" Grimm said with a laugh.





At the same time, Grimm found the Dog Brothers' form of extreme martial arts exciting.





"They were applying it in real time and real speed and real power, " Grimm said. "A part of myself said, I really want to do this. I want to test myself at this level."





There are perhaps 200 full-fledged members of the Dog Brothers pack. Members receive a "Dog" nickname after they are voted into the pack. The nickname is meant to describe each member's fighting style or personality. However, to become a full member, other members must reach a consensus that the individual has developed his skills and represents his true potential as a martial artist. There are many who have more than a passing interest in the extreme form of martial arts the group represents.





That is what attracted Tobias Gibson to a recent Dog Brothers gathering in Los Angeles. Gibson is a 39-year-old political science professor from Missouri's Westminster College. He is a studious looking guy with a scraggly goatee and more than a few extra pounds. Although he had trained for eight years in martial arts, Gibson had never engaged in this kind of all-out combat.





"It's really scary," Gibson confessed before his bout, "I was trying to untie my shoes and I couldn't. My hands were shaking."





Gibson's bout lasted two minutes. He had been paired with a much more experienced fighter who took care to look after the newcomer's safety. Even so, the professor emerged with a series of welts on his arm and back, a bleeding knot on his forehead and at least one broken finger. The injuries did not dampen his spirits.





"Once you get into the ring it's all good, " Gibson said. "I'm in the moment. I was in the moment."





To Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny, the idea
Where did the combat style originate? Where are the Dog Brothers from? How many members are in the Dog Brothers pack? Who are the Dog Brothers? This form of combat arts originated where? What do Dog Brothers fights feature?
in the Philippines. Philippines. 200 Denny and 10 other martial arts enthusiasts Philippines. bouts of stick fighting, knife fighting, fighting staffs, even the occasional use of chains and other weapons.
question: Where did the combat style originate?, answer: in the Philippines. | question: Where are the Dog Brothers from?, answer: Philippines. | question: How many members are in the Dog Brothers pack?, answer: 200 | question: Who are the Dog Brothers?, answer: Denny and 10 other martial arts enthusiasts | question: This form of combat arts originated where?, answer: Philippines. | question: What do Dog Brothers fights feature?, answer: bouts of stick fighting, knife fighting, fighting staffs, even the occasional use of chains and other weapons.