RESEARCH

ABOUT FACTS AND

HISTORY OF ARNIS

Zchareene Ann S. Cordova

BSHM I
HISTORY
The Philippines is an island nation rich in both culture and history. The Filipino martial
art of Arnis/Kali/Escrima has contributed to both the history and diversity of the
Philippines. There are an abundance of styles and systems of Arnis/Kali/Escrima that
are taught throughout the world to this day, that have survived and developed
throughout the different regions, families and teachers who have preserved what is
sometimes called a “complete” martial art.
Arnis/Kali/Escrima was originally developed by the people native to the islands using
simple impact and edged weapons such as kampilans, rattan, swords, daggers, spears
and other assorted weaponry for combat and self defense. These weapons were also
sometimes used as farm implements.
The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan’s force in 1521 was met in battle with a group of
islanders, led by Raja Lapu Lapu, who defeated Magellan using only a bladed weapon.
Magellan’s armored and musket bearing conquistadors were overpowered by the fierce
fighters and retreated. The Spanish returned in the 1570’s and this time the Philippines
came under Spanish rule unable to contend with the modern weaponry the Spanish
used. The practice of Arnis/Kali/Escrima was prohibited, but continued and was
preserved through native ritual dance, performance, and mock battles. Thus the arts
were passed down in families from generation to generation, honing their skill, speed,
accuracy and agility.
The terms Arnis, Kali and Escrima are all used to refer to the Filipino martial arts. There
has been some confusion as to what word refers to which part of the martial art. It is
believed that Arnis, Kali, and Escrima are all a part of the same art and depending on
the location, dialect and type of training taught. Also, any of the three names may apply
to a certain part of training. One interpretation is that Kali is the mother art of Arnis and
Escrima. Arnis focuses on the knife, including dagger, sword, and any other form of
bladed weapon. Escrima is based on the baston or stick. It has also become very
popular in the sport aspect of full contact stick fighting.
To this day Arnis/Kali/Escrima has retained a strong Spanish influence not only in the
names and titles used in training, but in the impact it has had on Filipino culture. Filipino
martial arts continue to encompass a large range of weapons training and hand-to-hand
combat, enriching the culture of Filipino society. Thus the reference to it being a
“complete” martial art.
FACTS
1. Sticks are an extension of the hands; without the hands, there can be no sticks.
This is worth knowing because people still like to ask, sometimes sarcastically,
“Why do you practice stick fighting — it’s not like you carry sticks everywhere you
go?” It’s good to be able to answer them, and it’s good to be able to remind
yourself when you need to. Although practitioners of many styles do lip service to
 this statement, only practitioners of the Filipino martial arts back it up by doing
the same exact techniques with and without weapons.
2. The Filipino martial arts (kali, escrima, arnis) teach weapons first, after which
come the empty-hand techniques. Although it may seem backward to some martial
artists, most, if not all, FMA hand-to-hand combat techniques originate from the
principles that underlie the historical stick and sword movements.
3. The Filipino martial arts represent the most well-rounded and practical fighting
techniques in the world. How so? They’re well-rounded in that they cover all
distances in which combat takes place: long range (kicking), middle range
(boxing, elbowing, kneeing) and short range (grabbing, poking, biting, grappling).
They’re practical in that they don’t focus on fancy or complicated moves that are
likely to fail under duress. Even the forms (anyo) used by some Filipino systems
are composed of actual fighting moves. Historically, those components were
hidden in a dance (sayaw) for a variety of reasons.

The practicality of the Filipino arts is enhanced by the versatility of the weapons.
At long range, you can use the tip of the stick or sword; at middle range, you can
use the body of the stick or the blade of the sword; and at short range, you can
use the bottom part of the stick (punyo) or handle of the sword.
4. The Filipino martial arts are the only ones that can complement any other
fighting style. They don’t conflict with other styles; they actually strengthen them.
That includes kicking arts, hand-based arts, pure self-defense arts, and grappling
and throwing arts.
5. Stick fighting is suitable — and beneficial — for everyone. For children,
sinawali is appropriate. This form of double-stick fighting strengthens the limbs
and develops hand-eye coordination as well as any sport. Kids also benefit from
the character training that occurs when they learn how to safely handle weapons
that are potentially dangerous. For many, this setting is preferable to the old way
— which is how I learned. When I was young, my grandfather taught me to
handle a live blade while learning how to use it for survival and self-defense. (My
first lesson: how to hand a knife to another person.) The newest release from
combatives authority Kelly McCann and Black Belt is titled Kelly McCann
Combatives 2: Stick & Ground Combat. It’s a streaming-video course you can
watch on your digital device. Click here to watch the trailer and then sign up. For
women, the Filipino arts are perfect because even the smallest hands can hold a
knife and wield it in deadly fashion. With minimal training, a woman will be able to
keep almost any sane attacker at bay. For the insane ones who approach
anyway, they risk getting cut or killed. Don’t believe it? Try this experiment: Give
a woman you know a marker, then attempt to get close to her without getting
inked. It’s not easy to do. Once she’s taught how to discreetly carry and draw the
weapon, your task will be exponentially tougher. Suitably armed, she’ll be able to
truly protect herself, even against multiple attackers. For police officers and
members of the military, the Filipino arts provide an essential set of skills —
namely, those that involve the tactical knife. Our fighting men and women need
real blade skills, both offensive and defensive, and the Filipino arts are among
the few on earth that have been tested in battle.

6. The Filipino martial arts help you connect the dots in your self-defense training
by focusing on versatile concepts rather than a different technique for every
situation. FMA instructors talk about angles of attack rather than specific attacks.
Once you’re able to discern whether an attack is coming from the inside or the
outside and whether it’s from the left or the right, you have the base you need to
deal with it. After that, your training will be about progressions and combinations
involving those basics. If your instructor is good, you won’t ever find yourself
splitting hairs over whether you need to defend against a punch, a grab or a push
delivered from the front because in FMA, they’re treated the same — as a direct
straight attack.

7. Stick fighting is not just about using your weapon. It’s also about using our
opponent’s weapon against him. That phrase is often invoked but seldom does it
manifest in practice.
8. Filipino weapons training encompasses much more than just traditional sticks
and knives. The methods you learn in FMA work with sticks and knives, but in
some locales, people aren’t allowed to carry such defensive implements.
Fortunately, you can apply the skills to pretty much anything — a cane, a
cellphone, a credit card, a toothpick, an umbrella or even a bottle of water.Taking
up the Filipino martial arts can reinvigorate your training, whether you’re a
beginner or a master. It’s the reason they’re so appealing to practitioners of other
arts. Once you have a solid foundation, you can learn many of the moves using
books and DVDs. But don’t forgo master-to-student interaction altogether. The
meaning, principles, importance and history behind the techniques and drills are,
for the most part, hidden. You’ll need a legitimate master to help you interpret
them.
Taking up the Filipino martial arts can reinvigorate your training, whether you’re a
beginner or a master. It’s the reason they’re so appealing to practitioners of other
arts. Once you have a solid foundation, you can learn many of the moves using
books and DVDs. But don’t forgo master-to-student interaction altogether. The
meaning, principles, importance and history behind the techniques and drills are,
for the most part, hidden. You’ll need a legitimate master to help you interpret
them.
10.Although some instructors focus on sport, the Filipino martial arts are a form
of reality-based self-defense and a great example of a complete MMA system.
Don’t get fooled by the stick-fighting tournaments you hear about. The Filipino
arts are multidimensional. As Bruce Lee said in Enter the Dragon, “Do not focus
on the moon or you will miss all the heavenly glory!” Julius Melegrito was Black
Belt’s 2011 Weapons Instructor of the Year. He runs Martial Arts International in
Belleville, Nebraska, and satellite schools in Omaha. He’s the creator of the
Philippine Martial Arts Alliance and Philippine Combatives System. He holds a
seventh-degree black belt in the Filipino arts, along with a fourth degree in
taekwondo, a third degree in combat hapkido and a second degree in tang soo
do.