SELF DEFENSE

WEEK 1
GERALD ABELLA, LPT
 THE BRIEF HISTORY OF ARNIS
A fact emerging martial art in the Philippines today is Eskrima (arnis) a corruption of
karness, the colorful trappings worn by medieval soldiers.
How eskrima came to be is a long story that its roots in the Philippines past which it helps
enriched.
Eskrima was in early Philippines known as kali which historians suspect must have been
derived from tjakalele of Indonesia, a neighboring country south of the Philippines. Tjakalele is a
native Indonesian fencing whose techniques are closely similar to those of eskrima.
When Spain colonized the Philippines, kali was already a standard fighting art of the early
Filipinos. Native rulers like Lapu-Lapu of Mactan was a kali ex- pert, according to Magellan's
chronicler and historian, Pigafetta. Legend had it that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan in al and with a
bladed weapon which kali practitianers used in pre-Spanish Philippines. Along with his bladed
weapon, which natives carried as a part of their habiliment was a short-pointed hardwood stick
hardened by fire treatment.
This stick must have been the forerunner of muton or baston now the standard fighting weapon
in Arnis, Spanish Conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi told of having witnessed a kali
exhibition in Abuyog, Leyte by Malitik, the chief of the island, and his son Kamutunan; In Limasa
wa, Kamiging and in Cebu by the native chief- tains of these islands.
The few who survived told of the masterful art of cane fighting they have ever seen. In
Spain, they have something they call ESCRIMA or fencing.
 When the country was ultimately conquered and Occupied by Spain, their language was
forced upon by the people, and Arnis was known ever since as ESGRIMA.
The Filipinos not used to
certain Spanish sounds sed "K", instead
of "G" and pronounced its ESKRIMA
to this day (used as the title of this
book.) During the Philippine
Revolution, the first known fighting
weapon of Filipino revolt leaders like
Andres Bonifacio was itak which he
used probably with kali fighting
techniques. Other Filipino
revolutionary leaders never actually
used kali in fighting the Spanish
soldiers, but were said to be experts in
this fighting art which they learned in their youth. The greatest Filipino hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, for
instance, studied kali before he left for Europe. Revolutionary generals like Gregorio del Pilar and
Antonio Luna were known all practitioners.
How kali became arnis was an aftermath of an episode in Philippine history when kali was
outlawed by the Spanish authorities as one of the precautionary measures taken to discourage an
enslaved people from rising in revolt against the Spanish rule in the Philippines. Henceforth, kali
was only practiced in secret.
In 1637, however, Spanish friars, who came to the Philippines, introduced the moro-moro,
a socio-religious play dramatizing the victory of Christian Spaniards over the Muslim Moors
apparently as a visual aid in prosecuting the natives to Christianity. The play called for The play
called for the use of a sword or any bladed weapon by characters who played the role of Spanish
soldiers, These soldiers were colorful trappings called arnes which the early Filipino’s cleverly
used as the new name of kali whose technique were again practiced in the guise of using them in
the moro-moro plays. From then on kali became arnes literally immortalized as arnis in Balagtas
Tagalog epic Florante at Laura in these lines. . larong buno't arnis (underscoring supplied) na
kinakitaan ng kani-kaniyang& liksi't karunungan."
Eskrima or Arnis today is popularly played with the Use of cane, it being less lethal than
the bladed weapon like itak or broadsword. The cane is assumed to be the extension of the hand
so that arnis is also called in Spanish arnis de mano or eskrima. Among the Tagalog Provinces,
arnis is known as estocada or arnis de mano; Ibanag's is to the pagkalikali; kalirongan to Pangasi-
nense: Kinaadman to the Visayans (Eskrima or garote to the cebuanos) and baston to the people
of Panay and Negros Occidental; and Sinawali to the Pampangeños
 As a fighting art, arnis has three forms of
play. They are the espada y daga (sword and
dagger) or the long wooden sword and the short
wooden dagger; the solo baston (single stick) in
which a single long muton or baston (wooden stick
or rattan cane) hardened by drying or heating is
used; and the sinawali, so called because the
intricate movements of two muton used in- variably
resemble the sawali, a native material for house
walling made of bamboo splits, wooven in criss-
aeross fashion.
In teaching arnis, three traditional training methods were used by the early Filipinos. These
were the (1) muestrasion or pandalag, an artistic execution of the swinging movements and strokes
for offensive and defensive pur pose in repetitive drills; (2) sangga at patama or sombra tabak,
technique in striking, thrusting, and parrying in & pre-arranged manner; and (3) larga muton or
labanang totohanan where two trainees engage in a free practice, trying to outmaneuver each other
with all their skills.

Filipino Martial Arts

Filipino martial arts are a combination of eastern and western martial arts. Arnis, Eskrima & Kali,
for the most part, is the same martial art. Arnis is Spanish for “armor of the hands”, Eskrima is
Spanish for “fencing” and Kali is a Filipino term used mainly by the southern islands to refer to
this form of martial art. It is not unusual to find different instructors teaching techniques that vary
from each other some but for the most part, they are all referring to the same fighting style. This
style of fighting is known for its use of weaponry and defensive mechanisms. Considered by most
to be the greatest weapon and hand techniques of combat fighting.
 Why Arnis Eskrima is The Philippines’ National Sport and Martial Arts
Arnis Eskrima is a sport and indigenous martial art of the Filipinos, which is characterized
by the application of twirling and swinging movements, along with parrying, thrusting and striking
methods for offence and defense.

Single stick drills at medium range.

The martial art is also known as Eskrima, Garrote, Kali and many other names in different regional
languages like Pananandata in Tagalog; Kalirongan and Kabaraon in Pangasinan; Didja
Pagkalikali in Ibanag; in Ilokano; and Kaliradman in Bisaya.
Strike Fast and Powerful Like an Eskrima Grandmaster!
5 Notable Arnis Grandmasters (from the Philippines) teach the secrets to fast and powerful
striking.
The techniques in Arnis martial arts is often performed with the use of sticks or any similar tools,
or with the bare hands and feet, which are used for striking, blocking, grappling and locking, where
the practitioner uses the same principle as that when he or she uses the sticks.
In 2009, Arnis eskrima was declared as the National Martial Art and Sport of the
Philippines through Republic Act 9850. The republic act states that the official adoption of Filipino
Arnis as the Philippines’ national martial art and sport circulated by inscribing the Escrima
Arnis symbol in the official Philippine Sports Commission seal and by making it the first
competition played by participants on the very first day of the Palarong Pambansa each year.
The provisions of this republic act are implemented by the Philippine Sports Commission,
being the lead agency.
Culture and traditions
Also known as Eskrima, Garrote, Kali, and many other names in various Filipino
dialects, Arnis Filipino Martial Arts and numerous other Filipino martial arts have had a huge
Spanish influence. In the art, you can see the original warrior philosophy has persisted through the
years and remains in the art’s fringes. Although death matches in Arnis Martial Art were banned
in 1945, they still happen in private today.
The declaration of Eskrima Arnis as the Philippines’ national sport has organised a clear
martial culture. This started to develop a story of the cultural heritage of the Filipinos that is
internationally grasped, like post-cultural revolution China has contributed with Wushu as well as
Japan did in 1603-1868 (Edo period).
How Arnis Martial Arts works
Like any other martial art, Kali Eskrima Arnis in mainly defensive. It encompasses empty-
hand fights, disarming and grappling techniques. But the fighting style of Arnis Eskrima also trains
with sticks and bladed weapons, aside from improvised weapons. An Eskrimador uses a baton-
like stick as the main melee tool, which is used in official Arnis competitions as well.
 In general, Arnis Kali takes one of its two forms: the performance-based “Anyo” or the
combative “Laban.” The anyo competitions are judged based on the performances’ overall
choreography. These include the force, strength and gracefulness employed.

Eskrima master demonstrates locking techniques using the stick.

However, the laban form examines the agility and reactions of the participants, as
competitions are judged according to the number of inflicted strikes. The majority of laban
competitions do not include body contact, like grappling, disarming and blocking strikes with the
feet or hands, but there are exemptions where full body contact is allowed.
Arnis Eskrima in pop culture: Hollywood
On screen, close-quartered, quick-paced combat scenes look incredible, and no martial art
style involves more fight speed than that of Arnis Filipino – it’s not a surprise why it’s quite
popular with Hollywood filmmakers. The 2002 film, Bourne Identity, features jeet kune do and
kali combination of combat style when Jason Bourne faces Jarda.
Jason Statham and Vin Diesel also engaged in a fight scene involving Eskrima, where they
used metal wrenches and pipes rather than sticks in Furious 7.
In Kick-Ass, teenager Dave Lizewski played by Aaron Johnson fights crime with Filipino
Martial Arts Arnis canes while Hit-Girl uses balisong knives. In Taken, Liam Neeson utilises a
combination of Arnis, silat, and wing chun to rescue his child from the bad guys. In Quantum of
Solace, Daniel Craig subdues a knife-wielding killer using FMA.
How to play Arnis Eskrima Kali
The players could participate in two kinds of Arnis Escrima Kali sports: the labanan and
the anyo. Each division has different scoring systems, regulations and rules depending on who
organises the competition. In anyo, the participants would execute sequences of movements using
two sticks.
The executions will be judged according to the anyo’s execution as well as the creativity
of the whole choreography. The participant should have gracefulness combined with strength and
force to execute these forms right. In labanan, the players need to hit the different body parts of
their opponent with a single stick.

Sports arnis practitioners in tournament.

Unlike other combat sports, Kali Arnis Ecrima doesn’t often require body contact between
the two players beside the sticks they’re holding. Any attack using the feet or hands is a foul. The
scores will be judged according to the strikes every player could deliver. Quick thinking and agility
combine are needed to achieve a high score in this competition.
However, some competitions allow full contact between players. Competitors could
grapple, disarm, and block their opponents. But some competitions permit full contact among
players. The participants could disarm, grapple, and block the opponents.
The history of Arnis Defense is still quite debated. Because the Philippines is composed of
7000 islands, Arnis may have flourished in one region or another. And because of this fact, there
are now more than one school of FMA and numerous variations of the art.
The Arnis Philippines stated that there is a need to combine the different techniques, forms,
rules, and styles of the sport. Strong leadership ought to be implemented to stop Arnis from
slipping into nothing.
Filipinos and Arnis Eskrima Sports
Arnis athletes and practitioners from all over the country now celebrate Arnis as the
national sport as it received that recognition it highly deserved. Finally, Pinoys have a sport that
they can identify with.
 The various organisations like the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), National Arnis Association
of the Philippines (NARAPHIL), Arnis Philippines (ARPI), and KAMAO encourage Filipinos to
learn or at least understand the art.

Arnis Eskrima Grandmasters judging a competition.

In 2010, Pointsource Films – independent production house – produced a documentary
film entitled “Eskrimadors: A Filipino Martial Arts Documentary,” featuring various Filipino
Arnisadors such as Grand Masters, Dionisio “Dinoy” Cañete, Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete, as well
as Undo Caburnay.
The film also aims to boost the awareness and knowledge about Arnis and to recognise
further the contribution of these people to the martial art and sport.
However, Arnis isn’t appreciated in the Philippines.
The martial art came into the spotlight when Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto promoted it back
in the 1970s.
Organizations like the Rapid Arnis International, IKAEF (International Kali Arnis Eskrima
Federation), IMAF (International Modern Arnis Federation), and many others currently help
promote Arnis in many other countries.
A breeding ground for Arnis Eskrima Practitioners
Upon the implementation of the republic act, many schools have required to include Arnis
in their curriculum. Through the management of the DEAAP (Department of Education Arnis
Association of the Philippines), students from grade school to high school are lucky to learn and
practice Arnis.
According to Al Pelgone, National President of DEAAP, the inclusion of Arnis in
numerous school curriculums is crucial because it would help young Filipinos to appreciate Arnis
as our national sport. This would serve as a medium for young kids who wanted to be Arnis players
in the future.
Young Arnis practitioners could look up to Arnis Grand Masters like Remy A. Presas, who was
dubbed as the person behind modern arnis, as well as Federico T. Lazo, who established
the Luzviminda Arnis Kali fighting system. Both people help preserve and improve Arnis as we
know it today.