NOR-HAYNA H.

YAHYA
incident which Kali was used against foreign invaders. Forty
Arnis (also called Kali or Eskrima) is a generic term for the years after that event, on April of 1564 another warrior
deadly martial arts of the Philippines. It contains both navigator from Spain named Miguel De Legaspi landed in
barehand and weaponary arts - everything that has got to Abuyog Leyte Philippines. He was aware of the unfortunate
do with fighting. The barehand combat include boxing, fate of Magellan so took a non-hostile approach to avoid
wrestling, grappling, pressure points and locks. battle with the native. He befriend the warrior chief Malitik,
Weaponary arts include swords, sticks, staffs, knives, it is at this point he witnessed the deadly fighting skills of
nunchakus, sai and all sorts of "weapons of conveinence" the natives through a demo to entertain them. Afterwards
like the hankerchief, walking stick. Contrary to uninformed he traveled to the nearby island of Sugbo and met another
public opinion, Arnis is not only a stick fighting art. warrior chief named
Unlike other martial arts (eg. Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Tae Tupas, he took a non-hostile approach to again avoid
Kwon Do), Arnis has not been exposed to the West until confrontation. For the second time he witnessed the
recently and thus retained more of its original essence. It formidable fighting techniques of the natives through a
is thus very different from most other systems known to the demo.
West.
Years have passed by Spain was able to colonize the
Arnis places emphasis on using and defending against Archipelago thru the use of religion and what was then
weapons. In the practical world, a knife or machete is regarded as modern weapons such as Muskets and
regarded as a dangerous weapon that is easily obtained cannons. The Spaniards claimed the Archipelago and
and used in conflicts. Therefore, Arnis practitioners named it “Philippines” in honor of the King Philip of Spain.
familarise themselves against knife and machete attacks. This was the start of the dark age of Kali, in the year 1764
Unfortunately, this important aspect is not emphasized in the Spanish overlords banned the practice
other martial arts. of Kali to the natives. Using the alibi that the natives were
wasting time practicing it instead of tilling the fields.
Arnis requires that the whole body moves as a single co- However the natives knew too well that their colonizers
ordinated unit, involving usage of all muscles. Flow of were just afraid that such skills would be used in a
movement is emphasized. Its practice is therefore revolution against them because due to oppression the
excellent for co-ordination. revolutionaries were gaining support from the natives.

Arnis regards the arms/legs as weapons. Therefore, the The natives, hidden from the watchful eyes of their
techniques that are used for swords/sticks/knives are the colonizers, practiced Kali secretly. Due to some cultural
same ones used in empty-hand combat. "Weapons are influence of the Spaniards the term Escrima, Estoque,
just an extension of the arms". Students do not need to Fraile, and Kaliradman were used to regard the native
memorise so many techniques as in other martial arts. fighting system. It was also during these period when the
natives were able to develop the stick fighting techniques
The main weapon of entry when learning Arnis is generally of the art, which was proven to be as versatile as the bladed
the stick or baton. This is very convenient to obtain and weapons technique. Even the Moro-Moro stage play to
carry. The elderly and handicapped will easily adapt their entertain the
walking cane to Arnis. Exercise with a stick is very colonizers was utilized as an excuse to practice the fighting
beneficial to enhance fitness and vitality. system.
Unlike most other martial arts, strength and speed is not
an important factor in Arnis. Thus, it is suitable for ladies, In 1873 the fighting system was renamed “Arnis” derived
the young, and the elderly. from the word Arnes which means colorful trapping on
defensive armors used on the Moro-Moro plays. Some of
The History of Arnis dates back before the colonization of the heroes of the Philippine revolution were also
the Spaniards, during those periods it was called Kali and practitioners of Arnis namely Andres Bonifacio, the spouses
the techniques of the art is focused on bladed weapons Diego and Gabriela Silang, and the young General
fighting. Kali was widely practiced throughout the Gregorio Del Pilar. The National Hero Jose Rizal was also
archipelago; both nobleman and commoners were reported to practice the fighting system. As well as the
enthusiast and practitioners of the said art. Also during founder of Aglipayan Church Rev. Gregorio Aglipay was
those days Kali is being taught in a school like training also recorded as a practitioner of the art.
grounds, which was called Bothoan along with military
tactics, Alibata (Native Alphabet), and herbal medicines. After hundreds of years with Spanish colonization the
Japanese invaders took their place to invade the
On the dawn of April 27, 1521 the Portuguese navigator and Philippines during the World War II, again experts of the
warrior named Ferdinand Magellan was defeated by a native fighting arts were called upon to fight for the country’s
native warrior chief named Lapu-lapu this was the recorded freedom. Kali, Escrima or Arnis whichever term the
NOR-HAYNA H. YAHYA
individual prefer to use was once again employed on the katotohanan, ang ibig sabihin ang mga dayuhang kastila
battlefield. It’s efficiency was put to a test again but this time ang nagturo sa atin ng ARNIS o KALI, ESCRIMA.
against the Japanese invaders.
Ayon sa WEDO maraming pananaliksik at pag-susulat
The Filipinos fought side by side with the Americans. patungkol sa ARNIS, ngunit hanggang ngayon ito'y
Natives with skills in the fighting art signed up to be freedom malaking katanungan sa kanilang kaisipan dahil walang
fighters known as “Guerillas”. It is also these “Guerillas” sapat na katibayan na nag-papatunay dito. Ayon sa
who were usually front liners during the encounter and they pananaliksik ng WEDO ang limang (5) letra na bumubuo sa
were usually sent on a commando mission for salitang ARNIS ay may katotohanang kung iyong
reconnaissance against the Japanese. paniniwalaan. Ang Arnis ay hindi ratan, kahoy, o yantok,
bahi man ito o kamagong. Ang mga ito ay hindi matatawag
After the war ended and peace took it’s path in 1975 then na Arnis.
Major Favian Ver also noted enthusiast and practitioners of
Arnis formed the National Arnis Association of the Ayon sa WEDO ang salitang Arnis ay nagmula sa limang(5)
Philippines (NARAPHIL) with the objective to unite all Arnis unang pamilya ng mga Arnisador at nag-eensayo na gamit
group in the Philippines, but unfortunately according to ang ratan, na ang mga pamilyang ito'y mga tubong Negros
records the Generals effort was futile, some claimed that at Iloilo na kung saan sila'y sumasayaw ng SAULOG tuwing
the association that the General led tends to favor only one may okasyon o pagdiriwang.
group and ignored the request for recognition of the
majority of the existing Arnis clubs. Ayon sa WEDO ang SAULOG kadalasan ay ginagamit ng
mga Arnisador ng pang-gamot sa mga may sakit. Kung
After the Historical EDSA revolution General Favian Ver tawagin sa Panay ay Baylan, sila'y sumasayaw na hawak
was exiled and NARAPHIL as a dominant Arnis grouped ang ratan at umiikot palibot sa may sakit. Ang kaugaliang
ceased, eventually another brotherhood of Arnis was ito ay tradisyon noong unang panahon ng ating mga ninuno
formed by a group of great Masters on Arnis. July of 1986 sa isla ng Panay.
Arnis Philippines (ARPHI) was established with the same
objective as NARAPHIL, at present time the government Ayon sa tamang tuklas ng WEDO, ang ARNIS ay KAMAY.
sanctioned groups NARAPHIL and ARPHI exist together Ang Ratan o anumang bagay na karugtongo hawak ng
with a non-governmental organization PIGSAI, these kamay ay di matatawag na Arnis. Ang bagay na hawak
organizations share a common goal which is to promote, nating mga Arnisador ay tinatawag na Baston o Tungkod.
preserve, propagate, and regain the popularity of Arnis Batay sa ginawang pananaliksik ng WEDO, ang tungkod o
throughout the country because economically even though baston ay ginamit ng propetang si Moises noong unang
the Filipino Martial Arts be it Arnis, Escrima, or Kali earned panahon na ito'y nakasaad sa Biblia sa Lumang Tipan.
its popularity in the different parts of the world. It is less
popular in the Philippines. Its birthplace, probably due to Maliwanag na ang Arnis ay tumutukoy sa kamay nating
strong colonial mentality influence or just plain negligence mga Pilipino. Ang baston o tungkod ay karugtong lamang
of the Filipinos to their Cultural Heritage, but these noble ng ating mga KAMAY o ARNIS. Ang salitang Arnisador ay
groups are striving to ensure that the next generations of tumutukoy naman sa taong may “Kinaadman” o may likas
Filipinos will be able to claim their cultural heritage and once na kaalaman o kakayahan, may hawak man ito ng baston
again have these Filipino Martial Arts as the national o wala, mananatiling Arnisador ang tawag sa kanya.
system of fighting art.
Panahon na upang imulat ang ating kaisipan ayon sa
HISTORY OF ARNIS ACCORDING TO WEDOSCAMAI WEDO. Kung may katanungan ang sinuman ukol sa
nakatuklas nito ay marapat lamang na kayo mismo ang
Ayon sa WEDO maraming dayuhang mananaliksik at sumagot. Tuklasin at pag-aralan ang Arnis na nasa inyo at
Pilipinong manunulat ang tumutuklas kung saan nagsimula nasa ating lahat. Ito'y magsisilbing hamon sa mga nag-
ang salitang ARNIS. May nagsasabing ang Arnis raw ay nanais tuklasin ito.
nagmula sa sa salitang ARNIS na nakasulat sa baluti ng
sundalong kastila. Kung totoo man ito, ibig sabihin hindi STRIKING TECHNIQUES IN ARNIS
nag-simula ang ARNIS sa ating mga Pilipino.
#1 - Left side of the head attack
May nagsasabing ang ARNIS raw ay nagmula sa ating From the fighting stance, the warrior will hold the stick with
magiting na unang bayani na si RAJA LAPU-LAPU at ito ay one hand at 1 o’clock. He will then move the stick in a
nag-simula sa Kampilan na kanyang ginamit na sandata slashing action while keeping the free hand on the chest.
para magapi ang manlalayag na si Ferdinand Magellan This is a diagonal downward forehand swing to the left
noong taong 1500. Ito ay tinatawag ng ilan na KALI, na temple.
nagsimula sa salitang Kalis. Kung ito man ay may
NOR-HAYNA H. YAHYA
#2 - Right side of the head attack the shin or the ankle. This time the palm should face
Like the left temple strike the warrior assumes fighting downward.
stance, this time with the stick held at 11 o’clock and the #10 - Left Eye Poke
free hand kept on the chest. The strike to the right temple A targeted thrust to the eye socket will not just blind your
is then done in a diagonal downward backhand swing. opponent, but will also deliver real damage to the brain.
Using a sharp weapon like a sibat or the right baston can
#3 - Left side of the body or torso end your opponent’s life right there. The practitioner should
In this strike, the practitioner will extend the weapon hand. assume fighting stance then extend the weapon hand
Then he will proceed to strike any part of the trunk located forward with the palm facing outward and the elbow kept
between the shoulder and the hips. The stick will be held in down.
a diagonal forehand slashing swing. This is the way to
deliver the maximum amount of damage. #11 - Right Eye Poke
This thrust is similar to the previous one except that the
#4 - Right side of the body or torso practitioner will have to hold his elbow down.This will allow
Again the practitioner will extend the weapon hand to strike him to hit the eye precisely with the right weapon
any part of the body located on the right side between the penetrating all the way through to the brain.
shoulder and the hips. The weapon of choice will be moved
in a backhand slashing swing. #12 - Strike to the crown/top of head.
This is a straight downward overhead swing directed
#5 - Thrust To The Stomach towards the crown of the head. Hitting the top of the head
This is a strong thrust to the solar plexus or the stomach can immobilize your opponent, deliver damage to the brain
and can cause fatal damage to the vital organs in the and throw him off balance. Using a real sharp or powerful
abdomen. In this strike, the practitioner will thrust the weapon can even shatter the skull bones ending the fight
weapon hand to the target point, which is the solar plexus. to your favor in a matter of seconds.
It is then followed by an upward motion that will cut through
the opponent’s body. BLOCKING TECHNIQUES IN ARNIS

#6 - Left Chest Stab #1 - Blocking an attack to the left side

In this strike, the practitioner will assume the fighting stance Practitioners use this block to stop strikes number 1, 3 and
with the weapon of choice in his hands. The weapon hand 6. This is where Arnis fighters aim to attack the left side of
is then extended to the front with the palm facing outward the body. We can’t really list down all the vital and important
and the elbow kept up. This strike can cause real damage organs and spots on your left side. Your temple, your heart,
to the rib cage. A weapon like a knife, spear or sword will your left arm….need we say more? The damage can be
end your opponent’s life immediately as it punctures the real, even if your opponent is using a peaceful innocent
lungs and the heart. looking stick.

#7 - Right Chest Stab #2 - Blocking an attack to the right side

After assuming fighting stance, the practitioner will practice In this block, the body is turned outward while the right foot
the scooping action. The weapon hand is then extended is pulled back to protect against strikes number 2, 4 and 7.
forward with the palm facing outward. The elbow should be Again, it is very important to keep the elbow close to the
kept up in order to deliver an efficient strike to the right lung body while keeping your left hand behind the cane.
that will puncture it and end your opponent’s life Although, there are very low chances that anybody could
immediately. develop fatal injury during modern Arnis, there would still
be some pain. Also, it makes sense that you will not just
#8 - Left Lower Leg stand there waiting for your opponent to shower you with
A practitioner here will try to deliver a powerful strike to the strikes.
lower leg, targeting the knee, the shin or the ankle. The aim
of the strike is to throw your opponent off balance and #3 - Blocking an attack to the solar plexus or chest
immobilize him. Using the right weapon, you might be able Strike number 5 is a serious one that can cause serious
to break a bone or even cut a limb. The warrior is supposed damage to the fatal organs. Historically speaking, fighters
to lower his body while extending the weapon arm. He used strike 5 to kill their opponents in a glimpse of an eye.
should hold the palm upward and hit any part of the lower By powerfully thrusting the weapon hand towards the chest,
leg. the sword would puncture the abdomen and any vital
organs located in the area. This movement was usually
#9 - Right Lower Leg followed by an upward motion that would cut through the
This strike is just like the previous one. The practitioner will body all the way to the head…sounds scary, right? Today
extend the weapon hand and lower his body to hit the knee, things are so much less violent, but this strike would still
NOR-HAYNA H. YAHYA
cause a lot of pain. In best case scenario, using the stick to
practice strike number 5, can use to internal damage. So Baston (arnis-stick)
the practitioner should use his stick to stop the motion of Batons, or Arnis sticks, is the most basic weapon used in
the other weapon to stop it before it hits where it hurts. The the Arnis. It is made from rattan that doesn’t shred like wood
stick is held vertically to stop the upward motion of the and is by far more durable. The baston is a lightweight safe
weapon. tool that can be used in training or in combat. A warrior can
also choose to fight using two bastons.
#4 - Blocking an attack to the stomach
This block is mainly used to protect the body against a lower Espada y Daga
hit or strike directed towards the stomach. Even using the Daga is knife or dagger. It is mainly used in close range
practicing baton, a very strong strike can lead to internal combat as you need to get too close to hurt your enemy.
bleeding. Since you are mainly practicing modern Arnis to This is a rather difficult weapon to use, since you will have
stay in shape or simple for the love of the ancient Filipino to dodge your opponent’s attacks from a close distance.
arts, protecting your body becomes a necessity. By You can easily use two knives at the same time to inflict
blocking your opponent’s movement, you are simply more harm and to drive more than one opponent away.
stopping the stick from hitting the lower part of your
abdomen, saving you a lot of pain and time spent thinking Balisong (balisong knives)
about quitting Arnis altogether. This is a butterfly knife. This knife has two pieces of handles
that attach together in the middle and fold to close the blade.
#5 - Blocking an attack to the Lower Body It is a serious weapon that requires a lot of practice.
A strong strike to your legs or knees can throw you off
balance. Strikes number 8 and 9 are seriously annoying, Karambit (Karambit - Arnis Techniques)
simply because you will immediately fall under your This is an Indo-Malay claw shaped knife that is held by
opponent’s mercy. Literally speaking, once you fall to the warriors by inserting the finger into a hole at the top of the
ground what would stop your ruthless opponent from handle.
decapitating you, cutting off a limb or standing on your chest?
Don’t worry, it never gets that gruesome on the training Sibat
arena, but if we are talking ancient Arnis then you definitely This is a spear that is held to defend against close range
know that this could happen on any given day. In this block, attacks. It can also be used to attack enemies at a distance
you should use your stick to stop the opponent’s weapon if it is thrown at the right speed and angle.
from reaching your leg or knee. The downward block is
either practiced outward or inward depending on the
direction of the hit and which side of the body your opponent
aims to target.

#6 - Blocking to the attack at the center of the head

In the good old days, the overhead shield block would
protect your skull from being shattered into a thousand
pieces. A strong strike from your opponent’s sword can set
the line between life and death. Don’t start celebrating just
yet. Although no sharp weapons are used in the training
arena, this block is still essential to save your life. Strike
number 12 is a serious one. Your opponent would do it to
throw you off balance and turn the fight to their favor. Using
your stick and the right technique you can stop this from
happening.

WEAPONS USED IN THE ARNIS

There are a lot of traditional weapons that have been used
for a number of years by the Filipino warriors. After some
centuries, the need called for more improvised weapons.
By the time the Spanish came to the Philippines, this art
wasn’t called the Arnis yet. There were a lot of fighting
techniques that were practiced all over the region that were
later combined into one mighty art. Over the years, some
weapons have gained so much popularity that they are
today used by practitioners all over the world.