ARNIS

FILIPINO MARTIAL ART

By:
Elmie V. Cuachon
 Modern Arnis also known as:
Eskrima, Arnis, Kali

Country Origin:
Philippines
Creator:
Remy Presas Sr.
Focus:
Stick Fighting , Hand-to hand Combat
SKILLS THAT ARNIS DEVELOP :
*SELF-DEFENSE
*SELF-DISCIPLINE
*BALANCE
*STAMINA
*SPEED
*POWER
*FLEXIBILITY
 Modern Arnis 
is the system of Filipino martial arts founded by
the late Remy Presas as a self-defense system.
His goal was to create an injury-free training method as
well as an effective self-defense system in order to
preserve the older Arnis systems.

The term Modern Arnis was used by Remy Presas'

younger brother Ernesto Presas to describe his style of
Filipino martial arts.
 since 1999 Ernesto Presas has called
his system Kombatan. It is derived
principally from the traditional Presas
family style of the Bolo (machete) and
the stick-dueling art of 
Balintawak Eskrima, with influences
from other Filipino and Japanese
 martial arts.
 Arnis
is the 
Philippines' national martial art and sport.
after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
 signed the Republic Act. No. 9850
in 2009.
Republic Act. No. 9850 in 2009.
Act mandates the 
Department of Education to include the
sport as a Physical Education course.
Arnis will be included among the priority
sports inPalarong Pambansa (National
Games) beginning 2010.
Modern Arnis uses a ranking system
similar to the Dan ranks used in
Karate or other Japanese systems.

There are some minor variations

between organizations as to the
exact number of belts.
 10 or 11 black belt ranks in Modern Arnis

They are numbered in Tagalog

•Isa (pronounced as i-sah or e-sah; which literally means "one")
•Dalawa (pronounced dah-la-wah; as literally means "two")
•Tatlo (pronounced as tat-loh; literally means "three")
•Apat (pronounced as Ah-pat; literally means "four")
•Lima (pronounced as li-mah;literally means "five")
•Anim (pronounced as ah-neem; literally means "six")
•Pito (pronounced as pi-toh; literally means "seven")
•Walo (pronounced as "wah-loh"; literally means "eight")
•Siyam (pronounced as si-yam; literally means "nine")
•Sampu (pronounced as sam-po; literally means "ten")
•Labing-isa (in some organizations) (pronounced as lah-bing-i-sah; literally means "eleven")
Many groups use a "zero-degree" black belt rank as a
probationary stage that comes before Isa. The actual name of
the ranks is gender-specific.

Lakan -- (Tagalog for nobleman) Rank for men.

 Dayang -- (Tagalog for lady) Rank for women.

Thus, a first degree black belt in Modern Arnis would be

referred to as:
a Lakan Isa or a Dayang Isa, depending on his or her gender.
The "zero-degree" rank, if used, is referred to as
simply Lakan or Dayang.
 In addition to rank, titles such as:
Datu(Commissioner)
 Master of Tapi-Tapi(Senior Master)
Punong Guro
These have occasionally been granted to
certain high-ranking individuals.
The title Guro is typically given to
all Lakans and Dayangs.
 Color of Belt

*The black belt is traditionally bordered

with red;
*some groups use a plain black belt.
WARM-UP
• GENERAL WARM-UP
• Jog for 1 minute.
• Side shuffle (left foot leading) for 20 seconds.
• Side shuffle (right foot leading) for 20 seconds.
• Carioca (left foot leading) for 10 seconds.
• Carioca (right foot leading) for 10 seconds.
• Butt kicks for 10 seconds.
• High knees for 10 seconds.
Knee hug to calf raise Knee hug to calf raise Lunge and twist
   

Toe touch
 FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS
Grip: Proper hold of the stick
Hold the stick one fist away from the punyo
(butt) of the stick. Close the grip with the
thumb.
 

Basic Stance and Salutation

Handa
Feet are positioned shoulder width apart.
Stick is held in front of the body.
 

Pugay
Place the weapon hand across the chest.
Bow by bending at the waist.
 
 

 
KINDS OF STANCES
READY STANCE
Stand with your feet apart parallel
to the shoulder with both toes
pointing forward.   The knees
should be straight, the waist and
the body facing forward.  Hands
are on waist level and the hands
should hold the sticks on both
sides.  The ready stance is
commonly used when standing at
ease during training or
tournaments.
 
 
“Handa”
ATTENTION STANCE

 Stand with your feet forming

a 45 degrees angle.    Heels
should be close to each
other, knees should be
straight, the waist and body
facing forward.  Shoulders
are dropped to the side and
both hands are at waist
level.  The Attention Stance is
commonly used in
preparation for courtesy or
“bowing” at commencement
of sparring.
“Pugay”
Place the weapon hand
across the chest.
Bow by bending at the
waist.
 
FORWARD STANCE
Starting with the ready stance,
move one foot forward until the
knee and the toe are in line to
each other.  Both toes are
pointing in front, the waist and
the body is facing forward.   The
body should not be too low or the
lead foot too extended otherwise
it will be hard to maneuver. 
Distribute the weight or center of
gravity to both legs.  Forward
stances can be right foot lead,
which is the Right Foot Forward
Stance or it can be left foot lead
which is Left Foot Forward
Stance. Forward Stance are
commonly used with frontal
striking or blocking techniques.
Oblique Stance
Oblique stances can
be right foot lead,
which is the Right Foot
Oblique Stance or it
can be left foot lead
which is Left Foot
Oblique Stance. 
Oblique Stances are
commonly used for
forward blocking and
evasion techniques.
 Oblique Stance
Backward Stance
Straddle Stance

Starting with the ready stance,

move one foot about two feet (2’) to
the left or the right direction until
both lower legs are almost
perpendicular to the ground.   Both
toes are pointing in front, the waist
and the body is facing forward.  The
body should not be too low or
extended otherwise it will be hard to
maneuver.  Distribute the weight or
center of gravity to both legs. 
Straddle stance are also called
Horseback Riding Stance since it
mimics position when riding on a
horse back.  Straddle stances are
commonly used for blocking the
strikes to the side of the body.
Handa sa Paglaban/Fighting Stance
One foot in front (foot the same as the weapon hand),
the other foot on the rear
•Keep feet apart, distance of one foot.
•Both knees slightly bent
•Toes facing forward
•Weight evenly distributed on both feet

Forward Stance
Distance of 5 steps between the feet.
•Back leg kept straight, rear foot is held at a
• 45 degree angle.
•Keep the front knee bent.
•Weight is evenly distributed on both feet.

Backward Stance
Distance of 4 steps between the feet.
•Both knees are slightly bent.
•Rear foot held at a 90 degree angle.
•70% of the body weight on the rear foot while
30% is placed on the front foot.
 TWELVE
BASIC Striking
techniques
The Balintawak system of Filipino stick fighting
or Arnis has twelve basic striking techniques
aimed at various points on the human body.
The twelve basic strikes are the one of the first
things taught to beginners in the system and is
usually practiced first at the beginning of most
training sessions as sort of a warm up. The
twelve basic striking techniques.
STRIKING TECHNIQUES
ST1: Left side of
the head attack
•Assume fighting
stance
•Stick held at one o-
clock; slashing action
•Free hand on chest
ST2: Right side of
the head attack
•Assume fighting stance
•Stick held at eleven o’clock;
slashing action
•Free hand on chest
 
 ST3: Left side of the
body (trunk) attack
Extend weapon hand
•Strike any part of the trunk
between the shoulder and hip
joints; slashing action against
the outer part of the trunk

ST4: Right side of the

body (trunk)attack

• Same
as ST3
ST5: Thrust to solar
plexus (stomach) attack

Thrust weapon hand towards the

target point (solar plexus)
•Follow-through with upward
movement

ST6: Left chest

stab
Assume the fighting stance.
•Extend weapon hand
forward, palm facing
outward.
•Keep elbow up.
ST7: Right chest stab

Assume fighting stance

•Scooping action
•Extend weapon hand
forward, palm facing
outward.
•Keep the elbow down.
ST8: Left lower leg
(knee/shin/ankle) strike
Lower the body
•Extend weapon hand to hit any
part of the lower leg between
knee and ankle joint
•Palm upward

ST9: Right lower leg

Lower the body
•Extend weapon hand to hit
any part of the lower leg
between knee and ankle joint
• Palm downward
 ST10: Left eye poke
Assume fighting stance
•Extend weapon hand
forward, palm facing outward
•Elbow down

ST11: Right eye poke

•Assume fighting stance
•Extend weapon hand forward,
palm facing outward
•Elbow up
ST12: Crown attack

•Hack against the top of

the head
 12
11 10
2 1

6 7 12
4
5
3
basic
Strikes
Targets

9 8
Can you perform a cool-down routine
involving static exercise of the lower body
and limbs?

COOL-DOWN: Static Stretching Exercises

•Wrist (fingers down, up, forward)
•Finger stretch •Overhead stretch •Chest stretch
Triceps Cross elbow Zipper
BASIC ARNIS
2012
EEVC0328