HISTORY OF ARNIS

Arnis, the most systematic and the best known fighting art in the Philippines is a
reflection of the Filipino people's history, their philosophy, and their culture. Arnis
boasts a long historical development from the Kali systems. Kali (Silat) comes from
the word kalis, which implies a blade, is the oldest form of weaponry in the
Phillipines and is the mother to escrima. The naturally graceful, harmoniously
circular movements used in the Filipino martial arts are characteristic of the
methods found in other Asian countries.

In order to better understand the dynamics of the unique Filipino martial arts, it is
to take a brief look at the historical roots of the culturally and racially diversified
society of the Philippines. The Philippine islands has an area of 115,707 square
miles. It consists of more than 7,000 islands, only 154 of which have an area
exceeding five square miles. Most of the population is concentrated on eleven
islands exceeding 1,000 square miles each, in three major areas: Luzon, the
Visayan islands, and Mindanao.

Historians and anthropologists have postulated that during prehistoric times,

various groups of people migrated from the Asian mainland in search of food and
game and eventually settled in the Philippines. They came from Indonesia and
central Asia and possibly as far away as India, Persia, and Egypt. In addition to the
bow and arrow, these various groups were expert fighters with the long knife,
which has since assumed many forms, daggers, swords, and spears. Other
subsequent migrations brought with them other bladed weapons.

In the fifth century, one of the earliest Asian empires, the Sri-Vishayan Empire (a
famous Hindu-Malayan empire of Sumatra), conquered and colonized many lands,
which included the Philippines. The impact of this empire on the Filipino culture
was extensive. Besides being skilled warriors, seamen, and farmers, they
introduced new laws, a written alphabet, a new religion, a calendar, etc. This
merging of the cultures produced the Visayan people of the central Philippines.

It was also around the twelth century that another great empire formed in Java,
called the Majapit Empire. They took over the Sri-Vishayan Empire and were
instrumental in spreading the Muslim religion in the Philippines. They settled most
heavily in the Southern Philippines, in Mindanao, and became known as the Moro
(Muslim) Filipinos. They were fiercely independent proud and today, they still exist
as a distinct culture.

It was the early in the sixteenth century when Spain invaded the Philippines.
Ferdinand Magellan was the first famous foreigner to encounter the Filipino
"Baston". To Spain and the old world, Magellan was a discoverer of new land. To the
Filipinos he was just another invader, a pirate who sought to enslave people as part
of Spanish conquest. Magellan was killed by Datu Lapu-Lapu on the island of
Mactan, in what is now the province of Cebu. There Lapu Lapu battled Spain's
finest steel armed with fire-hardened rattan sticks with points and homemade
lances and won. This encounter was the beginning of a 400 year struggle.
Magellan's men sailed home without him, but the Spaniards returned again with
more and more firepower, reinforcements, and the Christian religion. Though, the
Filipinos fought hard, modifying their fighting systems to mimic the Spanish's
sword and dagger method (Espara Y Daga), they were no match for the Spanish's
firepower.

After the Spanairds took control of the Philipines, the martial arts were outlawed by
the ruling government. In order to preserve their art, the the Filipinos practice in
secret under the light of a full moon. Often times the art would appear in dances
being performed openly for the Spaniards. The Spaniards were never able to
conquer the fierce mountain people called Moros.

Today, there are probably hundreds of styles of Filipino martial arts. They are all
related but have been stylized by the tribes which used them. Nevertheless, they
can be divided into three main groups:

Northern Style - Arnis

Central Style - Arnis de Mano

Southern Style - Kali.

The various styles have one thing in common that makes them unique in the world
of martial arts. The principals of combat of Arnis are based on a pattern of angles
that all attacks fall into, regardless of style, regardless of weapon. It is not
suprising that the elusive "bastons" of the Filipinos were effective and difficult to
deal with, because of its elliptical and constant motion and varying angles of
attack and countless reversals.

Phases or stages of training

Solo Baston - Single stick
Doble Baston - Double stick
Espada Y Daga - Sword and knife
Daga Y Daga - Knife to Knife
Mano y Mano - Hand to Hand
Sikaran (Sipa) - Kick counter Kick
Sibat

Changing the Fighting vocabulary

From: Defense To: Counter-offense
From: Block To: Recounter
From: Stance To: Footwork
From: Self-Defense To: Combat
From: Dogmatism To: Realism
From: Rigidity To: Fluidity
From: Frontal assault To: Guerilla warfare

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

The game is played by using prescribed padded stick in delivering artistic and legal
blows, strikes, thrusts, and disarming the opponent to gain scores.

COMPETITION AREA
Shall refer to the area by which the conduct of the competition shall be set or held
including the free zone around it.

Dimensions
The playing area is a square measuring 8.0 meters by 8.0 meters with a two (2)
meters minimum free zone around it, and a clear space without any obstruction up
to a height of not less than 5 meters from the playing surface.

Lines of the Playing Area

All lines of the playing surface are 5.08 cm. (2 inches) and must be of different
color from that of the floor and other lines previously drawn for other purposes.

Boundary Lines
Four lines mark the boundary of the playing area. The free zone distance
measuring 2.0 meters are drawn outside of the playing area.

Match Lines
Two lines of 1.0 meter long and 2.0 meters apart mark the horizontal match line.
The horizontal match lines are drawn 3 meters from the boundary lines that run
perpendicularly to the official's table, and 3.5 meters from the boundary line that
run parallel to the official's table.

Weapon
The padded stick shall be the official weapon of the player. The specifications of
which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard. No other similar material
will be allowed to be used in any local, national or international competitions.
Each padded stick shall be properly foam-cushioned and shall have a maximum
grip diameter of not more than 3.81 cm. (1 1/2 inch) and length of 76.20 cm (30
inches for men and women). The length of padded stick shall be 27 inches for boys
and girls. Both padded stick shall be color-coded, one red and the other blue.

Head Protector
Refers to a pair of protective head gear to include an impact-worthy face mask, the
specifications of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard. Both
headgears must be color-coded, one red and the other blue, to match the padded
stick of the player.

Body Protector
Refers to a pair of protective body protector, properly cushioned, the specifications
of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard.
Male and female player must both wear body protector and groin protector. Body
protectors and groin protectors specifications shall be in accordance with the i-
ARNIS standard. Both body protectors and groin protectors shall be color coded to
match the color of the player.

Forearm and shin guards are compulsory. The specifications shall be in

accordance with i-ARNIS standard. Both shin & forearms guards must be color
coded to match the color of the player.

Scoreboards
A pair of scoreboards, either manually or electronically operated, the specifications
of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standards.
Two score boards per contest area shall be placed at diagonally opposite corners
outside the playing area, inside the competition area within the free zone, right
where the judges are positioned.

Flags
Two sets of red and blue flags, the size of which is 30 cm by 25 cm, are used by the
judges in declaring decisions or asking for consultations.
One yellow flag, size 30 cm by 25 cm. for timer's use to signal the start and the
end of each round and to declare a time-out and resumption of the game.

Other Equipment
Stopwatch is use to keep the two-minutes per round. This excludes interruptions
such as injury, changing of broken padded stick. A gong and mallet or other similar
audible substitutes such as whistle, bell or buzzer shall be provided for the Timer
to indicate the start and end of the round.
A table shall be provided for the Timer and Recorder which shall be situated one
(1) meter in front of the playing area so that time signals are audible enough to
both players and referee.

RULES & REGULATIONS

The match is categorize by weight or by age

Each match is a best of 3 rounds
 You need 5 points to win a round
A player can win by disarming the opponent twice
A player can win if the opponent commits 3 fouls
In case of a tie.The referee will choose the winner.

HISTORY OF ARNIS

The origins of arnis are difficult to trace, primarily because there are nearly as many styles
of Filipino stick fighting as there are islands in the Philippine archipelagomore than
7000!
The races that settled in these islands came from India, Southwest Asia, China and
Indonesia. These diverse races and cultures blended their heritage's over the centuries,
producing a common method for employing sharp swords, daggers and fire-hardened
sticks in combat. These highly sophisticated fighting styles have grown in popularity in
the international martial arts community. One of the earliest known forms was called
tjakelele (Indonesian fencing). Kali is another term familiar to stick fighters around the
world today. When the Philippines were invaded by the Spanish, the invaders required
guns to subdue their fierce opponents. The deadly fighting skills of Filipino warriors nearly
overwhelmed them, and they dubbed the native stick style escrima (skirmish).
Escrima was subsequently outlawed, but the techniques did not disappear. The were
preserved in secret, sometimes under the very noses of conquerors, in the form of dances
or mock battles staged in religious plays know as moro-moro. These plays featured
Filipinos, sometimes costumed as Spanish soldiers, wearing arnes, the harness worn
during medieval times for armor. The blade-fighting forms and footwork were identical to
those used in escrima. The word arnes so became corrupted to arnis, and the name
stuck.
Historically, Arnis incorporated three related methods: espada y daga (sword and
dagger), which employs a long blade and short dagger; solo baston (single stick); and
sinawali (to weave), which uses two sticks of equal length twirled in weaving fashion
for blocking and striking (term is derived from sawali, the bamboo matting woven in the
Philippines).
At age six, Grandmaster Remy Amador Presas (Filipino arnis master and founder of
modern arnis) was already learning the fundamentals of kali, the forerunner of modern
arnis, arnis de mano. In Cebu, Presas studied arnis under Rodolfo Moncal, Timoteo
Marranga and Marrangas instructor, Grandmaster Venancio Bacon, all experts in Arnis and
the Balintawak style of stick fencing. In addition to Arnis, Presas became proficient in
Judo, Jujutsu, and Karate. When Presas first traveled his country, he took what he
considered to be the most effective principles of each island style and combined them with
his own knowledge of other martial arts.
Modern Arnis, as Presas terms his system, incorporates empty-hand moves based
upon the same motions used in solo baston and sinawali. Unlike kali, his systems also
uses low kicks and takedowns for a more well-rounded approach. Presas also insists on
modernizing a particular training aspect traditional in arnis: that of hitting your opponents
hand or arm instead of his sticka painful practice that was tolerated because the rattan
canes used in arnis were considered sacred. Presas decided that hitting the stick was just
as good a practice method and would obviously discourage far fewer students of arnis,
preventing many painful injuries.
Presas does not merely combine techniques, he encourages the individual student to
adapt arnis principles to his own feel for each technique. The method should suit the
person and not the other way around. This is known simply as using the flow. The flow
is Presas universal term for defining the comfortable place where the movements of arnis
and the individual human body meet for maximum effectiveness; body and weapon blend
to achieve the most natural fighting style based on an individuals needs and attitudes.
Arnis makes many martial artists discover new things about their own style, Presas
says. They recognize the beauty of arnis because it blends naturally the best movements
from many arts. Most of my students continue to study their own stylesthey just use
arnis to supplement their understanding. Presas left the Philippines in 1975 on a goodwill
tour sponsored by the Philippine government to spread arnis to other countries. He
arrived in the United States, conducting seminars to groups diverse as law enforcement
agencies and senior citizens.
The Professor, as his students affectionately call him, has been welcomed wherever
he goes, demonstrating the daring techniques of the bolo and the bewitching twirl of
double rattan sticksthe sinawali. In 1982 Presas was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of
Fame as Instructor of the Year for his devotion to teach the art he loves. Years of
refinement have given Presas a personal style that makes his seminars among the most
popular at many martial arts schools
For his seminars, Presas has furthered simplified some of his teaching in order to give
novices a tangible amount of self-defense skill through specific drills. Sinawali, for
instance, is practiced first with the hands in a patty cake fashion, then the sticks are
picked up and the student repeats the motions. Presas demonstrated how these weaving
motions can be translated into empty-hand movements for blocking, punching and
takedowns. He has designated 12 important angles of attack on the human body and 12
basic ways of dealing with each angle. There are also many disarming techniques and the
variations and improvisational capabilities implied are endless.
Arnis is a growing art, expanding in this country rapidly. Arnis tends to transcend
stylistic distinctions and discovery seems to be a primary benefit from the study of modern
arnis, especially under the methods of Grandmaster Remy Presas.

EQUIPMENTS

Shall mean the materials and accessories that are used in the conduct of the competition,
all of which shall conform to the standards set and approved by i-ARNIS ONLY.

Weapon
The padded stick shall be the official weapon of the player. the specifications of which shall
be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard. No other similar material will be allowed to be
used in any local, national or international competitions.

Each padded stick shall be properly foam-cushioned and shall have a maximum grip
diameter of not more than 3.81 cm. (1 1/2 inch) and length of 76.20 cm (30 inches for
men and women). The length of padded stick shall be cm (27 inches for boys and girls).

Head Protector

Refers to a pair of protective head gear to include an impact-worthy face mask, the
specifications of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard.

Both headgears must be color-coded, one red and the other blue, to match the padded
stick of the player.

Body Protector

Refers to a pair of protective body protector, properly cushioned , the specifications of

which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard.

Male and female player must both wear body protector and groin protector. Body
protectors and groin protectors specifications shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS
standard. Both body protectors and groin protectors shall be color coded to match the
color of the player.

Forearm and shin guards are compulsory. The specifications shall be in accordance with i-
ARNIS standard. Both shin & forearms guards must be color coded to match the color of
the player.

Scoreboards

-A pair of scoreboards, either manually or electronically operated, the specifications of

which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standards.

Two score boards per contest area shall be placed at diagonally opposite corners outside
the playing area, inside the competition area within the free zone, right where the judges
are positioned.

Flags

Two sets of red and blue flags, the size of which is 30 cm by 25 cm, are used by the judges
in declaring decisions or asking for consultations. i-ARNIS / 18 DIAGRAM 3 THE
SCOREBOARD ELECTRONIC OPERATED SCOREBOARD DIAGRAM 4 THE FLAGS FOR THE
JUDGES FOR THE TIMER YELLOW i-ARNIS / 19

One yellow flag, size 30 cm by 25 cm. for timers use to signal the start and the end of
each round and to declare a time-out and resumption of the game.

Other Equipment
Stopwatch is use to keep the two-minutes per round. This excludes interruptions such as
injury, changing of broken padded stick. A gong and mallet or other similar audible
substitutes such as whistle, bell or buzzer shall be provided for the Timer to indicate the
start and end of the round.

A table shall be provided for the Timer and Recorder which shall be situated one (1) meter
in front of the playing area so that time signals are audible enough to both players and
referee.

FACILITIES

COMPETITION AREA

Shall refer to the area by which the conduct of the competition shall be set or held
including the free zone around it.

Dimensions

The playing area is a square measuring 10 meters by 10 meters with a 2-meters minimum
free zone around it, and a clear space without any obstruction up to a height of not less
than 5 meters from the playing surface.

Lines of the Playing Area

All lines of the playing surface are 5.08 cm. (2 inches) and must be of a different color
from that of the floor and other lines previously drawn for other purposes.

Boundary Lines

Four lines mark the boundary of the playing area. The free zone distance measuring 2.0
meters are drawn outside of the playing area .

Entry Lines

The entry line is the farthest boundary line parallel to the judges.

Playing Surface

The surface must be flat and smooth and must not be elevated from the ground.

The playing surface must be clean and free f r o m foreign objects that may endanger or
cause injury to the players. it is prohibited to hold any competition on a rough, slippery or
soiled surface. Any other surface must have the approval of i-ARNIS. i-ARNIS

Temperature

The minimum temperature for an outdoor competition shall not be below 25 degrees
Celsius (77 Fahrenheit). For the indoor competition, the temperature shall not be higher
than 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit) and lower than 16 degrees Celsius (61
Fahrenheit).

Lighting
Lighting apparatus is located above the free space, It must not cause any reflection to the
surface and must not affect the vision of the performer/s.

Entrance of Players

Before the game starts, players must enter thru the entry lines. RULE 2.0 EQUIPMENT
Shall mean the materials and

SCORING

A score shall mean a strike or thrust with a padded stick using one hand only,
delivered to a specific body point and is counted upon confirmation by the two (2)
or at least one (1) of the judges, simultaneously recorded on the scoreboard.
A legitimate strike is given a point if it is delivered to a specific body point in correct
form, that is with power, right timing, with art, distance and intent.
Simultaneous Strike - When the two players deliver strike simultaneously , it will not
be given a point.
Spontaneous strike is allowed, but the judges can only give maximum three (3)
points per encounter.
A thrust to body points C and E (abdominal area and leg area) is a point, provided
that the requirements for a legitimate thrust, which are with power, right timing,
with art, distance (at least one arm length) and intent are met.
A disarming execution is awarded a point rule.
Follow-up strike after a legitimate disarming is given a point.
A score is recorded on the scoreboard by the judges.