Eskrima

Eskrima

An escrima teacher wielding rattan sticks

Eskrima
Also known as Kali
Arnis
Stick fighting
Focus
Knife fighting
Hardness full contact to non contact, Kata
Country of origin Philippines
Olympic sport No

Eskrima, Arnis and Kali refer to a class of Filipino martial arts that emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks,
blades and improvised weapons. Although training starts with weapons, empty hand techniques, trapping and limb
destruction are also core parts of these arts as the weapon is considered merely an extension of the body. Eskrima
and Arnis are the most common among the many names often used in the Philippines today to refer to these arts.

The teaching of the basic skills in Eskrima are traditionally simplified. With limited time to teach intricate moves,
only techniques that were proven effective in battle and could easily be taught en masse were used. This allowed
villagers, generally not professional soldiers, a measure of protection against other villages, as well as foreign
invaders. This philosophy of simplicity is still used today and is the underlying base of escrima. Because of this
approach, escrima and the Filipino martial arts in general are often mistakenly considered to be "simple". However,
this refers only to its systematization, not effectiveness. To the contrary, beyond the basic skills lies a very complex
structure and a refined skillset that takes years to master.[1]

For the purpose of simplification, Eskrima shall be used to refer to the interchangeable terms of Arnis and Kali for
the rest of the article.

Contents
[hide]
 1 Etymology of Name
 2 Origins
 3 Modern history
o 3.1 Duels
 4 Sport
o 4.1 WEKAF
o 4.2 ARPHI
o 4.3 Others
 5 Sticks
 6 Weapons
o 6.1 Impact weapons
 o 6.2 Edged weapons
o 6.3 Flexible weapons
 7 Technical aspects
o 7.1 Ranges
o 7.2 Strikes
o 7.3 Drills
o 7.4 The Live Hand
 8 Cross-training
 9 Notable Styles
o 9.1 Practiced in the Philippines
o 9.2 International Systems
 10 Eskrima in popular culture
o 10.1 Film
o 10.2 Television
o 10.3 Video games
o 10.4 Other
 11 See also
 12 Footnotes
 13 References

 14 External links

Etymology of Name
For all intents and purposes, Eskrima , arnis and kali all refer to the same family of Filipino weapon-based martial
arts. In Luzon they may go by the name of arnis, arnis de mano, sinawali, pagkalikali, panandata (usage of
weapons), didya, kabaroan (blade usage) and kaliradman. In the Visayas and Mindanao, these martial arts have
also been referred to as kali, kalirongan. Kuntaw and silat are separate martial arts that have also been practiced in
the islands.

Eskrima is a Filipinization of the Spanish word for fencing (esgrima).[2][3]

Arnis comes from arnes, Old Spanish for armor (harness is also an archaic English term for armor which comes
from the same roots as the Spanish term). It is derived from the armor costumes used in Moro-moro (Moor versus
Christian) stage plays where actors fought mock battles using wooden swords. The practice of weaponry by the
peasants or Indios was banned by the Spaniards during colonial times and the Moro-moro stick fights disguised as
mere entertainment was one of the methods they were able to practice their art right under the Spaniards' noses.[4]
Arnis was also hidden as quaint folk dances like with the Sakuting stick dances in Luzon.[5] These methods of
hiding the arts are probably how Arnis evolved into distinct and complex stick fighting systems in the Luzon and
Visayas areas which had been disarmed by the Spaniards.

The word Kali, although primarily used in the United States and Europe, is seldom used in the Visayas and in
some cases is an unknown word to eskrima practitioners. The term is used mostly in Mindanao, but due to the
popularity of the term outside of the Philippines and the influence of foreign practitioners the term has now been
accepted as a synonym for escrima and arnis. In their Cebu Escrima Myth distributed by Lex libris, Dr. Ned
Nepangue and Tinni Macahor contend that the word did not exist until the 1960s when two well-known
eskrimadors in the United States popularized it to distinguish what they taught from other styles. One belief is that
the word comes from tjakalele,[6] a tribal style of stick-fencing from Indonesia. This is supported by the similarities
between tjakalele and eskrima techniques, as well as Mindanao's proximity to Indonesia. Numerous alternative
theories attempt to explain the term's origin:

 It could have come from the Baybayin word kalepo or kalibo ("kali sports" or panlarong kali). This
suggests that Kalibo's name may have originated from the word "kali" because there are many escrima
schools in Kalibo today.[citation needed]
 Kali may be a portmanteau of the Cebuano words "ka"mot, or "ka"may meaning hand or body, and "li"hok,
meaning motion.[7]
 It might be traced back to the word for scales (kaliskis) because Cebuano warriors from the 8th and 9th
centuries wore scale armour before bronze and copper armour were introduced in the 10th century.[citation
needed]

 There exist numerous similar terms of reference for martial arts such as kalirongan, kaliradman and
pagkalikali. These may be the origin of the term kali or they may have evolved from it.[6]
Practitioners of the arts are called eskrimador for those who call their art Escrima, arnisador for those who call
theirs Arnis and kalista or mangangali for those who practice Kali.

Origins
As eskrima is an art for the common folk, most practitioners lacked the scholarly education to create any kind of
written record. While the same can be said of many martial arts, this is especially true for eskrima because almost
all of its history is anecdotal, oral or promotional. The origin of eskrima can be traced back to the fighting systems
used by Filipinos during inter-tribal warfare. Settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago brought
the influence of silat as well as Chinese and Indian martial arts.[8][9] Some of the population still practices localised
Chinese fighting methods known as kuntaw.

Among the earliest written records of Filipino martial arts comes from the Spanish conquistadors who fought
native tribesmen armed with sticks and knives.[10] Driven back to their ships, the European colonists had to resort to
fire-arms to defeat the Filipinos.[10] In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan was killed in Cebu at the Battle of Mactan by the
forces of Raja Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan tribal chief. Although eskrimadors hold that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan in a
sword-fight, the only eyewitness account of the battle by chronicler Antonio Pigafetta tells that he was stabbed in
the face and the arm with spears and overwhelmed with multiple warriors who hacked and stabbed at him:

The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and
again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he
always stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus did we fight for more than one hour,
refusing to retire farther. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face, but the latter immediately
killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out
but halfway, because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all
hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a
scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon
him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and
our true guide. When they wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats.
Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats, which were already
pulling off.[11]

The last part from Pigafetta's account is rather comical considering the amount of mortal injuries Magellan
received, so it is generally accepted that the account was made with some coloring and embelishments by Pigafetta
to make Magellan sound more impressive.

Sources differ on the degree to which Eskrima was affected by the Spanish colonization. The fact that many
Eskrima techniques have Spanish names also adds fuel to the debate, but this can be explained as Spanish was the
lingua franca of the Philippines until the early 20th century. Some theorize that there were groups of conquistadors
and Jesuit warrior-priests who taught the Indios how to defend themselves against Moro raiders. Saint Ignatius of
Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order was a veteran knight and soldier and many Jesuits knew how to defend
themselves as they were generally dispatched into the most dangerous areas by the Pope. One of the apparent
influences from Spanish styles is the espada y daga (sword and dagger) method, but some disagree as Filipino
espada y daga appears to be distinct from European rapier and dagger techniques[12] -- the stances are different as
weapons used in Eskrima are typically shorter than European swords.

One thing that is known is that some of the arts were hidden from the Spaniards and passed down through familial
or communal ties, usually practiced under the moonlight or right under the Spaniards noses by disguising them as
entertainment like with choreographed dances such as the Sakuting stick dance (see Youtube videos) or during
mock battles at Moro-moro (Moros y Cristianos) stage plays. Due to the way the arts were then clandestinely
practiced, one apparent effect of Spanish subjugation and disarmament of the civilian population was the evolution
of unique and complex stick-based techniques in the Visayas and Luzon regions (unlike Southern Mindanao which
retains almost exclusively blade-oriented techniques as it was never fully conquered and disarmed by the Spaniards
and Americans).

Although the turbulent and conflict-fraught history and environment of the Philippines enabled eskrima to develop
into an efficient art, this has changed in the sense that some systematization allowed easier and quicker teaching of
the basics. With the exception of a few older and more established systems, it was previously common to pass the
art from generation to generation in an informal approach. This has made attempts to trace the lineage of a
practitioner difficult. For example, Antonio Illustrisimo seemed to have learned to fight while sailing around the
Philippines, while his nephew and student Floro Villabrille claimed to have been taught by a blind Moro princess
in the mountains - a claim later refuted by the older Illustrisimo. Both have since died.
Modern history
The Philippines has what is known as a blade culture. Local folk in the Philippines are much more likely to carry
knives than guns. They are commonly carried as tools by farmers, used by street vendors to prepare coconuts,
pineapples, other fruits and meats, and balisongs are cheap to procure in the streets as well as being easily
concealed. Thus, they are much more used when tempers rise than by people in North America or Europe. In fact,
in the language of Palau, the term for Filipino is chad ra oles which literally means "people of the knife" because
of Filipinos' reputation for carrying knives and using them in fights.[13] As a result, blade fighting is still very much
a living skill in the Philippines, particularly in rural areas.

Americans were first exposed to eskrima during the Philippine-American War in events such as the Balangiga
Massacre where most of an American company was hacked to death or seriously injured by bolo-wielding guerillas
in Balangiga, Samar or in battles in Mindanao where an American serviceman was decapitated by a Moro warrior
even after he emptied his entire clip of .38 caliber bullets into his opponent. The U.S. Marines sent to fight in the
Philippines were also issued leather collars to prevent said decapitations (the origin of the term Leatherneck). That
and similar events led to the request and development of the .45 ACP which had more stopping power.

With regards to its spread outside the Philippines, the teaching of eskrima was kept strictly within the Filipino
community until the late 1960s when it was brought to the US by masters such as Angel Cabales. Even then,
instructors teaching eskrima in the 1960s and 70s were often reprimanded by their elders for publicly teaching a
part of their culture that had been preserved through secrecy.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in eskrima for its usefulness when defending against knives. As a
result, many systems of eskrima have been modified in varying degrees to make them more marketable to a
worldwide audience. Usually this involves increased emphasis on locking, controls, and disarms, focusing mainly
on aspects of self-defense. However, most styles follow the philosophy that the best defense is a good offense
rather than relying only on defense. Modern training methods tend to de-emphasize careful footwork and low
stances, stressing the learning of techniques as opposed to more direct (and often lethal) tactics designed to
instantly end an encounter.

Today it is taught to the Filipino military as well as American groups like Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces,
Delta Force as well as the Russian Spetsnaz (special forces).[14]

Duels

One of the most important practices in classical eskrima was dueling, without any form of protection. The matches
were preceded by cock-fighting and could be held in any open space, sometimes in a specially constructed
enclosure. Eskrimadors believe this tradition pre-dates the colonial period, pointing to similar practices of
kickboxing matches in mainland Indochina as evidence. Spanish records tell of such duelling areas where cock-
fights took place. The founders of most of the popular eskrima systems were famous duelists and legends circulate
about how many opponents they killed. In rural areas throughout the Philippines today, modern eskrima matches
are still held in dueling arenas. In bigger cities, recreations of duels are sometimes held at parks by local eskrima
training-halls. These demonstrations are not choreographed beforehand but neither are they full-contact
competitions.

In modern times, public dueling has been deemed illegal in the Philippines to reduce legal problems that arose
from injury or death.

Sport
After decades of lobbying and overdue recognition, Arnis/Eskrima/Kali was proclaimed as the official National
Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines in January 2010.

There are 2 main types of Eskrima practiced as a sport. The oldest and most common system used internationally is
that of the WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation). The younger one which is promoted by the Philippine
Sports Commission and the government is the Arnis Philippines (ARPHI) system and was used during the 2005
Southeast Asian Games.

WEKAF

The WEKAF system works on a 10-point must system similar to boxing where participants spar with live sticks
while wearing a long padded vest with skirt and sleeves and a helmet similar to Kendo headgear. Hitting below the
belt is prohbited. This format has sometimes been criticized because it emphasizes a heavy offense at the expense
of defensive techniques sometimes with players raining blows on each other without defending, giving rise to the
impression that combatants are merely hitting each other in a disorganized way. This is, to some, an antithesis to
traditional training methods, where training in footwork and arm/weapon movements are intricate and precise and
any part of an opponent's body is fair game. As a consequence, WEKAF tournaments may be seen as not
promoting the original art. Moreover, participants have been known to suffer broken bones and injured tendons due
to the fact that live sticks are used, so the older system is considered to be more hardcore and less safe. Another
complaint about the WEKAF system is that it uses the 10-point must system which is more subjective depending
on who is judging. Favoritism among judges and players is a common complaint with this scoring system due to its
subjectivity.

Since the WEKAF system is more risky, it is preferred by many practitioners who want to test themselves. The
WEKAF system is the most widely used format internationally.

ARPHI

The Arnis Philippines system uses foam-padded sticks about an inch in diameter with thin rattan cores roughly a
centimeter in diameter. These sticks are meant to break before serious injury occurs. For protection, the same
headgear used in the WEKAF system, and a large groin guard is required for males. Vests (optional for men,
required for women), optional armguards, shinguards and leg wraps are also used. Scoring is more similar to
fencing were fighters are separated after solid clean hits are made (observed by multiple judges stationed at
different positions to be able to observe if the hits were clean and unblocked and able to determine the strength of
the strike by the loudness of the impact). Alternative ways to score are to disarm one's opponent or to force him to
step outside the ring.

The entire body from head to toe is fair game as targets, except for the back of the head which is less protected by
the headgear. Stabs to the face are not allowed because the thin rattan core may penetrate the padding and slip
through the grills of the headgear and go into the player's eye. Thrusts to the body also score points but are harder
to sell to judges because they make less noise and it is harder to determine the magnitude of their impact.

Punches, throws and kicks and throws are not allowed as are prolonged clinching to prevent the opponent from
striking (similar to Western Boxing) in order to keep the game moving and more interesting for the audience who
may not appreciate the fine and practical aspects of grappling. Disarms must be performed quickly and cleanly in
order to be counted. Because the legs are legal targets, in lighter weight divisions, complex evasion and deep
lunges where players lie horizontal with the torso almost touching the floor to extend reach are often seen.

The emphasis of the ARPHI system is on safety for the players as it is applying to become a recognized Olympic
sport similar to other martial arts like Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, Boxing, and Fencing.

Even though padded sticks are used in the sport, players regularly retain large bruises that last for weeks and
sometimes minor injuries to joints and because of the sheer amount of force generated by conditioned practitioners.
Sometimes the stuffing also commonly comes off from the harder hitting players and one cause of injury is when a
player is struck by the exposed rattan core. Still, these are relatively minor as compared to injuries sustained when
practitioners spar with live sticks.

One major problem with the ARPHI system is that because the padded sticks with light rattan cores are used, they
tend to flex and "lag", thus making the experience significantly different from using a live stick and in that sense,
lessens the "realism" of this system. This is acceptable though as again, emphasis is on the safety of the players.

Like the sayaw (meaning dance) in the WEKAF system, the ARPHI system also has a separate single and team
choreographed Kata-like division called Año (Tagalog for forms). Aside from the visual appeal, practical
combative applications must also be clearly seen so as to avoid looking like just majorettes in marching bands who
just twirl batons and dance (a concept similar to the Floreio ("flowery") aspect in the Brazilian martial art Capoeira
and Tricking which are more for show than practicality).

Others

In another variation that simulates knife fights, competitors use false blades edged with lipstick to mark where an
opponent has been struck. These matches are considered more similar to traditional duels than the WEKAF point-
system.

Sticks
A pair of rattan sticks

The most basic and common weapon in eskrima is the baston (Spanish for "stick) or yantok. They are typically
constructed from rattan, an inexpensive stem from a type of Southeast Asian vine. Hard and durable yet
lightweight, it shreds only under the worst abuse and will not splinter as easily like other woods do - thus making it
a safe training tool. This aspect also makes it useful in defending against blades. Kamagong (ironwood or ebony)
and bahi (heart of the palm) are also sometimes used after being charred and hardened. These hardwoods are
generally not used for sparring, however, as they are dense enough to cause serious injury, but traditional sparring
does not include weapon to body contact. The participants are skilled enough to parry and counterstrike, showing
respect in not intentionally hitting the training partner. In North America and Europe, eskrima practitioners wear
head and hand protection while sparring with rattan sticks, or otherwise use padded batons. Some modern schools
use sticks made out of aluminium or other metals, or modern high-impact plastics.

Weapons
Eskrima students start their instruction by learning to fight with weapons, and only advance to empty-hand training
once the stick and knife techniques have been sufficiently mastered. This is in contrast to most other well-known
Asian martial arts but it is justified by the principle that bare-handed moves are acquired naturally through the
same exercises as the weapon techniques, making muscle memory an important aspect of the teaching and the
obvious fact that an armed person who is trained has the advantage over a trained unarmed person and to condition
students to fight against armed assailants. Most systems of eskrima apply a single set of techniques for the stick,
knife and empty hands, a concept sometimes referred to as motion grouping. Since the weapon is seen as simply an
extension of the body, the same angles and footwork are used either with or without a weapon. The reason for this
is probably historical, because tribal warriors went into battle armed and only resorted to bare-handed fighting after
losing their weapons.

Many systems begin training with two weapons, either a pair of sticks or a stick and a wooden knife. These styles
emphasise keeping both hands full and never moving them in the same direction and trains practitioners to become
ambidextrous. For example, one stick may strike the head while the other hits the arm. Such training develops the
ability to use both limbs independently, a skill which is valuable even when working with one weapon.

A core concept and distinct feature of Filipino martial arts is the Live Hand. Even when as a practitioner wields
only one weapon, the extra hand is used to control, trap or disarm an opponent's weapon and to aid in blocking,
joint locking and manipulation of the opponent or other simultaneous motions such as biceps destruction with the
live hand.

Impact weapons

 Yantok: stick ranging from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches long. Also called olisi, baston or garrote.
 Largo mano yantok: longer stick ranging from twenty-eight to thirty-six inches
 Dulo y dulo: short stick about four to seven inches in length, held in the palm of the hand
 Bankaw: six-foot pole. Staves can also be used to practice sword techniques
 Wooden dagger measuring 12 to 14 inches (300 to 360 mm)
 Panangga: shield
 Improvised weapons like pens, car keys (using the push knife grip), cellular phones, flashlights, coffee
mugs, umbrellas, rolled-up magazines & newspapers, books, tennis rackets, bottles, chair legs, etc.

Edged weapons

 Daga/Cuchillo: daggers or knives of different shapes and sizes

  Balisong: fan knife or butterfly knife from Barrio Balisong in Batangas province. The handle is two-piece
and attaches to a swivel that folds to enclose the blade when shut.
 Karambit: claw-shaped Indo-Malay blade held by inserting the finger into a hole at the top of the handle.
 Bolo: a common farm tool similar to a machete
 Pinuti: a type of bolo from Cebu
 Sundang: a sword created by the Bugis people of Indonesia. Its blade is usually wavy.
 Barang: flat-headed blade
 Binikoko: long blade named after a porgy fish
 Dinahong palay: blade named after a type of poisonous snake
 Kalis: Indo-Malay dagger, often given a wavy blade. Also known as a kris, it is most commonly used in the
southern provinces
 Kampilan: fork-tipped sword, popular in the southern Philippines
 Sibat: spear
 Improvised: Icepicks, box cutters, screwdrivers, broken bottles

Flexible weapons

 Sarong: a length of fabric wrapped around the waist

 Ecut: handkerchief
 Tabak-toyok: chained sticks, also known as nunchaku
 Whip consisting of a handle between 8 and 12 inches (200 and 300 mm), and a lash composed of a braided
thong 3–20 ft (0.91–6.1 m) long. The "fall" at the end of the lash is a single piece of leather 10–30 inches
(250–760 mm) in length.[15]
 Improvised: Belt, bandana, handkerchiefs, shirts, towels with hard soap bars, ropes, power cables, etc.

Technical aspects
Ranges
Most systems recognize that the technical nature of combat changes drastically as the distance between opponents
changes, and generally classify the ranges into at least three categories. Each range has its characteristic techniques
and footwork. Of course, some systems place more emphasis on certain ranges than others, but almost all
recognize that being able to work in and control any range is essential. The Balintawak style for example, uses
long-distance, medium-range and short-range fighting techniques, but focuses more on the short range.

In order to control the range, and for numerous other purposes, good footwork is essential. Most eskrima systems
explain their footwork in terms of triangles: normally when moving in any direction two feet occupy two corners
of the triangle and the step is to the third corner such that no leg crosses the other at any time. The shape and size
of the triangle must be adapted to the particular situation. The style of footwork and the standing position vary
greatly from school to school and from practitioner to practitioner. For a very traditional school, very conscious of
battlefield necessities, stances will usually be very low, often with one knee on the ground, and footwork will be
complex, involving many careful cross-steps to allow practitioners to cope with multiple opponents. The Villabrille
and San Miguel styles are usually taught in this way. Systems that have been adapted to duels or sporting matches
generally employ simpler footwork, focusing on a single opponent. North American schools tend to use much
more upright stances, as this puts less stress on the legs, but there are some exceptions.

Strikes

Many Filipino systems focus on defending against and/or reacting to angles of attack rather than particular strikes.
The theory behind this is that virtually all types of hand-to-hand attacks (barehanded or with a weapon) will hit or
reach a combatant via these angles of attack and it is reasoned that it is more efficient to learn to defend against
different angles of attack rather than learning to defend against particular styles, particular techniques or particular
weapons. For instance, the technique for defending against an attack angle that comes overhead from the right is
very similar whether the attacker uses barefists, a knife, a sword or a spear.

Older styles gave each angle a name, but more recent systems tend to simply number them. Many systems have
twelve standard angles, though some have as few as 5, and others as many as 72. Although the exact angles, the
order in which they are numbered (numerado), and the manner in which they're executed vary from system to
system, most are based upon Filipino cosmology. These standard angles are used to describe exercises; to aid
memorization, a standard series of strikes from these angles called an abecedario (Spanish for "alphabet") is often
practiced. These are beginner strikes or the "ABC's" of eskrima.
Some angles of attack and some strikes have characteristic names.

 San Miguel is a forehand strike with the right hand, moving from the striker's right shoulder toward their
left hip. It is named after Saint Michael or the Archangel Michael, who is often depicted holding a sword at
this angle. This is the most natural strike for most untrained people. It is also commonly referred to as
"angle #1," in systems where striking angles are numbered for training purposes, because it is presumed to
be the most probable angle of attack.
 Sinawali is the signature double-stick weaving movement associated with Arnis and Eskrima named after
the woven coconut or palm leaves called sawali that comprise the walls of nipa hut dwellings. It is
commonly seen in double-stick continuous attack-parry partner demonstrations.
 Another signature technique is the Redonda which is a continuous circular downward-striking double-stick
twirling technique.
 A redondo (Spanish for "round") is a strike that whips in a circle to return to its point of origin. This is
especially useful when using sticks rather than swords, such a strike allows extremely fast strikes but needs
constant practice.
 An abanico (from the Spanish for "fan") is a strike executed by whipping the stick around the wrist in a
fanning motion. Not very forceful and not well suited to swords, this strike can be very quick and arrive
from an unexpected angle.
 Hakbang (Filipino for "step") is a general term for footwork. For example, hakbang paiwas is pivoting
footwork, while hakbang tatsulok is triangle stepping.
 Puño (Spanish for "fist") is a strike delivered with the butt of the weapon. It usually targets a nerve point or
other soft spot on the opponent but in skilled hands, the puño can be used to shatter bones.

It is to be noted that many of the Eskrima techniques have Spanish names because Spanish was the lingua franca
spoken during colonial times among the natives who spoke over 170 different languages in the archipelago's
7,100+ islands.

Eskrima techniques are generally based on the assumption that both the student and their opponent are very highly
trained and well prepared. For this reason, eskrima tends to favor extreme caution, always considering the
possibility of a failed technique or an unexpected knife. On the other hand, the practitioner is assumed to be able to
strike very precisely and quickly. The general principle is that an opponent's ability to attack should be destroyed
rather than trying to hurt them to convince them to stop. Thus many strikes are aimed at the hands and arms,
hoping to break the hand holding the weapon or cut the nerves or tendons controlling it (the concept of defanging
the snake). Strikes to the eyes and legs are also important. A popular mnemonic states that "stick seeks bone, blade
seeks flesh".

Drills

Several classes of exercises, such as sumbrada, contrada, sinawali, hubud-lubud and sequidas, initially presented
to the public as a set of organized drills by the Inosanto school, are expressly designed to allow partners to move
quickly and experiment with variations while remaining safe. For example, in a sumbrada drill taken from the
Villabrille style, one partner feeds an attack, which the other counters, flowing into a counterattack, which is then
countered, flowing into a counterattack, and so on. The hubud-lubud or hubad-lubad from Doce Pares is frequently
used as a type of "generator" drill, where one is forced to act and think fast. Initially, students learn a specific series
of attacks, counters, and counter-attacks. As they advance they can add minor variations, change the footwork, or
switch to completely different attacks; eventually the exercise becomes almost completely free-form. Palakat, from
the Balintawak style, are un-choreographed and random defensive and offensive moves. Palakat in Cebuano means
a walk-through or rehearsing the different strike angles and defenses. It may also be known as corridas or striking
without any order or pattern. Disarms, take-downs, and other techniques usually break the flow of such a drill, but
they are usually initiated from such a sequence of movements in order to force the student to adapt to a variety of
situations. A common practice is to begin a drill with each student armed with two weapons; once the drill is
flowing, if a student sees an opportunity to disarm their opponent, they will, but the drill will continue until both
students are empty-handed. Some drills use only a single weapon per pair, and the partners take turns disarming
each other. Seguidas drills, taken from the San Miguel system, are sets of hitting and movement patterns usually
involving stick and dagger.

Rhythm, while an essential part of eskrima drills, is given more emphasis in the United States and Europe where a
regular beat serves a guide for students to follow. To ensure the safety of the participants, most drills are done at a
constant pace which is increased as the students progress. The rhythm, together with the southern Filipino attire of
a vest and sashed pants, is commonly mistaken to be some sort of tradition when practicing eskrima in the
Philippines - perhaps incorrectly derived from traditional rhythm-based dances or an attempt to add a sense of
ethnicity. Eskrima is usually practiced in the Philippines without a rhythm, off-beat or out of rhythm. Although the
art existed long before the European colonisation, it has been named after Spanish fencing (escrima). Filipino
eskrimadors typically train in their everyday clothes. The more affluent and modernized city practitioners and
foreigners practice while wearing either their studio uniform, an altered form of the Japanese gi or 3/4 length pants.
However, the diversity of Filipino martial arts means that there is no officially established standard uniform in
eskrima.

The Live Hand

The live hand is the opposite hand of the practitioner that does not contain the main weapon. The heavy usage of
the live hand is an important concept and distinguishing hallmark of Eskrima. Even (or especially) when empty,
the live hand can be used as a companion weapon by Eskrima practitioners. As opposed to most weapon systems
like fencing where the off-hand is hidden and not used to prevent it from being hit, Eskrima actively uses the live
hand for trapping, locking, supporting weapon blocks, checking, disarming, striking and controlling the opponent.

The usage of the live hand is one of the most evident examples of how Eskrima's method of starting with weapons
training leads to effective empty hand techniques. Because of Doble Baston (double weapons) or Espada y Daga
(sword and parrying dagger) ambidextrous weapon muscle memory conditioning, Eskrima practitioners find it
easy to use the off-hand actively once they transition from using it with a weapon to an empty hand.

Cross-training
The Chinese and Malay communities of the Philippines have practiced Eskrima together with Kuntaw and Silat for
centuries, so much so that many North Americans mistakenly believe silat to have originated in the Philippines.

Some of the modern styles, particularly Doce Pares and Modern Arnis also contain elements of Japanese martial
arts such as Judo and Karate as some of the founders were blackbelters in these systems. Eskrima is also
complementary with Aikido because of the rounded nature of the conditioning and body mechanics when twirling
or swinging sticks.

In Western countries, it is common for Eskrima to be practiced in conjunction with other martial arts, particularly
Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do or Silat. As a result, there is some confusion between styles, systems and lineage
because some people cross-train without giving due credit to the founders or principles of their arts. For example,
American Kenpo cross-training traces back to the interactions between Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants
in territorial/pre-statehood Hawaii, and to a lesser extent in other parts of the United States. Another one is the
cross-training between Eskrima and Wing Chun or Jeet Kune Do which dates back to Bruce Lee's close
collaboration with Dan Inosanto (the weapons aspect of Jeet Kune Do comes primarily from Eskrima and Bruce
Lee considered it as the martial art which had the closest philosophy to JKD).

Proponents of such training say the arts are very similar in many aspects and complement each other well. It has
also become marketable to offer Eskrima classes in other traditional Asian martial arts studios in America but some
practitioners of other Eskrima styles often dismiss these lessons as debased versions of original training methods.

Notable Styles
Practiced in the Philippines
(arranged by family/lineage)

 Doce Pares Escrima - Originally encompassed 12 styles and was founded by the Saavedra and Cañete
families in 1932. There are now several Doce Pares groups headed by various members of the Cañete
family.
 Eskrido - Founded by Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete, the last living founder and the highest ranking master of
Doce Pares Escrima
 San Miguel Eskrima - As one of the founders (together with the famous Doring and Ensong Saavedra) of
the Labangon Fencing Club in 1920 and later the Doce Pares Club in 1932, Filemon "Momoy" Cañete
created the blade based San Miguel Eskrima as his personal expression of the Doce Pares art and
methodology.
 Mig-Sune-Do Escrima De San Miguel founded by Alberto D. Dacayana Sr, senior student of Momoy
Cañete
 Dacayana Eskrima System - Founded by Alberto Dacayana Jr from the Dalmacio style of his mother's side
and the Mig-Sune-Do style of his father.
 Balintawak Eskrima - Founded in 1952 by Venancio "Anciong" Bacon after internal dispute amongst some
of the original founders of the original Doce Pares club.
 Villasin Balintawak - founded by Atty. Jose Villasin, one of Bacon's senior students
 International Balintawak - founded by Bobby Taboada, one of Bacon's senior students
 Liborio Heyrosa Eskrima De Cuerdas - founded by Liborio "Tiboring" Heyrosa, student of Anciong Bacon
and "Ingko Nene" Rosales
 Nickel Stick Eskrima - founded by Nick Elizar, student of Anciong Bacon and the other senior Balintawak
pioneers
 Tabimina Balintawak - founded by Bob Silver Tabimina, one of Anciong Bacon's last major students and
inheritor of Bacon's style that was modified by his stay in prison before his death
 Black Eagle Eskrima - founded by World War II guerilla fighter Carlos Navarro based on the Escrima de
Llave of his grandfather, the Escrima de Avinico of his father and other Cebuano systems.
 Tres Personas Eskrima de Combate Super Kuwentada System Founded by Police Maj. Timoteo "Timor"
Maranga Sr., a fearless World War II guerilla fighter and member of the legendary Bolo Battalion. The
system which is currently known as Eskrima Maranga System is characterized by its lightning speed strikes
and disarming. Combate Eskrima Maranga (CEM) continues to advance with the founder's son Rodrigo
Maranga.
 Modern Arnis - Founded by Remy Presas which has its roots in the Presas family and Balintawak system. It
is revolutionary for having pioneered a system that made teaching of Arnis easier for students as old-school
systems were often very painful for the student, thus making it hard to attract students and keep the arts
alive.
 Kombatan - founded by Ernesto Presas, brother of Remy Presas.
 Hinigaran Arnis de Mano - founded by Remy and Ernie Presas's youngest brother, Roberto Presas
 Arnis Cruzada - Founded by Jeremias de la Cruz based on his family system from Pampanga and Modern
Arnis. De la Cruz is the highest ranking Grand Master in the Modern Arnis system alive today.[16]
 Dagooc Style - founded by Rodel Dagooc, and based on Modern Arnis. Dagooc is the 2nd highest ranking
Grand Master in the Modern Arnis system alive today.[16] Dagooc crafts his own sticks and they are highly
sought after by practitioners.
 Otsotiros Baston Arnis System - founded by Pepito Robas, one of Remy Presas's senior-most associates
 Abaniko Tres Puntas - developed by Mateo D. Estolloso from Antique in the 1930s, inherited by Rene
Tongson, one of the senior-most Modern Arnis practitioners.
 Lightning Scientific Arnis (LSAI)- Tercia Cerrada Cadenilla y Espada y Daga style founded by Benjamin
Luna Lema in 1937.
 Eskrima Labaniego - founded by Bert Labaniego who was one of Ben Lema's senior associates
 Kali Arnis International - founded by Vicente Sanchez, a master of Cinco Teros from his hometown of
Pangasinan, Modern Arnis and Lightning Scientific Arnis. Sanchez is the 3rd highest ranking Grand Master
in Modern Arnis system alive today.[16]
 Pekiti Tirsia Kali - Founded by Conrado Tortal and carried on by Leo Tortal Gaje, inheritor of the family
system of the Tortal clan. The name means "to cut into pieces at close range", although it includes
techniques for all ranges. One of the most recognized blade-oriented systems. It is the system used by the
Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion.
 Dekiti Tirsia Siradas - by Jerson "Nene" Tortal Sr, also of the Tortal clan and related to Pekiti Tirsia.
 Kali De Leon - founded by Jun de Leon from his grandfather's style and many grandmasters in the
Philippines.
 Kalis Ilustrisimo - Founded by Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo; important as the ancestor of many current
Eskrima systems.
 Bakbakan International - Founded by Antonio Diego, Rey Galang, Christopher Ricketts, senior students of
Tatang Ilustrisimo
 Bahad Zu'Bu - Founded by Epifanio Yuli Romo, influenced by his own family style and Kali Ilustrisimo.
He is Tatang Ilustrisimo's second senior-most student.
 Sayoc Kali Philippines - After years of extensive propagation of the Filipino Martial Arts in States,
Grandmaster Baltazar "Bo" Sayoc returned to the Philippines to promote the art in his native homeland.
 De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal (De Campo 1-2-3) - founded by Jose Caballero
 Lameco Eskrima - Founded by Edgar Sulite. The name comes from the three ranges of the system, Largo
(Spanish for "long"), Medio ("medium"), and Corto ("short"). It is a composite of many systems with heavy
influence from De Campo 1-2-3 and Kali Illustrisimo.
 Dizon style Eskrima - practiced by Felicisimo Dizon Sr. and carried on by his son Felicisimo Dizon Jr.
 Doblete Rapillon - founded by Jose Mena
 Cabales Serrada Eskrima - founded by Angel Cabales.
 Lapunti Arnis de Abanico - founded by the Caburnay family.[17]
 Arnis De Cadena (Pronus Supinus) - founded by Chinese-Filipino Johnny Chiuten which brought many
infusions from his original background as an expert Chinese martial artist.
  Tapado - a style created by Romeo "Nono" Mamar that differs from other Eskrima styles in that in
concentrates on long sticks (45-47 inches)
 Arkado Arnis - founded by Vhir Tubera
 Paclibar Bicol Arnis (Sais Tiradas System) - founded by Jaime Paclibar
 Moro-moro Orabes Heneral - founded by Master Alejandro "Andy" Abrian (November 3, 1936 - April 18,
2010)
 Rapido Realismo Kali - Founded by Henry Espera from Kali Ilustrisimo, Abrian's Orabes Heneral Eskrima
and Automatic Arnis
 Garimot Arnis - Led by Gat Puno Abon "Garimot" Baet.
 Siete Pares Escrima - Founded by Sozing Labor and Bert Labitan
 Koridas - Mixed Martial Arts- founded by Pedro "Toldong" Hernando

[edit] International Systems

 Lacoste-Inosanto Kali - developed by Dan Inosanto from various other styles; he does not call it a system
in its own right, but rather a blend of systems from John Lacoste and many grandmasters listed here.
 Villabrille-Largusa Kali - founded by Floro Villarbille and Ben Largusa
 Bahala Na Giron Arnis Escrima - founded by Leo M. Giron
 Inayan Eskrima - Developed by Suro Mike Inay from various other styles
 Sudlud Eskrima - A popular system of Eskrima founded by Ray Terry
 Kali Sikaran - Founded by Jeff Espinous and Johan Skålberg, two of the leading FMA representatives in
Europe. It's a fast growing blend of systems with clubs in numerous countries.
 Kali Majapahit - Founded by Guro Fred Evrard, the Kali Majapahit system has its roots in Kali Sikaran,
Inayan Eskrima, Pencak Silat and Hakka Kuntao.
 Vee Arnis Jitsu - founded by Florendo "Professor Vee" Visitacion
 Arnis De Leon - founded by Anding De Leon, based on Modern Arnis
 Natural Spirit International - founded by Kelly Worden, based on Modern Arnis
 Rapid arnis - Founded in 1993 by Pat O'Malley and John Harvey who are recognised as two of Europe's
leading authorities on the Filipino martial arts. A fast, aggressive system which is a combination of other
styles.
 Latigo y Daga - Whip and dagger method founded by Tom Meadows.
 Dog Brothers - a group notorious for their Gatherings which feature full-contact stick fighting and minimal
protection.
 Latosa Escrima - founded by GM Rene Latosa, and taught alongside Wing Tsun in the IWTO schools and
their offshoots worldwide.[18]
 Sayoc Kali - founded by Grandmaster Baltazar "Bo" Sayoc, the system promotes the "all blade, all the
time" methodology of Filipino Martial Arts. The family system is now led by Pamana Tuhon Christopher
Sayoc.

Eskrima in popular culture

Film

 The Bladed Hand: The Global Impact of Filipino Martial Arts is an upcoming 2010 documentary film by
Jay Ignacio and Sonny Sison which features interviews from many of the prominent Filipino grandmasters
around the world and in the Philippines who are alive today. It is also unprecedented as they were able to
obtain permission to document Eskrima systems which have held long bitter rivalries with each other,
something which would not have been possible a decade ago.
 In the 2010 movie Repo Men, Forest Whitaker (a long time Kali student under Dan Inosanto) and Jude Law
used Kali for the vicious fight scenes with Jeff Imada as fight choreographer.
 In the 2010 movie The Book of Eli, the title character, played by Denzel Washington, uses a stylized Bolo
blade in self defense. Washington trained for months in Kali fighting styles in preparation for the role under
Dan Inosanto and his senior student Jeff Imada.[19]
 In the 2010 movie Kick-Ass, the title character, played by Aaron Johnson, used eskrima sticks to fight
criminals and Hit-Girl played by Chloë Grace Moretz used the signature Filipino balisong knives.
 Eskrimadors is a landmark 2009 Filipino Martial Arts documentary film by Kerwin Go which features the
real-life legendary grandmasters and interviews from Doce Pares, Balintawak Eskrima and other major
schools from the Cebu area. It is of particular significance because it is the first documentary film on FMA
that was made by a Filipino.
 In the 2009 live-action movie Ben 10: Alien Swarm, Elena uses eskrima sticks to fight a group of mindless
people controlled by The Queen.
  In the 2009 movie Ninja Assassin, Kali was used in the dual weapon choreography. Jonathan Eusebio was
co-fight choreographer
 In the 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, actor Daniel Craig used Filipino martial arts to subdue
a knife-wielding assassin. 2nd-unit director Dan Bradley worked with the same team from the Bourne
series of movies for the fight choreography.[20]
 In the 2008 movie Big Stan, the title character, played by Rob Schneider, fights prison inmates with rattan
sticks and his last opponent was Dan Inosanto.
 In the 2008 movie Punisher: War Zone, Ray Stevenson (Punisher) practiced eskrima as part of his stick-
fighting and knife-fighting training.
 In the 2002 movie The Bourne Identity and its 2004 and 2007 sequels, The Bourne Supremacy and The
Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon used Kali for the fight scenes.[21][22] The primary fight choreographer was
Jeff Imada assisted by Damon Caro and Jonathan Eusebio, all students of Dan Inosanto. The first film's
director Doug Liman stated that Kali's principles of minimal effort influenced their development of
Bourne's character.
 In the popularly-referenced 2007 movie 300, Kali/Eskrima/Arnis was used as the base for the blade and
shield choreography.[23] FMA's signature heavy use of the off-hand can be seen in the offensive use of the
shield. The fight choreographer, Damon Caro is a senior student of Dan Inosanto.
 In the Chronicles of Riddick series, Riddick (Vin Diesel) employs a more aggressive variation of eskrima.
Paul Rapovski of Kali de Leon was the fight choreographer.
 In the 2006 movie Mission: Impossible III, Tom Cruise and Keri Russel's characters were shown training
with rattan sticks.
 In the 2006 movie The Sensei, Diana Lee Inosanto's character teaches a young boy eskrima.
 Wesley Snipes used Eskrima in 2004's Blade: Trinity. Fight coordinator Chuck Jeffries is a Kali expert
(under Dan Inosanto) and Snipes learned from Jeff Ward who was fight choreographer in the first 2 movies.
 In the 2004 movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Milla Jovovich's character was trained by Ron Balicki to use
eskrima to finish off several opponents with expandable batons. Ron Balicki (a senior JKD/Kali instructor
under Dan Inosanto) and his wife Diana Lee Inosanto were the fight choreographers.
 In the 2004 movie, The Prodigy, fight/stunt coordinator Ron Balicki stylized all the fights in the movie
using eskrima techniques.
 Mano Mano 3: Arnis the Lost Art is a 2004 film starring Ronnie Rickets, the brother of Christopher Rickets
who is a founder of the Bakbakan International style
 The 2003 movie The Hunted starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro showcased Filipino knife
fighting which was choreographed by Tom Kier and Rafael Kayanan from Sayoc Kali.[24]
 The 2002 sequel movie Blade II features Eskrima once again. Aside from Donnie Yen's amazing
choreography, Kali instructor Jeff Ward also returned as fight coordinator and Wesley Snipes studied under
him.
 In the 2002 movie Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, Lucy Liu's character uses eskrima to fend off her opponents
with a pair of sticks.
 In the 2002 movie Equilibrium the commentary reveals that eskrima is used in the fight between John
Preston and Brandt.
 Eskrima is the weapon style used in the choreography of the popular 1998 comic-book film Blade. Fight
choreographer Jeff Ward is a Pekiti Tirsia instructor and stunt coordinators Jeff Imada plus Chuck Jeffries
are Kali experts as well (Inosanto Kali).
 In 1997's Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Sultan Uddin (Cabales Eskrima) not only portrayed Reptile, but
also choreographed Princess Kitana's fight sequence showcasing movements of Eskrima Serrada.
 In the 1996 movie Barb Wire, Temuera Morrison's character uses empty-handed eskrima to fight Customs
agents, Diana Lee Inosanto and Ron Balicki.
 In 1991 The Perfect Weapon shows the title character played by Jeff Speakman using Arnis in several
scenes (Arnis had been adopted by the American Kempo schools as of '91).
 Kamagong, a 1986 film starring Lito Lapid as an Arnisador featuring the titular sticks made from highly-
sought after kamagong hardwood.
 Arnis: The Sticks of Death, a 1984 film starring Rolando Dantes of Modern Arnis, one of the earliest films
about Arnis.
 in his unfinished film, Game of Death (1978) Bruce Lee faced his close collaborator and Eskrima master
Dan Inosanto in one of the featured battles with masters of different martial arts as he climbs the tower.
This is one of the films that first brought Eskrima to popular international attention.

[edit] Television

 In the Discovery Channel series Fight Quest, hosts Doug Anderson and Jimmy Smith trained under Pekiti
Tirsia and Modern Arnis instructors.
 On the History Channel's program Human Weapon, the hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff practiced
various styles of eskrima and kali, eventually sparring with a Doce Pares champion.
  The weapons choreography in the Encantadia fantasy TV series shown on GMA Network in the Philippines
features some Eskrima moves and the actors were given light training by Arnisadors.
 In the Highlander: The Series, Adrian Paul's character Duncan MacLeod switched to Eskrima sticks when
he renounced the blade after he accidentally slew his friend Richie Ryan (Highlander).
 The fighting style of the character Teyla Emmagan from Stargate: Atlantis is based on eskrima.
 In the television series Mortal Kombat Conquest, Sultan Uddin showcased Eskrima Serrada as the character
Noob Saibot.

[edit] Video games

 The pseudo-Rastafarian character Gabriel Tosh in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty utilizes a large stylized
balisong as part of his arsenal.
 The Spy character in Team Fortress 2 uses a balisong to stab opponents.
 The 2008 Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy game was also choreographed by Jeff Imada who
worked on the Jason Bourne films.[25]
 In the Soul video game series, the character Talim fights in the Banaue Rice Terraces uses eskrima with a
pair of tonfa
 In the Mortal Kombat series, the characters Quan Chi and Dairou use eskrima, while Sonya and Kobra
wield kali sticks.
 The video game Hitman: Blood Money features a target who is described as an accomplished eskrima-style
swordfighter.
 Eagle from Street Fighter employs a style described as a combination of Kali and European cudgel-fighting
 Granado Espada has stances named Escrima and Arnis, both of which are dagger stances.