MANILA, Philippines - If Japan has karate and Korea has taekwondo, the Philippines also has its own

martial arts sport that it could be proud of. 



Arnis, also known as kali or eskrima, refers to a category of Filipino martial arts that emphasizes the use
of weapons – whether it be fighting sticks, blades or improvised weapons. In arnis, the weapons are
used as an extension of the body. Thus, some body movement techniques are basic to the sport.a

There are no exact references as to the origins of arnis because of lack of proper documentation.

One theory was that it was started when the Spaniards arrived. During the Spanish colonial period,
weapons had been banned in Luzon and Visayas.

Indios used sticks to practice wielding their swords and bolos which they disguised as a folk dance. This
is one possible reference as to how arnis developed into an actual martial art.

The other theory goes farther back in history than the first. It is suggested that we actually got arnis
from our Southeast Asian neighbours – specifically during the Madjapahit and Shri-Vajayan empires. This
suggestion is due to linguistic similarities of the other names of arnis. Some accounts also describe a
martial art practiced during the said periods that is similar to arnis.

However, because of the new culture brought by our colonizers, arnis was overshadowed and almost
went out of the spotlight.

Luckily, with the rise of martial arts as a popular sport during the 1980s, arnis was able to recapture the
interest not of the Filipinos, but also of the whole world in general.



How to play



Players could basically participate in two types of arnis sports, the anyo or form, and the laban, or full
combat competitions.

Different scoring systems and rules and regulation apply for each division, depending on who hosts the
competition.



In anyo, athletes would perform sequences of movements using 2 batons. Competition will judged
based on the execution of the anyo and the creativity of overall choreography of the performance.
Gracefulness combined with strength and force is needed to execute these forms properly.



Meanwhile, in the full combat competition, players are required to strike their opponents’ different
body parts with one baton. 



Unlike other combatitive sports, arnis does not usually require any body contact between each player
besides the batons that they are holding. 

Any attack using bare hands or feet is considered a foul.

Scores depend on the number of strikes each player could deliver. 

Agility and quick thinking combined
is required to have a high score in this type of competition.


However, some competitions allow full contact between players. Competitors could grapple, disarm,
and block their opponents.



A national symbol



Arnis was further distinguished as Philippines’ own when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
signed Republic Act 9850, an act declaring arnis as the National Martial Arts and Sports of the
Philippines, last December 11, 2009.



Section 2 of RA 9850 defines arnis as “an indigenous Filipino martial art and sport characterized by the
use of swinging and twirling movements, accompanied by striking, thrusting and parrying techniques for
defense and offense” which is done by using either one or 2 sticks. 



Athletes use these to strike, block, and grapple their opponents.

The actual origin of the sport arnis,
however, is still yet to be determined.



Due to the fact that the Philippines has over 7,000 islands, the sport could have flourished in one
place or another at the same time. Because of this, more than one school emerged throughout the
years.



According to Arnis Philippines, there is actually a need to consolidate all the various techniques, forms,
styles, and rules of the sport. Strong leadership should be implemented to prevent arnis from slipping
back into oblivion.


 
 
 Pinoys and arnis
 


Arnis practitioners and athletes all over the country celebrated the declaration of arnis as the national
sport, stating that finally, the sport received the proper recognition that it deserved.


 
 Filipinos now have a sport that they can fully identify with, they said.

Organizations such as the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL), KAMAO, Filipino
Martial Arts (FMA) and Arnis Philippines (ARPI), promote and encourage every Filipino to learn the sport.

 


In 2010, an independent production house, Pointsource Films, produced the film “Eskrimadors: A
Filipino Martial Arts Documentary,” featuring legendary Filipino Arnis athletes. 
 
 The film features
Cebuano Arnis Grand Masters, Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete, Dionisio "Dinoy" Cañete, and Uno Caburnay, and
aimed to increase knowledge and awareness about the sport and to further recognize the contributions
that these grandmasters have given to the sport.
 



 
 But it is not only here in the Philippines that arnis is appreciated.
 


Currently, organizations such as the International Kali Arnis Eskrima Federation (IKAEF), Rapid Arnis
International, International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF), and many more help promote the Filipino
sport in other countries.
 


A breeding ground

With the implementation of RA 9850, schools have been mandated to include arnis in their physical
education curriculum.

Through the supervision of the Department of Education Arnis Association of the Philippines (DEAAP),
students from elementary to high school have been given the chance to learn and practice the
sport.
 
 According to Al Pelgone, DEAAP National President, the inclusion of the sport in many
school’s curriculum is vital because it would help the younger generation to appreciate our very own
national sport.

It would also serve as a breeding ground for children who wanted to be future arnis athletes.


 Pelgone also said, teaching arnis to the students would help formulate their values in the early stage
of their lives. 
 
 Not only would it help them to be ready in case the need to defend themselves arise,
but also, learning the sport is one way to appreciate the Filipino culture it represents.

Younger athletes could look up to Arnis Grand Masters such as Remy A. Presas, dubbed as the man
behind modern arnis, and Federico T. Lazo, who founded the Luzviminda Arnis Kali combat system. Both
grand masters helped preserve and develop the sport as we know it today.

In the upcoming Palarong Pambansa, the nation's largest sporting event for elementary and high school
students, arnis will be featured as one of the competitive sports.

Athletes from all over the country will compete in both the anyo and laban ,this May 6-12.

The event will be headed by DEAAP President, Al Pelgone.

It would only be the second time that the competition will be opened to the elementary division.
Hopefully, the continued increase of popularity of arnis will further spur interest in the sport.

Code of Ethics

1. Arnis is an event that aims to bond and develop friendship and brotherhood.
2. It is never a sport to hurt and defeat the opponent but to improve the skills of the players.

3. It aims to develop the mind, the physique and the character of the player.

4. Arnis is played to develop the social aspect that will lead to the close bonding of all practitioners.

5. All the practitioners respect each other. They salute each other when they meet and from a meeting
before they depart. The juniors must salute first and maintain the position until the seniors answer their
salute.

6. The juniors do not have the right to challenge to fight the seniors unless in the program set by their
association to fulfill an objective.

7. All the practitioners continue to move on as there is room for improvement or advancement.

8. Each practitioner must share with other beginners or practitioners the advancement attained.

9. Practitioners must desire to strengthen the Arnis family he belongs to by sharing love, knowledge and
understanding.

10. Practitioners must remember that Arnis is not a means to fight people but to bond with them for life
improvement.

OVERVIEW OF ARNIS

what are the roots of arnis

Lapu Lapu is one of the earliest practitioners of Arnis,

today, Arnis is required to teach ni Schools. and its generating a lot of interest, not just among Filipinos
but foreigners as well.

arnis, a sport and a martial art that is truly Filipino.

In arnis, the key characteristics is the fluidity of motion, Continous strikes, they have to be fast and
rapid, so it becomes difficult for your opponent to defend themselves.

Ratan standard stick,

before martial arts used to involve swords and knives.

but during the time of spanish colonization which they prohibited to use bladed weapons, so they hid
the practices in plays or dances using wooden sticks or wooden weapons instead of blades. but that
doesnt mean that the wooden stick cannot create maximum damage.
so anything thats held by an Arnisador, could become a weapon.

For arnisador, they believe that anything you hold can be used as an improvised weapon.

You just need to apply or translate the stick fighting movements or techniques.bottles rolled up news
papers, ballpens and so on. And thats Arnis for Martial Arts for Self defense.

In competition, they use a point system in a sparring format. An arnisadors intention is not to hurt but to
score a point. Athletes use protective gear like the helmets, body vests, and padded sticks. And the goal
is to be the first to hit and have fast strikes to score a point. Generally, it has 3 rounds for 2 minutes
each. Point system is race to 5 points.

--

Also known as eskrima or Kali. Before everymatch, Playes give respect to each other. We call it Pugay.
then when the referee do the Laban signs or Signal, that was the time that they begin to fight.

One of the basic technique is "EKIS". Ekis is the fundamental movement in Arnis. When using sticks, you
need to target the hard spots or joints. The intention is to crush the hard spots with the impact of the
sticks. When in bladed weapon, you can also use the Ekis movement but your target will be soft spots.
The neck the throat, the gut and so on.

--

The importance of the artistic aspect of Arnis is clearly seen in what we called "Ritwal" or free flow
movement. The practitioner develops creative thinking and a deeper understanding of how the
movement work and flow together. and the more you practice it, the movement come naturally to you.

In form of competitions, some organizers set the type of moves that can be used but other allow
incorporating moves that you come up with your own or moves that come from different style or
martial arts because theres a lot or Arnis Practioners who are Eclectic which means that they are use
movements from different arts. Muestra" Free flow movement with a partner. the movements are
controlled by the attacks, and the counter attacks are random. It develops critical thinking in a combat
situation. You start with first and slow and careful movements. As you progress, you start to looking for
open targets to explore. the movement arent set so you and your partner have to really think about
them.

Lapu Lapu is considered as the Senior Superior Grand Master because he is the one who promoted
sword fighting and was able to defeat a foreign invader.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri is the principal author of RA 9850 which declares Arnis as the national
martial art and sport of the Philippines. He also holds the rank of a black belt in Arnis and has been a
WEKAF World Champion. He currently holds the position of President and Chairman of the Philippine
Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation, an organisation that aims to uplift the status of Arnis through inclusion in
international events such as the South East Asian Games.
Arnis Practioners from Russia, Germany and USA, are required to visit the statue of Lapu Lapu when
they come here for seminars.

Filipino are very hospitable people but we killed our first tourist.