Arnis Rules and Technicals
Arnis Rules and Technicals
Arnis Rules and Technicals
Basic Rules
Arnis is a combative sport played by two individuals in a court measuring 26.24 Feet
(8 meters) into 26.24 Feet (8 meters), with a smooth and clean surface.
Players are paired / matched according to the division of weight categories.
The minimum temperature for an outdoor competition shall not be below 25
degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and for indoor competition; the temperature
should not be above 25 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit).
Lighting apparatus is located above the free space.
Before the game starts, players must be positioned in the playing area so that the red-
coded player is on the right side of the referee and the blue-coded player is on the left
side.
Participants
1. Compositions
MEN's team may consist of a maximum of eleven players, one player per weight division,
one coach, one trainer, one medical doctor and two officiating Review Judges (“RJs”) licensed
by i-ARNIS. (Same composition for WOMEN's team, BOY's team and GIRL's team)
2. Qualifications:
The players shall meet the requirements of the weight division in which they are to
compete.
The player should be physically and mentally fit to compete and submit the medical
certification with the tournament form.
A sex test may also occur if a player's identity (Real Sex) is in doubt.
Drug tests may also take place if in doubt.
Competition Rules
1. World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (“WEKAF”) System
Fouls
Striking or thrusting to the groin.
Blocking with the use of the arm.
Striking or thrusting using both hands.
Any act of pushing hand, head, body, legs, arm, stick and other similar movements.
If a player steps out of the playing area.
Hitting a player at the back area (from the back of the head to the buttocks) is
considered foul unless the opponent intentionally turns his back.
If a player delays the game for more than ten (10) seconds.
If a player hits multiple strikes or thrusts to one body part.
When the command of ‘hinto’ (stop) or ‘hiwalay’ (separate), any player
who attacks shall be given foul, but if the command and the attack fall at the same
time then this would not be considered as a foul.
A player who commits foul is given F1, F2, and F3, as per the case mentioned in the
scoreboard.
When a player commits three (3) fouls, then the player is declared the loser by
the referee for that particular round.
Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines.[3] The three are
roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino Martial Arts", or
FMA), which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and various improvised
weapons, as well as "open hand" techniques without weapons.
There have been campaigns for arnis to be nominated in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, along
with other Philippine martial arts. As of 2018, UNESCO has inscribed nine martial-arts–related intangible
heritages.[4]
Arnis comes from arnés,[5] the Old Spanish for "armour" (harness is an archaic English term from same root). It
is said to derive from the armour costumes used in traditional Moro-moro stage plays, where actors fought mock
battles with wooden swords
Arnes is also an archaic Spanish term for weapon, used as early as 1712
Notable Arnisadores from Balintawak lineage: (from left to right) "Chito" Velez, "Meo" de la Rosa, "Nene" Gaabucayan,
"Anciong" Bacon, Ray la Victoria, "Bobby" Taboada, and Teofilo Velez at Fort San Pedro, Cebu City (c. 1976). The photos
were taken by "Johnny" Chiuten
Hand-to-hand combat is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range that does
not involve the use of weapons. The phrase "hand-to-hand" sometimes include use of melee weapons such
as knives, swords, clubs, spears, axes, or improvised weapons
Historical accounts
The people of this country are not simple or foolish, nor are they frightened by anything whatever. They can be
dealt with only by the arquebuse, or by gifts of gold or silver ... They kill the Spaniards so boldly, that without
arquebuses we could do nothing. This was the reason that Magallanes, the discoverer of these islands, was
killed; and that Villalobos and Sayavedra, and those who came afterward from Nueva España were maltreated.
All those who have been killed since the coming of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi received their death through lack of
arquebuses. The Indians have thousands of lances, daggers, shields, and other pieces of armor, with which they
fight very well. They have no leaders to whom they look up. The havoc caused by the arquebuse, and their own
lack of honor, make them seek refuge in flight, and give obedience to our orders.
Modern history[
Various Filipino knives.
Arnis competitions 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 used. Scoring is more similar to fencing
where fighters are separated after solid clean hits are made (observed by multiple judges stationed at different
positions to observe if hits were clean and unblocked, and 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.
Any part of the body, from head to toe, is fair game as a target – except for the back of the head, which the
headgear does not protect. Stabs to the face are not allowed, because the thin rattan core may penetrate the
padding and slip through the grills of the headgear into the player's eye. Thrusts to the body score points, but
are harder to present to judges for scoring because they make less noise and it is difficult to determine impact.
Punches, kicks and throws are not allowed. Prolonged clinching to prevent the opponent from striking is not
allowed (similar to Western Boxing) to keep the game moving and more interesting for audience that may not
appreciate the fine and practical aspects of grappling. Disarms must be performed quickly and cleanly to count.
Because the legs are fair 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.
Baston[
Impact weapons
Baston, olisi, yantok: stick ranging from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches long
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 be used to practise sword techniques
Wooden dagger measuring 12 to 14 inches (300 to 360 mm)
Panangga: shield
Improvised weapons: Wood planks, steel pipes, umbrellas, flashlights, rolled-up magazines/
newspapers, books, cellular phones, tennis rackets, butt of billiards cue, bottles, coffee mugs, chair
legs, tree branches or twigs, etc.
Edged weapons
Traditional bolos from the Visayas islands (ginunting on the left, and three talibongs).
Baraw is a Cebuano term used in eskrima that means knife or dagger. The term Baraw is more commonly used
on the Cebu Island in the Visayan region whereas other islands and regions more commonly use the
term Daga but both terms are often interchangeable within the Filipino martial arts community.
The terms Baraw and Daga can be used either as Solo Baraw or Solo Daga associated with single knife fighting
and defense systems, Doble Baraw or Doble Daga associated with the double knife fighting systems or even
with a combination of long and short weapons e.g. stick and dagger fighting systems Olisi Baraw or sword and
dagger fighting systems Espada y Daga.
Master 2 Lakán/Lakámbini 2
Master 3 Lakán/Lakámbini 3
Master 4 Lakán/Lakámbini 4
Master 5 Lakán/Lakámbini 5
Master 6 Lakán/Lakámbini 6
Master 7 Lakán/Lakámbini 7
Master 8 Lakán/Lakámbini 8
Master 9 Lakán/Lakámbini 9