HISTORY OF ARNIS

Arnis, the only known traditional Filipino martial arts, has its roots deep in the culture and history of
the Filipino people. The first known Filipino hero, Lapu-lapu, was believed to be one of the foremost masters
in arnis, which was known during the time in the native dialect as Pangamut. The father of Lapulapu, who
brought the art of stick fighting to Mactan Island (Cebu), Raja Humabon was the chieftain of Sugbo at the
time when Magellan arrived in 1521.

The tribes of Lapu-lapu and Humabon were parts of Sri Visayas Empire in the 14 th century. After the
empire was defeated by the Maja Pahit Empire of ancient Sumatra and Borneo, the tribe became part of a
group who fled and eventually settled in the islands of Visayas central Philippines. The feud between these
two local chieftains contributed significantly to the early development of the “Old” Arnis.

When Miguel Lopez de Legaspi landed in the Philippines and established the first settlement in 1565,
he and his men noted that Filipino were a class by themselves in the art of stick fighting and blade or sword
fighting. Arnis was then favorite sport of the royalties that everytime a demonstration or competition was
held, its popularity spanned well up to the Spanish times. People concentrated in mastering the art with the
use of a piece of hardwood called “bahi” or “kamagong” or with the use of rattan or cane known as “oway”.
The Filipinos were able to practice and continue their arnis training with the use of bladed weapons known
as “kali”. “Kali” is a type of broad sword still popular among Arnis de Mano the Filipinos particularly those in
the southern part of the century including the Muslim provinces.

Due to the Spanish influence this Filipino martial arts came to be known as “Arnis de Mano” derived
from a Spanish word “arnes”, meaning trapping and defensive armor. It also acquired namesakes such a
“estokada”, “estoque”,”fraile”, “arnes de mano”, or Simply “arnis”. Among the Pampanguenos, it is known
as “sinawali” and the Visayans “kaliradman” or “pagaradman”, later on “esgrima” or “eskrima”. The name
of “eskrima” is derived from Spanish words “esgrima” which means“ a game between two combatants with
the use of blunt instrument”. The word of “eskrima” became popular in the early years or American regime.

EQUIPMENT AND ATTIRE

The basic equipment needed in the practice and studies of arnis are:

Olisi or Baston – a piece of rattan or hardwood with an ideal length of 75 cm, a diameter of about 2.4 cm,
and weight of about 200 gms ( These vary somewhat with the size of the practitioner)
Daga or Barraw – A knife - shaped or dagger-shaped piece of hardwood between 25 and 32 cm long.

Armor – Made of ordinary hard cloth varying in color to indicate grade or rank. The ideal width is 4.5 to 4.6
cm.
 SALUTATION and FORMALITIES

Like most other martial arts, Arnis has its own form of salutation. Known as “yuko” or “saludo”. There are
two types of salutation or “Yuko”, the first is ordinary saludo or yuko and formal saludo or yuko.

For ordinary saludo or yuko, from natural stance, slide your left foot close to the right foot. At the same time, place
your right hand (with olisi) on your left chest. Then bow your head slowly, and bring it up. Finally, slide your left foot to
the left to return to natural stance or normal position.

The most formal saludo or yuko, which is performed at highly formal or ritual functions, is executed as
follows.

From natural stance, bring your left foot close to your right foot as you bring your left hand (with olisi) to the
right side. Drop your left knee down to a kneeling position, raise you right hand to your forehand (palm
inside) as you bow your head. Stand up and bring your left foot close to your right foot, with your left hand
still holding your olisi. Finally, move your left foot to the left to return to normal stance.
 GRIPPING

There are four common types of gripping or holding an olisi, namely: the Under Thumb, Side Thumb,
Overlap and Reverse Hold.

1. The Under Thumb Hold is one in which the inside of the thumb is pressed against the olisi to balance
the pressure or energy coming from four other fingers to secure the stick slipping.

2. Side Thumb Hold, the side thumb serves the same purpose. The middle of the thumb is bent to
provide the needed strength to ensure control of the olisi.

3.
Overlap
Hold , the thumb overlaps index
finger, and pressure is
created between the first three fingers and the
thumb. This is the most popular type of gripping. In
addition to being easy adaptable, it offers
maximum control of the olisi in all type of striking
angles and direction, and is secure against slippage even extreme curving strikes,
continuous strike, and twirling motions.
 4. Reverse Hold, the olisi projects through the lower portion of the gripping hand, with the forward or
top end pointing toward the ground. Some two inches or more of the olisi is allowed to extend or
project from the bottom of the gripping hand. This short end of the stick is called the butt.

BASIC STRIKING ANGLES

Olisi strikes are generally classified into three categories: slash, thrust and butt. A slash is normally delivered
in a descending or ascending direction, or on a horizontal line moving from right to left or vice-versa. The
target is hit with any portion of the stick from the middle part to the very near the top of fore end. For the X-
pattern or X- strike, strike in the head, horizontal or forehand strike and back hand strike or vice-versa,
together with V – footwork. After the V-footwork, you are now ready to perform the Estokada or the Pingki-
pingki. The Estokada technique can only be performed using the stick, and can be combined using the
different string angles.
 BUTT SLASH

THRUST

Four Counts Estokada:

All strike high in to the head using horizontal strike, it’s called Regular, for modified, strike two from
the head and two from the knee, and for the Broken, strike high to the head, knee, head and last into the
knee. This is the pattern of the estokada or pingki-pingki technique.

Regular Estokada: high, high, high, high (H, H, H, H)

Modified Estokada: High, high, low, low (H, H, L, L)

Broken Estokada: high,low,high,low (H,L,H,L)

When performing the Estokada use the V – pattern footwork in coordination with your body
movement for the proper execution of the technique.

12 BASIC STRIKING ANGLES and NUMBERING SYSTEM

Most systems of Filipino martial art divided the body into zones or angles of attack. The striking angles and
numbering system vary greatly according to the style and origin. These twelve (12) basic strikes and the
corresponding target points:

Strike 1 – A direct (forehand) blow or strike to the left ear/left face

Strike 2 – A backhand strike to the right ear/right face

Strike 3 – A forehand strike to the left shoulder

Strike 4 – A backhand blow to the left shoulder

Strike 5 – A thrust to the stomach

Strike 6 – A backhand thrust to the stomach

Strike 7 –A forehand strike to the knee

Strike 8 – A backhand strike to the right knee

Strike 9 –A thrust to heart or chest

Strike 10 – A backhand thrust to the chest

Strike 11 – A descending strike to the top of the head or forehead

Strike 12 – A Backhand blow to the head or forehead

 SINAWALI

These double stick; two-man training drills are probably the most popular among beginners are taught
in practically all of the Arnis schools in the Philippines as well as other countries. The drills are geared toward
developing flow, timing, speed, distance, body angling, the ability to move in and out, and the ability to lean
away from the opponent. Because these skills develop slowly over time, the simplest sinawali are taugh to
begginners, and more complex drills are presented as the student’s skills improve.

Extensive practice in sinawali, which is also known as pingki-pingki, is normally required before a
student is allowed to begin his lessons in sparring. Other “stick-to-stick” drills, in which each player uses only
one olisi, are also good prerequisite training before moving to sparring. These single stick drills, which are
called estokada, are actually an integral part of the larga mano system, as the players are normally a good
distance apart.

The sinawali enables the student to learn proper control of his speed and power. In addition, he
develops the ability to determine the amount of force and energy needed to execute his initial defensive
movement (whether it be a block or a parry) as well as his counter-offensive action.

There are hundreds or perhaps countless variations of sinawali, but they can all be classified either as
“closed sinawali” or “open sinawali”, with regards to the position of the olisi at the starting point. The close
sinawali drills are those in which both olisi are on the same side of the body, i.e., the right on the top if both
are on the right side of the body and the left side of the body and the left olisi on top if the sticks are on the
left side. In open sinawali, the drill begins with the right olisi on the right and the left olisi on the left side.
 In doing the sinawali, the student should observe proper footwork and body angling and should especially
strive to deliver the striking blows with fluid and rhythmical motion. The synchronization of the footwork
and body angling with the repetitive strikes is one of the main objectives of the exercises.

 SINAWALI (Open)

FOUR (4) counts SINAWALI – alternating

Strike 1 – strike 1 high right, olisi directly towards under your armpit

Strike 2- forehand strike, left hand directly to the shoulder

Strike 3- right backhand strike downward right, left backhand strike downward
left.Make sure you create an X pattern strike or high right forehand strike, and high right forehand
strike, high right backhand strike high, left backhand strike.

Note: Make sure the students will perform the drills coordinating with the V-
footworks forward and backward (with body coordination)

 BROKEN SINAWALI

Strike 1- Open hand strike high forehand, strike backhand low to the knee.
Strike 2 – Strike forehand left high, strike, backhand low to the knee.
(with body coordination)

 CLOSE 4 COUNTS SINAWALI

Strike 1- Strike high right forehand.

Strike 2- left backhand strike
Strike 3- high backhand right
Strike 4- forehand strike to the left, olisi directly to the armpit. Back to first position (with body
coordination)