Arnis is the Philippine national martial art that uses sticks and empty hand techniques. It originated from ancient weapons like the Kali and has circular defensive movements. Modern Arnis techniques were standardized in Manila in the 1960s. It involves various stances and striking techniques with single sticks, double sticks, and empty hands. Foundational drills like sinawali help practitioners improve coordination, rotation, and targeting. Arnis was recognized as the national sport through Republic Act 9850 in 2009.

1. ARNIS
Prepared by John Saladas
The Art of Stick Fighting

2. A Short History of Filipino Martial Arts
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.

3. It was in Manila, however where these modern techniques underwent
thorough improvements and gained wider acceptance when the National
College of Physical Education, through the encouragement and
patronage of Col. Arsenio de Borja, director and secretary treasurer of
the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF) offered modern arnis
as regular subject in Physical Education to the students who major in this
course. This was in 1969.

4. ARNIS
• Ang arnís ay isang sin-ing ng pakikipaglaban ng mga Filipino na kapuwa
pandepensa at pang-opensa. Bagaman kilalá itong gumagamit ng sandata
lalo na ng dalawang patpat na ka-raniwang yari sa yantok o kamagong,
ang mga kasangkapang ito ay itinuturing na ekten-siyon lámang ng mga
kamay at kakayahan ng manlalaro.
• Nagsimula ang paglalaro ng arnis bago pa dumat-ing ang mga Español.
Ginagamit ito ng mga tribu sa pakikipaglaban sa kanilang mga kaaway.
Ipinagbawal ito nang dumating ang mga Español. Sa kabilâ nitó, patuloy
ngunit palihim na nagsanay ang mga Filipino sa paglalaro nitó. May mga
pagkakataóng isinasagawa nilá ito sa publiko maging sa harap ng mga
Español ngunit sa paraang artistiko, bílang bahagi ng dulang moro-moro.
Dito, nakasuot ang mga Filipino ng damit ng mga Español na sundalo na
tinatawag na arnes at kunwa’y nakikipaglaban sa mga kaaway.
• May tatlong pamamaraan sa paglalaro ng arnis: ang espa-da y
daga (espada at punyal), solo baston (isang patpat), at sinawali (maghabi).
Sa hulí, gumagamit ng dalawang patpat na magkatulad ang habà at
iminumuwestra ang galaw ng paghahabi tuwing nakikipaglaban.
• Sa kasalukuyan, itinuturo ito sa ilang paaralan bílang bahagi ng
Edukasyong Pampalakasan. Kabílang sa mga kinikilálang maestro ng
modernong arnis sina Venancio “Anciong” Bacon, Dan Inosanto, Cacoy
Canete, Mike Inay, Remy Presas, at Ernesto Presas. (GB)

5. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9850
• SEC. 2. Definition of Arnis. — Arnis, also known as Eskrima, Kali, Garrote
and other names in various regional languages, such as Pananandata in
Tagalog; Pagkalikali, Ibanag; Kabaraon and Kalirongan, Pangasinan;
Kaliradman, Bisaya; and Didja, Ilokano, is 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.
• This is usually done with the use of one (1) or two (2) sticks or any similar
implements or with bare hands and feet also used for striking, blocking,
locking and grappling, with the use of the same principle as that with the
canes.

6. Republic
Act No.
9850,
December
11, 2009
• SEC. 3.
Arnis is hereby declared as the Philippine
National Martial Art and Sport.
Arnis is a Philippines’ National martial art or sport , After
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the Republic
Act. No. 9850 in 2009.

7. DR JOSE RIZAL
ESKRIMA SPARRING

8. DAN INOSANTO WITH
BRUCE LEE

9. History of
Modern
Arnis
• Before it was introduced in Manila, modern
arnis has its humble beginnings in Bacolod
City in the Visayas where the author first
learned the techniques of the art.
• Being a master of many martial arts, the
author was able to compare the intrinsic
qualities of Arnis with other martial arts. And
this comparison led him to improvise the
antiquated techniques of Arnis not only for
reasons of pacing with the times but also for
utmost effectivity. These improved techniques
were then taught for the first time to the
students in that city.

10. Training
• One of the characteristics of Filipino martial
arts is the use of weapons from the very
beginning of training and Modern Arnis is no
exception.
• The primary weapon is the rattan stick, called
a cane or baston (baton), which varies in size,
but is usually about 28 inches (71 cm) in
length.
• single and double stick techniques are taught,
with an emphasis on the former; unarmed
defences against the stick and against bladed
weapons (which the stick is sometimes taken
to represent) are a part of the curriculum.

11. PAGBIBIGAY PUGAY

12. STANCES
• Ready Stance Stand with your feet
apart parallel to the shoulder with both
toes pointing forward. • The knees
should be straight, the waist and the
body facing forward. • Hands are on
waist level and the hands should hold
the sticks on both sides.
• The ready stance is commonly used
when standing at ease during training or
tournaments.Stand with you

13. • Attention Stance Stand with your feet
forming a 45 degrees angle. Heels
should be close to each other, knees
should be straight, the waist and body
facing forward.
• Shoulders are dropped to the side and
both hands are at waist level. The
Attention Stance is commonly used in
preparation for courtesy or “bowing” at
commencement of sparring.

14. • Forward Stance Starting with the ready
stance, move one foot forward until the
knee and the toe are in line to each other.
• Both toes are pointing in front, the waist
and the body is facing forward. The body
should not be too low or the lead foot too
extended otherwise it will be hard to
maneuver.
• Distribute the weight or center of gravity
to both legs.
• Forward stances can be right foot lead,
which is the Right Foot Forward Stance or
it can be left foot lead which is Left Foot
Forward Stance.
• Forward Stance are commonly used with
frontal striking or blocking techniques.

15. • Straddle Stance Starting with the ready
stance, move one foot about two feet (2’)
to the left or the right direction until both
lower legs are almost perpendicular to the
ground.
• Both toes are pointing in front, the waist
and the body is facing forward. The body
should not be too low or extended
otherwise it will be hard to maneuver.
Distribute the weight or center of gravity
to both legs. Straddle stance are also called
Horseback Riding Stance since it mimics
position when riding on a horse back.
• Straddle stances are commonly used for
blocking the strikes to the side of the body.

16. • Side Stance Starting with the ready stance,
move one foot about two feet (2’) to the left
or right direction.
• Moving foot will be perpendicular to the
ground while the other leg is extended thereby
creating a position like that of a side kick.
• Both toes are pointing in front, the waist and
the body is facing forward. The body should
not be too low or extended otherwise it will be
hard to maneuver.
• Distribute the weight or center of gravity to
both legs. If the left foot moves to the side it
becomes Left Foot Side Stance, if the right
foot moves to the side it becomes Right Foot
Side Stance.
• Side Stances are commonly used for strike
deflection and evasion techniques.

17. • Back Stance Starting with the ready stance,
move one foot backward 45 degrees away
from the body.
• The heels of the foot should form an
imaginary “L” shape while the legs are in a
straddle position.
• The body should not be too low or extended
otherwise it will be hard to manoeuvre.
Distribute the weight or center of gravity to
both legs.
• Back stances can be right foot lead, which is
the Right Foot Back Stance or it can be left
foot lead which is Left Foot Back Stance.
• Back stances are used for blocking and
backward evasion techniques.

18. Solo Baston
• Solo Baston is one of the three major fighting system s of arnis. Under this
system evolves various system of fighting using a long stick weapon. Though
the system is called solo baston it is not limited to using only a stuck. History
points out that bladed weapon and other daily implements like umbrellas and
walking sticks are good weapons.

19. 12 BASIC STRIKES

20. 6 Basic Strikes

21. Sinawali
• The term "Sinawali" refers to the activity of ‘weaving’, and is applied to the art of Philippine
martial art Eskrima with reference to a set of two-person, two-weapon exercises.
• Sinawali exercise provides Eskrima practitioners with basic skills and motions relevant to a
mode of two-weapon blocking and response method called Doblete.
• Sinawali training is often introduced to novices in order to develop certain fundamental
skills including: body positioning and distance relative to an opponent, rotation of the body
and the proper turning radius, recognition of one’s center of gravity, eye-hand coordination,
target perception and recognition, increased ambidexterity, recognition and performance of
rhythmic structures for upper body movement, and muscular developments important to
the art, especially, the wrist and forearm regions.

22. Single Sinawali
• Swing the cane to strike the opponent’s
temple Withdraw the cane Swing it
down to strike the opponent’s knee
Withdraw the cane and place it above
your shoulder
• Strike opponent’s right temple with right
cane Withdraw right hand passing the
left shoulder to strike opponent’s knee
Withdraw right hand and position it
above the left shoulder to strike
opponent’s temple Advance Single
Sinawali

23. Double Sinawali
• Begin with the right hand up and the
left hand tucked under the right
shoulder
• Strike the opponent’s temple with the
right hand
• As you retract the right hand to the left
shoulder strike the opponent’s knee with
the left hand
• As you strike a backhand to the
opponent’s temple with the right hand,
retract the left hand to the left shoulder

24. X Sinawali
• Using the right cane, strike the opponent’s
temple
• Withdraw it and place it below the left armpit
then strike the opponent’s temple with the
left cane
• Withdraw it then place it above the right
shoulder then strike the opponent’s knee with
the right cane
• Place the right cane above your right shoulder
then hit the opponent’s knee with the left
cane then place it above the left shoulder

25. Redonda
• start with the right cane over the right shoulder and the other one
under the right armpit
• swing the right cane diagonally forward and position it above the left
shoulder
• swing the left cane diagonally forward then position it above the left
shoulder
• swing the right cane downward then position it below the left armpit
• swing the left cane diagonally forward and position it over the head
afterwards
• swing the right cane diagonally forward then position it above the
right shoulder. Position the other hand under the right armpit.

26. VIDEO TUTORIALS
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSGnRO2qhCA&t=2s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r70JTAL-QzU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZcCz87UauE

27. Sources:
• http://bloodsport.com/wrapper.php?file=article_fma.html
• http://www.modernarnis.com/history.html
• http://www.slideshare.net/RendellApalin/arnis-ppt