BILLONES, MARVIN O.

BSA 2-2

ARNIS
What is Arnis?
- Is known as the national martial arts of the Philippines, which emphasize weapon-
based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons,
as well as "open hand" techniques without weapons.
- Includes hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming
techniques. Although in general, emphasis is put on weapons for these arts, some
systems put empty hands as the primary focus and some old school systems do not
teach weapons at all.

History of Arnis
The origin of Arnis can be traced back to native fighting techniques during conflicts
among the various Prehispanic Filipino tribes or kingdoms, though the current form has Spanish
influence from old fencing which originated in Spain in the 15th century. It has other influences
as well, as settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago brought the influence of
silat as well as Chinese, Arab, and Indian martial arts. Some of the population still practice
localized Chinese fighting methods known as kuntaw. It has also been theorized that the Filipino
art of Arnis may have roots in India and came to the Philippines via people who traveled through
Indonesia and Malaysia to the Philippine islands. Silambam, a stick/staff-based ancient martial
art of India influenced many martial arts in Asia like Silat. As such, Arnis may share ancestry
with these systems, some Arnis moves are similar to the short stick (kali or kaji) and other
weapon based fighting styles of Silambam. When the Spaniards first arrived in the Philippines,
they already observed weapons-based martial arts practised by the natives, which may or may
not be related to present-day Arnis. The earliest written records of Filipino culture and life,
including martial arts, come from the first Spanish explorers. Some early expeditions fought
native tribesmen armed with sticks and knives. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan was killed in Cebu
at the Battle of Mactan by the forces of Datu Lapu-Lapu, the chief of Mactan. Some Arnisadors
hold that Lapu-Lapu's men killed Magellan in a sword-fight. For the modern history of arnis, the
Philippines has what is known as a blade culture. Unlike in the West where Medieval and
Renaissance combative and self-defense blade arts have gone almost extinct (having devolved
into sport fencing with the advent of firearms), blade fighting in the Philippines is a living art.
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,
watermelons, other fruits and meats, and balisongs are cheap to procure in the streets as well as
being easily concealed. In fact, in some areas in the countryside, carrying a farming knife like the
itak or bolo was a sign that one was making a living because of the nature of work in those areas.
In the country of Palau, the local 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. Remy
Presas is the father of modern arnis who propagated and modified the techniques of Arnis.

BENEFITS OF ARNIS

PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL SOCIAL MENTAL SPIRITUAL

Can improve our Is a good way to Can increase Is a good Makes you
cardiovascular do to manage social recreation which respect life
health. our emotional interaction since helps establish a because Arnis
volatility arnis is a sport good mental focuses on
because it is a with two health. neutralizing
form of players. your enemy on a
recreation, hence self defence
can be a stress rather than
reliever. killing it.
Can serve as an Arnis teaches Benefits the The motivation Gives a spiritual
exercise for us discipline and social culture that this sport motivation for
to lose weight. self-control. because it gives can help every combat
promotes the develop your that you`ll face
culture of the mentality. to succeed
Philippines through the help
though combat. of God.
Will strengthen We can improve Learning it can It can help you The satisfaction
our reflexes. our emotion earn you friends to increase your of Arnis to our
through Arnis and mentors in mental spirit is
since in the the process. intelligence fulfilling.
combat, since Arnis is all
emotions is one about
of the key outsmarting
aspects that we your opponent
must consider in in a combat.
attacking and
defending
ourselves.
Will develop Creates a Society will Gives us a Establishes a
flexibility of the healthy thrive though mental spirit of a fighter
body through emotional discipline which development of which is the key
certain environment for the sport of using self to a courageous
techniques. a society since it Arnis promotes. defence rather mentality.
teaches than
discipline. undisciplined
fights/combat.
Can also Gives Creates a The mentality You can help
develop agility motivation for community of that the arnis protect anyone
of the body. you to become a arnis enthusiasts provides can to preserve life
better person that is socially make you a which God
which is good interactive. better overall created.
for the emotion person.
as well.

Equipment and Facility of Arnis

Dimensions
The playing area is a square measuring 8.0 meters by 8.0 meters with a two (2) meters
minimum free zone around it, and a clear space without any obstruction up to a height
of not less than 5 meters from the playing surface.

Lines of the Playing Area

All lines of the playing surface are 5.08 cm. (2 inches) and must be of different color
from that of the floor and other lines previously drawn for other purposes.

Boundary Lines
Four lines mark the boundary of the playing area. The free zone distance measuring
2.0 meters are drawn outside of the playing area.

Match Lines
Two lines of 1.0 meter long and 2.0 meters apart mark the horizontal match line. The
horizontal match lines are drawn 3 meters from the boundary lines that run
perpendicularly to the official's table, and 3.5 meters from the boundary line that run
parallel to the official's table.

Equipment of Arnis:

- Wooden Stick- The wooden stick shall measure not less than 60 cm and not more
than 90 cm in length with a diameter of not less than 1.3 cm and not more than 3.8
cm. It must not have sharp edges or pointed ends.
- Wooden Replica of a Bladed Weapon- The wooden replica shall measure not less
than 60 cm and not more than 90 cm in full length and should be Ethnic Asian in
origin. It must not have sharp edges or pointed ends.
- Foam- cushion material- should be foaming the padded sticks and shall have a
maximum grip diameter not greater than 3.81 cm.
- Head Protector- refers to a pair of protective head gear to include an impact-worthy
face mask.
 Terminologies of Arnis

Dagger – Daga
Distance (Long Range) – Largo
Distance (Medium Range) – Medio
Distance (Short Range) – Corto
Goodbye – Paalam
Grappling or Wrestling – Dumog
Handle/grip of weapon – Puño
Hello – Mabuhay (or) Kumusta
How are you? – Kumusta?
Instructor – Guro
Machete – Bolo
Poke – Tusok
Respect – Pugay (form of salutation/greeting between practitioners)
Stab or Thrust – Saksak
Stick (Single) – Solo Baston
Stick (Double) – Doble Baston
Stick Weapon – Yantok
Sword – Espada
Sword and Dagger – Espada y Daga
Thank You – Salamat
Unarmed Combat – Mano Y Mano
You Are Welcome – Walang Anuman
Weaving (Weapon Movement) – Sinawali
 Cardinal Principles of Arnis

a) Character - a ruffian has no place in Arnis let alone in sports. Refinement in character is
important. A student must be taught the moral (and religious) values of everything. It is an
obligation of the teacher of Arnis to mold the character of the student in such a way that his
behavioral structure would be motivated by righteous desire. It is what a man is that counts not
the number of trophies he won. In spite of the abetted fallacies of values of the present world, it
is who you are that will matter in the end.
b) Sincerity - sincerity for victory's sake is not the all--consuming end of an Arnis player. It is
the sincerity in him to his fellowman and to his art that makes him shine in the array of men. The
will to win maybe inculcated, but such tutelage should never end after the tick of the ultimate
second in the game but beyond the canvass and the arena of competition. The martial art of
Arnis, it should be remembered, is a good medium of development man's sense of dedication in
all his everyday endeavor and involvement. Sincerity, is the mother of trust and trust makes an
institution of what has been shattered by doubts. A man who is not sincere will never have a true
friend.
c) Discipline - Arnis is a molder of discipline. Proper behavior in the sport and in life itself will
be the gauge of success. Personal discipline is important. The kaleidoscopic invitations and
temptations of life should never undermine man in his obligation to his art, to himself and his
fellowman. A student should learn to control himself in the pursuance of his goal, not only to his
art but also to life in general.
d) Self-control - losing one's head means defeat. One should learn to control his temper if he
hopes to achieve success in every endeavor. In Arnis, self-control is important for without it, life
and the good health of another may be lost. The possession of an ability to kill or main a person
should be handled with extreme caution and prudence. Man's clear perception of things is
anchored on his ability to control the outbursts of his inner self. Provocation is dishonorable but
hasty reaction to it is just as dishonorable if not despicable.
e) Etiquette - etiquette is allied to the main cardinal rules in arnis. One's norm and standard
should never be imposed upon others. One should learn how to respect others. Giving credence
to the standard and ability of another person should or will best prepare anybody in any
endeavor. The pacific waters of human understanding will stay unruffled if exercise of proper
etiquette and respect whether it be in sporty competition or in life itself is observed.
f) Student's loyalty - loyalty should be emphasized to the student, loyalty to the art, to a fellow
player, and to his teacher. Ingratitude to one is ingratitude to the other. A student should be loyal
to a fellow player because any disloyalty to him is disloyalty to the art itself. More important, a
student should be loyal to his teacher. Everything one has learned is owned by him to his teacher.
Personal whims should never cause one to be ungrateful to where he owes everything he knows.
Even if the ultimate aim of the art is already achieved by a student that he can now manage on
his own, he should never forget the teacher who labored for him. In the skirmishes of things, the
student should be always loyal to him.

12 basic strikes of Arnis and its sequence

STRIKES
Crown of the head 11th
Temporal (L/R) 1st left 2nd right
Shoulder (L/R) 3rd left 4th right
Knee (L/R) 7th left 8th right

Thrusting method
Eyes (L/R) 5th left eye 6th right eye
Chest/armpit (L/R) 9th left 10th right
Stomach 10th
Pubic area 12th