HISTORY OF ARNIS

Arnis, also known as kali or eskrima/escrima, is the

national martial art of the Philippines. These three terms are,
sometimes, interchangeable in referring to 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 were campaigns for arnis along with other Philippine martial
arts to be nominated in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Lists; and as of 2018, UNESCO has inscribed nine martial-arts-
related intangible heritages.

Arnis comes from arnés, 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. Arnis is
also an archaic Spanish term for weapon, used as early as 1712.

Eskrima (also spelled escrima) is a derived from the Spanish word

for fencing, esgrima. Their cognate in French is escrime and is related to the English term 'skirmish'.
The name kali is most likely derived from the pre-Hispanic Filipino term for blades and
fencing, kalis (Spanish spelling: "calis"), documented by Ferdinand Magellan's expedition
chronicler Antonio Pigafetta during their journey through the Visayas and in old Spanish to Filipino
Mother Tongue dictionaries and vocabulary books dating from 1612 to the late 1800s, such as
in Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala by Fr. Pedro de San Buenaventura. The term calis in various
forms was present in these old Spanish documents in Ilocano, Ibanag (calli-t; pronounced as kal-lî),
Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano (caris), Waray (caris), Hiligaynon, Cebuano (calix, baladao –
"kalis balaraw/dagger" and cales), and Moro-Maguindanao in Mindanao (calis – the kris, weapon). In
some of these dictionaries, the term calis refers to a sword or knife kris or keris, while in others it
refers to both swords and knives and their usage as well as a form of esgrima stick fighting. While
Mirafuente posits that the original term was kali and that the letter "S" was added later, the late
Grandmaster Remy Presas suggests that the "S" was dropped in modern times and became
presently more known as kali in FMA circles.

BENEFITS OF ARNIS

Arnis is also known as Kali or

Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exercise.
Arnis is also known as Kali or
Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exercise.
nis is also known as Kali or
Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exercise
nis is also known as Kali or
Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exercise
nis is also known as Kali or
Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exercise
rnis is also known as Kali or
Eskrima, developed by indigenous
populations of the
Philippines and is a martial art
known for its use of weaponry,
hand to hand combat
and self-defense mechanisms.
 It can be used in
self-defense. Self-defense is
important as it could
help you ensure your safety.
 Arnis can taught us
discipline and self control. Like
other martial
arts, arnis can be used to
practice and make us learn self
control and disciple.
It also gives us ability to think
fast and make our body stronger
as we will
move a lot.
 Practical way of
defending ourselves
 Social interaction
 Ability to think fast
 It can be used as
self-defense. It can help you
to ensure your
safety especially if you are a
girl.
 You can use your
stick as a weapon. If
someone wants to harm
you, you can protect
yourself from using your
wooden sword.
 Arnis teaches us
discipline and control.
 It provides a full
body workout. It helps you
to improve your
stamina, muscle tone,
flexibility, balance and
strength.
 It gives you a
healthy lifestyle. It helps
you to improve your
physical fitness, mental and
emotional health.
 It gives you
positive encouragement and
respect for values in
martial arts.
 It helps you to
improve your cardiovascular
health because it
stresses the heart if you do
the arnis.
 It helps you to be
focused on your goals.
 It helps you to
have a good mood because
you are participating
in exerci Arnis helps to develop hand-eye coordination which can result in
enhanced athleticism and more efficient performance of daily functions.

Arnis develops quicker reflexes and reaction times which

is important for self defense. Being able to react quickly
helps to detect, block, or evade an attack.
Keeping our palms and fingers in good working shape is
important for function in performing the many tasks we
complete with our hands. Arnis is a proven activity that can
help dexterity through strengthening and increasing your
range of motion in your hands and fingers.
 Arnis is a mentally stimulating activity that helps to build up your brain function. Many Arnis drills
require the memorization of patterns, being ambidextrous, and quick thinking.
Arnis helps you to see the world in three dimensions by giving you a refined sense of effective
angles of attack and defense. Depth perception refers to your eyes' ability to judge the distance
between two objects. It helps people perform simple, everyday tasks, like safely crossing a busy
street or taking the stairs without the risk of misjudging them and stumbling.
Your training in Arnis will focus on footwork drills to develop useful movement and work
conditioning and strength. With dedicated practice you will notice a significant improvement in
your agility & stability.
An intricate part of Arnis training are the techniques used to eliminate the threat of an opponent’s
weapon, providing real-life practicality for defending yourself from weapon attacks.

The 12 Vital Strikes of ARNIS

Left Temple Strike

From the forward stance, twist your wrist to an angle of 1 o’clock as you pull your hand towards

your shoulders to prepare for a strike. Swing your arm in the 1 o’clock direction in a slashing

action while placing the other hand on your chest. The action should be a diagonal downward

swing to the left temple of the enemy.

Right Temple Strike

This strike is similar to the left temple strike. The strike movement follows the 11 o’clock angle

while the free hand is placed on the chest. This strike is a diagonal downward backhand swing

to the right temple of the enemy.

Left Torso Strike

The left torso strike involves the practitioner to extend the lead hand when striking to deliver

maximum force. This strike is a diagonal forehand slashing swing towards any part of the body

between the shoulder and the hips. When swinging the lead hand, the turning force must initially

come from the rear foot, then followed by the hip rotation to make the blow more effective.

Right Torso Strike

Just like the left torso strike, again the practitioner will extend the weapon hand to strike any part

of the body on the right side between the shoulder and the hips. The arm movement is a

backhand slashing swing.

Thrust Strike
This strike is a powerful thrust to the solar plexus of the opponent. It can cause fatal damage to

the organs within the abdomen area. This move is most helpful when you notice that the

opponent is over-committing in his forward foot movement when striking. This is an effective

counter against a temple strike, but remember to never stretch out when doing the thrust strike.
The force of the attack should come more from the momentum of the opponent coming forward,

and it should be more of a counter. Using it as a casual strike opens up the body to attacks from

the opponent.

Left Chest Stab

This strike involves extending the arm in a thrusting motion with the palm facing outward

towards the left chest of the opponent.

Right Chest Stab

This strike is similar to the left chest stab, but aim the thrust to the right chest of the opponent.

When done right, the opponent’s lungs will be damaged, which will make it hard for him to

breathe and even cause death.

Left Leg Strike

This technique involves striking the opponent's lower leg, usually the knee or ankle, to

immobilize him. It is necessary to lower your lead leg and strike in a downward diagonal

slashing motion to the opponent’s leg with the palm facing upward. In traditional Arnis, the aim

of the technique is to just hit any part of the leg.

However, in Modern Arnis and Jeet-Kune-Do, the left leg strike should be aimed 6 inches above

the knee where a pressure point exists. When hit correctly, one blow could immobilize the

opponent.

Right Leg Strike

This technique is similar to the left leg strike but aims the strike at the right leg of the opponent.

The motion of this technique is a diagonal downward backhand swing.

Left Eye Poke

This technique is similar to the left chest stab but with the strike aimed at the left eye socket.

The goal of this attack is to take away the opponent’s vision and thus, ending the fight faster.

Right Eye Poke

Just like the left eye poke, this technique takes away the opponent’s vision. However, this

technique is aimed at the right eye of the opponent.

Crown Strike
This strike is a straight downward overhead swing to the crown of your opponent’s head. This

will throw him off balance and could even knock him out after a single strike.