ARNIS

Arnis, also known as kali or eskrima, refers to a category of Filipino martial arts that emphasizes the use of weapons – whether it be fighting sticks, blades or improvised weapons. In arnis, the weapons are used as an extension of the body. Thus, some body movement techniques are basic to the sport.

There are no exact references as to the origins of arnisbecause of lack of proper documentation.

One theory was that it was started when the Spaniards arrived. During the Spanish colonial period, weapons had been banned in Luzon and Visayas.

• Indios used sticks to practice wielding their swords and bolos which they disguised as a folk dance. This is one possible reference as to how arnisdeveloped into an actual martial art.However, because of the new culture brought by our colonizers, arnis was overshadowed and almost went out of the spotlight.

• Luckily, with the rise of martial arts as a popular sport during the 1980s, arnis was able to recapture the interest not of the Filipinos, but also of the whole world in general.

Code of Ethics:

1. Arnis is an event that aims to bond and develop friendship and brotherhood.

2. It is never a sport to hurt and defeat the opponent but to improve the skills of the players.

3. It aims to develop the mind, the physique and the character of the player.

4. Arnis is played to develop the social aspect that will lead to the close bonding of all practitioners.

5. All the practitioners respect each other. They salute each other when they meet and from a meeting before they depart. The juniors must salute first and maintain the position until the seniors answer their salute.

6. The juniors do not have the right to challenge to fight the seniors unless in the program set by their association to fulfill an objective.

7. All the practitioners continue to move on as there is room for improvement or advancement.

8. Each practitioner must share with other beginners or practitioners the advancement attained.

9. Practitioners must desire to strengthen the Arnis family he belongs to by sharing love, knowledge and understanding.

10. Practitioners must remember that Arnis is not a means to fight people but to bond with them for life improvement.

EQUIPMENTSWeapon

padded stick

Each padded stick shall be properly foam-cushioned

and shall have a maximum grip diameter of not

more than 3.81 cm. (1 1/2 inch) and length of

76.20 cm (30 inches for men and women). The

length of padded stick shall be cm (27 inches for

boys and girls).

Head Protector

head gear

Body Protector

Groin protector

Forearm and shin guard

Competition areaDimensions

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. (2inches) 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.

Referee Line

A straight line of 1.0 meter long is drawn 2.5meters from the farthest boundary line parallel to the official’s table.

Warning Lines

A broken straight line is drawn one (1) meter before each boundary line to serve as a marker before the outside zone.

Neutral Corner

The corner of the playing area farthest to the official’s table and in between the two (2) judges within the free zone shall be designated as the neutral corner. This shall be the consultation area for the referee and judges.

12 Basic Strikes

Kinds of StancesReady 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

s ticks on both sides. The ready stance is commonly used when standing at ease during training or tournaments.

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.

Forward Stance

Right Foot 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. Forward Stance are commonly used with frontal striking

or blocking techniques.

Oblique StanceRight Foot Oblique Stance

Starting with the ready stance, move one foot forward 45 degrees away from the body until the knee and the toe are in line to each other. Move on the same direction as the lead foot (e.g. for right foot lead, move 45 degrees forward to the right). Both toes are pointing in front, the waist and the body is facing forward.

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. Straddle stances are commonly used for blocking the strikes to the side of the body

Side Stance

Left 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 arepointing in front, the waist and the body is facing forward.

Back StanceRight Foot 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 maneuver. Distribute the weight or center of gravity to both legs.