Sections
Filipino Martial Arts Section (FMA)
Combative Arts of the Philippines - Arnis, Kali, Escrima
"Filipino Martial Arts was founded in the Philippines over 1500 years ago as a purely combative and fighting art, primarily utilized to preserve family, property, culture, tradition and country. The development of this martial art over the centuries was influenced by diverse races and cultures from India, Southeast Asia, China, Indonesia, and Spain. Over time, these highly sophisticated fighting systems were blended to create a more effective and practical system of combat. The employment of sharp swords, daggers, fire-hardened sticks, and empty hands were extremely effective in combat and street fighting. Today, FMA is practiced around the world and gaining popularity."
Quoted From http://www.arnisador.com/
"Filipino Martial Arts was founded in the Philippines over 1500 years ago as a purely combative and fighting art, primarily utilized to preserve family, property, culture, tradition and country. The development of this martial art over the centuries was influenced by diverse races and cultures from India, Southeast Asia, China, Indonesia, and Spain. Over time, these highly sophisticated fighting systems were blended to create a more effective and practical system of combat. The employment of sharp swords, daggers, fire-hardened sticks, and empty hands were extremely effective in combat and street fighting. Today, FMA is practiced around the world and gaining popularity."
Quoted From http://www.arnisador.com/
What is Arnis De Cadena?
Arnis de Cadena is a melting pot of the finest war arts Guro Joel has had the privilege to be exposed to. Arnis De Cadena is not designed to teach sport, but to stick to the true ideals of the ancient Filipino Warriors and teach battle skills. The Arnis de Cadena fighting arts curriculum is a blend of techniques learned from Mati Arnis, Ikatan Kali, Balintawak the Urban Survival Systems, Kali Ilustrisimo, as well as Muay Thai.
Each student should personalize what he or she is taught and make it theirs. Our curriculum is just a guideline, our only goal is to put out quality Arnisadors and to have fun while doing that. Even though Arnis De Cadena has taken techniques from Spanish, Russian, Thai and Indonesian Martial Arts the true basis of our club's system is Filipino Martial Arts. Please keep in mind as the system grows, this curriculum will evolve as well.
Stick based is the term that we apply more often to these styles of Martial Arts as the beginner is taught with a stick but the movements of most styles can be translated to various conditions of armed or unarmed combat. The stick is a weapon but also it can be simply an extension of the hand and a training tool. A student learns that if you have a stick, a baton, a knife, or a sword you still have two hands. If you have two sticks, two knives, two empty hands etc or even a combination of weapons, the movements of attack and defence are basically the same. It teaches self defence without having to learn many different patterns for each new weapon, which is different from other Martial Arts.
These Arts use economy of learning as well as economy of movement in the execution of their techniques. They also differ from the majority of other Asian Martial Arts as they teach weapon work before empty hand training. The key to Arnis/Escrima is that if you learn one set of attacks and defence well enough, the techniques can be simply translated and "your hand can be your sword", even in a literal sense.
Each student should personalize what he or she is taught and make it theirs. Our curriculum is just a guideline, our only goal is to put out quality Arnisadors and to have fun while doing that. Even though Arnis De Cadena has taken techniques from Spanish, Russian, Thai and Indonesian Martial Arts the true basis of our club's system is Filipino Martial Arts. Please keep in mind as the system grows, this curriculum will evolve as well.
Stick based is the term that we apply more often to these styles of Martial Arts as the beginner is taught with a stick but the movements of most styles can be translated to various conditions of armed or unarmed combat. The stick is a weapon but also it can be simply an extension of the hand and a training tool. A student learns that if you have a stick, a baton, a knife, or a sword you still have two hands. If you have two sticks, two knives, two empty hands etc or even a combination of weapons, the movements of attack and defence are basically the same. It teaches self defence without having to learn many different patterns for each new weapon, which is different from other Martial Arts.
These Arts use economy of learning as well as economy of movement in the execution of their techniques. They also differ from the majority of other Asian Martial Arts as they teach weapon work before empty hand training. The key to Arnis/Escrima is that if you learn one set of attacks and defence well enough, the techniques can be simply translated and "your hand can be your sword", even in a literal sense.
Mission Statement
Our only goal is to supply interested students with high quality Filipino Martial Arts training. We are here to help students develop in fighting skills and fighting spirit. While we do not want to push our own spiritual philosophies on our students, high moral codes and values are a must for anyone seeking to join our club.
Why "Arnis de Cadena"?
Arnis de Cadena literally means the Chain of Arnis. Our club's curriculum is made up of many techniques from many different styles. Literally a chain of styles.
Also a chain is both hard and soft. It is made up of hard chain links yet is flexible. That is what a true Arnisador must be, hard yet soft enough to be flexible. Strong and yielding.
A chain may also be used to hold back a savage animal. That is what fighting skill is, a savage beast held on a tight chain. You are saying to the world, "do not trespass here or I will let slip the chain and unleash the beast". The beast is best kept chained up and unleashed only in the direst of circumstances.
Also a chain is both hard and soft. It is made up of hard chain links yet is flexible. That is what a true Arnisador must be, hard yet soft enough to be flexible. Strong and yielding.
A chain may also be used to hold back a savage animal. That is what fighting skill is, a savage beast held on a tight chain. You are saying to the world, "do not trespass here or I will let slip the chain and unleash the beast". The beast is best kept chained up and unleashed only in the direst of circumstances.
What does the word ‘Escrima’ mean?
The word ‘Escrima’, ‘Esgrima’ or ‘Eskrima’ was used by the Spanish when referring to swordfighting or fencing and was also used when referring to the many skirmishes and battles that took place in the colonisation of the country. The Spanish controlled The Philippines for almost 400 years. They made Spanish the "Official" language and it has gradually replaced many older words in the different Filipino languages that represented the Martial Arts.
What does the word ‘Kali’ mean?
There are several words in the Filipino languages that denote a simple stick, ‘garote’ or ‘olisi’ are but two. ‘Kali’ or ‘Kahli’ as it is sometimes written, is in the Visayan language a type of stick, but the stick is used in a certain way or ways, such as it being used as a walking stick and/or for self defence in times of trouble.
The term Kali is still used today in the Philippines as a element of some of the more remote terms such as ‘Kali-rongan’ or ‘Kali-radman’ describing the weapons based fighting arts. After the Spanish banned the practice of sword fighting for the Filipino's, certain types of Kali were said to have been preserved by being set in native dance forms known as the ‘Sayaw/s at Sinolog’ or dance/s at fiesta. They could then occasionally hold folk dancing exhibitions to amuse their new rulers. The native weapons and shields were used in these dances and were set to music and drums. Some older Escrimadors state however that the dances have always been used, even before the Spanish came, to teach students the Martial Arts. Much like the katas or patterns that are used today by some styles to teach.
The term Kali is still used today in the Philippines as a element of some of the more remote terms such as ‘Kali-rongan’ or ‘Kali-radman’ describing the weapons based fighting arts. After the Spanish banned the practice of sword fighting for the Filipino's, certain types of Kali were said to have been preserved by being set in native dance forms known as the ‘Sayaw/s at Sinolog’ or dance/s at fiesta. They could then occasionally hold folk dancing exhibitions to amuse their new rulers. The native weapons and shields were used in these dances and were set to music and drums. Some older Escrimadors state however that the dances have always been used, even before the Spanish came, to teach students the Martial Arts. Much like the katas or patterns that are used today by some styles to teach.
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