Filipino Martial Arts: Philippines

Filipino martial arts (FMA) signifies to the newer fighting methods and ancient Indianized developed by people of Philippines. It includes elements comprising of both Western and Eastern type of Martial Arts, the popular forms of martial arts in Philippines are known as Arnis, Kali and Eskrima. These systems have grown with time and growing need of Self-Protection.

Fighting Form In Arnis

The battle skills developed by the people of Filipino are totally appreciable of their changing circumstances. Arnis has an image of arts which teaches us self-protection and thus it renders the status of de jure (national sport) of the Philippines. It has been carried down from generations for a very long period of time as this sport features the speed, skill, agility and accuracy of its disciples. It is a kind of martial art that is characterized by using of “twirling and swinging movements, accompanied by thrusting, striking and parrying techniques for self-protection as well as for offence.” Arnis is known by many different names in regional languages in different parts of Filipino. However Spanish had a big influence that created a pacifying effect on Filipino martial arts culture as the warrior named ethos has influences and techniques on the fringes of this art.

Like all kinds of martial arts, arnis is considered to be primarily defensive, circumscribe hand-to-hand grappling, combat and disarming techniques. However, use of bladed weapons is included in the fighting style and sticks, in addition to the updated weapons. A baton-like rod of cane is the basic melee tool that is utilized and the weapon used in professional arnis competitions. In competitions Arnis certainly takes one of two forms: the combative leban or the performance-based anyo model. Arnis competitions are decided on the virtue of the overall display of the performances, including the strength, gracefulness and force employed. This art whereas had no traditional system of grading or belting as they were taught very normally rather being professional. It was noted that to teach a student a "master" would be considered ridiculous and a virtual warrant of death as the person would become impaired left and right to fulfill his normal duties by other Arnisadores. Whereas belt ranking was recently adopted from Japanese arts like as Judo and Karate, which has now become popular with Filipinos people. They adopted this structure to their systems so as to be able to rank and compete for the attention of their students.

By: Anuja Arora