Arnis - Kali - Escrima - Part 2 of 3

[Shari Blair]

In Part 2 of this series, I am going to talk about my experience in
the Filipino Martial Arts. The Filipino Martial Arts is known as
Arnis / Kali / Escrima. Most all empty handed Martial Arts today seem
as though, they are incorporating the Filipino Martial Arts into their
systems. This is a wonderful thing. The Filipino Martial Arts has a
rich History that you can go online and read about it or purchase
books that have been written up on this subject. From my understanding
the words - ARNIS / KALI / ESCRIMA are used throughout different parts
of the Philippines. Some parts will not understand the terminology of
the other parts. There are a thousand different dialects being spoken
in the Philippines today and it all depends on where you live.
Also, some have told me over the years in which I have been a student
of Arnis / Kali / Escrima, that these are all different types of
Martial Arts. Here's an idea of what I mean here and this can be a can
of worms for me. I am not saying I am an expert about all of these
amazing Martial Arts, but I'm just touching on a small portion of what
I have come to experience and learn over these years. So if I am
mistaken, please excuse me & let me taste your cup of tea.
Here we go -
Arnis, from what I was taught, means to take something and to harness
its energy and power. It is to be able to learn how to understand the
workings of the nature of what is being used. It doesn't matter
whether it is a stick, staff, sword, bolo, chriss, knife, rope, chain,
shield, whip, spear, empty hand or foot. But from what I have heard,
Arnis is mostly a stick art. Again, this is what I have heard from
others.
In what we practice in the Boston Arnis Club, Arnis is taught through
stick but each student is brought to understand they are actually
using a bladed weapon. Now the reason for this, something that I was
taught by my Master Teacher, Guro Grande George H. Brewster, is
because it helps teach proper bone alignment.
You see when you use a sword, your knuckles are aligned in a way that
your palm is behind the handle which in turn lines up your carpals and
metacarpals of the hand and wrist, so that you will not hurt yourself
when impacting something with your Baston (stick).
I have seen some students of Arnis come into my school (Dojo) over the
years who didn't practice in this way & their stick work was weak.
They couldn't generate the proper amount of power needed to break
bones or other things being hit with a stick. They would argue with me
that their system was superior to ours which kind of offended me a
bit. So I put them to the test of hitting with me. We went outside
& hit tires. Wham, - their stick vibrated right out of their hand.
Their face looked as though they had a dozen eggs on themselves.
I then hit the tires & they could not only see the difference, but
hear it as well. Then I explained why it is so important when learning
a stick art, it is always a good idea to practice with some kind of
edge weapon to help teach you proper bone alignment which in turn will
help out your power of hitting with a stick by proper wrist & hand
placement.

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