arnis sparring

Filipinos have made significant sacrifices to develop their arts. Throughout the ages multi-cultural, multi-national invaders of the Philippines imposed new dynamics for human conflict and combat. FMA, the “system-of-systems” transformed itself as a direct result of an appreciation of their ever changing environment and circumstances. The Filipinos' intrinsic need for self-preservation was the evolutionary genesis of these systems. They learned often out of necessity how to prioritize, allocate and utilize common resources in combative situations. Filipinos have been heavily influenced by the phenomenon of cultural and language mixture. The multitude of languages spoken in the 7,107 islands have not only diverged into dialects, but they have been constantly mixing with one another on all levels: vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and usage (see Languages of the Philippines). As a result, Filipino martial arts and its homogeneous systems comprise a vocabulary of heterogeneous terms. Change is the norm. Some of the specific mechanisms responsible for cultural and martial change extend from phenomena such as war, political systems, social systems, technology and trade.

Arnis - The World Of American Modern Arnis - Trailer

Filipino martial arts (FMA) is an umbrella term used to describe the numerous martial art forms that originated in the Philippines, just as Silat describes the martial arts practiced throughout the Mala Archipelago. Filipino martial arts include Panantukan (empty-handed techniques), Eskrima/Kali/Arnis de Máno (blade and stick fighting) and Pananjakman (kicking).