Arnis

[tri2bmt]

I'm interested in philipino stick fighting, and since there is no school near me i would like a recommended book on basics, a site or even a simple basics routine somebody could outline for me. All help would be immensily appreciated and useful.
Thanks.

[SevenStar]

check out "filipino martial arts" by mark wiley. He has another called "filipino martial culture" that is full of cultural background on filipino fighting.

[yenhoi]

Items needed:

1 stick, approx 28 inches long. Or hold a stick in its center with both hands stick parallel to the ground, in line with your forearms, the stick should measure in length from elbow to elbow.

Big piece of paper or piece of sheet wood.

Thumb tack, string, ruler(straight edge) and big marker.

-

Step One: draw circle.
Use the thumb tack and string and marker to draw a huge circle. (Ideally its diameter matches the broadness of your shoulders.)

Step Two: draw angles.
Use straight edge to draw a vertical line through the circle, then a horizontal line. Next, use the straight edge to draw the diagonal lines through the circle and cross you just drew. you should have 4 lines - Up/down, Left/right, Topleft/bottom right, Topright/bottom left.

Step Three: hang up or standup target.
Hang the target you just made so the center of the circle is equal to your solar plexus.

Step Four: hold stick.
Hold the stick on one end, doesnt >really< matter how, just firmly, and it doesnt >really< matter how high to choke up on the stick either. Stand about sticks length (stick + outstretched arm) from the target.

Step Five: work angles.
Pretend the stick is a single edged sword. The edge is your knuckles. Move the stick in front of you, carefully following the lines, as if you were making long slices with the edge of your sword. Work both directions on all lines with both hands.

Hay! Filipino stick work!

Concentrate on the 'edge' of your stick, and on keeping the angles correct.

Stance and footwork are a little too complicated for me to type instructions for. Keep your feet about shoulder width apart and kinda feel out the angles for where you should turn your feet or place your hand for more power or protection.

[Former castleva]

Go to www.martialtalk.com
They cover this one up.

[Fifth Brother]

Tri, thought you were into kung fu? Why are you switching to Philipeno MA. Kung fu has lots of weapons to learn.

[SevenStar]

Maybe Tri is just interested and looking for some info, or perhaps will cross train, and not switch styles.

[tri2bmt]

I'm just interested in what the system is about seeing as how i've never really seen arnis before.

[apoweyn]

you'd probably do better to get videos. obviously, a real teacher would be far, far better. but in the absence of that, a video would give you a better sense of the flow involved than a book. actually, i take that back. get one of each. wiley is a good choice, as sevenstar suggested. dan inosanto's book is really good too, though it's out of print now.

then get a video or two. again, guro dan's are excellent. watching it in motion will be important, i think, to modeling it yourself.


stuart b.