KALI ESKRIMA ARNIS
FILIPINO STICK & BLADE FIGHTING
Learn to wield a stick or dagger
with the skill of a swordsman
The Filipino martial art of ESKRIMA is a practical form of "fencing" with a baston (stick), espada (sword), daga (dagger), or sungkod (staff), arising historically from a unique and ingenious Filipino re-engineering of Spanish swordsmanship to local weapons (that carried the legacies of Indigenous traditions), during three hundred years of colonisation; refined through revolution and rebellion during struggles for independence; and formalised in the pre-WWII period through the formation of sporting clubs.
Among ex-pat Filipinos living in the United States during the Civil Rights era, it became popular to refer to the art as KALI, from an old Tagalog word (meaning "skill with blades"). In the Philippines today, the more common term is ARNIS DE MANO (literally "armour of the hand"), given the Eskrimador's stick acts as both sword and shield. In 2009 Arnis was officially recognised as the country's national sport. All these names refer fundamentally to the same art. Although rarely named, the art is frequently featured in Hollywood films (ie. Bourne series, The Book of Eli, The Equaliser, Hanna, Kick-Ass, Raya and the Last Dragon, etc).
Eskrima classes are a great place to make new friends, and accommodate all fitness levels. Our club welcomes everyone regardless of what experience or fitness level they are starting at. Weapons level the playing field. A typical class focuses on the development of technique, attributes, and tactics, with fun pressure-testing drills and freeplay sparring (with padded sticks and fencing masks) for those keen to take their skills to the next level. Techniques translate effectively to improvised weapons, and many have "dirty boxing" (kickboxing) applications.
Our club specialises in De Campo 1-2-3 Original, a Cebuano system of ESKRIMA (KALI/ARNIS) developed in 1925 by Jose Diaz Caballero, who gained notoriety throughout the Philippines as an undefeated stick-fighting champion during the Juego Todo (no holds barred) era, where Eskrimadors fought duels without protective equipment during town fiestas. We extend our training with the comprehensive and beautiful art of Bernas Estocadas from the Negros Occidental region, and our practical and eclectic Kali Combatives program. Click on the logos above for more details on each system.
RECOGNISED BY
The famous stick-fighting system developed in 1925 by Jose Diaz Caballero, that focuses on fast and powerful "high percentage" combination striking techniques.
A beautiful and complete system of traditional Filipino Martial Arts shared with us by its living Grandmaster William Bernas, from the Negros Occidental region.
Our eclectic Kali program focused on developing your capacity to move freely between the three primary ranges of close-quarters combat involving edge and impact weapons.
