Learn to wield a stick
with all the skill of a swordsman
The Filipino martial art of ESKRIMA (the local pronunciation of the Spanish word Esgrima "fencing"), arose from a unique mix of Spanish swordsmanship and Bisayan practicality, shaped through war, revolution and rebellion during the colonial period; and formalised in the early part of the 20th Century through the formation of stick-fighting clubs and sporting associations.
Today the art is also commonly known as ARNIS DE MANO (literally "armour of the hand"); and in the United States, KALI, from an old Tagalog word Kalis (meaning "skill with blades") drawing on ideas more mythological than historical.
Fundamentally, the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) are a form of fencing with a baston (stick), bolo (working blade), or baraw (dagger). Training focuses on the development of techniques, attributes, and tactics, pressure tested through sparring drills and freeplay. The techniques adapt well to improvised weapons, and many have unarmed "dirty boxing" applications.
We specialise in De Campo 1-2-3 Original, the system of Eskrima developed in 1925 by Jose Diaz Caballero who gained notoriety as a Juego Todo champion. Held during town fiestas, the Juego Todo was an all-out stick fight without protection, where the only armour was the Arnis stick in your hand.
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