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Ranks and Curriculum

The Bernas Estocadas system has a curriculum that includes foundational and combative drill progressions that have been carefully curated by the Grandmaster to rapidly foster free, fluid, and effective skill development, and are constantly undergoing refinement to produce the best outcomes for the student journey. The progressions treat the learning of a martial art as similar to the learning of a new language, with the ultimate goal being the development of a capacity to express oneself freely, spontaneously, and effectively in the art's "body language". Promotions are often performed as part of special events that include workshops with the Grandmaster, or ranks may be awarded more spontaneously, at the end of a training session, when a student has made demonstrable progress and achieved the appropriate standard. Each level wears a specific T-shirt, and as we are a not-for-pofit school, the only cost associated with the four student gradings is the cost of the new T-shirt. The major stages of development are somewhat similar to those one sees in the traditional medieval craft guilds. ​The curriculum requirements for all student levels and Instructor level, are listed below.

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Bag-óhan

Level 1

Bag-óhan (novice; grey) is the first of five apprenticeship ranks, and is awarded to a person who has been accepted as a student of the Bernas Estocadas system, having demonstrated: (1) appropriate levels of courtesy and respect; (2) a willingness and capacity to learn signalled by a capacity to perform the system's 12 fundamental strikes and blocks in a stationary format; and (3) recognition of the meaning of key foundational terms. 

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Pagsolóndan (Fundmentals)

  • Saludo (Salute)

  • ​Panguyat​ (Stick Grip)

  • Ngangáng Búaya (Crocodile Mouth)

  • Pigar (Push or Pressure)

  • Garahé (Parking Stick)

  • ​Abierta/Serrada (Open/Closed)

  • Kayâ/Kulob (Supine/Prone)

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Paníndog (Stances)

  • Preparar (Ready Position)

  • Hiláy Likód (Back Stance)

  • Hiláy Tubang (Forward Stance)

  • Bakâ (Horse Stance)

  • Púngkò (Cat or Seated Stance)

  • Ekis (Cross Stance)

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Palakát (Footwork)

  • Walá ang Tuô (Left & Right)

  • Abante (Advancing)

  • Atras (Retreating)

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Opensa (12 Strikes - Consonants)

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12​

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Depensa (12 Blocks)

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12​​​​​​

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Depensa-Opensa (Defence & Counter)

Stationary Feed Only

  • Depensa-Opensa​ 0: Sagáng (Blocking)

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Línghod

Level 2​

Línghod (unripe; green) is the second of five apprenticeship ranks, and is awarded to the student who has demonstrated, under low intensity exam conditions: (1) with reasonably accurate footwork, stick and body positioning, and some fluidity, the system's consonants (12 fundamental strikes), and their defences, in simple (isolated or paired) sequences, while advancing and retreating; and (2) mostly maintains form during low intensity defence and counter drills.

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Opensa Páres Páres (Paired Strikes)​

Stationary, Advancing, Retreating

1-8 Reps Slow & Smooth, 8-1 Reps Fast & Hard

  • 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12

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Depensa Páres Páres (Paired Blocks)​

Stationary, Advancing, Retreating

1-8 Reps Slow & Smooth, 8-1 Reps Fast & Hard​

  • 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12

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Dágway Level 1 (Forms)

Basic Forms

  • Dágway 1: Opensa Abante (12 Strikes Advancing)

  • Dágway 2: Depensa Abante (12 Blocks Advancing)

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Doble Baston: Santikanay (Double Stick Sparking)

  • 1) High-High (R/L)

  • 2) Low-Low (R/L)

  • 3 )High-High (R/L) + Low-Low (R/L)

  • 4) High-High-Low-Low (R/L)

  • 5) High-Low (R/L)

  • 6) High-Low-High (R/L)

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Depensa-Opensa (Defence & Counter)

Must include Dogsing

  • Depensa-Opensa​ 1: Sagáng (Blocking)

  • Depensa-Opensa​ 2: Balos (Single Counter)

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Linghod Logo
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Gúlang

Level 3

Gúlang (maturing; yellow) is the third of five apprenticeship ranks, and is awarded to the student who has demonstrated, under low intensity exam conditions: (1) with correct footwork, stick and body positioning, and good fluidity, the system's consonants (12 fundamental strikes), and their defences, in a range of consecutive two, three, and four strike sequences, while advancing, retreating, and switching directions; and (2) the maintenance of form and fluidity during low intensity defence and counter partner drills.

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Pasunód​ Páres Páres (Consecutive Pairs)

  • 1-2

  • 3-4 (1-2-3-4)

  • 5-6 (1-2-3-4-5-6)

  • 7-8 (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8)

  • 9-10 (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10)

  • 11-12 (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12)​

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Pasunód​ Tagduhá (Consecutive Couplets)

Stationary, Advancing, & Retreating​​

  • 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9, 9-10, 10-11, 11-12

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Pasunód​ Tagtátlo (Consecutive Triplets)

​Advancing on Odd & Retreating on Even

​Advancing on Even & Retreating on Odd

  • 1-2-3, 2-3-4, 3-4-5, 4-5-6, 5-6-7, 6-7-8, 7-8-9, 8-9-10, 10-11-12

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Tagápat (Fours)

Stationary, Advancing, Retreating​

  • 1-2-3-4

  • 5-6-7-8

  • 9-10-11-12

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Palabúlak (Flowering Strikes: Vowels)

  • Wasiwas (Wagging) - w

  • Redonda (Rotating) - r

  • Abaniko (Fanning) - a

  • Palpal (Pegging) - p

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Dágway Level 1 (Forms)

Advanced Forms​

  • Dágway: U, T, I, Plus (+)

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Doble Baston: Santikanay (Double Stick Sparking)

  • High-R,High-L,Redonda Serrada-R + High-L,High-R,Redonda Serrada-L [Sinawali]

  • 1-7 Santikanay in a Single Sequence

 

Depensa-Opensa (Defence & Counter)

Must include performance as Dogsing

  • Depensa​-Opensa 3: Balos Dámò (Multiple Counters)​​​​

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Habál

Level 4​​

Habál (ripening; orange) is the fourth of five apprenticeship ranks, and is awarded to the student who has demonstrated, under moderate intensity exam conditions: (1) the capacity to seamlessly blend the system's consonants (12 fundamental strikes) and vowels (special strikes) in complex consecutive two, three, and four strike sequences, while moving fluidly and effectively, in multiple directions, and maintaining correct footwork, stick and body positioning; and (2) the maintenance of form, fluidity, focus, and effectiveness, during moderate intensity defense and counter drills involving use of blocking & parrying.

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Páres Páres + Palabúlak (Paired Strikes + Vowels)​​

  • Páres Páres + Redonda: 1r2r, 3r4r, 5r6r, 7r8r, 9r10r, 11r12r

  • Páres Páres + Redonda & Abaniko: 1rar2rar, 3rar4rar, 5rar6rar, 7rar8rar, 9rar10rar, 11rar12rar

  • Páres Páres + Redonda, Abaniko, & Palpal: 1rarp2rarp, 3rarp4rarp, 5rarp6rarp, 7rarp8rarp, 9rarp10rarp, 11rarp12rarp

  • Páres Páres + Redonda, Abaniko, Palpal, & Wasiwas: 1rarpw2rarpw, 3rarpw4rarpw, 5rarpw6rarpw, 7rarpw8rarpw, 9rarpw10rarpw, 11rarpw12rarpw

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Pasunód​ Tagtátlo Abante/Atrás (Consecutive 3-Strike Combos Advancing & Retreating)                                         

Within Each Sequence

  • Abante-Atrás-Abante 

  • Abante-Abante-Atrás

  • Atrás-Abante-Abante

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Palabúlak Dámò (Multiple Flowering Strikes/Vowels)​

  • Corto 3 & 4 + Serrada: r-a-r-p-w

  • Corto 4 & 3 + Abierta: r-a-r-p-w

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Tagápat + Vowels (Fours & Vowels)

Stationary, Advancing, Retreating​

  • 1-2-3-4-r-a-r-p-w

  • 5-6-7-8-r-a-r-p-w

  • 9-10-11-12-r-a-r-p-w

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Dágway Level 2 (Forms)

Advanced Forms plus Vowels

  • Dágway: Opensa Abante + r-a-r-p-w

  • Dágway: Depensa Level 3 + r-a-r-p-w

  • Dágway: U, T, I, Plus (+)​ + r-a-r-p-w

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Depensa-Opensa (Defence & Counter)

Must include Dogsing

  • Ímo-Ákon​ (Your Turn-My Turn)

  • Depensa​-Opensa 4: Paíway (Evasion)​​​​

  • Balos-Balos (Counter-Counter)

  • Depensa-Depensa (Stop and Pass)

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Doble Baston: Santikanay + Palabúlak (Double Stick Sparking plus Flowering Strikes)

Patterns plus Vowels​

  • 1-7 + r-a-r-p-w

  • Sinawali Variations

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Hínog

Level 5​​

Hínog (ripe; red) is the final of five graded apprenticeship ranks, and is awarded to the student who has demonstrated: (1) under moderate intensity exam conditions, a capacity to seamlessly blend the system's abierta strikes (open consonants) and serrada strikes (closed consonants), and special strikes (vowels) in complex non-consecutive multi-strike sequences, while moving fluidly, intuitively, & effectively, in multiple directions, and maintaining correct footwork, stick and body positioning; and (2) maintenance of form, fluidity, and focus, during complex, moderate intensity, defense and counter partner drills involving blocking, parrying, and disarming.

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Lakót Tagduhá (Mixed 2-Strike Combos)

  • 1+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 2+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 3+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 4+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 5+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 6+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 7+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 8+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 9+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 10+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 11+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 12+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

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Lakót Tagtátlo (Mixed 3-Strike Combos)

  • 1-2+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 2-1+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 3-4+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 4-3+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 5-6+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 6-5+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 7-8+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 8-7+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 9-10+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 10-9+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • 11-12+(2,4,6,9,11,12)

  • 12-11+(1,3,5,7,8,10)

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Dágway Level 3 (Forms)

Advanced Forms plus Consonants & Vowels

  • Opensa (Abante) + Consonants & Vowels

  • Depensa + Balos Damô + r-a-r-p-w

  • U, T, I , Plus (+) + Consonants & Vowels

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Depensa-Opensa (Defend & Counter)

Must include performance as Dogsing

  • Level 5: Pang-Agaw (Abierta/Serrada)

  • Level 6: Pang-Agaw + Vowels

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Doble Baston Gunting (Double Stick Scissoring)

  • Gúnting (Serrada) +(1,3,5,7,8,10)

  • Gúnting (Abierta) +(2,4,6,9,11,12)​​

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Manunúdlò

Instructor

Manunúdlò (Instructor; black) is a licensed teacher of the art who has demonstrated: (1) a capacity to accurately explain and demonstrate the principles and practices of the Abesedario, Pang-Áway, and Combate Heneral of the Solo & Doble Baston curriculum of the Bernas Estocadas System, with consistently strong form, fluidity, focus, and functionality, in front of an international audience, overseen by Manunúdlò, Agálon, and the Lolo Ámo, under intense exam conditions; and (2) maintenance of the form, fluidity, focus, and functional effectiveness, during high intensity defense and counter partner drills involving blocking, parrying, and disarming.

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Mustra (Demonstrating)

Can demonstrate all system requirements with:

  • Form

  • Fluidity

  • Focus

  • Functional Effectiveness

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Túdlò (Teaching)

Can explain all system requirements:

  • Conceptually (Principles)

  • Technically (Mechanics)

  • Tactically (Strategies)

  • Historically (Contexts)

  • Philosophically (Ethics)

  • Methodologically (Pedagogies and Curriculum Progressions)

 

Depensa-Opensa (Defend & Counter)

Levels 1-6

  • Dogsing

  • Hanas

 

Karanza (Free Movement)

Freeform mixing of consonants and vowels, attack & defence

  • Solo Baston

  • Doble Baston

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