FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS IN ARNIS
Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Identify the fundamental skills in Arnis
2. Perform the different fundamental skills in Arnis.
3. Recognize the importance of the different fundamental skills in
4.
5. Arnis.EG 3. Posture
Fundamental Skills
In Arnis, posture is important for the effective delivery of strikes. In executing all
1. Grip these postures, the head should always face the opponent, observing all his body
The grip is the “soul of all fighting movement.
techniques” in Arnis. It is the correct grip that packs
power to and controls the cane. To do the correct
grip, hold the cane an inch from the base and tighten
your four fingers around it with your thumb pressed
against your forefinger. The hold must be firm when
striking. Relax your wrist a bit after a strike.
Front Facing-Body facing directly towards
2. courtesy opponent
Courtesy means “respect for one’s opponent and for the cardinal rules and
principles of sportsmanship.” In the revered tradition of martial art, courtesy in modern
Arnis is the trademark that makes players worthy protagonists.
At 45 degrees angle, heels closed, body erect, hands at ½-2 inches from both bases
in holding the cane, and feet together, bow your head slightly towards your opponent.
Courtesy in Arnis can also be executed with two canes.
A player can never hope to fight effectively without knowing these important
rudiments. Proper body positioning gives one mobility and ability. Shift from one position
to another with strong foothold and with much agility. Moreover, this is very essential in
defensive and offensive fighting.
Half front Facing-Body facing 45 degrees
either left or right.
• Attention Stance- Stand with feet at 45 degrees angle, heels closed together, hands
at the side and relaxed.
Side-Facing- Body entirely facing either
left or right
• Open-leg Stance- Stand with legs spread apart about shoulder width with toes
pointing slightly outward.
• Straddle-leg Stance- Spread legs about twice the
width of shoulders and bend knees outward, heels
firmly planted and toes pointing straight forward.
4. stances Distribute weight evenly on both legs
Stances in Arnis as in other forms of martial arts are different body positions basic
to the play of the art. These are techniques which teach a player how to maintain body
balance and the proper manner of distributing his weight on his legs. Mastery of those
techniques is essential in the perfection of the art of Arnis.
• Forward Stance- Move one leg forward at a distance about twice the widthof the shoulder • Oblique Forward Stance- This is executed by stepping either foot obliquely
and about 30 degrees to the side and bend frond leg at the kneewith cane in the center and in forward and obliquely to the left or to the right. The reverse of the oblique
fighting form. Rear leg is extended fully with both feet flat on the ground. forward stance is executed with the withdrawal of either foot.In both movements,
the L-shape position of the feet should be maintained
• Back Stance- Stand with one foot backward with rear-foot toes pointing forward, so that the Points to Remember: In Arnis, the player should charge with the foregoing
two feet form an L-shape. The rear foot should point either left or right depending on what stances. He can lunge, in which case the stride is longer, trunk leaning forward
foot is in front. Rear knee should be a little bent and force outward as in straddle stance. straight from the rear leg according to his convenience in actual play.
Seventy percent of the weight of the body should be supported by the rear leg with 30 percent
by front leg. Body shiftting
In Arnis, body shifting is very important. An Arnis player should be shifting
in positioning his body at a vantage point so that he can strike with the utmost
power. Proper body positioning will also enable him to be outside the effective
range of an opponent’s blowor strike. Body shifting consists of stepping, sliding,
turning or combination of these movements.
Points to Remember: In shifting the body, a player must always maintain balance
and shift the weight of his body smoothly. Correct posture must be maintained at
all times. A player must not lower his hips more than necessary; they should move
more or less in a straight line. He must not raise his feet high off the ground. He
must not drag them either. In both cases, he will lose both speed and balance.
Activity 3:
Direction: Create a separate short video recording of yourself of each of following
Fundamental skills in Arnis:
The Grip
Courtesy
Posture (Front-facing, Half-front Facing and Side Facing)
Stances (Attention, Open leg, Straddle Leg, Forward, Backward, Oblique Forward Stance)
