INDIVIDUAL AND
DUAL SPORTS
HISTORY OF
ARNIS
SIR ARIES C. NOLASCO,.
HISTORY
The Philippines is an island nation that is
rich in sports as well as culture, tradition,
and history. The history and diversity of the
OF ARNIS
Philippines have been influenced by the
Filipino martial arts of Arnis, Kali, and
Eskrima
HISTORY OF ARNIS
Arnis was developed by the
indigenous populations of the
Philippines who used an
assorted range of weaponry for
combat and self-defense. Arnis is
otherwise known
as eskrima, kali and garrote, and by even
more names in different Filipino regional
languages.
Encompassing both simple impact and
edged weapons, arnis traditionally
involved rattan,
swords, daggers and spears
BRIEF HISTORY
In 1521, equipped with nothing more than bladed
weapons and their fearsome arnis
abilities, Filipino islanders defeated Ferdinand
Magellan’s armored, musket-bearing Spanish
conquistador forces when they tried to invade.
When the Spanish eventually returned and successfully
conquered parts of the Philippines,
the traditions of arnis were preserved, despite its
prohibition, in the forms of ritual dance,
performance and mock battles. While earlier Filipino
martial arts were influenced by Spanish
colonization, the modern forms have been affected
by the country’s contact with both the
United States and Japan after gaining independence in
1898
the cane was considered sacred by practitioners
(Arnisadores), and therefore an arnis practitioner was
expected to hit his cane at the hand or forearm of his
sparring partner and not at the latter’s cane. This had
the advantage of being the preferred method in
actual combat, referred to as “defanging the snake”,
that is, making the opponent drop his weapon so that
he is less of a threat.
Training covers empty-hand self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as
well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of the Filipino martial
arts. Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (sword and dagger
fighting), sinawali (double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills
with the stick). In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of
anyo (kata), solo forms both with and without the stick. Emphasis is placed on
fitting the art in with a student’s previous training (“the art within your art”),
smoothly reacting to changing situations in the fight (“the flow”), and
countering the opponent’s attempt to counter strikes directed at him (“tapi-
tapi”). Practitioners are called arnisadors or Modern Arnis players.
In addition to its Filipino influences, elements of Judo, Shotokan Karate, and
Wally Jay’s Small Circle Jujutsu appear in the system.
REMY AMADOR PRESAS
The "Father of Modern Arnis," Remy
Amador Presas, is credited with creating the
well-known Filipino martial art of modern
arnis. Presas wed twice, the first time to
Rosemary Pascual Presas, with whom he
had five children, and the second time to
Yvette Wong, with whom he had two
children.
Presas established a gym in Bacolod,
Negros Occidental, and went on to train
hundreds of children in both sports and the
appreciation of their cultural heritage.
Remy was an educator with a bachelor's
degree who focused in physical education.
At De La Salle College and afterwards at the
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos,
he was a physical education instructor
