Arnis
Arnis de Mano
Arnis — also called Arnis de Mano ("harness of the hand") or Modern Arnis — is the pambansang laro (national martial art) of the Philippines, designated as such by law. It focuses on baston (stick) and blade fighting with systematic disarming — disarma — techniques and empty-hand — mano mano — applications.
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Arnis is one of the most practical weapon arts available, teaching you to use and defend against sticks, blades, and improvised weapons — with tapi-tapi (checking hand) drills — from your very first lesson.
At a Glance
Who It's For
What You'll Learn
Labindalawang anggulo (12-angle striking system)
Disarming techniques — disarma — against stick and blade
Sinawali (weaving) double-stick patterns
Empty-hand translations — mano mano — of weapon movements
Tapi-tapi (checking hand) flow drills and alive hand — bantay kamay
Your First Class
Wear athletic clothing. Rattan sticks will typically be provided. Expect basic 12-angle striking patterns, partner flow drills, and disarming techniques. Classes run 60 minutes.
Watch & Learn
Gallery
Legends of Arnis
Remy Presas
Remy Presas synthesized traditional Filipino stick and blade arts into Modern Arnis, making the complex system accessible to international practitioners. He brought Filipino martial arts to the global stage and influenced a generation of FMA instructors from the Philippines to the United States.
Ernesto Presas
Ernesto Presas founded Kombatan, a comprehensive Filipino martial arts system, and was the younger brother of Modern Arnis founder Remy Presas. While the brothers pursued different paths, Ernesto's Kombatan emphasized a complete fighting curriculum including sticks, blades, empty hands, and grappling.
Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto is a martial arts instructor, actor, and the foremost authority on Jeet Kune Do after Bruce Lee. He is one of only three people certified by Bruce Lee to teach JKD and has dedicated his life to preserving and advancing Filipino martial arts, Silat, and Southeast Asian combat systems.
Datu Tim Hartman
Related Styles
FMA (Filipino Martial Arts)
Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) — Sining ng Pakikipaglaban ng Pilipinas — is an umbrella term for the weapon-based fighting systems of the Philippines, including Arnis, Kali, and Escrima. Training begins with weapons — baston (sticks) and blades — espada (swords) — and translates to empty hands — mano mano (hand-to-hand).
Kali
Kali is a Filipino martial art emphasizing edged — patalim (blades) — and impact weapons — baston (sticks) — with sophisticated doble baston (double-stick) and daga (knife) techniques. Different lineages (Pekiti-Tirsia, Inosanto-Lacoste, etc.) have distinct methods but share core principles.
Escrima
Escrima (Eskrima, from Spanish esgrima, "fencing") is a Filipino weapon-based martial art closely related to Arnis and Kali. Visayan in origin, it emphasizes practical baston (stick) and blade combat — with a strong emphasis on corto mano (close-range) fighting.
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do ("Way of the Intercepting Fist") was developed by Bruce Lee as a personal combat philosophy. It rejects rigid styles in favor of directness, simplicity, and adaptability, drawing from boxing, fencing, and Wing Chun.
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