FMA (Filipino Martial Arts)
Sining ng Pakikipaglaban ng Pilipinas
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).
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FMA teaches practical weapon defense and awareness from day one. The weapons-first approach — with sinawali (weaving) and hubud-lubud (sensitivity) drills — develops reflexes and coordination that transfer directly to empty-hand — mano mano — self-defense.
At a Glance
Who It's For
What You'll Learn
Single — solo baston — and double stick — doble baston — fighting
Knife — daga — defense and blade awareness
Empty-hand translations — mano mano — from weapon techniques
Sinawali (weaving) flow drills
Disarming techniques — disarma
Hubud-lubud (tying-untying) sensitivity training
Your First Class
Wear athletic clothing. The school will likely provide rattan sticks. Expect single-stick sinawali (weaving) drills, basic strikes and blocks, and partner flow exercises. Classes run 60 minutes.
Watch & Learn
Legends of FMA (Filipino Martial Arts)
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.
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.
Edgar Sulite
Leo Gaje
Related Styles
Arnis
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.
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.
Pencak Silat
Pencak Silat is the umbrella term for Indonesian martial arts encompassing hundreds of styles. Pencak (artistic performance) and silat (combat application) together feature flowing strikes, devastating sapuan (sweeps), and intricate kuncian (joint locks), often incorporating spiritual and cultural elements.
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