Questions about Kali/Escrima/Arnis sticks and styles.

[MysticRonin101]

1) What's the diffference between them these three styles? Just a brief and general overview would do.

 

2) I'm planning to buy those sticks to train; are there any differences in say, a kali or escrima stick besides the labeling?

 

3) I looked up the catalogs and found that they were sold in various names and prices like, "labisca sticks, rattan sticks, palasan, etc."

 

I just want some good quality ol' fashioned plain ones to train with, nothing out of the blue, which one should I buy?

[ZR440]

This link might help with the common questions regarding FMAs.

 

http://www.martialartsresource.com/anonftp/pub/eskrima/digests/fmafaq.htm#APPENDIX%20E%20-%20FMA%20Equipment/Weapon%20Suppliers

 

As far as stick selection, the standard rattan material is fine. Even better if you can buy it flame treated. Or you can do it yourself with a torch. We also flow mineral oil thru our sticks as a preservative/flex agent.

[MysticRonin101]

Just one more question, why is it better if I get it flame treated?

 

They also sell the burnt rattan type in my catalog. Is that the one you're refering to?

[ZR440]

Affirmative. It kind of heat treats the outer skin similar to heat treating metals and prolongs the life of the stick a little. They tend to splinter after repeated stick to stick hits, but I've had mine over a year so far.

[street fighter]

Rattan is great and burned is better, get some hockey handle tape it will make it more grippable when you sweat and it is good for covering cracks when you start stick to stick with force. P.S. watch your fingers.

[steveb]

The hockey tape is a good idea. We were doing 6-count drills one night when one of my sticks broke. It flew across the room and onto the other floor where there was a kata class. Our instructor now requires the tape on all our sticks.

[lhommedieu]

Re. the sizes and differnent kinds of Filipino martial arts sticks:

 

Stick length is often determined by the kind of sword for which the stick is a surrogate. I practice San Miguel Eskrima, for example, and our stick length of about 32-33 inches reflects the fact that a pinute would be used in place of the stick if you were using a sword. A friend of mine practices both Pekiti Tirsia Kali and Serrada Escrima; a stick length of about 26-27 inches reflects the fact that a ginunting is a representative sword for Pekiti Tirsia Kali; a stick length of about 18 inches reflects the fact that a bolo is a representative weapon for Serrada Escrima.

 

It's interesting to note that it is generally the length of the weapon that dictates the footwork, angling, distancing, and body mechanics of the art (and thus makes various Filipino martial arts look different from one another).

 

With respect to the terms "kali," "arnis," and "eskrima": There are dozens, if not hundreds, of regional terms used for armed combat in the Philippines that reflect the enormous cultural diversity of the nation. These terms are often in languages or dialects that are only spoken in one area of the country and nowhere else. The most common terms that come from the Spanish are "arnis" and "eskrima," and although there is some etymological evidence that the term "kali" does in fact connote the use of weapons, the actual use of the term in the Philippines is rare to the point of being almost nonexistent.

 

However, when the Filipino martial arts were first promoted in the the United States, the term "kali" was used to draw attention to the ancient aspects of Filipino martial arts, which gave rise to an interpretation that "kali" represented the ancient arts, "eskrima" the arts that arose during the Spanish occupation, and "arnis" the arts of the modern era. Other interpretations of the terms give them geographical significance: "kali" represents the arts of the southern Philippines, "eskrima" represents the arts of the centeral Philippines, and "arnis" represents the arts of the northern Philippines. The bottom line is however that "arnis" is the most common general term used in all parts of the country, and that regional terms are more likely to be recognized in those areas of the country.

 

The terms "kali," "arnis," and "eskrima" are used interchangably here in the United States and in Europe, and I suspect that they will become a part of the lexicon in much the same way as "coke" or "xerox" have. If you go to the Philippines, however, the terms "arnis" and "eskrima" are recognized as generic terms for the Filipino martial arts.

 

Best,

 

Steve Lamade

 

Instructor

 

San Miguel Eskrima Association

[bart]

Hey There,

 

I don't recommend taping the handle of the sticks. You want to develop callouses and you want to develop your grip. If you have sticks flying around, then you need to work on your grip. The tape rips off your callouses and causes bad blistering and ripping of the skin during intense workouts. Grip should be strongest with the pinky, ring, and middle fingers, and just slightly looser with the pointer and thumb. It takes time and practice to develop good solid grip. I would suggest slowing down the sinawali drills and build up speed as your grip strength, endurance, and technique develops.

 

I also go through sticks pretty quickly and I haven't found any real durability difference between fire treated rattan and raw rattan. There is a difference in rigidity though. I have found that sticks with the skin on are more durable and I prefer and recommend those. Peeled rattan sticks last somewhere around a week to a month with a rare one here or there lasting longer. Unskinned rattan lasts somewhere around a month to two months. Some of those have lasted me even longer. No stick will last longer than a week or so against intense tire stack training or stick to stick training. Unpeeled rattan also is mildly adhesive due to the sap, however that sap is gone after a couple workouts.

 

Aside from skin the only other factor that has made a difference in stick lifespan in my experience is taping. I suggest taping the hitting end of the stick immediately after it starts to fray but not before. I suggest taping it tightly but leaving the very end of the stick (last .25 inch) unwrapped or only lightly wrapped. This allows the sticks individual fibers to have some flexibility so as to not break.

 

A real fact of the matter with stick work is that you will go through sticks. If you have rattan sticks, and they last for a long time, chances are you're not doing much stick to stick work, tirework, or bagging. And those are important practices which develop rapid and powerful striking ability.

 

Just my thoughts.

[lhommedieu]

Bart wrote:

 

"A real fact of the matter with stick work is that you will go through sticks. If you have rattan sticks, and they last for a long time, chances are you're not doing much stick to stick work, tirework, or bagging. And those are important practices which develop rapid and powerful striking ability."

 

With this in mind, an inexpensive way to get sticks with which to train is to buy rattan from the folks that sell caning supplies. Two resources:

 

http://www.bambooandrattan.com/

 

http://www.caning.com/

 

Just ask them to cut to the length and diameter that you want, and they'll ship to you. They're not pretty and haven't been burnt, etc. - but they are a utilitarian resource for training.

 

I've never had much use for taping sticks either, although I usually keep a roll of black electrical tape in my bag just in case someone is on their last stick. Once the stick is frayed enough to need taping, it usually feels pretty "dead" and should be discarded.

 

Best,

 

Steve

[ZR440]

Oh man, how I hate hitting tires.