Arnis versus fencing

[bart]

Arnis. Now I still think a Warring States period Samurai would waste them both, but that's just my opinion.

 

History tells us that they were at some points evenly matched by Westerners toward the end of the 1500's. Firearms were in use yes, but there were no revolvers and chances are you would be cut down before you could reload so their combat still consisted mainly of blades. It's hard to say who would have fared better. In southern Europe especially at that time, advancement in society for many depended on their ability to survive duels. Duels were fought regularly and over trifling things. So even a successful renaissance merchant may have been in several dozen duels and killed a few of his opponents. However, leaving the Samurai behind and getting back to the topic of Arnis vs Fencing...

[Sengra]

i'm going to revive this topic..hehehe ...anyway, it's kinda funny how i can really answer this question..that i'm a filipino, and i practice fencing...well actually, arnis and fencing, if used with real weapons could really be deadly...For me, it really depends on the persons involve, say, in a fight...techniques can only get you to a certain level, but in real combat, the thought of death will never leave you, and that will be a factor...a really big factor, i daresay.

according to Lt. Spiers Capt) in Band of Brothers:

'the sooner you put it into your head that you are already dead, the sooner you can function as a soldier' (or something like this)

Cheers!!!1

[UseoForce]

I think it's important to distiguish between sport and true fencing (thearma.org)

[Anbu Alex]

i have a friend who does fencing and he showed me some insane footwork and exercises that helped my kenjutsu

[Sengra]

i have a friend who does fencing and he showed me some insane footwork and exercises that helped my kenjutsu

really?fencing footworks help improve kenjutsu? I never knew this...

[KempoTiger]

arnis? x-plain PLZ

Arnis is one of the words along with Eskrima and Kali to denote weapon based Filipino Martial Arts. I'm surprised you don't know that if you attend an Inosanto lineage school. What does your teacher use to refer to Filipino Martial Arts?

I personally never knew what Arnis was up until a few months ago when I heard the term used and looked it up myself. Up until then I always thought that the two terms were Kali and Escrima.

[Sengra]

arnis? x-plain PLZ

Arnis is one of the words along with Eskrima and Kali to denote weapon based Filipino Martial Arts. I'm surprised you don't know that if you attend an Inosanto lineage school. What does your teacher use to refer to Filipino Martial Arts?

I personally never knew what Arnis was up until a few months ago when I heard the term used and looked it up myself. Up until then I always thought that the two terms were Kali and Escrima.

There are other threads on arnis though, you can learn from most of them...

[italian_guy]

Hey There,

Until recently I thought the same thing, that Lapulapu personally killed Magellan. On a whim, I decided to seek out the writings of Pigafetta. I found a copy of the original online in Italian, which is the language that Pigafetta wrote his account in. His is the only recorded written historical account of the death of Magellan.

According to his account Magellan and his men were met with arrows and spears as Lapulapu's fighters advanced from the beach to fight Magellan in the shallow water in the bay. Magellan's men were also hit with rocks and mudclods in large numbers. When Lapulapu's men reached Magellan's they began to fight but Lapulapu's people shot arrows, threw rocks, and poked spears at the Spanish fighters' un armored legs. Several men fell. Lapulapu's men recognized him as the leader of the Spaniards and redirected their attacks to him. Magellan was struck by a spear in the leg and fell down in the water. He went to reach for his sword when he was hit by a volley of arrows. He looked back at Pigafetta and the now retreating Spaniards. Then one of Lapulapu's men hit the already downed and drowning Magellan with a "sword like a large scimitar" in the leg and Lapulapu's men mobbed on him. They surrounded him and stuck him and struck him until he was dead.

I think that any fencer might have a little trouble dealing with arrows, rocks, and thrown spears while fighting in water against multiple opponents. So this might not be the best gauge as to which style is superior, arnis or fencing, regardless of whether it was the first battle or not.

Anyway, I have a copy of the original Italian on my site if anybody wants to look at it. The battle takes place on page 15 and 16 although the entire thing is a good read.

http://www.capitaldocepares.com/files/pigafetta.pdf

Lapulapu's people were apparently really really provoked because immediately before the battle Magellan's men had burned Lapulapu's village which was actually still on fire while they were fighting.

And by the way, for what it's worth, I prefer Arnis.

Nice read thank you... and bart do you know our language?

[y2_sub]

Arnis. Now I still think a Warring States period Samurai would waste them both, but that's just my opinion.

Agreed on all points here

[Why_Worry]

I would think an arnis practitioner would win, but i dont really have much to back that up its just i am a little biased towards eastern martal arts and i practice a little escrima although i'm not really very good.

But someone should have an all sword martial arts tournaments. That would be fun to watch. It wouldnt realyl decide which one was best, just who did the best, but still it would be fun to watch.