Escrima

[TSD Y049]

How many people have heard of escrima, kali, and arnis? What is the difference between them??

[mindsedgeblade]

From what I've heard, escrima is the general name of a filipino weapons art, and a name for double short sticks. Kali are basically short scythes, around the length of a tonfa (18 inches) with a short (5-6 inch) blade. Arnis, I think, is the name of another filipino art.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong- I'm fairly new at this.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Actually, what you described as short scythes are "kama".

[bart]

Hey There,

In general they all mean the same thing. In different styles they may have different meanings. Arnis is the most common word throughout the Philippines. Eskrima/Escrima comes in second. Kali is generally used as a term outside of the Philippines however it is gaining in popularity. Some examples of styles using those terms are Lightning Scientific Arnis, Doce Pares Eskrima, and Pekiti Tirsia Kali. There is an international organization called WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation) which uses all three terms as equals. There are other terms like fraile, estokada, baston, and yantok that also refer to that art. All of those words can also refer to the stick as well.

Some myths out there are that Arnis is more common in the northern Philippines, Eskrima in the central Philippines, and Kali in the south. There is actually no hard evidence that this is true. It really depends on the style not on the geographical location of the practitioners. Also there is no hard evidence that Kali is the mother art of all FMA.

Double stick practice is common to most styles regardless of name and it usually is called sinawali, doble baston, dos armas.

In FMA it's best to keep an open mind to terminology and keep in mind that often the same thing has several names and that some words mean different things from system to system.

[ZR440]

Yeah, I've heard of them. And I dropped a 3/4 lb stick right on my foot last night. Oww man.

[Sengra]

Arnis techniques were used by Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan Chieftain, in killing Magellan...^_^..I'm not sure, but I've heard some stories like this...

[bart]

From what I've heard, escrima is the general name of a filipino weapons art, and a name for double short sticks. Kali are basically short scythes, around the length of a tonfa (18 inches) with a short (5-6 inch) blade. Arnis, I think, is the name of another filipino art.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong- I'm fairly new at this.

Eskrima, Arnis, and Kali all generally refer to the same thing: a weapon based Filipino martial art (FMA). In different styles they sometimes have different meanings, but in general they have the same meaning. It also goes by garrote, yantok, fraile, estokada, and others.

Your definition of Kali is different than any that I've ever heard. That doesn't mean that somebody doesn't call the weapon you described "kali" however I myself have never heard or read until now of it describing a short sickle or kama.

[Zauriel]

Arnis techniques were used by Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan Chieftain, in killing Magellan...^_^..I'm not sure, but I've heard some stories like this...

There was a story that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan with a sword and a cane.

[Why_Worry]

Escrima, kali and arnis are basically the same thing. At the karate dojo i go to we learn a few techniques with escrima sticks although alot of it is one stick techniques.

Just to point out, there is such thing as Escrima/arnis/kali with ONE stick. It doesnt not neccesarily mean you use two sticks.

[Sengra]

Yes, one-stick techniques are being taught but basics are usually taught with the two sticks