Arnis or Eskrima striking figures are very common among Filipino martial arts practitioners especially those eskimadors

or bastoneros in Panay Islands Philippines. As a matter of fact when I met old practitioners of arnis, Eskrima or kali as some practitioners particularly in Iloilo, they demonstrated their striking techniques using different figures. They usually used a kind of dancing footwork and strike rapidly the combinations of powerful strikes. You can really feel the power because of the whizzing sound produce by the fast velocity of the stick. When I first saw these old masters of Eskrima I was really very amazed of their skills because I can hardly figure out where the strikes are coming. I was then a practitioner of the renown Balintawak style of arnis for seven years and yet I was fascinated to study and learn the traditional arnisof old masters here in the province of Iloilo. In fact most of them are unknown masters who are usually living in rural areas. Unfortunately most of them died already. Here are some of the figures of strikes of Arnis/Eskrima included in the curriculum of CASASAI. 1. Abanico-This form of striking is patterned with the movement of our traditional fan. We call it kuyabin our local dialect. Abanico strikes is generally classified as abanicocortoused for close encounter and abanico largo used for long distance striking. 2. Doble Zero-this figure of striking is composed of two rapid circular strikes. Circular strike is also called as Redondo by other practitioners of Eskrima. In Iloilo sometimes they call this as de rueda named after the movement of the car wheel. 3. Otso otso or the figure eight striking. As the name suggest this form of striking is patterned with the number eight. It is actually number eight in horizontal not in vertical position. This figure is classified into two: the upward figure eight in which the strikes begin from below going up forming the shape of number 8. Downward figure eight wherein the strike above going downward forming the figure eight. 4. Tatad-is a Hiligaynon term for repeated strikes. This is a very common term used by our farmers and carpenters in preparing the bamboo shoot for walling by repeatedly striking the bamboo shoot until ready for walling a payag, a traditional small bamboo house in the Island of panay. A tadtad in Arnis can be done by striking vertically downward, diagonally, or horintally. This is actually a series of repeated strikes using the same motion all throughout. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Hanot alibangbang or butterfly strikes. This is a form of striking that combines the abanico and the Redondo or circular strikes. Sungkit or sungkite- sungkit in our local dialect means hitting the target using the tip of the striking material. This is usually done by hooking motion of the cane. Laso. Laso is a Hiligaynon term for lace. This is used by Panay bastoneros to describe the form of striking which are composed of small rapid circular strikes. Krusada or the cross strikes. This is done by crossing the first strike by the second strikes, a second strike is crossed by the third strike and so onthere are to kinds of cross used in arnis. The X cross and the T -crossed. De cadena. Cadena means a chain. This form of strike is patterned after shape of a chain. It can be done by striking in a chain-like motion the target to head down to the feet or vise versa. 10. Estrella.Estrella means a star. This form of strikes is patterned after the shape of a star. It is therefore composed of five rapid strikes which can be done in five variations. 11. Tresandanas. This is a form of striking using three strikes. The target is likened to a three-story building. The feet to the waist line is treated as the first floor, the body as second floor and the head as third floor. Tresandanas means three floors. 12. Lugay.Lugay means to stir. This is a stirring strikes patterned after the stirring motion of the hand when you stir something like in cooking food or stirring a glass of milk. It is somewhat ard to master the strikes because it requires good coordination. Master Frank Sobrino is very good in using this figure. It is interesting to note that terms used I arnis was greatly influenced by the Spanish words. This is beause Philippines was under Spanish regime for 300 long years. 13. Sinawaliis a figure of strikes using two sticks and patterned after the movement of sawali a visayan term which means to weave. Sinawali form of striking is well discussed in one of the articles published in this website.