Arnis or Eskrima Eskrima striking figures figures are very common common among Filipino martial arts practitioners practitioners especially 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/Esk Arnis/Eskrima rima included in the curriculum of CASASAI. 1.
Abanico-This form of striking is patterned with the movement of our traditional fan. We call it “kuyab”in our local Abanico-This 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 two rapid circular strikes. strikes. Circular strike is also also called as Redondo by other practitioners of Eskrima. In Iloilo sometimes they call this as de rueda named a fter the movement of the car wheel.
3.
Otso –otso 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
