Total Serrada Eskrima Block List as taught by Grandmaster Angel Cabales and STRATEGIES in LOCK & BLOCK Drill:
BLOCK LIST OF SERRADA ESKRIMA SYSTEM, and the Structure of Serrada Eskrima: COUNTERS AGAINST THE TWELVE STRIKES AS THEY ARE DEFINED IN THE ORIGINAL SERRADA SYSTEM: by Khalid Khan & All blocks described below end in the LOCK Position after the blocking movements are finished. If the block is done to the right side of your center line, then you have to do a hit to the top of the opponent's forearm/hand and do a cross-check with your stick at minus 30 degrees angle and then bring the stick back to your waist in Lock Position. If the block is done to the Left of your center line, then you have to do a circular sampling of his next move, by bringing your stick to the bottom of his forearm/hand, and then circularly moving it to the top of his arm and then bringing the stick close to your own body (the waist), then adjusting your position and standing in Lock position. In order to do each block, proper distance between you and the opponent is required so that he is fully seen by you. Normally, you require two feet of distance between you and his weapon holding hand as you are applying your counter. Depending upon previous positions of your stick and the stick of the opponent, there are many blocks per angle in the Serrada Eskrima system. Angel Cabales always said: "The secret to Eskrima is strike no. 1, it is the key." meaning if you understood strike no. 1 you understood the rest. For reference to the strike angles: SERRADA STICKFIGHTING BLOCK LIST: STRIKE NO. 1: 1. Front Cross Block: done mainly against a strike no. 1 that is coming vertically down to your head. 2. Inside Block (the Inside Sweep block), done mainly against a strike no. 1 that is coming slightly slanted in angle to left side of your face, or to your left shoulder. 3. Front Cross Block, & pull down to sector 3. 4. Step outside, no. 3 attack to opponen's waist, make finger hook [jari] technique to create a L capture. 5. Step outside, no. 5 attack to opponent's waist, make finger hook [jari] technique to create a L capture. 6. Step outside, your stick pointing downwards, outside hand hit, finish as side-block counter against strike no. 2. 7. Step outside, inside hand cut.
8. Bring your stick to touch bottom of opponent's weapon or his forearm, empty hand pass with your left hand, go over his arm as it is passing by, finish like side-block counter against strike no.2. 9. Inside Block, 90 degree hook, go outside from underneath opponent's arm, finish counter like a sideblock against strike no. 2. 10. Elastico: step backwards with your left foot, raise your stick from the ground up and hit the opponent's arm from underneath, pulling all the way across to the floor on the other side and then raise from the floor again and hit the opponent's arm on the top, if he tries to do a abaniko to your hand, do a reversal by supplying strike no. 6. 11. Stickey-stick block: step same as in inside block, hit your stick to the opponent's stick, slide downwards to his hand. Additional Blocks: 12. Step Outside, hit with your own strike no. 7 to his neck or eye. Use jari technique. 13. Step Outside, hit with your own strike no. 7 to his neck or eye, but keep your stick inside his right arm. Use jari technique. STRIKE NO. 2: In case he his delivering his strike no. 2 leading with the stick, and not with his fist [short end of the stick/puno], you can use the following blocks. 1. Side block, step in with left foot. 2. Wing Block: hold your stick facing downwards but mostly parallel to the floor outside your shoulder. Use your left hand to bring or guide his stick onto your stick and then use the energy generated from the clash of the two sticks to suddenly release your stick and strike at the opponent's wrist. This block can be done several ways. 3. Front Cross block, use your left hand to capture the opponent's incoming strike no. 2 [a backfist type attack], pull down to sector 3. 4. Step Outside, use your stick to attack his waist (strike no. 3). 5. Step Outside, use your stick to attack his waist (strike no. 5). 6. In case he is delivering the strike no. 2 leading with his fist, or using the short end of the stick [puno], you can use your left hand on his fist, and then bring your own stick from outside to hit his forearm bone in smacking form, thus weakening his strike. STRIKE NO. 3: 1. Basic Cross Block: in this block you step a little to your right, and bring your stick facing downwards, and bring your left hand behind the stick in a cup position. 2. Advanced Cross Block, pass with hand: In this block, you step backwards with your left foot in order to create space necessary to pass the opponent's incoming weapon across your waist area, and then apply a basic cross block as described above, but raise your stick a little bit, and use your left hand to pass his stick rightwards. There are a few other blocks from the basis of this "Advanced Cross Block" with multiplications into other moves. 3. Empty hand pass, stick at chamber: in this block you keep the stick at the chamber position (standing near your face on the right side), and use only your left hand to pass the incoming strike no. 3. Most important is the stepping of sliding your triangle backwards in order to create space for the opponent's stick to pass across your waist area. 4. Empty hand pass with "double-double": in this block you start as if doing the basic cross block against strike no. 3, but after hitting the opponent's stick you take it all the way to the floor, and then bring the right foot together with the left foot, then change foot as you raise the stick from the floor coming circular upwards from behind and hit the opponent's arm again. This is a classic Angel Cabales "double-double" move. 5. Witik: this is a strange and powerful block. You slide backwards with both feet, raise you stick upwards and bring it into a hook created by thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Keep your right hand wrist loose, now use the hook created by your left hand to push upwards and the stick will strike downwards with force.
6. Abaniko: in this block you keep your left hand at the chest not using it, and then create the Abaniko (fan) movement and hit the opponent's stick as it is passing by across your waist. Sliding stepwork backwards is required. 7. With your stick in a kind of a Wing Block pose, in your wrist facing outwards from your shoulder. Bring the stick downwards, and have it connect with the opponent's incoming stick, use left hand to pass. 8. Do the Advanced Cross Block, hit stick to ground, hit opponent's right knee, as he tries to do a second hit with strike no 2 to your head, perform side-block against strike no. 2. 9. Do the Advanced Cross Block, hit stick to ground, raise directly upwards, do a Elastico movement bringing your stick to your position no. 2 position, then bring the stick back onto opponent's forearm. STRIKE NO. 4: 1. Punch Block: bring your stick directly on top of opponent's stick, and use your left hand to guide his stick leftwards, keep your stick at your waist pointing at his abdomen, stay for a moment to see if he does any movement, if not finish the counter like the finishing of all counters that end towards your left (with circular sampling moves). 2. Cross Block: meet the opponent's stick with your stick pointing downwards, then as you use your left hand to pass his stick towards your left, raise your own stick to the side in the "chamber" position. 3. Empty hand Pass block: keep your stick at chamber position near to right of your face, use your left hand to guide the opponent's stick towards your left. 4. Emptyhand Pass with Abaniko: Use the above block, but use your stick to do a Abaniko hit to the opponent's stick arm or wrist. STRIKE NO. 5: 1. Basic Cross Block. 2. Empty hand Pass, step back with right leg, keep stick at chamber next to right side of face, and use left hand to pass opponent's weapon, bring your stick down on his forearm. 3. Empty hand Pass, with "double double". 4. If strike 5 is slightly high, finish with Side-block block that is for strike no. 2. 5. Abaniko: keep left hand unused and situated at your chest, use your stick (which is in your right hand) to create a fanning movement block (the Abaniko). 6. Stickey-stick: step backwards as the stick is coming at your waist, put your stick next to opponent's stick and slide it back until the opponent's stick has stopped coming in, and then you slide your stick towards the opponent's hand, your stick always keeping in contact with the opponent's stick. STRIKE NO. 6: 1. Basic Inside Block, as against strike no. 1 (the Inside Sweep block). 2. Cross Block. 3. Inside Block, Inside-to-Outside: Do the basic Inside Block but with your palm up, attach your stick to the opponent's stick, generate force against the connection, suddenly let go of your stick towards the floor, simultaneously go low on the stance and go to the outside from underneath opponent's stick. 4. Payung: this is used when the strike no. 6 is coming straight to your mouth or nose: Use your own stick bringing it upwards (flat parallel to the floor in angle), sharply hit the opponent's stick, and then immediately chamber your stick to the right side of your head. In some styles, the Payung is done with the stick being brought behind the neck and then brought forward from there to the chamber position. 5. Use your stick and bring it to the bottom of opponent's wrist, then do the circular sampling (bringing stick upwards and hitting the top of his forearm or hand), and finish the block. STRIKE NO.7: 1. Hand-Stick-Hand Block (use Side Block): As the strike no. 7 comes to your right eye/right pectoral muscle, or around that region, step in with your left foot, use your left hand to parry the closest end of the incoming stick, then use your stick in Side-block fashion to hit the opponent's stick, and then use your left hand again to check the opponent's hand and finish off with hit to top of his stick arm (forearm) and then
doing a cross-check movement, ending in Lock Position. 2. Hand-Stick_Hand Block (use sidewards Wing Block): similar to above movements, but when it comes to hitting the opponent's stick with your stick bring your stick in Wing Block position to hit his stick. 3. Step in with your left foot, parry closest end of opponent's stick with your left hand, and bring your stick as a strike no. 3 to the opponent's waist. 4. Step in with your left foot, parry closest end of opponent's stick with your left hand, and bring your stick as a strike no. 5 to the opponent's waist. 5. Step in with your left foot, parry closest end of opponent's stick with your left hand, and bring your KIRIS to the inside of his forearm that is delivering the strike, slide the kiris upwards and cut the fleshy portion of his forearm. STRIKE NO. 8: All blocks like strike no. 4, plus ADDITIONAL BLOCK: a special block that is actually a release in case you are trapped by the opponent as you are doing a strike no. 1 to him. This is when he uses a "Front Cross Block, Capture, and Pull Down" technique on you. So in order to escape being hit with his strike no. 8 to your upper lip or to your nose or forehead, you meet opponent's stick with your left hand up guiding his stick hand, your stick still connected to his stick as he has trapped it. Then you rush your stick downwards to the floor in order to release from his trap and simultaneously use your left hand to pass his stick over your head. You must go low on the knees or sit down on the floor as you are doing this as you do not want to be hit on the skull by his stick as it is passing overhead. Step with right foot forward, or left foot backward. STRIKE NO. 9: Strike no 9 is the one in which he tries to hit your right leg/foot/knee. 1. Punch block as it is against strike no. 4, go low on your stance and bring your stick on top of opponent's stick, and take your stick to the ground, guide the opponent's stick to your left and finish the block with circular sampling of his next-move. 2. Elastico type A, lift right leg back from top of the imaginary triangle position where it normally is, bringing your knee and foot tucked in and connecting with your left [rear] leg, do abaniko type hit, changing the incoming angle of the opponent's stick, and then bring your right leg back to the top of the triangle (on the floor from where you lifted it). 3. Elastico type B, lift right leg back as in the above block, pull your stick to your lower right side before you raise your leg, then as the opponent's stick comes in, you hook your own stick behind it and drag it as you bring your own stick to strike no. 2 position on your left upper arm. Bring your foot back to the top of triangle from where you had lifted it, and simultaneously bring your stick on top of his forearm and finish the block. STRIKE NO. 10: Strike no. 10 is a strike no. 6 preceded with a hit with a hand or daga from the opponent. Like a boxer delivering a punch with his left hand and then another punch with his right hand. In Serrada we parry or gunt the left hand (cover from it but do not run after it), and actually do the counter to the attack he will do with his right. As the attack with Left arm comes in, do not move your foot. You move your foot (step in or step back) when the attack from his right comes in. 1. Check opponent's left hand, finish all stick strikes to no. 6 region with counters as they are against strike no. 6. STRIKE NO. 11: This is the strike that is coming to your left foot/leg/knee. The first two blocks are the same as block 2 and 3 against strike no. 9. 1. Elastico type A, lift right leg back from top of the imaginary triangle position where it normally is, bringing your knee and foot tucked in and connecting with your left [rear] leg, do abaniko type hit, changing the incoming angle of the opponent's stick, and then bring your right leg back to the top of the triangle (on the floor from where you lifted it).
2. Elastico type B, lift right leg back as in the above block, pull your stick to your lower right side before you raise your leg, then as the opponent's stick comes in, you hook your own stick behind it and drag it as you bring your own stick to strike no. 2 position on your left upper arm. Bring your foot back to the top of triangle from where you had lifted it, and simultaneously bring your stick on top of his forearm and finish the block. 3. Empty Hand Pass block, as against strike no. 3, if your stick was temporarily busy in another move. 4. Sit down, Cross block and pass, as against strike no. 3, if you were low enough to do it and the strike appeared as a strike no. 3. STRIKE NO. 12: This is a strike that is delivered by opponent using both of his weapons (in his right hand as well as in his left hand) to your upper chest or throat region. His stick would be coming pointedly to your sector no. 6, and his left hand/or daga in his left hand, (also pointedly) to your sector no. 7 regions on your body. The blocks to this strike are similar to blocks against strike no. 1. 1. Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), and bring your own stick to the outside of his left arm. Then, make a "bridge" with your stick hand producing finger hook [jari] and catching the opponent's right forearm in it, pull back to chamber position and finish off the block as a Side Block against strike no. 2. 2.Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), and bring your own stick to the INside of his left arm. Then, make a "bridge" with your stick hand producing finger hook [jari] and catching the opponent's right forearm in it, pull back to chamber position and finish off the block as a Side Block against strike no. 2. 3. Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), and bring your own stick to the outside of his stick, chamber your stick to side of your face, and then, check his right hand with your left hand, and finish off the block as a Side Block against strike no. 2 (actually this is the side block as done against strike no. 7). 4. Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), and bring your own stick as a strike no. 3 to the opponent's waist. 5. Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), and bring your own stick as a strike no. 5 (pointed hit) to the opponent's waist. 6. Step to the outside, bringing your left foot forward, use your left hand to parry or cover yourself from the closest end of his stick strike (no. 6), bring your own stick over his left arm, and then hook your stick under his stick (that he has in his right arm) and create a bridge and then a trapping movement, release your stick and chamber it at side of your face, and then finish off the block as a Side Block as against strike no. 2. 7. Step completely to your right, avoiding his incoming strike no. 12, and apply the basic Inside Block (Inside Sweep) to his left arm. Functionality in live form is obtained by practicing the Serrada LOCK & BLOCK drill method in which a instructor throws the strikes and a student applies the above counters against them, while keeping on a triangular base (that can shift to keep required distance between attacker and responder), and the student also keeping low on his stance and tight in his movements. The student's stick hand should normally not leave the imaginary box in front of him. The dimensions of this imaginary box are the length of the stick on one side and the length of shoulder (on the other side). Otherwise, Serrada would require helmet and glove to play. The FLOW drill is the next sparring drill in the Serrada system, and is totally dependent in learning of the above blocks, otherwise you cannot complete all of its formats. The above blocks ("counters") to the strike angles use single left-hand check practice. Do not do multiple checking as it will disrupt the timings of the block and you can be reversed. Once you gain proficiency in the applicaton of the counters you can multiply them with each other to create kalikali [branch-branch], and many many versions of the blocks, but the fundamental blocks are the most important to learn, remember and procure. Serrada is a system of stickfighting from the south-central Philippines. Serrada originates from the islands of Visaya (Panay), Cebu, Bohol, and from systems of Mindanao.
written by Khalid Khan, Pangulo ng Guro Serrada Eskrima [1991], Feb 16 2001.
STRATEGIES IN LOCK & BLOCK DRILL: One important practice method of the Filipino weapon arts of Eskrima/Kali/Arnis is the Espada y Daga or Lock & Block drill method. In this method the instructor throws attacks at the student and the student applies counters. The instructor goes at the speed that the student can handle and then gradually increases the momentum. This way the student learns how to counter a real attack using a technique instead of just fear and haphazard judgment. In Lock & Block, the student holds on 22 to 24 inch stick in his right hand. The instructor holds one 22 to 24 inch stick in his right hand and one 8 inch smaller stick (for straight poking at student's right knuckle or belly) in his left hand. Serrada is comprised of 3 main training stages: 1. 70 Fundamental Counters against 12 strikes on a human body by an opponent using a stick. 2. The LOCK & BLOCK Drill method (Espada y Daga of the Serrada system). 3. The FLOW Drill method. A Lock & Block drill is the second step in the training of the Philippine martial art of Serrada. Serrada is a TIMING DRILL system. It prepares the student to respond to 12 strikes of attack, and gives him pre-judged and pre-designed responses. Then, it allows the student to move according to the tempo and the distance, and even multiply the counters with each other to do kali-kali (branch- branch). But the basic fundamentals counter is not allowed to be changed in the stage where the counters are being taught or being revised in a class. Each class must start with revision of the 70 fundamental counters against the 12 strikes. Some schools
may categorize these counters in different style. In the Lock & BLock drill method, the teacher attacks and the student applies the fundamental counters as responses against the teachers various strike angles. The main points to consider and teach are the following: 1. Stancework: the student must adhere to a triangle stand, and shifting of his feet at the apex of the triangle so he maintains the control of the opponent and is in the right range. When doing any counter the student can slide his front leg back straight and open up his other leg to be again at a triangle stand. Student shifts his feet so his chest faces the opponent's weapon. 2. Standing LOW on his stance: The student must stand Low on his legs. This way his head is more protected, and also he is alive in his legs to be able to take care of any low hits (strike 9 and strike 11) that may come from the floor height towards his legs, or upwards. 3.Distance & movement: During application of the counters, a student requires at least 2 feet between himself and the opponent, so a student is allowed to shift his triangle backwards or sideways to be able to block a attack at correct angle. 4. Keep LEFT Hand near chest: Student learns to keep the left hand near his chest so if his stick is busy in a moveement and the opponent has still managed to come near to his body, the student utilizes his Left hand to pass the opponent's stick. You can train the student against some good fight strategies during Lock & Block drill practice, as given below 1. Stance Stability Test (strike 9, 10 and 11 combinations): Start off the Lock & Block drill in basic format with feeding
student strike 1 with the Serrada stick in your right arm, and then strike 5 with the short stick straight to his solar plexus. Continue to strike 2 with Serrada stick, to strike 3,4,5, etc. with in between feeding the smaller stick attack which should always come to the solar plexus of the student. Now, after the student has warmed up, you suddenly give him strike no. 2, and then as he is blocking you bounce off your stick and go low and give him strike no. 9 to his right leg. He should go low to block it if doing Punch Block otherwise he should lift his right leg to his left leg and do the other 2 counters against strike no. 9. Now, soon after this you feed the student strike no.10 with the stick in your Left hand going to his face first and immediately the Serrada stick to his face. As soon as he blocks that, you go low to your right and feed him strike no.11, which is to his left leg. He will be forced to move quick in order to block this low strike. This will test his stand on his feet and his adherence to the triangle footwork rule. 2. Left Hand availability Test: Feed the student strike 5 with the Serrada stick (the stick in your right hand). Then, feed him strike no. 5 with the shorter stick which is in your left hand. Now, give him again the Serrada stick feeding him strike no. 5. Attack him again with the stick in your left hand (strike no. 5). As soon as he raises his stick to block the no. 5 that you gave him with the short stick (that is in your left hand), you should proceed with a strike no. 4 to cut his waist. Since his Serrada stick is busy blocking the shorter stick that you sent to him, he has only his left hand left (which should relax at his chest during stick play) with which to PASS your strike no.4 to his waist. This test also examines how he is in his stance switching, since he has to quickly move back with his left leg. 3. Strike no. 5 expert Test: Usually in Lock & Block we give the student strike no. 5 to
the solar plexus. But this strike can also be given later in advance stages, to send a lower strike no. 5 to his lower stomach. In this case he has to use the Abaniko block against it. At other times you can attack the knuckles of his right hand. In this case he has to step back with his right foot, bring his stick closer to his chest (the chamber position) and use his left hand to pass the strike 5 coming at his right knuckle. Experiment to see what block to use and how to defy the feeder. Some people stand too close to the feeder while doing the Lock & Block, unaware that he can stab you with the weapon in his left hand. You have to actually stay at a slightly longer distance and apply appropriate counter as the Lock & Block begins, then adjust the distance according to possibility, until you can afford to be closer (on the outside of his right arm). My style of Lock & Block is different in that each counter must arrive at the target (arm of the feeder) and so distancing is more important. In case you do the Lock & Block where you disengage and are continuously sampling the opponent's next move by doing Abaniko + 2,9 combination after each block, then you are not close enough to the opponent so the situation is studied differently. The above refers only to the type of Lock & Block where the student brings his stick always to the target, in the simple counter format of the Fundamental System of Counters.
Written by Khalid Khan, March 26, 2001
Written by Khalid Khan, March 26, 2001
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