Filipino Martial Arts | Wood Sword & Dagger Set | Espada Y Daga

Arnis pupils first learn how to use weapons in battle, and only move on to training with just their hands after mastering the stick and knife methods. This is in contrast to the majority of other well-known Asian martial arts, but it is justified by the idea that muscle memory is a key component of instruction because bare-handed manoeuvres are naturally taught through the same exercises as weapon techniques. It also takes into account the obvious truth that a trained armed person has an advantage over a trained unarmed person, and it prepares pupils to defend themselves from armed attackers. Most Arnis systems use a single set of techniques for the stick, knife, and empty hands; this idea is sometimes known as motion grouping.

The same footwork and angles are employed whether a weapon is present or not, since the weapon is viewed as nothing more than an extension of the body. The cause of this is likely historical, since tribal warriors carried weapons into battle and only switched to bare-handed combat after misplacing them. A pair of sticks or a stick and a wooden knife are common training weapons that are used at the start of many systems. These techniques encourage practitioners to teach themselves to be ambidextrous by emphasizing keeping both hands busy and never shifting them in the same direction. For instance, one stick might hit the head, and the other might hit the arm. Even while using a single weapon, such training fosters the independent use of both limbs, which is a useful skill.