Escrima looks like a scream.

[kidhurt3]

Hello. I was interested in taking up escrima. It looks cool. . Also I heard it was very physically demanding ( which I also like). My question is what is a typical class like? And what basics do you learn first? what or how do you rank? Last but not least, if your in a fight do you have to find sticks to use you escrima on the streets.

thank you.

[jwinch2]

John,

There was a thread a couple of months ago on Eskrima/Kali/Arnis with respect to their empty hand techniques. That may be a decent place to start in order to get some answers.

There are several FMA people on here and I am sure you will get some good responses with this thread also!

Jason

[DragonMind]

Hello. I was interested in taking up escrima. It looks cool. . Also I heard it was very physically demanding ( which I also like). My question is what is a typical class like? And what basics do you learn first? what or how do you rank? Last but not least, if your in a fight do you have to find sticks to use you escrima on the streets.

thank you.

I study Modern Arnis and love it. It's no more or less physically demanding than other styles. That really is a function of the instructor.

We usually start with some warm-ups, move on to a variety of drills, go into tapi-tapi, and work locks, throws or disarms. Some days we switch out the sticks for blades. Arnis/Escrima/Kali pretty much all start with sticks. Empty-handed comes later as a trnslation of the stick techniques. There are some styles that are truly stick oriented, e.g. balintawak, and others that are actually blade arts that use the stick for training safety, e.g. Modern Arnis as designed by Remy Presas, and some that are blade oriented, e.g. CSSD/SC. However, every style is adept at stick and knife and empty hand, whatever their initial or primary orientation.

Do you HAVE to have sticks in a fight? No, but there are a lot of things in a typical environment that can double as sticks. Why fight empty-handed if you can grab a stick? Of course, a stick and a blade would be even better...

[DatuSadiq]

Hello. I was interested in taking up escrima. It looks cool. . Also I heard it was very physically demanding ( which I also like).

My question is what is a typical class like?

In our school, we usually start off with footwork. Footwork is the horse that takes us into battle.
Our classes run two hours, so we practice our Indigenous Boxing/ Grappling system. One day a week we emphasize the defense side (Blocking sets, Tapi Tapi, Check Hand), Joint Manipulations, Arm Levers, Leg Traps, Grappling, ect.
The other day we emphasize the offensive side (Fighting Combinations, Pad Work, ect).

Our next hour we emphasize the weapons portion (Stick, Knife, ect.)




And what basics do you learn first?

Empty Hand: Basic strikes, blocks, combinations, movement drills, joint manipulations, arm bars, ect.

Weapons: Strikes from the angles, basic blocking, Dimensions (Passing, Largo mano Impact), and fighting drills.


what or how do you rank?

We have three student levels and then three Trainer Levels.
Upon successful completion of the trainer levels, the level of Tagapagturo (Certified instructor) is awarded, then the level of full instructor (Guro). There are Master levels awarded after these.



Last but not least, if your in a fight do you have to find sticks to use you escrima on the streets.

Absolutely not. LOL
Kali/Escrima/Arnis has empty hand variants to 99% of the weapons movement. If you focus on the mastering of the core movement and not the weapon, you can translate the movements very easily. Some systems don't teach the empty hand material until later in there systems, some, like mine, teach the empty hands right from the start.

Hope this helps.

[DragonMind]

Guro Sarjeant,

Outstanding point about the footwork. Good footwork is truly the base everything builds on.

[Erik]

I'll tell you this - it's quite a scream when someone's fingers get smashed...

[Jesh]

Most styles start with Sinawali, this is stick training to develop the necessary coordination. Then you go on with knife, and mayb later some empty hand. But all weapon techniques are applicable to empty hand...

[TonyU]

Jesh,
Welcome to Budoseek.
Please update your profile to include your real full name as required by the rules that you agreed to when you registered.
Thank you.

[DragonMind]

Most styles start with Sinawali, this is stick training to develop the necessary coordination. Then you go on with knife, and mayb later some empty hand. But all weapon techniques are applicable to empty hand...

Sinawali means "weaving" and refers to particular patterns of movement rather than stick work in general. You can do sinawali with a blade or empty-handed as well. Bruce Chiu used to joke about empty hand sinwali as "combat patty-cake".

[Jesh]

Nothing to add to that I suppose...

Thanks for the hint Tony =D

[K Williams]

I'll tell you this - it's quite a scream when someone's fingers get smashed...

Don't you hate it when that happens!