Modern Arnis: The Filipino Art of Stick Fighting

by Remy A. Presas

Covering a variety of preparatory stretches and warm-up exercises, the 12-zone striking and defense systems, hand-to-hand combat (“trapping hands”), flow-practice drills, sinawali and redonda, this 160-page, fully illustrated text gives novices a tangible amount of self-defense skill through specific drills. For example, the sinawali is taught without sticks, in empty-hand fashion, to illustrate how its weaving motions can be easily translated into empty-hand movements for blocking, punching, and takedowns. He discusses the 12 important angles of attacks on the human body, 12 basic ways of dealing with each angle, plus stick and sword disarming techniques.

Genres: Martial Arts

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Drew- Pickleball Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book discussing a lesser-known aspect of martial arts. This book also led me to find the late great Grandmaster Remy Presas and train with him. It was a week that I would never forget!

[Richard Magahiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an introduction to the martial arts disciplines of the Philippines including stick, blade and empty hand combat. The author takes a look at the history of these native fighting techniques starting before first contact with the West. The initial phase of this was a violent one resulting in the death of Ferdinand Magellan and several seaman by the blade, then followed by hundreds of years of colonial rule. Carrying weapons was frequently illegal to tamp down the violence among the Filipinos and toward the Europeans, so empty hand combat became an integral part of the practice.

In the major part of the book the reader gets a taste of the foundational elements and codification of both offensive and defensive maneuvers. These include situations where the fighters are not evenly matched: blades against sticks or against empty hands. Unlike other disciplines, the philosophical side is less emphasized than practical measures to favor survival. In the last several decades Arnis has begun to be taught in organized classes led by masters as a martial art of its own. Practitioners learn stances, sequences, combinations of moves, and they learn how to practice to increase physical and mental toughness. I liked how the author brought in a sense of the folk wisdom through adages and traditional weapons of the Philippines incorporated into the course of instruction. It is a niche sport complementing other disciplines, but gaining awareness. I appreciated how this book gave the reader a new picture of the influences that have come along with the large scale changes in the country and the culture over the last several decades.

[Ronald Gaviola]

EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES (RECOMENDED)

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the 1974 edition.

The pictures are quite clear and given the size of the book (like the size of a table mat), it makes the techniques easier to review.

I think the biggest issue that I have with the book is the lack of breadth of the different types of techniques. The techniques that he described in this book were the basic, elementary (and effective, I should add) ones. I think most practitioners serious enough to read the book would want a wider set of variations to the basic techniques shown. Though, Professor Presas had a number of books published, so what is not covered here is most likely covered in his future published works.

Some of the drawings were a bit confusing. I think it's best to stick with photos.

Regardless, it's great reviewing the material. I could feel my mirror neurons firing as I scanned the pages.

[Rai Keyri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the torrent of this book from a website and downloaded it in BitLord. Not much are written. Just a summary of a particular movement at the beginning of each chapter then followed by illustrations and explanations of it. Much of what inside this book are the stick movements in Modern Arnis. I'm expecting to see some kicking moves (derived from Japanese martial arts) but there are none. The last chapter about disarming a sword is my favorite part.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually don't have this edition or the famous "yellow book" edition, but rather the one originally published in the Philippines, with a lot more detailed drawings and drills.