I.

HISTORY OF ARNIS
 ARNIS The Martial Art
The onset of the twentieth century brought
about the demise of Arnis in the country. With the
coming of the Americans, the Filipinos were in awe
with the new culture, that most indigenous cultures
were relegated almost to oblivion. Our very own
Arnis, the Filipino martial art, almost suffered the
same fate. Once a prevalent martial art of the pre-
Spanish natives and the illustrados of the Spanish
era, Arnis all but disappeared in the urban areas
and was mostly preserved in the provinces. Credit
should be given to our traditional guro / maestro or grandmasters, illustrious men who
painstakingly preserved Arnis for us.
The rise to popularity of various foreign martial arts also placed our local martial
art in the limelight. Suddenly, interest in Arnis began to surge. Popular practice of the art
however, also had its share of problems. For one, there was a dire need to consolidate
the various forms, styles and strains of Arnis. Arnis is not just one technique nor just
one school, it is as varied as the islands of the country, with its more than eighty (80)
languages and about one hundred forty-two (142) dialects in an archipelago of seven
thousand and one hundred (7,100) islands. Furthermore, there was also a need for a
strong leadership to hold such schools or groups together, to steer it towards a
direction, so as to prevent Arnis from slipping into oblivion.
 Modern Interpretation
In 1975, the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL) was
formed by Gen. Fabian C. Ver. This organization acted as the first national organization
for Arnis in the Philippines. Its existence however, faded after the radical change and
total revamp in the Philippine government caused by the Philippine Revolution of 1986.
In the meantime, in many parts of the
world, popular names and groups have been
busy propagating the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA)
and sports, pushing their teachings and
techniques. Some people successfully made
their way into martial arts schools, police
academies, military schools, educational
institutions, government agencies, and even in
the entertainment world.
 Arnis Philippines Background
On July 11, 1986, Mr. Raymond Soriano Velayo, a young civic-minded and noted
sportsman, convened a group of men truly devoted to the art, Roland Dantes+, Mario
Malicsi+, Ernie Presas+, Alex Cruz+, Bienvenido Orlanes+, Ramon Enrille III+, Guy
tacorda+, Jerry Dela Cruz, Atty. Ulan Sarmiento and Rene Tongson at the Pulu
Restaurant at Cubao, Quezon City, Metro
Manila, Philippines. They formed the Philippine
Arnis Federation which was later renamed to
Arnis Philippines, Inc. (ARPI). Succeeding
meetings saw the joining of more distinguished
men who were bent on making Arnis a pillar in
the world of martial arts and combat sports.
Mr. Raymond S. Velayo became its first and current president. The Federation's
founding came about barely five months after the historic Philippine "People Power"
Revolution of 1986 that catapulted the government of President Corazon C. Aquino.
Because of the vacuum and taking advantage of the much preferred democratic space
and of course, the renewed enthusiasm of the Philippine society, these founders
decided to bring together the various Arnis clubs and styles in the spirit of unity. This
was preceeded by the observation that Arnis, which was fast becoming a dying art in
the country, should be revived and promoted. Thus, with the firm objectives of
PROMOTING, PROPAGATING and PRESERVING the Filipino Martial Arts, the
Philippine Arnis Federation was born.
On August 20, 1986, the organization was formally recognized as Arnis
Philippines Incorporated. The objectives were: a) to be a major force in preserving our
culture and the dying art of Arnis; b) to consolidate and unite the different functions and
groups of Arnis aficionados; and c) to develop the Sport aspect of Arnis for and in the
hope of its inclusion in major sports events like the South East Asian Games (SEA
Games), Asian Games, and ultimately, the Olympics.
In a short span of time, Arnis Philippines received immediate recognition from the
official sports bodies in the Philippines. It is now the solely accredited Arnis arm and
association in the Philippine Olympic Committee (effective 12 January 1987) and was
accepted as the 33rd member of the said
Olympic Committee. With the official
membership, ARPI has the sole right to
officially supervise all Arnis affairs in the
country as the National Sports Association
(NSA). Soon after, it was also included
under the support roster of the Project
Gintong Alay and is now supported
financially by the Philippine Sports
Commission (PSC).
II. EQUIPMENTS AND FACILITIES
A. Equipments
Shall mean the materials and accessories that are used in the conduct of the
competition, all of which shall conform to the standards set and approved by i-ARNIS
ONLY.
 Weapon
 The padded stick shall be the official weapon of the player. The specifications of
which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard. No other similar material
will be allowed to be used in any local, national or international competitions.
 Each padded stick shall be properly foam-cushioned and shall have a maximum
grip diameter of not more than 3.81 cm. (1 1/2 inch) and length of 76.20 cm (30
inches for men and women). The length of padded stick shall be cm (27 inches
for boys and girls).
 Both padded stick shall be color-coded, one red and the other blue.
 Head Protector
 Refers to a pair of protective head gear to include an impact-worthy face mask,
the specifications of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard.
 Both headgears must be color-coded, one red and the other blue, to match the
padded stick of the player.
 Body Protector
 Refers to a pair of protective body vest, properly cushioned , the specifications of
which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standard.
 Male and female player must wear both body vest and groin guard. Body vest
and groin guards specifications shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS
standard. Both body vests must be color coded to match the color of the player.
 Forearm and shin guards are compulsory. The specifications shall be in
accordance with i-ARNIS standard. Both shin & forearms guards must be color
coded to match the color of the player.
 Scoreboards
 A pair of scoreboards, either manually or electronically operated, the
specifications of which shall be in accordance with the i-ARNIS standards.
  Two score boards per contest area shall be
placed at diagonally opposite corners outside
the playing area, inside the competition area
within the free zone, right where the judges are
positioned.
 Flags
 Two sets of red and blue flags, the size of which
is 30 cm by 25 cm, are used by the judges in
declaring decisions or asking for consultations.
 One yellow flag, size 30 cm by 25 cm. for timer’s
use to signal the start and the end of each round
and to declare a time-out and resumption of the
game.
 Other Equipment
 Stopwatch is use to keep the two-minutes per
round. This excludes interruptions such as
injury, changing of broken padded stick. A gong
and mallet or other similar audible substitutes
such as whistle, bell or buzzer shall be provided
for the Timer to indicate the start and end of the round.
 A table shall be provided for the Timer and Recorder which shall be situated one
(1) meter in front of the playing area so that time signals are audible enough to
both players and referee.
B. Facilities
Shall refer to the area by which the conduct of the competition shall be set or held
including the free zone around it.
 Dimensions
The playing area is a square measuring 8.0 meters
by 8.0 meters with a one (1) meter free zone around
it, and a clear space without any obstruction up to a
height of not less than 5 meters from the playing
surface.
 Lines of the Playing Area
All lines of the playing surface are 5.08 cm. (2
inches) and must be of different color from that of
the floor and other lines previously drawn for other
purposes.
 Outside Lines
Four lines mark the outside line of the playing area. The free zone distance measuring
one meter in each side are drawn outside of the playing area.
 Match Lines
Two lines of 1.0 meter long and 2.0 meters apart the center mark the horizontal match
line.
 The horizontal match lines are drawn 3 meters from the outside lines.
 The horizontal match line left is red and the opposite horizontal match line is blue
to mark the respective line of each player.
 Referee Line
A straight line of 1.0 meter long is drawn 2.0 meters from the center of the two players.
 Warning Lines
A broken straight line is drawn one (1) meter before the outside line to serve as a
warning to the players.
 Playing Surface
 The surface must be flat and smooth
and must not be elevated from the
ground.
 The playing surface must be clean and
free from foreign objects that may
endanger or cause injury to the players.
Other surfaces must have the approval
of i-ARNIS.
 Neutral Corner
The corner of the playing area between the two
(2) judges within the free zone shall be
designated as the neutral corner. This shall be
the consultation area for the referee and
judges.
 Temperature
The temperature for the competition shall not be higher than 30 degrees Celsius (86
degrees Fahrenheit) and not lower than 16 degrees (60.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
 Lighting
Lighting apparatus is located above free space (rule on Dimensions) It must not cause
any reflection to the surface and must not affect the vision of the players.
 Position of Players
Before the game starts, players must be positioned in the playing area so that the red-
coded player is at the right side of the referee and the blue-coded player is on his left
side.
III. Basic Rules
 Rules for the Players
 Players must have full knowledge of the rules of the game and are duty bound to
follow.
 Players must accept the decision of the officials with sportsmanlike conduct,
without disputing them. In case of doubt, only the coach may request for
clarification after the game.
 Players must at all time observe proper decorum such as respect and courtesy
towards the referee, other officials, opponent, teammates and even spectators.
 Only members of the team who are officially listed to play are allowed to sit on
the bench designated for them during the game.
 During the game, the team members are not allowed to stand or cheer or give
instructions to their member player.
 Jeering, provocations, and similar acts which destroys spirit of competition and
fair play are not allowed.
 Any violation of the above rules shall be given corresponding penalties.
 Conduct of the Tournament
 The conduct of the competition shall be on two-out-of-threeround system. Each
round shall be held for a maximum of two (2) minutes.
 Upon the initial command of ―Handa‖ for each round, the referee shall allow
both players to display artistic Arnis movements, unique to their styles.
 The player must continuously perform artistic Arnis strokes depicting their styles
whenever apart during the game.
 Salutation
At close stance, salutation is done by placing the right hand with the weapon pointing
upward over the left chest, while the left arm is at the side and is followed by a Nod.
Upon entering the playing area, players must do the salute to the officials together with
the referee. Finally, salute must be given to the opponent. This shall be done before and
after every game.
 Matching & Pairing
Blind matching & pairing of single elimination or knock out system shall be adopted in
most cases where the number of participants will allow it. Otherwise, a round robin
system shall be used. This shall be done at least one day before the tournament.
Representatives from the respective teams concerned shall be invited to witness the
matching & pairing.
 Scoring
 A score shall mean a strike or thrust with a padded stick using one hand only,
delivered to a specific body point and is counted upon confirmation by the two (2)
or at least one (1) of the judges, simultaneously recorded on the scoreboard.
 A legitimate strike is given a point if it is delivered to a specific body point in
correct form, that is –with power, right timing, with art, distance and intent.
 Simultaneous Strike - When the two players deliver strike simultaneously ,
it will not be given a point.
 Spontaneous strike is allowed, but the judges can only give maximum
three (3) points per encounter per player.
 A thrust to body points C and E (abdominal area and leg area) is a point,
provided that the requirements for a legitimate thrust, which are with power, right
timing, with art, distance (at least one arm length) and intent are met.
 A disarming execution is awarded a point. (refer to rule of Disarming)
 Follow-up strike after a legitimate disarming is given a point.
 A score is recorded on the scoreboard by the judges.
 Declaring a Winner of a Specific Round
A player can win a round through the following manner / condition:
 By gaining five points ahead.
 By disarming the opponent twice.
 If his opponent committed a maximum of three fouls.
 Winning by knock out.
 If none of these conditions are met, and the time allocated for a round had
lapsed, the winner will be based on these particular order:
 Who is ahead in points in general, wins. In case the two judges gave
different set of scores, the player who has the higher points, wins.
 In case of a tie in points, a player can win through the following manner /
conditions.
o One who has less disarming penalty, wins.
o One who has lesser fouls, wins.
o Disarming has a heavier weight than fouls.
 Draw Score
In the event that the scores, disarming and fouls are the same at the end of the round,
the basis for declaring the winner shall be decided through the following:
 superiority or aggressiveness
 major fatal technique
 artistic delivery
 Body Points
 Head and Neck
 Arms and collars including hands
 Torso (from chest down to waist)
 Armpit to thigh
 Full length of leg including feet
 Penalties
Players are given penalties for violations of the tournament rules and regulations.
 Violation of DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES of players and delegation officials
shall have the corresponding penalties. (refer to Rules for the Players)
 First Offense - Player will be given a foul in a round.
 Second Offense - Disqualification of player in the game.
  Fouls (paglabag)
The following violations are considered as FOULS:


Thrust to body point A (head area) and thrust in close quarter
(approximately 30 inches or less).
 Strike or thrust to the groin and Striking or thrusting using two hands.
 Blocking with the use of the arm.
 Clinching, spitting, negative remarks as well as other actions inimical to
the rules and regulations and code of sportsmanship.
 Pushing and Pulling— Any act of pushing and pulling using hand, head,
body, legs, arm, stick and other similar movement. However pushing and
pulling using of hand that is done within 3 seconds is allowed provided
followed by an application to score or disarm.
 A hold to an opponent. However, a hold or a grab on the padded stick or
arm just below the shoulder down to the hand of the opponent that is done
within 3 seconds is allowed, provided it is immediately followed by an
application to score or disarm.
 A player who steps on the line or goes out of the playing area. However if
cause by pushing using hand by the opponent is not a foul.
 Hitting a player at the back area (from the back of the head up to the
buttocks) is considered a foul, unless the opponent intentionally turns his
back.
 Delaying the game for more than ten (10) seconds.
 Non-combativeness for ten (10) seconds.
 Multiple strikes or thrust (three or more) to one body point without
changing the position of the arm.
 Upon the command of hinto or hiwalay, any player who attacks shall be
given a foul. If the attack falls at the same time with the command, it is not
considered a foul.
 Non-performance of artistic styles upon the command ―handa‖ and for
more than three (3) seconds during the game.
 Diving or intentionally falling on playing surface to gain a point.
 Food and drinks during, time out and interval of round.
 Locking bone breaking, kicking, chopping, elbowing, throwing, punching,
sweeping, butting and kneeing.
 A player who commits fouls shall be given F1, F2, F3 as the case may be and
shall be indicated in the scoreboard.
 A player who commits three (3) fouls is automatically declared the loser by the
referee for that particular round.
 Disarming (laglag)
A player who loses grip of the padded stick and a part of it touches the ground during
the game is considered as disarming. However, if the padded stick was taken away in a
split second by the opponent, it is counted as disarming, even it did not touch the
ground.
 A disarming violation shall be given D1 for the first disarming and one point is
given to the player who disarmed. D2 for the second disarming, and shall be
indicated in the scoreboard by the judges.
 A player who is disarmed twice in a round automatically loses that round.
 Knock out
A disarmed padded stick used to immediately hit an opponent successfully.
 Injuries
When an injury occurs during the game and it cannot be continued, the decision of the
judges shall be based on the following grounds :
 When an injured player is responsible for the injury, the other player wins.
 When the injury is caused by a legal blow, the injured player loses. However,
when the injury is caused by an illegal blow, the injured player wins.
  When the responsibility of the injury cannot be determined, the judges decision
shall be based on the score.
 Only the medical doctor can determine and make a decision as to the fitness of
the injured player
 Disqualification
A player is disqualified based on the following conditions.
 A player who commits a dangerous intentional foul that inflicts injury or not to the
other player is a ground for disqualification.
 Butting, kicking, kneeing, elbowing, boxing, sweeping, chopping, choking and
other action that may inflict injury are grounds for disqualification.
 Any disruptive action or behavior of the player, of his teammate and coach which
break the spirit of the sportsmanship , shall mean a disqualification on the player
involved. (as per rule of Penalties).
 If for one reason or another, one of the players is disqualified, the other player
shall be declared the winner.
 the player/s, coach/officials or club shall be penalized by i-ARNIS for all the
disqualification violations.
 Forfeiture
Decision based on forfeiture should be forwarded to the Technical Committee. The
player who forfeits his/her game during a match shall be declared the loser and will be
penalized by i-ARNIS.
 Default
A player who does not appear at the official’s table after three (3) consecutive calls shall
automatically default the game. The referee shall make the decision upon confirmation
by the Technical Committee. The winner by default in this match shall enter the playing
area and do the salute.
 Declaring a Match Winner
 A player who wins two out of three rounds wins the game.
 A player wins the match if his opponent forfeits or defaults the game.
 A player wins the match if his opponent was disqualified in the game.
 Time-outs
Only the referee may stop the time for the following reasons:
 Giving fouls
 Injury occurs
 Declaring winners
 Disarming is executed
 Judges request for timeouts
 Consultation with judges
 Fixing or changing of uniform, broken equipment such as headgear, padded
stick, etc.
 End of each round
 Protests
 Any protests must be made in writing by the COACH addressed to the Technical
Committee and forwarded within ten minutes after the game to the official’s table.
Any action made otherwise shall be nullified. A bond shall be set for protest (refer
to technical committee).
 A solidarity meeting shall be set before the tournament. The coach who have not
attended the solidarity meeting shall waive all his rights to protest. (refer to Rules
for the Players)
 JUDGEMENT CALL cannot be protested.
IV. Fundamental Skills
 Assume a natural stance with feet one shoulder width apart and feet on a 45
degree angle.
 Knees should be slightly bent and you should grip your cane on opposite sides,
palms down, and resting comfortably in front of you.
  After standing you want to practice moving forward and backward with the cane
in your hands. Bring the weapon up to your chest like you are being held up
(Charged position).
 Striking before blocking
 You need to be as effective as possible as quick as possible so you
start with striking before blocking.
 The first strike is a thrust. You step forward and strike out and back
with the middle of the cane while still holding both ends.
 Your motion is similar to when you push with both hands. Target
the head, ribs, knees, etc…
 The step is to step so that your side is facing the target, keep your
grip on the cane and strike with the same side forward.
 Once you get the hang of thrusting strikes, we will move on to
angled strikes.
 From the charged position step forward and strike with a hooking
fashion with the same side corner of the cane (like doing a hook
punch with a stick in your hands).
 Aim at temples, ribs, face, kidneys (There are NO wrong targets).
 All of the strikes up to this point have been with both hands on the
cane so the next strike is meant to introduce you to the can moving
in one hand while moving to a new distance.
 You are going to start in the charged position and using the tension
of the rear hand you are going to snap the cane out to the target
and back. (This is the way to introduce you to strikes 1, 2 and 10,
11 of modern arnis).
 That should be enough strikes to get you started and to start to
condition you to controlling the cane and to distancing with the
weapon.
 Stop, and Block
 Start from the charge position and strike out in a similar fashion to
the first attack you are going to block in a stop sign (octagon)
fashion starting high and moving in a clockwise fashion.
 You can block in any direction with one of the angles for the stop
sign.
 You want to strongly thrust out to ensure that you are canceling the
force of the attack.
 Aim the middle of your cane at the attacking strike to ensure that
you don’t have to worry about having your hand struck.
 The best place to block is as close to their hand as possible to
avoid the most dangerous part of the cane.
 Step forward as you intercept the strike and keep your arms bent to
absorb the strike.
VI. Official and Officiating
A. Official
 Tournament Officials
The official body who shall implement the rules and regulations and shall have
the sole authority in the administration of the tournament proper. The tournament
officials are certified by the i-ARNIS.
 Tournament Director
The over all administrator and chairperson who shall directly ensure the proper
implementation of all procedures.
 Screening Committee
This committee is composed of three (3) members who shall enforce the requirements
as stipulated in the rules. This committee shall include the Tournament officials and a
Physician as members.
  Referees and Judges
These are officials who enforce the conduct of all tournament in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the game. All Referees & Judges should have taken and
passed the accreditation and licensure seminar of iARNIS and must be in good
standing. Refreshers Course is required for all Referees and Judges who have not
officiated in any tournament for at least one (1) year. They are the officiating officials of
the tournament whose decisions are FINAL .
 Timer
Shall keep time during the actual match. A gong , whistle or bell shall be provided for
his/her use in announcing the start and the end of the game and other calls.
 Recorder
Shall be tasked with recording the results of the actual games. A record sheet shall be
provided for his/her use in recording results.
 Tabulators
Shall composed of the Chairman of the Judges, Recorder and Timer. They shall be
tasked in recording the scores, violations, and the time of the actual performance/s.
They shall give the final results to the official’s table.
 Flag Officials
These are the officials who will declare the violation/s of the performer/s by raising the
corresponding flag/s.
 Matcher
Shall arrange the matches prior to the tournament and update the matches between
players during the tournament.
B. Officiating
  Timer’s Signal
The timer strikes the gong for the following
signals:
 Start - sound the alarm once.
 Finish - sound the alarm prolong once.
 Time-out - raise yellow flag on top of the
table.
 Continue - yellow flag is placed down.
References
Satalkar, B. (2010, July 15). Water aerobics. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com
Arnis History. Retrieved from http://www.arnisphilippines.com/about/history-of-arnis
Arnis Philippines Background (2016, February 22). Retrieved from
http://www.arnisphilippines.com/about/arnis-phillippines
Sterling, R. (2019, March 21). Taking up the Cane: Basic Skills in Arnis. Retrieved from
https://martialartskills.com/basic-skills-in-arnis/
Arnis Pederasyong Internasyonal, Inc. (i-ARNIS). (2015). Rules in Sports Arnis.
Retrieved from http://www.arnisphilippines.com/Downloads/iARNIS_Rules-2015-v03.pdf