Filipino Kali
Weapon Based Warrior Art
Kali is a Filipino Martial Art (FMA) that has been developed to defend against multiple attackers as well as single opponents. The training heightens a student’s awareness of his/her surroundings and teaches the use of tools in the environment for combat. Everyday objects, such as umbrellas, books, belts, etc., become effective means of self-defense in the hands of a properly trained individual.
Drills and techniques are taught in a fluid, non-restrictive manner to help students improve their coordination, sense of timing, speed, awareness, balance, agility, and confidence.
Kali, also known as Escrima or Arnis, was shaped by the turbulent history of the Philippine Islands. Early Filipino Martial Arts were strongly influenced by Indonesian, Chinese and Muslim cultures. Native Filipino warriors known as the Moros developed an effective and lethal fighting system, using bladed weapons such as the bolo or barong. In the late fifteen hundreds, the Spaniards invaded and eventually conquered the Philippines which added a Spanish influence to Filipino martial arts.
The Spaniards suffered such heavy casualties from bolo wielding Filipino warriors, that bladed weapons and martial arts practice were outlawed. In order to preserve their fighting skills, the Filipinos created folk dances by using wooden sticks to mimic the motions of the bladed weapons in combination with intricate footwork. These dances were often performed in front of the Spaniards, who did not realize that the Filipinos were actually training for combat. These folk dances were the ancestors of modern-day Kali fighting systems.
Our Kali system is a highly sophisticated martial art that draws from various indigenous Filipino Martial Arts such as the Warrior Arts of the Moros, in addition to Southern Chinese Gung Fu, and South East Asian Martial Arts. Our Kali is a complete warrior art that is weapon based, but ultimately an empty hand system.
