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It is interesting to meet practitioners from different styles of escrima and learn their naming and numbering structure.  Seems we all have some things in common, yet, certain things may be stressed a little more or a little less depending on the background of the escrima instructor.If you use specific words to describe your style like Serrada or the Defensor Method, or perhaps something more general like Escrima, we realize everyday that we have many similarities.Our concepts are very different.

Back when I first started the Defensor Method in the mid 80’s at the University of Chicago, martial arts groups were less open to collaboration, and as such, we sometimes got caught up mixing western logic and eastern linguistics.We could really get off track years ago by talking about the differences in arnis and say, escrima.  When I asked my instructor the difference between arnis, escrima etc. my instructor always said that there was not much difference in the names men gave to FMA, some of the words came from cultures that colonized the Philippines.When I first started in the Filipino Martial Arts, there were people that I would meet that were adamant as to how to describe their martial arts.

We are now deeply rooted in a digital age, and it is great to have the input of martial artists all over the world to get their input and perspectives different aspects of martial arts.The Internet is loaded with social media web sites that connect martial artists from all over the world and are a big influence to show us that we are very much alike.  YouTube video clips show us that, yep, we do that too.With the popularity of MMA, Jeet Kune Do, and many concepts based approaches to martial arts, it is quite common that practitioners train in arts that have strength in specific ranges.

We are also seeing greater access to international trade, which means that escrima practitioners have greater access to exotic escrima sticks such as kamagong sticks and bahi sticks. Twenty years ago, you may have known someone in your group that had fighting sticks made of Filipino hardwood, but finding a source was somewhat difficult. Now, we only need to have an Internet connection and a credit card to be able to have the very best arnis sticks.

By fostering the collaboration and communication of martial artists all over the world, this digital age is an excellent era for the proliferation of martial arts!

Tags: Arnis, Escrima, Escrima Sticks, Filipino Martial Arts, Kamagong Sticks, Martial Arts