How and why is Arnis training different from other martial arts?
For the student, the inherent speed and longer reach afforded by the weapon translates to a greater understanding of how strategy, coordination, and reaction time has to be developed. Indeed the presence of a weapon (hardwood or rattan training sticks) magnifies the role and necessity of quick and effective response given the leveraged explosive velocity of the weapon compared to the movement of an empty hand. Because it minimizes the advantage of brute force, the practitioner learns to rely on instantaneous problem solving based on an intuitive understanding of the weapons destructive path. The deep intuition and creative capability required in the practice of arnis is developed gradually and methodically, given the strengths, limitations and uniqueness of the student. Paradoxically, it is also one of the safest martial arts to learn, since the weapon serves as the implement/object/target to help understand the dynamics of movement and response. As such, it is a much more accessible c
