Kali / eskrima
The highly sophisticated and comprehensive martial art from the Philippines is weapon based, but ultimately an empty hand system. The Filipino Martial Arts at the Francis Fong Academy are drawn from 26 primary sources, the instructors who Magulang Na Guro Dan Inosanto has spent his life training under. With influences such as the late Grandmaster John La Coste, Magulang Na Guro Dan Inosanto developed a program that introduces students to 12 main areas, including, but not limited to single stick, double stick, stick & dagger, double dagger, Panatukan (Filipino boxing), Sikiran (Filipino kicking methods), Kuntao & Silat.
The Filipino Martial Arts have existed in the United States since the 1500’s, and offer something to benefit everyone. Developed for “mass attack” as well as single opponent confrontations, the training heightens student’s awareness of their surroundings and teaches them to use their environment as tools of combat. Everyday objects, such as umbrellas, books, bandannas, etc. become effective means of self-defense in the hands of properly trained individuals. Use of left and right hand techniques develop coordination. Drills and techniques taught in a fluid, non-restrictive manner allow students to enhance their natural attributes and improve their sense of timing, speed, awareness, balance, agility and confidence.
Drills from the arts of Kali, Eskrima and Arnis develop attributes in the student such as speed, agility, footwork, timing, body mechanics, distance, range awareness and coordination on both the left and right sides of the body. The general martial arts community uses the names Kali, Eskrima and Arnis to refer to the same art. Originally, the difference in the name either implied the region from which the art originated or the time period when the art was developed. These three names, in addition to many others, refer to Filipino Martial Arts where skills in both empty hand and weapons are developed using similar training methods. Practitioners of these arts are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably