Eskrima is a martial art of the Philippine Islands, and is also known as Arnis, Arnis De Mano, Kaliradman, Pagkalikali, and Kali. Given that the Philippines are made up of over 7000 islands, the martial arts are also known by many regional names as well. The word “Eskrima”, meaning literally “skirmish” or “fight”, derives from Latin, and is most commonly associated with the arts of the Visayan region, a group of islands in the central region of the Philippines. The art is very old, from most accounts believed to have been founded in the 9th century A.D., and was responsible for protecting the islands against foreign invasion for hundreds of years. Eskrima is basically a weapons system, and most often represents the use of a bladed weapon, although it is most common to see the art practiced with a wooden or rattan stick. The main focus of Eskrima practice is to develop and hone the reflexes, and relies upon speed and sensitivity of the opponent’s energy, rather than on strength alone. Many Eskrima masters still practice the art well into their 70’s, 80’s, and even 90’s due to the structure of the system, and is truly an art that can be practiced for a lifetime.

What is Serrada Eskrima?

Serrada Eskrima was founded by Grandmaster Angel Cabales, and is a mid- to close range fighting art. The word “Serrada” means “to close”, as in “close the window or door”, or “close the opponent’s options”. The art is based upon the use of a bladed weapon, although Serrada is most often practiced with a rattan stick, approximately 18 to 24 inches in length. Serrada is also a devastatingly effective empty-hand art, and prepares the student to deal with any self-defense situation they may encounter, enabling them to effectively defend against an attacker armed with a stick or club, knife, or is attacking empty-handed. Serrada Eskrima is the core system of Maian Eskrima.

What is Maian Eskrima?

Maian Eskrima is not a new style of Eskrima, nor is it an offshoot of Serrada or our root art, Inayan Eskrima. We are an independent martial arts group, but maintain close ties with our brothers and sisters in Inayan Eskrima. Maian Eskrima is comprised of the Larga Mano, Serrada, De Cuerdas, and Kadena De Mano styles of Eskrima. The word “Maian” was coined by the late Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay (1944-2000), the founder of Inayan Eskrima, and means in essence, “the arts of the past and present combine to influence and become the arts of the future.” We use the term “Maian” to denote a training philosophy, that being that martial arts are a microcosm of life, and like life, the arts are constantly evolving to meet the demands of an ever-changing world. As practitioners of the art of Serrada Eskrima, we pay homage to our founding fathers, while carrying on the tradition of evolution as we continue the lifelong journey of the study of martial arts, and ultimately, ourselves.