PART I - DEFENSIVE STAGE – BASICS (abecedario)

     In Balintawak Eskrima, there is a great emphasis on defense. The student’s first lesson is to defend himself. Offensive hitting techniques are taught later. When hitting and offensive moves are taught first, the student has a tendency to be lazy in learning defense. Like any sport, scoring is very important but defense is also important to keep the opponent from scoring on you. It is just unacceptable to be hit with a weapon. There are no gloves or protective gear in real eskrima. The slightest rap even on the fingers, knuckles and head can end the game.
     There is also a great emphasis on close combat fighting. Although stick fights start from distance fighting, upon contact, the fight evolves into close combat fighting. Close combat fighting easily translates into unarmed combat and short weapons and the reflexes learned from the stick fight come in very handily. There are a lot more intricate techniques in close combat than distance fighting
In this stage, the student learns the basics of the art from warm ups, proper form, delivery of strikes and defenses against basic strikes and their corresponding counter-strikes. Also taught are reflexive groups of movements, that is, to develop certain reflex responses under various situations.

1. WARM-UP EXERCISES
   wrist    arms    chest    legs    back    neck    body
   
2. STARTING POSITION
   holding the stick      maintaining distance
   use of the eyes        maintaining balance
   
3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND DRILLS
   shadow fighting                 berada or (pull back)
   power strikes                     retracting the stick
   bladed weapon concept  amara style 
   
4. PROPER DELIVERY OF TWELVE BASIC STRIKES
   strikes: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12
   
5. PARRYING OF THE 12 BASIC STRIKES
   Instructor delivers strikes 1 - 12, student defends and counter strikes
   Touch and Feel (hikap)
   
6. INSTRUCTOR BLOCKS  STUDENT’S  COUNTER STRIKE
   
7. TRAINING REFLEXES BY GROUPING  OF  MOVES
   Group I - Clearing and Lifting
   Group II - Bobbing and Weaving
   Group III - Thrusting Exercises
   Group IV - Training Body Flexibility
   Group V - Parrying and Blocking Boxing Blows
   
8. ADVANCED DELIVERY OF BLOWS
   strikes: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12
   Defense for Left-Handed

For the purpose of this internet presentation, only the Basic and History of the art is revealed. The more sophisticated fighting techniques are presented in my book, Click Here.