There are basically no differences between Arnis, Eskrima and Kali. The general martial arts community uses the different names to refer to the same type of arts. Originally, the difference in the name implied the region from which the art originated. These three names, and others, refer to martial arts where skills in both empty hand and weapons are developed using similar training methods to teach both. Practitioners of these arts are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably.
Eskrima sticks are hard sticks usually made from a hard wood such as rattan that is burned and hardened. They can also be made out of metals such as aluminum or can be padded for training purposes. They are usually between 45 and 70 cm long and can be a variety of widths.
Eskrima and Arnis are the names primarily used in the Philippines today. The name Kali is seldom used except for a few areas in the Southern Philippines and in most cases is an unknown word. Eskrima is the Filipino spelling which comes from Spanish-language esgrima, "fencing".
An Eskrimador is a practitioner of Eskrima.
Styles of Eskrima