What is Balintawak Arnis?

Balintawak Arnis is a FMA combat system developed by Great Grand Master Anciong Bacon in the 1940s. Believed to be named after a small street in Cebu, Philippines where its first club was founded.  It was developed to enhance and preserve the combative nature of FMA which were then being watered down by other FMA styles.

Various FMA forms of the art of Arnis, utilize long range fighting skills and are geared more towards an offensive style of fighting. Balintawak difference is that it uses close range fighting exercises, applying all the known foul blows conceivable to street fighting. It was also conceived to supplement and correct the missing defensive fundamentals of Arnis.

Its primary training tool is the single stick or also known as olisi or garote - eschewing the traditional double sticks and sword and dagger. However, it is not just a stick or blade-fighting art. Balintawak fighters are equally adept at both weapons and empty-hand fighting. In Balintawak, the arnis or garrote is only used to enhance and train the individual for bare hands fighting, and to achieve perfection in the art of speed, timing and reflexes necessary to acquire defensive posture and fluidity in movement.  Balintawak aims to harness one’s natural body movement and awakens one’s senses to move and react.  It affords the practitioner an experience and revelation in the fundamentals of street fighting.