“The disciple is not higher than the master,
But any accomplished disciple will be like his master”

Luc

1. What is your objective and which instructional progression do you follow.
2. You personal athletic psycho-physiologic qualities.
3. How positive your attitude is. How fast you can learn. Do you know how to learn?
4. Your previous experiences in martial arts, sports and/or other activities involving tactics and physical activities.
5. Your life experiences and how you can transpose these experiences, success and failures to another domain of competency.
6. The real skills of your teacher and his/her willingness to teach you (or not) and share without limitation.
7. The quality of your relations with the group, the other students and your commitment to the community of arnisadores. The more you give, more you receive but the more you loose your illusions, which is a good thing anyway.
8. Your courage to test your skills and provoke decisive moment. How you can learn from that and go back to work.
9. The accumulation of good habits.
10. Your talent, your chance and your gifts: Three elements that greatly influence and determine our action, re-actions, results and thus our destiny.

BAGUHAN - BIGINNER >> INITIATION

Main Objective:           Set up good basis for your future skills

Target 1:          To be able to defend yourself against simple attacks from various weapons
Target 2:          To be able to attack and defend with and against 12 angles
Target 3:          Discover the correct attitude required to an arnisadore
Weaponry:       Single Stick, Double Stick, Espada y Daga, Solo Daga 

From his first lesson to the green belt, the Arnisadore discovers the simple techniques that can found in most systems of Arnis Kali Eskrima. The first weapon will be the single stick, or solo baston. You will learn to attack and defend using several weapons and two distances. At this stage, we prefer to train with wooden weapon instead of live blades.

1. Basics of Solo Baston – Single stick
2. 12 attacking angles of Doblete Rapilon
3. Defense against angle 1, 2 and 3 – With and against the strike
4. Basics of Mano Larga – Fighting from long distance
5. Basics of Cinco Tiros – Fighting from middle range distance against 5 first angles
6. Soft free sparing with solo Baston

1. Basics of Doble Baston – Double stick - Sinawali
2. Defenses against 12 angles and counter technique – Single stick against single stick
3. Defenses against 12 angles and counter technique – Double stick against double stick
4. Free sparing Doble Baston
5. Basic concepts of self-defense with a stick

1. Basics of Espada y Daga – Sword and Dagger
2. Defenses against 12 angles and counter technique - Sword and Dagger
3. Free sparing Espada y Daga (using wood weapon)
4. 12 Disarming techniques: Baston against Baston
5. Self-defense by strangulation using a stick

1. Basics of Solo Daga – Dagger and Knives
2. Defenses against 12 angles and counter technique – Single Dagger
3. Basics of Dagger against Dagger
4. Free sparing Dagger against Dagger (using wood weapon)
5. Self-defense by arm locks using a stick

Main Objective:           Acquire the fundamental and general concepts of Arnis Kali Eskrima

Target 1:          To be able to defend yourself bare hand against simple attacks from various weapon
Target 2:          Develop speed, power and spontaneous techniques
Target 3:          Develop positive attitude and social skills
Weaponry:       Empty Hands - Train with live blades in slow motion

1. Basics of Mano-mano – Empty hand techniques
2. Empty hand defenses against a Stick
3. Empty hand defenses against a Dagger
4. Free sparing Dagger against Dagger
5. Self-defense by throws with a stick – Short distance, Serrada

1. Basics of Doblete Rapilon
2. Free Forms - 8 Directions with all the weapons
3. Self-defense Solo Baston in a circle against Solo Baston and Solo Daga
4. Free sparing with Solo Baston against all weapons
5. Personalized Free form

1. Techniques and Series of Doblete Rapilon
2. Self-defense solo baston in a circle against all weapons
3. Free sparing "Doblete Style"

1. Basics of Mimar - Long Stick
2. Mimar against Mimar
3. Free sparing with and against all weapons

1. 24 angles of attack in Doblete Rapilon – Single Stick
2. 24 angles of defense in Doblete Rapilon – Single Stick
3. Basics of Dulo-Dulo
4. Apply 24 angles to all weaponry

1. Basics of Arka – Pocket Stick
2. Training with Live Blades
3. Empty hand defenses against live blades

From the 5th to the 8th Degree, the focus is put on mastering the techniques in the details in order to reach the highest efficiency in combat. The kalista is now looking for perfection in his techniques although his training remains combat oriented. Each individual may specialize in one or two weapon or in a type of combat. There is no specific program for each rank. The general skills level is measured according to Four angles: Depth of Knowledge, Understanding of Filipino Culture, Efficacy in Combat and Personality.

At this stage it is important to focus on "concept and principles" beyond the techniques themselves.

5th Degree Black Belt    –          Lakan Lima 
6th Degree Black Belt    –          Lakan Anim 
7th Degree Black Belt    –          Lakan Pito 

From the 8th to the 10th Degree, the Arnisadore will put all his energy and application to go beyond the art itself. Arnis will become a tool that a true expert can use for any purpose: To Fight, protect or educate. It is a never-ending quest testing your character and your skills against adversity but against yourself as well. This is the chance to discover our Main enemy: Our Ego!

Target 1:          Maximum efficiency for minimum efforts and minimum risk
Target 2:          Develop advanced skills in combat techniques and mental awareness
Target 3:          Develop Arnis kali Eskrima in the world and share your experience
Weaponry:       Character and attitude

At this stage, many will consider they have enough technical skills and experience to adapt or change the original system or even to create their own system. In the Philippine martial art culture, we respect this attitude and it should be every expert’s choice to do so or not.

Nevertheless, I personally feel there is so much to learn by digging more deeply that I prefer to continue to practice what I had the chance to learn from my teacher instead of drinking the water from another fountain.
I learned so much with Grand Master Mena that I feel I can feed on this matter maybe until the end of my own life…we will see.
We can learn by observing other styles and confront our techniques against other systems and other martial arts. Therefore, when a system has proved to be so efficient like it is the case with Doblete Rapilon, it may be more practical to upgrade your own level instead of trying to upgrade the system itself.