History
Eskrima, arnis and kali are names for the Filipino martial arts, which train with sticks, knives and swords first and with empty hands later. The word eskrima comes from the Spanish "esgrima" (fencing), from the centuries of Spanish rule; the arts themselves are older, and Filipinos honour Lapu-Lapu, the chief who defeated Magellan's men at Mactan in 1521.
In 2009 a Philippine law (Republic Act 9850) made arnis the national martial art and sport. Teachers such as Remy Presas and Dan Inosanto spread it worldwide, and its fast knife and stick work is often seen in action films.