Arnis - First Level Techniques

[ivan]

Hello, I've trained Wing Chun since 2 years 1/2 now, I recently began training Arnis too. My Arnis teacher says he studied the system called Doce Pares in Cañete's school, untill now, in 1 month we have learned 3 Sinawalis: Single Sinawali, Double Sinawali & Sinawali Mas (which may mean Sinawali-more in enlgish) also 4 double baston techniques and 2 single baston techniques (these techniques are not sinawalis). However I do not see the way he manages Grades, belts or techniques, for example:

You beguin with single baston on first grade
You do double on second grade
You do Espada y Daga on third grade
And so on..

I have asked him ans he says what he is teaching corresponds to the Arnis first grade. Every Arnis school I've searched on the net seems to start with single baston, do you have any idea why he manages the system like this and starts with double baston with a mix of single baston techniques? Is the Doce pares system like this?

I would thank if someone can inform/orient me please

 

[arnisador]

The Doce Pares system varies widely in its implementation, so it's hard to say, I'm afraid. (See here for a good discussion of this.) My understanding is that one does do a fair amount of double stick work in it, but as to when--that'll vary widely.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Remember ech instructor varries from the bext in what they teach and sometimes when.
BY the way how is your training going

 

[ap Oweyn]

It's true that teaching curricula vary pretty widely from one school to another. But I think the original poster has some cause to be concerned. It doesn't sound to me that the teacher has much of a progression in mind, based on what little I've read here. (Take that as a disclaimer. I can only go based on what you tell me.)

When I learned Doce Pares, we spent a good long time on single stick before moving to double stick. But it's not that specifically that makes me wonder. It's just that there doesn't seem to be any building upon one another. Three sinawalis and a couple of double stick drills could build on one another. Same with the single stick. But they could just as easily be techniques picked up as self-contained exercises. I know a lot of people who learn a few sinawali patterns and then suggest that they know double stick. (I'm not suggesting your teacher is making that claim.)

I would be more interested to hear whether he got into some of the more fundamental things like footwork or positioning. I think that's a pretty essential starting point for any progression. But, again, that could just be my teaching style.


Stuart