Single Sinawali

This introductory two handed stick drill comes from the Filipino art of Modern Arnis.  So why do we have it in our system?  Because, historically much of our weapon work came originally from Modern Arnis.  The weight of history is certainly, by itself, certainly not a reason to keep something in a system that styles itself as practical BUT it is nice to know the source of things.

In addition to history, the drill is a great way to develop coordination and rhythm.  We could have students jump rope for coordination and learn to play drums for rhythm (and in fact we do that too) but single sinawali has the added advantage of conveying a sense of confidence with stick use.  Hand a brand new student a stick and tell them to hit someone with it or defend themselves using it and they might have a decent idea of how to move and they might not.  It’s an entry point.

The pattern itself is simple: right hand high, right hand low, left hand high, left hand low.  When done with a partner, the sticks should be angled slightly away from yourself so that you can hit sticks but not knuckles.  Use the last few inches of the stick to hit with because it both reduces risk of hand hits and it increases power (the longer the stick, the bigger the lever, the faster it is moving, the more damage it does).  Pivot your feet and turn your body into the strike just as you would with a good punch.  And of course, keep your hands sticks up to cover yourself.

Click here or on the photo above to see a video of Single Sinawali.