The Weapons Of Eskrima

The aim of eskrima is to make a student efficient and fonctionnal with any weapon at his/her disposal, even an improvised one — which is usually the case in a legal defense context.
Nevertheless some weapons are preferred for training*.

Rattan Sticks

Usually short (as opposed to the long stick), the size and diameter of these sticks vary from a school to another. But rattan is still the wood most used for its specific qualities.Not expensive, easy to find, it can endure a lot of stress before imploding. So the student can practice without being too concerned by the repeated impacts endured by his/her sticks. The weight and the balance of these sticks also allow a realistic work.
The rattan stick is first and foremost a weapon, likely to inflict serious damages in the hands of a careless student. So, concentration and control are two qualities to develop while handling it. But for some exercices, it may be necessary to give 'more realistic' blows. Rubber sticks are mostly preferred in this case.

Rubber Sticks

Training Knife

Mundane Objects

Bare Hands

* In the bounds of a training under the supervision of a qualified instructor.