Retirada in Filipino Martial Arts

Series Summary

Escrima, also spelled eskrima, refers to a class of Filipino martial arts that utilize sticks and swords as fighting instruments. Since the martial art was originally taught to villagers to defend themselves against foreign invaders and other villages, escrima fighting is traditionally simplified, with simple village folk physically or otherwise unable to learn complicated or flashy fighting arts. However, escrima fighting is not simple; in fact, beyond the basic skills lies a fighting art and a skill set that takes years and years to master.

In this free video series, our expert John Brown will teach you all about filipino martial arts. He'll teach you how to do retirada with follow ups, and how to fight with escrima sticks, and with short swords. He'll also teach you how to do knife thrusts including a knife thrust drill, a knife thrust feint, and various ways to disarm your knife bearing opponent. He'll teach you how to fight and defend at various ranges, close and long distance, and even how to switch between ranges!

Video Transcript

"JOHN BROWN JR.: On behalf of Expert Village, my name is John Brown. And we're going to work Retirada with the stick, or my stick can also be my training blade. The only thing that changes is my target and the weapon. So when I work the Retirada, if it's a stick, entry feed number one, I'm going to change my target to the knuckles and maybe to the elbow, to the hard parts. If I'm using it as a training blade, I'm going to cut to the softer parts. So Retirada with your partner, step that back and follow up. There's a few ways you can do it. At a long range, I can do it, follow-up. I can go from long range and to medium range where I have to trap in case he comes back with another strike. Or I can work it long range to a direct, more of a quarter range, or even strikes later. So working with your partner, Retirada. That's how to work Retirada."