October 12, 2026
Kali, Eskrima, Arnis: guest-instructor seminars, equipment and tournaments
Kali, Eskrima and Arnis, the Filipino arts of the stick and the blade, are largely learned in pairs and are open to guests and exchange of experience. That brings plenty of life to a club, but also more organization: groups, equipment, seminars and tournaments under different rule sets.
How do you balance groups between partner drills and sparring?
Partner work, with repeated drills and controlled rhythm, is the foundation of training; sparring with training weapons comes only once students have mastered distance and control. That is why separate groups by level are worth having, each with a clear coach and schedule, instead of one hall where everyone does everything at once.
When forming pairs, consider both level and available equipment: two partners of similar build and experience work more fluently and more carefully than a randomly chosen pair. A stable schedule helps students arrive prepared for what comes next.
How do you keep training equipment in order?
Rattan sticks, wooden or soft training weapons and protective gear wear out and go missing easily. A simple list, showing what the club owns, what each student brings and the condition of each piece, saves you surprises right before a class or a seminar.
Check the pieces regularly and retire the damaged ones. With groups and schedule at hand, you know in advance how many participants are coming and how many sets to prepare, which makes training smoother and more orderly.
How do you organize guest seminars and tournaments with different rules?
A seminar with a guest instructor usually has limited places, so what matters is a clear date, a sign-up list, a fee communicated from the start and a message to participants with details about venue and equipment. That avoids double bookings and messages lost across several channels.
At tournaments, rule sets differ from one organizer to another: some stress stick work, others combined weapons or other formats. Write down the rules and categories of each event, so students prepare for what awaits them and results stay in the club's history.
Dojo Master helps you organize groups by level with schedules and coaches, create seminars and tournaments with places, sign-up and fees, communicate with participants and keep results in the trophy room and on your Kali club's public page.
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