THE KUNTAW

The Kuntaw is a martial art that was developed in the Philippines. the combat skills have been
"taken" by the cultures that have come into contact with the Philippines, to repel the invasions,
was organized a combat system easily practicable and highly effective, which was used later by
the Maharlika (the noble warriors of the Philippines, that correspond to the Samurai of Japan).
This combat system, known as Kuntaw, manages the three fields of battle: Largo (long);
Sumbrada (short), and Hubud (close or trapping, for those who had not read my post on the
Filipino Kali, there is an exercise in sensitivity called Hubud-Lubud, we can say that is the cousin
of the trapping of Wing Chun), the Kuntaw develops in three heights of combat: air, ground and
standing.
The fighting skills of this style come from different parts of the East. However, the three main
ones are: Kali-Arnis-Esckrima (Philippines), Pentjak Silat (Indochina, Indonesia) and Shaolin Suu
Kempo(China). Kali has donated techniques with weapons, the Shaolin Suu Kempo and Pentjak
Silat have donated the basis of the empty hand in the Kuntaw. Kali has introduced the idea of
the sword, Kempo has given the idea of kicking and punching with power and Pentjak Silat has
introduced its typical movements (such as the fluid movements of the snake).
Unfortunately, many thought that the Filipino martial art had worked a lot with weapons
neglecting the side "empty hand", this is just a belief, in fact, the Kali is one of the most
complete martial arts in the world, not for nothing all countries have taken some filipino Kali
techniques that have introduced in their military repertoire (with time the world have discover
the great secret that hides the filipino Kali, namely that while you train with weapons you train
at the same time in empty hand, and once learned to use a weapon of the Philippines, you can
transmit this knowledge to any weapon, is the only martial art in the world that allows this).
The three main areas of Arnis, which were then placed in Kuntaw are: Buno or Dumog (wrestling
or grappling), Sikaran (the art of kicking) and Bugtongan (Philippines Stick Fighting System). The
Kuntaw was developed primarily as an art of defense, but can be used as an art of attack in the
right circumstances.
Weapons are an important part in Kuntaw. These weapons can also be a fist, elbow, knee, foot,
a hand held, but they can also be a stick as a weapon, a knife or a sword. The movements of
Kuntaw were developed by the use of these weapons and the defense of these weapons, even if
the Kuntaw is basically a martial art with evasive movements that tend to be light and fast to

prevent attacks and to counteract the action of the opponent, using a locking lever (Dumog) or
taking advantage of the shots (Panantukan).
The Kuntaw aims to gain control on the opponent, making he/she harmless, blocking the force
of any attack.
One of the oldest experts of Kali that is still remembered for his Kuntaw, he's Yoyong Huenyo
Lanada, who died at age 107, he lived in the southern part of Luzon (Bicol Region), was called
"Pilate", this name indicates her ability in filipino Kali and Kuntaw, passed all his techniques to
his son Yon Iban Lanada, which in turn transmitted them to his son. The current Grand Master of
Kuntaw Carlito A. Lanada.
TERMINOLOGY
Maharlika = majestic/noble; Kuntaw: Kun = "punch", Taw = "way of";
Kuntaw = "way of the punch"; Maharlika Kuntaw = "way of noble punch ".