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GAT Saint Louis was founded to provide training in the Filipino martial arts (FMA) of Garimot arnis, buno, and esgrima to the Midwest. Arnis (also called eskrima, escrima, or kali) deals with the use of and defense against weapons; Garimot arnis is a system that integrates different styles from the northern area of the Philippines (Luzon) and incorporates many types of weapons, including sword, knife, stick, staff, spear, and shield. Garimot buno consists of wrestling and striking, as well as the use of a rope in fighting. Garimot esgrima is a unique type of Filipino fencing, using swords with long, thin blades.

The training at GAT St. Louis is guided by a group of martial artists with decades of experience.

Larong Moro-moro

moro-moro

Originally known as Doce Pares de Francia, plays which dramatized the triumph of the Spanish Christians over the Muslim Moors were introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish via Mexico in the 17th century. They were renamed by the Filipinos to larong moro-moro and used as a vehicle to preserve and develop their fighting arts. Garimot arnis preserves the traditional sequences and training methods that originate from Paete, Laguna.

Buno

buno

Garimot buno covers both standing and ground fighting, including strikes, throws, pins, locks, and escapes. Animal characteristics are emulated, but the two primary animals are the tiger and monkey, which represent the dichotomies of aggressive/passive, direct/evasive, hard/soft, etc. This style contains elements of native Filipino wrestling from the Aetas and Mangyans, and the close-range locks and controls of arnis.

Siete Henerales Esgrima

siete henerales

Siete Henerales is a unique style of fencing developed in Paete, Laguna, that uses European swords rather than Filipino. The methods of using longer blades with greater hand protection illustrate how to attack while shielding yourself or controlling the opponent's weapon at the same time.