Punal
Puñal / Daga
A short knife or dagger used in Filipino martial arts for close-quarters combat.
Quick Facts
CategoryEquipment
Pronunciation/[poo-nyal]/
Definition
Punal is the traditional term for a knife or dagger in the systems of Kali, Arnis, and Escrima. Knife training forms the core of Filipino martial arts and teaches practitioners respect for the blade. Punal techniques are fast and fluid, focusing on neutralizing the opponent's weapon-bearing hand (so-called "defanging the snake") and following up with attacks on vital organs. Training with a short blade also massively improves unarmed self-defense ability, since empty-hand movements are directly derived from it.