Rules & Regulations
Adult Amateur Rules & Equipment Guidelines
18 Years & Above
18+ amateur competitors // 2026 Season
Rules Snapshot
The adult amateur rulebook preserves the full three-round Juego Todo format while shortening bout duration and emphasizing controlled progression through weapon and unarmed phases.
Round
01
Doble Baston
2 sticks
Full weapon engagement with two official Arnis sticks.
Round
02
Solo Baston
1 stick
One-stick format with limited empty-hand body strikes.
Round
03
Mano Y Mano
Empty hand
FMA striking, takedowns, grappling, and no weapons.
3
Rounds
2
Transitions
Checked
Equipment
Weapon Progression
Round 1
Doble Baston
2 sticks
Round 2
Solo Baston
1 stick
Round 3
Mano Y Mano
Empty hand
The fight evolves from weapon-to-weapon, to single-stick control, to empty-hand combat.
Allowed Target Areas
Legal: Head, body, arms, and legs where allowed by round.
Protected: Back of head, spine, groin, throat, and eyes.
Round-based: Youth and weapon rounds apply stricter head-target rules.
Competition Principles
Safety First
Protect athletes and keep the competition environment controlled.
Fair Competition
Skill, strategy, and control decide the outcome.
Respect
Respect opponents, officials, and the rules.
Weapon Progress Gear
- Grilled headgear, red/blue MMA gloves, groin guard, hand wraps, breast plate, arm guards, shin guards.
- MMA shorts or compression shorts only.
- Rash guard or sports bra mandatory for female fighters.
Mano Y Mano Gear
- Red/blue MMA gloves, groin guard, hand wraps, mouth guard, MMA shorts or compression shorts.
- Rash guard or sports bra mandatory for female fighters.
Allowed Actions
- Doble Baston: body/leg kicks and knees, takedowns, sweeps, throws, and disarms.
- Solo Baston: body punches/elbows, body/leg kicks and knees, takedowns, sweeps, standing submissions, stick chokes, disarms, and hand switching.
- Mano y Mano: punches/kicks to head and body, elbows/knees to body, takedowns, sweeps, grappling transitions, FMA and BJJ submissions.
Prohibited Actions
- Doble Baston: no punches, elbows, head kicks/knees/elbows, oblique kicks, butt-end strikes, thrusting, stick chokes, spine attacks, ground-and-pound, suplexes, or submissions.
- Solo Baston: no head strikes, oblique kicks, butt-end strikes, thrusting, spine attacks, ground-and-pound, suplexes, or BJJ ground submissions.
- Mano y Mano: no head elbows/knees, groin attacks, oblique kicks, rabbit punches, headbutts, eye gouging, fish hooking, biting, hair pulling, throat attacks, small-joint manipulation, cage grabbing, grounded head strikes, heel hooks, pile driving, 12-6 elbows, stomps, spikes, or excessive jumping takedowns.
Safety Parameters
- Youth modifiers under this banner prohibit all head strikes for fighters 17 and below.
- Disarmed Solo Baston fighters cannot punch or elbow until the stick is recovered.
- A 1-point deduction may apply if the stick is not possessed at the final sound.
Compliance & Penalties
- Technical warning or point deduction.
- Disqualification from the match.
- Expulsion from the tournament premises.
- After the midpoint of Round 2, accidental stoppages can be decided by judges' scorecards.
Ready To Compete?
Know The Rules. Train Hard.
Review the rulebook, register your gym, and confirm athlete requirements before event week.