Perguruan Malela: Malay Martial Arts

Perguruan Malela - Training Tools

2011-11-27T03:15:00.001-08:00

The Reflex Bag (Everlast)

Applications of Silat Techniques on the Reflex Bag

Rangkaian Enam Silat Cekak (Brunei): Bladed Weapon Applications

2011-11-12T21:07:00.001-08:00

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated to any of the Perguruan Silat Cekak found in Malaysia. This blogpost attempts to show the commonality of techniques that can be found across different forms of Silat, and how - in this particular instance - the 'Lading' that is unique to Malaysian Silat can be used within the context of Rangkaian Enam in Silat Chakak/Cekak Perguruan Malela (Brunei).

Some time ago, whilst I was still in Brunei Darussalam, I came across a blog that was selling traditional Malaysian weapons. And was able to place an order with the gentleman in question, for my own very own Lading.

What is a 'Lading'?... A detailed history and description/dimension of the weapon can be found here: http://silat-melayu.blogspot.com/2007/12/lading-cekak-introduction.html

I have come across the 'Lading' in my many explorations into the websites maintained by the various Silat perguruan's found in Malaysia. But one particular form of Silat has made it their signature weapon. A weapon that ties their art back to its founders and mythos. This art is Silat Cekak.

Note: In this blogpost I will refer to Silat Cekak (Malaysia) in very broad terms, and will not go into detail as to the different forms and organisations that claim ownership over this art.

The application of the Lading is confined to very closed quarter combat. It is held in a reversed grip; where the blade rests along the outside of the forearm.

It's utilisation from the attached videos show that it is used as an adjunct to Silat Cekak's (Malaysia) empty hand techniques. So blocking arm motions, translate directly into the Lading's own blocking application against other weapons.

A peculiarity of the application of the Lading in Silat Cekak (Malaysia) is a 'flicking' motion employed by the practitioner, that sees the blade arcing out in short chopping motions into the intended target(s).

I have used the Lading for my own purposes, whilst practicing the Rangkaian Enam of Silat Cekak/Chakak Perguruan Malela.

When you put aside the exotics of the weapon involved (whether Lading, Stick or .... yes, even Golok). The lines of application pretty much stay the same.

The shape of the weapon itself may lend itself better to a particular application (i.e. reverse or forward grip), but on the whole there will be commonality of application(s).

I have used the Lading to augment the following applications of Rangkaian Enam (RE),
- RE Elbow Flow,
- RE Forward Grip and
- RE Belantan (Reverse Grip).

Traditional Martial Arts Applied in MMA: Capoiera

2011-10-23T00:24:00.001-07:00

Any traditional martial art/artist is effective when trained properly.

Real Deal Part 2

2011-10-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

Lessons in Boxing from Mike Gibbons (Former & Late Middleweight Boxing Champion of 1909), Captain Allan Corstorphin Smith (3rd degree jujutsu (judo) master), and how to fight with and against the bayonet.

(YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga4zLsMmkE0&feature=related)

The Real Deal

2011-10-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

William Ewart Fairbairn (28 February, 1885–20 June, 1960) was a British soldier, police officer and exponent of hand-to-hand combat method, the close combat, for the Shanghai Police between the world wars, and allied special forces in World War II. He developed his own fighting system known as Defendu, as well as other weapons tactics. Notably, this included innovative pistol shooting techniques and the development of the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife. (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ewart_Fairbairn)

'...White coats and stethoscope does not always a doctor make...'

2011-10-21T03:53:00.000-07:00

I have a pet gripe. It's one that I have nursed for some time.

I have seen Silat practitioners and teachers position themselves as informed individuals on tactical CQB (Close Quarter Battle) on the basis of 'pseudo military speak' and dressing up in black/camo combat fatigues and boots.

And yet you see it happen all the time in the martial arts world.

It is marketing pure and simple. The more cynical amongst us might even say that it is false representation. Deliberately misleading.

The art I was taught was developed in a specific context. It was borne in a time when fire arms were not widespread, and unarmed combat was still a viable means of self defence. It was applied in an environment where the most likely form of armed combat would involve either a knife, sword or stick/staff.

I would not for the life of me then pretend that I could take these same techniques and purport that it could be viably applied by a soldier or a police officer in the line of duty.

You could argue that certain principles might still apply even in the context of modern day combat/conflict.

But here's the clincher: would you bet your - or even some else's - life on it?

It is highly irresponsible of individuals to position themselves in the manner of CQB trainers when they themselves have not been exposed to the environments faced by men and women who put themselves in harms way on a daily basis.

And yet you see it happen. And no one seems to question it.

Call it what it is. Not what it isn't.

Kettle bell: Swing Minimalism

2011-10-19T01:47:00.000-07:00

Okay... okay... the post title is a rip-off from Tim Ferriss's book 'The Four Hour Body'.

I am a late comer to the kettle bell party. More is the pity. But... I am here now.

For those of you who haven't done so, I'd recommend reading the book. It has some interesting propositions about how to lose weight, gain muscle, stay healthy and ... yes, even how to become better sexually.

The book is more than that though... it is - ultimately - about taking control of your life. And what Tim Ferriss has done is to propose an approach that makes this as ... accessible as possible.

I was going to say 'easy'. But nothing is easy.

Nothing is easy about propelling weights of 16-24kilos with a snap of the hips.

Nothing easy about waking up at 5am in the morning to get the exercises in.

Nothing easy about going on a 'slow carb', 'no carb' diet or intermittent fasting.

Nope... nothing easy. But it is about making choices. Small choices. Every single day. That will help determine your state of health and the quality of your life.

I am - right now - following the training protocols that he has recommended in his book. There is slew of research backing some of the protocols.

I like how the book has been structured, because it enables the reader to pick and choose what he/she wants to focus on.

I have chosen to focus on,

- weight loss, and

- muscle gain.

I am enjoying the process. Enjoying the journey.

I am no longer in a rush to get to the destination. Taking one day at a time.

So.... the kettle bell.

The youtube video below is the key exercise that he recommends for both weight loss, toning and muscle building.

As simple as it looks, done properly it will strengthen your core, legs and posterior chain.

Posterior chain?... Wikipedia it!

'...The posterior chain is a group of muscles, tendons and ligaments on the posterior kinetic chain of the body. Examples of these muscles include the biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, erector spinae muscle group, trapezius, posterior deltoids, and so on....'

I've started using this exercise and I can vouch for it's effectiveness.

I've gone a step further and also taken on two additional exercises,

The Squat Press, and
The Russian Twist.

I'll report back on my progress as I go along. Not religiously reporting back :-) But often enough for you to see my progress.

Senjata Lapan: Tumbuk Tiga Beradik

2011-08-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tumbuk Tiga Beradik: Empty Hand Practice

From a neutral (standing feet roughly shoulder width and hands to the side) position, the player shifts to the left and raises both hand into upward fists.

The visualisation here is that the player will receive an incoming punch with his knuckles as the initial/predominant point of contact. This is in essence a limb destruction, the player is using his momentum in addition to his opponents momentum to land both sets of knuckles into the opponents arm.

The movement is small and precise on the part of the player. With no wasted and overt actions. The shift of the body is also a subtle orientation, which takes the torso/target out of the range and path of the attacking limb (punch). Leaving the opponent with as little time as possible to counter the players counter. This is a dead give-away of the influence of Silat Sendeng on the development of Senjata Lapan.

‘Sendeng’ (Pronounced: Sending) means oblique or offset. The main combative rational of Silat Sendeng is that the defense or offense is launched in an oblique/offset manner. Taking the player out of the attacking opponents energy (punch, kick or weapon).

This concept of ‘thin-slicing’ – moving just enough to shed the energy from an incoming attack – will feature prominently in Senjata Lapan. In fact, this is concept in itself is not unique to Senjata Lapan. And will feature in most functional arts or seasoned practitioners of the art.

Note: I have seen this especially with veteran/matured practitioners of any martial art where they conserve their energy by moving just that much… just enough to neutralise the attack.

‘Thin-Slicing’ is the western term for a phenomena/practice in Silat known as silat sepadi (‘silat of a grain of rice’). This is a concept involving moving just enough to take one-self out of immediate danger and to launch a counter attack.

The timing of the counter-attack will contribute to the outcome: either both knuckles will land on the offending arm, or one set of knuckles will strike the arm (the rear set) and the lead set of knuckles will strike the chest/shoulder/face.

The receiving technique – of presenting the knuckles of both fists into the incoming punch – can either be applied to the inside or the outside of the attacking limb (punch).

The followup technique is a triple strike into the opponent in quick succession. This is done with a forward movement, involving stepping directly into the opponents line of attack directly. The triple strike capitalises on the momentum generated by the shift into the forward movement.

The upright stance in SJ is typical of its practical nature. I can only speculate that the art’s practicality was further re-inforced by the founder’s encounters with Muay Thai fighters in the north of Malaysia.

Tumbuk Tiga Beradik: Weapon Practice

It doesn’t take that much imagination to see how weapons (baton/short stick – single or double) applications can be applied directly from this first sequence of movements from SJ.

I hesitated in using the word form, for the reason that forms in popular/main stream martial arts has become synonymous with movement for movements sake without the context of application.

Here in SJ Tumbuk Tiga Beradik – and this can be said unreservedly about all its sequence of movements/techniques – there is a direct correlation between execution and application.

The Jurus Tumbuk, Buah Tunggal (Individual Techniques/Application) and Asahan/Belabat (training and conditioning practices) all add up to make up Senjata Lapan.

Now some would say that this statement can be said of all martial arts.

In this instance, in the instance of Senjata Lapan, this assertion is especially true. Unlike some of the training and conditioning techniques practiced in some of the more visible arts (like Karate… I actually studied this in my very much younger years), the techniques of asahan/belabat can be utilised in the flow of both the jurus tumbuk and buah tunggal as a viable response to an attack. There is nothing obscure, secret or ambiguous about what is presented within its syllabus.

So the players personal practice whenever he/she goes through the jurus tumbuk, buah tunggal and asahan/belabat is cumulatively applicable in combat. No wasted movement. No wasted practice.

Silat Chakak: Weapons Application (Baton/Stick)

2011-08-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

The use of weapons in Silat Cekak of Perguruan Malela is based on the empty hand sequence of Rangkaian Enam (Sequence of six attacks).

The part of the baton/stick that the player wishes to present to the opponent will determine the technique that is affected.

In the instance of utilising a baton/stick in Silat Chakak, the player can either present following: the tip, the length (haft) or the butt. If we put aside the different ways a baton/stick can be held, this holds true in every instance.

So if the the player wishes to strike his/her opponent in an over head manner – perhaps targeting the opponents shoulder or head – than the ‘Tatak’ technique is applied to the use of the baton/stick. Again connecting with the opponent with either the tip, length or butt of the baton/stick.

Consider the following training sequences with the baton/stick,

Rangkaian Enam (RE) Using the tip only,
RE using the length/haft only, and
RE using the butt only.

Consider that the applications of the baton/stick can also be applied to the hand or arm,

The tip = Fist (punch, back fist (knuckles) or hammer hand)
The length (haft) = Arm/Forearm, and
The butt = Elbow.

So correspondingly, you can apply these body parts in the use of the RE,

Tumbuk kanan: Punch or Ebow
Tumbuk kiri: Punch or Elbow
Tatak/Balah: Hammerhand or Backfist (Raking Downwards) or Forearm (bottom) or Elbow (Overhead)
Simbur: Hammerhand or Backfist (Raking Down & Outward), Forearm (upper/bottom), Elbow (Downwards)
Paras: Hammerhand or Backfist (Raking Inwards) or Forearm (upper/bottom) or Elbow (Horizontal)
Radak: Punch or Elbow.

Crouching Tiger = Sore Back

2011-08-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

I can understand it when martial arts practitioners advocate an aggressive attitude. Sure, when going into an altercation (sportive or combative) the player must adopt an aggressive and forward moving mentality.

I have often adopted this mentality in both my competitions and practice. What happens is that I try and embody this attitude in both my movement and posture. I tend to lean forward more – crouched almost – and am heavy on my feet with wide stances. Furrowed eyebrow, all tense concentration.

Very tiring.

All that energy is channelled off into the wrong place,

Leaning too far forward and I am unstable.
I compensate with wider stances.
Wider stances means I am slower, and legs are committed to maintaining stability as opposed to being available for quick movement/kicks.
… all tensed up and no where to go.

What I am proposing here is that the attitude should be adopted… internally. It is an internal attitude that should inform your movements, but should not dictate it.

An upright but stable stance means I can react to situations more readily. Opening myself up to more options as to how I wish to respond.

Outwardly relaxed, I become inwardly calmer. My perception becomes wider, and not tunnelled.

The Candle

2011-04-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

We are like a candle in the dark.

Our flames sometimes gutter in the midst of howling winds beyond our control or understanding.

We may lose some of our luminescence when the darkness gathers and we become unsure.

We sometimes cast about looking for similar candles so that we might bring our strengths together to beat back the looming uncertainty.

... But more times than not, we find ourselves standing on our own.

Whether we burn bright, burn dim, gutter in the wind or burn alone... don't ever forget that we 'burn' ... never ever stop burning.

Burn true... always burn true.

We are masters and mistresses of our flames.

~ Amir Talib, Melbourne (Australia) 2011

Realism: Don't Get Blinkered

2011-04-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

All too often, we get lost in our own 'hype'. We lose ourselves in our personal practices of '...insert your poison here...' (martial arts, golf, medicine, engineering etcetera).

In the case of a martial artist this can be especially true, and a challenge to be met.

We sometimes get lost in the performance of forms. Mindlessly some times practicing the forms without thought to the context of the techniques or the possible real-time/real-life applications.

This should never ever happen. In my humble opinion: whether you are practicing for fitness, spiritual or practical self-defense reasons, you should always practice with 'mindfulness'.

Be mindful that the techniques you execute are in fact combative. Be mindful that when you engage the imagination in execution of a technique, your whole body (.i.e. the right muscle groups) gets recruited.

I love going on the net and watching live bouts of Muay Thai. All pre-conceptions of what may or might not work gets dashed away in the midst of a Muay Thai tournament.

The techniques may be limited, but the 'heart' in these fights are unmistakable.

NOTE: I have been enrolled in Muay Thai classes three (3) times a week, for the past six (6) months. I am training out of SupaFight gym at Level 1, 85 Inkerman St, St Kilda, VIC 3182, Melbourne.

I would recommend that martial artists - especially those who have no access to sparring partners, do not compete in sanctioned competitions, have no punching bags or 'live' working partners - to at the very least watch these videos on the Internet.

And next time when you are in the midst of your solitary martial arts training, engage your mind and think back on those videos. Mentally spar (using you imagination) with these fighters as you go through your forms.

Senjata 8: Cikgu Aziz

2010-12-10T15:38:00.000-08:00

Buah Pukul... the 'striking art'.

The core principle which informs, pervades and provides structure to the art of 'Senjata 8' is 'pukul' (hitting/striking).

And it is appropriate that under the term 'pukul' a number of techniques apply: chopping, backfist, elbowing and so on.

The video above is typical of a 'buah pukul' response. In it Cikgu (pronounced: cheek-goo) Aziz does the following,
- Foot work: Slips to the outside of the attacker, and
- Technique: Strikes the opponents ribcage and then strikes the opponents right punch with his own right arm, and immediately follows up with a raising strike to the opponents chin/throat.

... in every instance of Cikgu (Teacher) Aziz's response is a strike.

It would be too simplistic to make the assumption that just by adopting this concept of striking that any art can become 'Senjata 8'.

'Senjata 8' has techniques that captialise on the principles of striking as the cornerstone of its strategy, but the footwork and drills provides a solid foundation upon which these responses are built. This is where the 'jurus' (Forms or 'Lian') of Senjata 8 come into play.

Beladiri Jurus Senjata 8 (a.k.a. Senjata 8)

2010-12-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

Senjata 8 Logo

The founder Mohamed bin Chik or better known as Pak Mat Kedidi began learning 'Buah Pukul' ('Striking Art') first from his late father.

The Late Pak Mat Kedidi

At the age of 9 years old, he moved to Kelantan (Northern Malaysia) to pursue his studies in the art. At the age of 19, he studied with an 'Awang Bin Idris' who was his brother in law.

Kelantan

In the year 1939, when he was 27 years old, he enlisted with the Police force and was assigned to serve on the Malaysian side of the border with neighboring Thailand ('Siam'). Whilst posted there, he learnt a form of Thai boxing ('Tomoi') with a gentleman by the name of Tok Chah. A famous teacher in Padang.

Due to his dedication and ability in the art of Tomoi Pak Mat Kedidi became a renowned champion in Padang, and earned the nickname 'Kumbang Hitam' (Black Beetle). This was apparently due to the fact that the speed of his roundhouse kicks generated a buzzing sound.

Later on, Pak Mat Kedidi would commute to and fro Kuala Lumpur and Sungai Belum (Melaka) to study with a 'Long Aman Bin Ujang' in the art of 'Sendeng Asli Muar'. This was where Pak Mat Kedidi deepened his knowledge around the use of the Tekpi ('Sai').

Pak Mat Kedidi proceed to also learn 'Buah Pukul' from a gentleman by the name of 'Cu Aman', and finally received the 'Nukil' (Genealogy) from his teacher in 1961. He was also instructed to study further under the 'Qadi' (religious personage/leader) in the Mersing district, who went by the name of 'Sani Abu Samah'.

In 1972, before retiring, Pak Mat Kedidi made friends with a Silat Sunting Johor instructor by the name of 'Pak Manas'. It was during this relationship that Pak Mat Kedidi was introduced to Haji Ahmad Awan, then the state 'Mufti' of the state of Johore.

After retiring, Pak Mat Kedidi spread this art ('Buah Pukul') which combined the arts of Sendeng, Sunting, Buah Pukul Mersing and Tomoi in a package/system that was robust and which preserved the concept of 'Buah Pukul' which is "Wanting to Hit, Not Wanting to Be Hit" ("Hendak Mengena, Tak Nak Kena").

In short, Beladiri Jurus Senjata 8 ( Or in short 'Senjata 8'), is based on 'Buah Pukul' which was formalised by Pak Mat Kedidi. The art of Senjata 8 has some similarities with Lian Padukan because Pak Mat Kedidi was also responsible for the formation and formalisation of Lian Padukan. This can be attested to by the current senior teacher of Senjata 8, a gentleman by the name of Yazid Abdul Rani. Cikgu Yazid was also once a head teacher of Lian Padukan, and so is in an informed position to make this observation/statement.

The Late Pak Mat Kedidi with Cikgu Yazid Abdul Rani.

The only difference between Lian Padukan and Senjata 8, is this: Senjata 8 is a compact, hard and fast syncretic Buah Pukul Mersing style. Senjata 8 emphasizes drills, exercises and concepts.

(This transcript is an amalgam of the translated write up found on http://www.silatmelayu.org/group/senjata8pmk and information garnered from Silat forums on the internet)

New Journeys... New direction ... New knowledge

2010-12-01T03:38:00.000-08:00

I know I have been pretty quiet these past couple of months. But I am finally in a place where I can share with you my latest adventures and learnings.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be able to complete one of my lifelong aspirations: to learn the martial arts of the Malay world.

When I refer to the Malay world I am talking about: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei.

I recently joined the silat community on Silat.tv, and was prompted to answer the following question: what form of silat - if any - have you learnt?

As I began listing down the arts that I have been fortunate enough to have been exposed to and formally learnt that I truly appreciated how far it is that I have come on my martial journey.

It seems strange that the arts that I have learnt also ties in to my own heritage,
- my late father was born in Singapore when it was once part of the Malay Federated states that formed Malaysia.
- later in life my father moved to Muar in Johore Bahru, Malaysia.
- my great grand father was a migrant who left Indonesia to make his home in Malaysia. And finally,
- my mother is a native of Brunei Darussalam.

So even my bloodline traces back through the Malay world. Nice :-)

Like my father and his great grand father before him, I am carrying on the tradition of traveling and migration. In the dual hopes of gaining new experiences and making a home for myself in another land.

In the following blog posts I will share with you the latest art that I have learnt which has become the last piece of my martial puzzle. Stay tuned!

'Silat Cekak', Brunei's art of self-defence | The Brunei Times 27th July 2010

2010-07-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

Stumbled on this article as I was preparing the material for the previous post.

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

PERSIB Documentary on Silat Cekak (Chakak) Pt. 1A of 3

2010-07-31T23:38:00.000-07:00

This documentary was developed by Radio Television Brunei (RTB) - the national television station of Brunei Darussalam - to showcase the local martial art of Silat Chakak (Cekak).

Unfortunately for non-Bruneians, this documentary is in the Malay language. This however does not detract from the value that it presents to the practitioner of Silat. The documentary has many clips of practitioners of Silat Chakak (Cekak) and Kuntao showcasing some of their interpretations/forms.

This documentary was done in collaboration with PERSIB (Persekutuan Silat Brunei Darussalam) and brings to light some of the veterans of the art. Unfortunately, since the production of this documentary, some of these gentlemen have either passed away or are currently in a state of ill health.

It is good to see that the government has gone to some lengths to ensure that the art is kept in the public eye through not just scheduled yearly competitions, but also through these documentaries.

This is the only documentary of its kind however on the art of Silat Chakak (Cekak). I am not aware of any others being developed subsequent to this one. I would be happy to stand corrected if anyone has information to the contrary.

Which is a shame. It would have - perhaps - been good to do episodes on each of the different teachers or schools that were briefly covered in this documentary. Even through this documentary one can see that Silat Chakak (Cekak) has 'flowered' in fertile grounds, with different interpretations and practices arising. This can only benefit the prospective practitioner(s), and the choices to pursue are many and varied.

I will be posting the continuing parts to these videos at a rate of one every month. God willing.

Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam

2010-03-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam

Local Sale of Books To Be Donated To Charity

2010-03-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

I am happy to share here with everyone that I have successfully negotiated with 'Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam' for all proceeds obtained from the sale of my book within Brunei Darussalam to be donated to them.

Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam is a "... a non-government and non-profit organization committed to provide quality education and rehabilitation services for physically and intellectually challenged individuals..."

Nantian Tujuh: Seven Defensive Postures

2010-01-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

In all honesty, I don't know how to even begin to describe what these are.

Perhaps an explanation of the Malay terms would be helpful.

Nantian (Malay): Literally means ‘wait/awaiting’. In Silat terminology it refers to a passive adoption of a specific orientation of the hands, body and feet in anticipation of an attack.

Tujuh (Malay): The number ‘Seven’. There are seven types of defensive postures that can be adopted.

You see... although it is agreed amongst all practitioners of traditional Silat Cekak (Brunei) that there are indeed seven defensive postures that can be adopted by the practitioner.... there is some contention as to what those seven are, and in what order they are arranged.

One or two out of the possible seven defensive postures is/are adopted during a formal sparring/competitive bout between two Silat Cekak practitioners. Exactly which of the seven the practitioner chooses is entirely up to his/her discretion. But what is acknowledged is that if the practitioner decides to adopt two of the seven defensive postures... then, it should be done sequentially. For instance if he/she adopts Nanti Tiga (Third defensive posture), then the following Nanti should be Nanti Ampat (Fourth defensive posture). He/she should not jump the series from Nanti Tiga to say Nanti Lima (Fifth defensive posture).

Each of the Nantian’s have a particular purpose... a particular strategy and concept. Some Nantian’s are about meeting the opponent head-on with a particular set of responses. Others are about footwork, and manoeuvring around/behind the attacking opponent. Yet others are about standing one’s ground, and receiving the opponent in a retreating (one step back) manner. The are even elements of feints and deception in some of the responses following the adoption of the Nanti's.

I know, I know... this sounds all very general and obscure. I have to say though that any appreciation of these nantian’s should be learnt at the hands of a veteran teacher who understands it’s uses. In addition, it should be learnt in a light/medium sparring manner so that one can learn the exact positioning of the hands and feet.. the exact timing of execution of the response... and the structure that needs to be adopted to ensure a robust response to the on-coming attack.

In a nutshell, these rather formulaic adoption of Nanti’s, attacks and counter-attacks is to familiarise the practitioner (in a very controlled environment) nuances of combat: no over-extension of the body, rooted stances, firm but responsive hand’s when in the midst of grappling, off-balancing, sweeping, throwing, locking ... and so on.

NOTE: For practical reasons I am only going to show only three of the seven types of Nantians.

‘Lain Padang, Lain Belalang’... different fields yield different grasshoppers.

This is where the creative elements of individuals and teachers come in. Each with their own understanding as to what makes up each of the different components of their respective perguruan’s (school’s) series of nanti tujuh (seven defensive postures).

There has always been a move towards a more standardised approach and understanding of Silat Cekak (Brunei), and this has often led to ‘energetic’ disagreements between the older masters. Some master’s trying to assert their influence from within the national organisation. Whilst other’s resisting and in turn asserting their own independence from this national organisation. I know of a few perguruan’s who have stepped out of the organisation, citing differences in opinions.

So standardisation is an aspiration yet to be realised. As a result of this, there are varying levels of 'quality' in the instruction and presentation of Silat Cekak (Brunei). This is a challenge for the relevant gorvernmental bodies that are trying to model Silat Cekak (Brunei) as a national art/sport.

In my humble opinion, I am sure a case can be built to acccomodate both the local/personal interpretations of the respective teachers and the 'standardised' version advocated by PERSIB.

This makes for a fertile ground where personal interpretations are encouraged, and not neccessarily surpressed and controlled.

Combative Lines of Attack and Defense

2009-12-29T16:37:00.000-08:00

I first became aware of - and subsequently developed an appreciation for - combative lines of attack and defense, when I was taught the art of Doce Pares.

In Doce Pares, there is a conceptual tool which presents the lines along which a strike can travel to connect with an intended target. In fact, the name Doce Pares is said to have been derived from the 12 pairs of strikes which makes up for the core of its offensive and defensive techniques.

Now this conceptual tool - the combative lines of attack and defense - is not unique to Doce Pares. It is found in most forms of stick/staff/knife/sword martial systems. It is not geographically constrained to only the stick fighting arts of the Philippines.

Sword Lines: British Infantry

There are four main sources from which I draw my Kali learnings from:

Dan Inosanto (Inosanto/Lacoste System).
Illustrisimo,
Leo Gaje (Pekiti Tirsia) and
The late Edgar Sulite (Lameco).

NOTE: Doce Pares was the only system in which I obtained any formal training. The resources I obtained from the above arts were from publications of their respective books and DVDs. Brunei did no - and does not - have any formal teachers of these arts, and I was forced to resort to these authors when my own instructor returned home to the Philippines.

And in the past I use to refer to and use in my own training their conceptual models of attack/defense ( or 'abecedario' as it is formally known in Kali ).

But as I progressed and matured in the martial arts - in particular Silat and Kuntao - I began to notice that although the lines were applicable all of the time in weapons oriented combat... it was not neccassarily the case when an attempt was made to apply them in unarmed combat (i.e. punching, striking and kicking).

I noticed that separate drills (empty hand hubud-lubud) were developed to isolate certain lines of strikes/attacks to help address this fact.

"...The hubud-lubud (hubad-lubad is also accepted because, though hubad means "naked" in Tagalog, it means the same as hubud and actually used more often in many Cebuano-derived dialects in the southern portion of the country) taken from the Doce Pares system is frequently used as a type of "generator" drill, where one is forced to act and think while fists are already flying. Initially, students learn a specific series of attacks, counters, and counterattacks. As they advance, they can add minor variations, change the footwork, or switch to completely different attacks; eventually the exercise becomes almost completely free-form...". (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskrima#Drills)

I began to review the technqiues I was taught by my respective teachers, and attempted to 'uncover' similar conceptual lines built into Silat/Kuntao whether by design or accident.

Lo and behold... I found them. Although in all fairness, this discovery of conceptual lines was true of some of the arts and not all of them. (Refer to the book for an elaboration of this :-) )

I began to study and apply these lines in my training, and it all comes together very nicely.

What is the value of these conceptual lines of attack and defense?

Well... here are my thoughts on this matter:

It provides a framework against which a practitioner can structure both his/her attacks and defense.
It removes the 'personal' element of facing an attacker/opponent, by reducing them into simples lines against which opportunities for both attach and defense can be explored. And,
Facilitates the ease of learning and training techniques.

I would urge anyone and everyone to review their own trainings and arts, and see if there are any underlying concepts (like the combative lines of attacks and defense) that is generally embedded within their art(s)... and explore the applications (benefits and/or short-comings).

Wassalam.

Strength Endurance Training

2009-12-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

The world is so much more a smaller place than what we used to know of it. The internet has gone a long way in making that a reality every single day.

Whilst surfing the net one day looking for complementary training protocols for my martial arts, I stumbled across an article by a Scott Sonnon on 'Fear Reactivity'.

In a nutshell, the basic premise of 'fear reactivity' is that the individual(s) fear(s) manifests itself physically in his/her body.

For instance, when I am anxious I find myself hunching my shoulders and breathing shallowly from the chest. In time as I continue to consciously or unconsciously reinforce this response to anxiety, my body will begin to adapt by strengthening these areas/muscles. Making these areas rigid and prone to injury.

It is a circular event:

anxiety -> hunching shoulder and bunching muscle -> strengthening of these muscles -> anxiety.

Net effect, I basically hardwire the physical ( and therefore also the mental) response to anxiety into my body.

Scott Sonnon has built up a programme to address this ingrained physical (muscular) responses to mental stress/distress, using biomechanical exercises that 'unlock' and limber these problem areas within the individuals body... and this then also addresses the mental triggers that set-off the physical response.

In addition to these programmes which addresses 'fear reactivity', Scott has also developed his 'Circular Strength' programme. This is a re-think of age old practices maintained by warrior cultures around the world, and revival of a proven training tool: the clubbell.

I use to do weights in the past, and enjoyed it for awhile. But what I found was that stamina did not go hand in hand with the strength gains. Such that I had to have two separate training protocols: one for strength (weight lifting) and one for stamina (running or swimming).

I thought this was a tremendous consumption of time. In my younger days when I was still studying, spending an hour or so in the gym just doing weights was not unreasonable. Now with other pressing commitments, that is no longer the case.

The answer to my quandary: strength endurance..."...Strength endurance is the specific form of strength displayed in activities which require a relatively long duration of muscle tension with minimal decrease in efficiency...".

There is a truck load of techniques that one can pickup from the clubbell training catalogue, but I stick to the basics.

It was a bit of a financial investment, but I ordered the following clubbell set:

- 2 X 10lbs

- 2 X 15lbs, and

- 2 X 20lbs.

I am stickler for symmetry in my training: double sticks, double knife, etcetera. So I got two clubbells so that I could perform the training in tandem; strengthening both my right and left together.

It has all paid off very nicely. My upper body strength and lower body strength has improved. In addition, I find that with this sort of training other muscle groups are recruited in executing these compound exercises. Net effect: collateral positive muscle development.

All of the above exercises can be done with the standard (normal) dumbbell. But the exotics of using a historical tool like the clubbell in my training regime was too much for me to resist. It is just about as much about the mind as it is the body.

The Lion of the Punjab, the Great Gama Baksh.

As I go through the exercises and heft the clubbells in my hands, I am reconnecting with the warriors of old... men and women who spent countless solitary moments honing their bodies and minds in pursuit of their respective goals.

Perguruan Malela: Public Folder

2009-12-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have made the following public folder available for downloading of the following:
- documents,
- videos,
- ... and anything else that may relevant to this blog.

http://public.me.com/qadiri

Hope you find it useful.

Kuntao Asli (Traditional) Brunei Darussalam

2009-12-10T17:59:00.000-08:00

Kuntao... You just got to love it.

As you can see from the videos that I have posted on YouTube, it is a very energetic form of martial art found in Brunei Darussalam.

In it's competitive forms - sparring - the exchanges can get alittle nasty. Although there isn't supposed to be any full-contact between the participants, when the blood is up and tempers flare... well, the videos speak for them selves. Lots of fun!

In it's more traditional application - in formal competition - it is comprised of the following:
- Pacah Ampat: A signature opening bunga kuntao (form) that is executed in a manner that addresses the four cardinal points.
- Pacah Satu: A bunga kuntao (form) that is executed in a straight line; a preliminary form executed after the Pacah Ampat. And,
- The Rangkaian Tiga Kuntao: The three formal attacking techniques that the attacker uses, or the defender responds to.

Characteristics of Kuntao,

Most of the stances in Kuntao - when in sparring mode - is high up and close together. This facilitates quick movement in punching and kicking.
The kicks are almost always waist level, and is limited to the front snapping kick. No side kicks or crescent kicks. And,
Punching is of the standard type, no exotic applications here either.

These three characteristics of Kuntao is the hallmark of most effective martial arts: Simplicity.

Kuntao in it's aesthetic and traditional form can vary slightly from the above. The stances can be slightly longer and there are more examples of different types of strikes/kicks. You can see this in the signature Pacah Ampat representative of the different schools/styles.

It is interesting to note that in the presentation of Kuntao everything is flowery and 'extended'. But in the application - combative or sparring - everything (technique and stances) gets abbreviated and 'shortened'.

Most people who have used Kuntao in altercations will attest to its efficacy. The elders of my family in Kuala Belait all fall back on Kuntao when in a tight corner. Kuntao Brunei has even held it's own when taken across the waters and 'tested' in Singapore and Malaysia.

I never use to enjoy sparring or competing in martial arts... until now. I find that sparring - point, light or full - is instructive. It helps keep the practitioner 'honest'.

Sometimes it is all to easy to get carried away with our own creativity. We build up techniques in response to attacks, and practice these techniques diligently... in isolation... without the feedback of a resisting opponent. The likely result?... responses to attacks that may or may not hold out in the midst of an altercation.

Remember... when the heat is on... fine motor skills deteriorates in direct proportion to time, fatigue, fear, anxiety and so on.

When you don't have access to a regular sparring partner, than you can always resort to the punching bag.

The punching bag... a martial artist's best friend. Do yourself the favor of getting a good punching bag that has some substantial weight to it. The sort that won't just fly-off when landing a light-medium punch or kick. When the punching bag is swinging around, try applying the techniques in your repertoire. You'll be surprised at the feedback,

Too much patty-caking (parries and arm traps) before a punch or kick, and the incoming punching bag will slam into you.
You will also find that you will improve in timing your strikes/blocks and judging your distance, And,
No authority behind your punches and kicks will show up very quickly.

Kuntao in Brunei Darussalam is mostly influenced by the Southern forms of Chinese Kung Fu: alot of short arm techniques and low kicks. Reminiscent of Wing Chun, Hung Gar, White Crane and Southern Praying Mantis.

Kuntao can be practised in two (2) ways,

Fast and fluid... transitioning between each position quickly and effortlessly. And,
Slow and plodding... the purpose here is to emphasise muscle tension and breathing (very much like the 'Three Battles' form of Karate and White Crane Kung Fu).

Kuntao... enjoy the videos...!

Salam,

Amir

Functional Silat: A Historical Necessity (Pt. 1)

2009-11-07T01:05:00.001-08:00

Brunei Darussalam sits on the North West coast of the island of Borneo.

Google Maps

Listed - not at all exhaustive - below are the peoples that populate the island,

Iban
Kayan / Kenyah
Kedazan
Dusun
Bidayuh
Melayu (Malays)

... and so on.

Relations between these different groups throughout history has been marked by periods of co-operation, conflict and isolation. In this day and age relations are now more amenable... but this wasn't always the case. Old prejudices and historical injuries (real/perceived) amongst some of the peoples of the island are still kept very much alive... unfortunately.

Google Maps

My mother - a native of Kuala Belait - has often recounted tales of our family's mixed heritage. We have in our bloodline ties to the Middle East, China... and more locally... to the Kayan of Borneo. It is from these peoples - the Kayan - that my mother use to tell stories of. Stories of their traditions and practices.

Relations between the Malays of Kuala Belait and Kayan were not always amenable. And as such intermittent skirmishes were often fought between them. This - as I am told by my mother - went on for some time until a truce was made between them.

The Kayan are a fearsome people, who - like the Iban - practiced headhunting. Headhunting is an age old tradition amongst the tribes found in Borneo. Although to be fair, not all the tribes pursued it actively. Some did... and of the tribes that are known - documented in history and made a study of by anthropologists - to have pursued headhunting actively, the Iban and the Kayan were the most vicious.

The practice of headhunting was pursued for a number of reasons,

- vendetta... in retaliation for a previous headhunting incursion by a rival longhouse,

- an offering to be made to a bride to prove a warriors worth, and

- the establishment of a new long house.

The raiding parties or war bands that carried out this practice were indiscriminate in their targets. Men, women and children were fair game.

So it was against this background... against this very real threat of attacks... that the Malay people's of Borneo (incl. Brunei) practiced their martial arts.

My wife made an interesting comment whilst I was writing this entry: the Silat that she has been exposed to whilst in school was the aesthetic presentations of the art, usually shown at weddings and other public functions. With the lack of formal schools and syllabuses, these aesthetic presentation were taken as a 'fact'. Such that the public's take away from these chance encounters with Silat was that it was predominantly for show, and had no functional/real applications.

Silat and Kuntao have always been functional arts. The 'edge' has been dulled a bit due to the lack of any real threat of attack on a day-to-day basis, but the key elements and techniques are there. It is for the modern day practitioner to try and 'clear the cobwebs' and present the arts for what they once were.

To revive Silat and Kuntao, the modern practitioner needs to look at the arts in the historical context from whence it was developed. A time and place where the practitioners needed viable means of protecting their families from roving hostile war bands. A context that also included their environments: the jungle, the waterways, the perahus (boats) and the weapons they had in hand.

Only then can the practitioner/teacher look at the modern context within which these arts can be adapted to.

Aspirations for the book

2009-10-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Books on the Malay martial arts (Silat and/or Kuntao) - especially ones in English - are few and far in between.

Growing up, I would cherish the few books that I did come across. Now imagine how much more cherished such books would be for the non-Malay practitioner of martial arts who may be interested in Silat, but has no literature to refer to.

In general Silat and Kuntao books tend to be one - or sometimes a combination - of three (3) possible perspectives,

Some are very technical ... and as such become a compendium of techniques, with rarely a reference to the historical or cultural background of the art.
Some are more of a ethnographic study/treatise... commenting on the culture and people from which the art has found sustenance. And, finally...
There are books that are somewhere in the middle.

Each of the above have their own respective values and contributions. It would be a sizable undertaking indeed to come out with a book that covers all of the above. One that is beyond this humble practitioner.

Where does my book sit within the spectrum laid out above?...

Above all else, the book is a personal perspective on the art of Silat and how it has benefited me physically, mentally and spiritually.
The content focuses on the basic Silat Cekak (Brunei) techniques and the context within which these techniques can be applied. By context of application, I make references to both the functional (combative/competitive) application of the techniques and the aesthetic (cultural/traditional) aspects.
It is a view of the traditional based on the basic techniques found in Silat Cekak (Brunei), but then additionally presents an extrapolated interpretation: my book shows how the basic techniques can be used across both unarmed and armed applications. This extrapolation is beyond the scope of 'traditional' Silat Cekak (Brunei), and found only in Perguruan Malela.
The materials show a linear progression of techniques that cover: stances, movement, blocks/parries, striking and weapon application.
Although showing the 'basics', there is enough material to show that the basics are indeed the basis for a more refined and advanced understanding of Silat Cekak (Brunei) as practiced within Perguruan Malela.

In a nutshell, the book attempts to protray Silat as a functional art. This fact often becomes obscure in the teaching, sometimes by design and sometimes by accident.

It is a martial art. It is a practical martial art. To say that it has retained its cultural/traditional trappings, does not automatically mean that it has also therefore lost its efficacy as a martial art.

I have seen alot of the material on the internet, books and magazines that tend to strip Silat and Kuntao of its cultural accoutrements in an attempt to market it as a more practical and combat oriented art. As though you cannot have the one (functional combative applications) when you have the other (culture/traditions).

You need only look at the olahraga (sportive) permutations of Silat, which can no longer be clearly differentiated from Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing or Muay Thai when seen in application on the competitive arena.

Sadly you also hear Bruneian's who readily dismiss Silat and Kuntao by making statements like: "... terlalu banyak berbunga... inda ada buah...". (Translated: ...too much flowers (forms)... too little/no fruits (applications)...".

I'd like to change that perception.

Perhaps it is the fault of the practitioners/teachers themselves who wish to obscure the real knowledge of Silat and Kuntao in some misguided sense of insecurity or secrecy.

Or perhaps it is because these practitioners/teachers lack a deeper understanding of the arts, and so are unable to 'walk' the 'talk'.

Or perhaps, it's is simply a case where they lack the capability of relaying the information in as simple a way as possible.

Whichever the case may be... it is time for a change.

I would not want Silat and Kuntao to be one day be consigned to a footnote in some dusty tome on anthropology as "... an art once practiced by the Malay peoples of Southeast Asia...".

It is my aspiration that this book will contribute - in however small a way - in changing these perceptions.

Silat: A Perspective On The Malay Martial Art

2009-10-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

"...By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and

third by experience, which is the bitterest..."

~ Confucius

This blog is the internet portal for the newly published book "Silat: A Perspective on the Malay martial art".

Cover Shot of Book

The book was a project that started off as a collection of personal notes that I kept whilst in the midst of studying under a number of local Bruneian masters/teachers of the art. It was whilst reviewing my scribbles that my wife suggested that I write a book on the topic.

Sample Note(s)

And so, with that initial suggestion I began in earnest. Over the course of a number of years I began to compile information on the art(s) that I have learnt, and toyed with layouts and such.

Sample Page: "Salutation: 'Laila Sembah'"

Coming to the realisation that I would not be able to dedicate all of my time to the development and completion of the project, I made the conscious decision to work with a local creative agency. Where concept and content was entirely mine, the creative agen

cy lent its very capable hands on layout and design.

Sample Page: "Salutation: 'Laila Sembah'"

In addition to the creative agency, I was very happy to have on board a very talented local photographer who provided almost all of the shots found in the book. This gentleman was David Cheok.

Having obtained the ISBN code for my book, I am now in communication with a reputable and extensive online provider of books: Amazon.

I am hoping to have the finished product on the virtual shelves of Amazon by December 2009 latest.

This blog will show case some of the content in the book. I will happily provide further information on the book, and post updates as to when the book will finally be available for purchase.