Just found that my gym is hosting a Silat class once a week and wondered whether any of you Silat folk had any ideas about it? Heres what info I can find: Silat Seni Tunggal Gerak Malay Martial Dance Silat – is known for its flowing beauty, dance-like movement and its combat efficacy; devastating strikes and locks, and attacks with ferocious intent. As a Student of Silat Seni Tunggal Gerak you will learn: Applied self-defence Conditioning – Physical and Mental Conditioning Power in Motion Short forms which lead to spontaneous movement Artistic expressions through the medium of Bunga Tari- the flower dance Relaxation Development of martial spirit Weapons training ( Experienced students only) I'd have NO idea what to expect from classes and reading around doesn't give me much other than its either great or appauling doesn't seem much in between with this art. Anyone know of any Silat teachers in Nottingham it could be?
Well, not a silat guy myself, but stringing together "flowing beauty and dance-like moves" with "combat efficiency" struck me as a little odd...
If it's at the gym you go to, you need to go and see it. Keep in mind the term "Silat" is very generic like "Karate" or Kung Fu". There are lots of different styles of Silat just like there are different styles of Karate or Kung Fu. I am not familiar with the one you cited so I can't comment. You need to find out the underlying concepts. Look at how they train. Yes, there is a flowing dance-like componant to most Silat styles. Combat techniques are blended into it. If that's not something you can see yourself doing then it's not for you. You also need to examine what you want out of MA training. If you are interested in knowing how to use bladed weapons then Silat would be a great choice. Of course, there is a saying quoted frequently in this forum; "You don't choose Silat, Silat chooses you". I think it fits.
It was mainly just out of sheer curiosity to be honest. I am looking at training in something new but I'm having a hard time finding something which coincides with what I want. I'll pop into a class and see how it runs - Can't hurt after all!
Hello This is my class. Please feel free to try. The first lesson is free. and you are free to decide if this is for you. This is Silat with focus on Seni (artisitc skill) but even so, I believe you will find it effective in its application. The classes begins with around 30 minutes of physical conditioning exercise ,which looks deceptively easy (think really tough power yoga) - I have some very fit experienced martil artists who train and find it very challenging. We practuce basic jurus-jurus (short forms that teach the priniplces rather than convulted katas which bear no resemblance to the "fighting"), ground forms, which give you the principles for ground fighting, Langkah, which are basic ways of stepping - footwork and moving the feet, is very important. We work on entries - Silat does not really have "block and counter". The last 1/3 of the class is partner work, where what has been practices in the syllabus is translated into "combative" practice. You will find the art emphasises no technique, which may sound strange, but you will get the idea when you give it a go. Striking, take-downs, ground fighting, locking, throwing, strangling, choking, limb destructions all incoprporated. It involves using the whole body. The dance element is very important. If you google bunga tari or kembangan you will learn something of it. This teaches creative spontaneous movement. Dancing is movement, fighting is movement, the difference is in intention. The mehcanics of body movement and the source of movement (i.e. on one level YOU) never changes. Dance allows students to access creative internal; states, develop their creativity and connect to their body. Also weapons training covered. If you wish to know more details please PM me or e-mail: (mailto***)silatseni_tunggalgerak@yahoo.co.uk.
I think this is a class I go to sometimes. I should go more often. There's almost no video of this style of silat, though I've looked. Searching for 'silat' on youtube or google tends to turn up material split between forty guys in a carpark having a karate party whilst someone films it, apparently by pinhole camera, mad people jumping off the roof and clips from the human weapon series. If you look a bit there are some goodish clips but most of it seems to be of the harimau style from java/sumatra. This clip is Dan Inosanto teaching his style of silat. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Btjq5sv23A"]YouTube - Inosanto - Silat[/ame] Silat's a bit like 'kung fu' or 'eskrima' - just as 'kung fu' might mean something that almost could be kickboxing or something that looks like a person on largactyl having a brain aneurysm, or just as eskrima might refer to a style whose principal weapon is a five-foot stick or one barely two feet long, or knife even, so silat styles vary in focus, appearance, etc. There's a fairly sensible-looking article here: http://martialtalk.net/wiki/index.php/Silat I tried to post a clip that seemed representative of Silat in the main as I can't find any video of Silat Seni Tunggal Gerak. The dance element sounds a bit unlikely, but it seems that it's meant to help go from one posture, movement, technique to another without stopping, having to think or going outside the silat system of movement. I find it the hardest part of the class and the rest isn't easy. Check it out.
Hi Vinnie, yes it's me. I haven't been to any class over the summer because I'm penniless. Barring acts of God I'll come Monday.
cool. e-mail me with your e-mail - I had to cancel a class and I did not know how to get hold of you.
I never knew about Dan Inosatos intrest in Silat until fairly recently (last few years). Is this a new direction for him and where did he pick this knowledge up. There is talk circulating in Indonesia which suggests Bruce Lee went to Indonesia to at least observe Silat. Some tales go further and say his death was a result of an injury by some Indonesian Silat master, as you know Indonesia is full of story's of masters and talk of esoteric ability's
I don't think you could call it a new direction for him. He was excitedly talking about it back in 1984 at a seminar I attended. As I already had an interest in FMA, I figured if he was that into it then it was worth checking into. I did and went on my own Silat journey. I think he dabbled with the brothers before hooking up with the more reputable Pak Herman. Can't say where the initial interest came from.
I hear a story about Bruce Lee initially being intoduced to Silat in the late 1960s by Sheik Abdul Rahman of Silat Seni Gayong - please forgive any misinformation if this is not correct. Any way, As Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto were brothers in MArtial Arts, could be Dan Inosanto's interest goes as far back as that?
I knew he studied FMA, but never seen him as he is now dressed in Indonesian cloths and teaching Silat.
Guru Inosanto has studied multiple Silat styles for years now. He has even amalgamated them into his own style as a tribute to his teachers, Maphilindo Silat. Ma = Malaysia, phil = Phillipines, indo = Indonesia.
I think it must have been about 20 years or so ago in an interview Guro Inosanto stated that while he still taught FMA,JunFan,etc, he then considered himself primarily a Silat practitioner. His first instructor,as I recall, was Eddie Jaffre.
