Silat

[phillyman]

Can someone who train in silat give me a brief description of the system methods. Does it have a more realistic approach to joint locking than aikido. Is it based more on leverage, has anyone ever used it and under what circumstances. Thanks

[Robin Hood]

Yeah it does have more combative joint locks than Aikido. I think all joint locks rely on leverage including both Aikido and Silat but Silat joint locks seem more realistic than a lot of the Aikido ones ive seen.
Silat has way better knife defense techniques than Aikido does. It also has a much better knife fighting element than Aikido. Anything Filipino is much more combative than anything Japanese.

[andreh anderson]

When you say "silat", you can be referring to any of over 100 different styles of martial art found in Southeast Asia. Some of the styles have a kicking emphasis that resembles kung fu or karate, some have a serious of unique throws and foot sweeps, and some imitate movements of animals (like Harimau which uses a tiger as an inspiration for its foundation). Is there a particular style of silat that you are interested in?

[phillyman]

How about the Mande Muda silat, Bukti Negara, and Maphilindo silat systems.

[andreh anderson]

Mande Muda is a style that was originated, I believe, from the late Herman Suwanda's family in Indonesia. The fighter using that style would often stay low to the ground and takedowns that attacked the legs near the knee. The locks and most techniques in Mande muda are VERY intricate. To execute them in a streetfight, you'd have to be thin, fast, and very well-trained. It isnt one of the most directly applicable styles, but there were quite a few takedowns that were unique and valuable.

The head of Bukhti Negara is Pendekar Paul DeThouars. Talk about an amazing old guy...This guy is phenomenal. To see Bukhti Negara in action isnt that impressive. It looks like two guys bumping into each other, and one of them falling to the ground. But when you see the details of the sweeps and throws in that style of Silat, you begin to understand what an advanced art it really is. The style is designed for VERY close fighting. There is little or no fighting from the outside, just infighting. I havent seen the groundwork in this style.

Maphilindo is Dan Inosanto's blend of several silat styles. Dan sought to take the most practical aspects of each of the silat styles to create one of his own. Good stuff. In learning it, though, you are really learning a blend of all of the things Dan has studied, including wing chun and muay thai.

[Mako]

Maphilindo...

Ma(laysia)Phili(pines)Indo(nesia), yes?

[Mako]

Which Silat does Burton Richardson incorporate. I've seen video of him doing drills. Bukti Negara?

[Twisted up]

I have had SOME experience with silat but I have problems trying to execute much of it when someone is trying to take my head off!

Some things can be done from the Greco-Roman clinch but then again, "wrestling" takedowns seem to work better than much of what I have seen.

You're right about MAPHILINDO by the way Mako



Just my two cents...


John