Respect to Western Men/Women who learn Silat

[Kingindian]

Hi all!
Im from Indonesia, the home of Pencak Silat. In my country, Pencak Silat is popular (well known, i mean everybody know it), but only small groups of youth interested in learning Pencak Silat. Generally, young generation feel that Pencak Silat isnt modern Martial Art, they just look down on Pencak Silat.

They are interesting in Martial Art that popularly shown on TV (used by actor/actress in action movies), such as Taekwondo, Aikido, Karate.

Im so glad that many people from Western countries eager to learn Pencak Silat. hope that Pencak Silat culture will grow bigger in the world

have a nice day

 

[ChingChuan]

Ah, that's a pity, that young people don't want to learn Pencak Silat anymore... However, similar trends can be seen in, for instance, China etc, which has a very rich martial heritage, but somehow people don't see that...

Still, I can't see why people think that Pencak isn't a real martial art - it's just too effective...

 

[tellner]

Hi all!
Im from Indonesia, the home of Pencak Silat. In my country, Pencak Silat is popular (well known, i mean everybody know it), but only small groups of youth interested in learning Pencak Silat. Generally, young generation feel that Pencak Silat isnt modern Martial Art, they just look down on Pencak Silat.

It's the whole "exotic factor". If it's something your (boring) parents and grandparents did it just can't be as good as something that came from far away. That's one of the reasons Asian martial arts became so popular in the West. On the other side of the coin there are people who are so hungry for anything "traditional" or "authentic" that they'll believe the most ridiculous fantasies if it makes them feel like they have a connection to something that is old.

People always want what they don't have. Sometimes this is a good thing. Sometimes it's not so healthy.

They are interesting in Martial Art that popularly shown on TV (used by actor/actress in action movies), such as Taekwondo, Aikido, Karate.

Im so glad that many people from Western countries eager to learn Pencak Silat. hope that Pencak Silat culture will grow bigger in the world

The problem is that really good martial arts of any sort are not easily taught to groups of dozens or hundreds of people. They take some time and individual attention. And you can only get by for so long on athletic talent. The things that make a martial art suitable for the popular market are exactly the things that degrade its effectiveness.

Silat will never be as popular as some of the other martial arts. But now that more people are going to Southeast Asia and more teachers are traveling to the West to teach it will grow in a slow steady way, G-d willing.

 

[Kingindian]

yep silat need individual attention
and i know that some expert in West Java, dont accept many students
they only inherit their knowledge to their family or their choosen

hope i can see MMA fighter who use silat as their main technique

 

[theletch1]

yep silat need individual attention
and i know that some expert in West Java, dont accept many students
they only inherit their knowledge to their family or their choosen

hope i can see MMA fighter who use silat as their main technique

I think the days of seeing ANY singular style as a main style for an MMA fighter are long gone. The sport has progressed to the point now that mixed martial arts are becoming a style in and of itself. I wonder how many arts have died out completely in the world?

 

[Carol]

yep silat need individual attention
and i know that some expert in West Java, dont accept many students
they only inherit their knowledge to their family or their choosen

hope i can see MMA fighter who use silat as their main technique

I've wondered about that as well....if more Silat techniques would find their way in to MMA fighting.

Of course...some of the brutal, but effective, weapons that Silat has would be illegal in UFC competitions

 

[Kingindian]

silat technique such as scissors lock is good if can be shown in MMA match
or takedown by sliding than usual grappling

 

[Imua Kuntao]

I suggested Harimau to a mma guy and he kinda looked down his nose or really didn't know anything bout Silat, or even Kuntao.

 

[theletch1]

I suggested Harimau to a mma guy and he kinda looked down his nose or really didn't know anything bout Silat, or even Kuntao.

I believe that a lot of MMA guys would be very surprised to learn where a lot of their techniques really come from. We have a member here (Tez3) who is heavily involved in MMA. She's well versed enough to understand that much of what goes on in an MMA school is drawing from what you'd normally not consider a hard style or even competitive style... she's admitted that my beloved aikido has it's use in so far as movement is concerned. Often times, fledgling MAist (of any style) will look down their nose at ANY art that isn't the one they're currently attempting. Hopefully, with time and maturity in the art they'll realize that each art has something to offer and actually read up on the component parts that make mixed martial arts mixed. Me, I love to sit and discuss principles of movement or technique with folks from different arts than mine and see how we can use the same principle to reach an entirely different place.