My Body is My Weapon | Malay Martial Arts - Silat

Thursday, January 6, 2011

My Body is My Weapon

One of the unique features of pentjak-silat is its recognition of the importance of the various weapons available to the, fighter and its freedom in permitting him to choose whichever
seems most suitable to the particular occasion. By making correct use of the weapon he has chosen, the pentjaksilat exponent shapes the attacks of his enemy (or enemies), rendering:them harmless, even if only momentarily, until a conclusi~e counterattack can be delivered. Knowledge of the nature of the various weapons available enables the fighter to deal effectively with the one chosen by his enemy.

   Weapons used in pentjak-training and in silat-applications are of two chief types: anatomical (empty-hand or unarmed responses, making use of parts of the body) ; and implemental (armed responses, making use of tools as well as weapons). Customarily, training is first devoted to basic
drills utilizing only anatomical weapons, and not until the trainee is adequately skilled in their application does he progress to other types of weapons. The shift from one type of weapon to the other involves no great change in posture or movement, for pentjak-silat anticipates the possible use of , implemental weapons, and all empty-hand movements.

when correctly performed may, with equal effectiveness and safety, be used with implemental weapons. Let us consider, first, some of the anatomical weapons available. The choice of the part of the body to be used is very much as in karate-do, but the formation of the weapon is not necessarily quite the
same, nor is the choice of target area. A pentjak-silat exponent concentrates on the so-called center-line vital areas, regarding the most vulnerable part of the enemy's body as falling within an imaginary band looped around the longitudinal plane from the top of the head to the base of the
groin; the width of this imaginary band is equivalent to the width of the enemy's head.

 
The centerline vital areas

 Stroke Techniques 







The Hands
 These may be formed in a great variety of ways for use in combat. The above diagram, depicts the formations of the hand that are so familiar in karate-do they are not given explanatory descriptions here. However, pentjak-silat makes use of still other hand formations that are much less common, or wholly unknown, in karate-do; these are shown in diagram below along with suggested methods of delivery and the
most suitable target areas. 





The tight fist is held so that it is flexed and locked at the wrist, with the midknuckles in line with the long axis of the forearm, to form a concave or saddle-back sway on the back surface of the hand. Occasionally a convex surface is formed by flexion in the inward direction so as to reach certain targets (The above diagram). Delivery of the arrowhead fist may be either by thrust or strike action. Favorite targets for the delivery of the arrowhead fist by either action include the face, throat, solar plexus, ribs, kidney areas, groin, the head, forearms, backs of hands, and shinbones. Delivery of the arrowhead fist as a thrust punch into the midsection, throat, or face is shown in Training.  For more information, please download the link 

great malay martial arts silat  by yon

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