Decent Silat Video

**Jim_Jude** · Posted On: 8/26/2008 5:27am

Originally Posted by Bobbe Edmonds

I beg your pardon, that fourth video from the top of the last post was certainly NOT TKD. It was Pencak Silat, performed by what I can only describe as a DEAD SEXY MARTIAL ARTS GENIUS. Also a world-renowned curry expert, but that’s beside the point.

In all seriousness, whoever put my clip up there, thanks for the exposure.

Bobbe Edmonds

Hahahahahahahahahah!!!! Friggin' Bobbe...

Hey, I'm going to be visiting family up in Renton the first and second week of September, mayhap we can get together and enjoy a Chimay?

**Bobbe Edmonds** · Posted On: 8/26/2008 5:53am

Are you fucking kidding me? That's like asking Stevan Segal if he wants to get together for a round of hoarse, nonsensical dialogue! That's like askng Caligula if he has plans for dinner! That's like asking George Lucas if he wants to ruin the greatest Science Fiction trilogy in the world by making 3 more go-nowhere sequels!

...Sure, man. Shoot me an email: Bobbe@EMAA.us

Bobbe Edmonds

**Jim_Jude** · Posted On: 8/26/2008 2:58pm

Originally Posted by Bobbe Edmonds

...Sure, man. Shoot me an email: Bobbe@EMAA.us

Bobbe Edmonds

Sent :icon_salu

**mars.gradivus** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 5:46am

Things looked pretty 'sporty' to me.

I did like the grappling then dropping your opponent on his head aspects.

What I didn't see is the 'famous' close then destroy your opponents lower body techniques I was expecting from a Silat demonstration. Also their stances seemed higher than I expected. Since there are many forms of Silat, I could easily be confused.

Perhaps lower body destruction cannot be emulated in a sport atmosphere or was emulated in the sweeps shown. If these practitioners were breaking limbs there would not be anyone around to drop their opponents on their heads. One of those trade offs in the world of combat sports I suppose.

Question for the knowledgeable:

I know Silat's many forms were put to actual and deadly use not quite so long ago and the techniques that were not effective were phased out by this form of Darwinism. However has Silat ever been employed, in a pure form, in any of the major full contact, limited rules arenas? Meaning the UFC, Vale Tudo or Pride matches.

I can only imagine the ugliness that would result so I'm thinking if the Silat Hype is true then these practionitors won't put their true skills on display or are outright banned. Anyone know?

Thanks for any replies to my question.

**Bobbe Edmonds** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 6:14am

What I didn't see is the 'famous' close then destroy your opponents lower body techniques

???? Did you not see my video? It was all about that. The one beneath mine is the late Terry Gibson, and his stuff is FIRST RATE.

Also their stances seemed higher than I expected. Since there are many forms of Silat, I could easily be confused.

You're not confused, someone posted a half dozen Olah Raga (sport) and called them Silat...Mine & Terry's were the sole representative of Pencak Silat. The top video has a great ATTEMPT at 2:30, but he tries it from far too far away.

This is indeed what happens when sport overtakes reality.

has Silat ever been employed, in a pure form, in any of the major full contact, limited rules arenas? Meaning the UFC, Vale Tudo or Pride matches.

Short answer: No.

Unabridged version: This argument has been done to death, but the fundamental points remain. It goes something like this:

"Why don't we ever see Pencak Silat in the cage if it's so deadly?"

"Because it's a blade-based art. Can we stab you? If so, let's rumble."

"Well, if it's so badass, your empty hand should cover it!"

To which I am fond of replying: "If MMA is so badass, why don't we ever see it in the jungle? Or the street?"

Niether of these arguments are correct, and both are doomed to thier own ignorance. Take a four-wheel drive bronco and a Lamborhgini Countach. If the Lamb is so fast, why don't we ever see it in cross-country racing? If the Bronco is so great, why don't they race them in Italy?

See what I mean? The cage is meant to EQUALIZE things, two players of relative size, weight and shape with identical handicaps: Protective gear and rules. Now, not to knock MMA, but the people you see in the cage are fucking GLADIATORS. They train like seven bastards on fire for a shot at winning in one fight what a low-end data entry clerk makes in a year. These are not "average" people, you won't find them populating the local cofee house you frequent.

ON the other hand, Indonesian Silat COULD be used for the cage, but it would be like using a hammer alone to build a house: Possible, but stupid. MMA was made for the cage. Pencak Silat was not. They both have streanths and weaknesses.

LIke all arts, it's the individual not the style.

**Jim_Jude** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 12:13pm

Originally Posted by Bobbe Edmonds

You're not confused, someone posted a half dozen Olah Raga (sport) and called them Silat...Mine & Terry's were the sole representative of Pencak Silat. The top video has a great ATTEMPT at 2:30, but he tries it from far too far away.

This is indeed what happens when sport overtakes reality.

Yeah, I was just looking for ANY Silat vids that had what looked anything like a decent sweep, sapu or beset. Those are the ones I came up with in a few minutes.

I agree with you, Bobbe, silat could be used in the ring, but when you apply so many rules, you end up with the same homogenized MMA mish-mash for everyone. You may see some more open-hand strikes, some more elbow, some different sweeps and strikes from the prone position, but it'll be pretty much your standard MMA. You have your "strikers" or your "grapplers" or your "ground-'n-pounders" but it all looks the same, & that's because it is.
In silat, however, coming from a blade culture where the average trouble you meet has at least three blades on him, & if you're lucky one of them is obvious so that at least you can be relatively sure THAT ONE is the head fake... then add in the almost inevitability of multiple opponents if the first attack goes south too fast, again, if you're lucky, because if you're not they come at you together ( "When they come, they ALL COME", as my guru puts it).
Two completely different demands put upon the fighter. In MMA, you're trying to WIN, according to the rule set, so you can MAKE MONEY, and con't your career. Silat's been formulated over the last, what, 1000 years, give or take a century, to deal with anything but an altercation in a cage against a naked unarmed opponent of relatively equal size and strength, and the goal is TO SURVIVE. NOT TO WIN. Personally, I don't care about winning the Kumite, I just want to make it home to my gorgeous girls and make sure that they have everything that their little hearts desire. That's it.

Two completely different animals. Silat has gotten it's respect (hell, Donn Draeger, a well-known ruff neck wrote at least two books on Silat), but shove any art into an octagon, and if it lasts, it all ends up filling that octagon out quite nicely.