Monday, October 30, 2006

Keluarga 2007-pencak silat

The training camp called Keluarga 2007 is scheduled for August 3-5 already. It will be in Des Moines and will only be three days of pencak silat training this coming year. I'm trying a shorter format since most people basically only stay 3 days anyway and even if they are there for 4 days, they've checked out mentally and physically by day 3. So I'm going to try a different format and see if we can keep the energy up.

The Keluarga will be at brother Jay Carstensen's in Des Moines and he is already looking into a shelter to rent, etc. so if it's hot or rainy we'll have some where to go.

Hopefully energy will stay high and we'll finally be able to get some traditional night training in around the circle. Depending on the quantity of new people, of course we'll go over the foundations and then we may move to weapons and other studies. I'm not really sure just yet because it will depend on who attends since I want to help people progress in the system where they are at but I also want to give them some material that shows them where they are going.

It's always a difficult mix to find. Eventually, I want to do several Keluarga's a year so that they can be a bit more focused and then people can attend the one that will most meet their needs.

Hormat saya,
Sean

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Pencak Silat Class

Well, it didn't rain so we had class today. We started out with push-ups, then jump squats, to knee drops or Ales Lima depending on your viewpoint and then we kept rolling right into Sepak Bulat or roundhouse kicks.

We followed that up with Tendangan Depan or front Heel kicks.

Then we combined the two into a short series, followed by an elbow or pukul to the head or body.

Then we combined the two sepak or kicks into a positioning technique that allowed us to perform the Pembasmian Pukul or Pembasmian Lehir Patah.

Then we added to that, a switch to another pembasmian or a kinjit siku. Though by this time people were getting a little tired.

Doug and I went off a bit and worked the Statue Drill, which is where one person attacks with whatever they want to and you respond naturally and follow up until the person is finished or the threat would be removed. It's a way to test your skills and to see what you know under a bit more pressure but in a way that still allows you to experiment because you don't know exactly what the attack is going to be or how you will end up. The person feeding the attack should not be countering you at all. It is really there job just to let you do your stuff. Obviously the thing to consider is safety when you are applying your techniques since this trainer is not fighting back at all.

Then Mario and Rocco did this as well.

Shaun (a new guy) went home after the workout. He wasn't feeling well.

Doug was not able to stay late so we didn't get to film or do photos. That's too bad, but what can you do? Maybe next Saturday....

Pencak Silat Saturday.

It's raining this morning. We need it. It's very dry here. It kind of sucks though because I was planning to start filming this morning for senjata. Specifically knife or pisau. It may stop yet since it's only about 830 am.

I've been trying to get through the basic material on video. Harimau is done I think... though I've put off actually making the last video until I get some more time to look at one or two more aspects of it. So, in order to keep moving and since it's a bit cooler now here in Florida, I've decided to start making the other levels.

Thursday, Rocco and I were talking about Spirituality and I was saying that the third book I write I want to reflect spirituality in pencak silat and specifically my own understanding but without being too specific. I want it to include specific spiritual exercises and methods as well as philosophy, principle, strategy, etc. It's going to be a tough book to write because it's such a large subject and I don't want it to be an exclusive book, but rather, more of a discussion about spirituality with the book as the basis or starting point. I can't wait to tackle it but it's still going to be tough. I don't imagine it will be the length of the other books just because that would take several years of work and I don't want the discussion to take that long to get started and I don't want people to wait that long to learn the specific exercises, principles, etc.
 
TRAINING
We've been working more on explosiveness and entering an opponent. Rocco has spent several months just working on this and has made tremendous improvement.
 

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Press Release

Tried my first press release. Wanted to let the world know about these funny new shirts I created about pencak silat. Most people seem to like them so they might be a big hit. They are available on http://www.cafepress.com/silatshop and of course through my main Silat Shop http://www.combat-silat.net/edges_store/default.asp . I've added new products like mugs, boxers, etc. It's my hope that making some commercial items that can be worn around without affiliation will help pencak silat grow through awareness.

As for the press release, I'm not sure it did any good but it was worth a shot. I learned some things and I will probably do it again when my second book is released later this year or early next year (2007).

Why do a press release for t-shirts? Well, I wanted to try it and quite frankly, what I'm doing isn't working so I'm experimenting with new things that are "out of my box" at least. Even the shirts and gifts are a bit of a stretch for me. I wanted to do something fun that might raise some eyebrows and something that other people could wear without it being an advertisement for me.

We'll see how they are received.

Hormat
Sean