Just a quick write up about the seminar on Saturday.
We mostly worked gun defense. We had people of all levels of skill so we started off slowly and worked through considerations for training, explaining the necessity for gun and specifically pistol defense.
We also went through some basic aspects of movement and applied and applied and applied them. Some guys had a bit more experience and were able to take the basic starting points and quickly adapt them to all kinds of scenarios.
It was great fun and in my eyes a success. I hope to do it again sometime and focus a but more on some tougher scenarios and take the idea further.
Thanks to all those who attended and let me have their time on a Saturday.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Pencak Silat Pertempuran Seminar
Posting a seminar announcement. Would love for anyone to come out. It's pretty inexpensive at $25 and will last 2-3 hours.
It will barely interrupt your Saturday but could change your perspective for ever.
When: June 26th, 2010 (tomorrow)
Time: 10am
Guru Sean Stark's background consists of a wide range of martial arts experience that includes Hok Kuen, Kali, Arnis, and Pencak Silat, just to name a few. During his search for the all encompassing art, his idea of what that art should entail changed. After seeing overlap in many systems, he decided to find a way to organize the ideas in such a manner that would have the most efficient and maximal impact. This resulted in the development of Pencak Silat Pertempuran (PSP).
The seminar will be held at Hero Academy and will last about two hours starting at 10am on Saturday, June 26. The cost per participant will be $25 and only those who are 16 of age and up will be allowed to attend. Space is limited.
More information on Pencak Silat Pertempuran can be found on Sean's website: http://combat-silat.net
It will barely interrupt your Saturday but could change your perspective for ever.
When: June 26th, 2010 (tomorrow)
Time: 10am
- Location:
- 225 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Suite 103 Longwood, FL 32750 407-260-9279
Guru Sean Stark's background consists of a wide range of martial arts experience that includes Hok Kuen, Kali, Arnis, and Pencak Silat, just to name a few. During his search for the all encompassing art, his idea of what that art should entail changed. After seeing overlap in many systems, he decided to find a way to organize the ideas in such a manner that would have the most efficient and maximal impact. This resulted in the development of Pencak Silat Pertempuran (PSP).
The PSP seminar itself will focus on several scenarios that will include knives, sticks, and guns. Counters, disarms, and finishes will be explored. Some scenarios may include both the knife and stick simultaneously.
More information on Pencak Silat Pertempuran can be found on Sean's website: http://combat-silat.net
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Devil's in the details...
We all say it, but let’s acknowledge it for real.
What are we talking about? Okay what AM I talking about??
The principle of the thing.
Let’s say for a moment that you’re a successful Flatulest. You have been working at it all of your life and you’ve become good. People even acknowledge that you are good.
There are lots of people at your level of skill though. You are good but you aren’t great. Greatness is a whole different level of skill.
So how do you get there? What makes the difference between good and great?
Partly through hard work, self-evaluation, experimentation, etc. but in the end, all of those things serve to elevate your overall skill.
It has been my experience that those who have great skill in a thing, anything, are those who have mastered the details of a thing and have elevated those details through persistence in practice, self-evaluation, study, etc. and have become fluent in them.
Don’t settle for a lower level of success just because it will work and it’s good. Strive to be the best by continually learning and developing the nuances of a thing.
The next step then is to grow your repertoire through the same process. Don’t settle for just what will get it done-even if it gets it done well. Next time, take that a bit farther.
Another component is to acknowledge what you have natural potential at being great at. You personally may never be a great Flatulest. So what? Whatever your skills are, develop them. Develop your strengths and continually challenge yourself to understand the nuances of a thing. You will grow if you do that. You will rob yourself if you try to become great at a thing that is not a strength.
I believe it is a mistake to think that you cannot become great at a thing—even a complicated thing. It’s a fact that the more complicated a thing is, the more attention you must pay to the details. The more that must take place for it to be successful but just imagine if Beethoven or Mozart had said that they didn’t want to try something more complicated because they might eventually do a concert and that could be stressful and under stress they might not be able to perform it right…. Where would music be today?
What if Gates had said, he didn’t want to make a computer that processed a bunch of things nearly simultaneously because it could get hot and burn up a processor or data might get lost? Okay… we’d still have the Mac but… well… hopefully you’re catching my drift.
As I look at things around me. My life. Other people’s lives. It seems that the difference between things that are good and great doesn’t appear significant, yet there are so few of us who ever obtain “great” in a thing. Why?
From what I can tell, it appears that it’s about all those attributes I’ve listed previously. Implementing them relentlessly and pursuing the right thing. It’s about setting your sights high and pulling the trigger.
As an example. When you start out shooting a rifle. Initially you learn the basics of shooting and you feel pretty good when you can finally plinck a can or hit the broadside of a barn at 50m, then 100m, and maybe even 150m or 200m. But shooting something at 1200m or further, the size of a paper plate or… a body… is something few of us will ever do but not because we couldn’t—it’s because we don’t move into great intentionally.
That’s unfortunate because the process for shooting something that far is not that different. It requires steadiness, control of breathing, understanding of windage and elevation, proper caliber, practice, practice, practice, etc. Much of which still come into play at close range but become even more important the further away the target is.
You can claim that something is unattainable as a matter of letting yourself off the hook… OR you can take aim at great…
To contextualize this in regards to pencak silat, let's look at the skills you develop. A lot of people will tell you that in the moment high level skills won't work because... well... they are high level and under great stress your mind, body, etc. just can't do everything it needs to. My experience is that this is somewhat true, but partially crap.
My own experience suggests that if you train high level skills, not settling for caveman crap, but train the high level skills so that they become mundane, that you are very capable of doing high level skills under stress.
It is true that mediocre skills, good skills even, may not help under times of great stress, but skills that you've grown to the point of greatness will.
The bigger issue is recognizing those skills that you want to become great in and aiming for them. Don't try to become great in every skill that there is. That will just dilute those things that you have the greatest potential in. If you're right-handed, focus on being right-handed. If you like to box, then box the best you can. If you like knife, know it intimately.
Pay attention to the details and take the next step.
Sean
What are we talking about? Okay what AM I talking about??
The principle of the thing.
Let’s say for a moment that you’re a successful Flatulest. You have been working at it all of your life and you’ve become good. People even acknowledge that you are good.
There are lots of people at your level of skill though. You are good but you aren’t great. Greatness is a whole different level of skill.
So how do you get there? What makes the difference between good and great?
Partly through hard work, self-evaluation, experimentation, etc. but in the end, all of those things serve to elevate your overall skill.
It has been my experience that those who have great skill in a thing, anything, are those who have mastered the details of a thing and have elevated those details through persistence in practice, self-evaluation, study, etc. and have become fluent in them.
Don’t settle for a lower level of success just because it will work and it’s good. Strive to be the best by continually learning and developing the nuances of a thing.
The next step then is to grow your repertoire through the same process. Don’t settle for just what will get it done-even if it gets it done well. Next time, take that a bit farther.
Another component is to acknowledge what you have natural potential at being great at. You personally may never be a great Flatulest. So what? Whatever your skills are, develop them. Develop your strengths and continually challenge yourself to understand the nuances of a thing. You will grow if you do that. You will rob yourself if you try to become great at a thing that is not a strength.
I believe it is a mistake to think that you cannot become great at a thing—even a complicated thing. It’s a fact that the more complicated a thing is, the more attention you must pay to the details. The more that must take place for it to be successful but just imagine if Beethoven or Mozart had said that they didn’t want to try something more complicated because they might eventually do a concert and that could be stressful and under stress they might not be able to perform it right…. Where would music be today?
What if Gates had said, he didn’t want to make a computer that processed a bunch of things nearly simultaneously because it could get hot and burn up a processor or data might get lost? Okay… we’d still have the Mac but… well… hopefully you’re catching my drift.
As I look at things around me. My life. Other people’s lives. It seems that the difference between things that are good and great doesn’t appear significant, yet there are so few of us who ever obtain “great” in a thing. Why?
From what I can tell, it appears that it’s about all those attributes I’ve listed previously. Implementing them relentlessly and pursuing the right thing. It’s about setting your sights high and pulling the trigger.
As an example. When you start out shooting a rifle. Initially you learn the basics of shooting and you feel pretty good when you can finally plinck a can or hit the broadside of a barn at 50m, then 100m, and maybe even 150m or 200m. But shooting something at 1200m or further, the size of a paper plate or… a body… is something few of us will ever do but not because we couldn’t—it’s because we don’t move into great intentionally.
That’s unfortunate because the process for shooting something that far is not that different. It requires steadiness, control of breathing, understanding of windage and elevation, proper caliber, practice, practice, practice, etc. Much of which still come into play at close range but become even more important the further away the target is.
You can claim that something is unattainable as a matter of letting yourself off the hook… OR you can take aim at great…
To contextualize this in regards to pencak silat, let's look at the skills you develop. A lot of people will tell you that in the moment high level skills won't work because... well... they are high level and under great stress your mind, body, etc. just can't do everything it needs to. My experience is that this is somewhat true, but partially crap.
My own experience suggests that if you train high level skills, not settling for caveman crap, but train the high level skills so that they become mundane, that you are very capable of doing high level skills under stress.
It is true that mediocre skills, good skills even, may not help under times of great stress, but skills that you've grown to the point of greatness will.
The bigger issue is recognizing those skills that you want to become great in and aiming for them. Don't try to become great in every skill that there is. That will just dilute those things that you have the greatest potential in. If you're right-handed, focus on being right-handed. If you like to box, then box the best you can. If you like knife, know it intimately.
Pay attention to the details and take the next step.
Sean
Thursday, June 17, 2010
pencak silat pertempuran details
If you've trained with me personally at all in the last 3 or 4 years you've heard me talk about Set Points. If you studied with me prior to that I may not have called them Set Points but I probably talked about them—just differently.
Set Points are found in many areas of life. For instance, your body develops set points for weight. Those weights at which your body seems to sort of hover around based on your intake of food. With a bit of work you can get your body to find a new Set Point, but it won't come easy or fast. You'll have to work at it and retrain your body. I recently heard that the same can be seen in your emotional life, etc. So for instance, you win the lottery, after one year your life will be about as happy as it was before you won the money. No matter how crappy things are, you also have set points that say that you will be about as happy as you were prior to that, within one year. There are a few exceptions to this like mourning, which may take longer.
Your set points are based on both a nature and nurture in my experience. You are born with an inherent or genetic batch of set points for everything about you. However, with input from the outside world those set points can change—usually for the worse. If you eat a lot of crappy foods your set point for fat retention will increase. Likewise if you are abused as a child your set point for expressing or having feelings of happiness are likely to be affected too.
Now, lets look at this within the context of martial arts. You come with a certain amount of attributes or skills. That can be pain tolerance, speed, quickness, ability to adapt, sense of feeling, etc. Through training you can improve these aspects. They may never be what someone elses are but they will improve with training.
On some level this cross over to an understanding of the CPS or Combat Positioning System of Pencak Silat Pertempuran. The point of the CPS is to give you some sense of relationship with the opponent. That relationship is intended to help you in the chaos of combat to be able to recognize your position and therefore your potential applications, counters, etc.
To continue, that is also the point of training in something like trapping. I haven't found trapping to be extremely useful in combat. It shows up but not as often as I'd like since it's fun to train. However, it's value is in showing you that when you attack in specific ways to specific targets the opponent is likely to respond in a specific way. This allows you a certain amount of orchestral capacity within combat.
If I, using my right hammer fist, try to strike your ear with my fist, you are more likely to block nearest my elbow with the same hand (not the same side). Alternatively, if I strike with a hammer fist that targets your eye socket your more likely to strike nearest my hand. Each of the responses teaches you a specific set point then to be able to counter off of. It's just a way of helping you to sort through what seems like an infinite amount of response variables in a way that isolates them and gives you an opportunity to develop counters.
Likewise, any Sikap Pasang, Ales, Masukan, or any other technique based on the Ales or Masukan (which is everything we do) can be a set point of you begin to view it as such.
So, when things are going wrong—and they will at times— remember your set points. Trust your PSP and get back to what you've trained. Pick a position, a posture, or a relationship and get to it. It's the starting point or set point for you.
Make sense?
Set Points are found in many areas of life. For instance, your body develops set points for weight. Those weights at which your body seems to sort of hover around based on your intake of food. With a bit of work you can get your body to find a new Set Point, but it won't come easy or fast. You'll have to work at it and retrain your body. I recently heard that the same can be seen in your emotional life, etc. So for instance, you win the lottery, after one year your life will be about as happy as it was before you won the money. No matter how crappy things are, you also have set points that say that you will be about as happy as you were prior to that, within one year. There are a few exceptions to this like mourning, which may take longer.
Your set points are based on both a nature and nurture in my experience. You are born with an inherent or genetic batch of set points for everything about you. However, with input from the outside world those set points can change—usually for the worse. If you eat a lot of crappy foods your set point for fat retention will increase. Likewise if you are abused as a child your set point for expressing or having feelings of happiness are likely to be affected too.
Now, lets look at this within the context of martial arts. You come with a certain amount of attributes or skills. That can be pain tolerance, speed, quickness, ability to adapt, sense of feeling, etc. Through training you can improve these aspects. They may never be what someone elses are but they will improve with training.
On some level this cross over to an understanding of the CPS or Combat Positioning System of Pencak Silat Pertempuran. The point of the CPS is to give you some sense of relationship with the opponent. That relationship is intended to help you in the chaos of combat to be able to recognize your position and therefore your potential applications, counters, etc.
To continue, that is also the point of training in something like trapping. I haven't found trapping to be extremely useful in combat. It shows up but not as often as I'd like since it's fun to train. However, it's value is in showing you that when you attack in specific ways to specific targets the opponent is likely to respond in a specific way. This allows you a certain amount of orchestral capacity within combat.
If I, using my right hammer fist, try to strike your ear with my fist, you are more likely to block nearest my elbow with the same hand (not the same side). Alternatively, if I strike with a hammer fist that targets your eye socket your more likely to strike nearest my hand. Each of the responses teaches you a specific set point then to be able to counter off of. It's just a way of helping you to sort through what seems like an infinite amount of response variables in a way that isolates them and gives you an opportunity to develop counters.
Likewise, any Sikap Pasang, Ales, Masukan, or any other technique based on the Ales or Masukan (which is everything we do) can be a set point of you begin to view it as such.
So, when things are going wrong—and they will at times— remember your set points. Trust your PSP and get back to what you've trained. Pick a position, a posture, or a relationship and get to it. It's the starting point or set point for you.
Make sense?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Some ideas about Combat Silat
This was a letter that I just recently wrote to someone interested in joining Pencak Silat Pertempuran. I've also added a bit more to it as well.
*******
This may be fairly long but I'd rather sort through some of this up front.
As you've read the website, you've probably got some of my message but it would be worth saying it again for the sake of clarity—at least imo.
My Vision of Pencak Silat Pertempuran
The name: PSP or Combat Silat derives its name from the Indonesian word Tempur which means "to combat/fight against many". The changing it to Pertempuran was to acknowledge it as a noun in Indonesian. One of the higher level understandings of PSP is that it needs to work against multiple attackers. It is not simply a one on one art. The use of the term combat is significant to me because I want the art to be effective on the street. The use of the term pencak is because I do believe in beauty and the value of beauty. The terms together talk about the beauty of coordinated combat against many. That's not the literal translation of course, but the interpretation of how it came to be and represents the primary culture from which it was derived or at least where the primary shift of understanding occurred. Others use the name Tempur or even combat silat without this. I've talked with people about it before on a personal level and will probably make it public on my blog after I send this to you. In any case, that's the background of the name. It went through several conversations with my Pamur teacher before it came to be called this.
Key idea: It's a name but it's the idea that matters.
Where are the people?: What sometimes confuses people is that I do not do much teaching against multiple attackers. Some people have concluded as a result that it doesn't exist within PSP. The reality is that they haven't asked me what my idea is or where the two meet. If they had, the would recognize that I teach people to engage in multiple attackers all the time—in the best way I know. The best way to deal with multiple attackers is to handle each person individually and engage them in ways that allow you to keep moving or quickly move from opponent to opponent. Primarily a person training in PSP needs to get good at the individual attacker and then when the time comes and a person is sufficiently able, I will introduce them to the principles of fighting multiple opponents. It's a one day thing to communicate and a lifelong practice to get good at.
Key idea: If you're fighting multiple people you're doing it wrong—take things one at a time.
Discovering your attributes: I believe whole-heartedly that everyone is unique and that our own attributes as fighters vary in starting point and end point. Likewise, anyone we encounter will as well. Tall, short, fat, slow, quick, smart... whatever! Everyone is at least a little different and as a result they cannot be expected to attain the same level of skill in everything. It's up to you to you to recognize where your strengths are and where your weaknesses are. You must train all of it but focus on your strengths, developing your weaknesses as you can but do not focus on your weaknesses or you'll only neglect your strengths. If you're right handed, fight right handed. If left—left. Don't try to become ambidextrous. It's not a good use of your time. It took me a year and a half of throwing a football with my left hand, 5 days a week, to get so I could throw a spiral for 30 yards. It still wasn't comfortable and the thing is, I could still throw it with my right hand 60 yards without much practice. Every time I picked up the football with my left hand to throw it took so much concentration and effort to accomplish half or less of what I could with my strong hand. Now today, I can still throw it better than I could, left-handed, but it's not comfortable, strong, or adaptable. It's barely functional :) Learn your attributes. Strengthen what's already strong to make it as strong as it can be. Raise your strengths to their pinnacle and in the process you'll naturally raise your weaknesses as well. Understanding your own attributes is a good step in understanding someone else's.
Key idea: Keep what's strong—strong, develop your strengths and the weaknesses will follow. Exploit your attackers weaknesses.
It's all relationship: For many years the martial arts was about pursuit of the "answer". I went to great lengths studying many different martial arts simultaneously trying to find The Answer. Then I gave up on finding The Answer only to realize that the answer is relationship. For thousands or millions of years or whatever men have been clubbing the crap out of each other and nobody has really improved it. We've even created bigger badder weapons but in the end. Unless you kill me you can't be guaranteed you'll beat me and even the process of killing is not a guarantee. If only I could take back all the time and ways my mind has ruminated over the idea that somehow "I" was going to figure out what thousands or millions of martial artists, warriors, etc. had never figured out. My friend Hugo and I used to talk about the configurations of positions that a body could make. It's mathematically possible to figure out, by joint and position, etc. how many possible variations you could have and it was during one of those conversations that it dawned on me that it was all about relationship. For years I struggled with techniques that worked in the school but I struggled to apply to someone unwilling. For years I searched for better technique to apply to someone unwilling. For years I tried arts from all over the world trying to find solutions. AND the reality is that I found solutions for everything that I looked for. Unfortunately, that was still no guarantee that it was going to work in the street. Why? Because it's all about relationship and everyone I engage brings different physical attributes and it may happen in a different environment (environmental attributes) and they may bring a different mentality (mental attributes) and so on. That combined with my own attributes makes the relationship infinitely unpredictable and infinitely changing. Even time is an attribute. How quickly do you respond or they respond?
Key ideas: Be adaptable, be responsive, be aware.
Relationship is also about the ratio: This has led me to develop an art that was responsive to the relationship. The only way to do that was to create an art that doesn't plan 3 steps out but tries to exist right now as much as possible, being aware that decisions I make now (or the attacker) can influence potential responses later - from me or from the attacker. Consequences for actions type of thing. So as an art PSP focuses on short bursts and what I call a 1 to 1 ratio. For every attack or change, there is a relational change that needs to occur. Philosophically some people say that there are no absolutes. I thought about that for a long time and I disagree. We can deny absolutes but there are, in fact, absolutes—you are reading this. If you weren't, you wouldn't know to respond. What is absolute is what has happened in the past and what is happening now. What may happen in the future is Not absolute. That's the relationship idea.
As a result, I've come to look at combat like a puzzle, the pieces of which are unknown until they are needed. You cannot absolutely plan for the future. You can however, with some probability predict a short future outcome if you are directing the combat. It's not an absolute but it is an issue of probability. To see that manifest within PSP you have to recognize the small pieces that are taught, recognizing that they are meant to work together to create, in relationship, answers to combative situations.
For a time studying PSP, you will not have the understanding you need to answer all of the questions. That's where most people fail at PSP. They assume because they do not see it in what they have learned, that it does not exist. So far, for me, that has not proven to be true.
Key idea: There are no absolutes in combat. It's a puzzle to be built on the fly and the right answer is the right answer.
I'm not a superhero: Part of what make PSP special and what connects to this idea of a puzzle or relationship is that much of PSP is set up so that if when something fails you can continue. You're going to get hit. You're going to have things go wrong. You are not invincible. You can be beaten. Even the best fighter can have an off day. The issue is, what do you do when that happens? Do you abandon what you've trained because "it obviously doesn't work" or do you climb back on the horse and keep going. You need to develop Set Points in your martial arts training. That thing you fall back to when everything seems to be going wrong. If you abandon your training in the middle of the fight you are abandoning the only thing you've trained to use. You are increasing the level of unknowns. You are increasing your risk of failure. This of course, assumes that there is at least some basis for your training to be considered combative to begin with. In PSP, the system is full of things that can be used as Set Points. The things in life that help reorient you and start you moving forward again. Set Points keep you from spiraling out of control.
Key idea: You will fail at times. Have a back-up plan or re-starting point.
Combat Positioning System: PSP uses a combat positioning system to help us recognize key relationship points. These points can be used as Set Points for us when we are engaged with an opponent. They can also be used as references for bridging and applying our technique. All systems of combat can be recognized through this positioning system. Some of these positions will not be comfortable or desirable to you as a choice but they can and will show up in combat situations from time to time and having that understanding of what to do from them is valuable. These include Pencegah Tangan (Checking), Ales (Elak or Evasion), Various Masukan, and Tangkapan. These are the primary pieces from which the rest of the system draws itself out of. When looked at as a totality they address most significant possible positions/relationships.
Key idea: Know where your at in relationship to your attacker.
Keluarga is important: Keluarga is family. PSP is meant to be a family. It is not meant to replace any family you currently have but it is meant for the betterment of all who participate. It is about relationship on every level—even relationships outside of PSP. My vision of PSP is to eventually have a symposium of instructors that meet annually and share topics of concern and keep PSP relevant to what's happening culturally. I know from my own training that even a simple thing like a change in climate has impacted how I perform PSP. I would not have known that except that I moved to FLorida. If PSP is to be refined and grown and relevant it needs to have input from it's high level practitioners.
Key idea: Family helps family.
It's all about movement: From my perspective, PSP is teaching a body culture. It's not only a martial art but a way of moving. It is about a body culture that is uniquely Pencak Silat. People often say that there are no standards for pencak silat. Even within Indonesia it can be hard to see but my experience has been different. I've seen systems from all around Indonesia and I've seen a body culture a movement style that, though different from place to place, often contains similarity too. I intend for all of my instructors to have that body culture, that movement. I want them to be easily recognizable as PENCAK silat. Though our regions and our origins will not be as clear, since we have many influences from around the country and even outside of it, it will be clear that we have a lineage of pencak silat. I do stress pencak, not just silat. I expect that my instructors will move as pencak silat pesilat. They will not represent PSP without representing the movement of pencak—the beauty. It has been my experience that the beauty of pencak has only improved my silat.
Key idea: Movement is the key.
Additionally, combat doesn't happen statically. It's always moving, always changing. You must be about moving and moving in ways that are more efficient or more effective. As a result, the Gerak are a primary piece of what I teach. Historically they have been taught a little bit later in the system. I did that in an attempt to show people some more combative things earlier on. Ten years later I think that it may not have been the best choice because they often miss the greater understanding of PSP and the value of movement. Likewise, if you understand the full breadth and depth of Gerakan you understand PSP. They are a fundamental key to the system.
Key idea: Understanding some movements to great depth gives great value.
Combat Silat is a flower: The curriculum of Combat Silat is the equivalent of a flower bud. It's not meant to be the blossom. You are supposed to take the very basic pieces of the Combat Silat curriculum and build them into YOUR system. I don't know what everyone out there in the world is good at or what their attributes or interests are. Likewise to build a system that would address all of it for everyone is a ridiculous idea. I've been in systems that have tried—it doesn't work. However, because PSP is the bud and not the flower there has been some very prominent misunderstandings about the material. Some people think that everything that is taught is all that a thing can be. Take the Gerak-gerak for instance. It's simple and with a little work you can start to develop the body culture of pencak silat through them. However, that's to miss the obvious connection between the Gerak and the entirety of the applications of the system. Taking the Gerak and applying them to checking for instance will get you a check but take the checking and apply that to Sarong or Bandana and now you have a way to tie up, control, or choke an opponent. Nothing in PSP is isolated. It is all related and all inter-connected. To isolate a thing is to miss the blossom and only see the bud.
The DVD's and the books that I've produced so far, only teach what the bud looks like. In person training teaches how the bud feels. When you put it all together and start to explore it you'll discover the blossom—that can take a few years minimum to many years depending on you. The reality is that you've got to be willing to put the time into it. It's not a short trip. It's about depth of understanding not breadth. The curriculum is meant to be the starting point of your expressive journey. The place where everyone starts from. I can show many different ways to do things from most of the basic things you'll learn. You'll find your own if you start learning to look at the system. In other words, if a question about combat arises you have a choice—look within PSP or look elsewhere. Every time I've looked within I've found the answer.
Key idea: At some point you've got to trust a thing. Not blindly of course but honestly and with sincerity.
Largely I think that people have forgotten the art of learning and want to be told everything.
Pencak Silat is not a religion: PSP as I teach it has a Christian philosophy and ideal behind it. That is, that I am a Christian and any of the philosophies, ideas, etc. that I teach are not opposed to my beliefs as a Christian. You don't have to be a Muslim to study PSP, nor do you have to be a Christian to study PSP. You do have to be willing to be tolerant of my Christian beliefs and ideals. I don't have to be tolerant of yours but I probably will be because I'm not threatened by other beliefs. I've looked at and considered many of them myself.
I don't have many rituals in PSP but the ones I do have are based on my Christian beliefs. There are no secret religious or spiritual practices, just a few simple things that most people don't know anything about except the two people that have reached instructor level.
Key idea: It's not a religion.
The secret to pencak silat is anyones: Practice, practice, practice. That's it. Don't think you're going to learn Tenaga Dalam or anything other than the secret art of sweating here.
Key idea: Practice and you can get it.
That's a bit about PSP. There's more but I don't want to re-write my third book, I just wanted to give you some things to think about and to understand before you even begin the process. I would recommend reading this again and again (Lagi-lagi) over time. As you develop—if you choose to do PSP—it will probably mean more to you as you train and begin to deepen your training.
*******
This may be fairly long but I'd rather sort through some of this up front.
As you've read the website, you've probably got some of my message but it would be worth saying it again for the sake of clarity—at least imo.
My Vision of Pencak Silat Pertempuran
The name: PSP or Combat Silat derives its name from the Indonesian word Tempur which means "to combat/fight against many". The changing it to Pertempuran was to acknowledge it as a noun in Indonesian. One of the higher level understandings of PSP is that it needs to work against multiple attackers. It is not simply a one on one art. The use of the term combat is significant to me because I want the art to be effective on the street. The use of the term pencak is because I do believe in beauty and the value of beauty. The terms together talk about the beauty of coordinated combat against many. That's not the literal translation of course, but the interpretation of how it came to be and represents the primary culture from which it was derived or at least where the primary shift of understanding occurred. Others use the name Tempur or even combat silat without this. I've talked with people about it before on a personal level and will probably make it public on my blog after I send this to you. In any case, that's the background of the name. It went through several conversations with my Pamur teacher before it came to be called this.
Key idea: It's a name but it's the idea that matters.
Where are the people?: What sometimes confuses people is that I do not do much teaching against multiple attackers. Some people have concluded as a result that it doesn't exist within PSP. The reality is that they haven't asked me what my idea is or where the two meet. If they had, the would recognize that I teach people to engage in multiple attackers all the time—in the best way I know. The best way to deal with multiple attackers is to handle each person individually and engage them in ways that allow you to keep moving or quickly move from opponent to opponent. Primarily a person training in PSP needs to get good at the individual attacker and then when the time comes and a person is sufficiently able, I will introduce them to the principles of fighting multiple opponents. It's a one day thing to communicate and a lifelong practice to get good at.
Key idea: If you're fighting multiple people you're doing it wrong—take things one at a time.
Discovering your attributes: I believe whole-heartedly that everyone is unique and that our own attributes as fighters vary in starting point and end point. Likewise, anyone we encounter will as well. Tall, short, fat, slow, quick, smart... whatever! Everyone is at least a little different and as a result they cannot be expected to attain the same level of skill in everything. It's up to you to you to recognize where your strengths are and where your weaknesses are. You must train all of it but focus on your strengths, developing your weaknesses as you can but do not focus on your weaknesses or you'll only neglect your strengths. If you're right handed, fight right handed. If left—left. Don't try to become ambidextrous. It's not a good use of your time. It took me a year and a half of throwing a football with my left hand, 5 days a week, to get so I could throw a spiral for 30 yards. It still wasn't comfortable and the thing is, I could still throw it with my right hand 60 yards without much practice. Every time I picked up the football with my left hand to throw it took so much concentration and effort to accomplish half or less of what I could with my strong hand. Now today, I can still throw it better than I could, left-handed, but it's not comfortable, strong, or adaptable. It's barely functional :) Learn your attributes. Strengthen what's already strong to make it as strong as it can be. Raise your strengths to their pinnacle and in the process you'll naturally raise your weaknesses as well. Understanding your own attributes is a good step in understanding someone else's.
Key idea: Keep what's strong—strong, develop your strengths and the weaknesses will follow. Exploit your attackers weaknesses.
It's all relationship: For many years the martial arts was about pursuit of the "answer". I went to great lengths studying many different martial arts simultaneously trying to find The Answer. Then I gave up on finding The Answer only to realize that the answer is relationship. For thousands or millions of years or whatever men have been clubbing the crap out of each other and nobody has really improved it. We've even created bigger badder weapons but in the end. Unless you kill me you can't be guaranteed you'll beat me and even the process of killing is not a guarantee. If only I could take back all the time and ways my mind has ruminated over the idea that somehow "I" was going to figure out what thousands or millions of martial artists, warriors, etc. had never figured out. My friend Hugo and I used to talk about the configurations of positions that a body could make. It's mathematically possible to figure out, by joint and position, etc. how many possible variations you could have and it was during one of those conversations that it dawned on me that it was all about relationship. For years I struggled with techniques that worked in the school but I struggled to apply to someone unwilling. For years I searched for better technique to apply to someone unwilling. For years I tried arts from all over the world trying to find solutions. AND the reality is that I found solutions for everything that I looked for. Unfortunately, that was still no guarantee that it was going to work in the street. Why? Because it's all about relationship and everyone I engage brings different physical attributes and it may happen in a different environment (environmental attributes) and they may bring a different mentality (mental attributes) and so on. That combined with my own attributes makes the relationship infinitely unpredictable and infinitely changing. Even time is an attribute. How quickly do you respond or they respond?
Key ideas: Be adaptable, be responsive, be aware.
Relationship is also about the ratio: This has led me to develop an art that was responsive to the relationship. The only way to do that was to create an art that doesn't plan 3 steps out but tries to exist right now as much as possible, being aware that decisions I make now (or the attacker) can influence potential responses later - from me or from the attacker. Consequences for actions type of thing. So as an art PSP focuses on short bursts and what I call a 1 to 1 ratio. For every attack or change, there is a relational change that needs to occur. Philosophically some people say that there are no absolutes. I thought about that for a long time and I disagree. We can deny absolutes but there are, in fact, absolutes—you are reading this. If you weren't, you wouldn't know to respond. What is absolute is what has happened in the past and what is happening now. What may happen in the future is Not absolute. That's the relationship idea.
As a result, I've come to look at combat like a puzzle, the pieces of which are unknown until they are needed. You cannot absolutely plan for the future. You can however, with some probability predict a short future outcome if you are directing the combat. It's not an absolute but it is an issue of probability. To see that manifest within PSP you have to recognize the small pieces that are taught, recognizing that they are meant to work together to create, in relationship, answers to combative situations.
For a time studying PSP, you will not have the understanding you need to answer all of the questions. That's where most people fail at PSP. They assume because they do not see it in what they have learned, that it does not exist. So far, for me, that has not proven to be true.
Key idea: There are no absolutes in combat. It's a puzzle to be built on the fly and the right answer is the right answer.
I'm not a superhero: Part of what make PSP special and what connects to this idea of a puzzle or relationship is that much of PSP is set up so that if when something fails you can continue. You're going to get hit. You're going to have things go wrong. You are not invincible. You can be beaten. Even the best fighter can have an off day. The issue is, what do you do when that happens? Do you abandon what you've trained because "it obviously doesn't work" or do you climb back on the horse and keep going. You need to develop Set Points in your martial arts training. That thing you fall back to when everything seems to be going wrong. If you abandon your training in the middle of the fight you are abandoning the only thing you've trained to use. You are increasing the level of unknowns. You are increasing your risk of failure. This of course, assumes that there is at least some basis for your training to be considered combative to begin with. In PSP, the system is full of things that can be used as Set Points. The things in life that help reorient you and start you moving forward again. Set Points keep you from spiraling out of control.
Key idea: You will fail at times. Have a back-up plan or re-starting point.
Combat Positioning System: PSP uses a combat positioning system to help us recognize key relationship points. These points can be used as Set Points for us when we are engaged with an opponent. They can also be used as references for bridging and applying our technique. All systems of combat can be recognized through this positioning system. Some of these positions will not be comfortable or desirable to you as a choice but they can and will show up in combat situations from time to time and having that understanding of what to do from them is valuable. These include Pencegah Tangan (Checking), Ales (Elak or Evasion), Various Masukan, and Tangkapan. These are the primary pieces from which the rest of the system draws itself out of. When looked at as a totality they address most significant possible positions/relationships.
Key idea: Know where your at in relationship to your attacker.
Keluarga is important: Keluarga is family. PSP is meant to be a family. It is not meant to replace any family you currently have but it is meant for the betterment of all who participate. It is about relationship on every level—even relationships outside of PSP. My vision of PSP is to eventually have a symposium of instructors that meet annually and share topics of concern and keep PSP relevant to what's happening culturally. I know from my own training that even a simple thing like a change in climate has impacted how I perform PSP. I would not have known that except that I moved to FLorida. If PSP is to be refined and grown and relevant it needs to have input from it's high level practitioners.
Key idea: Family helps family.
It's all about movement: From my perspective, PSP is teaching a body culture. It's not only a martial art but a way of moving. It is about a body culture that is uniquely Pencak Silat. People often say that there are no standards for pencak silat. Even within Indonesia it can be hard to see but my experience has been different. I've seen systems from all around Indonesia and I've seen a body culture a movement style that, though different from place to place, often contains similarity too. I intend for all of my instructors to have that body culture, that movement. I want them to be easily recognizable as PENCAK silat. Though our regions and our origins will not be as clear, since we have many influences from around the country and even outside of it, it will be clear that we have a lineage of pencak silat. I do stress pencak, not just silat. I expect that my instructors will move as pencak silat pesilat. They will not represent PSP without representing the movement of pencak—the beauty. It has been my experience that the beauty of pencak has only improved my silat.
Key idea: Movement is the key.
Additionally, combat doesn't happen statically. It's always moving, always changing. You must be about moving and moving in ways that are more efficient or more effective. As a result, the Gerak are a primary piece of what I teach. Historically they have been taught a little bit later in the system. I did that in an attempt to show people some more combative things earlier on. Ten years later I think that it may not have been the best choice because they often miss the greater understanding of PSP and the value of movement. Likewise, if you understand the full breadth and depth of Gerakan you understand PSP. They are a fundamental key to the system.
Key idea: Understanding some movements to great depth gives great value.
Combat Silat is a flower: The curriculum of Combat Silat is the equivalent of a flower bud. It's not meant to be the blossom. You are supposed to take the very basic pieces of the Combat Silat curriculum and build them into YOUR system. I don't know what everyone out there in the world is good at or what their attributes or interests are. Likewise to build a system that would address all of it for everyone is a ridiculous idea. I've been in systems that have tried—it doesn't work. However, because PSP is the bud and not the flower there has been some very prominent misunderstandings about the material. Some people think that everything that is taught is all that a thing can be. Take the Gerak-gerak for instance. It's simple and with a little work you can start to develop the body culture of pencak silat through them. However, that's to miss the obvious connection between the Gerak and the entirety of the applications of the system. Taking the Gerak and applying them to checking for instance will get you a check but take the checking and apply that to Sarong or Bandana and now you have a way to tie up, control, or choke an opponent. Nothing in PSP is isolated. It is all related and all inter-connected. To isolate a thing is to miss the blossom and only see the bud.
The DVD's and the books that I've produced so far, only teach what the bud looks like. In person training teaches how the bud feels. When you put it all together and start to explore it you'll discover the blossom—that can take a few years minimum to many years depending on you. The reality is that you've got to be willing to put the time into it. It's not a short trip. It's about depth of understanding not breadth. The curriculum is meant to be the starting point of your expressive journey. The place where everyone starts from. I can show many different ways to do things from most of the basic things you'll learn. You'll find your own if you start learning to look at the system. In other words, if a question about combat arises you have a choice—look within PSP or look elsewhere. Every time I've looked within I've found the answer.
Key idea: At some point you've got to trust a thing. Not blindly of course but honestly and with sincerity.
Largely I think that people have forgotten the art of learning and want to be told everything.
This has been added since I originally sent this out.
Pencak Silat is not a religion: PSP as I teach it has a Christian philosophy and ideal behind it. That is, that I am a Christian and any of the philosophies, ideas, etc. that I teach are not opposed to my beliefs as a Christian. You don't have to be a Muslim to study PSP, nor do you have to be a Christian to study PSP. You do have to be willing to be tolerant of my Christian beliefs and ideals. I don't have to be tolerant of yours but I probably will be because I'm not threatened by other beliefs. I've looked at and considered many of them myself.
I don't have many rituals in PSP but the ones I do have are based on my Christian beliefs. There are no secret religious or spiritual practices, just a few simple things that most people don't know anything about except the two people that have reached instructor level.
Key idea: It's not a religion.
The secret to pencak silat is anyones: Practice, practice, practice. That's it. Don't think you're going to learn Tenaga Dalam or anything other than the secret art of sweating here.
Key idea: Practice and you can get it.
That's a bit about PSP. There's more but I don't want to re-write my third book, I just wanted to give you some things to think about and to understand before you even begin the process. I would recommend reading this again and again (Lagi-lagi) over time. As you develop—if you choose to do PSP—it will probably mean more to you as you train and begin to deepen your training.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Pencak Silat Book Discount
Pencak Silat Pertempuran: Vol. 3
Price: $21.95
Discount: $- 2.20
Discounted Price: $19.75
Disclaimer: Use coupon code SUMMERREAD305 at checkout and receive 10% off Pencak Silat Pertempuran: Vol. 3. Maximum savings with this promotion is $10. You can only use the code once per account, and you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. Sorry, self-purchases (buying books that you’ve published) aren’t eligible. This great offer ends on June 30, 2010 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.
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Thursday, June 03, 2010
Pencak Silat News: Instructor Certification
Sterling Heibeck is one of two people who have made it to Pelatih in Combat Silat/Pencak Silat Pertempuran. He has been working hard for a few years to get there and it was my pleasure to promote him on Sunday May 30th in the presence of Bobbe Edmonds, Buzz Smith, Jay Carstensen, Craig Gray and many other martial artists.
I expect that he will continue to grow and develop as he has more opportunity to see how the system connects, expands, etc.
Please take a moment to congratulate him.
Sincerely,
Guru Stark
I expect that he will continue to grow and develop as he has more opportunity to see how the system connects, expands, etc.
Please take a moment to congratulate him.
Sincerely,
Guru Stark
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