2in1 Seminar - a weekend with Sifu Jack and Guro Evan

What an amazing weekend.  Since our family vacationed in Brisbane, Australia last Christmas I had been in touch with Sifu Jack Leung, who runs several Wing Chun schools in the greater Brisbane Area.  Although we didn't get to train together over Christmas, we kept on corresponding and working on a visit to Tokyo for a seminar.  Almost half a year later - it happened.

As it turns out, Sifu Jack is very good friends with another of my martial arts legends, Guro Evan Tai from Hong Kong.  The two meet frequently, train together and have hosted joint seminars before.  When Sifu Jack mentioned that Guro Evan might also be available I was even more excited!

We spent two days covering a wide variety of topics, with both teachers taking turns and building off what each other showed.  Sifu Jack's Practical Wing Chun was exactly that - fast, powerful, effective and very well suited to self defense applications.  He explains techniques from a very scientific point of view, focusing less on the Chi Kung and more on proper structure, posture and breathing.  The many technical options were based around three simple entries (inside/outside/split) which are universal and common in almost every martial art.

From there we explored a wide variety of potential outcomes using different weapons including strikes/punches, elbows, traps, grabs, kicks and so on covering high line and low line, too.  They all can end up in the same finish, or be adjusted for distance and circumstance.

No one can learn Wing Chun in 2 days, but for all of us without that background it was a very accessible set of material that we can continue to explore on our own.

As for Guro Evan Tai, I have been watching his videos on YouTube for years and always hoped to get a chance to meet him.  For anyone who thinks his videos are sped up, I can tell you - HE REALLY IS THAT FAST!  Guro Evan took us through some flows with knife, single stick and sarong/scarf that were really interesting.  He moves extremely fast but with great precision, exactly as you would expect from an expert at his level.  He also showed us a lot of options, often bringing the same techniques back into the flow in different steps.  Of course we were only scratching the surface in these 2 days but it was really exciting and fun.

Both teachers traveled with friends and family, who were very kind and open.  Together we got to make a lot of new friends in addition to some excellent training.  If you get a chance to see them in Brisbane or Hong Kong - TAKE IT!!  If you see a seminar from either of them (hopefully both) - ATTEND!!  You will be very glad you did.

Great thanks again to everyone who came out to support and, most of all, thanks to Sifu Jack, Guro Evan and their Entourage for sharing and giving us so much good stuff.

See you again next time!!

Why I love Silat

In this cycle, we are introducing some silat.  I must confess, I LOVE IT.  Of the many things that we do in Kali Majapahit, including Sinawali/Serrada, Panantukan/Sikaran, Hakka Kuntao, Muay Thai/Muay Boran and others, silat is always one of my favorites.  Years ago, at the Peaceful Warrior Camp, Dakilang Jeff Espinous introduced us to a variety of movements from his Kali Silat Concept and I was mesmerized.  I have been ever since.  In the interim, I have had a chance to experience some fantastic instructors such as Guru Berni Chu, Sifu James Nener and Guru Maul Mornie, who deepen my understanding further and help me make sense of this beautiful art.  Of course, I was thrilled to see silat shown in movies like Raid/Raid 2 and The Accountant.  Silat was even used as a basis for the fighting style of King T'Challa, the Black Panther of Wakanda.   

Why do I love it so much?

Low Stances

While not exclusively so, silat tends to be characterized by an extremely low stance relative to other fighting styles (like Muay Thai, for example).  As a smaller guy, this is to my advantage.  Practicing the Jurus/Langkas is also great for building leg strength and flexibility in the hips and ankles. Some styles like Cimande/Mande Muda have very low movements and are great for lower body physical conditioning. 

Unusual Weapons

I've always been a "weapons" guy, and silat training exposes us culturally to some of the most exotic tools in the martial arts - sarong, karambit, Kris, sabit, tekpi to name a few.  Even weapons which resemble those of kobudo (sabit and tekpi, for example) are used in a very different manner, which means a lot to learn, explore and discover.  Years ago, I was fascinated by a photo of Silat master Eddie Jafri with little blades held between his toes for kicking opponents...mind-blowing stuff.

3 Levels of Engagement

In silat, things are happening all at once, often on 3 planes at the same time.  While the hands are engaging/trapping and striking, the hips may be in contact and the feet may be entering for foot traps, low kicks, sweeps or other low-line attacks.  The fact that these all happen simultaneously make silat an extremely effective fighting system that is very hard to defend against.

Fighting Strategy

Many people observe the jurus (forms) of silat and comment that they are impractical or ineffective.  This is often derided from a point of view that does not understand the actual fighting movements and strategy inherent in silat.  Unlike other styles which favor showing opponents a tight, close guard, silat is very deceptive.  Often the silat artist will "bait" the opponent by offering a (seemingly) very open and available target such as the head or groin.  This is done to try to "channel" the attacker into launching an expected attack - which results in their defeat.  The open guards are usually done with other targets hidden or covered, limiting the attacker to one good (irresistible) line of attack.  I love the psychological approach of making an opponent commit to a doomed strategy.

Silat is not a static art.  The goal is always to use footwork to reach a place of advantage, flanking to gain access to the opponent's back or using footwork to adjust fighting distance.  

Locking Flows

Having come from a background of strong locking/throwing techniques (aikido/jujutsu/judo) I truly appreciate the beauty of being able to control an attacker or project him/her into other combatants.  However, silat has a wide variety of locking techniques that are rarely seen in other arts.  in silat, we lock with the feet, legs, arms and elbows and lock both standing and on the ground.  In general, these locks are a pathway to one of two outcomes: 1) joint breaks/dislocations or 2) strangles and chokes.  Like quicksand, the more the attacker struggles, the more they are locked, in pain and blacking out.  There are also throws in silat, but less the kind of dynamic projections seen in judo or aikido, and more likely to be sweeps or takedowns, usually flowing straight into locking.

Silat is not a submission style like MMA/BJJ or Aikido.  The locks are designed to dislocate or break joints and usually lead directly into strangles or chokes.

Groundfighting

Filipino Martial Arts has its own groundfighting style, called "dumog", but this is a bit different from silat.  Styles vary of course, but some such as cimande are extremely low and centered around in groundwork.  Almost like the BJJ guard, these styles seek to pin the opponent to the floor where they can be attacked with brutal full-power strikes, elbows and kicks without being able to retreat.  In general, three points of contact (two knees and one hand, two hands and one knee) will be the base while the remaining limb hits or kicks.  BJJ is considered extremely formidable on the ground, but silat is no less deadly.

Adab, Adat, Hormat

These three words, Adab (courtesy), Adat (culture) and Hormat (respect) form the foundation of good silat training.  This is consistent with all good martial arts instruction and promotes healthy, mature and responsible people.  The silat practitioners I have met all exemplify these traits and I am proud to call them my brothers and sisters.

The great thing about Kali Majapahit is the contrast between the different sub-systems.  There is always a lot to see and do, and it takes some time for the mind to feel comfortable with the vastness of the curriculum.

Train hard. 

White Belt

(Thanks for the inspiration Guro Rose)

Starting something new is at the same time challenging and intimidating.  Especially martial arts class.  It's exciting to embark on the journey as a white belt, fresh and open to new ideas and new understanding.  At the same time, it's humbling to see the other students, some of whom started just a month or two before you did, looking like veterans after just a bit of repetition and guidance.  I've been in the Arts almost all of my life (all of it that matters, anyway).  I can remember every time I started a new style feeling like I had forgotten everything else I had ever done.

Kali Majapahit was the first Southeast Asian fighting art I studied.  I was familiar with wrestling from high school, fencing (especially saber) from college and boxing from my older brother. The others, ninjutsu, aikido, iaijutsu, karate, judo all had a lot in common.  Kali Majapahit, a Southeast Asian martial art encompassing Kali, Silat, Hakka and Muay Thai, as well as a host of weapons I had never used before, was a real struggle at the beginning.  For the first year everything felt wrong.  We fought right foot forward (Southpaw) versus the Orthodox boxing/kickboxing/MMA/Muay Thai left foot forward stance.  I couldn't "flow".  I was too stiff.  Nothing made any sense.  I kept berating myself, assuming I should be able to learn it all much faster.  I felt ashamed that I wasn't...better.

However, I was convinced that Kali Majapahit had Truth in it.  The senior students (Vince, Guillaume, Ben) were excellent.  The logic of body mechanics and physics was irrefutable.  The speed, power and gracefulness were enticing.  Guro Fred was very patient and kept encouraging me.  He knew my long background in other styles, as well as my frustration.   He assured me that I didn't need to give up decades or everything else I had done, telling me that it would all find its way into my Flow (it has).

The years teach much the days never know.

I have been running the KM group in Japan since 2011 - over 7 years.  With great support from KM HQ we have built a dojo of great people - a real FAMILY of like-minded people who love to train and share.  I couldn't be prouder of what we have achieved together.  Every year a few new faces make their way to us and join our little community.  Little by little we have grown.

This year many of my original students will test for Kadua Guro, 1st Dan black belt, a very important milestone in their journeys and a testament to their years of hard work and dedication.  Brining them from white belt to black belt gives me a tremendous feeling of accomplishment, especially seeing how they have also become great leaders, great partners and confident professionals.  Our future is bright indeed.

For our new joiners, you have some great role models around you that will help me lead you in the right direction.  You will learn Kali, but hopefully you will also learn about yourself and the people around you.  You will develop the confidence to succeed in every aspect of your life through your hard training and discipline.  You'll make new friends that will become closer than you expected.

Step by step you will change your life for the better, and this will influence the people around you.

So...if you're sitting on the couch...what will you do?

In 5 years your couch will still be there, but you could choose to be somewhere else - somewhere better.  Martial arts is an investment in yourself and your future.  Trust me, you deserve it.

Pugay.