Pentjak-silat: The Indonesian Fighting Art Martial Arts Self Defense

I t - PENTJAK SILAT The Indonesian Fighting Art by Howard Alexander Quintin Chambers Donn F. Draeger Published by KODANSHA INTERNATIONAL LTD., Tokyo, Japan & Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.A. Contents Preface ....... 7 Pentjak-silat Past and Present ....... 11 Weapons ....... 18 Techniques against Armed Attacks ....... 33 Basic Postures for Combat ....... 48 Training Exercises ....... 60 Combat Situations ....... 106 Distributed in Continental Europe by Boxerbooks, Inc., &rich; in Canada by Fitzhenry €5' Whiteside Limited, Ontario; and in the Far East by Japan Publicafions Trading Co., P.O. Box 5030 T o b o International, Tokyo. Published ly Kodanshn International Ltd., 212-21, Otowa, Bunkyo-ku, ToTokyo, Japan and Kodansha IntenzationallUSA, Ltd., 599 College Aumue, Palo Alto, Califonia 94306. Copyright in Japan 1970, by Kodanshn International Ltd. All rights reserued. Printed in Japan. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 7%82659 I S B N 0-87033-1063; JBC No. 2075-781039-2361 First edition, 1970 Second printing, I972 Preface What we present in this hook is an introductory approach to the fascinating but relatively little-known combative art of Indonesia that is called "pentjak-silat." We shall outline briefly the background and essentials of the art and then the technical characteristics of some major pentjak-silat styles. In presenting a composite, overall picture of various tactics and training methods, we will illustrate the features that areintrinsic to the art, butweshall not attempt an exhaustive treatment of any one style. To the beginner, pentjak-silat may appear to be identical with-or a t any rate highly similar to-what has come to be popularly known as "karate" (more correctly, karate-do or karate-jutsu). There are, however, many technical differences between the two arts, though both, it is true, feature the many ways a man may use his body to dodge or ward off' attacks as well as the many ways he may retaliate against an attack by striking or kicking his assailant. To the untrained eye, these will appear to be similar actions, and although they in fact are not, pentjak-silat remains ofspecial interest to karate enthusiasts. By studying the book carefully and then by practicing the exercises, the reader will soon become aware ofsome of these technical differences. Although this knowledge is in itself of value, the distinctions will constitute only separate, acquired skills unless they are integrated through a formal study of pentjak-silat. Further, when these techniques are added to a substantial basic knowledge of karate, they form a source for surprisingly new and useful abilities both in original combat situations and in sport. We began, necessarily, where all orthodox pentjak-silat training does-with empty-hand skills, and continued on to armed combat. I n our study, we were faced with various difficulties. For one thing, the Indonesian climate can be a trying one; and for another, transportation in remote areas is uncertain. Sometimes, because of that fact, we were able to view much excellent technique only once, when we would have liked to study it far more thoroughly. Nonetheless, one of our major problems in compiling the book was that of selection. Although we investigated some sixty major pentjak-silat styles, space limitations have permitted us to deal explicitly with only about ten