I think I can take some things from it. Both philosophy and style. That is the essence of JKD and Combat fighting. Borrow from all, and make it yours! Like I say, it is very interesting.
Ok.. I don't wanna stir up the hornest's nest..BUT.... Although it's fine to take bit's of arts from systems here and there, you need to be careful when doing likewise with Silat. Many of the techniques that people see as the "end product" take more to develop than just doing the move itself. Simply taking the technique or move wont necessarily make it work for you, as it will be incorporated into a system that doesn't follow the same basic principles (movement, timing, etc...). I wish you luck, but would recommend you dedicate some time to find a teacher and learn the basics 1st, so you at least have an understanding of the principles, which will enable you to incorporate aspects into your existing methods a lot more effectively. Merry Xmas Wali
I'll 2nd Wali's statement - but I think it's true of any system/art. A case in point (specifically related to Silat) from my own personal experience: My instructor, Guru Ken, gave a Silat demo at an event - which means he beat the tar out of me and one of my peers (we're both instructors under Guru Ken). Several months later, I was visiting the school of a friend of mine who was at that event. My friend is a very good Kali man and has some Silat. He said, though, that he realized that his Silat was lacking something and asked me for some pointers. His Silat exposure had been almost exclusively technique based. He'd learned some juru and langkah work but had never really focused on using them to develop basics. Consequently, he had a lot of techniques, but they were unfounded. So they only worked about 60 - 70% of the time (instead of the 85 - 95% that techniques really should, IMO, work to be useful) - and when they did work, he was having to put too much effort into making it work. And, in my experience and opinion (I'm lazy by nature), there should be as little effort as possible - my principal in all my martial arts training (and life in general) is maximum effect with minimum effort. So I showed him some of the juru and langkah work that I do - but specifically, I recommended that he work juru and langkah (the ones I showed him or ones he'd learned elsewhere) and really focus on certain important aspects like body alignment, footwork, etc. And, like I told him, I think if he does that and has his students do it that he'll see a marked improvement in himself and in his students within a couple of months. I don't know if he's done it so I don't know how it's working out for him. But the basics are vital (in all martial arts, not just Silat - but in this thread I'm specifically referring to Silat). Some systems of Silat don't have juru and/or langkah - but many do. All have fundamental basics, though, that train the body to move in very specific ways - and those fundamentals are what make the cool techniques applicable. If you just pick up a few techniques, they probably won't work for you. And even if they do, you'll probably be putting way too much effort into making them work. Mike
Yes, I understand. Thanks for your input. My intention was to follow a path much as you spoke about. Not just learning the final flourish of move, but also the fundamentals that make the move work. Now after that I might adapt a bit and experiment incorporating into my personal total JKD/Combat system, but you both give sound advice.
I agree it is important to get a good foundation in Silat because it helps you understand the techniques a lot more. From my experience, Silat has a principles that need to be understood in order for the techniques to work properly. The Djurus, langkas and training under a good Silat instructor all helps! As a JKD man studying what is essentially a classical system, I think the important thing to do is to put everything in context, and not be bound by it! My aim is to train in Silat and see the art from "the eyes of Silat man" so I can understand. Then, I can do what I want with it!!
Pesilat makes an excellent point here. Most of our (Silat) techniques are built on a solid support system of entries, footwork, & timing. The "End Technique" is a cake that is the result of hours of baking. Having said that, once you get a good grasp of the art, with some really solid fundamentals, it IS posiible to "Borrow" techniques from other styles of silat, and make them work in yours. But we are speaking an a VERY advanced level, and I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner, or a "visitor" in Silat. Bobbe Edmonds
