I want to thank all the students who attend my Urban Silat Combat Kali adult classes this week and donated to the Philippines Disaster Appeal that we were running. We just have a small group of students who seem to have a big heart. We have been given the gift of learning Silat and Kali from South East Asian, so if was only right when the time came to give something back. I'm very please to say we not only reach our target but went by it and raise €200 which will be sent off tomorrow morning. Well done guys and thanks for the support.

One of the stick arts that we teach in Urban Silat is the Kanching Stick sometimes known as the lighting bolt stick. It get this name by the painful strikes, that can be delivered to the attackers body from very short range. The kanching stick can be used in all 3 ranges and each range has a corresponding hand grip, with varied techniques which can be used with that grip. The main range however is the close range which uses a lot of snake striking techniques. You can use it to thrust / stabbing way, you can use it in a slashing way, you can even use it to lock up your attacker. The kanching also can easily be replaced with a torch or bottle water for example, making it ideal for anyone to learn to help defend themselves, as they could use any similar item, to help defend yourself. More info at www.facebook.com/urbansilat

A great end to the week’s urban Silat training in Sheldon Park last night. Not a single person didn't leave class last night drench in sweat, with a big smile on their face. Everyone came with an attitude of wanting to learn which is vital in creating the right energy in class.

Class started with co ordination drills and from the speed drills, student practising freelance, where they could flow from one drill to the next, mixing drills up, going up / down, left / right at will. Great way to produce fast reflexes. From this into 3 partner pad work drills to help increase footwork awareness. Then into slap off techniques, which help students deal with aggressive attackers who slam into you at full speed.

Second half of the class students work on the Ular ( Snake ) Kicks from Toe point, to Shear kicks, Dragon (Heel) Kicks, Rising Snake ( Brilliant Double Kick) and finish the kicks off with Real Snake (Back Groin ) Kick. The class finish on Kilap hand strikes this is the ability to deliver multiple strikes with the same incoming energy. With practise most students can learn to hit 5 to 6 times per second, with more experience students getting 8 to 10 hits per second. These wouldn't be light hits but snapping powerful destructive blows that cause a lot and I mean a lot of pain.

Understanding snake system means understanding how to fight in close / zero range and using your body in a way to develop energy in its strikes (arms or legs) this is unique training, and students need to spend a lot time in this range, as tbh it’s a very scary range to be in, and the urge is to grab and hold the attacker, which at best leaves you both in even status, but more than often leaves you vulnerable to the attackers on going strikes or his co-attackers. Learning to destroy an attacker at this range is a great weapon in your arsenal, and one that the Ular Cimande system brings to the fore. Look forward to next week training where the journey continues

New class opening in Dundrum Sept 2013.

Principle of Penetration – Superior / Inferior Angles of Attack In Urban Silat we referred to the principle of penetration to the ability to penetrate our attacker defences and go straight to the source i.e the attacker’s body, head, groin etc.. any part which will stop the attacker ability to fight is the principle of penetration, but in the article we will talk about two angles, the Superior and Inferior. The superior is when you veer off to the side of the attacker strike (sometimes known as the female triangle) what make the superior angle is the deep penetration of movement which ends up with you almost behind the attacker. This is the best angle for all you strikes abilities are in range and can be use, and the attacker organ and weak points are open. The attacker has to turn / change direction to continue attacking and so that brief moment you have an opportunity to re counter or run away. This is our chosen angle. However sometimes this option isn’t open and we may to have to veer to the inside of the attacker’s strike. This is called the inferior angle. The main reason is that you are bringing yourself into full range of his other strikes and so you in a dangerous position, we call it in Urban Silat “No man’s Land” or Zero range. It is vital to immediate strike or block your attacker. The first thing you need to deal with is your attacker momentum, by using impaled techniques which cause a lot of pain, or limb destruction both of these are good ways to slow down the attacker. It’s important to be instantly aware of the second strike and be ready to block, or if the attacker is bit slow, move his body into a position where he can’t employed the second or third strikes as effective as he would like. On both of these angles you need to constantly deliver multiple strikes to rendering your attacker unable to continue his attack. For more information on Urban Silat classes, training, workshops, dvds and online email guruliam@hotmail.com or join us at www.facebook.com/urbansilat

Knife Reality v Knife Fantasy

After watching a clip today, i thought i would pen a few words on what I saw. To often knife sparring or fantasy techniques are put out there as a form of knife defence.

1) Knife sparring or duelling is not like the street. In the street, an attacker is going to move in fast and hard. The vast majority of the time you probley won't even be able to see the blade, and when the attacker moves in he will strike, and strike until the job is done, you will be pull, maul, clinched into a close range, and if you don't control the attacker knife arm you will not come of well, he will pummel you with strikes and it just takes just one of these strikes to end your ability to defend .. which brings me to next point.

2) Do not put one of your hand behind your back, whatever advantage you think you get by saving your free arm from getting cut, will definitely be overcome 100% by the ability of the attacker to cut the rest of your body at will. If it came down to it I would rather get my arm slash then have a knife stuck into a vital organ. Your free arm is not call your " Life Arm" for nothing. By having both arms protecting your body you simply increase your chance of survival then against one. Your free arm, can help control, guard and protect you. Maybe in the days of old with swords they might be some sense to have one hand behind your back, but not in 2013 against a knife or self-made weapon.

3) Never and I mean never ever.. ever.. turn your back on a knife attacker, or in fact any type of attacker, this is simply the worse, life threatening and most stupid thing you can ever do. I was watching a clip today where a knife expert turn his back 5 times on the attacker, completely exposing his back. The only exception to this rule is when you are running full force away. But spinning around exposing your back to an ongoing aggressive attacker is a one way street to meet your maker.

This is one of the problems with internet warriors and master, because they not testing what they do, and need to make up new material to keep the online student paying, always moving the goal posts, to keep money flowing. The teacher drift off to fantasy land to impress the students. Saying this new material is the most secretive, and has never taught before, is simply a clever marketing promotion, which engages the human ego, to believe there being showing something special. Believe me there are no secrets. Everything in combat that is functional has already being created and relive thousands and thousands times before. Thou there maybe is a reason why some techniques were not taught before, simply it doesn’t work in reality.

As a teacher myself i have a loyalty to my students to make sure what they learn is correct and practical, and when needed it will help them. What I teach is basic, very very simple and i will spend time on making sure the student can do it and in real time. I will make sure they can master one thing right then teach them 10 others that they can't perform in a stressful environment. There are many good styles of knife defence out there, do your research, make sure the teacher knows what he talking about and make sure you know the difference between fantasy and reality. Because the last place you want to learn the difference is in the street..

Inside our Pukulan Cimande System it is made up of a number of subsystems which each student will learn the technical aspects and the combat mannerism of. One of these is Monyet style for beginners and Kera for advance students. One of the core concepts of this system is the Decoy stances.

There are seven of these Stances, Horizantal, Vertical, Rib Opening, Tiger Cat, Roof Hit, Buddah and Back Open Decoy. There are use in a rapid moving forward manner, blending in with shielding and Bungai. Each decoy by it's very nature is offering a false target or opening to funnel in the attacker strikes to a kill Zone, where the defender can trap, lock or destroy the attacker ability to strike.

In this clip Guru Robert Scott is showing the Rib Opening Decoy and one of the many combinations that a silat student will develop from within to deal with an attacker. The student is taught to flow at will, against the attacker energy. In this particular clip Guru Robert is trapping the attacker, than learning to flank, and take the attacker to the ground. The Monyet and Kera systems, both operate in mid height and close to or even on the ground. The use of Elbows and Knees are often employ along with grabbing and tearing with the hand. Guru Robert teaches in Ballymena, classes are also available in Letterkenny, Firhouse, Walkinstown, Lucan, and Dundrum

Are you a true 21st Century Warrior ? You might be surprized

Are you a true 21st Century warrior ? You might be surprized.
After class last night, we were having a chat about people perception of what a warrior is. Going by the Internet there a number of people who would have you believe their some type of hybrid of Spartacus and Bruce Lee patrolling the highways at night protecting the innocent, and heading off to battles and wars at a moment notice lol Those very same guys are probably tucked up in bed this morning having a nice snooze, with mammy down stairs making the breakfast, a far cry from their internet identity.

 But in reality, is that how you see a warrior ? A walking collection of weapons, 6 pack, long hair, muscle bound, cool and collective it's no wonder many men find themselves in a rut, frustrated and depressed. This type of warrior may have lived in the past, but today that image only really exist for most of us in our xbox / t.v. digi box or somewhere in the back of your mind.

A warrior of 2013 comes in many forms, he / she may be the Father / Mother who reaches out and comforts his child, holding his hand or giving a hug to surround the child with love and support. He goes to work, his new battlefield and deals with all kinds of pressure for prob little money or thanks, but he continues for he has to support his family. A warrior today deals with the pressure of having to pay crippling mortgages and banks. The raiding hordes of yesterday replace with men in grey suits. The warrior continues as he has to keep a roof over his family. A warrior today supports his partner, with companionship, each looking after each other needs, dealing with each and every issue together. A warrior today looks after his community, helping neighbours, friends, becoming active part of his local community and a integral though smal lpart of his country needs, he still pays his active part. A warrior today tries to live a good life by showing honesty, empathy and compassion, he tries his best, and when he makes a mistakes, he get up, dust himself down and tries again.

So where are these warriors? Well you may be one of them, We are surrounded by them, they are the nurses, the shop keepers, the teachers, the farmers, the club coach. They are Fathers and Mothers. They are friends, you call in the middle of the night. They are even the lollipop woman, who helps your child cross the road. We are all warriors inside, each of us have a role to live and an important part to play, and even though you may not know it, to someone else you are a warrior to them. Have a look at the two photos, each showing a true moment of warriorship and be proud of who you are. Each one is a true warrior.

I hope you enjoy this article and it might give you a few insights into your self. Please feel free to comment or share.. Liam

Understanding the Jurus

Urban Silat - Understanding the Jurus.

In Urban Silat from our Pukulan Cimande side we have 18 standing Jurus, which form the foundation for our Cimande training. These 18 Jurus are divided into Male Odd numbers and Female Even Number Jurus.

At the start, the Jurus offer a solo training format for the student to practise at home and in class to develop correct movement. The student will focus on developing the techniques on both sides of the body, before adding footwork covering the four directions, sometimes knows as Lanka Umpat. The Jurus flow continuously and blend with the footwork. The next stage of training is adding the Low and High gate to the Jurus. This means doing the Jurus in a low posture and high posture, and then adding off timing movements to the flow, through hand slapping, decoying and stomping which helps increase the power of the hit.

As the student advances they begin to add in the animal mannerisms and elements to the Jurus, which all helps the Jurus become fully alive and a perfect unison between student and Jurus. From here the student adds his own flavouring to the Jurus, and begins to add different weapons to the Jurus.

Outside of Solo training the student can practise the Jurus against another student, developing the combat applications, which on Jurus one (The Father Jurus) teaches students the first two blocks as shown in clip, buka a opening move against a punch, and the delivery of punches and elbows. So you can see each Juru has many levels and we havn't even touch the internal aspect. Jurus are like icebergs, what you see is only really the tip, as much more depth lies within the Jurus, just out of sight. If you like the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMXAxI_PMs&feature=youtu.be and this small post then please join us at www.facebook.com/urbansilat or share the post.

Training is available for all levels from complete beginner to Martial Artist

How to say Goodbye

"How to say Goodbye "  point has come up to me a number of times, and I thought it could be the topic of first article for 2013.

 There are certainties in life, death and taxes as the saying goes but for martial arts teacher the third one is students come and students go. For some the journey of them training in a class can be short and others in can be long. The relationship between the student and teacher can also be very different. For some there nothing share between the two except money and service, while other teachers teach, in a more open, friendly and martial arts brotherhood way. Depending on the way these two relationships are, corresponds to the way you should say goodbye.

 If the relationship is simply about you pay and get a service, there probably no need for a good bye, other then making sure, you have paid up to date and given the proper notice of time to cancel according to your teacher requirements.

If the relationship is a good one between you and your teacher than these simple steps are a good guide and a honourable way to do things. 1) Tell your teacher directly and in person you are leaving in . If this can't be done then phone and talk, please don't do it by text or email, or even worse don't even let your teacher know (AWOL) or your teacher finds out second hand, it's soulless, disrespectful and means you didn't value your time with your teacher. He may be disappointed (least that's better in him be happy you going lol ) but he will respect that you took the time to tell him. Remember.. and this is always overlook by many " Your teacher accepted you, with all your faults, into his class and took the time to help you settle in, and tried his best to help you" he didn't have to do this but he did accept you ! 2) Make sure you give your teacher a bit of notice your intentions about leaving. Don't wait till a training payment is due and tell him then. Most teachers now have to commit months in advance to hire hall, pay insurance, make them selves available to teach etc.. by giving your teacher a bit of notice of what happening with you and your training, your teacher can make arrangements to look for another student. Most teachers have to budget for their clubs especially nowadays, and so by your actions you can suddenly change the budget, placing short term hardship on your teacher or club. Remember if you were in a job and your boss said to you, at end of today you no longer working, what kind of stress would that put you under. Teachers nowadays are under the same pressure, so try and give some notice, allow your teacher the time so he can either re adjust the budget or find a new student.

Now I know people today are more self center and don't care about others, but if you find yourself in a place where you have to leave training, these simple steps can help the process and does shows, even though you cant continue training you do respect what you learnt.. As a teacher myself I know how much it hurts inside when you put time into a student who claims they wants to learn and he just walk away without a thought. While others who stop training the proper way still remain friends outside of martial arts and may even return at some point. It parts of the martial arts process older students give way to newer students. Try and do the decent thing, no matter what style your teacher teaches, if you enjoy your time, and your teacher has tried his best for you..

Good luck to all the students and teachers of all styles in 2013