One of the distinctive motions of Pentjak Silat has to be the percussive slaps players inflict upon their own bodies as they practice Djurus or play Kembanggan. While many Okinawan, Chinese, and Korean Systems may feature an occasional technique wherein the practitioner strikes or slaps against their own body, Silat is generally full of such […]
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The Difference Between Malabar and American KunTao Silat
Recently, I was asked an excellent question by a member of the Distance Learning Program: “What is the difference between Malabar and American KunTao Silat?” The answer can be simple or complex. Simple answer: Malabar KunTao Silat is the original curriculum granted to Pak Steve by the De Thouars family First Lineage Disciple, and contains […]
Engines of Destruction: The Difference Between Silat, Shaolin, and Taoist Mechanics
By Dr. Jonathan Pyndus on December 9, 2022 in Applications, Forms, Informational, Teachers, Training, Uncategorized
The following will also be found in some variation in the upcoming book: GuruMuda James Kern coined the phrase, “Destruction Theory,” to refer to how a martial art school develops and applies force (Fa Jin in Chinese) for combat. It’s a cute term, easily appropriated by any number of “internet tough guys,” but it gets […]
The Physics of Entering Stance
Stances are a key component of KunTao Silat, as they are in any system. Integral to our Family Art is the Entering Stance, as it is from this position that much of the ingress and body to body contact with the enemy is conducted. If we look at the structure of Entering Stance we see […]
Self Defense vs Fighting
By Dr. Jonathan Pyndus on September 30, 2022 in Applications, General, Informational, Training, Uncategorized
Depending on your background and life experience, the following statement may or may not make sense to you: fighting and self-defense are NOT the same thing. Now, let’s clear some semantics up: by “fighting” I am referring to a mutual physical conflict between two or more participants. “Self-defense” in this essay refers to the protection […]
Book Review: Meditations on Violence
Many people begin their study of the martial arts with the intention of developing self defense capabilities. Yet few people appreciate that the subject of violence is a complex one, and that self defense is as much a legal concept as it is a physical one (much less an ethical or moral one). Is a […]
Structure, Frame, Posture: Combat Shape!
Depending on the system and the teacher, a martial arts student will often hear references to posture, structure, frame, or stance. All of these are referring to the same core idea: proper alignment of the body. Classical martial arts of all cultures place a premium on developing structure, and it’s common for teachers to require […]
The Burden of Teachers
Recently, I had a patient come through my clinic who ended up having a spirited conversation with me. He grew up in a very conventional “Western” demographic, playing football in high school, joining a fraternity in college, and entering the “rat race” as an adult. Yet he practices Qigong and looks to Eastern Medicine when […]
Internal/External Horse Stance: The Root of KunTao Silat
By Dr. Jonathan Pyndus on September 2, 2022 in Applications, Forms, General, Health, Informational, Inner Circle, Teachers, Training, Uncategorized, Video
Depending on long you have been in martial arts, or how wide your experience has been with the innumerable traditions available to us now in the 21st Century, you may or may not have noticed that some version of Horse Stance (aka Tiger Stance in Malabar) is found in virtually every system. Even “modern” combat […]
Djurus Satu: One Form to Rule Them All
By Dr. Jonathan Pyndus on August 12, 2022 in Applications, Forms, General, Health, Informational, Inner Circle, Knife, Training, Uncategorized
It does not matter how many years or repetitions I have playing Djurus Satu. There is always so much more combat lore to mine from its depths I truly stand in awe of it. Of the various forms I have studied in 21 years of martial arts, an argument could be made for Djurus Satu […]