Engines of Destruction: The Difference Between Silat, Shaolin, and Taoist Mechanics

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 point across.

We are very fortunate in KunTao Silat in that we get to draw from three major “Destruction Theories”: Pentjak Silat, Shaolin KunTao, and the Internal Taoist art of Poquazen KunTao from Grandmaster Bill Chang.

When discussing the body mechanics and physics of power in martial arts, it needs to be acknowledged that there are certain universal principles at play that result from the fundamental structure of the human body and its relationship to environmental factors like gravity, friction, etc.

The body is mostly liquid.  That means that when the body moves, waves naturally result as the force of kinetic energy travels through.  Due to the circumstances in which they were conceived, different martial arts have different approaches to managing this kinetic energy as it passes through the liquid mass, but all agree that the body must be trained to allow this kinetic energy to efficiently travel through the liquid mass and transfer on contact to a target.

To issue or receive force effectively, a stable base is needed to launch from.  This means that the stance of the body at any given moment must have balance and structure.  The bones need to align in such a manner as to:

1) resist the constant pull of gravity without causing undue strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia

2) allow for mechanical efficiency in energy transference, whether from the base (feet pushing into earth against gravity) up and out through the contact surface on outgoing, or dissipating an incoming force on contact down through the body back into the earth.

This connection to the ground is commonly referred to as a martial artist’s “root.”

While pushing into the earth with the feet to initiate force is fundamental, another common power generation method is some variation of a “drop step.”  In this approach, the mass of the player is suddenly dropped via a falling step of some kind, harnessing the subsequent momentum to convey into a target.  Most martial arts with a striking component have some variation of this idea, some systems like Hsing I have several.

When kinetic energy is bled off due to poor skeletal alignment on outgoing, power is lost.  When energy gets stuck in the body due to poor alignment and/or excessive tension in the muscles and connective tissues (often a result of poor skeletal alignment) on incoming OR outgoing, damage to the body is likely.

Once a good stance which meets the above criteria is achieved, the natural rotational nature of the spine, pelvic girdle, and limbs comes into play.  Contact with the earth plays a role in almost all methods of power generation which the human body is capable of, yet once the initial wave of kinetic energy is generated, it must be managed via the spine and pelvis in order to be expressed.  The “core” of bones and tissues from the perineum up the spine and through the pelvic bowl plays a key role in the management of kinetic force.  At the very least, the force must not get “stuck” as discussed above, lest damage can occur not only to the joints and connective tissues but the organs too.  Ideally, the natural rotational capacity of the spine, pelvis, and core muscles is harnessed to not only transfer but accelerate kinetic force.

By the time the energy transference reaches the upper limbs (assuming it has not already been released via a kick or body collision) little more is needed save for a mechanically efficient positioning of the arm to complete transfer.  Many systems also employ a twist of the forearm to further accelerate the oncoming force, but this is not universal.

With this set of First Principles established, we now look deeper at the three lineages from which KunTao Silat derives its Destruction Theories.  It is worth noting a common geographical pattern in that martial arts of North China (north of the the Yellow River)  and North Indonesia (Sumatra) tend to be posture/stance based, whereas “Southern” arts (South of the Yellow River and Javanese) often teach upper and lower body arts separately, then integrate.  Stance based arts tend to harness the kinetic force of transitioning from one stable position to another to create force, whereas arts that teach upper and lower body separately and then integrate often have sophisticated methods for generating power with the core muscles while holding a stable stance with the legs.  As with any generalization exceptions are noted.

We will start with Pentjak Silat.  Our lineage derives its Silat from the Javanese systems of Serak, Tjimande, and Kendang.  Due to the unstable terrain of its tropical geography, Javanese styles teach hand techniques (djurus) and leg techniques (langkhas) separately, creating the ability to creatively integrate upper and lower body skills in a free form manner once their mechanical, strategic, and tactical purposes are inculcated into the practitioner’s subconscious reflex.

The reason for separating these skills can be seen in the various environs of Java itself: muddy jungles and rice paddies, sandy beaches and riverbeds, rocky volcanic mountainsides.  Footwork can be precarious on any one of these; hence Silat’s well-earned reputation for exceptional footwork.  But mobility will vary depending on location, so the Indonesian warriors had to devise methods which allowed them to strike and grapple with force while also maintaining balance.  Moreover, with the deadly reality of bladed weapons being a major factor in conflict, Javanese Silat fighters also needed to have considerable speed and agility.

Thus the Destruction Theory that comes to us from Javanese Silat contains ingenious methods for allowing a fighter to strike with lightning speed and thunderous power (Kilap) whether they are moving their feet or holding their ground.

One of these methods is a variation of the drop step method commonly called, “seating.”  The Silat player drops suddenly into a stance, channeling the reverberating force out into his or her blows or holds.  The difference to very similar Chinese methods is that Silat players will disconnect and reconnect both feet simultaneously to the ground.  Chinese fighters tend to follow a principle that one foot stays rooted at all times, even during “drop” steps.

Javanese Silat also makes use of a unique type of waist power in that rather than rotate from inside the pelvis at the tip of the coccyx as seen in Chinese arts (opening and closing the hip girdle or “Kua”), they develop the natural rotational capabilities of the obliques allowing a twist of the abdominals to wind up power and release like a rubber band.  This allows even a seated fighter grounded in mud to produce fast, whipping strikes.

Petjut, or whiplash, is a characteristic principle of our Silat.  The player masters sudden tension and release, creating a bullwhip like effect that throws strikes out and withdraws the attacking limb quickly before a potentially bladed counterattack by the opponent.  This same explosive power is used in seizing and twisting the enemy’s neck and limbs, creating a shocking, shearing effect that negates the often impractical precision holds advocated in many other joint locking arts.

Silat players in our lineage tree typically root in the ball of the foot.  This grants them lightning speed for leaping, turning  and twisting, and also allows for their form of dropping power without risking injury to ankles, knees, and back.  This greater mobility is also vital for regaining balance should a player lose their footing on unstable ground.

If our Silat arts prioritize speed and agility, then it can be said that KunTao favors power and stability.

Chinese arts tend to keep the heel down as they root, allowing for a lower center of gravity while simultaneously committing more mass into each movement.  This is arguably slower than the Indonesian approach, but it also produces more raw power.

This could originate in the difference in arms employed: Javanese Silat systems are famous for close quarters knives, short swords, machetes, and sticks.  Classical KunTao styles, particularly of North Chinese heritage, descend from battlefield arts with pole arms and heavy swords meant to overcome armor and overwhelm through sheer force.

Malabar KunTao Silat draws primarily upon the Shaolin arts, with the Shantung Black Tiger art of Pai Yun being the exemplar.  Here we see deep, strong stances that push into the ground to generate force.  The pelvic girdle opens and closes as it rotates, turning the entire spine to accelerate the force.  The arm is essentially thrown at the target, like an iron ball on a chain as the fighter shifts or steps from stance to stance.  At the moment of impact, then tendons and muscles engage, supporting the joints and unifying the frame, creating an explosion of power on impact. Essentially, the enemy is struck with the accumulated force of the entire stance focused into the single point of the striking surface used. The Shaolin arts spend a lot of time developing the capacity of the tendons to manage such forces via plyometrics and dynamic tension for power and isometric stance holds for stability and endurance.

The Shaolin and Silat arts that seed the Malabar system both assume a high level of functional strength and flexibility in the practitioner, as low stances are not only held as exercises but employed dynamically in combat.  Both arts also employ leaping tactics and level changes.  When in motion, it can be quite difficult to differentiate the two.

Ling Sing Toi, the fifth form of Malabar KunTao Silat, also contains movements characteristic of Hakka martial arts of South China, typically labeled Shaolin but unique in their own right.  Like Silat, these Southern arts train hands and stances separately at first.  In Malabar KunTao Silat, the Dragon and Mantis strikes in Ling Sing Toi are mounted onto the Tiger and Dragon Stances of the Northern Shaolin and Pentjak Silat systems, plugging in holistically.

The Taoist art of Poquazen is also represented throughout Malabar via the twisting, circular footwork in Langkhas Monyet and the final sequence of movements in Djurus Satu, but the unique mechanics of the Internal Chang Style were traditionally not taught or clarified until after a student reached GuruMuda level.  Thus, the frame was in place, but the student was still operating with the Silat and Shaolin Destruction Theories.

American KunTao Silat starts the student out with the Silat mechanics but replaces the Shaolin engine with the Taoist body mechanics taught by Grandmaster Bill Chang.  The Taoist or Internal Arts differ from the Shaolin in that rather than “fire off” the limbs at the enemy from a stable base, the entire body mass is launched into each movement, with whichever striking surface then focusing that force into a deadly point.  That is not to say that Shaolin arts do not step into their strikes or employ whole body collision tactics; rather, the Taoist arts minimize the large, dynamic movements of the upper limbs in favor moving the entire frame at once.  Physical tension is kept an a minimum to allow the liquid mass to crash into the target with little interruption.  Deflection, absorption, and redirection are studied in greater detail and prioritized over raw power. The drop step is key here, and methods similar to Hsing I are abundant in KunTao Silat, albeit taking on their own flavor as our Internal methods come via Poquazen, aka Baguazhang.  Poquazen and Pentjak Silat both make clever use of a healthy spine’s natural spring quality, particularly when coupled with hip hinging power.

Both traditions also employ nigh-identical coiling and circling motions for defense and offense.  Coiling allows for a greater kinetic force production via the recruitment of more mass yet require less distance to accelerate effectively.  Moreover, coiling motions also make the fighter harder to hold and control in close quarters and allow for the natural presentation of the bone shields against the enemy.

Thus, in KunTao Silat we find three unique expressions of martial arts power theory brought together.  This gives each player many options as far as developing effective techniques.  This is also why advanced players can have very different looking forms in practice, yet in application all function with deadly effectiveness.  The inherent similarities of the Silat, Shaolin, and Taoist arts blur further as they integrate into a cohesive whole greater than sum of its parts.

Dr Jon