Kuntao Silat Controversy

[Kuntaoer]

A little background – I’ve been teaching KTS for over a decade now. Both in public scenarios and in more private settings. Having been lucky enough to train in person under Pak Steve provided an interesting window into the unique training methods of his Kuntao Silat practice.

You see, when I trained this art, all I did was do what he said to do. Trained the way he said to train. And this produced considerable results. The end result of this is that when I teach, my teaching has very little resemblance to what people think martial arts is. Sometimes I sound like the razy ‘bullshido’ guys, only with the exception that I can prove my point and have done so consistently against skilled opponents. It is controversial to be involved in old school training.

As I told one of my future best students early on in his training: “You will quit within three months.”

He denied this, and of course quit within three months. He went back to what he was doing previously.

Why?

Because it hurt. Not the hard training. He was a tough guy. It was the simple fact that everything I taught him was the exact opposite of the popular ideas of what martial art is. It conflicted with his faith in what to do.

However, he went back to his JKD club, and attended a seminar by a popular teacher. And he realized after a short period of focused training, he could make the material shown just work. Before it had been a chore – he felt like he had to force things to make them work.

So he returned. He dropped his other training, and asked – what do I do to be able to do what you do?

My answer was pretty simple: Just DO what I’m doing.

It is both as simple as that, yet as difficult as that. On reflection, simply following the framework for training that Pak Steve has provided produces repeatable, consistent results. The controversial fact that we are not in line with popular beliefs, really is no controversy at all – to those of us who do the work.

Seriously, if you follow the formula, and even get things kind of wrong, the art just starts working. But, if you focus sincerely on working it correctly, you skill level improves exponentially. Best of all, it is logically consistent. If you understand it, you don’t need to resort to kickboxing or other paradigms. It is functional within itself.

For the folks involved in the distance learning program or training in a club – I’d like to ask you – what sayings by Pak Steve really stand out to you and have helped your training? What sayings do you have questions about?

[Art Kidwell]

It does sometimes appear that decades of martial training can be an impediment to progress in KunTao Silat. Beginners have little or no baggage to discard before learning the KunTao Silat way.

The one that made the most difference is, “You must change the way you think. . . ” The one I think about the most, “Your LegWork sucks!”

KTS is a very unique experience; worth the trip.

[Kuntaoer]

It’s funny, I don’t think either gives one an advantage over the other once the training starts, just different blind spots.

But awareness of the popular ideas of what martial arts ‘is’ in todays society – wether one has trained or not certainly holds people back.

[Robb]

Actually i just got the chance to train by videos, using the Distance Learning Program but my previous Martial Arts training served me well. I just followed the instructions Pak Steve gives in the videos and paid attention to the way they used to move in the old days. Some movements were quite familiar to me but the legwork..the legwork was the key. In 2004 i injured my right knee and due to that i modified my training because i was scared of experimenting more pain: my stances became higher because of that. When i decided to start my KTS journey i was not able to keep the horse stance, the dragon’s tail sweeps were just a dream and also the king dragon sits and dragon steps were almost impossible to perform to me. I tried, no matter the pain and now, after a couple of years everything is easier and the pain in my knees is gone. There are a couple of Pak Steve’s quotes that helped me a lot in my training: “the basics are the advanced stuff” and “KTS is a Martial Life-style: you have to practice your stances and movements constantly, and incorporate ’em in your daily life”.

[Author]

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