Southeast Asian Martial arts generally, and KunTao Silat specifically, are famous for effective use of the elbows as offensive and defensive weapons. But aside from these more obvious applications of the elbow in striking, blocking, and deflecting techniques lies a deeper principle: the elbow is one of the keys to martial arts. The elbow is […]
Tag Archives | Silat
Happy Birthday Pendekar Steve Gartin!
Happy 75th Birthday to Pak Steve!
Confusion Over Self-Defense
Confusion over Self-Defense The subject of self-defense, “real fighting”, & or whatever you call it causes a great deal of confusion in the martial arts world. Discussions over which style is best, what techniques work & which don’t, the usage of force multipliers, & legalities many times dissolve into the hell of one or […]
Bela Diri – Self-Defense
Many readers may or may not know that there is an epidemic of homelessness in the United States. Many major cities have large populations of individuals living on the streets. A significant number of these people suffer from mental illness and/or addiction. I bring this up as a lead in to this week’s subject: teaching […]
Why Are You Hitting Yourself?
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 […]
What kind of people train in KunTao Silat?
What kind of people train in KunTao Silat? KunTao Silat attracts mostly highly experienced martial artists who have been training in martial arts for many years or decades. Here’s a few who attended the First Annual American KunTao Silat Gathering at the Seventh Heaven Ranch in New Mexico 2016. There are also folks who begin […]
Pak Steve introduces knife basics
Pak Steve on Knife Basics: At the end of day one’s training events of the First Annual American KunTao Silat Gathering at the Seventh Heaven Ranch in New Mexico, Steve provides a knife basics homework assignment in preparation for the knife session of the coming day’s training. He demonstrates with training knives made by Sigung […]
American KunTao Silat Basic Applications
Pak Steve demonstrates basic American KunTao Silat applications at the First Annual American KunTao Silat Gathering at the Seventh Heaven Ranch in New Mexico.
Willem de Thouars demonstrates silat knife for Dan Inosanto
Willem de Thouars speaks to Dan Inosanto in two full-length DVDs produced by ThunderRock. This clip is from the first video in 1994 in Lakewood, Colorado. Ted Garcia assists Willem and Steve films.
Chas Clements
Pak Chas Clements Chas Clements is Co-Founder of KunTao Silat and one of the original Kun Lun Pai, a name given to a group of five men then surrounding and supporting the de Thouars Brothers in Denver, Colorado by Bill Chang {U. Un Surya}. Chas’ system, Pentjak Silat Betawi Muda is his personal martial lifestyle; […]