Basic Postures for Combat

Every specific style of pencak-silat has its own technical characteristics, chief among which are the combative postures and movements. By observing the posture an enemy has assumed, and his subsequent movements, an expert can tell immediately what particular style of pencak-silat he is up against, what attacks and defenses he may expect, and what defenses and countermeasures may be most safely and effectively used in coping with the enemy.

To categorize all the various combative postures pencak-silat makes use of would be a herculean task, and one obviously beyond the bounds of an introductory blog of this nature. However, there are certain typical combative postures that may-and indeed must-be recognized if the novice is to make any progress in acquiring skill in the art. He should study each as it is presented and learn to identify its essential technical characteristics; this, in turn, will give him invaluable clues as to its combative purpose and advantages.

In preparation for the emergencies of actual combat, pencak-silat exponents make use of extremely varied and interesting training exercises. Above all, they presuppose a strong and flexible body-one capable of executing specific movements with speed, force, and precision. Because a pencak-silat expert can go through his training exercises with such skill and grace, displaying a smooth delivery of action that is so subtly pleasing to the eye, many casual observers become convinced that what they are watching is in reality a dance form. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pencak is preparatory training for actual combat. Before taking up the all-important question of training exercises, however, some typical combative postures need to be described.