Pencak Silat Training Exercise 8

The posture of sitting on the ground is the most truly characteristic of pencak-silat tactics; it is found in all major orthodox styles, although some have tended to minimize its use. Despite the variety of ways in which it may be employed, the basic factor, common to all styles, is that it is a deceptive tactic, a clever ruse by means of which you hope to lure your enemy into thinking he has found a momentary weakness in your defense. The following exercises allow the trainee to practice the basic forms of the posture of sitting on the ground and give some elementary applications as well. By means of the exercises, the trainee may develop a fine sense of balance, good judgment of distance, and unexpected strength and flexibility of leg and hip. The physical exertion involved in the exercises is valuable enough, but when they are correctly performed, smoothly and rapidly, they become the foundation for efficient fighting tactics. Four pencaksilat styles have been studied to describe the mechanics of this ground posture, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized. As a preliminary remark to the methods given below, it should be noted that the posture has two aspects. One, called depok, results from the withdrawal of the forward leg of your combative posture and bringing it in front of your platform leg as you retreat from the enemy and lower your body to the ground; or you may advance, bringing your trailing leg forward but behind the leading leg of your combative posture as you lower yourself. The other aspect, the opposite process of leg positioning, is called sempok. Here you bring the leading leg behind your platform leg as you retreat and lower your body to the ground ; or advancing, you bring the trailing leg forward and place it ahead of the leading leg as you lower your body.
Both depok and sempok must be practiced until they can be performed with flexibility and power as you advance or retreat from both right and left combative postures.

METHOD A. The following exercise is used for depok training on the island of Madura; it is in the Pamur style. Stand in any combative posture (right posture is shown in # I ) . Shift all your weight to your left leg and retreat from the enemy by bringing your advanced right leg back and in toward your platform left leg j# 2). Draw your right leg up by bending the knee so that you are standing on your left leg; maintain balance by means of your arms (# 3). Quickly bring your raised right leg in front of your platform left leg as you lower your body (# 4). Sit down on the ground, with your weight evenly distributed and your arms in protective position to block or parry (# 5). Rise quickly and smoothly by reversing the action and return to your original combative posture.

METHOD B. The Maduran Pamur style of sempok in this exercise begins, for the sake of simplicity, from a right combative posture (# 1). Retreat by withdrawing your advanced right leg and bringing it up to your platform left leg (# 2). Bend your right leg at the knee and bring it behind 7 your left (# 3). Put your right foot down somewhat to the left and sink to the ground ($4 4). You must sit with your weight evenly distributed. Rise by reversing these movements and return to your original combative posture.

METHOD C. The Madurese Pamur, exponent executes the depok in retreat from his enemy by kicking as he rises. Assume the depok in Method A (# 1). Rise quickly (# 2); as your weight falls onto your left leg, twist to your right and swing your right leg forward into a frontal snap kick action; your platform foot pivots a bit toward the enemy, and your arms help to maintain balance as you kick (# 3).

METHOD D. The basic Madurese Pamur sempok exercise is also given an applicable meaning by means ofa kick action. Begin from sempok as would be taken from a left combative posture (see sketch). Rise quickly (# 1) ; and, as your weight falls on your right leg, swine your left leg forward into a frontal high kick (# 2).

METHOD E. If the Madurese Pamur exponent is in a sempok (taken from the right combative posture shown), he can rise quickly and hold a new combative posture which threatens kicking by side thrust action (# 2-# 3).

METHOD F. Exponents of the Bhakti Negara style also come out of sempok posture in various ways. First, assume a sempok taken from the left combative posture (# 1) ; them rise quickly until you attain the position shown in # 6. At this point, according to the situation confronting you, you may do one of several things:

1. kick directly forward with your withdrawn left leg in snap kick fashion or use a high kick (neither action is illustrated) ;
2. step forward on your left foot and then quickly deliver a forward snap kick with your right foot (# 7) ;
3. step forward on your left leg and then quickly raise your right leg in a new combative posture that offers a threat to the enemy (# 8).
   

These three actions are, naturally, reversible; that is to say, you may use them to go from a standing posture to the sempok. In all actions, pay particular attention to protective arm and hand actions.

METHOD G. The Bhakti Negara exponent will on occasion combine changes of combative posture and position with the sempok. First, assume any right combative posture (# 1). The next maneuver may take one of two forms: you may make a wide step directly your right with your right leg, swinging it in a short arc to your right rear (# 2), before going down into sempok (# 4-# 6) ; or you may pivot on your left leg (which is to the rear) and swing your right leg back 180º so that you assume a left combative posture (# 3) before going down into sempok (# 4-# 6 ) . By reversing the actions, you come from sempok back to your original right combative posture (shown in # 1). Here, too, special attention must be paid to arm and hand action.

METHOD H. Perisai Diri makes use of the sempok position from which to deliver a thrust kicking action. First, assume a sempok from the left combative posture (# 1). Then drop your body to the left and front, hugging the ground, supporting yourself with both hands, and letting your left buttock touch the ground; simultaneously deliver a thrust kick with your right leg (# 2). Now spring to your feet as quickly as possible using the thrust of both arms (action not shown). Since your kick should, obviously, be aimed at some vital portion of the enemy's anatomy (knee, groin, midsection, rib area), the target you choose (if you &e dealing with only one enemy) should be to your right and somewhat to the rear. However, if you are confronted by two enemies, you may face directly into one (as in # 1) and attack the other provided he is behind you and to the right.

METHOD I. Cingrik exponents of west Java often use the sempok in order to rise quickly, aim a false kick, step down, and attack with their arms and hands. From the sempok taken from a right combative posture (# l), rise as speedily as possible and fake a kick with your advancing right leg (# 2-# 3) ; then step down quickly in a long lunge forward (# 4-# 5). Of particular importance here are the arm and hand actions based on those of the fighting monkey (ngrik
who claws at his enemy's vitals (usually the throat and groin).