Combat Situations

The sampling of basic pencak-silat tactics that follows, Although presented in the form of hypothetical combat, is based on realistic occurrences that are fairly common. The situations and responses are intended to be utilized for purposes of self-defense, to be sure, but many of the situations may be put, just as they are shown, to the uses of sport (as for karate-do), while others may be modified with the same aim in mind.

Each of the tactics described is typical of the pencak-silat style from which it has been taken. It is, therefore, by no means the only solution to the given combative situation, since every other style would have its own answer to the problem; the answer given may, in fact, not even be the best-but it will, nonetheless, be found effective, and it is representative of its particular style: its exponents found it adequate to meet the situation described.

Although pencak-silat is a defensive art, it recognizes the truth of the old adage that "the best defense is a good offense?". In some of the situations that follow. Therefore, the fighter designated as the defender will be found to be more nearly an aggressor than the enemy he faces. The trainee should have no difficulty distinguishing between the offensive and defensive actions of the designated defender. The combative action in this final chapter is intended to suggest the "silat" part of pencak-silat-in other words, the real fight; but in actuality, for reanons of safety, only the high-spirited hut controlled pencak action has been photographed. It is nonetheless distinct from the pencak-silat training exercises of the preceding chapter in the sense that all the photographs are of free-fighting action. It is based on the training exercises, and is, in fact, an application of the skills that they are designed to impart. It is obvious that without adequate knowledge of the training exercises, and sufficient practice in them, there can be no free-fighting pencak skills-nor any effective silat. For these reasons, the reader is strongly advised to master the previous chapters thoroughly before he attempts the combative situations and actions described in this final chapter. Where the combative situation is based on a particular training exercise, reference to that exercise will be given; if there is no reference, the trainee may go ahead with the combative action without directly consulting the preceding chapter-but he must realize that a thorough knowledge of its contents is essential to skillful action in the situations that follow.