With the myriad of choices in martial arts (Karate, Kungfu, Brazilian Jujistu, Muay Thai, etc), picking your first style can be a daunting task. Many martial arts experts agree that the school and its teachers often matter more than the style, as there are many self-defense techniques that are common to multiple martial arts. The proximity of the training location is also important for regular training and practice of the art, as is the purpose of training a style. Many martial arts try to focus on a particular goal whether it be for self-defense, sport, cultural heritage, discipline, camaraderie, artistic expression, philosophy, internal power, etc.
Silat is an umbrella term for martial arts native to South-East Asia. There is an incredible amount of diversity within Silat in itself that is impossible to limit Silat to certain characteristics. Within the last several decades, national organizations such as IPSI have attempted to codify and organize the varying schools (perguruans) for a more formalized understanding of the art. This has allowed UNESCO to include Silat in its list of cultural traditions.
With this preface, below are top reasons why Silat is possibly the best intro style for adults as well as youth who are beginning their journey in martial arts. This list will also have several reasons why you might want to steer away from Silat.
Top Reasons Silat is the Best Intro Martial Arts:
1 – You Learn Striking
In many perguruans, you will be first taught techniques that every fighter should know – like how to punch and kick properly. Punching and kicking are instinctual human attacking mechanisms that reveal themselves impulsively in a violent encounter. Silat refines them and provides a methodology of efficient execution of punches and kicks. Some arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), Judo, Aikido and wrestling do not teach striking. It is quite common within several weeks of training Silat, students can effectively defend themselves using basic punches and kicks.
2 – You Get To Use Practical Weapons
While most martial arts have some type of weapon training, in some styles such as BJJ, Muay Thai and Judo, weapon training is virtually non-existent. Yet knives account for the highest number of homicides in America after firearms. There are styles like Kung fu, Kendo, Ninjistsu that train highly specialized weapons – entering a kung fu school, you will most likely see an impressive collection of big, exotic weapons on display. In Silat, there is usually weapon training and the weapons are usually very practical. The golok or parang is a long bladed weapon in Silat that is similar to a machete, a practical farming tool that is found in virtually every rural society around the globe. The kerambit has proven to be so effective that it is replicated by large blade companies around the world. Silat also makes use of flexible weapons such as the sarong, which are inconspicuous.
3 – Animal Techniques are Just Cool
Humans have always been fascinated with animals and their movement – evidenced by the popularity of Spider-man, Batman, Antman, Black Panther and the interest in cat videos on Youtube. Similar to Kungfu, many Silat schools have techniques that mimic tigers, snakes, eagles, monkeys, etc. Silek Harimau is a style based on the movement of tigers. Many martial artists enjoy imitating the movements of specific animals; it adds an element of grace and excitement to their training.
4 – There is an Artistic Element
Karate and Kungfu sometimes get a bad rap for training of Kata or forms which are detailed choreographed patterns of martial arts movements. For others, these forms provide an artistic element to the style that raises it to the status of a genuine art form. Not everyone wants to be hitting a bag or beating on an opponent all the time. In Silat, there is a strong artistic aspect because during the Dutch occupation, Silat often could only be publicly displayed as an artform. In modern times, Silat practitioners around the world compete in tunggal, ganda and regu – all of which are quite impressive artistic expressions of the art.
5 – Augment Silat with Other Arts
Because in Silat you learn to fight in varying levels (standing, crouching, on ground, etc), augmenting Silat with other fighting styles is quite easy. For example, because Silat has take-downs, sweeps, etc, a Silat practitioner might have an easier time merging Brazililan Jujistu techniques to his/her fighting style than a boxer that fights mostly upright or a Taekwondo person that mainly uses kicks. The movement diversity of many styles of Silat make it easy to incorporate techniques from boxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Karate, BJJ, Judo, Kungfu, even wrestling.
Also, learning a striking art like Silat is easier when younger as kicking requires a bit more agility. Other more defense styles like BJJ and Judo have more complex movements that can be learned once you have a good grounding in a striking art. A few experts even recommend starting BJJ when older as it is much harder to learn proper sidekick at 40 than learning a triangle choke.
6 – Indonesian Language is Easy
According to a ranking of languages Indonesian is the 6th easiest language to learn by English speakers. The grammar is simple to learn as it has no concept of plurals and no tenses is one of the few Asian languages that uses the Latin alphabet. Also, there is no deference to gender (male or female) in pronouns. Japanese, Chinese and Korean, in contrast, are among the world’s hardest languages for English speakers to learn. This adds an extra level of difficulty if you decide to pursue further study in the martial art’s country of origin. Indonesia is based largely on the Malay language which is used in Malaysia and Brunei.
7 – You Protect Your Brain Cells.
When choosing your first martial art, safety in training must be a key factor for your decision. Boxing, once a popular combat sport is now fading due to the damage it can do to the brain. American Academy of Pediatrics vigorously oppose boxing as a sport for children and adolescents and some even contend that it is child abuse to have youth under 19 compete in the sport. Muay Thai is a very effective art that is used quite often in mixed martial arts, but it is also quite brutal in its competition mode. In Karate, a kick to the face earns you the highest number of points, three, regarded as ippon. Even in Taekwondo there is a chance for traumatic brain injuries due to the prevalence of head kicks. In the sport Silat however, all strikes to the head are illegal, making it generally safer for younger students and beginners.
8 – Women also trained Silat
In many traditions the art of combat was an exclusively male privilege. Japanese Sumo is still practiced professionally by only men. In contrast, many Silat schools come from family traditions passed from one generation to the next. Women were frequently trained in Silat in order to defend themselves against attackers from other tribes and ethnicities. Silat was also used fight for Indonesian independence. In 1949, Enny Rukmini, a 34-year old Pencak Silat practitioner joined anti-colonial forces in Indonesia. Following independence, she became the chief instructor at her father’s school Panglipur and subsequently a leader of the movement to introduce Silat into the school system. Today, some of the most decorated athletes in Pencak Silat sport are female.
9 – Efficient for Multiple Opponents
Brazilian Jui Jitsu gained popularity due to its amazing effectiveness in mixed martial arts matches where BJJ experts like Roice Gracie would submit martial artists from various disciplines with ease. There is a big debate over its effectiveness outside of the ring, where you have multiple opponents involved, weapons and even a non-matted floor (on a street, sidewalk, etc). A fight with only two people fighting and everyone else just watching is most likely a fight involving ego and pride and not a life-or-death situation. Since Silat evolved in a more tribal environment, one-on-one fights were uncommon and ground techniques of Silat usually allowed for a quick escape if needed. Developing this type of spatial awareness of one’s surroundings is important for beginner martial artists.
10 – High-Level Competition, but Not Too Competitive
Having high-level competitors is important for the development of a sport. No one wants to join a martial arts discipline where everyone is out of shape and unathletic. Yet, since Silat has only recently gained worldwide popularity, becoming a world champion is not an unrealistic task for countries new to Silat. In 2018, for the first time, two non South-Asian countries (USA and Uzbekistan) fought for gold in Tanding Class D Final (60-65kg). Pencak Silat sport is competitive, but not too competitive so it is impossible to win a medal in international competitions.
11 – Silat has a Rich History
Most martial arts trace their origin to one country (Karate – Japan, Muay Thai – Thailand, Kungfu – China, etc). Silat however is native to several countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and even parts of the Philippines and Thailand. Because Silat is not native to just one country, it limits governmental control over the art. (This is also one of the reasons why it’s popularity is less than other martial arts in the region). However, it allows for an amazing amount of diversity in styles and application of Silat techniques based on ethnicity and culture. In Indonesia alone, there are 1,340 recognised ethnic groups. Many modern perguruans combine several aliran or styles in their Silat curriculum. Indonesia was also briefly occupied by the Japanese, which had influence in the development of some styles of Silat. Kuntau Silat has a strong Chinese influence.
So there you have it – 11 reasons why Silat could be the best martial art for beginners. However, there are several reasons why Silat may not be the best for you as a beginner, and other styles might be more suitable. See reasons why Silat may not be the best intro martial discipline for you:
1 – Availability
Although Silat is contested in over 40 countries, its popularity in the USA and other western countries is severely limited. It may be wiser to find another art than to remain searching for a Silat school that is non-existent in your area.
2 – Sparring doesn’t strike to head
Many Silat practitioners get comfortable not protecting their head and are rudely awakened when they face a boxer or Muay Thai fighter. Learning basic boxing techniques is crucial for any more serious Silat competitor who wants to move to mixed martial arts.
3 – No codified training
Since Silat is not governed by one country, there is a lot of variety in the different Silat schools, which is not always a good thing. Some schools are steeped in rituals and value adherence to tradition over efficiency.
