Note: Posted to FMA because it was an FMA tournament and because Eskrima and Silat go well together
Competition has always been a bit of an issue for Silat players. On one hand, and no disrespect meant to the efforts of IPSI in making a competitive sport, it can turn into something that just isn't Silat any more. On the other hand, you have "traditionalists" who say "This is too deadly to use in the ring, any ring. You'll just have to take our word that it works." Just a little while back Mushtaq Ali Al-Ansari of Silat Zul Fikari and other martial arts too numerous to list demonstrated pretty convincingly that there is a middle ground. At the Sulong Tournament in late September he took a number or students who had been doing Silat, mostly for about a year, and tossed them into the ring with stick and knife fighters from a variety of Southeast Asian traditions.
The record speaks for itself. His students did very, very well against people most of whom had more experience. A number of other big winners at the event had cross trained with him. I wasn't there, so I'll let you see it in his own words.
I don't mean this just as a plug for Mushtaq or Chuck Pippin although they deserve it. And I'm not doing it to say that Silat is the greatest thing since crunchy peanut butter although I think it is. What's important is that Silat players are getting out there and fighting. They're having a chance to test their stuff against good players from other styles without having to water down their material. They're doing a good job. With any luck this will just be the first of many such events. Anything that keeps our reality checks from bouncing is all too the good.
Competition has always been a bit of an issue for Silat players. On one hand, and no disrespect meant to the efforts of IPSI in making a competitive sport, it can turn into something that just isn't Silat any more. On the other hand, you have "traditionalists" who say "This is too deadly to use in the ring, any ring. You'll just have to take our word that it works." Just a little while back Mushtaq Ali Al-Ansari of Silat Zul Fikari and other martial arts too numerous to list demonstrated pretty convincingly that there is a middle ground. At the Sulong Tournament in late September he took a number or students who had been doing Silat, mostly for about a year, and tossed them into the ring with stick and knife fighters from a variety of Southeast Asian traditions.
The record speaks for itself. His students did very, very well against people most of whom had more experience. A number of other big winners at the event had cross trained with him. I wasn't there, so I'll let you see it in his own words.
I don't mean this just as a plug for Mushtaq or Chuck Pippin although they deserve it. And I'm not doing it to say that Silat is the greatest thing since crunchy peanut butter although I think it is. What's important is that Silat players are getting out there and fighting. They're having a chance to test their stuff against good players from other styles without having to water down their material. They're doing a good job. With any luck this will just be the first of many such events. Anything that keeps our reality checks from bouncing is all too the good.
