Introduction to the Other Animals (Part 1)

CELING (Boar)

Hello again.
Firstly a big shout out to my Silat Brother James Thomas in Wales and the people of the Boar This ones dedicated to you.


Before I beging this journey into the lesser known animal systems from South East Asia I have the obligitory disclaimer:

• These animals are NOT part of the Cimande curiculum I study under Guru Besar Liam McDonald, or any of the Guru's under him.
• I make no claims that they are
• These articles are meant in no way, disrespectful to their teachings
• These are included because I have had exposure to them from early study and trainings. 
• They ARE part of my journey through the martial arts, part of my expression, my expirence.
  
• Because they are fucking amazing
• Blend so well with the Silat I have and do study , regardless of dogma or style.

That done, lets get on to the Boar.
The Boar is an important animal in many of the South East Asian martial arts, especially the Myanmar (Burmese) arts of Bando (pronounced Bandu) and Thaing. There ARE Boar systems to some small degree in a few Silat systems too, although now quite rare and mostly found in Indonesia.
One of the only teachers publicly teaching a portion of the Celing system is my friend (In mail corespondance only) Guru Besar Sean Stark of Pencak Silat Pertempuran.
Please see link to his website on the left hand side of this blog.
Guru Besar Stark is a FINE persilat and a great teacher from what little I know of him and yes some of his titles are in my Silat collection.

"What ! Herasy!"                 No....! There good, he's very good and its all Silat!  Now get over it!

Its not hard to see once one watches a boar charge. why ancient and modern warriors of the more animistic persuation would want to model themselves and some of their movements and attitudes on the boar.
The boar as been a symbol admired by warrior socilitys the world over a powerful talisman and totem animal even here in Celtic lands a symbol of the Ancient Britions (Modern Welsh) and also across the sea in the myth and legends of Ireland (Eire)

A quote from the famous Celtic poem The Song of Amergin from the Book of Invasions the mythological history of the invasions of Ireland these words spoken by Amergin of the Milesians once he set foot on the sacred shores of Eire as a challange to the people Tuatha de Dannan. theres a line amongst the boast and claims "Iam the Wild Boar in Valour"
This speaks volumes of the signifcance of the boar an amazing peice of literature in its own right worth a read for anyone.
Anyway Guru Jon and the guys in Eire will know all about this and I dont want this to be  talk about Celtic histroy!
Gaelic Song of Amairgin (Amergin)

Wherever  and whomever in the world from Indonesian and Myanmar to the west shores of Ireland all these different cultures have a respect and apreciation of the power of the boar.
Boar Charge  As you can see from this Youtube clip the charge of the boar is very fast and powerful, so

why do we care?
What can it teach us?

Boars are small built low to the ground but powerful and DETERMINED, I've seen a boar charge a much larger female Lion repeatedly see Boar Lion @ 0. 28 you can see the proper charge causes the Lioness to forget all plans for dinner ;)


The Celing system is based around the idea of "Rushing" by this I dont mean just doing something in haste, I mean the idea of rushing and charging an opponant, constant rams from a fairly close range there's a heavy emphasis on lowline destructions to the oponants legs with kicks and a LOT of knees. Like the boar we want to shread the legs and thighs or lower abdomen of our target.

Our knees become the tusks.
The end of the following clips shows what a passing rush from a boar can do to someones thigh. Boar injury @ 1.25 you see the short range charge and @ 2.15 the result.
We aim to do this to facilitate a powerful and determined entry into zero range destroying the thigh or leg of the prey on the way in and not before but simultaionously as part of the charge using angles to cut the line and repeatedly charging and ramming the legs to enter destroying the treat with elbows and headbutts.

Celing training consists of a lot of leg conditioning not just for strength of your legs and low posturing but their ability to deliver damage, conditioning the shins and knees, learning footwork patterns and angles to give that expolsive entry and again the emphasis here is to explode into the target. It cant just be fast or it will be "read"
drills to teach an explosive charge and the range is incresed incrementally until one can explode from 5-6 feet!

When done corretly regardless of training the instinct is to move back as the sheer fierceness, away from the impact which is just what the boar exponant wants repeatdly charging and destroying until he "runs over" the oponant or smashes him to peices with elbows and headbutts.

Intention is important here, as is the building of corage and ternasity. As mentioned primary weapons are not just knees, shins elbows head and teeth, but the whole body as an object is smashed repeatedly into the target, impailing with elbow on knee on entry, body weight is important you have to go in with full intention, holding back or going in tentivly, without the heart and courage of the boar means your impitous will be lost and you can be countered you must be very agressive destructive

ferocious and domineering’to get the effect of terror in the target.

Thanks for more information on Celing drop me an email at  simpson76@tiscali.co.uk if your in the Nottingham area give me a call and drop by a class.

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