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.

Next article Buaya

Introduction to The Other Animals ?

Hello everyone.
This article will be an introduction into a series of articles addressing the lesser know animal movements techniques and mannerisms that are found in Pencak Silat and the martial arts of the surronding peoples of South East Asia.
As you know ours and other systems have five main animal mannerisms which make up Pukulan Cimande Combat, Pukulan Cimande UK Pukulan Cimande Combinasi and Pukulan Cimande Pusaka.

These main animal mannerisms are for those of you who dont know the

• Harimau (Tiger)  
• Ular (Snake)
• Monyet (Monkey)
• Blekok / Bangau (Crane, Stork, Heron)
• Naga (Mythical creature, Long Dragon type moster)

These animals are the main phases or journeys that students of our style go through on their path to mastery
There we become the less known sixth animal "Man" or Woman sorry ladies ;)

Im asked sometimes by other practioners of Silat outside of Cimande as to why we make such a big deal about the animals almost  "venerating" them, when man is the "Pinicle of creation" made in "Gods own image"

We dont venerate any one thing over another, the animal systems to me are a personal journey in which we meet and learn from "Animal guides or friends" like once seen in Native American socities, these animal helpers teach us about themselves we stay with them for a while. In their company we are shown how they hunt, stalk, move think fight etc we learn from them, we thank them and move on the the next friend who in turn teaches us, until we have learned and experienced a jorney; a time in the life of a tiger, snake, monkey, bird these are combined into a ever changing mystical blending of the four which becomes the Naga.
Until we have learned and lived as them how can we be whole fighters whole people, from here we become "Man" but a man or women with a strong appreciation, love and respect  for our guides and friends in the animal kingdom, because whether we like it or not we are animals, we have all this technology , art, mathmatics high culture but we are essentially clever apes.

I often wonder that if a control group of us where dropped into the rain forests of say Papua New Guinea and left without our gagits, toys, tools, modern trappings, removed from the fine culture and arts all the things we hold dear and "civilized", may soon start to become less and less important replaced by the needs of survival, food, shelter etc.
How many generations down the line , left fending in the wilderness with nothing would remember how to play the piano, or do calculus? how long would our fine ideals and social trappings last?
Perhaps completly removed from what we have now 10 generations later re woulkd'nt even remember what all this stuff was, like some long lost magic perhaps eventully centuries even language would change.

Yes we would still be "Human Beings" but would that mean the same thing ?

Now lets say that we do the same experiment with our closest cousins the Orangutans, take them away from having to fend and live as they do under the constant threats of living in the rain forests, deforestation, starvation, Man!!! and left in a world like ours how many generations would it take for them to forget how to forage for food, to hold that mental map of the whole of there forest , where the trees grow at certian times of the year what fruit is safe, which animals not to play with they would'nt need to! move as they do through the trees how long before they picked up some of the things we do now? What would they be like a few centuries down the line, more like us than I think most religious leaders  and clerics would like to say.
Basiclly we are not "Better" just different! We live in a world where we were able to shape and control, take that away for a millenia or two and things would be very different.

Food for thought!

So I will be doing a series of articles on the lesser know animal "friends" seen and discussed in the arts of South East Asia.

First one will be Celing (Boar)

Guru Besar Liam McDonald Training Tips#2

 

 

Try to arrange a permanent slot for your training times lets say. Tuesdays 19.00pm. So no matter what comes up (unless its a complete emergency) you are going to train.
This will create in a few weeks a mindset that will mean your mind and body will be ready to train, and you won't procrastinate or try to come up with an excuse to yourself (or teacher) why you shouldn't train. As human being we do like a set timetable and a routine, we grow comfort from knowing where we should be, plus others will know what time you train. From my own experience students who fail to develop a good training pattern and start going to different classes and time slots each week, end up attending less and become frustrated. What could happen is the following.

Monday night.... "Ahh you know what I was on the drink at the weekend I give it a miss tonight, I feel better tomorrow night.."

Tuesday night... "Boss doing my head in, girlfriend wants to meet me.. ahh I give it a miss tonight, sure I catch up tomorrow night, I don't usually go Tuesday"

Wednesday night.. "Football on tonight , I want to see the match mmmhh sure I go tomorrow night"

Thursday night... "Jeess shouldn't have went to pub last night, I'm wrecked, need to catch up with myself, you know what I go at the weekend, that make up for missing class"

Weekend .. " Hey the weekend for party, to much to do, sure I prob wasn't missed at class, anyway Monday a new week sure I restart then, new week and all!

Is this You??

Posted by Liam Mc Donald at 9:49 AM 0 comments

The Silat Warrior

The Silat Warrior
(An article by my Guru Besar Liam McDonald)


The Silat Warrior walks fearlessly, with calm grace through the mysterious wonders of Life

His Knowledge has been imparted to him by his Master Teacher – a direct link in an unbroken chain of succession – guided by the sacred ancestral spirits of his lineage. Forever seeking to refined his own understanding of the art, the Silat student strives to be worthy of a place, within their ranks, and to be an inspiration to future generations of warriors.

His skills have been forged and tempered to a razor edge, by countless hours of dedicated practice. His techniques, honed to lethal perfection through direct combative applications in the training ground, now he stands ready in the depths of his sub conscious mind – awaiting only a moments warning to serve in his defence. He has intimate knowledge of the Way of the Warrior’s path: blade, stick, swords, chains.. hold no fear for the silat warrior, for they are his constant companions. He also knows that if necessary, he can unite any element in his environment as an extension of his will to overcome an adversary.

His spirit is tranquil and receptive – reflecting the very elements of creation. The elements of water, the grace of air, the stability of earth and the destructiveness of fire all find appropriate expression in his being. He learns the lessons of nature directly from his wise teachers. He can call esoterically upon his brothers the Monkey, Snake, Tiger, Crane and Dragon, as well as all of the sacred medicinal herbs of the forest to learn their profound secrets often used his spiritual energy to heal, but also can apply it in ways more destructive order to preserve the lives of those he protects.

His character is the clearest expression of his spirit. from the elders he has learned honour and respect. Remembering the great skills of his teachers, who bestowed humility upon him. As a result of his realistic training, he has learned the value of his life and therefore regards all life as precious. He would harm only if faced with no other alternative. He is mild in manner, and soft spoken avoiding vulgarity. He is at peace with his convictions and feels no need to confront those who challenge his views. He has absolute faith in the supreme power that guides his existence and can identify it’s presence in all the many religions that men have created to honour it. He recognized the elements of truth in all traditions and strives for it within the way of his own chosen path.

Thus armed only with his own strength and wisdoms the silat warrior stands ready to accept the challenge of his destiny…

The Principles of Destruction

The Principles of Destruction are the eleven major principles (Sa Belas Sila) which underpin the art of Pukulan Cimande.

1. The principle of penetration

 (penetrating strikes and taking the opponents space)

2. The principle of continuous flow and camouflage

(deception and stealth techniques)

3. The principle of adhesion

(sticking blows, sticking to the opponent)

4. The principle of bamboo

(the whip and ricochet hitting)

5. The principle of off timing - "Stealing the Awareness"

(mental, visual, and auditory)

6. The principle of compacting

(the secret of kilap and poison hand)

7. The principle of the thorn

 (impaling strikes using the elbows and knees)

8. The principle of decoying

(which includes indirect vision and indirect hitting)

9. The principle of destruction "Destroy or Get Out"

(Joint, Muscle and Nerve Destruction)

10. The principle of body armor

(positioning your body to protect yourself at all times)

11. The principle of trapping

(foot trapping and trapping to produce breaks)

1000th UK Visitor Mark

This week saw the 1000th UK Visitor mark.
An important marker for me and for Pencak Silat Cimande in the UK.
I'd like to thank my Guru, Guru Besar Liam McDonald for his teaching and mentoring, Guru Jon and Guru Tony
for their continued support.
To all my Silat brothers and sisters in Ireland for always making me feel welcome.
To my students for making it all worthwhile even the hard times And to my wife for putting up with my shit.

This weekend my first workshop will be a celebratory one and dedicate it to my Guru Liam.
See you all there.

Guru Besar Liam McDonalds Training Tips #1

Hello my Gurus latest article in a series on training tips.
I recormend ALL my students and potenial students read it carefully ;)
Link is http://guruliam.blogspot.com/
Those attending the workshop reminder that start time is 11 and we WILL start without you if are late.
Remember to bring training Knives, Gloves, and an old white T-shirt you dont mind getting covered in blood! .... sorry Ink lol.

See you all there )