Ending Article: My Paradigm About Martial Art Training and Education

In my country, there is a fact of most martial trainers forcing certain and rigid form of martial art to their students. An ideal form of their mind, without considering whether it matches to a student or not.

In my opinion, as a good trainer, we are the ones who should adjust form of martial art to a student's talent. If it is necessary, we should find out his/her talent and direct him/her to select a suitable martial art. To see illustrations, please read my former articles: How to Select Suitable Martial Art Based on Muscle Kinds and How to Select Suitable Martial Art Based on Your Nature.

Although our martial type is certain, for example Pencak Silat, we are still able to adjust it with a student's talent. For further example, his/her talent is at lock techniques, we can exploit it by training him/her lock techniques, heavy stances, and supporting muscle training more than usual.

But we still teach this student throw techniques. Far fight, punch and kick techniques, light stances still needed to train. The difference is at less proportions. Still, we should teach a total martial art. This is all we should do in education of restricted martial art.

That is all about my paradigm of martial art education. This is also ending article of this blog. To new readers who want to read Older Articles more, please click Older Posts on the bottom of this page. This blog consists of 3 pages. To old readers, thank you for reading my posts.

Karate: The Most Popular Martial Art

Who doesn't know Karate? A brave martial art. Almost entire populations in this world know it, a martial art from Japan.

Karate consists of two words, "Kara" and "Te". Kara means empty, Te means hand. So literally we could understand Karate as art of empty hand. Or in English term, we could interpret it as "unarmed art of fighting".

Karate is name of the martial art. Karateka is people who learn Karate. Karate-do is karateka way of life.

I am not a Karate expert, so we will not discuss the principles of Karate. It is better to discuss about its history.

In seventeenth century, Japanese conquered Okinawa. They banned all weapons of inhabitants, even farm devices must be stored in Government Ware Houses. The Okinawan people responded it by developing unarmed method of fighting to high level. They called it "Te", meaning Hand.

Local Chinese Immigrants contributed some of their ways of fighting, Chuan Fa. In this modern age, we call it Kung Fu.

After a long time, the name of "Te" changed into "Karate".

In 1922, an Okinawan Karate Man, Gichin Funakoshi, began to teach Karate in Japan. It became established in universities of Japan successfully (Thompson:Essentials of Karate:1990). From this moment, Karate began its modern age.

It is short history about Karate's beginning. The beginning of Most Popular Martial Art.

Pencak Silat: An Indonesian Martial Art

Pencak Silat is one of Indonesian Martial Art. Its origin is unknown historically. No historical evidence found about this matter.

Suroso Orakas, a Pencak Silat Fighter, guessed its basic was brought by Chinese merchants from fifth century to tenth century (Bela Diri Praktis Pencak Silat:1977:7). In the time, Strait of Malacca had been a central traffic of sea trade between China, India, and Nusantara (ancient name of Indonesia). This mercantile, religion, and cultural relationship was on top in 670s, Golden Era of Sriwijaya Kingdom. Sriwijaya was a famous Buddhism education center. Probably in this age Nusantara People learned martial basic from their trade partner, Chinese merchants.

In fifteenth century, Pencak Silat Teaching taken over by every "Kiai" in "Pondok Pesantren". Kiai is Islamic Priest, Pondok Pesantren is Islamic Traditional Education Center.

After long process which took centuries, finally Pencak Silat found its own personality like we all know now.

Buddhism Influence can be seen in Pencak Silat Philosophy. It teaches not to be the first attacker. Fighter who strikes first blow will lose the fight.

This is prediction of history of Pencak Silat. If you are interested in learning it seriously, please visit Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia. Or you can join Persekutuan Pencak Silat Antar Bangsa (Persilat), if it exists in your country.

Ninja: Principle of Stealth Fighter

Ninja, faceless men, expert fighters in infiltration and assassination, were not fiction but did in fact exist. They were Japanese Secret Assassin in ancient Japan from sixth century to beginning of seventeenth century.

Ninja way of life, named "Ninjutsu", taught an assumption that people can not attack whom they can not see. This made ninja developing infiltration and stealth techniques.

This principle could be applied in fight by three ways.

First, you can attack an opponent from his back silently when he has not detected you already. This is what the so called "Stealth Technique". It is most popular technique used by ninja in ancient time.

Second, when you have been fighting an opponent whom has detected you already, you can still move to his back. It requires leg agility, special technique, and intensive training.

Third, you can distract opponent's vision then attack him. For example, you can pretend you are grasping something, then pretend to throw it to his eyes. Although you throw nothing, he will still turn his face or cover his face in instinctive reaction to protect his eyes. This moment permits you to attack him.

In ancient time, ninja used the third application by throwing smoke bomb. As the smoke filled the air and opponent could not see clearly, ninja would attack his opponent. It was also possible the ninja would throw shuriken (ninja thrown weapon) first. While opponent was being hit or trying to avoid it, ninja would attack opponent with his main weapon, ninja blade.

These are application of Stealth Principle which was developed by Ninja, Stealth Fighter.

Bruce Lee: New Paradigm of Martial Art

Bruce Lee was a very famous Hollywood Actor. He was also a great Kung Fu Fighter. It is a pity he passed away unnaturally.

For the Western World, Bruce Lee introduced a new thing. It is how to use leg as a weapon in the fight. Before they know him, Western people always fight only with their hands.

For Eastern World, Bruce Lee introduced a new style in Kung Fu, Non Style Kung Fu. Before his appearance, Kung Fu Fighters always tied to a style. For example Snake Syle, Dragon Style, Tiger Style, and so on. He tought a form of fighting untied to style, but only concentrated on fighting techniques. For Kung Fu World, this is a new paradigm. One thing never exists before.


This is story of change done by Bruce Lee in Martial Art World. Hopefully, we could get benefit from his teaching.

Miyamoto Musashi: Principles of Invincibility

Miyamoto Musashi was an invincible samurai in Japan Feudal Era. He survived more than 60 duel and passed away peacefully on his bed. Facts about his historical existence are admitted.

One of the historical evidence is the book he wrote in 1643, entitled The Book of Five Rings. In this book he explained his principles of using sword.

First, he suggested to hold a long sword in one hand and a short sword in another hand. He said with this configuration you can overcome fight in any terrain.

Second, you must always fight with your back or your side to sun-shine direction. Do not fight in position with your front to sun-shine direction, except you have no choice. This is important to have your vision undisturbed.

Third, do not use sword techniques rigidly. Best technique is technique that saves your life, not standard technique which does not develop your skill or your position.

Fourth, if you are being ganged up on by many samurai, do not wait for enemies' attack. You must control them, not being controlled by them. Move and strike quickly to one direction and then strike again to other direction. Repeat this method. With this method, Musashi could defeat about 20 until 30 samurai alone in duel.

These are principles described by Miyamoto Musashi in his book. Hopefully they will be useful to Martial Lovers.

Unarmed Tactics: Fighting Many Armed Opponents

Fighting many armed opponents without a weapon is the heaviest form of fighting. Although you are skillful, this is still difficult to accomplish.

Basically, you must understand how to fight single armed opponent first. We could not discuss this form because it is too technical. Every martial art has its own methods to solve this situation.

These are suggestions for you if you have to fight many armed opponents:

Tactics 1:

It is better to run away if you are not very skillful. If you have been surrounded, penetrate out surrounding opponents. Find weakness or weak opponent. You could aim your escaping there.

Tactics 2:

When you are running away, try to find object which could be used as a weapon. It can be a wood stick, big stone, metal pipe, chain, etc.

Tactics 3:

You can enter a narrow path which only an opponent can fight you. It is an advantageous position. In here, you can disarm an opponent. The weapon you get can be used to fight them.

Tactics 4:

If you have to fight openly in wide terrain, you should fight fast. Have an opponent a living shield, so your risk of being injured could be reduced. Please see your trusted trainer to explain and demonstrate what I mean.

Fighting many armed opponents does not only need intensive training guided by a trusted trainer but also brave heart, deep calmness, and certainly: luck. My above explanation is only suggestion to help you fighting such opponents. Not best principles you must apply on absolutely