Maphilindo Silat

The style of Silat predominantly taught at Progressive Martial Arts is Maphilindo Silat, the name of which references the countries of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Developed by Guro Dan Inosanto from his studies with numerous Silat instructors, including Herman Suwanda and Edgar Sulite, Maphilindo is a blended style which builds on the traditional styles. In addition to the Maphilindo, Progressive Martial Arts  also takes account of the techniques and combat philosophies of more traditional foundational Silat styles.

Maphilindo Silat is essentially a counter-fighting style and incorporates empty-hand techniques along with the use of weapons such as the short-stick and sarong. A key goal is to manipulate and destroy a part, parts, or the whole of an opponent’s body in a minimal period of time. This goal is achieved by a flow of techniques and movement through the phases of entering, takedown, and finishing. The emphasis is on the concept of flow –  the smooth transition through a series of movements or techniques. To achieve flow, a martial artist must have a high level of sensitivity to the energies employed by an opponent in a combat situation.

The range of techniques used in Maphilindo Silat, and in the traditional foundational styles, involve major striking techniques including Finger Thrusts, Guntings, Elbows, Knees and Headbutts, along with manipulative techniques such as Arm Pulls, Head Pulls, Head Turns, Leg Sweeps, Knee Compressions, Arm Breaks, Elbow Levers and Chokes.

The self-defence applications of Silat are numerous, particularly in empty-hand attack situations, and its value as a street style is high with the emphasis on a short engagement time and strong finishing techniques.

To the martial arts student the ideas of Silat are straightforward and the techniques not overly complicated, however, continual practice is required to achieve the level of energy sensitivity and fluidity required for dominance in a range of situations. Training in Silat will therefore enhance the control a student has over their own actions as well as attaining a high level of control over the energy of an attacker.