Langkah - An Outlooks

            Langkah or step is very important in Silat Seni Gayong. Langkah can be define as a pace of a foot or movement of a foot whether gyrated, stepping and anything that related to foot movements. Through my journey in Silat Seni Gayong I come across a various forms of langkah. What I notice most, especially in the standby position waiting for an attack. I am not going to elaborate on full scale on langkah. What going to be discussion board and share knowledge here is on langkah menanti or awaiting steps?

Parallel

            From north to south and from east to west we can notice the difference. At a glance there’s a different but if we really understand the formation it’s not a slight different at all. It’s matter of pedagogy of each instructor. Ok! Let’s revert back our memory on the awaiting step or langkah menanti. Commonly we can see three different methods of the forms. First parallel, second vertical and third in a 45degree stances on the leg. Overall at a glance if our understanding on the steps is narrow we will say that it different from what I have learned or maybe we will make comments.

Vertical

             But clearly there’s no different at all. Why do I say this? If an attack is made for the parallel position he only need to steps the foot backward into vertical position, and for the vertical position which I did mention earlier he only need to move its feet to a 45degree leg position and as for the 45degree position he just need to gyrating his foot .Whatever the positions are if an avoider need to perform a techniques such as grapping or combat at any foot work that mention earlier he could be able to do it. The only different here is the speed of the movements which generate from the footwork or steps. 

45 degrees

            Do we notice that the langkah which explained earlier are related? From parallel can turn into vertical and it continued to 45degree leg position. The most important is that to understand the langkah and making sure the understanding are measured with the applications. If we widen the understanding a bit we can notice the langkah can be applied at any position and at any angle of attacks. Why do I say this? Relations of the langkah will form a circular or round pace of the foot movements. This langkah can be seen clearly in the forms of which we named as golongan or formations. In the formations there is an avoiding and attacking techniques. The different is that the formations were made after the students have mastered the basic movements. It’s important for the judge to view on the formations in a belt grading which they exactly did it. The understanding of the langkah is very important in mastering the art of Silat Seni Gayong.

                       “ Tuntut Silat Seni Gayong Jangan Tuntut Silat Gayong”