Grasping Fist

            A correct method of holding a grasping fist is very important to prevent from being injured. Before going for further techniques the Silat Seni Gayong student were taught to fist grasp. Every martial art has their method of holding a fist and some maybe taught in the training and some may not. It is up to the individual to hold his fist because grasping fist is a normal behaviour and natural.

            In Silat Seni Gayong there is a method of holding a fist. In order to do that a student were shown the method before doing any punching. Firstly we have to open our palm and bend the fingers according to the fingers joint at the count of two and at the count of three bend again the fingers bending the next joint where it create a pike and then again bending the fingers until the middle of the palm and hold tight. The thumb will strengthen the hold by supporting the fingers at the bottom and hold tight.

           When holding the knuckle make sure there is no air in the holding and all the energy of the fist are gather at the fist. The fingers which are bend must be straight knuckle when the holding is made. After all this preparations the students will be asked to lift their fist forward and will be check on the hold by pushing the knuckle backwards. 

           A mistake normally made when holding a fist is grasping it loses and place the thumb at a wrong place. If this is happen when delivering a punching it might injure the fingers.  Remember, a correct holding of a fist not only prevented from injury but delivering the fist with power and speed. When applying a punching we must make sure the wrist is straight to support the impact that made by the fist. I hope with this simple explanations will make our training more perfect. Train with all the excitement and pleasure. Cheers.

                                                           “Slowly but Surely”

Perlimau Seni

Machete Training

        

             Perlimau Seni as it was called was a custom ceremony in the practise of Silat Seni Gayong.  What can be defined as Perlimau Seni is the act of accepting a student of Silat Seni Gayong to the art of seni. What is art of seni? The art of seni is an art of striking, grappling, foot movements and many more in a perfect order. What we had be inform when someone has to perform a Perlimau Seni , they are told that it is a next level of having a right to train with weapons. That remarks is not that accurate, for understanding what perlimau seni all about was. 

            Training with weapons need a good and a perfect movements and accurate movements in order to avoid from been hurt. Maybe a confused and understanding of this significant of Perlimau Seni been medalling in the students mind.

            Perlimau Seni was implemented to making sure that all the students been accepting in the seni level after training in the tapak level which the students are accepted in a ceremony called Perlimau Tapak. In the level of seni it is consists of striking, grappling, foot movements, weapons handling and many more which the students are accepted in a ceremony called Perlimau Seni.

             Let me elaborate a bit more. For the male practitioner they are accepted in a tapak level which is surrounding in the level what we called as Tapak Gayong. To make and easy understanding on this terminology, Tapak Gayong can be defined as an act of bersilat. Along the process of training and well versed of Tapak Gayong they are accepted to a next level as what we called Tapak Seni or Seni Gayong. If we recall back the name of the whole systems of Silat Seni Gayong, we are in the words of Silat and Seni at this level, and Gayong for the next level which are to complete the art itself as Silat Seni Gayong. 

             I hope with this explanations will understand the meaning of the terms. Perlimau Seni is not just for the next level of a right to train with weapons but it is more than that, the scope are more wider and the knowledge in this level are more significant in understanding the whole concept and philosophy of Silat Seni Gayong. 

             Just for a point to ponder, why a women practitioner was directly accepted in the Perlimau Seni without have to pass the PerlimauTapak. In symbolic, women in Silat Seni Gayong are gifted and already have the capability in seni and the act of seni in women is accurate although they won’t have training in Tapak Gayong. Let us cleared this terminology accurately where Perlimau Seni are wider in the concept of Silat Seni Gayong and it does not only a right to train with a weapon where we usually do and been understood with.

                               " Faham Dan Mengerti Adalah Perkara Yang Berbeza"

Wind of Change

           Thru my odyssey I come across many martial arts system. They are upgrading their style of management to compete with the modern development. When talking to them I realised that we Silat Seni Gayong have a lot to do in developing and put our self in this martial arts industry. We can’t stay at a certain point where things are not develop and a topics raise since the late founder still around.

           I am agreed and understand there will be a politics here and there when administrated any bodies but if the politics applies for the development of the organisation and Silat Seni Gayong overall we do understand and giving a hand of support for that clean development. If it is a nasty agenda killing someone career where the contribution that  made have not been achieve by others, this should be stopped. 

           Sometimes the personnel feelings must be put away to making sure Silat Seni Gayong are in a correct track. We as personnel cannot persuade or influence the members and mislead a future leader to a dispute that surrounding us.

            I do remember part of the poems wrote by the late founder, where the message is cleared that Silat Seni Gayong must stay together in order to be strong and respected. All the dream will be achieve if we are stay together without any lust, greed, jealously which this character will make us apart and weaken. 

          We must concentrate on strengthening our brotherhood of Silat Seni Gayong and improved our self in certain aspects such as the governance an international martial arts organisation, the development in the curriculum of the art, and most important valued that must be preserved and maintain accordingly is our precious culture or Adat in Silat Seni Gayong.  Some actions must be taken and that action must comply with knowledge pertaining to the order of the Silat Seni Gayong practice. 

           The problem arise here is that sometimes we are afraid to our self not knowing and pretending that we are the right reference to the subjects. If this happens it will create a chaos to the generation’s belief and will be mislead to a wrong directions.

           I feel that it is time that we can sit together on the same table into developing for a better future of the precious art that we love and remember the oath that we made which we are brothers from the same family of Silat Seni Gayong. There’s no different between us, we are the same, and the most important things from my view are the barakah of the struggle in maintaining the Gayong, I really mean The Gayong. Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia founded by the late Dato Meor Abdul Rahman is my blood and I will die with it, nothing can stop me although I was left alone. That is my promise to the late founder and the late ultimate beneficiaries Cikgu Siti Kalsom. Long Live Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia.

                                      “With All the Blessing May We All Be Unite"

Petua

           The culture and civilization of the Malay people are full of mysteries and unique. One of the culture and civilization of the Malay can be seen in their way of life which they called as Petua or tips. From one generations to others the Petua has been passed down in the environment culture of the Malay.For example Petua in selecting a place for building a house, Petua when making a trip or traveling, Petua in the discpline of eating and many more. 

           All of these unique cultures are synonym with the life of the Malay. These Petua or tips are the basis of highly discipline order in the life and surrounding around them. The Petua are a part of life of the Malay and are in every aspects of life. 

            So does in the Malay martial arts world which is called silat. Silat Seni Gayong does not escape from this culture and civilization. In Silat Seni Gayong the students are taught the Petua in a warrior way of life. That Petua, for example is  when making a traveling. All these Petua are pronounce in a simple words of which are fuelled with hidden meaning and was arranged in such a way that truly reflects the culture of the Malay. The terminology of the traveling Petua in Silat Seni Gayong were called as Gersik DiPantai translates in English as sea waves that hit the beach. In this Petua one has to sweep his palm to the forearm and hear the sounds of the act. The act sounds definitely different when we sweep the palm up and down the forearm.  If the sound is the same that’s means it is a bad sign and are believe we are going to be unlucky on that moment or day and that something bad gone to happen to us. If this happen we should seek the blessing from Allah Almighty to prevent us from the bad luck.

             In a simple Malay terminology it was called Geruh. Geruh or malang as in Malay words can be define as a future things that bad gone to happen to us without we knowing it. In understanding the Geruh it was arranged in a way of life that they called Petua or tips.

             Most of Petua are related to nature because Malay belief human are made from soil which are the teaching of Islam and are written in the holy Quran. What happen to this world are highly related to human and there is always an early sign or warning pertaining of the situation. All, it just a matter whether we are aware or not and that teaching in the Malay community are called as Petua.

             The Petua does not stop only on the relations with the nature or environments; it’s also related to the understanding of the mankind. All aspects of life consist of this act, an example the breathing inhaling and exhaling also an act of Petua. The rich culture and civilization of the Malay Petua some have been forgotten and faded and in preserving them must be made. It’s lucky that most of the martial arts of the Malay especially Silat Seni Gayong still preserved this unique and mystery Petua act.I hope with this simple introduction of what Petua is will drive the adrenalin of all the practitioners to seek the knowledge and preserved as a gold of the Malay culture.

                                                “ Ilmu Dan Budaya Yang Penuh Misteri”

The Forgotten Silat Seni Gayong Warming Up Exercises

            Before starting for any Silat Seni Gayong training, the students is instruct to perform warming up exercises. The warming up exercises is a compulsory in Silat Seni Gayong before starting the silat training. The warming up exercise is related to the silat movements and that is why it is a must to any students. The warming up will strengthen the muscle and speed, stamina and endurance, stability and flexibility and many more.

Silat  Seni Gayong Warming Up Exercise Document

            There is a specific warming up exercise in Silat Seni Gayong. I just would like to share a bit of it to broaden the knowledge to Silat Seni Gayong practitioners. 

Bending The Waist

           One of the exercise that are taught are bending your body and push your hand forward while bending and continue pushing the hand to the back under your crotch. The exercises are repeated few times, and the significant of the exercise is to strengthen the back waist and a power when applying a kicking. The movements is to be continued with a fundamentals stances which we turned our body to the left or right and starting stretching our leg. This is also in strengthens the leg muscle and for a strong fundamentals stands. 

Leg Stretching

            From the same position we turned our body to the horse stance and pulled our hand to our back downward assisted by the other hand. When all this has finished with a repeated count we will continued the exercise in the same position by breathing while moving our hand forward and back. All the exercises repeated are for the muscle of the back waist and muscle of the hand and end up with breathing for the inner strength. 

Hand Stretching

Breathing Exercise

            Most of the unique and old style of warming up has been faded in the training due to lack of knowledge and influence from others exercise method. I would highly instruct all the practitioners, let us preserved this Silat Seni Gayong warming up exercises. I only share a few here for an open knowledge to all and hope you will have many more in your training with your instructors.

                                           “ Silat Seni Gayong Kaya Dengan Ilmu”