Black

Belt Books, Valencia CA 91355

Copyright © 2016 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc
All Rights Reserved
Electronic Edition Published 2016
Manufactured in the United States of America
eBook Staff
Editor: Vicki Baker
Art Production: John Bodine
Warning
This book is presented only as a means of preserving a unique aspect of the
heritage of the martial arts. Neither Ohara Publications nor the author makes any
representation, warranty or guarantee that the techniques described or illustrated
in this book will be safe or effective in any self-defense situation or otherwise.
You may be injured if you apply or train in the techniques illustrated in this book
and neither Ohara Publications nor the author is responsible for any such injury
that may result. It is essential that you consult a physician regarding whether or
not to attempt any technique described in this book. Specific self-defense
responses illustrated in this book may not be justified in any particular situation
in view of all of the circumstances or under applicable federal, state or local law.
Neither Ohara Publications nor the author makes any representation or warranty
regarding the legality or appropriateness of any technique mentioned in this
book.
 Contents
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DEDICATION
FOREWORD
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
FUNCTIONAL-SILAT PRINCIPLES
SILAT WEAPONRY AND EMPTY-HAND TECHNIQUES
MULTIPLE ATTACKERS
FOOTWORK
ENTRIES
TAKEDOWNS
CLINCH POSITIONS
GROUND FIGHTING
SARONG TACTICS
A CHALLENGE FROM BURTON RICHARDSON
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Burton Richardson is one of the most sought-after functional-self-defense
instructors in the world. Each year he tours the globe, giving seminars and
private lessons to martial arts instructors, students, military and law-enforcement
personnel.
Richardson grew up in Carson, California. As a boy, he spent a lot of time
after school at Scott Park, a place that would have a major impact on his future
life. This is where, as a youngster, he first experienced a shooting, peeked in awe
at a gym full of karateka and was shown a magazine about Bruce Lee. It was
much later that Richardson learned that his childhood hero Kato, of The Green
Hornet TV series, was played by Bruce Lee.
Richardson first went to the Filipino Kali/Jun Fan Academy, which was about
a mile from his house, in 1979. He began studying directly with guro/sifu Dan
Inosanto and guro/sifu Richard Bustillo in 1980. That year, Richardson also
started at the University of Southern California, studying biology and tackling a
four-year writing and literature honors program called Thematic Option while
playing on the baseball team.
With college behind him, Richardson took a year off from his intense studies
before going to medical school. He decided that during that year, he would
eschew outside pressures and, for the first time in his life, do exactly what he
wanted to do — train at the Inosanto Academy. Living in a tiny camper trailer in
the parking lot of a dog and cat hospital near downtown Los Angeles,
Richardson dedicated himself to martial arts. That one-year sabbatical from
school turned into a lifetime study of the fighting arts. It took him five years to
get out of that miserable trailer where he heard gunfire every night, witnessed a
drive-by shooting across the street and routinely picked up stray bullets in the
parking lot.
Through dedication to training and consistency, Richardson earned high-level
instructor status from many luminaries of the arts. Years of intense training
under Dan Inosanto led to full instructor’s credentials in Filipino kali and in
Bruce Lee’s jeet kune do and Jun Fan gung fu concepts. Richardson became a
senior full instructor under the late JKD great sifu Larry Hartsell. Master Chai
Sirisute awarded Richardson’s Thai boxing instructorship, while the title of
“guro” was achieved in Indonesian pencak silat under the guidance of pendekar
Paul de Thouars. Richardson earned his instructorship in kali ilustrisimo in
Manila under grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo, master Tony Diego and master
Christopher Ricketts. Richardson is also one of the original Dog Brothers, given
the nickname Lucky Dog in the 1980s.
Richardson earned his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under multiple-time BJJ
and mixed-martial arts world champion Egan Inoue. The author also cornered
world champion Baret Yoshida in several Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission
Wrestling World Championships. Richardson was training and coaching since
the inception of no-holds barred fighting, which later became MMA. He coached
and cornered MMA fighters the world over, most notably Enson Inoue, Egan
Inoue and Chris Leben. Richardson has even journeyed to South Africa several
times to train with Zulu warriors in their method of stick fighting. In 2014, he
earned his instructor credential in krav maga from Israeli special-forces
instructor Nir Maman.
Richardson is known for his ability to break down and explain the functional
aspects of martial arts for better understanding and more efficient training.
Richardson’s primary goal is to provide the most functional techniques, tactics
and training methods for realistic self-defense. He puts all his years in the
sciences to good use, using the scientific method to properly test techniques
before he teaches them. He takes the time to highlight the fine details that often
make the difference between success and failure, both in the art and in life.
Richardson hopes that his students never have to use their art to defend
themselves, but he prepares each and every one of them for that eventuality. He
prefers focusing on functional fight preparation to teaching the artistic portion
that could get someone killed in a street encounter. “Training people to actually
fight is much more difficult on the body and the ego,” he says, “but the lessons
learned are real and can be used to build the character tools necessary to
overcome obstacles in your life every single day. My ultimate goal is to develop
great people who are physically and mentally strong enough to be kind to
everyone they meet.”
 DEDICATION
First and foremost, I dedicate this book to Sarah. She is my wife, training
partner, mother to our child and best friend. Never once has she tried to dissuade
me from training, even when that meant traveling to distant places to attend
seminars. Thank you for always having my back.
I also dedicate this book to my mentor tuhon Dan Inosanto. Thank you for
always leading by example.
And I dedicate this book to martial artists everywhere who are on the path of
constant improvement. I do hope you find my work useful for your quest toward
martial and personal mastery.
 FOREWORD
It was an honor to be asked to write the foreword to Burton Richardson’s Silat
for the Street. I’ve known Burt for years, since we trained together at Dan
Inosanto’s Academy of Martial Arts when it was in Marina del Rey, California.
In those pre-Dog Brothers days (mid-1980s), we had a Midnight Fight Club,
which was primarily full-contact fighting sessions with sticks, knives and other
weapons fighting that Danny was gracious enough to let us do after classes. “No
killings tonight, turn the lights out and lock up when you’re done. Have fun!”
were his sage and easy-to-follow instructions. For the record, we were able to
oblige most of the time. During these sessions, I first had a chance to get to
know Burt as a fighter and then as a training partner and friend.
Even at that time, Burt was known as the “pencak silat guy,” a style/system
that I had had some exposure to (mostly as a theory) but not much in a real-
contact scenario. So I was a little skeptical of its practical application when it
came to fighting, especially in conjunction with weapons. That said, after
watching and fighting with Burt over the course of several midnight sessions, it
became clear to everyone there that 1) Burt was very game and willing to put his
training to the test, dish out lumps, take his lumps and learn from both, and 2)
pencak silat might actually work, even in a full-contact weapons context! What
we found particularly effective was the way his sweeps seemed to come from
nowhere whenever he closed the gap. He would land his opponents awkwardly
on their hips or backside on the concrete floor (no padding in those days), which
certainly increased everyone’s awareness of just how effective a system can be
when put through the process of real-time experience. Over time, everyone got
better at their specialty — closing became cleaner, recognition became quicker
and footwork, power, purpose and even our drills all evolved. And that was the
point of those nights.
Burt tells you throughout the book that this does not happen overnight and
that the techniques and moves aren’t guaranteed to be successful the first time.
Go in knowing that you will try and you will probably fail early on, but you
must try. Understanding the technique follows your attempts to actually use it.
And by “actually use it,” I mean you need to practice on someone who is not
cooperating. At that point, you will see the divide that is in most martial arts —
fighting versus forms. The fighters will say that without real resistance, you’re
just kidding yourself and all you’re doing is a flowery ritualistic dance. The
other side will claim that not everyone is cut out to fight, that you can simulate
fighting through drills, and that they are preserving the art vis-à-vis kata
(training exercises), carenza (solo practice) and kembangan (flower dance). Each
side is right until they try to minimize or, worse, eliminate the importance of the
other. In times of danger, the “martial” fighters prevail and much of the “art” is
lost. In times of peace, the reverse occurs and much of the “martial” is removed
or outlawed.
The correct — and most difficult — path is to honor both. How? It’s simple
and yet unexpectedly elusive: Keep it real, be honest with yourself and your
training partners, and be aware that in order to evolve, you must be receptive to
things that may be outside your training comfort zone. Trust me, nothing is more
politically incorrect these days than the truth. Whether you are a student or
instructor, there will be many attempts to lead you astray and get you to
sugarcoat reality. Within your group, there will often be resistance to accepting
facts or even exploring other methods of doing things. If you can resist this urge
and continue to be curious about things outside the box, then you are on the right
path. Fortunately, Burt explains the “street” side of a move, how to drill it and
then some history as to how it came about or how he had an occasion to use it.
He has had the opportunity to train with the best in the world, and in this book,
he is sharing that opportunity with all of us. So in that spirit, “No killings
tonight, turn the lights out and lock up when you’re done. Have fun!”
— Eric “Top Dog” Knaus
 PREFACE
My primary responsibility as a silat instructor is to teach my students how to
fight. I assume that one or more of my students will someday get into a life-
threatening situation, so my responsibility is to train each and every one for that
eventuality. That is my primary reason for writing this book and why only
pressure-tested fighting techniques and training methods that have proved their
effectiveness are emphasized.
Drawing from my background as a scientist, I use an evidence-based
approach. That means that I don’t rely on theory or hypothesis but only on actual
evidence derived from realistic, valid fighting tests. So I pledge that I will only
teach techniques that I have used in fighting or sparring, or that I have seen
others use in fighting or sparring. I am not saying that other methods don’t work,
but I won’t teach them as functional until I have solid evidence of their efficacy.
I don’t know everything, but I can assure you that everything in this book is
useful for true combat if practiced as prescribed. I will also point out the errors
in thinking and training that lead many away from functional fighting. We have
to realize that knowledge is not power. The ability to apply your knowledge
under pressure is true power. It isn’t a question of whether a technique can
possibly work. The real question is, “Can you actually make it work against
someone who is fighting you 100 percent?” That is why you must engage in the
functional training to functionalize your favorite techniques.
Please let me know whether you have found other ideas that have proved
effective. I am always looking for a better way and sincerely welcome your
input.
NOTES ON TERMINOLOGY
Pencak (or pentjak) silat is an Indonesian term, but in this book, it is used to
describe the arts that originated in the ancient Majapahit empire. This kingdom
spanned from the southern Philippines across Indonesia and up through what is
now known as Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
The same Majapahit culture was pervasive through the entire area, from the food
to clothing to music to dance and to the amazing fighting arts. There are many
names and hundreds of individual styles, but for the purposes of this book, the
umbrella term silat is used to cover all of them.
Also, English terms are used to describe the techniques and positions. Bear in
mind that in Indonesia alone, there are more than 500 languages and dialects
spoken, so to choose one particular language, even if it is the official language of
Bahasa, would not be representative of the majority of Southeast Asian martial
arts. Because the book is written in English, it is easiest to stick to English
descriptions. Indonesian terminology is included for some moves that are
commonly known by their native monikers.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to extend my sincere, profound gratitude to every silat instructor who
has helped me better understand my martial path. There are three men who
generously provided me with the great majority of my training in the Southeast
Asian arts.
First, and certainly foremost, is tuhon Dan Inosanto, my mentor in silat, jeet
kune do, kali, muay Thai and life itself. He is the embodiment of what a martial
artist should be. Maraming salamat po (thank you very much, with great
respect).
To my second major silat instructor, the late pak Herman Suwanda. We spent a
great deal of time together in and out of class. Always kind, Herman’s
knowledge base of many silat systems was incredibly vast, as was his skill in
displaying these arts. Terima kasih (thank you) and I miss you.
And to my third major silat instructor, the late pendekar Paul de Thouars. As
funny and charming as he was deadly, Paul passed on an incredibly precise
application of pencak silat through the serak style and his own system of bukti
negara. From levers to angles to the techniques themselves, Paul’s methods
amazed all who experienced them. I miss those days of hard training and harder
laughing. Hormat (respects)!
I also have been able to train with many other silat instructors, some just on
seminars and others for just a few private training sessions. They, too, have
influenced me, and I appreciate their generosity. I don’t want to make it sound
like I was a full-time student because that would be disrespectful to those who
spent years with them. But I would like to acknowledge the guidance and
influence of a few who were especially impactful: pendekar Victor de Thouars of
the serak system, grandmaster Willem de Thouars of kuntao, pendekar Jim
Ingram of mustika kwitang, and an instructor from Southeast Asia who will read
this but wishes not to be publicized. I am very thankful to each for their positive
influences.
Some of my instructors in the Philippines taught methods that display the
Southeast Asian roots in silat. Many techniques of Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo
and grandmaster Roberto Labaniego have the lines and flavor derived from silat
lineage. My sincere gratitude goes to them, as well.
I again thank tuhon Dan Inosanto for hosting so many different silat
instructors at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts and for facilitating my
training with Herman and Paul.
Finally, I am indebted to my linguistic adviser Yuri Amadin (Yurimag.com)
for his help with much of the terminology used in this endeavor. And many
thanks to the suppliers who contributed equipment to the photo shoot:
Macho.com for helmets, Revgear.com for focus mitts and gloves, and
Karambit.com for karambits.

Dan Inosanto
Herman Suwanda
Paul de Thouars
Special thanks to my wonderful, very accomplished and highly skilled students (from left to right,
Israel Cruz, Scott Ishihara and Jarlo Ilano) who assisted me with the photos and videos.
 INTRODUCTION
PENCAK VERSUS SILAT
Our understanding of principles greatly affects our effectiveness in life and in
the fighting arts. From my perspective, the biggest error in the silat community
is that many don’t fully understand the difference between the two words pencak
and silat. We need to fully understand this difference and how it impacts our
training if we want to be truly functional-silat fighters.
The word pencak indicates the performance-art side of the coin. This artistic
expression includes various types of dances and single or multiple-person forms.
It is an integral part of Southeast Asian martial training, but the emphasis is on
being aesthetically pleasing.
Silat is the fight. A fight is when your partner or opponent is actively fighting
back against you. Silat takes place during sparring practice, fighting competition
or actual combat. It is the application of the art against someone who is resisting
your every move.
Long ago, actual fighting practice was almost always taught at the same time
as or even before the dance portion. Knowing how to fight made the dance more
meaningful. But over time, the demonstration side took precedence, often at the
expense of sparring. While pencak is great for developing strength, agility,
flexibility, coordination, relaxation and grace, it is no substitute for silat practice
if you are preparing for combat. This is one of the main points that I want to
emphasize in this book. If you want to be able to actually use your silat, you
need to go beyond just practicing the pencak. You need to work with a partner
who is not cooperating with you.
The big misunderstanding occurs because many (not all) silat practitioners
think that training their entries, strikes and takedowns on a cooperative partner is
the silat portion of the art. But that is not correct. If you go through fast,
ferocious routines and your partner is cooperating with you, then you are
practicing highly energetic pencak. Silat means to fight, and there is no fight
unless your partner is resisting you.
Here’s a motto that I devised years ago that is apropos: “If you want to learn
how to fight, you must practice fighting against someone who is fighting back.”
That is what the silat portion of the training covers. Going through techniques on
a cooperative partner is simply another form of dance, regardless of how
viciously you apply your techniques. That is not to say that pencak practice is
useless. Indeed, it is very valuable for ingraining proper form, attitude and
technique while working on physical and mental qualities essential to fighting.
But some fighting attributes are only gained through sparring. Reading a crafty
opponent’s intentions, proper timing and developing the determination to
overcome obstacles are only learned in the crucible of combat. Training against a
resisting partner during your silat practice is crucial to fighting success, and the
pencak portion reinforces this practice.
Please remember that sparring shouldn’t be an all-out affair. In Thai boxing,
which is a derivative of silat, fighters spar at about 60 percent intensity most of
the time. They do many rounds of light sparring and go all-out on the Thai pads
and during their matches. Sparring hard is dangerous, and it does not pay to go
into a fight injured. Do your sparring, but do it safely, at moderate intensity and
under the supervision of a qualified instructor. This is what most silat
practitioners did for many millennia. The resistance can be minimal, but it forces
you to spontaneously find solutions to problems, and that is what being
functional in fighting and life is all about.
The pencak portion is very important for ingraining moves, working on
physical attributes and enhancing your health. The kembangan (flower dance),
for example, is enjoyable, and the dance keeps the body and mind supple and
healthy. For longevity and vitality, the dances are extremely practical. Practicing
jurus (one-person forms) helps ingrain fighting motions as you practice your
lever positions and footwork patterns. If you are a pencak silat practitioner who
also wants to keep the practical fighting portion of the art alive, please grasp and
pass on this vitally important concept: Only when your partner is truly resisting
your techniques are you engaging in silat.
The flower dance — this is an example of the pencak portion of the art.
Sparring sequence against a partner who is fighting back — this is the silat portion of the art.

SILAT IN THE MMA ERA

After diligently training in silat, I found that it worked very well for me. As
one of the original Dog Brothers (I earned the moniker Lucky Dog), I often used
silat during all-out, minimal-protection stick fights. Although our style of stick
fighting was deemed “too extreme” by original Ultimate Fighting Championship
promoter Art Davie, I was able to regularly apply foot sweeps, my go-to move
the tarik kepala (head tilt) takedown, along with other techniques. In fact, tarik
kepala worked so well in these all-out affairs that after some time, a couple of
my fellow Dog Brothers took me aside and asked me to stop using it because
they were afraid someone was going to get hurt.
I also used silat in stick-fighting tournaments, in a challenge stick match in the
Philippines and in two empty-hand challenge matches. When people questioned
the effectiveness of silat, some teachers pointed to my fighting success as proof
that the approach really worked. Then came MMA.
It was still called no-holds barred in the mid-1990s when I started training and
sparring with some of the first high-level NHB fighters, particularly with the
Inoue brothers, Egan and Enson. I was in for a shock. I couldn’t get my silat to
work against athletes with a strong grappling background. Sure, I wasn’t kicking
them in the groin or gouging their eyes, but we must acknowledge that our blows
aren’t always going to land or have a significant effect. I just couldn’t break the
posture enough to get to a good sweep or takedown. This was frustrating because
I knew silat worked. I had used it against fully resisting opponents many times.
But this was a different world. The grapplers’ base was just too stable, and I
couldn’t do the head tilt because their necks were too strong and set. To make it
worse, I found that my stance was vulnerable to wrestling takedowns.
After more than a year of trying and failing, I decided to put silat aside. It was
a sad and difficult decision. I enjoyed a fine reputation as a silat fighter in
addition to receiving accolades in jeet kune do and kali. But for me, the truth
always comes first. My main purpose was (and is) to be the most effective
fighter I could be and then pass my understanding of functional-skill
development on to my students. Silat wasn’t working well, so I had to move on.
I put most of my energy into mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu while
still doing functional kali, JKD and muay Thai. The No. 1 lesson I learned from
working with various MMA champions is that the training method really is most
important for functional-skill development. You must train against a resisting
opponent or you will never be able to apply your technique against a real
aggressor. That’s when I coined that phrase, “If you want to learn how to fight,
you must practice fighting against someone who is fighting back!” Technique is
very important, but being able to apply your technique, even if you have only
mastered a few, is paramount. As one of my BJJ instructors John Machado says,
“No sparring, no miracles!”
Over the next decade, I eventually earned my black belt in BJJ and became a
top-level MMA and grappling coach, leading fighters at the UFC and elite
grappling events. But something was still missing. After immersing myself for
more than a decade in the sport, I came up for a breath and realized that I had
been neglecting street-specific tactics. MMA definitely worked, and a good
MMA fighter would almost always prevail in a one-on-one street fight. But we
all know that there are no rules on the street. Because street self-defense
effectiveness was my primary aim, I put the groin strikes, throat grabs and
simulated eye attacks back into sparring. We did it safely, but we trained these
tactics with resistance. And guess what? Things changed again.
 You train to create habits. If you don’t train to defend against foul tactics, they
are going to get through your sport defense if the adversary is also skilled at real
fighting. Some sport advocates say they would just make a mental adjustment if
fighting in the street, but what would cue your sport-trained subconscious that
you were in a street fight? A swift kick to the groin or a thumb in the eye. Some
will say, and I agree, that those shots won’t stop them. But an armbar won’t stop
you in a life-and-death fight, either, so why practice defending against that? If
you want to train for self-defense, train with the rules of the street: no rules.
Something else happened as I opened myself back up to techniques not
usually practiced in the sport. I was sparring with longtime training partner
David Giomi in Hawaii. We were in the clinch, I made a move, he countered,
and then I countered back and flowed into a silat technique. Hmm. A few days
later, we were sparring in the clinch again, David made a good countermove to
my arm-drag attempt and I caught him in a cross-arm-lock trap/throw. An hour
before that, I would have said that the cross-arm lock is great for movies but
basically impossible to use against someone who is fighting back. But it worked
against a very skillful fighter. I got it again later and subsequently against many
of my students during vigorous sparring sessions. What had happened?
First, I realized that most silat techniques work in the clinch. Typically, the
silat fighter makes a strong entry with a strike to stun the opponent, then moves
directly to a takedown. But what if the strike doesn’t have an effect? You are
going to be in the clinch and have to go back to striking. But he is going to be
hitting, too. I found that if you are skilled in the clinch, which comes from lots of
clinch sparring in which strikes are included, you can nullify the opponent’s
strikes and then look for favorable striking or positioning to set up a hard throw,
including those found in silat. Being proficient in the clinch is vital against an
MMA-trained fighter.
How about off-balancing those big wrestlers in the clinch? The street tactics
solved that problem. If I am proficient in the clinch, I can maneuver myself into
position to grab an opponent’s throat and lift him onto his toes. That makes him
easy to maneuver into a throw. Slap the opponent’s groin, even when he is
wearing protection, and he will usually bend over. These tactics put your partner
in a vulnerable position, opening him up to numerous techniques. Because throat
grabs and groin slaps can be done safely in sparring, you can get that all-
important fighting experience against someone who is actually fighting back.
So becoming skillful in MMA opened the door to me reintroducing and
applying silat techniques by using setups that are outside the rules of the sport.
That eventually led to the Silat for the Street program.
Sadly, this kind of resistance training is not the norm anymore in most silat
approaches. It not only keeps the students and instructors from becoming highly
functional, but pencak-only training also leads many far down the path of
fantastical hypothesis.
Currently, when most people train in silat techniques, the feeder throws a
punch and then stands like a statue while the other practitioner goes through a
long series of strikes, breaks, throws and ground finishes. Let me remind you
that anything can work on someone who is standing still for you. Adding to the
problem, the feeder is often so incredibly compliant that he will literally fall for
anything. I’ve seen silat instructors make the feeder collapse like a house of
cards in a stout wind by poking him in the back of the knee. That may work if
you have a knife in your hand, but it isn’t going to get you any results when just
using your finger.
Some have claimed that silat has always been a dead art and that I just took
the principle of resistance training from JKD or MMA and applied it to silat. But
who first brought home to me the importance of working with an uncooperative
partner? It was pak Herman Suwanda in the mid-1980s. We were practicing a
defense for a two-handed choke from the front. He demonstrated on me. I
grasped his throat with both hands, and then he took his fingers, stuck them into
the base of my trachea and pressed down hard. I released my grip immediately.
While I was practicing this over and over with my partner, Herman came to me
and said, “Do it to me.” He put his hands around my neck, and I pressed my
fingers into his trachea. He let go and said, “Good, one more time.” He again
grabbed me by the neck. Just as I started to reach for his trachea, he squeezed
and started shaking me all over the place. I was so busy trying to get my
bearings and catch my balance that I couldn’t even think about doing the
counter. After a few long seconds, he stopped and gave me that big Herman
smile. “Different, isn’t it?” he asked.
If you want to be able to apply your silat in a real situation, then you must
regularly train against a partner who is providing authentic resistance. With safe
sparring, you can learn how to flow and apply the amazing art of silat against
someone who is fighting back.
 CHAPTER ONE

FUNCTIONAL-SILAT PRINCIPLES
There are hundreds of principles in silat, but we only have room in this book
for a few. Here are some of the most important principles for functional fighting.
BE HONEST
If you aren’t honest with yourself, you will never admit your faults, which
means you will never have cause to improve them. Teachers who are not honest
with students will allow them to think that they are better than they are, which
can be dangerous in a real situation. Honest training in which partners counter
each other’s moves results in honest assessment and improvement.
ASSUME ALL ATTACKERS ARE ARMED
In silat, you should assume that every fight is a knife fight — the attacker is
hiding a blade or is going to draw a weapon during the encounter. This
influences the urgency of your defense so you finish the fight as quickly as
possible. You also must ensure that the aggressor’s arms are always accounted
for so you can recognize the draw and deal with the weaponry threat early. If you
can’t see or feel the combatant’s arms, you can’t detect a weapon being drawn.
USE FORWARD PRESSURE
This means you take the fight to the attacker both physically and mentally.
You drive forward using your leverage while striking and overwhelming the
attacker with your physical technique. You do your best to constantly move
forward with maximum pressure in order to keep the aggressor off-balance and
looking for a way out.
You also keep pressuring with your relentless fighting spirit. Your
determination is palpable, which can diminish the will of the attacker.
USE LEVERAGE AND LEVER POSITIONS
Leverage is aligning your skeletal structure in a way to maximize your body’s
strength. This is not about muscle power, although it does help. Your posture
should be in the strongest possible position to apply that force against the
weakest structure of the attacker. Maximize your leverage while minimizing that
of the aggressor.
The farther a weight is from the fulcrum, the more leverage you must generate
to lift that weight. Use leverage to optimize your technique, especially against a
larger foe. The farther you put your weight from the attacker’s core, the weaker
he or she is. When grabbing to set up strikes or takedowns, grasp limbs in areas
that compromise the opponent’s leverage. Push higher on an attacker’s forehead
to lessen the person’s leverage to fight the move.
There are two basic, but valuable, lever positions from which you can
maximize your skeletal structure to exert maximum force.
The forward-lever position is the “pushing the car” posture in which your feet
are nearly in a straight line and you bend at the waist to get your nose
approximately over your lead foot. Maintain good posture in your lower back. If
you have to push a car, you will naturally get into the forward lever because it is
the strongest position you can assume while moving forward.
The side-lever position is the “breaking down the door” posture in which you
lean to the side, leading with your shoulder. The idea here is to ram the attacker
with your shoulder, usually after stepping inside the attack. You also can use a
side lever in a twist stance.
Forward-lever position
Side-lever position

BE AN ANCHOR
An attacker’s common counter to a sweep is simply to lift the leg being swept
and step out. But the attacker can’t step out if you anchor him by using your
weight to hang on his arm, neck or body to tilt him and keep the weight on the
leg you want to sweep. Unable to stay balanced and step away, the attacker will
go down when you sweep the leg.
Paul de Thouars and Burton Richardson demonstrate the anchor position.

OBSERVE TRIANGLE BASELINE THEORY

Draw a line between your partner’s feet. Use that as a baseline to make two
equilateral triangles, one with the point in front of the opponent and the other
with the point behind the opponent. These are the partner’s two weakest points
for off-balancing. Pushing along the baseline allows the opponent to easily resist.
However, making the opponent move toward the point of either triangle requires
the opponent to take a step to maintain balance. Off-balancing toward the rear
triangle is preferable because the opponent has little upper-body flexibility in
that direction. When you move him toward the front triangle, he may bend at the
waist to catch his balance.
OFF-BALANCE THE OPPONENT
Menggoyah means to disrupt or off-balance an opponent. In the process, you
also must maintain your balance. This can be physical and/or mental. A solid,
rooted aggressor — especially one trained in MMA or grappling — is difficult to
take down. A heavy attacker naturally has a strong base. Menggoyah is the art of
either shifting the attacker to one foot or up on his toes. Even a heavy attacker on
tiptoes or balanced on one foot will move easily, facilitating takedowns.
Like the grappling sports, silat does use pushing and pulling to manipulate the
assailant’s balance. But silat relies more heavily on throat grabs, eye gouges and
groin attacks to off-balance a bigger, stronger aggressor. This is extremely
important to functional silat, especially when defending against a trained fighter.
If you want to be a formidable fighter, your mental base must be extremely
stable so that you can withstand any and all setbacks. You must develop your
fighting spirit so it is very difficult for someone to shake those important mental
attributes of courage, determination, confidence and persistence. In a fight, you
want to disrupt the aggressor’s mental base as well as the physical. Yelling,
displaying a confident attitude, overwhelming with forward pressure and strikes,
employing a hard takedown or even breaking a limb can cause an assailant to
lose the will to fight. Once the attacker’s spirit is broken, victory is yours.
“MAKE A WAY”
When moving into position to take down an attacker, you must maintain your
own strong leverage position while diminishing the adversary’s. The problem is
that the aggressor is in your way. It is natural to move your body offline to get
around the attacker, but this gives away your leverage advantage. Instead, you
must, as pendekar Paul de Thouars would say, “Make a way.” This means that
you move the attacker’s body out of position while moving in with a strong lever
position. Silat fighters must be disciplined to maintain their own leverage when
entering. If you can’t make a way, change tactics and go for another position that
you can use without compromising your structure.
Burton Richardson has proper grips and needs to “make a way” in order to step behind Scott
Ishihara’s leg (1). Richardson keeps pressure on the throat and anchors the arm to push Ishihara’s
upper body back to make space to step through (2). Richardson uses pressure on the throat to turn
and throw Ishihara to the ground (3-5).

USE PRECISE ANGLES

You can sweep an attacker using power, but you always want to maximize
your efficiency so that the techniques work against larger people. Using precise
angles on sweeps and throws is what gives silat much of its seemingly magic
qualities. When you hit the move just right, the techniques feel effortless.
RECOGNIZE THE ATTACKER’S BASIC BODY POSTURES
A standing attacker is going to be in one of three basic postures: very upright,
slightly bent forward with bent knees in an athletic position or bent over at the
waist. Recognizing these postures is important because each one is vulnerable to
specific attacks and takedowns. If your favorite takedown is the head tilt, then
you are going to need to get the attacker upright in order to apply it. These
postures will be referenced and further explained throughout the book.
USE EXOTIC POSTURES
Silat is known for its exotic postures, but these are not just for show. You can
use these stances to intimidate, draw an attack or to hide your attacking
intentions.
Defending yourself is infinitely easier if you know what the attacker is going
to throw at you. These postures may look very strange to an MMA fighter, but
they can lure an unwitting assailant into a trap.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thoughts on Exotic Postures

During kickboxing sparring rounds at tuhon Dan Inosanto’s class
one evening in the late 1980s, I was paired with a jeet kune do man
from the early days. This was his first group class in several years, so
he had no knowledge of silat. After we began, Inosanto shouted out to
me, “Burt, sit down!” I understood what he wanted, as I had been
experimenting for months employing silat postures during sparring. I
waved my hands in the air and moved back into the sempok sitting
position. The JKD man dropped his hands, gave me a look of utter
disgust, then stepped forward to kick me in the head — exactly what I
wanted. As the kick came in, I leaned forward to choke the power
while catching the leg and standing up. I took a step forward, and he
went crashing to the ground. Inosanto was pleased. It was a good
lesson for both me and for my very accomplished partner. Exotic
postures can actually be dangerous if you don’t understand what they
are for.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Burton Richardson sits in sempok to invite the head kick (1). Jarlo Ilano takes the bait. Richardson
moves forward while checking the kick before it picks up too much steam (2), stands while catching
the kick (3) and lifts Ilano’s leg high for a heavy throw (4).

DEVELOP FLOW
You cannot assume that your first attempt at disabling an attacker is going to
work. This is why you need to develop flow. A real attacker will be moving and
resisting, so you need to be able to flow around the obstacles he imposes to
achieve your goal. This is why silat is often practiced in combinations rather
than as one move followed by resetting. You need to be able to put the attacker
on the defense and flow from move to move until you achieve the position to
finish the fight. Flow allows you to spontaneously overcome obstacles and find
solutions. Apply this principle in your everyday life, as well.
EMPHASIZE PUKULAN PENCAK SILAT
Pukulan means striking with a fist. Pukulan is often added before pencak silat
in order to highlight the emphasis on striking. The pukulan arts are not just about
moving in and then throwing and controlling the adversary on the ground.
Striking is essential during the entry, is used to set up the takedown and is the
primary form of neutralizing a downed attacker. For functional self-defense,
strikes must be integrated into all phases of the silat continuum.
HAVE THREE SHARP KNIVES
There is a saying among Southeast Asian fighters that you should always have
three knives with you for self-defense: one to use, one to throw and one to give
to a friend. And they must all be very sharp! This saying is also used to describe
the concept of having three primary moves that are your go-to techniques. It’s
fine to know a lot of entries and takedowns, but you should have a few so
thoroughly practiced that you can apply them on almost anyone without thought.
And where do you find out which moves work best for you? Through sparring.
If you spar enough, you will discover your own proclivities.
Find your top three moves and hone them until they are extremely sharp. You
should still take time to practice the other moves in case the opportunity to apply
them arises, but be sure to have your favorite “blades” honed to a razor’s edge.
ATTACK THE MOST VULNERABLE TARGETS
It is easy in this world of combat sports to forget that, as painful as they are,
Thai kicks to the thigh and punches to the head often take time to produce an
effect. A groin kick usually works right away. Fingers in the eyes, kicking the
side of the knee and striking the throat are illegal in combat sports because they
injure the combatant and the fight ends too quickly. But that is exactly what you
want in self-defense. Keep in mind that you should always be looking to use the
moves that most efficiently inflict the greatest damage on a larger, stronger,
determined attacker who means to do bodily harm.
Burton Richardson parries Israel Cruz’s jab (1) and throws a devastating cross-stomp kick (2), which
goes to the very vulnerable side of the knee (3), a move that is illegal in combat sports.
 CHAPTER TWO

SILAT WEAPONRY AND EMPTY-HAND

TECHNIQUES
Silat is a blade art that also has empty-hand fighting methods. This book
focuses on the empty-handed approach, but some of silat’s often-misconstrued
concepts should also be discussed.
Although it is true that many empty-hand moves are derived from weaponry
techniques, it should be clear that just because a tactic works with a weapon does
not mean that it is functional with empty hands. Teachers sometimes proclaim
that any move you can do with a weapon can be applied equally as well without
a weapon, but that is not accurate. Slashing downward at the attacker’s hand
with a sword has a very different effect than doing the same move with an open
hand. Some functional-knife movements, such as rapid combinations of slashing
and thrusting, are actually dangerous when applied empty-handed. The slashes
with the knife may effectively disable the incoming knife arm, but attacking in
the same way empty-handed leaves you open to being clocked by the aggressor’s
other hand.
While the weaponry movements are important, you must realize that some
don’t translate to empty hands as well as others. There are many instances in
which weapon-based motions can be translated to efficient empty-handed
techniques. You should thoroughly understand which are functional and which
can put you in danger. Here are a few examples of movements that work with a
blade but can be problematic without one.
KARAMBIT VS. EMPTY-HAND TECHNIQUES
Example A
Armed

The karambit is a Southeast Asian knife used for extreme self-defense. Here is an example of an
upward motion with the karambit attacking the biceps (1), followed by a horizontal backhand slash
to the throat (2).
Empty-Handed

Doing the same motions empty-handed, substituting the elbow for the knife, is possible but nowhere
near as effective and presents dangers. An upward strike with the elbow to the biceps may hurt but
will rarely disable an aggressive attacker (1). The horizontal back elbow leaves an opening for Scott
Ishihara to move to Burton Richardson’s back (2-3).

Example B
Armed

As Scott Ishihara steps in, Burton Richardson pulls out a karambit (1). Richardson traps Ishihara’s
right foot with his left while leaning to the side and hooking the blade inside Ishihara’s knee, where
the ligaments are located (2). Richardson continues falling to the side, pulling Ishihara to the ground
while potentially inflicting tremendous damage (3). This karambit move is frighteningly effective.
Empty-Handed

Doing the knee pull empty-handed is a different story. Burton Richardson traps Scott Ishihara’s foot,
grips the ligaments with his fingers and starts to pull (1). But if Ishihara is able to rotate his foot
toward the pull, he counters the takedown (2) and has the opportunity to jump to Richardson’s back
while trapping an arm (3). Although the knee pull can work, it does pose dangers: Besides being on
the ground against a standing, striking attacker, you also can end up in a compromised grappling
position.
 CHAPTER THREE

MULTIPLE ATTACKERS
Fighting one-on-one is tough enough, but having multiple attackers is
extremely difficult for anyone. It isn’t like the movies in which the bad guys are
professional stuntmen who are paid to make the star look good. It is a nightmare
situation to have to face a ruthless, vicious, real-world mob mentality.
Your best tactic is to find or create an escape route and use it. Use your
training to maneuver yourself into a position in which you can do your best
impression of an Olympic sprinter! If you can’t escape or if you’re with someone
you need to protect, you must be more aggressive, more skillful and smarter than
the attackers.
Here are a couple of the best silat answers for a multiple-opponent situation.
PULL AN EQUALIZER
A mob attack leaves you at such a disadvantage that pulling out an equalizer is
usually legally justified. Before ever having to face such a situation, though, be
sure to consult with your local law officials to be certain that whatever you are
carrying and how you are carrying it is legal. You also should know where self-
defense crosses over the line to criminal assault. This is especially true when
using weapons against unarmed assailants.
In silat culture, producing a knife is not just fair but highly encouraged. You
can use it to threaten and intimidate the crowd or, if necessary, go on the attack
to make them stop. You must read the situation and determine what actions are
necessary to protect yourself and your loved ones.
If you are forced to engage, keep moving and be extremely aggressive. Be
ferocious. Don’t let anyone get behind you, and protect your knife arm from
being grabbed. Throw out a volley of strong, fast combinations to keep the
attackers at bay. Most bullies are cowards and don’t want to deal with any
resistance, especially in the form of a blade. Knowing how to brandish the knife
may be enough to dissuade the attackers. If not, make your attacks precise,
properly targeted and deceptive. Get in, get the job done and get out. Escape as
soon as you can.
Knowing how to wield a knife can intimidate and dissuade a group of empty-handed attackers.

ATTACK THE FARTHEST AGGRESSOR AND GET OUTSIDE

THE CIRCLE
When being threatened by several aggressors, one of them usually will be the
leader, the head bully. He is the one who is doing the talking, being the tough
guy. Often, some of the others aren’t totally on board with the bullying but are
too weak to say anything, so they lag behind in the back.
One common approach in this situation is to “take out the mouth,” meaning
you attack the leader, hoping that by hurting that attacker, the others will run
away. One drawback to that method is that if it doesn’t go as planned, the others
will collapse inward and mob you. In the silat approach, you go after the
aggressor who is the farthest away from you.
Instead of attacking the main aggressor, make a sudden burst toward the
farthest bully and crack him while you run past him. By suddenly going after the
person who least expects to be attacked, you enjoy the element of surprise. You
go after an easy, unprotected target and get yourself outside the circle so the
others can’t converge on you. This gives you a big head start, and hopefully you
can outrun the rest of the assailants.

In this scenario, there is one main aggressor and two friends backing him up. When Burton
Richardson believes that an attack is imminent (1), he suddenly bursts toward the farthest, least-
prepared fighter, hitting him as he runs (2). This counterattack puts Richardson outside the circle
and gives him an escape route with a head start.

As with all other aspects of silat training, it is imperative that you practice
multiple-opponent scenarios with resisting opponents. Use progressive resistance
and good safety equipment, making sure that nobody gets wild. As you drill, do
your best to keep from being surrounded and keep circling to try to get the
attackers in a line so you only deal with one at a time. If they surround you, use
the ram’s horn defense and run through the middle like a football fullback
crashing through the line. Hit and move, hit and move, until you can escape.
With trustworthy partners, you can take the intensity up quite a bit without
undue risk of injury. Be sure to have an experienced instructor there to regulate
the intensity of the rounds. Playing the various performance games with multiple
opponents will surely open your eyes to the reality of the situation, as it is never
easy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Progressive Resistance and Variable Intensity

People often get squeamish at the thought of training with
resistance, as they envision a hulking opponent smashing them
repeatedly in the face — not a pretty picture. In fact, it is one I have
been on the receiving end of. I had been boxing for about a year when
my coach set up a sparring session with Randall “Tex” Cobb’s
bodyguard at the old Main Street Gym in downtown Los Angeles. This
guy was huge and weighed in at nearly 300 pounds. My coach told
him to take it easy because he had boxed professionally. Unfortunately,
some people have a hard time turning the intensity down. (This is why
we make sure that our students are paired up with others who want to
train at the same level of intensity. We also use helmets.)
I moved around with him, and he unleashed a jab that I distinctly
remember to this day. Let’s just say that I learned the difference
between having my hands up under my chin and really having my
hands up in front of my face. That thunderous jab drove me back into
the ropes, almost off my feet. Up went my hands, and boy did my head
start moving. So did my feet. I was all over that ring. Luckily, I was in
better shape and he tired out with about 30 seconds left in the round.
Most people will never go back to training after getting a headache
like that. My coach was so encouraging that I didn’t give up. But that
is the normal method in boxing gyms. Many professional coaches first
want to see whether prospective fighters have heart, so they toss them
in the ring with a pro to see how they handle the beating. If they have
heart, they will train them so they can try to make a living off them.
I want to give the realistic training to everyone, so I employ the
concept of “progressive resistance.” I got this term from bodybuilding,
and I like to use a weightlifting analogy to explain this principle.
Imagine that you decide to sign up at a gym. (Martial arts sounded too
dangerous!) You have a personal trainer teach you how to lift correctly
and get you going in the right direction. You tell the trainer that you
want to work on your leg strength. She says OK and teaches you how
to do a squat. She puts a broomstick across your shoulders, feet
shoulder-width apart, and your back kept straight while you bend at
the knees. She points out that you should sit back, almost like sitting in
a chair, to avoid having your knees move out in front of your toes —
better for your knees and better for balance. After a few minutes, you
can duplicate the squat correctly. Now, what did you actually just
learn? You learned a technique. That would be like going to our JKD
Unlimited/MMA for the Street class and learning how to throw a solid
punch. It has taken you about three minutes to learn the proper form
for the technique called the squat.
Now what happens? Do you just practice that technique with the
broomstick for the next three years? No. Your trainer takes you to the
squat rack. Why? Because you need to add resistance if you want to
get stronger. Doing the technique with resistance is going to trigger the
“adaptive response.” If you don’t add resistance, you are not going to
get stronger. If you don’t add resistance in your fight training, you
won’t develop fighting skill. Let’s now say that your wonderful trainer
takes you to the squat rack and proceeds to load the bar with 300
pounds. What is going to happen if you try to squat that much your
first day? You are going to break something. Why? Too much
resistance! You have to start with just enough resistance to make the
effort slightly difficult. This causes your body to adapt. You go in the
following week and you can add a little more resistance. Over time,
depending on your goals, you may be able to squat with 300 pounds.
The same theory of progressive resistance holds true for our fight
training. Too much resistance is counterproductive. You will actually
be worse off by adding too much resistance than not training at all.
Instead, the trick is to add enough resistance so that it is slightly
difficult to apply your technique. As you improve, you add more
resistance. The amount you end up training with depends on your
goals. I call this “variable intensity training” because each person in
class trains at his or her own level. Our rule is that when two people
play together, the intensity is adjusted for whoever wants to go lighter.
Some people lift weights to tone up, while others train to be
bodybuilders. Some people want to train martial arts for health and
self-defense, while others want to become cage-fighting champions.
The amount of resistance and the level of intensity will differ
depending on your goals. You may end up doing two sets of squats
with 135 pounds. You stop when you start to feel the burn. A
professional may build up to 400 pounds over six sets, taking many of
the sets to the point at which they cannot possibly do another rep.
(Those are the guys screaming in the corner of the gym.) They add
more resistance at a greater level of intensity.
In our training, I can spar at full resistance, doing my best to defend
each offensive attempt from my opponent without using full intensity.
I can strike quickly without full power so that my partner is not
overwhelmed. That way we all improve and have fun doing it.
There is one more very important aspect of this weightlifting
analogy. Whether you are in the gym to tone or to become a
competitive bodybuilder, the basic techniques you perform are the
same. You do squats, bench presses, curls, lat pulls, etc. The
professional adds greater intensity and uses more variations of each
technique, but the basics are the same. This holds true for fight
training, as well. The basics will be the same whether you are a
hobbyist or a professional fighter. There is no need to have one
curriculum for fighters and an entirely different curriculum for people
who want to learn self-defense. The professional is just more skillful in
the basics and has more variations. There’s nothing magic about it, just
scientifically tested techniques and training methods performed using
progressive resistance to build that skill.
I hope you can see why progressive resistance is an extremely
important part of our training. This is what allows people of all ages,
sizes and goals to train in the same general manner as a winner in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship. Because the concept of
progressively adding more and more resistance is not widely
understood, many martial arts don’t include that all-important factor
that triggers the adaptive response: resistance. They instead practice
forms, drills and techniques in which neither person ever actually
fights back. These drills and techniques are performed without any
resistance of any kind. Bruce Lee used the term “aliveness” to talk
about adding resistance. This is often misinterpreted. People will take
a technique that is practiced without resistance and try to make it
“alive.” They do this by bouncing around like Muhammad Ali while
doing the technique, still without resistance. Bouncing around does not
make it alive. Resistance makes it alive. Movement is part of
resistance, and it is easy to confuse the two. If your partner is trying to
keep you from performing your technique, then there is resistance and
you are going to improve.
Intensity is also mistaken for resistance. A person can go through a
technique routine with a well-trained, compliant partner at great
intensity. This is wonderful in demonstrations. One person feeds and
the other person flies into a fast, intense series of blocks, eye strikes
and nerve hits, followed by a takedown. Very impressive. That guy
was moving with unbelievable speed, precision and power. Watch the
demonstration again and take note of the feeder. What you will usually
see is a person who throws a punch and then stands there while the
defender goes through the routine. No resistance. There is great
intensity in this type of demonstration, but without resistance, you
won’t be able to deal with a real attacker who will resist 100 percent.
Am I saying that it is useless to train without resistance? No.
Training without resistance is important to memorize the various
techniques. By memorize I mean that your body has to develop the
coordination for the technique so that you have all the details in place.
You also can use them for conditioning the body. Just like learning the
squat, you need to learn each technique. But again, like the squat, it
should only take a few minutes to learn most techniques. There are
only two types of drills that martial artists do: memorization drills and
resistance drills. I call resistance drills “performance games.” We learn
the technique and then put it right into the performance game so that
you develop the skill to use the technique while under pressure.
Is an attacker in the street going to resist you? Absolutely. If you
don’t practice with resistance, you won’t be able to handle the
situation. I’m going to say it again: “If you want to learn how to fight,
you must practice fighting against someone who is fighting back!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 CHAPTER FOUR

FOOTWORK
Langkah (footwork) in silat is extremely important for getting to an optimal
angle against an attacker. Assuming that the assailant is bigger and stronger than
you are, you don’t want to go force against force. Because of this, you must use
evasive footwork on the outside to avoid strong attacks or use precise footwork
to enter at optimal angles.
The idea is to use footwork to get into a position in which you can maximize
your force and direct it against the attacker’s weakest point. (See the Triangle
Baseline Theory discussion in Chapter One.)
There are many complex footwork patterns, such as the serak diagram shown
here, but remember that they are actually combinations of the basic components.
Memorizing the patterns is not enough. Training to use them against a resisting
attacker is most important.
The pattern applications, especially when the patterns are put into
combinations, are virtually infinite. Practice them well so that you can use the art
of angulation to overcome larger, stronger attackers without thought.
FOOTWORK PATTERNS
This chapter presents some of the most useful footwork patterns from silat.
There are many applications and variations for each footwork pattern, far too
many to be covered in an entire book that only covers footwork. But these will
give you a great start. In combat, given that you have practiced enough, you will
spontaneously combine these patterns depending on the flow of the fight.
Serak footwork patterns

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dominance Through Footwork
I have a student who is a powerlifter. He is much stronger than I am
 and outweighs me by 70 pounds. If I go head-to-head with him, I am
going to get crushed. When we spar in the clinch, my primary mission
is to maneuver into a position in which I have a good angle on him.
Once I achieve that angle, the size and strength disparity is eliminated
and I can apply striking and other techniques with what looks like
relative ease. The truth is that I am still working hard to maintain that
position, but because I have the angle, I can control him and hit
without being hit. Footwork is the key to getting to a dominant angle.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

STRAIGHT LINE
This is the simplest footwork — just move straight forward. But the key is to
optimize your force through using the forward-lever position. (See Lever
Positions in Chapter One.) Adding the force of explosively bursting forward
with the strong structure of the forward lever can overcome the force of an
attacker who is more upright. This is especially useful in sudden attacks when
you don’t have time to use evasive movement. Straight-line footwork is usually
used with the dive entry and sometimes with the flower entry (explained in
Chapter Five) in order to crash in as quickly as possible.
But even when using the straight line, you don’t want to go force against force
like two rams butting heads. Instead, point that straight line off to the side of the
attacker’s centerline, usually toward his shoulder. This will give you a slight
angle and allow the power of your body and legs to be directed against the outer
edge of his body. You can make him turn on impact, which will off-balance him
for a moment. That split second is all you need to take control of the encounter.

Forward-lever position on the straight line

Burton Richardson is in a ready position and Scott Ishihara loads up to fire a haymaker (1). For
maximum efficiency and simplicity, Richardson steps in with the dive entry (elbow to the throat
variation), using the forward lever on the straight line (2). There are myriad possible follow-ups from
here.

TRIANGLE — FEMALE AND MALE

The triangle can be used outside for evasive movement, which sets up your
entry at a favorable angle. There are two basic triangles: the female version, in
which you are at the point of the triangle with the base in front of you, and the
male version, in which you are at the base of the triangle with the point in front
of you. Both are equilateral triangles, meaning the length of each side is equal
and therefore each intersection angle is 60 degrees.
Because the lines are angling diagonally away from you, the female triangle
lets you step to the side and forward at the same time. This means that you can
evade an attack and enter simultaneously. If you step laterally to the side to
evade and then try to make an entry, the aggressor may have time to fire a
second blow. The female triangle allows you to enter in one beat. This is
extremely efficient when entering against punches, kicks and weaponry attacks.
Because the lines of the triangle point away in both directions, you can enter
either inside or outside the attacker’s striking arm.
The male triangle can be used to evade attacks and enter, but it is a two-step
process. You step to the side and then make an angular entry. That gives an
aggressive assailant two shots at you. But it is a great tactic on the outside if you
want to set up an entry. The first step to the side seems like a simple flanking
maneuver, but as the aggressor turns to adjust, you are already making your
entry on a favorable angle. The male triangle entry is a quick, explosive
movement like a juke step in football.
Forward step on the female triangle
Burton Richardson is in a neutral stance (1). Jarlo Ilano starts to swing. Richardson angles forward
to the right on the female triangle to avoid the strike and get close enough to simultaneously
counterstrike (2-3).
Ready to enter on the male triangle
Demonstrating with Israel Cruz, Burton Richardson is in a disguised ready position (1). When Cruz
aggressively steps forward to shove his opponent, Richardson sidesteps to the right corner of the male
triangle and drives in at an angle while slapping the aggressor’s arm away and simultaneously
palming his face (2-3).

SQUARE
The square is usually used for sidestepping, then moving forward or
backward. If you start at the rear left corner of the square, you can sidestep to the
right rear corner, then step to the forward right corner. This is very common in
silat dance and in application against an aggressive attacker.
If you are at the rear left corner, you can step forward to the forward left
corner with your left foot, then to the forward right corner with your right. This
is used to enter and knock the attacker off-balance to the side and is essential in
several takedown setups.
If you start at the forward left corner, you can step to the forward right corner
with your right foot, then slide your left foot back to the rear right corner. This is
used for back sweeps and for evasive movements. In capoeira, this footwork is
called jinga.

Side-lever position on the square

Scott Ishihara prepares a backhand sword strike to Burton Richardson’s neck (1). Richardson ducks
and steps across the front line of the square (2). He then steps to the back corner of the square with
his left foot (3). He leans back to evade the forehand strike (4).

LIGHTNING BOLT
The footwork you choose usually depends on the situation — how many
attackers there are, where they are, what they are attacking with and where your
escape route is. But to enter hard and deep against a single aggressor who is in
front of you and within kickboxing range, you are usually going to use the
lightning-bolt footwork. The reason is twofold; the first step has all the
advantages of the female triangle. You get off the line of the incoming attack
while moving closer to the aggressor. But the second step allows you to drive
your shoulder, often preceded by strikes or checks, directly through the attacker
toward the weakest point — the rear triangle point of the attacker’s base. (See
Triangle Base Theory in Chapter One.) This results in a very deep entry that
drives the attacker off-balance. It also can result in a devastating takedown as
your leg goes deep behind the attacker’s lead leg.
The key is to twist your body slightly so that your shoulders are lined up with
the second line of the lightning bolt rather than just stepping directly down the
first line. That way, you use your shoulders like a battering ram with a very
strong, slightly twisted side-lever position. It is a great way to enter against a
skillful striker who is staying outside. Some high-level MMA fighters use this
footwork. Any athlete who fights in the cage should spend a lot of time on this
very valuable footwork.
Side-lever position on the lightning bolt
Burton Richardson and Jarlo Ilano square off (1). Richardson enters diagonally on the lightning bolt
with a double trap (2). He transitions his right hand to Ilano’s forehead while stepping deep on the
lightning bolt with his right foot (3). Richardson finishes with the head tilt (4).

ASTERISK
This is a universal pattern for any motion — footwork, head movement,
angles of attack for a weapon or evasive tactics. For footwork, the concept is that
you are in the middle of the asterisk. From there, you can move in any direction,
360 degrees of a circle. To break it down into a more manageable pattern, eight
lines are used on the asterisk so that each basic direction is covered. Once you
move out along a certain line, the asterisk moves and you are once again in the
center of the asterisk. You can again move in any of the eight basic directions.
This particular pattern is very important for you to learn because it also
applies to your everyday life. You are always in the middle and can choose at
any moment to move in any direction you like. If you have been going down a
bad path, you can change right now and choose a new direction. Each direction
takes you toward a particular destiny. If you are going down a path that is not
best for you, change your direction and move toward a more fulfilling
destination.

The asterisk can be found wherever there is movement.

TWISTING SIDE STEP

 This is used to avoid a straight, committed attack — whether it’s a punch, kick
or sword thrust — directed toward the centerline of your body. Step to the side
and rotate your body while leaning away from the incoming blow. It is a very
fast movement to get off the line of the incoming assault. The twisting side step
is a great tool to have in your bag in case of emergency.

Burton Richardson is in the ready position (1). As Jarlo Ilano begins the rear front kick, Richardson
takes a step to the side with his left foot (2) and begins to twist his hips and torso while leaning away
to avoid the kick. He simultaneously shelves the leg with his left arm (3). From here, Richardson can
slide his right arm under the leg (4), which leads to a devastating throw (5).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thoughts on the Twisting Side Step

I first used the twisting side step in fighting during an after-hours
Dog Brothers session at the Inosanto Academy in the late 1980s. I was
knife sparring with a very fast, skillful and powerful partner. We were
using rattan dowels and, of course, going all-out with just head and
hand protection. After going for at least 10 minutes, my back was to
the heavy bags. For the first time in the round, my partner suddenly
fired a vicious, rear-leg straight kick to my body as if he were trying to
break me in half. It took me by surprise and I had no time to think, but
my body responded. I sidestepped and twisted my body to avoid the
kick while my left arm went under his calf to catch his leg. He was
surprised, but not as much as I was! The spontaneous counter was
because of all the years of kali/silat practice and having enough
sparring time in that I was calm enough to allow my body to respond.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
BACKWARD STEP
This is a way to quickly change direction to face a second attacker, improve
your leverage for a takedown or do both at the same time. It is pretty simple —
you just do an about-face and step backward. The key is to maintain a very
stable position. Anytime you turn, you momentarily compromise your base, so
keep your knees bent and rotate with a strong structure.
Burton Richardson is confronted by two attackers, one on each side (1). He bursts toward Scott
Ishihara, going directly for the head tilt (2), while using the backward step so that he can face Israel
Cruz (3). Richardson finishes the first takedown in good position to handle the next threat (4).

HARIMAU SIDE TO SIDE

This is a great way to move on the ground. The harimau (tiger) style is known
for low postures. When the terrain is slick, it is advantageous to voluntarily start
in a low position instead of slipping to the ground by accident. This footwork
allows you to move while staying low and even leap at an unsuspecting attacker.
When starting from the ground first came into use, most people thought it was
a strange tactic. Then the Gracies showed the world how important ground
fighting is.
If you are already down against a standing attacker, the side-to-side movement is very useful. Burton
Richardson starts leaning to the left (1). He suddenly switches to the right side, which is confusing to
an attacker. Think of this like good head movement in boxing (2). The movement gives Richardson
the opportunity to place his hands on the ground and throw a strong, sudden, unexpected back kick
to the groin (3-4).

SEMPOK/DEPOK/SILO (TWIST STANCES)

The twist stances can be performed either standing or sitting on the ground.
The twist stances are sempok (crossing one leg behind), depok (crossing one leg
in front) and silo (just twisting into position). In Southeast Asia, people
commonly sit on the ground in the sempok position, so being able to fight from
there is a necessity. There are many uses for the positions, from countering back
sweeps to baiting opponents to attack carelessly.
This one works well if you are late in defending the back sweep. Jarlo Ilano has gotten into good
position to apply a back sweep (1-2). Because he is late, Burton Richardson’s best defense is to stop
Ilano’s movement by controlling the head while twisting into a strong, rooted side-lever twist stance
(3). Having his knee behind Ilano’s leg helps Richardson finish the head-tilt takedown (4).
 CHAPTER FIVE

ENTRIES
Because silat flourishes in close-quarters combat, the silat fighter needs
methods to get from outside range to the inside, preferably while delivering
firepower. These methods of getting to close range are “entries.”
Revered Filipino martial arts grandmaster Leo Gaje once said, “The obsession
of the kali man is how to enter.” Outside, a big, aggressive, untrained attacker
has a striker’s chance to knock you out. Inside, it takes skill. But you need a
method to go safely from outside range, through his striking power, into close
range where you can use your silat. It’s even better if your entry damages the
attacker.
Silat entries are all about delivering firepower as you safely move to close
range so you can dispatch the aggressor as quickly as possible. There are many
entry methods, and their uses are situational; some work well under certain
circumstances, while others work best under other conditions.
There is also overlap. There are several entries that would work against an
attacker who throws a big haymaker. But remember that merely knowing the
different entries does not mean that you can actually apply them under pressure.
You have to drill the movements and practice against an uncooperative partner to
attain the necessary timing and feel. Also, realize that even though you may
know many entries, when that clenched fist is traveling violently toward your
face, you only get to choose one. Have a primary response ingrained so that you
can use it without thought. When things go from peaceful to violent in a split
second, you will not have time to think about which method to use. Your primary
response must be automatic.
Here are some of the most effective and functional entries from silat. If you
want to get to close range where, as Paul de Thouars would say, “all guns can
fire,” then you need solid entries, preferably those that include firepower. Hone
them to a fine edge so that you can dictate the range at which the fight takes
place.
THE DIVE
The dive entry is a simple, universal entry. Universal means that it works
against almost any type of attack: straight punches, swings, elbows, grabs and
even blunt weapon attacks. The dive gets you into close quarters safely, in a
hurry and with no reliance on fine-motor skills or impeccable timing.
Answering fast, powerful punches with a parry would require a lot of skill,
and when an attacker suddenly pounces on you, it is very difficult to use
parrying tactics. If the attack occurs at night or in low light, you may not be able
to see the punches coming. The dive takes all this into account by creating a
structure that protects your head as you pass through punching range into close
quarters. It is so incredibly simple that its power as a self-defense tool is often
overlooked.
When you feel the attacker move toward you aggressively, drop your head and
extend your arms in a dive-like configuration and charge in with a forward-lever
stance. The opponent’s punch, elbow, bottle or rock will deflect off your arms as
you slam into close range. Now you are in your territory where you can strike,
clinch or go directly for a takedown.
When you dive, you will either have one arm on each side of your opponent’s
neck or you will have both arms on one side of his neck. This can happen by
design, if you have time to think, or by chance. For example, if you favor the
Thai neck clinch, you will prefer to dive with one arm on either side of the neck
so that you are already set to attain the position. But in a surprise attack, you
dive and flow from wherever you are.
In the dive, it is very important to keep a slight bend in your elbows so your
forearms are in a diagonal line when you enter. If your forearms are horizontal,
your arms may slide over the aggressor’s shoulder and he can grab you in a body
lock or end up at your back. Keep your elbows down so they touch the attacker’s
upper chest. This will surprise the attacker, stop the person’s forward momentum
and keep the person in front of you.
When doing the basic version, you should move into a strong forward-lever
position and shock the attacker with the impact of the dive. You also can alter the
structure to deliver firepower during the entry. A simple adjustment is to bend
the inside arm so that you deliver a forearm or elbow strike with the dive.
You also can use the dive structure to slam your palms into the face of the
aggressor, possibly driving your thumbs to the eyes, as well. It is a fast, simple,
extremely damaging way to enter that doesn’t take a high level of skill. But it
does require lots of safe, realistic practice so you respond automatically. The
dive entry should be one of your most practiced moves. It is tempting to only
practice the more complicated entries, or those that cross the line into being
performance art that only works with a cooperative partner. But if you are
training yourself and your students for functional self-defense, be sure to work
your basics each session.
Burton Richardson sees that Scott Ishihara is attacking with a stick (1). Richardson confronts the
attack by dropping his chin and preparing for the dive entry (2), using both palms on Ishihara’s face
for a jarring impact (3).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thoughts on the Dive Entry

During a JKD Unlimited instructor test (which consists of seven
rounds of sparring in all the ranges), the attacker picked up a stick and
charged the instructor candidate, who spontaneously used the dive
entry with the forearm smash. It is a good thing that we use extremely
sturdy helmets with face cages because the forearm blow made a
tremendous impact, turning the attacker’s head and rattling him.
I also want to mention that my friend, practical self-defense expert
 Tony Blauer, developed tactics he calls the SPEAR System that are
very similar in structure to the dive entry. Blauer’s work demonstrating
how the SPEAR System can be used in conjunction with the flinch
response during surprise attacks really helped me appreciate the value
of the dive entry. Blauer has refined the SPEAR System, and I highly
suggest that students study his work. His psychological and physical
understanding of true surprise combat is invaluable. I thank him for his
contribution.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
RAM’S HORN
This is similar in function to the dive entry but has a different structure.
Instead of extending your arms, you cover both sides of your head as you make
your entry. This instinctive move keeps you more covered than the dive entry
and should be practiced often.
You can use this while charging in with a forward lever like the dive entry.
You also can duck and then move in to get under the punches. Ideally, your
elbows hit the attacker’s chest and your head is underneath the attacker’s chin.
You can grab a body lock, rise up to a head butt or go directly for a takedown.
You also can use this position if you have to run through a line of multiple
attackers. The ram’s horn entry is simple and effective — that is good silat!
Jarlo Ilano is ready to fire a barrage of strikes (1). Burton Richardson charges in a forward-lever
position with the ram’s horn entry (2) to smother the blows (3) and set up a strong head butt (4).

THAI COVER
This is an arm configuration that is used extensively in muay Thai kickboxing.
In the sport, combatants generally use this to ward off punches while staying at a
range to return kicks or knees. In the silat origins, it would also be used to enter
deep on an adversary to attempt a takedown.
Put your lead hand behind your head and bring your forearm in snug against
your ear. If your forearm is too high, there will be space for a closed fist to get
through and hit you hard. Keep your hand low below the base of your skull and
the cover tight. Be sure that your elbow does not point outward but instead is in
front of your face. This closes the line for straight punches.
Extend your other arm with your palm open and fingers up to avoid getting
them sprained. The lead side is similar to a one-armed ram’s horn, and the other
side is similar to a one-armed dive. Together, they make a strong structure for
keeping punches and elbows off your head as you move in to take control of the
fight.
The great benefit of this entry structure is that if you don’t quite make it all the
way in on the first movement, you are still covered quite well. You can throw
kicks and make adjustments while deflecting punches until you can get to your
preferred range. It works great in the incredibly rigorous world of muay Thai,
and it can work for you in a self-defense situation.

Israel Cruz swings (1). Burton Richardson uses the Thai cover to block the punch while using his
right hand to keep enough distance (2) to set up a strong knee strike (3).

FULL COVER (THE HELMET)

This is a universal block I developed in the 1990s that works against almost
any striking attack at the head. It combines the Thai cover with the concept of
bracing from silat. Bracing occurs when a blocking arm is reinforced by pushing
on it with the other hand. This makes the block much stronger and more resistant
to heavy blows. Building on the Thai cover, which has proved effective for
centuries, the arm next to the head is strengthened because instead of extending
the other arm, you use it to cover your face while bracing the covering arm. The
result is that your head is protected from most strikes without having to make
many adjustments.
The full cover blocks the jab, cross, rear hook, overhand and rear elbow, as
well as attacks with impact weapons such as sticks, rocks and bottles. If a lead
hook comes in to the open side of your face, just rotate slightly in the direction
of the punch to block it. This cover has proved so effective that many groups
have adopted it. It was given the nickname “the helmet” because it is like putting
on a helmet to protect your head.
Note that the inside of the wrist of the supporting arm presses against your
lead forearm to reinforce it. The supporting hand is open to help catch whatever
is coming in, and the rear elbow is down to keep the uppercut line as small as
possible. Look underneath your rear forearm as you charge forward.
As with all entries, you want to burst forward to cut into the assailant’s attack.
If you stay where you are, you will be hit with the full force of the strike.
Moving in will smother the blow.
As you enter, you can drive your rear elbow or forearm into the aggressor’s
face. This further interrupts the attack and may hurt the aggressor.
Because it blocks so many strikes with little adjustment to the incoming blow,
this cover is ideal for low-light situations in which you can’t see exactly what is
coming. And it requires very little timing because you just put on your “helmet”
and charge forward. It is a great way to move into close quarters where you can
maximize your silat skill.
Front view of the helmet (1). Side view of the helmet (2).

FLOWER
This entry is called the flower because of the corresponding dance movement.
In the dance, the hands start together, travel upward and bloom open in opposite
directions. For fighting, the hands move apart as one hand blocks and the other
hits, checks or sometimes blocks, like against a two-hand push.
If a right swing comes in, the left arm comes up and toward the incoming arm.
The forearm torques outward just as contact is made to add extra velocity to the
blocking surface. That extra torque makes a noticeable difference in the power
generated, meaning that you don’t only stop an incoming blow but possibly
inflict significant pain and damage to the aggressor’s arm. This is why the hands
and forearms in the dances often rotate and torque. It looks beautiful, but it is
also quite applicable if you understand the movement and have practiced well.
As the blocking arm is extending outward, the other hand is exploding
forward, usually toward the face. “Hand” is preferred to “fist” in that sentence
because it affords a variety of tools that you can use with the same motion. You
can punch with a closed fist, strike with an open hand, gouge at the eyes or use
any other hand configuration you prefer. The idea of the flower is that you hit
while you block before the attacker has a chance to throw a second strike.
You also can use interceptive timing with the flower. If you perceive the
aggressor is preparing to attack, like in rearing back a fist before throwing a
haymaker, you can hit first with the flower entry, keeping your blocking hand
there in case the attacker’s blow follows through.
The flower entry is very powerful and quite surprising to an assailant. Practice
it well because you may be able to use the flower entry to end a fight before it
even gets going.
The flower movement is often seen in Southeast Asian dances.
This is the flower motion in action. Burton Richardson is in a ready position against an aggressor (1).
When Jarlo Ilano swings, Richardson uses the flower entry to block and strike with an open palm
simultaneously (2).

SLAP AND STRIKE

In many styles of silat, this is the preferred entry when dealing with a straight
punch. Just like the flower is an efficient, aggressive entry against a swing, the
slap and strike allows you to simultaneously block with one hand and hit with
the other against a straight-line attack, be it a jab, cross, push or grab. Instead of
hitting, if you choose, you also can check the aggressor’s nonstriking hand.
When parrying on the outside, your striking hand can take two basic
pathways: Because the incoming punch is straight, you can parry downward and
strike over your arm, or you can parry slightly to the side and punch inside the
attacker’s arm. The method you use depends mainly on your positioning when
the attack occurs. If you just want to control the aggressor as you enter, you can
parry and check the other arm before it can fire and then you can secure a clinch
position.
Slap-and-strike entries take more skill because you must first read that a
straight punch is coming and then employ impeccable timing to step in and slap
that full-speed, full-power punch out of the air. And you must step the correct
distance to be able to strike at the same time. This is easy to do in practice when
someone is feeding you punches at half speed, but it is considerably more
difficult to apply when someone is trying to take your head off.
This entry can be applied often in high-intensity boxing/MMA sparring
against experienced fighters because it is difficult for them to counter when it is
timed correctly. Many advanced students can use this in heavy sparring, as well.
Just remember that in a real fight, in which you may not be ready, simpler entries
such as the dive and the covers have fewer moving parts and therefore have less
chance of breaking down under pressure. But if you train well, you will be able
to develop the skill to intercept a straight punch with the highly efficient slap-
and-strike entry.

Burton Richardson is in the ready position (1). Israel Cruz fires a jab, but Richardson uses the slap-
and-strike entry to block the punch while delivering a straight punch of his own (2). To acquire the
timing necessary to pull this off, students must do a lot of sparring.

DOUBLE TRAP
This is a very simple entry used against someone who has his hands up in a
boxing posture. Move in and jerk both the adversary’s wrists down to open him
up to a head butt, elbow, slap to the groin or takedown. It is suggested that you
slip your head outside the aggressor’s arms as you make the entry — in case he
punches as you step forward. Taught by tuhon Dan Inosanto since at least 1980,
this technique has recently started appearing in UFC fights. It’s usually followed
with an elbow. The double trap is a great way to enter with firepower.
Burton Richardson is in the ready position (1). Because Scott Ishihara’s hands are up in a fighting
stance, Richardson uses the female triangle footwork to move closer while getting his head off the line
of Ishihara’s punches (2). Getting his head out of the way of the aggressor’s strikes is critical and
allows Richardson to safely apply the double-trap entry, followed immediately with a strong elbow
(3).

THREE-COUNT
This aggressive entry can be used from outside or inside the punching arm,
against straight or curved punches. The key here is ferocious commitment to the
entry. You must overwhelm the attacker with speed and forward pressure.
The movement is basically the same as that used in many double-sword or
double-stick stroking patterns. If parrying a left straight punch from the outside,
your right hand parries across, followed immediately by your left hand, which
comes up from under your right arm. These first two movements are used to
blast the punching arm aside, leaving an opening for the right hand to attack. The
movement is done in an extremely fast and powerful rhythm. You can’t “patty
cake” the entry because you will get blasted by the attacker’s second punch. This
entry needs to be done with utter domination.
The first two movements blast the incoming arm to the side, but the three-
count entry works even better when that second hand is driving in toward the
attacker’s face. Think of how fast a jab-cross comes in. If you wait until the third
beat of your entry to attack, you may be eating that cross. You want to hit on that
second motion to at least disrupt his balance so he can’t fire a good second
attack. The third movement, which can be a backhand or a forehand, continues
the counter-assault and sets the aggressor up for your following moves.
To practice the three-count entry, Inosanto would have students put on boxing
gloves and have partners throw full-speed punches. At first, everyone was
surprised that the entry wasn’t as easy as expected. But after several sessions of
this drill, the students improved dramatically and gained timing and attitude.
Spar it and you will understand how you need to really take over and enter deep
with the three-count to make it work. In true silat fashion, you must crash that
line.
The three-count is particularly useful when an aggressor attacks from the side
because regular parries and blocks do not work as well. The compound effect of
the three-count entry is a great solution for rear attacks, too.
Burton Richardson is lucky to see that Jarlo Ilano is attacking from the rear (1). Richardson ducks
his chin and uses his right-hand parry (2). His left follows immediately to also block the arm (3).
These two motions happen within a fraction of a second. In this instance, Richardson opts to use his
right elbow strike as the third motion of the three-count (4).

SCOOP AND STRIKE (OR CHECK)

Last but not least, this is a common silat technique for dealing with a straight
punch, but it takes even more skill than the parry. Not only do you block the
punch aside, but you also have to use a circular motion to redirect the fist that is
hurtling toward your face with vicious intent. The scoop is easy to apply in
practice because partners rarely punch all the way through to the target. They
usually stop a few inches in front of your head, so parrying from the outside and
redirecting the strike from the inside is simple. Everything works when there is
no resistance. But when someone is really trying to hurt you, that’s another story.
When practicing, it is important to regularly don good headgear and be sure your
partner is punching through the target.
If you master this entry, it works wonders. Not only do you block the strike,
but also redirecting it creates openings in the attacker’s defense. This is a go-to
move in hard sparring because it can confuse skilled opponents.
The trick is to parry with your wrist from the top of his arm and immediately
use your fingers to scoop from the inside of his arm, knocking his hand away
from his body. You can strike at the same time with the other hand, or you can
use it to check the attacker’s rear punch. By checking the attacker’s other hand,
both his arms are momentarily out of position and you can land your strike
without impedance.
Note that the parry entries are much easier to apply against a push or a grab
because the incoming arm isn’t so ballistic. Some will say that it is a waste of
time to practice the parries, such as the slap and strike, three-count, and scoop
and strike because they don’t work against an aggressive attacker who is really
trying to take your head off, especially in a surprise attack. The dive, ram’s horn,
Thai cover, full cover and even the flower are much easier to apply and should
be prioritized in training. You should give precedence to working those gross-
motor-skill entries and truly master them. But do not limit yourself as long as
you have your basics down, having functionalized them by training against
resisting partners. There are times when the parries are applicable, especially
against skilled strikers. Work on the parries and scoops so you will have more
options in a serious situation in which the lives of your loved ones are at stake.
Israel Cruz and Burton Richardson are squared off in punching range (1). Cruz rips out a jab.
Richardson steps diagonally forward while scooping the punch with his rear hand (2). This gives him
the distance to check Cruz’s rear arm before it fires (3). Richardson delivers a shocking upward
elbow strike (4).

DRIFT ATTACK (OFFENSIVE)

When the fight is at kickboxing range but the skilled attacker is not moving
forward aggressively, you will have to force your entry. One way is to just strike
in combination while charging forward into close range, but a skilled striker will
easily avoid your entry. It is better to fake out the aggressor by changing the line
of your attack as you enter. These “drift attacks” look like they are going toward
one target, and as the adversary defends, the attack changes direction and drifts
to the actual intended target. For jeet kune do followers, this is what Bruce Lee
termed the “progressive indirect attack.”
Probably the most commonly used drift attack in silat starts with a movement
toward the head and drifts down to the groin. It involves stepping diagonally
forward using the female triangle or lightning-bolt footwork while you initiate a
strike toward the head. As the assailant reacts to the high attack, drift your hand
down to slap or grab the groin and continue into a takedown. It is an extremely
effective offensive entry that is used in sparring on a daily basis.
Here is a great offensive entry when you need to close the distance. Start with an overhand open-palm
strike. Keeping the hand open makes it look bigger and more threatening so the opponent will react
to it (1). Scott Ishihara’s hands go up to defend the strike (2). Burton Richardson changes the
trajectory of the blow downward (3). He attacks the unprotected groin (4).
 CHAPTER SIX

TAKEDOWNS
Takedowns are extremely important in silat. The attitude of the silat fighter is
to put the attacker on the ground as quickly as possible to take away many of his
tools, put him in a vulnerable position and possibly injure him as he hits the
ground. Remember that sports such as wrestling and judo limit the types of
takedowns to ensure the safety of the combatants. The sports avoid manipulating
the joints of the neck, back or knees to avoid crippling injuries. Throws that land
the opponent in a dangerous position are also illegal. But silat is designed for use
when your life or the lives of your loved ones are at stake. The most injurious
throws are prioritized.
Let me emphasize here (and I will point out again later when detailing the
more dangerous takedowns) that you must be extremely careful when practicing
these moves! You can seriously injure your partner with these takedowns, even
when training slowly. When practicing the most dangerous throws in sparring, it
is best to just get into a position in which you could apply the takedown without
following through with the actual finish. Safety first!
One word to keep in mind as you practice the individual takedowns is “flow.”
Sometimes, you go for a throw and you make it happen. Other times, you have
to feel what the opponent is giving you. The opponent’s counter to one takedown
usually leaves an opening to another. You may start a head tilt and the opponent
swings his left leg back and around for balance, but that gives you the back
sweep. This is flow! Stay on the offense long enough with forward pressure and
you will find a place to move into a heavy takedown.
There are so many silat throws and variations that we don’t have nearly
enough space in this book to cover all of them. We will prioritize those that are
simplest to apply yet devastatingly impactful against a fully resisting opponent.
HEAD TILT
The tarik kepala (head tilt) is extremely simple and has worked on numerous
occasions, including many times in all-out stick fights as well as in moderate-
intensity sparring. One specific instance was a stick-fighting match in the
Philippines against the then-world champion, which resulted in the match being
stopped.
The head tilt is a must-have takedown for your arsenal. Silat students who are
in law enforcement have used this technique successfully to take down suspects
while retaining control without causing injury. One such student reports that he
has used the head tilt at least 20 times on the streets of New York City to make
arrests. Assuredly, this simple takedown works very well. But as with all the
throws, the mechanics are very important for maximum efficiency.
The opponent must be in a somewhat upright position. (Another type of
takedown would be more successful if the person is bent over.) The key in tarik
kepala is to tilt the head to the rear, and when the back of the head (occipital) is
oriented downward, push straight down, trying to drive the opponent’s head into
the ground. Don’t just push the head backward because the opponent can walk
back out of it. You want the opponent in a severe backbend with locked-up
vertebrae. The neck and spine bind up and the aggressor experiences a very
uncomfortable fall. Do this takedown slowly in practice and be very controlled
with it in sparring. But in self-defense, apply it explosively.
Although not necessary, it helps to block the opponent’s lower back to keep
the person from walking away and out of the throw. Even better than blocking
the opponent’s lower back, you can slap the person’s kidney and grab skin to
move the hips forward.
Jarlo Ilano fires a left hook (1). Burton Richardson uses the flower entry and checks Ilano’s rear
hand while grabbing behind his neck to set up a strong head butt (2-3). Richardson slams his right
palm into Ilano’s upper face (4), shoves backward (5) and then down for the head-tilt takedown (6).

THROAT GRAB
The tenggorokan genggam (throat grab) is another very simple takedown that
works well. You simply grab the opponent’s throat, block the lower back or leg,
and drive through with forward pressure. The aggressor is bent backward and
falls down. Simple. This is an easier takedown than the head tilt against a taller
assailant, and you can better control the way the adversary lands and avoid
injuring the person. In a self-defense situation, you will drive the assailant down
hard into the ground.
Push upward and backward at the same time to get the aggressor up on his
toes, and use forward pressure to follow through with the throw. If you just push
straight back, it is much easier to counter. Another great benefit of the throat
grab is that you can do it with relative safety in sparring, so you get more
repetitions in while under the pressure of a resisting opponent. That ingrains the
move.
This move can work even in sparring against experienced grapplers who are
larger and stronger than you. The throat grab comes as a surprise. When the
grappler straightens up to try to remove your hand, down he goes.
Burton Richardson uses the flower entry against Scott Ishihara’s rear punch (1). Richardson
ballistically strikes/grabs Ishihara’s throat and drives him backward (2). Richardson continues the
forward pressure while slapping Ishihara’s lower back, which keeps Ishihara from stepping back to
counter the pressure (3). Richardson finishes the takedown, slamming Ishihara to his back (4-5).

HEAD TWIST
Again, we are going for head control to secure a simple takedown. Note that
the previous head-tilt and throat-grab takedowns are ways to control the head.
That old saying, “where the head goes the body must follow,” is certainly true.
The head and neck of a very heavy opponent are vulnerable, even with a base
that is difficult to upset.
The puter kepala (head twist) takedown requires more control of the head
before applying, while the head tilt and throat grab are done more ballistically.
But once you have control of the head with both hands, twisting in the correct
direction with proper footwork makes for a spectacular takedown. When done at
full speed, both the adversary’s feet often come off the ground. A student who is
very proficient with this takedown once used the neck-clinch version several
times during hard sparring in his JKD Unlimited instructor test. He later became
a police officer and uses it routinely against combative suspects who are much,
much bigger and stronger than he is. He has gotten great results in the field with
the head-twist takedown.
To secure the head, the opponent must be bent over a bit. You can force
bending at the waist with groin strikes, a partial sweep or by pushing and
pulling. Be sure your head control is very tight because you don’t want the
opponent slipping out.
There are several ways to secure the head. You can use a neck clinch, which is
very popular in Thai boxing, grab the chin with one hand and the hair at the back
of the head with the other, or just grab the side of the head with both your hands.
You also can cross your arms and apply a reverse neck clinch.
To throw the aggressor to your left, step back with your left foot while
keeping your upper body close to the head as you keep the pressure on by using
your bodyweight. Swing your upper body back toward your left foot while
twisting the opponent’s head, right ear facing the ground and pulling the head
diagonally down toward your left foot (extremely important for off-balancing).
This provides maximum torque and keeps the opponent from being able to step
forward for balance. A horizontal motion allows the aggressor to take a step and
re-balance. A diagonal drive downward places the aggressor’s weight on the
right foot, anchoring it in place, and the person flies.
Burton Richardson uses the flower entry against Israel Cruz’s two-hand shove (1). This gives
Richardson inside position for the neck clinch and head butt (2). Richardson circles his right leg
behind to use his bodyweight to twist Cruz’s head and pull him off-balance (3-4). Richardson slams
Cruz to the ground (5-6).

CHIN GRAB
This is a variation of the head twist, but it comes from a different position.
When the opponent is bent over, you can reach over the back of the head to
secure the genggam dagu (chin grab) position. Put downward pressure on the
attacker with your chest, and keep your forearm high on the head so the person
can’t pull out of the position. Lean away and twist the head by pulling the chin
up and around. Keep your forearm stuck to the back of the aggressor’s head and
travel away while stepping to the side, dropping your body and pulling in a tight
circle. Push on the opponent’s far shoulder to keep the person from spinning out
of the takedown, and pull until the person is forced to fall onto his back.
Avoid doing this takedown in sparring because the move twists the vertebrae
and can cause damage to people who do not have a very strong, highly
conditioned neck. Get to the position, feel how you would start the throw, then
let go and move on. It is highly effective. As an example of its effectiveness, a
jiu-jitsu fighter at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World
Championship once used a variation of this takedown to put a great wrestler on
his back.
From the double-biceps grab position, Burton Richardson throws a knee to the groin, which bends
Israel Cruz over (1-2). This gives Richardson the opportunity to reach over Cruz’s head and grip his
chin (3). Richardson steps back to the side and pulls Cruz’s chin to twist his head while pushing on
the shoulder to keep Cruz from spinning out (4). Richardson slams Cruz to the ground and takes the
top position (5-6).

CRADLE THROW
 This is a great example of a throw designed to injure the opponent when he
hits the ground. The angkat banting (cradle throw) depends on lifting one of the
opponent’s legs off the ground while you are outside of that leg. Your other hand
goes around the opponent’s back at the waist. Bend your legs to get your hips
under the opponent’s and explode upward, leaning back while lifting.
It is important to lean back and pull the aggressor over you so you’re using
your legs to carry the weight. If you are bent over and try to lift, you will be
relying on your lower back. Your lower back is weaker than your legs and you
may injure yourself. So get underneath the opponent and pull the person back
over your hips as you explode upward. Lift as high as you can and then drive the
opponent down as hard as you can. You’ll cause maximum damage by slamming
the opponent down on the shoulder area. You’ll knock the wind out of the
opponent with a throw to the back. Be very aware that if you throw the attacker
headfirst, you may kill him. That would mean severe moral and legal trouble for
you, which could ruin your life. Only resort to that sort of extreme action when
your life is threatened and you have no other choice. You must be able to justify
the use of deadly force in a court of law.
Jarlo Ilano has Burton Richardson in the neck clinch. Richardson puts his forearm against Ilano’s
hip to slow down and lessen the power of the coming knee strike (1). As the knee arrives, Richardson
sidesteps with his rear leg and tucks his body to avoid the blow (2). This puts Richardson in position
to hook his right arm under Ilano’s knee (3). Richardson brings his hips in close and wraps Ilano’s
waist with his left arm (4). Richardson explodes his hips inward and upward to lift Ilano, turn him
and pile-drive him to the ground (5-6).

HEAD AND ARM TURN

 The head and arm turn is a throw found in many martial arts. But it calls for a
few words of warning. First, the move is often performed by grabbing the
opponent’s wrist, pushing down on the head and spinning the opponent to the
ground. But doing this with a wrist grab is very difficult against someone who is
fighting back. There is a lot of play in the arm because the elbow and shoulder
joints can move and counter the throw. It is actually more secure when hooking
under the elbow, but then you lose some leverage.
Second, you can’t just grab someone who is resisting and turn the entire body.
If the opponent stiffens up, you won’t have the leverage to finish the throw. In
training years ago, one of the strongest, most skillful students in the class got
into the position while sparring against someone smaller and weaker. The
smaller person just stiffened up and this powerful student could not complete the
throw.
So what must you do to finish this throw? There are three elements that help
tremendously. First, weaken the opponent through striking. If you hurt the
attacker to the point of making him wobble, you can pull off almost any throw.
Second, realize that this works very well when the opponent is bent over and
rushing you. The opponent provides the momentum and won’t have the base to
stiffen up and resist the throw. In a sumo match in Japan, a fighter was observed
pulling this off against a top sumotori who outweighed him by nearly 300
pounds. The huge fighter rushed in, and the small fighter pulled the opponent’s
head down, sidestepped while underhooking the elbow and tossed the sumotori
off the platform. Brilliant.
The third enhancement is to use precise footwork to cut the angle. Instead of
making the opponent fall with a 180-degree twist, turn the person’s body 90
degrees while stepping behind to get to the other 90 degrees. The opponent goes
down very easily when you time the step with the turn correctly. Totally resisting
opponents are always surprised at how they suddenly feel like they have “fallen
into a black hole.” The details make all the difference.
Burton Richardson has an underhook with neck control in the clinch (1). Scott Ishihara changes
levels to shoot for a takedown (2). Richardson counters by moving back and pushing Ishihara’s neck
down (3). Circling to the side allows Richardson to pull Ishihara’s arm farther (4). This results in the
head-and-arm-turn takedown (5).

OUTSIDE BACK SWEEP

The biset luar (outside back sweep) is another type of takedown. Students
must remember that the heavier the adversary, the more difficult it’s going to be
to sweep that leg. Off-balancing and timing are the keys.
To perform the back sweep, you need to off-balance the opponent and step
past his lead leg while anchoring him over that leg (see “Be an Anchor” in the
Functional-Silat Principles section) and retaining your own leverage position.
You can just kick the leg out, which can work, but it is preferable to maximize
the efficiency of the throw by using proper angulation.
Raise the opponent’s head by pushing the chin or grabbing the throat and
lifting. This gets the adversary up on his toes and into position for you to apply
the back sweep. Ideally, you want the opponent’s upright body turned so his
shoulders are almost lined up toward you. You want most of the opponent’s
weight on the lead leg so sweeping out that leg will cause the opponent to fall
down when you take it away. If most of it is on the rear leg, the opponent, to
remain balanced, will simply lift up the foot you are sweeping. Pull down on the
opponent’s lead arm to anchor the opponent so he can’t just step out of the
position.
When you step through and behind your adversary’s leg, you must maintain
that forward lever. The most common mistake is to lean back and reach through
with your sweeping leg without off-balancing the opponent. That puts you in
position to be swept. If you can’t step through maintaining your lever position,
go back to hitting while you move to another takedown.
Another common error is maintaining the forward lever but collapsing your
arms as you step. If you collapse your arms, you won’t off-balance the aggressor.
Once in proper position, maintain your anchor, rotate your body and
manipulate your adversary’s head to throw the person directly over your thigh.
You can often finish the throw without actually doing a back sweep, but kicking
out the leg makes up for errors and any efforts to counter you.
You also can do a back sweep from the kneeling position as a follow-up if you
are very close to getting a regular back sweep but can’t quite finish it. Just
switch your grip so you have both hands on the opponent’s lead arm, anchor
hard and pull the person over your thigh. It is a surprisingly quick and painful
takedown when timed correctly.
Scott Ishihara shoves Burton Richardson’s shoulder. Richardson wipes it off and moves to the
forward-lever position while securing Ishihara’s biceps and throat (1-2). Making a way and
maintaining the forward lever, Richardson steps deep behind Ishihara’s lead leg while anchoring
Ishihara’s right arm to keep him from stepping back (3). Richardson turns and forces Ishihara over
his leg (4). This drives Ishihara down for a hard fall (5-6).

INSIDE BACK SWEEP

The biset dalem (inside back sweep) is more difficult to finish because the
attacker can bend forward to re-balance. This is why the inside back sweep is
often used as a setup to off-balance an aggressor.
If you can get the proper momentum and angulation, you can finish the inside
back sweep. The key is to move in and rock the opponent hard as you step inside
the lead leg while maintaining a strong lever position. The strong entry is to get
the aggressor’s weight on the rear leg and make a way for your body and leg to
enter. The opponent will probably push toward you to get weight back on the
lead leg and re-balance. As the opponent’s weight is transferring forward, back-
sweep the leg and rotate your upper body to send him diagonally down toward
your stationary foot.
This throw is often demonstrated from outside the opponent’s outstretched
arm, but in a real fight, an aggressor will not hold an arm out for you. It is much
easier from head control, a bent arm lock, an underhook or an overhook.
Even if you can’t throw the aggressor, the inside back sweep will get the
person bent forward so you can fire a knee to the head or transition to another
takedown.
Jarlo Ilano pulls Burton Richardson’s shoulder to set up a sucker punch (1). Richardson uses a biceps
stop to block the punch (2). Then he steps inside with his right leg with a forward lever while hooking
his right arm under Ilano’s left (3). Richardson turns and lifts Ilano’s left arm while pulling Ilano’s
right inward (4). Richardson sweeps Ilano’s left leg (5). He torques Ilano to the ground to finish the
inside back-sweep throw (6).

BICYCLE STEP
The sepeda langkah (bicycle step) can be a throw in itself, but it is usually
used as a quick way to get the opponent’s leg to move and set up another throw.
 Turn as if your going for the inside back sweep, but because you can’t move
the person to get to the proper position, point your toes and reach back as far as
you can. The back of your thigh will touch the opponent’s. Once your toes touch
down, slam your heel to the ground to straighten your leg. It is important to get
your thigh traveling slightly upward to uproot the opponent’s foot, so bend
forward as you do the bicycle step. This knee-straightening action will knock the
person’s leg back and his foot off the ground. With the adversary on one leg, you
may be able to finish the throw to the ground with a torquing action. If that
doesn’t work, you can flow to other moves, such as a shin bind, a back sweep on
the support leg or striking to the groin. The bicycle step is a very valuable move
to affect a strong opponent’s balance.

Burton Richardson tries for the inside back sweep, but Israel Cruz is too rooted and his leg won’t
budge (1). Keeping his thigh in contact with Cruz’s leg, Richardson reaches his toes back as far as he
can (2). Then he slams his heel to the ground while bending forward to pop Cruz’s foot off the ground
(3). With Cruz on one leg, Richardson can step behind Cruz’s left leg and transition to a huge outside
back-sweep throw (4-5).
OUTSIDE FOOT SWEEP
The sapu luar (outside foot sweep) is another takedown used many times in
Dog Brothers fighting, tournaments and other full-resistance situations.
Sweeping properly from the outside of the leg makes the opponent fall backward
toward his weakest point, so it is more reliable than sweeping from the inside of
the leg.
The keys to the foot sweep are timing, proper angulation on the sweep and
accuracy.
• Timing. You can’t do the sweep when an opponent’s weight is all on the
lead foot. It is too hard to move that leg unless the person is very light.
Assuming the attacker is your weight or heavier, you have to move or coax
the person into the proper position or recognize when the attacker is in a
position to be swept.
• Proper Angulation. Just sweeping the leg in any direction is not going to
give you good results. You need to sweep at the optimal angle to get
optimal results. Visualize a baseline between the opponent’s two feet and
extrapolate it toward you. For the outside sweep, you want to take the
opponent’s foot/leg 30 degrees off that line in front of you. That will give
you very good results. For the most efficient sweep, you want the
opponent’s upper body moving at 30 degrees off the line behind you. This
splits the attacker’s upper and lower body in two different directions. Down
goes your adversary.
A wide stance automatically makes it difficult to shift bodyweight. That
kind of stance primes an opponent for a sweep. In this case, you don’t need
to manipulate the upper body. Sweeping at the precise 30-degree angle
makes the sweep work very well.
Note that the sweeping foot does not travel parallel to the ground. You
come in low and sweep diagonally upward, which helps uproot the
opponent’s foot from the ground. There is also a slight torque of the foot to
give a little extra oomph when contact is made to send the opponent’s leg in
the correct direction.
• Accuracy. If you hit the outside of the opponent’s foot or ankle with your
foot, you will end up with no sweep and a sore foot. Ideally, the arch of
your foot should connect just below the bottom of the opponent’s calf.
Targeting a little below the midpoint of the lower leg maximizes your
ability to get the foot up off the ground. The closer to the ground you do
your sweep, the more power you will have to generate. The closer to the
 knee you sweep, the more likely that the adversary’s knee will bend
forward and you won’t get the foot off the ground. The sweet spot is just
below the calf.

Jarlo Ilano and Burton Richardson square off (1). When Ilano fires a foot jab to the midsection,
Richardson scoops from the outside to catch the kick (2). He then pulls Ilano’s leg back and
downward to the side, causing Ilano to catch his balance in a wide stance (3). Richardson pushes
Ilano’s shoulder to keep him from moving his weight over his left foot (4). Lining himself up,
Richardson applies the foot sweep (5-6).
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sweeps That Work

Put together the timing, angulation and accuracy and you have a
takedown that drops skillful opponents. It takes a lot of dedicated,
disciplined practice to develop the skill. I can tell you that when you
pull off a sweep in a fight, all that work is well worth it. Here are two
honest, personal examples (not bragging) of how this sweep can work.
• An accomplished silat instructor was visiting America, and after I
took a lesson from him, he asked me if I wanted to do some sparring.
(Yes, silat instructors from Indonesia do spar!) I of course said yes. He
had chest protectors and gloves, which we donned. His particular style
used a very wide stance, and his feet were lined up toward me. He
threw a lot of quick kicks and punches, along with low, spinning back
sweeps. I was able to apply the outside foot sweep on him several
times because of his wide stance. But it worked so well because I was
sweeping at that precise angle. The angle was the key detail that made
the sweep effective. The lesson: Drill your sweeps precisely.
• I once used the outside foot sweep against a formidable opponent
in a stick-fighting tournament. In that tournament, three disarms, three
sweeps or a combination adding up to three meant an automatic win. I
had already disarmed him twice, and one more disarm would result in
a TKO, so he put his left foot forward to keep his right stick arm in the
back and protect it from being disarmed again. We both moved in,
crashed, and his left foot was in perfect position for a sweep. I hit the
sweep and down he went. All those repetitions of sweeping during
jurus and langkahs (one-person forms and footwork) and partner
training had given me the proper angle and accuracy. Years of actual
stick fighting had given me the ability to apply it at the correct time
under the pressure of a real fight.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
INSIDE FOOT SWEEP
The sapu dalem (inside foot sweep) can be used as a takedown if the
angulation of the upper and lower bodies is just right. Keep in mind that it is
much easier for the opponent to re-balance by bending forward at the waist and
bracing against you or the ground. Also, be aware that if you are outside the
opponent’s lead arm when you line yourself up for the inside foot sweep, there’s
a clear pathway to your back, an opening that any grappler is going to exploit.
So I suggest keeping your hands and body inside the adversary’s lead arm when
performing the inside foot sweep if you are at close range.
The angles are different from the outside foot sweep. For the outside sweep,
the foot goes 30 degrees off the baseline while pulling the upper body 30 degrees
in the opposite direction. For the inside sweep, the foot goes 30 degrees off the
line, but the upper body, which must be at least slightly bent over, is pulled
parallel to the line. This creates an efficient sweep.
Allow a little space between you and the attacker to perform this sweep. If
you are body to body, you are too close to get the arch of your foot to the top of
the opponent’s Achilles tendon. (A knee bump works well here.) If the opponent
is pushing away from the clinch or if you strike and make the person step back,
you will have the proper distance for the sweep.
Use the inside sweep mainly as a setup for striking, head grabbing, moving to
the back or transitioning to another takedown. If you rely on it solely as a
takedown, you will find that the opponent can usually recover very quickly. Silat
fighters always think of attacking in combination, so you should think of this
sweep as the first move in a chain of techniques.
Burton Richardson and Jarlo Ilano square off (1). Ilano throws a right Thai kick, which Richardson
stops with a push kick to the thigh (2). As Ilano recovers, Richardson steps in aggressively with a
palm strike to the face while grabbing his left wrist (3-4). With his left foot inside Ilano’s left,
Richardson grabs Ilano’s neck and pulls at the proper angle while sweeping him to the ground (5-6).

BEAR HUG
The peluk (bear hug) takedown is often seen in videos of Indonesian village
matches. Slide both your arms under those of the attacker. You have two basic
positions: either hold very high under his armpits or grab low around his lower
back. If you grab high, you limit his ability to use his arms to counter or strike,
and with his weight up on his toes, you can hook a leg to trip the attacker. If you
grip low on his torso, you can step in, lift and throw. Maintain a strong posture
so you lift with your legs, not your lower back.
Forward pressure is very important in getting your adversary backpedaling as
you do the trip. If he is able to plant his feet, that sets him up for the lift and
throw.
Burton Richardson uses the ram’s horn entry against Jarlo Ilano’s aggressive barrage of strikes (1-2).
This puts Richardson in position to grab Ilano’s body (3). He drives his hips in to lift Ilano (4).
Richardson turns Ilano and slams him on his back (5-6).

ELBOW COMPRESSION
Here is a silat throw that is often used in muay Thai fights. The idea in kenjit
siko (elbow compression) is to step behind the opponent’s lead leg while driving
your arm across the chest so that you can push the person back and over your
thigh.
If the adversary’s left leg is forward, twist your stance, lean forward into a
strong lever position and drive your right arm across the chest at an angle so you
bend the person backward. Strive to drive the opponent’s upper body toward the
point of that rear triangle. With your right leg, step in deep behind the left leg
and slam your thigh into the opponent’s thigh. If your adversary re-balances,
maintain your forward lever and compress your elbow into the chest while
twisting toward the rear to drive the person over your thigh. The goal is to make
the opponent’s head fall next to your rear foot. The fall is awkward and the
impact is very hard, so be very careful when doing this in practice.
An off-balanced aggressor who doesn’t fall is still wide open for strikes to the
groin. So either way, you are in a position of advantage.
Burton Richardson and Scott Ishihara are in the ready position (1). Richardson catches Ishihara’s
foot jab and pulls to off-balance him (2). Richardson steps in deep in a side lever with his arm angled
across Ishihara’s chest (3). Then Richardson turns and compresses his elbow to throw Ishihara over
his thigh (4). The result is a very hard landing (5).

DOUBLE-LEG LIFT
The position for the angkat kaki (double-leg lift) is the same as for the elbow-
compression throw. Your lead arm is in front of the attacker’s chest; your lead
leg is behind the attacker’s lead leg. But instead of driving the opponent
backward, squat down and grasp and lift both the opponent’s legs.
You must be in a strong side-lever position before you grab the legs. This will
ensure that you are pushing the opponent over your thigh and not lifting with
your lower back. As you squat and bend over to grab the adversary’s legs, rock
your hips forward to tilt the person rearward over your thigh. Lift explosively,
turn and dump the opponent hard. If you are grabbed, you will go to the ground
with the opponent, but you will land hard on top and be in a favorable position,
past the opponent’s guard.
This looks like a power move, but because of your deep position, you actually
first pull the opponent back over your thigh before lifting. This means that most
of the weight actually rests on your thigh. Students are always surprised that they
can lift much heavier partners with the double-leg lift. Using your thigh as a
fulcrum gives you the leverage to topple a big opponent. It is also a great answer
to a high rear bear hug.
Israel Cruz has a high rear bear hug. Burton Richardson tries to open the grip but can’t (1). Because
the lock is high, Richardson’s hips are free to move. He steps around Cruz’s right leg (2), plants his
foot deep to block Cruz’s legs and uses the side lever to drive Cruz’s upper body back while grabbing
under both legs (3). Because of the lever position, Richardson can push Cruz back over his leg (4),
which makes it very easy to lift him high (5). Richardson slams Cruz to the ground and lands with all
his weight on Cruz’s chest, compounding the force of the impact (6).

KNEE COMPRESSION
Controlled, safe sparring is essential for acquiring the necessary timing,
perception and distance to pull off your techniques. Some teachers tell students
that their style is “too deadly to spar,” but you can always spar punches, kicks,
elbows, knees, groin strikes, throat grabs and most takedowns. However, some
techniques are too dangerous to use in sparring, and the kenjit kaki (knee
compression) is one of them. Do not use this technique in sparring because you
will likely tear the ligaments in your partner’s knee! In addition, be very careful
when practicing this with a cooperative partner. If you push a little too far, the
knee may go. When the knee compression was first introduced to the American
public in the late 1980s, many people suffered serious knee injuries from
practicing this takedown, and that was without resistance. So just get into
position and don’t even move your partner’s knee.
The technique is based on collapsing the leg by driving your foot through the
side of the knee. The knee does not bend in that direction, so ligaments rip. The
sound that knee ligaments make when they tear is something no one wants to
hear in practice.
It is best to have the opponent’s bodyweight over the leg so the foot doesn’t
slide out and there is a further collapsing and tearing effect during the fall. It is
easiest to tilt the attacker’s head over the lead leg while turning to face that leg.
Bring your rear foot up to the outside above the knee, and stomp diagonally
down through the side of the knee while driving the person’s head straight down
toward the ankle. Stomping at an angle (instead of horizontally) aids in
anchoring the foot. As the knee collapses sideways, the attacker’s bodyweight
will fall straight down, adding to the snapping pressure on the ligaments. It is a
decisive way to take out a vicious attacker.
To have it at your disposal without sparring, you will need to do thousands of
dry-run repetitions, then get close to the position during your resistance sessions.
Just don’t follow through! With enough proper practice, you will be able to
apply it under pressure to the great detriment any criminal who assaults you.
Burton Richardson is tied up with Jarlo Ilano, grabbing his neck and triceps (1). Richardson fires a
snap kick to the groin (2). Ilano somehow survives and brings his right leg forward in front to protect
his groin (3). With his right foot now forward, Richardson uses his right hand to turn and tilt Ilano’s
head to the side while preparing to stomp diagonally down for the knee compression (4). Tilting
Ilano’s upper body over his leg puts more weight driving down on the knee as it collapses, adding to
the shearing force on the ligaments (5).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thoughts on a Clinch Position
If you get to the silat two on one (a clinch position described in the
next chapter), you can push the attacker’s arm toward his chest and
move to his back. I pulled this off for a few weeks while sparring
against a partner who is good in the clinch. Then my partner
discovered a counter — he used the forearm of his free hand to brace
 across my throat, creating a barrier until he could free his arm from my
grip. (This counter is used against the arm drag in Greco-Roman
wrestling.)
One day, as I tried the move and my partner countered, my left hand
released the grip on the opponent’s triceps, grabbed the wrist of his
blocking arm and torqued his arms into the cross-arm-lock throw. It
wasn’t done consciously, but years of working on the position with a
cooperative partner had burned a pathway into my subconscious.
When the position presented itself, my body did the move. I was
shocked!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CROSS-ARM-LOCK THROW
Some readers may think this technique is in the realm of fantasy until they
start getting this throw consistently in sparring. As always, the keys to actually
applying a technique you have memorized are recognition and timing, acquired
through lots of training with a resisting partner.
To do the throw, get the adversary’s arms crossed at the elbows. Push on the
vertical arm while pulling on the horizontal arm to keep it straight. Turn in the
direction of the throw to maximize your leverage. As you continue to push and
pull, you will cause a hyperextension of the elbow, which coaxes the opponent to
fall. It isn’t a primary move at all, but it is really fun when you can pull this one
off.
Israel Cruz grabs Burton Richardson’s neck with his right hand (1). Richardson turns his shoulder
into the arm (a wrestling counter to the single neck grab) while using the kali-silat two on one to push
Cruz’s arm away (2). Richardson tries to use the opening to move to the back, but Cruz blocks the
transition by putting his left forearm across Richardson’s throat (3). Richardson retains his grip on
the wrist with his right hand and brings his left hand inside Cruz’s blocking arm (4). He grabs Cruz’s
left wrist, turns and achieves the cross-arm-lock position (5). Richardson turns hard while pulling on
Cruz’s left arm and pushing on his right to force Cruz to fall from the pressure of the arm lock (6).
KICK CATCHES
Catching kicks is an important strategy in silat. When a kick comes in, you
don’t just want to block it; you want to capture it and use the opportunity to put
your attacker at a distinct disadvantage.
Once you catch a kick, your attacker is on one leg and vulnerable, so
immediately strike, do a takedown or strike to set up the takedown. Since one leg
is up in the air, the primary striking follow-up is to kick or knee repeatedly to the
groin, which usually results in the aggressor falling to the ground. You also can
kick the knee of the support leg to damage it and make the attacker fall.
But striking does take a few seconds, which is a long time when there is more
than one assailant. The takedown happens in a fraction of a second, so you may
choose to throw immediately. The two most common takedowns from a kick
catch are to kick out the attacker’s support leg or raise the leg high and run
forward, causing the attacker to crash to the ground. If you choose to kick the
support leg out, know that hitting the back of the support leg causes a backward
fall. Kicking the leg out from behind is the preferred move because the attacker
will take a hard backward fall and is more vulnerable to quick striking follow-
ups. Kicking the front of the support leg causes a facedown landing, which is an
easier fall but exposes the person’s back to you.
Lifting and running for the takedown is especially useful against multiple
opponents because you can create distance from the other attacker(s) and
possibly head toward an escape route. Use your environment when lifting and
running. Slam the attacker into a wall, car or other hard object to make the fall
even more severe.
When you catch a kick, realize that you are not out of danger. Be aware that
the attacker could draw a weapon, start hitting you or lean forward to clinch you
before you complete the takedown. Many silat stylists will counter the kick catch
by leaping and throwing a head kick with their free leg. Use the kick catch
immediately before the aggressor can re-balance and continue the assault.
As in fighting or in life, when an opportunity arises, you must take advantage
of it immediately because it won’t be there long. Catch that kick and use it to
win the fight.
Dan Inosanto catches Burton Richardson’s kick.
Catch a midline round kick by wrapping the arm over the leg.
Catch a high round kick by wrapping the arm under the leg.
Catch a straight kick by moving back and capturing the foot with both hands.
Shelve a side kick by sidestepping and bringing the outside arm up underneath the kicking leg.

LOW TAKEDOWNS — TIGER STYLE

Most styles of silat incorporate takedowns from the ground, but the system
most famous for this tactic is the harimau (tiger) style from Sumatra. They often
begin in a low position and leap at the opponent like a tiger pouncing on prey.
In a street situation in the Western world, you may not want to drop to the
ground when an attacker approaches. It can work as a surprise attack, but in the
street, try to avoid being under an aggressor. But in case you do end up on the
ground, having a varied arsenal at your disposal will come in handy. Here are a
few takedowns that work well from the low position against a standing attacker.
Knee-Lever Sweep
This is quite simple. You lie on your side and hook your bottom foot behind
the Achilles tendon of the attacker’s lead leg and pull as you perform a strong
side kick with the top foot to the attacker’s knee to hyperextend it. This works
very well as long as the attacker’s knee is not bent forward in a strong stance
toward you because you won’t be able to hyperextend the knee for the takedown.
An important detail is to face the attacker when you attempt this takedown. If
the person’s left foot is forward, lie on your left side to apply the knee lever. If
you lie on your right side to do the takedown but miss, your back is exposed and
the attacker may end up behind you.

Burton Richardson has ended up on his back with Scott Ishihara standing over him (1). Richardson
fires a front kick to the groin (2). This gives Richardson time to hook his bottom foot around the
outside of Ishihara’s lead foot while driving a hard side kick to Ishihara’s knee (3). Ishihara’s knee is
hyperextended and he falls (4). From here, Richardson can escape or get on top to finish (5).
Knee Pull
This sweep was originally done with a karambit or similar hook knife in the
hand. The karambit makes the move extremely effective. But it can work with
empty hands, as well. As with any technique that applies force to the inside or
outside of the knee, please use extreme caution when practicing. You risk tearing
a partner’s ACL if you practice this move carelessly — it’s been known to
happen.
Whether dropping from standing or starting from the ground, lay the side of
your leg on the ground and place your foot against the side of the attacker’s lead
foot. This keeps the opponent’s foot from sliding away or twisting to counter the
takedown. Grip inside the knee with your hand and dig your fingers into the
flesh behind the knee. Lean your upper body to the side and pull the knee
outward and to the ground. For self-defense, this should be done with explosive
intent. From here, you can kick to the groin or stand up.
Use caution: The opponent can counter your takedown and may move to your
back by rotating the knee outward in the direction of the throw. Keep this in
mind if you choose to attempt the knee-pull takedown.
In a confrontation, Burton Richardson adjusts his posture to draw the high punch from Israel Cruz
(1). As Cruz fires, Richardson drops into the knee-pull position (2). He slams his left foot outside of
Cruz’s right and grabs deep inside the knee (3). Richardson continues to the side, using all his
bodyweight to pull the knee and finish the takedown (4-5).

Low Ankle Dive

This is a fully committed move common to harimau. Using your entire
bodyweight, you dive very low at the attacker’s leg for the takedown. This is a
good tactic to use against an aggressor who is too dangerous to stand with.
 If you are standing, first drop down to a squat. If you are already down, prime
yourself in a position where you can launch your body explosively at the
opponent, like a tiger leaping out of the bushes. Dive at the inside of the
attacker’s leg with your head next to the shin and grasp the heel with your hands
as you drive your shoulder into the inner side of the leg, just above the ankle.
The ankle will buckle and this forces the attacker to the ground. Under the
proper circumstances, this is a surprising and very effective move.
A great example of this takedown in combat sports occurred when Randy
Couture fought former heavyweight boxing champ James Toney in the UFC.
Couture has good striking, but Toney’s incredible knockout power was such a
threat that Couture chose to take the boxer down. Which takedown did he use?
The wrestling version of the low ankle dive — and it worked perfectly. In the
right circumstances, the low ankle dive could be your safest move.
If you are already on the ground — at the beach or in a park, for example — you can use this type of
bait and takedown. Burton Richardson is in a side-sitting harimau position with his posture up to
draw a head punch. Jarlo Ilano takes the bait and Richardson ducks by leaning to the side (2). He
drives his shoulder into the inside of Ilano’s ankle while wrapping up the foot with his hands (3).
Richardson continues to drive forward to finish the low ankle-dive takedown (4).

FLOWING FROM TAKEDOWN TO TAKEDOWN

Here are a few examples of flowing from takedown to takedown. Remember
that forward pressure is very important to keep the adversary on the defense
while maintaining close range so you can strike and throw. Overwhelm your
opponent with pressure!
Head-and-Arm-Turn Throw to Elbow Compression

Burton Richardson is attempting a head-and-arm-turn throw against attacker Scott Ishihara, who
goes with the movement and turns out of it (1-3). This gives Richardson the opportunity to step deep
with a side lever while sliding his arm across the attacker’s chest and delivering a powerful groin slap
(4-5). Richardson can finish with the elbow-compression takedown (6).
Inside Foot Sweep to Head-and-Arm-Turn Throw

When Burton Richardson is applying the inside foot sweep (1), attacker Scott Ishihara bends over
and shifts his weight to catch his balance (2). But this leaves Richardson in position to push Ishihara’s
head down while hooking under his arm to apply the head-and-arm-turn takedown (3-5).
Knee Pull to Arm Weave

From the low position, Burton Richardson attempts the knee-pull takedown against attacker Scott
Ishihara (1). But Ishihara counters by cross-stepping to catch his balance (2). With one hand,
Richardson maintains the hold on Ishihara’s lead foot and weaves his top hand behind Ishihara’s rear
knee (3). Richardson pulls to block Ishihara’s rear knee as he drives his shoulder into the lead knee
(4). He finishes the takedown and brings his torso up into an upright posture to take the top position
from which he can strike or escape (5).
Elbow Compression to Outside Foot Sweep

As Burton Richardson drives in with a side lever for an elbow-compression takedown (1), adversary
Scott Ishihara is able to slide away and make space to counter (2). Richardson slides his lead hand
back to grab Ishihara’s shoulder (3-4). He’s now able to pull Ishihara’s body at the proper angle to
apply an outside foot sweep and take him down (5-6).
 CHAPTER SEVEN

CLINCH POSITIONS
Silat instructors often move in deep while striking and quickly transition to a
takedown. But they also perform many moves in the range that martial artists
today refer to as the clinch. This is the range at which you can physically grab
the attacker and he can grab you.
If you charge in to take an aggressor down but you can’t apply the throw, you
are in the clinch. It is imperative that you don’t just revert to trading blows but
instead grip in a way that it is difficult for the attacker to strike or move you
while maximizing your ability to strike, off-balance and throw the attacker. If
you want to optimize your fighting ability, you must understand the different
positions in the clinch, prioritize them in terms of functionality for self-defense,
and train these positions so you can dominate the fight in close quarters.
The average attacker can throw a damaging punch from boxing range but
usually doesn’t have much more than a head lock in the clinch. This gives you a
huge advantage if you are well-versed in close quarters with functional, street-
specific skills. Blending Southeast Asian methods with a mixed-martial arts
clinch yields tremendous results. And keep in mind that sparring in the clinch is
also great fun!
As on the ground, if you don’t understand the clinch and end up against
someone who does, you are going to be dominated. If you find yourself sparring
in the clinch with someone proficient in silat and even Filipino martial arts who
has a lot of moves but does not spar in the clinch, you may discover that the
opponent does not understand the structure and will leave openings. You will be
able to take his back over and over again. Blending silat training with a strong
MMA clinch approach is a huge advantage, allowing for defense, the application
of street-specific attacks and transitions taken from wrestling and jiu-jitsu
training.
This chapter demonstrates the major clinch positions used in functional silat.
There are many variations of each, but these basics have proved themselves very
useful in sparring for MMA fighters and silat students.
To be your best, you also should work in positions and tactics from wrestling.
They fit very well into the silat matrix and give you more options.
Please note that in many of the positions, silat practitioners will grab the skin,
muscle or nerves to further inflict pain and secure a better grip on the attacker. In
sport training, practitioners make it a point to not pinch or gouge each other
because it becomes irritating. But in silat, it is encouraged! Just be gentle when
sparring.
Understanding, practicing and sparring in the clinch is essential if you want
your silat to be effective in the modern MMA era. Regardless of your particular
style, be sure that clinch sparring is a normal portion of your training so that you
can discover which techniques work best for you, then hone them to a fine edge.
DOUBLE-BICEPS GRAB
The double-biceps grab is very simple, works against much larger and
stronger opponents, and checks each arm so you can monitor whether the
aggressor is about to draw a weapon. A problem with some sport clinch positions
is that they are meant to be used against someone in the same weight class. (A
simple move like the neck clinch, for example, can be difficult against someone
much taller.) In silat, it is assumed that the attacker is bigger and stronger, so the
priorities change.
Unlike the neck clinch in which you secure the body, the double-biceps grab
has you hanging off the attacker’s arms. This gives you a lot more leverage
because your grip is farther from your adversary’s core. You are using almost
your entire bodyweight on the arms, near the elbows.
Grab both biceps with your hands, using your thumb and fingers to grip into
the muscles. The thumb looks for the nerve that runs inside the arm just below
the biceps. Be in a forward-lever position, with your head on the attacker’s upper
chest. This keeps you clear of head butts, but you can rear back at any time and
deliver one of your own. As soon as you secure the position, fire knees or snap
kicks to the groin. Maintain forward pressure to keep the assailant from moving
back out of range. As he works to free his arms, you can transition to his back, to
throws, to strikes or switch to another clinch position.

Double-biceps grab viewed from both sides (A-B)

Israel Cruz swings (1). Burton Richardson uses the dive entry with a forearm smash to the face (2).
He drops his hands down for the double-biceps grab (3). Since he is close, Richardson throws knees to
the groin (4). Cruz backs his hips away from the knee strikes (5). Richardson fires a front kick to the
groin (6).

SNAKE
The snake is a natural way to control an attacker’s arm. Your arm slithers over
and around the attacker’s upper arm and constricts to secure control. Once you
have the snake, the attacker’s arm is well-trapped.
Be sure that your arm is down near his elbow. This maximizes your leverage
against him by putting weight farther from his core. The higher you go on his
arm toward his shoulder, the stronger he is, and he can possibly use the position
for his own underhook, which gives him control of your body.
If your left arm does the snake, engage your biceps to create constriction on
his arm. Drop your weight so he is working hard to maintain his posture. Your
free hand can strike, but that leaves his other hand free to strike you. You may
overwhelm him with strikes to the eyes, throat or groin with your free hand, but
a safe tactic is to use your open hand to control his free hand. Grasp the wrist or
biceps to keep him from hitting you and to monitor the drawing of a weapon.
Throw knees and kicks to the groin, head butts and/or go for a takedown.

Snake viewed from front and back (A-B)

When Jarlo Ilano launches a rear hook, Burton Richardson uses a high cover to block (1). He enters
deep with a side lever (2). Richardson wraps his blocking arm over Ilano’s right for the snake (3). He
traps the far arm to keep it from firing. Head butts are often possible from the snake position (4).

TRACHEA PINCH/THROAT GRAB

The trachea pinch and throat grab are simple moves in the clinch that work
wonders. Grab someone’s throat and all his attention goes there. It is also a great
way to off-balance large opponents because it is a high lever point and it tends to
put them up on their toes.
For the trachea pinch, grip around the trachea with your fingers and thumb.
Drive upward as you pinch into the nerves that are behind and at the top of the
trachea while driving with forward pressure.
The throat grab is similar to the trachea pinch, but you grip the entire throat
instead of going specifically for the trachea. The advantage is that it takes less
precision, is easier to apply under stress and the effect is very similar to the
trachea pinch.
Grip around the throat as high as you can with the Y of your hand (the area
between your thumb and index finger), pressing hard against the trachea. Drive
diagonally upward to get the attacker on his tiptoes while using forward pressure
to push the person backward.
In both moves, stay close to the attacker so you can maximize your leverage
by using your leg and hip strength to drive upward.
You will usually want to use your free hand to check the nearest arm, but if
the attacker has hair to grab, you also can reach behind and take hold of it.
Throw knees and snap kicks to the groin, or look for a way to take the attacker
down. Simple and effective!

Trachea pinch (A) and throat grab (B)

When two people clash, they often end up in a neutral position in which they each have an arm under
one of the other’s (1). This is a great place from which to transition to the dominant throat-grab
position. Burton Richardson pulls out his underhooked arm and grabs Scott Ishihara’s throat (2-3).
Richardson uses forward pressure to drive into the attacker (4). There are many striking and
throwing options from here, such as the throat-grab takedown.

SUPPORTED TRACHEA PINCH/THROAT GRAB

When you grab someone’s throat, they will usually use both hands to pull your
hand away. It is a natural reaction. To make that very difficult, use the other arm
to support the trachea pinch or throat grab.
If you pinch or grab with the right hand, use your left to snake the assailant’s
right arm. Your left hand will go palm up and grab underneath the forearm of
your pinching arm. Push up with the supporting left hand to counter the
downward pull of the attacker. This gives you more time to throw knees and
kicks to the groin as the attacker tries to remove your grip.
You will sometimes see the supported throat grab with the supporting arm
gripping over the top of the wrist. This does nothing to counter the attacker’s
downward pull.
The supported trachea pinch/throat grab is a highly effective move, one of the
primary clinch positions and one that you should master.

Supported trachea pinch (A) and supported throat grab (B)

Scott Ishihara swings a stick at Burton Richardson’s head (1). Richardson uses the dive entry to get
inside the blow (2). He snakes the stick arm (3), then transitions to the supported throat-grab position
(4-5).

SINGLE NECK CLINCH

This is a simple, instinctive and highly functional position. Tatang Antonio
Ilustrisimo used this position a great deal. Simply grab the back of the neck to
control the attacker and start striking. Be sure to dig the ends of your fingers into
the assailant’s neck for better grip and to cause a distraction. Keep your elbow
down so your forearm is pressed against the aggressor’s clavicle to make
tackling you difficult.
You can check the other arm and throw knees and kicks, or you can go
directly to striking or gouging the eyes with your free hand. Counterattack
ferociously to upset the mental and physical balance of the aggressor.
Single neck clinch
Israel Cruz fires an elbow (1). Burton Richardson drives with a side lever and grabs the back of
Cruz’s neck to block the elbow and puts himself into the single neck-clinch position (2). In a very
serious situation, Richardson can step back and load up a knuckle uppercut to the throat (3-4).

THAI NECK CLINCH

This is a position that muay Thai fighters have cultivated to a very high level.
In many silat techniques, the fighter grabs the neck or back of the head with both
hands before throwing knees and kicks. The Thai-style neck clinch is precise
because of its emphasis on head control while breaking the posture of the
adversary.
Cup one of your hands behind the upper portion of the attacker’s head. Use
your elbows on the chest like a fulcrum to pull the attacker’s head down while
keeping your forearms tight around the neck to prevent the attacker from
ducking out of the clinch.
Jerk the assailant’s head down and twist it to the side. This keeps the attacker
off-balance physically and mentally and makes striking and setting up throws
much easier. Unlike students of the sport of muay Thai, silat practitioners usually
strike to the groin unless the assailant protects himself. Knee strikes to the solar
plexus and ribs are always available, and if you get the attacker bent over, a
straight knee to the chin or face often results in a knockout.
A great benefit of the neck clinch is that it is a very easy position to attain
when under pressure. We are hard-wired to grab an aggressor’s head, and the
neck clinch is an easy way to keep your fighting in line with your instinctual
response when under the stress of a surprise attack.

Thai neck clinch, two views (A-B)

From a kickboxing stance, Burton Richardson throws a flying knee at Jarlo Ilano (1-2). If it doesn’t
land, it will almost always get an adversary’s hands down, making it easy to secure the Thai neck
clinch (3). From there, the snap kick to the groin is a great option, especially because those who train
combat sports don’t practice defending against it (4).

DOUBLE THROAT GRAB

This is a very simple and effective move that is often looked down on, but it
works! Do the throat grab with one hand while the other hand goes behind the
neck to keep the attacker from backing out of the position. Lift up diagonally to
make the aggressor stand on his tiptoes and look up. From here, you can head-
butt, throw knees, back sweep, head-tilt or just slam the attacker into a wall for
control.

Double throat grab

Throat grabs are great for stopping someone who is trying to tackle you. Scott Ishihara changes levels
to prepare to shoot in (1). As he does, Burton Richardson bends his knees into a forward lever for
stability and catches Ishihara by the throat (2). Richardson grabs the back of the neck for the double
throat grab (3). He drives Ishihara’s head up and back (4), then pulls him into a devastating knee
strike to the groin (5).

BEAR HUG
The peluk (bear hug) is a common position in village silat tournaments. Often,
when the fighters get very close, one will go for a bear hug to control the
opponent and immediately try for a takedown, often lifting and slamming. It is
an important position to know and to be able to counter.
Get both your arms under those of the attacker. If you hold very high, you will
severely limit the attacker’s arm motion and you can transition to a trip. If you
grip low on the torso, you can lift and throw, but the person might be able to use
his hands in your face or eyes to push you away.
 The key is posture so you don’t end up bent over and lifting with your lower
back. Maintain good posture as you grasp the assailant’s body and use forward
pressure with your legs to control the attack and set up a takedown. Sparring
with wrestlers who do this for a living will greatly enhance your bear-hug
offense and defense.

High bear hug (A) and low bear hug (B)

Israel Cruz takes a swing, and Burton Richardson ducks (1). He enters to the bear-hug position with
a forward lever (2). Cruz stabilizes his base to avoid an immediate takedown (3). Richardson steps his
left leg behind Cruz’s left (4) and then turns hard to apply the outside back sweep (5). The result for
Cruz is a hard fall (6).

HAIR GRAB
The hair grab is the safest, most powerful position in the clinch. So why isn’t
it the first clinch move a student learns? Because a lot of people have already
countered it by keeping their hair short! Just as you don’t want to rely on
whether an opponent will have sturdy clothing for your grips and takedowns,
you don’t want to rely on someone having hair to grab. But if the opponent does
have a mop, this is the go-to move.
Grip the hair on the upper, outer sides of the skull. This gives you handles
with which to control the attacker. Step back and snap the head down so the
attacker is bent over. Keep your arms almost fully extended to maintain your
distance and limit the assailant’s attack options. You can now kick to the groin,
knee to the face, sweep a leg or just jerk the opponent to the ground. That is a
dominant clinch position!

Hair grab
Anytime you are inside punching range, you can grab an attacker’s hair and gain maximum control.
Against Scott Ishihara’s left swing, Burton Richardson uses the helmet to block the strike (1). He
simply reaches out to execute the hair grab, pulling Ishihara forward and off-balance (2). The groin
kick is the most efficient strike from here, and ripping the opponent to the ground is quite easy (3).

BENT ARM LOCK WITH CHIN GRAB

This is a position in which you can easily rip the assailant to the ground or
crash the person’s head into a solid object. It can be referred to as the “ramming
position.”
It’s most efficient to get to this position from a wrestling underhook. Get the
assailant bent over by firing a knee to the groin, by a sweep or by jerking the
neck. Then grab the attacker’s chin. Since you are facing the attacker directly,
you will feel stuck and will only be able to twist the head a little. To alleviate the
binding problem, let your underhooking hand slide down to the middle of the
triceps so you can turn and face the person. Now apply the bent arm lock and
pull the chin upward. The assailant is stuck. From here, knee the head, knee or
kick the groin, ram the attacker into a barrier or execute a throw straight to the
ground. Note that if the aggressor is sweaty, your chin grip can slip.

Bent arm lock with chin grab

Starting with an underhook, Burton Richardson attempts an inside back sweep (1). Jarlo Ilano is able
to keep his base and tries to enter for a takedown (2). Richardson moves his hips away and captures
Ilano’s head by grabbing his chin (3). Richardson slides his underhooking hand down to the elbow
while twisting Ilano’s head and arrives in the bent-arm-lock-with-chin-grab position (4-5).

SILAT TWO ON ONE

This is a very common grabbing position in silat and in kali. Just know that
you will only be able to keep this grip and angle momentarily on the attacker
before he pulls out or turns to face you.
The silat two on one is often shown against a punch, but punches with violent
intent travel too fast to be snatched out of the air. In reality, you would use the
two on one against a push or a grab attempt, or you would create it in the clinch.
Take both hands from the outside of the attacker’s arm and grab the triceps
near the elbow with your palm facing up. The other hand will grasp the wrist
either palm up or palm down, depending on your preference and anticipated
follow-up. Use your fingers to dig into the biceps and nerves.
You have very little time, so attack immediately. A quick kick to the groin or
other available targets works well, as does a head butt or knee if you are quite
close to the attacker. You also can push the arm across the assailant’s body to put
you in position to tilt the head, slap the groin or move to the attacker’s back.
An early addition to our MMA clinch game, this silat move has proved very
useful against highly skilled fighters. Many law-enforcement officers now use
the position to control suspects.

Silat two on one, viewed from both sides (A-B)

Israel Cruz has a single neck clinch on Burton Richardson (1). Richardson turns his body and grabs
at the wrist and triceps to remove the hold (2). As Richardson pushes the arm away, Cruz stiffens up
and pushes back (3). Richardson slams his right hand into Cruz’s upper face (4), then he transitions
into the head-tilt takedown (5-6).

TRICEPS CUP
This is a very temporary but extremely useful position. It could be considered
half of the two-on-one position. Use your lead hand, palm up, to cup the
attacker’s triceps. Turn and face the attacker’s arm so that your arm is
perpendicular to your body to optimize your structure. For a momentary tie-up
and to elicit a reaction to the position, push the assailant’s arm across. If the
reaction is to turn away, take the attacker’s back.
You can get to the triceps cup from many positions, but perhaps most often
when grabbing the opponent’s biceps and he tries to pummel inside your arm.
Slide your hand to the outside and get the triceps cup, make the attacker
uncomfortable, then take advantage of the reaction.
Triceps cup
Burton Richardson executes the double-biceps grab (1). Israel Cruz swims his right hand from
underneath, looking for the preferable inside spot (2). Richardson reads this reaction, rotates his left
hand to Cruz’s right triceps and pushes to get the triceps cup (3-4). Richardson immediately uses his
positional advantage to deliver a palm strike to the groin (5). This is a simple way to pick up the
triceps-cup position against someone trained in grappling.

DOUBLE-WRIST GRAB
Simply grab both the attacker’s wrists. Once you have both wrists, extend
your arms down and slightly away from your body. Lean on the opponent’s arms
like you are doing a dip on parallel bars. This gives you the leverage advantage,
and it will take the opponent a little longer to get free from your grip. The
attacker is going to find a way out of the move in a hurry, so counterattack right
away with head butts or by throwing kicks to the groin.
Double-wrist grab
Burton Richardson deals with Scott Ishihara’s aggression from a disguised ready position (1).
Richardson counters the two-hand shove by using the flower block from inside (2). He rotates his
hands outward to achieve the double-wrist grab (3). It is difficult to retain this position for long, so
Richardson immediately fires a powerful kick to the groin (4).
 CHAPTER EIGHT

GROUND FIGHTING
Silat is a war art, so, historically, grappling was done out of necessity if a
warrior slipped or was taken to the ground or to capture a valuable enemy to
hold for negotiations or ransom. Usually, fighting on the ground involved pulling
a blade and finishing the downed opponent.
Today’s different styles of silat delve into empty-handed, one-versus-one
ground fighting to varying degrees. Many prefer the pukulan approach of just
striking the opponent into submission. Others have a large repertoire of locks
and holds. And many are somewhere in the middle with striking and a few
grappling-specific techniques.
A problem that exists for many martial arts also appears in silat ground
fighting — lack of training against a resisting opponent. When you just work
with a compliant partner, you can create all kinds of positions without realizing
that, in real life, those moves would be very difficult to apply, or worse, that you
would be putting yourself in danger. But if you want to learn how to fight, you
must practice fighting against someone who is fighting back — that also goes for
the ground. If you want to learn how to grapple, you must practice grappling
against someone who is grappling back — and preferably, against someone who
is skillful in ground fighting, including strikes.
Functional-silat ground fighting is about finishing the fight as quickly as
possible. You don’t have time to patiently move from position to position
because other attackers, who may be armed, are on the way. This is the
assumption, so the primary attacker must be neutralized quickly. This is why as
soon as the fight hits the ground, almost all silat systems prioritize striking,
usually to the groin, eyes or head. If the opportunity presents itself, joint breaks
are also used. Notice that submission locks are not a priority because the goal is
not to have the attacker tap out. In the street, what happens after you make a
violent assailant tap out to an arm lock? Are you going to let go of the lock and
allow him to continue his assault? Of course not. So going for the tap is not an
option in silat.
Joint manipulation is used to break a finger, wrist, arm or shoulder quickly
before continuing with the overwhelming counterattack. Once the assailant is
neutralized, you escape.
Although the silat fighter assumes that there is no time to patiently pursue
locks, there are situations in which grappling can be applied very effectively for
self-defense. This chapter explores some very functional silat-based ground
fighting. You will either be working from a favorable top position or from an
inferior bottom position.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thoughts on Effective Grappling

I knew a lot of techniques on the ground when I first started
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but I could not apply any of them the first time I
rolled with a small white belt who only had about six months of
experience. I didn’t have the sense of positioning required to hold my
partner in place to apply any of my knowledge. After more than 20
years of consistent ground sparring, I am currently a two-stripe black
belt in BJJ, so I know something about effective grappling. My advice
to silat practitioners is to try out your grappling on someone with BJJ
experience. It is true that you can’t do eye gouges and groin strikes,
but you will learn a great deal by training with experienced grapplers.
If you are humble enough, you will do this in order to discover what
you are doing well and where you need work. If you aren’t willing to
try this out, I suggest you do some introspection and find out what is
holding you back from such a valuable experience.
I mention this because I often see silat practitioners demonstrating
ground-fighting locks or flows that would never work against anyone
with even a little grappling experience. It makes silat look bad to those
who know how to fight on the ground, so they dismiss the entire art as
useless. And that is a shame because silat has so much to offer. Keep it
real for your sake and for the reputation of the art!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
TOP POSITIONS
Squat and Strike From Top
This is a staple of silat ground fighting. As soon as you take the assailant
down, you move to his head, squat and rain down punches. In the silat of old,
this position also was used to thrust multiple times with a knife. Do that today
against an empty-handed assailant and you are going to prison.
The squat-and-strike method is very safe because you don’t actually engage
the assailant on the ground. It is difficult for the attacker to grab or strike you,
and since you are on your feet, you are highly mobile and can escape at any
time. You just have to watch for a trained attacker rolling up to grab a single leg
or rocking back and putting you in the guard.
You also can kick to the head or body, but be aware that a kick to the head of a
downed attacker can get you in legal trouble. Only use the head stomp if you
believe your life is still threatened, like when the downed attacker has a weapon.
The squat-and-strike method is extremely useful and aids in ensuring that you
and the people you are protecting have ample time to make your escape.

Squat and strike from top

Kneel and Strike

This is the same concept as the squat and strike, but it allows you to use your
elbows, as well, which is difficult from a squat. The downside is the proximity of
your body and eyes to the aggressor — there’s more opportunity for him to
attack you.
You also can kneel on the opponent’s body, but that leaves your groin open to
attack if you haven’t checked the aggressor’s hands and puts you in grappling
mode. This is why most silat practitioners prefer to kneel next to the downed
assailant instead of on top of him like in jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts. They
want to avoid being grabbed and detained in case others are coming to join the
fight.

Kneel and strike

BREAKS
Arm Break
Say you are in the squat position striking an assailant who rolls away and
extends an arm in a desperate attempt to fend off your punches. You can move
that arm and continue striking, or you can use the opportunity to injure it. Grab
the assailant’s arm at the wrist and pull down so that your shin is just above his
elbow. Ballistically pull the arm back while thrusting your shin forward to
hyperextend the elbow. This will render the attacker less dangerous, and you can
then go back to striking.
Arm break

Wrist Break
There are several positions in which to apply a wrist break, but here is an easy
one. Again, if you are in the squat position, the attacker may roll on one side and
cover his face, elbow pointing up. This gives you an opportunity for a wrist
break.
Lower your squat to put one knee on the assailant’s head and the other on his
ribs. Grab the attacker’s hand with both of yours. Secure the elbow against your
chest and pull up ballistically to break the wrist. There are also twisting wrist
breaks from this position. After the break, go back to hitting.
Wrist break

Finger Break
Here is a piece of advice from a Laotian silat man: “Any time you can grab a
finger in a fight, break it!” It is difficult to grab fingers when you are in a
striking fight, but in the clinch or on the ground, you have many opportunities.
It is easiest to break a finger if you first grab the attacker’s hand and wrist.
Slide down to grasp a finger. Using your wrist grab to keep the hand from
moving, make a quick spiral movement against the joint to break it. You can then
move to the next finger and do the same.
Like the gunslingers of the Old West, silat fighters like this because it makes it
difficult for the assailant to later grasp a weapon and renew the attack. It is a
simple concept to include in your flow.
Finger break

Shoulder Break
If you have ever witnessed a shoulder tear, you know how devastating it is.
People crumble from the pain. A shoulder break gives you a great advantage
over an aggressor.
With the attacker on his side and covering his head, snake your left arm under
his forearm while kneeling on his head. Reinforce your grip with your right
hand, and turn explosively toward his head to torque his arm and dislocate his
shoulder. If you don’t block his waist with your leg, he will spin toward the
direction of the break to alleviate the pressure. This needs to be done quickly and
explosively. You can then let go and continue your counterattacking sequence.
Shoulder break

SILAT IN THE GUARD

What happens when a silat expert ends up in the guard of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu
expert? It all depends on how much functional-grappling experience the silat
fighter has. The silat approach to being in the guard is to attack the groin or
gouge the eyes of the adversary. This is absolutely valid, but fighting isn’t just
about knowing techniques or strategies. It is about having developed the
attributes necessary to actually apply the moves against a skillful opponent. A
good jiu-jitsu fighter is going to pull you off-balance, go for sweeps and fire
submissions. If you are in the guard and unaccustomed to this barrage of attacks,
you are going to end up swept or submitted. This is why it is so valuable to find
some BJJ friends to grapple with. Work on your base and defense, then simulate
the groin and eye strikes. If you know how to grapple and then add silat tactics
into the mix, you will have a formidable ground game. Remember that it takes a
lot of sparring time to be able to handle the guard of a decent grappler, so get in
there, have fun, make mistakes and learn how to defend against a competent
ground fighter.
Real fighters embrace anything that can make them better. If you want to truly
have the silat on the ground, and not just pencak, take advantage of having
grapplers in your midst. If you are a grappler, do yourself a favor and add silat
training. It could save your life in a dangerous street situation.

Burton Richardson gouges Scott Ishihara’s eyes from the guard. Notice that Richardson’s elbows are
down — not on Ishihara’s chest — to avoid armbars and other submissions.

BOTTOM POSITIONS
Being on your back in a street attack is extremely dangerous. Your mobility is
limited, the attacker can use gravity to strike down at you, and you are more
vulnerable than ever to weapons and multiple attackers. If you are a good silat
fighter and you end up on your back, you are going to attack while seeking to
return to an upright position. Kicking to the groin or head, gouging the eyes,
striking the groin or grabbing the throat are used to viciously attack the person
on top. The intent is not just to distract but also to injure.
Experience in working to apply silat techniques against world champion
grapplers will tell you that the tactics work as long as the adversary has not
gotten to a position of superior control. Striking while keeping the opponent at
your feet (in what BJJ calls the open guard) works very well. If the opponent
gets to your side, you have just a few options and you need good grappling skills
to apply them. If the opponent is in a vastly superior position of control, like
mount or at the back, your street tactics are pretty much useless. Even if you do
get a finger into the assailant’s eye, the person is going to shrug it off and start
giving back the same or worse. You need grappling expertise to escape during
that split second of distraction that an eye strike or groin hit gives you. It is a
very bad idea to rely on “foul” tactics to escape from a bad position without
having functional-grappling skills to back them up.
If you are versed in the guard, there are many silat-based options available to
you when you are on your back. Here are a few examples of mixing silat tactics
with grappling when fighting from your back.
Example A

Burton Richardson has Scott Ishihara in his guard and keeps him close to avoid strikes. Richardson
has Ishihara’s left arm trapped with his body and reaches over Ishihara’s neck to trap his right wrist.
This allows Richardson to gouge the eye without any impediments.
Example B

Burton Richardson finds himself on the ground (1). He leans to the side to get out of the line of attack
and puts his hands on the ground. He fires an unexpected kick with the shin to Scott Ishihara’s neck
(3).
Example C

Burton Richardson is on the ground in a harimau side-sitting position, hands out to block any
punches from Scott Ishihara (1). Richardson unexpectedly springs up and forward to trap one arm
(2). He ducks to the side to deliver an explosive open-hand strike to the groin (3).
Example D

From his guard, Burton Richardson grabs Scott Ishihara’s biceps with his left hand, to hinder
striking, and Ishihara’s throat with his right (1). While Ishihara is occupied pulling the hand off his
throat, Richardson puts his left hand on the ground behind him (2). This allows Richardson to get to
his knees and take the top position (3-4). This is a great move to get off the bottom. You can use this in
sparring if your partners are street-minded and don’t mind you grabbing the throat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Grappling for Self-Defense
In modern culture, there are situations in which you may choose to
grapple in self-defense. There are thousands of videos on the Internet
showing street altercations involving prolonged ground fighting
between two people without anyone else interfering. I call situations in
which you can fight on the ground without an attacker’s accomplice
jumping in and booting you in the teeth “safe to grapple” scenarios. In
some instances, there are onlookers but no one who wants to get
involved; in others, a crowd gathers around to watch and acts as a
referee imposing “fair fight rules”; and other instances might occur in
an enclosed area like a home or office where it is just you and the
intruder.
Because there are times when superior grappling skills work to your advantage, I highly
suggest that you supplement your silat ground-fighting training with other forms of grappling.
If you want to get really good at one-on-one grappling, do yourself a favor and cross-train. No
system is perfect, so it is wise to take the best from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, sambo, judo,
mixed-martial arts grappling or any other grappling system. Learn different approaches and
then mix in your silat tactics for a devastating combination. Potentially tens of thousands of
willing training partners can help you improve by giving you skilled resistance in a safe
environment. Take advantage of it. For a highly organized, functional, street-specific approach
to ground fighting, check out my BJJ for the Street program.
Anyone interested in being truly skillful on the ground, regardless of style, would be wise
to invest time training with seasoned grappling practitioners, especially with striking included.
In addition, safely add strikes to the groin, throat grabs, simulated eye gouges and weapons to
the mix, like in the BJJ for the Street program. It is more realistic and a lot more fun!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 CHAPTER NINE

SARONG TACTICS
Sarong techniques are popular among many silat practitioners, but they often
tend to skip over the simple, basic techniques and lean very heavily toward
fantasy pencak. Most of the popular sarong moves rely on heavily
choreographed sequences that require a trained, cooperative partner to feed you
just right. These are techniques in which a partner throws a jab and cross, slowly
of course, then stands there allowing his arms to be entangled before being
strangled by the sarong. Just put the gloves on and try it out with some real
resistance and see what happens.
Please don’t forget the functional-sarong techniques, which tend to get lost
because of all the emphasis on the flash and fantasy. Here are a few very
effective sarong techniques that also can be used with a jacket or towel in
Western culture.
Flashy? No. Effective in a street fight? Yes!
When doing sarong techniques, please know the difference between those that
are done for the pencak performance art and those that are done for silat. If you
have doubts as to which category your technique belongs in, just ask your
partner to fight back and you will soon find out.
The Whip
One sarong technique Inosanto taught was to take the cloth and whip it at the
eyes of the attacker, much like snapping someone with a towel. The end of the
“whip” can be a distraction, or it can cause damage if you hit the eyes. Another
move he demonstrated was a technique of some Southeast Asian stylists who
would make a knot in one corner of the sarong or even tie in a few coins or
pebbles for greater impact.
You can do the same with a jacket or towel. Whip the jacket out at the attacker
to keep him away or distract him to set up an escape or counterattack. It’s
intuitive and very functional.
With Jarlo Ilano threatening (1), Burton Richardson readies the sarong (2). A towel, jacket, sweater,
etc., also can be used. He whips it out, striking Ilano in the eye (3-4).

Put a Rock in It
Another sarong technique comes from a silat instructor from Bali. He suggests
grabbing a fist-size rock, putting it in the sarong and swinging it around your
head to hit the attackers, the assumption being that there is more than one
assailant involved. The fast swinging is designed to keep them at a distance. It is
another very simple, intuitive and highly effective method of using a sarong.
With a jacket, you can put the rock in a pocket, zip it up and get swinging.
Place a rock or other solid object in the sarong (1), and swing the cloth (or jacket, towel, etc.) at high
velocity toward the target (2).

The Hockey Move

Pak Herman Suwanda recommends the following sarong technique: Throw a
sarong over the opponent’s head to blind him and then hold the garment with one
hand. It was given the name “hockey move” because it has the same effect as
pulling the attacker’s shirt over the head like hockey players sometimes do to
each other on the ice. In a street situation, in the time it takes for the attacker to
remove the sarong (or jacket) from his head, you could deliver several strikes or
take the person down. If you have something like a sarong, jacket or towel, you
can use the hockey move.
Jarlo Ilano threatens (1). As Ilano comes in to shove his would-be victim, Burton Richardson raises
his arms with the sarong to deflect the attack (2). He covers Ilano’s head with the cloth (3). He quickly
brings the bottom edges of the cloth together while angling to the side to avoid Ilano’s forward
pressure (4). Richardson secures the sarong in place with one hand (5). With Ilano controlled and
blinded, strikes or takedowns come easy for Richardson (6).
 POSTSCRIPT

A CHALLENGE FROM BURTON RICHARDSON

I have a primary responsibility as an instructor to prepare my students and
myself to be as fight-ready as possible. If I pass up a method that can help them
be better prepared to defend themselves and their loved ones simply because it is
from outside my system, then I am negligent as a teacher. As the Southeast
Asian Burmese bando motto goes, “As no one nation has a monopoly on
sunlight, no one system of thought can claim a monopoly on truth.”
We can all learn and improve for the rest of our lives if we humble ourselves
and admit that we don’t know everything or have all the answers. This is
especially true when we become instructors in a particular system. It is easiest to
stay within the safe confines of our particular style where we are the experts and
are revered for our knowledge. But that leads away from truth and toward
stagnation. As one of my favorite quotes maintains, “A ship in harbor is safe, but
that is not what ships are for.”
Regardless of your particular style, I want to make sure that you can really use
your silat, especially in a street fight against a trained combat athlete. I therefore
again highly encourage you to use your silat knowledge in the realm of MMA-
based training methods. Many “street” systems have a prejudice against combat
sports, but there is much to learn from their constant preparation for actual
fighting. Safe sparring in all the ranges? Yes. Hitting equipment? Of course.
(Muay Thai is a silat derivative, and its development of the Thai pads was very
important in that respect.) Physical conditioning? Absolutely. (Some silat
methods already emphasize body toughening and stamina/strength building, but
if yours doesn’t, add that in.)
If you are an instructor, be sure to make each training session as enjoyable as
possible for yourself and your students while keeping it safe and functional.
People who are having fun train longer and more often. That is a recipe for
success!
If you have questions for me or if you have a suggestion that can make my
approach even better, please contact me. We are on this path together, and I am
here to help.
Enjoy your pencak and enjoy your functional-silat training!
 Table of Contents
Cover
TitlePage
Copyright
Contents
AboutAuthor
Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter2-1
Chapter2-2
Chapter2-3
Chapter2-4
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter6-1
Chapter6-2
Chapter6-3
Chapter6-4
Chapter7
Chapter8
Chapter8-1
Chapter8-2
Chapter8-3
Chapter8-4
Chapter9
Postscript