The more frequently you train, the sooner you will see your skills develop. Having the right tools and having an area setup for training will encourage you to do it more often. Whether you have a dedicated space or have to go to the park may change how you prepare, but there are a few essentials you will want to have. Below is a list of tools that will facilitate your training as well as some suggestions for setting up a training area. Essential Tools These are some of the primary tools you will want to have available for training.  Sticks Though you can get a lot of training done with just one stick, having a variety can add other dimensions to your practice. Here are some options below. rattan sticks - Rattan sticks are the primary training tools for training the Filipino marti...

It’s about mastering the details. Although I love the act of training itself, I don’t do it just for fun.  I train because I really want to be able to apply what I learn.  Likewise, I owe it to my students at Tactical Arts to make sure I am not just entertaining them, but I am really teaching them how to apply the techniques we study in class.  Sometimes this is easy with something like a basic strike, other times it may require more involved training methods.  This is often the case with a complex technique from Pencak Silat Mande Muda. Pencak Silat offers some novel techniques that range from the simple punch to the throat, which takes only a few seconds to learn, to a complex takedown that leaves you wondering what the hell happened.  The key factor in training ...

You can’t effectively learn any martial art without training partners, but there are certain types of training that you need to be doing between classes if you want to get good at your chosen art. Classes offer instruction, coaching, drilling, sparring and the opportunity for guided review, but your time alone is best for coordination practice, impact training, conditioning and study. Coordination When you are fist learning a new skill, you need to start with your coordination. This will include some amount of demonstration from your instructor, probably some guided practice, and then some feedback to help you make corrections. After that, it’s up to you. You need to get all the repetition and self guided practice you can. Mastering a skill such as coordination comes from hours of attentiv...

The Structure of Pencak Silat Mande Muda The late Guru Besar Herman Suwanda taught us that the many styles of Pencak Silat in West Java all have a similar structure. Because of this, he and the Suwanda family were able to incorporate many of them in their hybrid family style, Pencak Silat Mande Muda. If you are studying Pencak Silat, it is important to know the curriculum structure so you can have a more complete understanding of how to organize what you learn. At Tactical Arts, we study Pencak Silat Mande Muda, so the information below will be based on Mande Muda. Like the other styles in West Java, Pencak Silat Mande Muda has three main parts. These parts are jurus, buah, and kembangan. See how these are each defined below:   Jurus - “Root"   In any martial art, there are techn...

Training Tips to make you better, faster Whether you are attending a regular class or only receive instruction from time to time, practice at home is must to develop your Kali skills quickly. Even when my students come to class on a regular basis, they don’t really accelerate their learning until they incorporate regular practice at home. Because of this, I highly recommend you practice your skills at home between each class or lesson. It is actually this self-guided practice that will challenge you to understand the material. The process of trying to recall and practice the material will force you to analyze it. You will not have anyone to follow, so you must use your memory and critical thinking skills. The more you practice at home, the quicker you will learn in class. It is essential t...