Techniques Against Armed Attack in Cingrik

METHOD A
In #1, the assailant (on right) is standing with his left side to the camera, and his right hand, though empty for the purpose of the illustration, could easily be holding a weapon with which to strike at the defender, whose responses may well be the same whether the hand is empty or not. Two methods of defense will illustrate this point.





The defender has already, in #1, intercepted the assailant's right arm with a sweeping open-handed catch of that arm from the inside, using his left hand to grasp the attacking arm between the elbow and the wrist. Following Method A, the defender pulls the assailant's attacking arm forward and downward, thus jerking him off-balance and forwards. The defender simultaneously strikes with his opened right hand, using a knife-edged formation, at the assailant's head (#2). The assailant's reaction to this blow is one of shock as he, at the same time, attempts to resist the forward movement imposed on him by the defender. This he does by straightening his body and leaning backward, putting himself off balance backwards. Even had the defender's intended blow fallen short, the combined action would have had the all important effect of moving the assailant back. The defender utilizes this reaction of the assailant to throw him backwards to the ground. He does so by putting his right leg behind the assailant's right leg and, using the combined power of both his arms, forces the assailant further backward over the outstretched leg (#3).

Note that the defender does not step forward until he has obtained a rearward movement from his enemy. This is a safeguard: if the assailant does not react by moving backward, the defender is still in a position to deliver a forward snap-kick into the groin of his enemy.

Pencak Silat Training Exercise 15

This Mustika Kwitang exercise demonstrates how exponents of that style deliver their particular version of a punching action to the enemy's midsection, and at the same time it shows the trainee how to develop correct breath control and muscular contraction to enable him to withstand the punch. In order to understand this exercise, the trainee must realize that the standard thrust punching action of Mustika Kwitang differs from that of most other styles in that the punching arm is never fully extended (# 1). For that reason, many pencak-silat countermeasures that are effective against a fully extended punching arm fail when the enemy is a Mustika Kwitang exponent. The punch is delivered by an arm positioned alongside the operator, fist held palm facing the body just below breast level and well forward of the hip. The fist does not smash completely into the target but stops a bit short of a full-arm extension in a particular position that might be called an upright fist, or a standing fist. This method of punching requires that the operator be a hit closer to his target than if he were using a fully extended arm.

The receiver of the attack assumes a straddle stance, upright, arms hanging naturally at his sides; he does nothing to counter the punch about to be delivered by his training partner, who places himself so that he needs to take only one step forward (right step illustrated) to strike the target correctly. The target area should be that of the hard stomach muscles, not the solar plexus (# 2-# 3). The power of the punch must, of course, be built up gradually, so that it may finally be delivered and withstood at maximum strength and velocity. The partner who is to receive the attack balances solidly on both legs; he takes a full breath, swelling his abdominal region, then releases a small amount of air and tenses his stomach muscles.

Pencak Silat Training Exercise 14

A Perisai Diri countermeasure to the tactic described in Training Exercise 13-A, this exercise continues Training Exercise 12.

METHOD. You and your training partner face each other; he is in a right “dragon” combative posture, his right arm raised high; you are in a “tiger” combative posture, both hands raised defensively in front of you, palms open (#1). Your partner leaps around your left side and tries to hook your neck with his right hand preparatory to pulling you to the ground (#2-#3). You counter with an evasive wheeling action, turning quickly to your right, pivoting on your right foot and coming around 180° to escape his pull (#4-#5). Protect your body with your hands to avoid a possible kicking attack from him. If he assumes a new combative posture (such as in # 6) and if you rush at him in a straight-line fashion, you may fall victim to a side thrust kick (#7).

Pencak Silat Training Exercise 13

This is another Perisai Diri exercise designed to develop the evasive skills described at the beginning of Training Exercise 12, but completing that maneuver with more severe measures.

METHOD A. At any appropriate time, as you complete the jumping tactic described in Training Exercise 12 (# 4), hook your left hand in beak hand fashion (see # 1 and Fig. 6) around the left side of your partner's neck, at the same time lifting your right leg (# 2). Step to your right and swing your partner circularly to your left rear as you put your right foot onto the ground. After he falls, finish him with a knife-edge hand strike to his neck or to the side of his head (# 3).

METHOD B. As preparation for the toppling action, put your left hand to his face and with a tiger claw hand simulate a gouging action to the eyes and soft tissues of his face (# 4).

METHOD C. Again, using the tiger claw hand, grasp your partner's head with both hands and swing him backward to the ground; simulate twisting his neck with a sharp wrenching action (# 1-# 3). # 4illustrates the Harimau pencak-silat equivalent.