Punches in pencak silat can be regarded as a technique or method to defend oneself from all kinds of dangers that have the potential to threaten the safety of the soul. Pencak silat itself is basically a self-defense technique that has been passed down from generation to generation in Indonesia.
So, it is not surprising that pencak silat is quite heavily influenced by the culture and personality of the Indonesian nation. This is because these martial arts were born and developed from the social life of ancient Indonesian society.
Currently, the martial art of pencak silat has developed widely in various regions of Indonesia. In fact, pencak silat is one of the sports studied at school. This is because pencak silat is equipped with movements that can be a provision for students, ranging from punches, kicks, dodges, blocks, and so on.
Broadly speaking, pencak silat can be categorized as a martial art that has organized, planned, controlled and directed movements. Therefore, almost all movements issued need to have a follow-up intention, both for attack and defense. This is because all members of the human body actually move and are connected to one another.
In this article we will discuss about the different types of pencak silat punches. Each type of pencak silat punch is known to have a different purpose to attack its opponent. So, here are five types of punches in pencak silat and their functions. Let’s see the full review!
A. Pencak Silat Punch Technique
As explained in the introductory section earlier, it should be noted that pencak silat does not only focus on relying on all body movements. Pencak silat basically also needs techniques to make good and correct punches. Pencak silat punches themselves can be regarded as weapons or tools to carry out attacks on opponents.
It’s just that, when a fighter throws a punch at an opponent, that person must have a body attitude that doesn’t go limp. Therefore, when attacking or defending, a fighter must remain alert and remain calm. This is of course needed so that a fighter can take advantage of the various types of punches that will be delivered in an attack.
Prior to that, a fighter first needed to understand a number of requirements in order to be able to make a good and correct punching movement, starting from agility, accuracy, to speed. Correct pencak silat movements will make punches more precise and prevent injury.
However, before heading into a full discussion of the types of punches in pencak silat. The following is an illustration of strokes in pencak silat that you need to pay attention to.
Based on this illustration, it can be concluded that there are several types of pencak silat strokes that must be mastered. Each of the punching movements certainly has its own function and level of effectiveness in attacking the opponent. A fighter must be careful and clever in analyzing the opponent’s movement patterns to determine which technique to cast.
1. Front Punch in Pencak Silat
A front or straight punch can be said to be a fairly simple type of pencak silat. Even though it looks very easy, the forehand punch itself is a type of punch that requires good and correct mastery of basic techniques.
This front punch has a function to attack the opponent quickly and precisely. This is done to further minimize the risk of injury to ourselves. Especially in a pencak silat match, straight punches are often used to score points quickly.
The way that can be done to get optimal results from forehand strokes is to maximize the assistance movements from the shoulders and waist rotation. This will be very supportive for transferring weight forward with the attacking hand position.
In its development, the front or straight punch itself can be done in two different postures, including the following:
– Forward punch, which is a punch with the position of the hand that is used to attack and then parallel to the position of the foot in front (jab).
– Front punch, which is a punch with the position of the hand that is used to attack, it’s just that the position of the foot is not parallel to the hand that is in front (straight).
So, here are a series of steps you can take to master the forehand movement in pencak silat, including:
a. Begin with a side stance, then place your left foot in front.
b. Position both hands in front of the chest.
c. The fist that will be used to hit.
d. The soles of the feet are parallel.
e. Changing the fist to face down when hitting with the right hand.
d. And, change the position of the feet and hands when making a straight punch.
Apart from this type of forehand in pencak silat, there are several mistakes that are often made when learning this technique. So, some mistakes that unconsciously appear in throwing straight or front punches, namely:
- Poor leg stance.
- Too stiff body.
- Unbalanced body posture.
- The position of the feet that are less open.
- Less powerful punching movements.
- The position of the hands is less clenched and face down.
2. Pendulum Punch in Pencak Silat
The second punch technique is the pendulum punch or often also referred to as the sengkol punch in pencak silat. The pendulum punch itself is done by positioning the hand to be bent up to 90%. Next, the bent hand will be swung from the bottom up.
Pendulum punches can also be done with varying foot positions, starting from the position of the front foot parallel to the hand used to attack and others. However, apart from being effective at weakening your opponent, this pendulum punch must be done with the right movement so as not to injure your body.
So, here’s how you can do it to master the pendulum or crank strokes in pencak silat:
a. Begin the movement by doing the middle stance technique.
b. Position both hands crossed in front of the chest.
c. Make a fist on the fingers of the hand you want to hit.
d. Position your hands to make a fist face down.
e. Lift or swing the fist from back to front.
f. One of the hands that is not used for hitting can be placed in front of the chest.
g. The pendulum hitting movement in pencak silat can be done alternately.
In carrying out the pendulum stroke, there are several mistakes that occur if you cannot throw the pendulum properly and correctly. The following are some mistakes that often occur when performing the pendulum technique, including:
- Stance legs are not strong.
- The movement of the middle stance is less strong.
- Unbalanced body posture.
- The feet are less open.
- The punching movement is less strong.
- The hand position is less clenched.
3. Upright Punch in Pencak Silat
The third punch in pencak silat is an upright punch. An upright punch itself can be said to be a punching technique that can be said to be very profitable for athletes when competing. This straight punch basically only needs to throw punches using the right and left hands alternately.
Even though it is considered a fairly simple punch, a fighter needs to master good punching techniques as well as the right tempo. It should be noted that the basic technique of upright punches is to clench your fists in front of your chest while preparing your stance. Therefore, this technique is called an upright punch because it is done by means of an upright fist.
So, here are some ways you can do to throw an upright punch in pencak silat, including:
a. The movement begins with the middle stance technique.
b. Both hands are positioned crossed in front of the chest.
c. The fingers form a fist to use to hit.
d. Make a hitting movement using your right hand forward with an upright fist position.
e. One hand that is not used to hit remains in front of the chest.
f. Do this pencak silat punch movement alternately.
Even though it looks simple, this move basically requires a lot of training in order to have a significant impact on your opponent. Therefore, the following are some things to avoid when performing upright punches, including:
- Stance legs are not strong.
- The movement of the middle stance is less strong.
- Unbalanced body posture.
- The feet are less open.
- The punching movement is less strong.
- The position of the hands is less clenched and upright.
4. Circular Punch
The fourth type of punch in pencak silat is a circular punch. This circular stroke can be done by moving the hand in a circle. This punch itself can have a significant impact on the opponent if the trajectory of the punch from the outside of the body is pointed towards the inside of the body.
In order for circular strokes in pencak silat to give good results, a fighter must be supported by the movement of the shoulders and waist in the direction of the stroke. Which, circular punches have a target, namely the opponent’s waist.
Some steps to do a circular punch, namely:
a. Middle horses.
b. Both hands crossed in front of the chest. Hand to hit, the fingers must be clenched.
c. The hand used to hit is swung in a circle from the left to the right side with an upright fist.
d. The other hand remains in front of the chest to protect the body.
e. Do this by changing the hitting hand.
Just like mistakes that often occur in other punches, circular punches must also be done properly and correctly. Some of the errors that often occur are:
- Stance legs are not strong.
- The movement of the middle stance is less strong.
- Unbalanced body posture.
- The feet are less open.
- The punching movement is less strong.
- The position of the hands is less clenched and upright.
5. Side Punch
The last punch is a side punch. This punch can be said to be a punch that goes straight to the side of the body using the back of the hand. As the name suggests, this type of punch is known to have a forward or straight trajectory by maximizing the hands starting from the side.
Ways that can be used to do side punches, namely:
a. The stances left forward in good, right stance.
b. Both hands are crossed in front of the chest. Hand to hit, the fingers must be clenched.
c. The position of the right foot should form a straight line with the sole of the left foot.
d. The stroke used uses the back of the hand from the side to the front.
e. Do it by changing the position of the foot and hand that hit.
This is a discussion of the five types of strokes as well as how to do them. Every punch technique we know has its own movement. As a result, every movement must be done properly and correctly. In conclusion, the basic techniques of forehand, pendulum, upright, turning, to the side basically lie in the strength of the stance. A strong stance technique with the right combination of movements will produce a strong attack pattern.