Notebook Excerpt: Anatomy of a Technique (Entry)

Guru Chaz
Jun 18
6 min read

The motion of Inti Ombak Pencak Silat (IOPS) is influenced by two major traditions from the islands of Java and Madura. The central Javanese aspect of IOPS is represented in high, upright stances and precision striking. Many of the low stances and grappling movements are representative of the Madurese heritage. What makes IOPS unique, however, is its core philosophy (and possibly our assortment of knife grips). Rather than being defined by a set curriculum or a typecast style of motion, this system of martial arts embraces a core set of five rules of engagement and the philosophical outlook that human beings are individuals; with different weights, heights, and behavior. These differences make us who we are and should not be discarded when we become convinced that a certain style is ‘the best.’ It is my belief that styles of martial arts, from all over the world, have many motions in common. Every surviving culture has known combat and developed ways to deal with it. As the human body is capable of a large, yet finite range of motion, it is not surprising that martial arts from many cultures combine kicks, punches, footwork, and grappling maneuvers that are strikingly similar to an experienced practitioner.

Although IOPS instructors are expected to complete hundreds of techniques under pressure, we focus on developing intuition using paired drills and games. The inspiration for our drills and techniques comes from the collection of individual jurus-jurus [1] within our system that comprise four levels of development (fundamental, animal, elemental, and human). Our martial decision tree is based first and foremost on our our rules of engagement [2] where we escape to an advantageous angle, protect our vital areas, have sound technique whether an opponent is armed or not, end the conflict quickly and decisively, and always seek to preserve our option to escape. For a discussion on openings, see my previous article [3].

Four Parts of a Technique:

Opening.
Entry.
Application.
Finish.

The second stage of a technique is the entry. Pencak Silat techniques (aside from the bow, sling, dart, or other ranged weapons) mostly deal with close-quarter struggles involving weapons or hand-to-hand methods. The entry takes advantage of an opening in the opponent’s guard. Openings can occur because you make them happen, or because the opponent makes a mistake that creates an opportunity. During the entry phase, it is important to observe kaedah by seeking an advantageous angle and protecting your vital areas. Just because a type of entry exists does not mean it can be implemented safely in every situation. For example, the inside/outside split entry is very dangerous if done the same way as the outside/inside split entry, so I prefer to turn the inside/outside split entry into an arm drag using circular blocks (Basic Blocks 9-12). Additionally, safe entry assumes an armed opponent. There’s no good time to get hit during a technique, but this phase carries the risk of running into a counterattack. Evasion by the opponent will also reset the technique.

The essential trichotomy of entry in Pencak Silat can be summarized as outside, inside, or split-entry (Figure 1). If you are within the circuit of an opponent’s arms, you are inside. If you are outside the circuit of an opponent’s arms, you are outside. If one of your arms is outside, and the other one is inside, then you’re effecting a split-entry. Where you place your arms determines whether your upper body is open or closed relative to an opponent.

Inti Ombak Pencak Silat, like many silat and Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) systems, uses a geometric footwork platform based on triangles. We use triangle footwork to attack, evade, and change direction rapidly to address multiple opponents. When you step towards the objective, you can move on an oblique angle towards or away from an opponent. The two main types of triangle footwork use closed “male” triangles (vertex pointed at opponent) or open “female” triangles (base towards opponent). This determines whether your lower body is open or closed relative to an opponent.

Figure 1: 16 Entry Types (View from Above)

Upper Body Open and Closed

If your arms are open (center line on your chest exposed), your upper body is open to the opponent. This can be done safely if you are on the outside (limiting an opponent’s potential attacks) or have blocked their arms. If you are projecting your arms straight forward toward the opponent’s center from your center line, then your upper body is closed.

Lower Body Open and Closed

If you step onto the opponent’s center point, your lower body is closed (pointed towards the opponent’s center). If you step outward, forming the base of a triangle opposite the opponent’s center, your lower body is open. This is related to advancing with female (open) triangle footwork or male (closed) triangle footwork.

Open and Closed Split Entry

There are two kinds of split entry: where the near hand is on the outside and the far hand is on the inside or where the near hand is on the inside and the far hand is on the outside. An outside/inside split entry for a right straight punch (Basic Strike 9 or 10) turns into an inside/outside split entry against a left punch. Lower body split entries are covered under guntingan techniques.

When you combine the different variables you end up with 16 types of entry, with many more techniques unfolding depending upon elevation, range, principle, and strategy which are discussed further in other sections. For an easier reference, use figure 1 above. For a deep dive, the 16 entries can then be logically listed out as below (click to expand list):

Open and Closed Inside Entry

Upper body open, lower body open: follows block-check with open triangle footwork to the inside. Chest and hips face outward.
Upper body open, lower body closed: follows block-check with closed triangle footwork to the inside. Chest faces outward and hips face inward.
Upper body closed, lower body open: follows block-check with open triangle footwork to the inside. Chest faces inward and hips face outward.
Upper body closed, lower body closed: follows block-check with closed triangle footwork to the inside. Chest faces inward and hips face inward.

Open and Closed Outside Entry

Open and Closed Split Entry A

Open and Closed Split Entry B

Entry through Evasion:

Evasive techniques can set up an opening by tricking (panceran) an opponent into a committed attack that, when foiled, creates an opening. By preparing the ground through deliberate openings or taking advantage of an opponent’s habit it is possible to set them up for a fall. Evasions include ales (a timed dodge that causes an opponent to miss, but just barely), dekok (transferring an opponent’s momentum downward so they feel like they are falling suddenly into a ditch, Gajulan (tangguhan) where you stop the forward motion of an opponent using a reversing force (usually a kick), or egos where you deflect an opponent’s energy away from you at a perpendicular angle. In these cases, the evasion is so complete that you simultaneously complete both the opening and entry stage by having the opponent fall into your trap. I discussed ales (void) and dekok (ditch) during my 2022 seminar in Raleigh, North Carolina.