Customer Reviews

Advanced Silat Concepts: Secrets of Modern Pentjak Silat Serak [VHS]

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

I am mainly a karate, Chinese Chin Na, and Okinawan Kobudo instructor, but I have over 35 videos just on Silat, including the de Thouars brothers, and despite the other negative reviews on this video, I found Simonet's four videos helpful and well-done for increasing my knowledge of Silat. His demos of the hand jurus and the foot langkhas are clear and concise and he demonstrates many applications which are practical and effective. I note that Pak Victor himself panned this video with his own review here, saying it wasn't the actual Serak curriculum, and then another reviewer here from Thailand amazingly said that Victor himself only studied for one year from his older brother. Well, I myself have little formal training in Silat except for watching dozens of videos, but as a student of a number styles and an instructor myself for 40 years I think I can tell good technique when I see it regardless of the style, and Simonet is certainly competent in that regard, even if the techniques depart somewhat from the official curriculum as stated by Pak Vic. Also, Simonet mentions in the introduction to the video that he is modifying the classical techniques and interpreting them his own way. Hence, Simonet is quite clear on what he is doing, and states that his videos only contain a portion of the entire curriculum that he learned from Uncle Willem de Thouars. Well, regardless of the ultimate denouement of this dispute here I still found these tapes worthwhile and informative on the Serak style. I've also found the videos by Stevan Plinck on Pukulan, Rudy Terlinden two videos on Ratu Adil, Steve Gartin on Silat knife-fighting, Richard de Bordes on Harimau Tiger, Uncle Willem de Thouars' several videos on Serak, William Sanders' 10-tape series on Pukulan Pusaka Tjimande, Terry Gibson's several videos on Danny Inosanto's Maphilindo Silat, Datu Kelly Worden's 9-tape series on Silat, Pak Engku's two videos on Sapik Kalo, and Bob Orlando's, Leo Gaje's, and Danny Inosanto's many videos also to be helpful.

This is not a tape for rank beginners, that's for sure; but with basic knowledge of martial arts and their applications, there is opened in this tape set a myriad of new applications, useful training drills and powerful self defense techniques. I have studied the martial arts (specifically, Baguazhang, Kuntao, and various Kung Fu systems) for nearly 20 years, and it is clear to a more advanced practicioner what some other reviewers have perhaps overlooked - Guru Simonet knows his stuff, knows how to apply it, and most importantly - knows how to teach it effectively. I have this and the basic tape of the same title, and I highly recommend both as great additions to the library of any experienced martial artists looking to broaden their horizons. Remember - you get out of your training exactly what you put into it - no more, no less.

A few years ago Guru Simonet's two video sets on Serah or Serak joined the ever growing list of quality videos produced over the last ten years by a number of Pentjak Silat and Kuntau-Silat instructors. Perhaps the first videos to reach a large audience, Guru Simonet's two 2-disk sets on beginning and advanced Silat concepts do a fine job of presenting the history, theory, concepts, techniques, and applications of this still relatively unknown art. Also shown are very nice demonstrations of the 18 jurus by Simonet and some of his students, who look very good and are certainly a credit to Guru Simonet. In the first or beginning DVD set, the first six jurus or forms are shown, and in this advanced set, the other 12 for a total of 18 jurus are demonstrated. Also some lankha or lower art forms with footwork are shown. Aided by professional filming, editing, and a frenetic hard-rock musical accompaniment this video remains one of the most dramatic and informative ever produced on the subject.

I had the opportunity to see Gurus Simonet and his partner, Addy Hernandez, do a demo at the 2004 Dragon Fest in Glendale, CA held by Gerald Okamura, and also met Pak Victor de Thouars of Pentjak Silat fame there. My style of southern Philippines Kali in which I hold instructor rank is said to be about 25 percent Silat, so I have always wanted to learn more about the subject. Dozens of applications are shown, including many empty-hand, and also some knife and stick applications. Guru Simonet's excellent videos helped me to broaden and deepen my knowledge of the art of Silat.

If you enjoyed this video I can also recommend the five DVD Kali-Silat set by Jim Mahan and Roger Lewis which is available on e-Bay (I mention it since it doesn't come up on Amazon), the Silat videos from Stevan Plinck and Richard Crabbe de Bordes (also available from Paladin), and Steve Gartin's video (also from Paladin), and Ron Balicki's Kali Entries and Combos video. Also, if you can find it is the Blitzing Sticks video that Danny Inosanto did at the VDT Silat Academy in Bellflower, which shows a large number of entries, combos, and grappling applications. It is very strong on the Serak takedown applications, and which he mixes in with the John La Costa system escrima stick entries for an extremely effective combination.

He claims to reveal the SECRETS of serak. Then, he shows us techniques that are literal intepretations of the forms. No pressure point stuff. No physics. No jing. Nothing. That's like saying the secret color of the sky is blue. Sure didn't seem very secretive to me.

Furthermore, despite Joey's claim of breaking from tradition (isn't that the new popular battle-cry?), he never studied the art. At least when Bruce Lee did it, he studied Wing Chun for a number of years BEFORE going formless.

I'd highly recommend you buy the silat tape from Steven Plinck or Steve Gartin instead. At least that has some material on there that's worth the money.

I have several of Guru Simonets DVDs. I have liked them all. Good demonstrations, explains the details and explins the importance of mental attitude when fighting.

Serak and Simonet, well what ever it is it is not Serak.
Buyers beware, entertainment for popcorn and soda pop.
A review from Stephen DeL'Mekoung is quite insulting.
Words right taken out of the website of Paul deThouars. While true that I worked out with Paul in Wormer, Holland from 1956 to 1960, my first Silat Serak teacher is NOT Paul deThouars. My workout partner from Java will object to the statement made by Mr. Stephen Del'Mekoung I suggest he research before placing letters on paper. I do not know this man at all, he has no business talking about Serak, even what Simonet is doing. I do agree that Simonet does not know Serak by virtue of my knowledge of the Serak curriculum.
Dhaka Mardjoeki who lives in Surabaya Java at this time, teaches the same Serak curriculum as I teach as of this date. James Soeterberg senior to Paul deThouars by seven years was a student from the late Guru John Devries also teaches the same curriculum that I teach.
Guru Kees Boering my student whom I taught from 1956 to 1960 still has that same curriculum that I taught him during those years.
So before saying anything of my knowledge, do make sure you have the written FACTS and correct information. Pak Vic, Guru Serak

Joseph Simonet claims to be an expert in the Indonesian martial art of Serak Penjak Silat enough that he can release an instructional video tape containing advanced concepts. In fact Mr. Simonet knows almost nothing about Silat in general and Serak specifically. He sudied briefly with Victor and Willem DeTouars, who themselves despite their reputations studied very little Silat. Victor studied Serak from his older brother for one year, and then proceeded to make up the rest of his art. Simonet follows in his footsteps as far as Serak goes. Mr. Simonet may be an experienced martial artist in Chinese Kenpo, which is essentially what this tape contains. I think this video is insulting to the oldest DeTouars brother and to the DeVries family, as well as to the memory of their teachers John and Ernest DeVries as well as the teachers that came before them.