Customer Reviews

The Malay Art of Self-Defense: Silat Seni Gayong

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's about time someone wrote a comprehensive book on this subject. If you're interested in both the history and how-to of silat or even simply self defense, then you need to buy this book. Wonderfully written, with a unique look into the culture of Malaysia and the history of silat. Insightful imagery and explanations of many techniques further clarify this instructional work of art.

this book covers an incredible overview of Malay Silat with an emphasis on Silat Seni Gayong in particular. The techniques shown are a perfect start to anyone interested in this art that is rare in the western world. The author translates the real aspects of Malay Silat and the raw essence that makes it well known throughout southeast asia as one of the deadliest forms of combat and intricate forms of art and spiritual culture. a BIG congradulations to Cikgu Shamsuddin Salim for his contribution to the propogation of Silat Seni Gayong around the world as envisioned by the late Mahaguru Dato Meor Abdul Rahman.
This is REAL Silat with additional works on culture,and traditions that make for a well rounded knowledge rarely shared in the west.
thank you for this work!

reading this work it is immediately obvious that the writer is not only well versed in the martial art of Seni Gayong Silat- but that he has the capasity to produce a well written and concise book explaining the history, technical application, and philosophy of his art. I am impressed with the depth the author goes to in giving the reader a look into this Malaysian cultural art form, and system of combat. Though not as well known as some of the other more publicised martial arts, Seni Gayong Silat as shown by this book, is as rich and as profound as any of the more popular forms of Asian combat. Thank you for this great book!

I highly recommend this book as an excellent reference work in the martial arts library of all people interested in Silat Seni Gayong. This book is well written with not only the technique aspect of the art; but it also provides good history, cultural background, and philosophy.

This book is the first of its kind. Thank you to Cikgu Sheikh Shamsuddin for wtiting this wonderfully informative book. Congratulations on your success and best of luck to the gayong practitioners around the world.

I really liked this book, aspecially since,to my knowledge, this is the only work of its kind on Malaysian silat, as opposed to Indonesian, which has been presented in the West trhoguh couple of books and several videos, though I'd like to see more written material on that as well. Book is done in a beautiful layout, and I also like the format. Author's presentation of techniques is good and the overview of the system is qute good, too. You may like the style itself or not, but there's no arguing that the books tiself is very well done.
My only concern, however, is that while pointing several times to the importance if inner practices in Sialt Gayong, Cikgu Sam has chosen to do just brief introduction on kebatinan practices. On the other hand he has a chapter on the Malasyan tourism several pages long, and would most certainly like to see the things reversed, since that would without doubt give a better picture of the subject of the book, i.e. Silat Gayong.

Most of the book focuses on tradition and custom. Further, most of the illustrations on actual technique are rather small. The illustrations regarding the history of Silat are much larger than the ones regarding technique.

This book is very good at explaining what the pictures tend to lack in conveying due to it being a still frame photo, and not an animate instructor or video. The history of the art itself and its greatest practioners helps to build a better understanding, neglecting nothing essential. Too bad that more techniques and information couldn't fit in, although this is understandably due to it being only a single book.