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Silat for the Street: Using the Ancient Martial Art for Self-Defense in the 21st Century
Renowned silat instructor Burton Richardson, who has cross-trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kali, jeet kune do and muay Thai, reveals what his knowledge of those systems and MMA helped him identify as the best silat tactics and techniques for modern self-defense.
His Silat for the Street breaks down fights into various sections to make them more readily understandable. They include the
• Footwork — These movement patterns will give you the advantage when you need to attack an opponent.
• Entries — They will enable you to safely and dynamically enter into close quarters, where you can fire your weapons or execute a takedown.
• Clinch positions — These inside control positions will permit you to trap your opponent’s arms, neck or body while minimizing your chance of being hit.
• Takedowns — These moves offer a variety of methods for getting an opponent on the ground, all of which are explained in detail.
• Ground fighting — This part of silat enables you to quickly dispatch an opponent if you end up on the ground.
• Sarong tactics — This section demonstrates how you can use a towel or jacket as a makeshift weapon of self-defense.
His Silat for the Street breaks down fights into various sections to make them more readily understandable. They include the
• Footwork — These movement patterns will give you the advantage when you need to attack an opponent.
• Entries — They will enable you to safely and dynamically enter into close quarters, where you can fire your weapons or execute a takedown.
• Clinch positions — These inside control positions will permit you to trap your opponent’s arms, neck or body while minimizing your chance of being hit.
• Takedowns — These moves offer a variety of methods for getting an opponent on the ground, all of which are explained in detail.
• Ground fighting — This part of silat enables you to quickly dispatch an opponent if you end up on the ground.
• Sarong tactics — This section demonstrates how you can use a towel or jacket as a makeshift weapon of self-defense.
- GenresMartial Arts
208 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2016
38 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 11, 2019
I have been training in the martial arts since 1977. I began training in Silat in 1989 and worked it heavily as a component of my mixed martial arts and tactical defense training. I continue to blend silat elements into my teaching and count men like Chris Petrilli, Hope Brown, and Jim Ingrahm among my primary silat instructors. I have trained Silat in seminars with Dan Inosanto, Joseph Simonet, and the author, Burton Richardson. Burton has trained extensively in Silat and he is known as a premier practitioner / instructor of the art. In this book, he has chosen some of the most effective Silat techniques and included commentary on how each might blend into a street fight or MMA match. Where appropriate, he has included his thoughts about what might be within the rules of a sport match and what might be outside the law in any scenario, unless you can show you are defending your life. The book is well written and informative for martial artists and non-martial artists alike.
August 14, 2016
I dig Burton Richardson's approach to martial arts. His work, his methodology, his passion for finding what works informs my own.
Silat for the Streets is an excellent gateway to some of his findings on using this art for self-defense. If you're into the martial arts, and have some background in it - to understand some of the movement, and drilling ideas - then I highly recommend it as a resource. If you're brand new to martial arts, the book could be a good introduction to A source of self-defense practice, though IMO it might be hard to implement most of the training ideas, for without some background in martial movement, a lot of the usefulness of the material couldn't be utilized. YMMV.
Silat for the Streets is an excellent gateway to some of his findings on using this art for self-defense. If you're into the martial arts, and have some background in it - to understand some of the movement, and drilling ideas - then I highly recommend it as a resource. If you're brand new to martial arts, the book could be a good introduction to A source of self-defense practice, though IMO it might be hard to implement most of the training ideas, for without some background in martial movement, a lot of the usefulness of the material couldn't be utilized. YMMV.
November 10, 2016
Great book!
I thought I would give this another chance since I gave it a poor review last time. Definitely worth the money! Lots of easy to follow pictures and written instructions.
I thought I would give this another chance since I gave it a poor review last time. Definitely worth the money! Lots of easy to follow pictures and written instructions.
April 26, 2025
It is a good book.
It is a good book. For those that have been practicing for a long time, it will seem basic. That said, there are ideas and concepts to clean from. For beginners, this is a great book. I would recommend it only if you have a coach, sifu, or guru to lead you towards doing this safely. Silat can leave a person seriously injured, therefore practice slowly, carefully, and sympathetically with your partners. As for the self defense aspect of the book it is still good. Even though we do have the right to bear arms and defend ourselves in America, it is essentially to learn about that fine line where the assailed becomes the one assaulting. It is a dangerous place where one believes he is protecting himself but the law determined that person took things too far. Please try this book.
It is a good book. For those that have been practicing for a long time, it will seem basic. That said, there are ideas and concepts to clean from. For beginners, this is a great book. I would recommend it only if you have a coach, sifu, or guru to lead you towards doing this safely. Silat can leave a person seriously injured, therefore practice slowly, carefully, and sympathetically with your partners. As for the self defense aspect of the book it is still good. Even though we do have the right to bear arms and defend ourselves in America, it is essentially to learn about that fine line where the assailed becomes the one assaulting. It is a dangerous place where one believes he is protecting himself but the law determined that person took things too far. Please try this book.
September 5, 2022
I dig Burton Richardson's approach to martial arts. His work, his methodology, his passion for finding what works informs my own.
Silat for the Streets is an excellent gateway to some of his findings on using this art for self-defense. If you're into the martial arts, and have some background in it - to understand some of the movement, and drilling ideas - then I highly recommend it as a resource. If you're brand new to martial arts, the book could be a good introduction to A source of self-defense practice, though IMO it might be hard to implement most of the training ideas, for without some background in martial movement, a lot of the usefulness of the material couldn't be utilized. YMMV.
Silat for the Streets is an excellent gateway to some of his findings on using this art for self-defense. If you're into the martial arts, and have some background in it - to understand some of the movement, and drilling ideas - then I highly recommend it as a resource. If you're brand new to martial arts, the book could be a good introduction to A source of self-defense practice, though IMO it might be hard to implement most of the training ideas, for without some background in martial movement, a lot of the usefulness of the material couldn't be utilized. YMMV.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews