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The first Bukti Negara lesson
You have finally decided to approach Pukulan Bukti Negara, to experience the practice of this Indonesian style of Pencak Silat, but you’re not sure what to expect from the first lesson? We will tell you in this article, keep reading!
There is always a mix of excitement and uncertainty that surrounds us when we are about to start a new journey or a new activity. Pukulan is no exception, in fact, we are entering an unknown world that until recently (and partly still today) was reserved for a few. We are coming into contact with a practice that, if carried on over time, will change us for the better in body, mind, and spirit.
But before all this, we will encounter new people and an initially unfamiliar environment, and that is a great thing!
Stepping out of our comfort zone and trying something new with different people than usual always brings enrichment.
We will address this point in a future article because constantly stepping out of our own patterns is one of the exercises we often use in NKI to develop strong martial arts skills as well as technical and personal skills.
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The Stregth of the Program
But now let’s get back to ourselves and what to expect from the first lesson of Pukulan Bukti Negara Pencak Silat.
The technical program of Pukulan BN is divided into 7 progressive levels. The first of these is called the Calon program (from Indonesian Calon = Aspirant/Student) and can be compared to the level that, in other martial arts such as Japanese Karate or Judo, is represented by the white belt. In our Silat system, however, as you may be sensing, the white belt is not given on the first day but must be earned through commitment during the first level of the program.
Your first lesson, whether it is an in-person class or online, will start with the basics of this level, which aims to teach you a series of unarmed techniques and combinations of techniques to defend yourself from any aggression in the shortest time and most effective way possible. This is a fundamental aspect of our martial art: the student is given the tools from the beginning to apply the techniques in real contexts.
Simultaneously with the study of these techniques, there will be a focus on the biomechanics of the body, in order to create automatism and develop the muscles, joints, bones, and tendons of your body correctly, to be able to generate the force and speed required by Pukulan Bukti Negara without harming the body but instead learning to harness the natural movements of the human body.
Here lies a difference that characterizes Pukulan Bukti Negara Pencak Silat and sets it apart from other martial arts. Although you may initially feel awkward in the movements (yes, it will most likely happen, but don’t worry, we’ve all been there!), as you continue with the practice, you will begin to see that the movements required during training are exactly the same as those you do every day to walk, eat, open a door, or greet a friend.
A common mistake when teaching a martial art is trying to make our body perform movements different from the natural ones, and then expecting to apply them in a dangerous situation! According to the Pukulan Bukti Negara perspective, however, if there are already movements that we repeat throughout our entire life, billions of times, why not make use of them? The most effective combat techniques are the most spontaneous and natural ones.
Of course, during the first lesson, you may not fully agree with all of this; instead, it may seem that the practiced techniques are foreign to your body. But by understanding the theory and, most importantly, by practicing, after a few sessions, you will see that everything becomes incredibly natural. (and then you’ll agree with us!)
Biomechanical use of the body
Another point on which we strongly emphasize, especially at the beginning of the training journey, is the use of the entire body. Often, the focus is solely on the movements of the arms and legs, forgetting that the entire body should be involved in executing punches or kicks. Strikes delivered without the support of the entire body will be much weaker, and the practitioner will generally be less responsive to movement.
To generate the incredible power of Pukulan strikes, which have made this art feared and legendary, we will focus on learning to utilize the entire body in synergy to deliver strikes, first in empty-handed techniques and then immediately in partner drills. In fact, from the very first lesson, we will begin practicing partner applications.
In Bukti Negara, it is essential that everything we study in empty-handed techniques is then applied in the same way with our training partners. This is to prevent the practice from becoming mere empty repetitions of movements in the air. Therefore, we recommend that even those who follow online lessons find at least one partner to practice with or participate in our meetings.
Ideally, it is best to practice partner applications with different people of varying degrees, experience, strength, size, attitude, etc. Only in this way will we have the opportunity to understand if what we are doing can be effectively used against anyone in a real street situation.
Remember that if what we practice only works against our training partners, whom we may have known for 10 years… then perhaps there is something wrong!
Therefore, in Bukti Negara classes, we try to vary training partners as much as possible, within the limits of the number of people in each class.
Challenging and Fun
Training will be a mix of technique and physical conditioning. Depending on the theme of the lesson, the emphasis may be more on one aspect than another, with exercises that are more or less physically demanding, as well as the use of equipment such as focus pads, striking pads, boxing bags, small dumbbells weighing 2-3 kg, or other traditional tools typical of Pencak Silat and Indonesian martial arts training.
One thing is certain, after the training, you will be tired (but happy!). And if you are not… it simply means that you did not train in the correct way, that you could have given more. There is no Pukulan Bukti Negara training that ends with practitioners feeling rested.
Training must be intense and enjoyable.
Enjoyable not in the sense of making jokes or pranks (which can also be present to an appropriate extent), but in the sense that the atmosphere should be relaxed and friendly.
During the lesson, there will be varying degrees of physical engagement, and it is important that practitioners are friends who can accept this without drama. We always strive to improve together as a team, regardless of level or age. This, too, is part of the training, learning to surpass our limits with the help of our training partners. This is the spirit of martial arts, this is the path of Pukulan Bukti Negara!
So, if you were thinking of entering this world, we hope that this article convinces you to take the final step and give yourself the opportunity to discover this incredible martial art.
We await you in the gym or online for your first lesson!
For more information or to schedule trial lessons, contact us at info@nagakuninginstitute.com, or fill out the form below.
Stefano Chiappella
NKI Technical Board Member
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