KunTao Silat: Chinese & Indonesian Martial Arts

KunTao Silat Greetings from

Colourful Colorado!

Historically, kuntao and silat have been practiced by ethnic groups divided by language and cultural diversities. Kuntao was the term describing the ethnic Chinese martial arts and silat was the generic term for the warrior arts practiced by the indigenous Indonesian peoples. Our GrandTeacher, Willem de Thouars had the rare privilege of studying both arts in Indonesia. In the late 1970's and the early 1980's three of the four de Thouars brothers, Willem, Paul and Victor and a Chinese Indonesian I shing Ie grandmaster, U. Un Surya came to Colorado to live and teach. A small group of dedicated practitioners had the honor of studying with these four world-class grandmasters of kuntao and silat. Steve Gartin and Chas Clements are among that small group.
In 1981 KunLun Pai was introduced to the world in an event hosted by Pak Victor de Thouars in Southern California. This was the first melding of the two diverse martial styles.
The brutally hard training and the extreme contact kept the student rolls very small during the first 20 years or so. Until 1988, none of the de Thouars brothers cared to promote their arts publicly.
In 1993 Steve Gartin introduced KunTao Silat™ to America. Maintaining the heart and soul of the two great martial arts, Guru Gartin adapted training methods geared for the American life-style to the tactical considerations and training required to actually apply silat and kun tao principles in combat. Seven levels of training take the novice to practitioner level. We consider a "practitioner" or Guru Muda to be a very good black belt level martial artist.
Denver, Colorado is our home base. We offer classes on Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoon. It is possible to study at a distance with modern technology, so we do offer a DistanceTraining Program and a vast offering of video and DVD documentaries, seminars and training aids. We also conduct seminars and workshops and are available by email and phone most of the time.

KunTao Silat™ Videos Listing. DVDs
BackYard Training sessions and KunTao Silat™ Seminar video footage bring the viewer into the Village Family environment for a relaxed, yet intense and highly effective martial arts home training program. Martial Arts Training Videos bring the viewer into our backyard for training in the Indonesian Village style. KunTao Silat™ is designed for personal self defense, not military service.
Steve Gartin Who???
One of Three of Willem de Thouars longest term disciples, reveals secrets and principles of Indonesian and Chinese martial arts and demonstrates methods and techniques for incorporating KunTao Silat™ martial art principles into the modern American lifestyle.

Malabar the short Story. American Martial Art with Indonesian Silat and Chinese Kung Fu roots. From beginning to Disciple level, these Five Shaolin and Indonesian Forms define the basic American KunTao Silat™ system.

Silat Kilap Betawi:
Basic elements of Serak® Silat meld with KunTao concepts to create a direct, no-nonsense approach to personal self defense, whatever your physical condition. The Founder, Chas Clements, has over a half century of martial study, training and pursuit to draw instruction from. Chas conducts classes every Sunday at his home in Aurora. Call for time and directions: 303-364-0403. Specialty Self Defense training for the physically impaired.

Martial Arts Links:
Friends and associates. Karate, Kung Fu, Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, Ju Juitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, and a wide range of esoteric martial arts will ultimately be found on our links page. It is now under construction, but worth a visit and a page you will want to add to your favorites in the Dutch Indo/Chinese martial arts we know as silat and kuntao..
Martial Arts for Citizens Only:
Self Defense for everyone enjoying good health. The secrets of Indonesian and Chinese kuntao and silat martial arts applied to a modern American home self defense training program. Suitable for all ages and all levels of physical conditioning. KunTao and Silat, as Village-style martial arts, focus on the individual - rather than the agenda of the King. The individual must be capable of joining in defense of the Village, and must be trained to live at peace with his kinsmen.
KunTao & Silat Teachers:
the "old timers" who were there during the inception of Kun Lun Pai and its early growth, the first American gurus.
- Elder Teachers and Senior Disciples. Video MPGs of forms and techniques, links to the Founders' WebSites and historic information about *Serak®*, Imoa Shantung Chinese kun tao and pentjak pukulan petjut kilat silat in Indonesia and America
American KunTao Silat™ brings the most effective techniques and training methods of the Chinese Shaolin and Indonesian Silat arts together into an easily learned, highly effective, self defense program. Even learning at a distance is possible now, with the vast library of training and documentary videos and DVDs available to the KunTao Silat™ student.

Articles & Stories

Thanks for visiting: We appreciate you stopping by ~

*[Serak® is a registered trademark used by permission of Victor Ivan Charlie de Thouars] *

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