Pencak Silat
Umbrella term for hundreds of traditional Southeast Asian fighting arts — strikes, joint locks and blade work.
👥1 per team🌤indoor
What is Pencak Silat?
Pencak silat is the umbrella term for a family of traditional martial arts native to the Nusantara region (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand and the Philippines). It combines strikes, joint locks, throws and weapon work, particularly with the kris blade. Modern competition (Tanding) is contested internationally under Persilat.
Quick facts
Category
Combat Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Estimated origin
Historical Nusantara — Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-20.verified