Hubad Lubad: The Generator of Ideas and Expression

If you’ve been training in Kali or Silat, you’ve probably encountered Hubad Lubad—or as we like to call it, "The Generator." Now, if you're wondering what the heck this drill is all about, buckle up, because it’s more than just another series of movements; it’s a mental and physical engine that can generate ideas, flows, and creativity in your martial arts journey. At its core, Hubad Lubad is a repetitive drill designed to expand your style and expression, helping you refine the basics while encouraging individual growth. It’s a means for learning through repetition, and the beauty of it is that it's not about copying move-for-move. It’s about understanding the principles and being able to adapt when the situation calls for real scenarios or self-defense.

What Is Hubad Lubad?

At its simplest, Hubad Lubad is a drill with a set pattern of moves that helps you develop essential timing, flow, and muscle memory. But that’s just the surface. At its core, Hubad Lubad is about understanding how movement flows, how you react to an attack, and how you express your martial art in a fluid, adaptable way. It’s often referred to as “The Generator” because once you start working through the flow, it generates ideas—helping you discover new angles, new possibilities, and new ways to move.

The 4 Core Movements: Parry, Kelid, Pak, Punch (Or Thrust)

There’s a lot of variation in how Hubad Lubad can be taught, and you might have heard different spellings or tweaks to the basic framework. But for the sake of this discussion, we’re going to break it down into four core movements that every student should understand:

1. Parry (Origin: Filipino/Tagalog)

   • Translation: To deflect or redirect an incoming attack.

   • What it means: The Parry is a defensive movement that redirects your opponent’s incoming attack. You’re not absorbing the strike head-on; you’re deflecting it in a way that sets you up for your next move. Think of it like a preemptive strike to neutralize the threat.

   • Origin: The term comes from Filipino martial arts where it refers to blocking or diverting a weapon or strike.

2. Kelid (Origin: Indonesian)

   • Translation: Key

   • What it means: Kelid is all about control. The literal translation of Kelid is “key,” and the goal is to establish control over the weapon or limb of your opponent. By using your hand or weapon in a twisting or locking motion, you essentially become the one in charge of where the engagement goes.

   • Origin: From Indonesian martial arts, where Kelid refers to a locking or controlling technique. The term "key" implies that you hold the power to control or lock the movement, creating space for follow-up strikes.

3. Pak (Origin: Wing Chun Cantonese)

   • Translation: Slap or stop

   • What it means: The Pak is a strike or impact. In Kali or Silat, Pak often translates to a strike to the head or body, either with a weapon or open hand. This is where the real impact comes into play. It’s aggressive but controlled, and it's about following through when the opportunity arises.

   • Origin: In Wing Chun, Pak Sao means to “slap and stop,” referring to the action of slapping an incoming attack aside and stopping its forward momentum. It’s about redirecting the attack while maintaining control. In Kali and Silat, this becomes a vital technique for striking and countering.

4. Punch (or Thrust) (Origin: General Southeast Asian Martial Arts)

   • Translation: Punch or Thrust

   • What it means: Punch or Thrust is a direct strike that’s meant to follow up from the Pak or another move. It can be an overhead angle, a straight punch, or a thrust with a weapon. This is your finisher.

   • Origin: The use of punching or thrusting techniques in martial arts is common in various Southeast Asian arts like Kali, Silat, and even Wing Chun. In the context of Hubad Lubad, it’s about delivering a direct attack that capitalizes on the opening created by the previous movements.

How It Works and Why It’s a Staple of Our School

Hubad Lubad isn’t just about doing the moves over and over until your brain turns to mush (although, repetition definitely helps!). It’s about expression. Once you get these four fundamental moves down, you start to add your own style and flair. That’s the beauty of the drill—it generates ideas. It’s not about memorizing a fixed set of movements; it’s about learning the principles and letting those principles guide you when you’re dealing with an unpredictable, live situation.

This drill is a staple in our school because it’s a basic that gives us a foundation to build from. It’s a core piece of training that lets you experiment while keeping things grounded in principles you can always come back to. It’s like your muscle memory roadmap, guiding you as you explore the more complex movements and advanced techniques.

Though this drill is open hand, it’s one that can be easily adapted to weapons—whether it’s sticks, knives, or even improvised weapons like pens or rolled-up magazines (you know how we do). The beauty of Hubad Lubad is its adaptability. If you're using weapons, there’s an added layer of control that comes with handling the weapon’s limitations and advantages.

For example, a stick can give you range, but it can also limit your ability to change direction quickly. A knife gives you cutting potential but requires you to close the distance, which has its own risks. Each weapon brings its own set of challenges, and Hubad Lubad helps you work through those by making your reaction time and adaptability better.

Drills and Repetition: It’s About the Process, Not Perfection

Now, let’s get something clear: Drills aren’t perfect. In fact, they're never meant to be. This drill should never be about copying the exact movements with mechanical precision—real life doesn’t work that way. The goal isn’t to replicate the moves one-for-one but to get a feel for the natural flow and the way each move interacts with the other.

Drills are meant to teach you how to flow, how to think quickly on your feet, and how to use your opponent’s energy to create opportunities. Hubad Lubad gives you a chance to experiment and express yourself in a safe, controlled way. As you continue practicing, you start to notice patterns and connections. The more you practice, the more you learn how to adapt the movements to the situation at hand.

The key is that Hubad Lubad isn’t a "one-size-fits-all" thing. It’s about expressing yourself and finding your own flow. You can use it for self-defense, you can use it in sparring, or even in freestyle sessions. And it’s a drill that’s just as important for advanced practitioners as it is for beginners.

The Takeaway: The Power of Repetition and Individual Expression

At the end of the day, Hubad Lubad is all about expression through repetition. It gives you the tools to create, to learn, and to refine your movements. Once you’ve built a solid foundation with these basics, you can use them to experiment, adapt, and expand your personal martial arts style.

So, the next time you practice this drill, think of it as more than just another set of movements—it’s the generator of ideas, reactions, and techniques that will fuel your martial arts journey.

And remember, don’t expect perfection—but do expect growth. This is your opportunity to learn, expand, and most importantly, express the martial artist you want to be.

Your Turn:

What’s your take on Hubad Lubad? How has it helped you express your unique style? Have you tried it with different weapons, and how has your flow evolved? Drop a comment below and share your experiences. Let’s get this conversation going!