TESTIMONIALS

I’ve had the fortune to know Jerry Jacobs for about 3 -3.5 years or so.  I stumbled into his seminar back in 2020 when he hosted Tuhon Mel Tortal. I was welcomed and accepted as a friend amongst Jerry and his students. It was as if I had known them all for decades. Each year I returned, and we all connected as friends and training partners. This year (2024) this past June I asked Jerry if he’d be interested in doing a seminar in Ft Wayne IN. Of course, he said yes.  It was not only a blast, but it was an incredible experience and watching him in his element teaching Srivijaya Silat and Pekiti Tirsia Kali he connected with the group and was patient and professional with everyone.  Many were beginners and some experienced level players at the seminar. Everyone left happy and wore out from a great day of training. I heard so many positive comments and reviews after the seminar.  I hope to make this seminar an annual event. 

Mr. Jacobs is an excellent martial artist with decades of experience. It shows in his work and detail as a teacher.  Not everyone can teach.  Jerry is a teacher!  He not only knows how to explain the material, but he understands the principle of being patient and kindhearted. Never being in a hurry or impatient with students who are unable or slower to pick up on material.  No one is left behind and everyone learns.  If you know Jerry, you know why he has the accolades he holds.  I’m honored to have met and know Jerry Jacobs. Most of all I’m grateful for his friendship and honored to call him my friend.

~Cory Ballinger

I've had the priveledge of knowing and training under Guru Besar Jerry for over 25 years now. It has been an absolute honor to be a student and brother to such a knowledgeable and respectable man. His skill, to all who have witnessed him in action is truly astonishing. The thing that has always impressed me the most about him is his generosity. He goes so far beyond what is necessary in class to make sure that beginner and teachers alike, understand what is being taught, without any hesitation . I have been lucky enough to become good friends with Guru Besar Jerry outside of training. His generosity inside the training hall , is paled in comparison to that with which he shows outside. I have seen him help so many people and have personally gained more knowledge and recieved more blessings in my life due to this man's teaching and freindship, it would take two lifetimes to repay that which I owe to him. Training with him has been the single most rewarding thing in my entire life and everthing that I do has been enriched and my life more fulfilling due to learning what he teaches and being his friend.

The other side of Guru Besar Jerry, is the side with which I pray I never have the misfortune to encounter. The ferocity that is unleashed when he puts his skill into action is enough to make the toughest fighter cower. His wealth of knowledge of Pencak Silat as well as all of the other styles that he studied before coming to Silat, has made him into a warrior of the highest caliber. I have seen him do some things throughout the years, that he makes look effortless I might add, that make me feel like I have never trained a day in my life, yet he is one of the most humble and approachable people that I have ever known, and his passion to continue to learn is relentless.

His knowledge of Internal Energy and the Meditative and Spiritual aspects of this art has always been facinating to me. I have also been witness to situations where Guru Besar Jerry has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that his skill in these areas is unquestionably masterfull. Anyone who has seen or been effected by his healing or internal energy work can verify that he is truly gifted. The depth of understanding of the philosophy and internal aspects of such a complex art combined with all of the extra research and extra training in related areas is testament to his dedication and unwavering willingness to better himself, and the amazing thing is that this is for the sole purpose of being able to teach and help others! In todays society masters such as this are very rare.

In the many years that I have known and trained with Guru Besar Jerry I have seen his school go from a small group of devoted followers to an international organization with schools in many states and even countries. This art is no doubt facinating and deadly, and all respects to its founders and great masters are always and will always be given , however it is without hesitation that I say that Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs skill, devotion to this art, and passion to give this knowledge to all who come to learn, is an honor to those founding fathers and no one is more qualified in character or skill to lead this organization. It is an honor to be associated with such an honorable and knowledgable teacher.

~Guru Derek Owings 

• North American Director Pukulan Cimande Kombinasi Pencak Silat
• Over 25 year's experience in the Indonesian and Filipino Martial Arts

Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs trained with my Kali Silat Teacher, Greg Alland. Mas Guru Greg Alland (RIP) was personally trained in Pekiti Tirsia Kali by Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje, Jr., who bright the art from the Philippines to New York City, and in Pangian Lanka Empat Pencak Silat by Pendekar Eddy Jahfri, from Indonesia.

Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs is one of only a few people to receive the Pangian Lanka Empat Silat's complete set of closely guarded Jurus. (Fundamental and Basic Patterns of Movement, from which all subsequent movements arise.)

As a credit to his teacher, Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs' movements with the baston (stick/baton) strongly resemble those of Greg Alland's movements. Since studying with Greg Alland, he has studied with numerous world class instructors, such as Dan Inosanto, Tuhon Rommel Tortal, Cecep Rahman (John Wick 3), Pendekar William Sanders, Jeff Davidson, Pak Ismail Sujadi, and many others too numerous to mention.

Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs has taken the essential concepts and philosophy gleaned from his years of training and formed it into a highly teachable format, while preserving each art in its original form.

If you're interested in learning "no nonsense", "street effective" self defence, both with weapons and with empty hands from a Master Instructor, take this rare opportunity to learn from Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs.

~Guru Mitchell Rokicki

• Teacher in Kali-Silat & Pangian Langkah Empat - Mas Guru Greg Alland
• 2nd Degree Black Belt Shaolin Black Tiger Offshoot
• Army Infantry Veteran
• Retired (SSGT) NJ State Police
• Trained in many Filipino & Indonesian Instructors (GM Debordes, Guru Yana, etc)

I've had the privilege of training with Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs since 2005, and then regularly from 2008. I have never seen a martial artist move like he does, and I have seen very many martial artists. Having taught Pukulan Cimande Kombinasi on and off since 2012, I can say that it is a complete system because of Jerry Jacobs. Truly I can say that Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs is an amazing teacher one who really knows how to break everything down and it's simplest way and amazingly enough can turn it into the most profound lesson in self-defense. He is very experienced and everything he does is based on reality fighting. He has truly mastered his art, and the craft of teaching in general. From the stories of “tap-out or knock-out” practice sessions to the intense way we train every technique, you know you get the real deal. 

Guru Besar Jerry can teach you everything from weapons, footwork, conditioning, ancient Indonesian spiritual fighting systems, healing, forms, drills, ground fighting, breaks, to various different animal styles, and so on. Very rarely can you find a teacher with this depth of knowledge and experience and at the same  time has the ability to make you feel really comfortable in every session as if talking to a teacher who is a family member. I truly recommend training and this system which is a martial art that has actually helped me in a real-life altercation save my own daughter's life against 4 assailants. I recommend learning it from Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs or a student of his, as you can be assured that you are getting the highest quality of instruction that you and your loved ones deserve. 

~Guru Muda Brendan Lanza 

• Pukulan Cimande Kombinasi Pencak Silat Malaysia

My name is Chris Swallie. I'm a humble disciple of Master Goeroe John Malterer in Poekoelan Tjimindi. I started my training under Master Malterer in the early seventies at the Golden Dragon school in Wheeling WV. 

I have had many many conversations with Guru Besar Jerry over the years. He's a very dedicated and highly skilled martial artist. Nice smooth moves and well-hidden strikes. Guru Besar Jerry is well trained in both empty hand and weapons. If you have an opportunity to train under Guru Besar you should grasp that opportunity quickly. His combat history goes back many years. His roots come directly from the Grand Master Poekoelan Tjimindi lineage.

~Chris Swallie

• Silver Dragon Goeroe Pendekkar Poekoelan  Tjiminde 

Guru Jerry Jacobs has been in the game for over three decades. He has deep knowledge of martial arts especially in the area of some very unique and dangerous arts such as Indonesian Pencak Silat and Filipino Pekiti Tirsia Kali. He’s fast, he’s strong, and a great teacher. 

He also has real world experience leveraging his training to keep him safe on the streets. If you are near him, you’d be remiss if you’d didn’t take the opportunity to learn from him.   

~Guru Colby Bock 

• Owner, Iron Fire Martial Arts
• 37 Years of Martial Arts Training
• 26 years in Kuntao Silat de Thouars, directly with Bapak Willem de Thouars 

To train in martial arts you can find schools on any corner of a city.  You can learn some moves, improve your skills, and get some fitness.  It’s not hard to find a good teacher and a community as it’s common these days.  But if you seek the alternative and have a calling to train in the Warrior Arts of the world by a teacher that is dedicated to his practice, then your path has led you to this testimony.  I have trained in Silat and Kali from the same lineage as Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs for 18 years.  I have attended numerous seminars and training events with his Silat group and personally sparred and trained on the matts with Guru Besar.  This art found me and led me to a terrific group that has supported me in my personal and martial arts growth that is invaluable to me.  I can attest to his years of dedicated training with the highest level of martial artists in practice.  To his devotion to spreading the art to practitioners with heart and passion for growth.  I have met him in travels across the country while traveling with training groups and spent many hours in conversations at the table and at the fire pit.  His knowledge runs deep, his skills unquestionable, his spirit is true.  He is not only a valued teacher but a dear friend as our years of training has manifested a connection that is solidified in an art that becomes more of a way of life than just a practice.  Silat is a well-rounded all-encompassing warrior art.  Its many aspects include empty hand self-defense, a wide array of weapons, energy work and spiritual growth, conditioning and overall health, and connecting to a community brotherhood that spans world-wide.  And at the forefront of this precious art is Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs.  A man that I am grateful to have had the honor of learning from and having a continued friendship with.  I would have not achieved the rank of Guru without his valued teachings.  

Selemat Hormat,

Guru Nicholas Mettille  

I first met Guru Jerry in January 2017. I had been looking to begin learning Pekiti Tirsia Kali and came upon a 2-day seminar he was hosting with one day of Silat training and one day of PTK. I attended the seminar with my young teenage son and it was a blast (even with the Michigan snow we endured to get there). I’ve since attended a number of Jerry’s Silat and PTK seminars and can say that Jerry is a thoughtful and attentive teacher. Some people are good at teaching but not application and others are the opposite… Jerry is good at both. 

I would highly recommend Jerry as an instructor if you’re looking to learn PTK or Silat (or the other styles he’s practiced). I always look forward to training and talking with him and know others will too! Thank you for your selfless teaching over the years Jerry!  

~Lakan Guro Morad J. 

Most of my friends know I have been ardent practitioner of the Martial Arts for close to 40 years, and the art that I love the most and have dedicated my time to is the art of Indonesian Pencak Silat, along with the Filipino art of Kali.     I have been highly blessed to have learned these beautiful and deadly arts from some of the best instructors in the United States and the world. But today, I publicly salute a True Man of Honor, a brother, a father, and martial arts Hall of Famer… our beloved brother Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs founder of PCK Silat and the Srivijaya Clan of Pekiti Tirsia Kali.    I had the pleasure of meeting a very young Guru Besar Jacobs, already an accomplished Karate Black belt and instructor way back in the mid to late 90’s, during which time we trained as Pelajarns and advanced students under the tutelage of the OGs of Michigan Silat, Pendeker William Sanders and Guru Besar Jeffrey Davidson at the King Dragon Martial Arts Kendang in Farmington Michigan.     

I was always highly impressed by his brotherly spirit, physicality, fluid movement, and innate ability to grasp the “deeper things” of our art along with a willingness and ability to share them with others.  While there we refined our skills under the legendary Bapak Willem Dethours, Suwanda family, and many other Silat greats over the years during our fellowships, workshops and seminars. It was truly a grand time, when no one even knew what Silat was! I appreciate and respect all my trainers and leaders over the decades who have shown me “the way” both nationally and internationally. But today, and forever I proudly attest that Guru Besar Jacobs is amongst the most honorable, patient, and effective teachers in America. One who is supremely skilled not only in many styles of my beloved art of Silat, but also the master teacher of a multitude of other martial systems, including edged and impact weaponry, firearm tactics, and holistic healing. 

Guru Besar Jerry truly possesses all the qualities of a great man, trustworthy leader, and legendary teacher who can never be replaced in my martial arts journey and the many personal lives he has so deeply touched. As Principal instructor of Mawar Burduri Silat, Guru Besar Jacob’s guidance and instruction remain invaluable as we continue to grow and introduce a new generation of Pesilats to the authentic training and knowledge of Silat.     

Salute Good Sir, today and always… my friend, my brother, and Master Teacher!  

~Guru Darryl Motley

I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs on achieving an incredible milestone: forty years in the martial arts. Although Jerry and I have yet to meet in person, our discussions over the years on various aspects of Pencak Silat have been insightful and enriching. It was an honor to interview him for an edition of the former UK martial arts magazine, Martial Arts Illustrated.  What truly stands out to me about Guru Jerry's martial arts prowess is his remarkable fluidity, his ability to transition from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye, and his mastery of impeccable biomechanics. In short, he is not only someone who looks impressive in performance but also a martial artist who can apply his skills effectively in real-life situations.  

Guru Jerry's extensive training in multiple styles has led him to find his true calling in the Indonesian and Filipino martial arts, where he has excelled. His impact on the lives of those he has coached and trained is evident, above all, he is a devoted family man who always puts his children and loved ones first. That is a real man in my book!   

Congratulations, Guru Jerry, on this remarkable achievement! Here’s to the next forty years of inspiration and excellence. 

Salam dan hormat!

~Guru Johnny Silmon 

Pencak Silat Anyar Cimande Buhun

For many years I have known Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs, a very friendly, humble and kind person. I am very happy to know him so closely and to share my knowledge with Guru Besar Jerry and his students for many years as Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs also shares his knowledge freely with all that have the fortune to train with him. 

Guru Besar Jerry has trained hard in multiple martial arts for many years, especially Indonesian Pencak Silat and Filipino Martial Arts. Guru Jerry Jacobs is very knowledgeable as a Guru Besar of Pencak Silat. I highly recommend that if you get the chance to train with Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs, train with him, he is a true Cimande Silat practitioner and teacher. He also does many other styles of Martial arts.  

Once again, I highly recommend to train with Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs.  

~Bpk. Ismail Sujadi 

Guru Silat Cimande  

I've been training with Guru Besar for around 5 years. I grew up training in different martial arts. I discovered Guru Besar Jerry was teaching classes in Niles, Michigan and went to check it out. I had never seen Silat before. I was absolutely blown away by the art. It's so scientific and tactical for such an ancient martial art. I was even more blown away by Guru Besar Jerry. For someone who has been obsessed with the martial arts since I could walk, I never before seen a man who could use his art with such precision, speed and realism. 

The issue with most traditional martial arts is that they lack a realistic approach. But not Guru Besar. His ability to put forms, drills, etc into real combative situations from what he teaches is undeniable. He has a vast knowledge and understanding of Silat and Kali, fighting principles, health, physical fitness and energy.  

I was fortunate enough to get to know Jerry on a personal level. He's been my teacher, my boss, and one of my best friends. One thing is for certain, if you have the desire and dedication, he will take you as far as you want to go in the Indonesian and Filipino martial arts. 

If you wish to learn traditional combat arts with actual practical application, Guru Besar Jerry Jacobs is the teacher for you. 

~Murid Zachary Starritt Johnson