ALVIN GUINANAO

Alvin Guinanao began his martial arts training at an early age, starting with Tae Kwon Do and Karate.

In 1995, he discovered Pencak Silat. He immediately recognised the depth and potential of the art and became committed to its study.

His martial arts journey soon developed alongside his teaching career.

In 2003, Alvin became one of the main instructors at EastWest Studios in Hendon Central, London, where he helped run a full-time martial arts, dance and fitness academy.

His work at EastWest Studios created opportunities to teach seminars throughout the UK and eventually further afield across Europe and the USA.

By the middle of 2006, Alvin had completed his Pencak Silat training with his teacher. This marked an important point in his journey: the beginning of developing his own expression of Silat and continuing his exploration of martial arts.

One of the characteristics of Silat is that, as practitioners progress through their training, their own movement and expression begin to emerge.

This process has also played an important role in the development of Silat systems throughout history.

After years of training, Alvin was given permission to follow his own path and expression within the art.

He named this expression Silat Buka Lingkaran, meaning Silat Open Circle.

The name reflects the qualities he sought to express through the system: fluidity, velocity and connection, with movement covering different ranges and angles.

For Alvin, developing SBL was never about reaching an endpoint.

The art continues to evolve through training, teaching and the experience of the people who practise it.

As Founder and Chief Instructor, Alvin continues to teach and develop SBL while supporting the growth of its instructor community.

He certifies instructors at their designated stages within the art and continues to promote and create awareness of Pencak Silat both nationally and internationally.

Through seminars, schools, instructor development and online education, Alvin's work has helped SBL grow from a personal expression of Silat into an international community.

Today, Alvin remains at the centre of SBL's development.

His role is not simply to teach techniques. It is to preserve the principles of the system, continue developing the curriculum, support instructors and ensure that SBL remains a living and evolving expression of Pencak Silat.

The journey that began with discovering Silat in 1995 continues today through every instructor, student and training community that becomes part of the SBL family.

Silat Buka Lingkaran is an open circle......and the journey continues.