The Gelek is the basic movement in Silat. It is a twisting sidestep which can result in a 90° turn with crossed legs. The twisting empowers your movements, spiraling energy through your body upright and down to the floor as well as moving on the floor. The toes faces the same direction, the weight is on the footpads, but it should be your goal to place the heels on the earth with no weight to mislead the enemy. The twisting movement used to enter, hit, control or break your opponent.

Silat has a strong cultural fundament, which is represented by the way of moving in a fight. Without that cultural (and ethnical) knowledge you will not train Silat. Your art may be effective, but it is not Silat without the whole package. You may use some techniques for self defense, but you will not fully understand the beauty of it and never immerse in the culture. You are fighting with the basic principles of your individual body and have to understand and master this first.