Unlike most silat styles, Silat medan has no pre-arranged forms but instead relies on freestyle sets and extensive sparring with sticks and dulled blades. Such training allows for the learning of various techniques and applications without having to teach set moves. The etymological root of the word silat is uncertain and most hypotheses link it to any similar-sounding word. It may come from Si Elat which means someone who confuses, deceives or bluffs. A similar term, ilat, means an accident, misfortune or a calamity. Another theory is that it comes from silap meaning wrong or error. Some styles contain a set of techniques called Langkah Silap designed to lead the opponent into making a mistake. The word Melayu means Malay and came from the Sanskrit term Malaiur or Malayadvipa which can be translated as "land of mountains", the word used by ancient Indian traders when referring to the Malay Peninsula. Silat is sometimes called gayung or gayong in the northern Malay Peninsula. In other regions the word gayung refers to the spiritual practices in silat. Silat Melayu is sometimes mistakenly called bersilat but this is actually a verbal form of the noun silat.
The first martial skills in the Malay Peninsula were those of the indigenous tribes (orang asal) who would use hunting implements like spears, machetes, blowpipes and bows and arrows in raids against enemy tribes. Certain tribes were well-known warriors which modified their system of silat melayu for specific use on the battlefield making it even more deadly. As a result of their experience in wars, commanders saw the use of the modified form of silat more effective for the army of warriors Silat Medan was known to have been held in high esteem by the Malay kings for its effectiveness in the art of war, as mentioned in the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals).
