Training in Systema is not like most other martial arts. When movement is restricted either by your environment or an injury, you must adapt and continue to work.

Conditioning the body and also the mental approach to this is a key part of Systema training. This video shows a simple but subtle drill on doing this by moving back and forth on the floor with restricted arms and legs.

Try it at home ! It is tough.

You can also see our first video about the up and coming seminar.  Go to Russian Martial Art Seminar 2012 to watch it now.

It was with great anxiety and excitement that I made my journey down to Mons Barracks Aldershot in the United Kingdom, to introduce Russian Martial Art Systema to the 1^st Bn Irish Guards. An Infantry Regiment steeped in history, further more a family Regiment in more ways than one (My son Steve spent 15 years serving in the Regiment).

As I approached the main gate to the Barracks, it felt as though I was going back in time to the early 1960’s. A time when as a young boy of no more than 15, I started my Junior Leader training to join the Brigade of Guards (all be it the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards). That old familiar feeling of returning back home started to well up inside as I approached the Barracks and saw the Regimental Sign and blue red blue Flag for the first time.

The Irish Guards affectionately known through out the British Army as the Fighting Mick’s, had recently returned from successful operations in Afghanistan (Helmand province). In light of this “Russian Martial Art Systema” I knew would be a very relevant skill for the Regiment to have in view of the current World Civil unrest climate. A great way to add a new spin of unarmed defense into their already impressive and battle tested weapons and skill arsenal.

After being introduced to members of Number 4 Company, (one of the Regiments Teeth Army Companies) by WO II CSM Alan Ahearn we started in earnest our training.

Baptism by fire a well-versed saying in the British Army is how I started to train with and instruct the men. These young men, who on a daily basis risk their lives to keep us safe and out of harms way, quickly adjusted to the fact that this old greying gentleman (Me) who on face value looks like any one of their Granddads’, was going to train them and train them hard. The 10-minute press up was a glowing benchmark example of things to come.

Gone was the initial “what can he teach me attitude” that I sensed when I first entered the gym, to be replaced by diligent and respectful attention and growing interest.

The introductive seminar initially focused on the Basic Principles of Systema those of breath work, movement, relaxation, and posture. The guys quickly grew to understand that there was something very special and combat effective, to Russian Martial Art Systema. The drills we covered were simply put, adapted to the Regiments current operational mission and readiness state. Keep it relevant and to the point is how we attacked the Seminar.

Deep emphasis was placed on breathing in the correct way, constantly being mindful of areas of tension build up in the body. Utilizing simple but effective breath work drills to increase physical emotional and inner spiritual awareness thus allowing the body to be at one with fluid effective and precise movement.

In Combat just breathing in a calm correct way (in through the nose out through the mouth) is a simple yet fantastic tool that I could not emphasize enough would help the guys when faced with stress, hardship or adversity in any operational environment.

Contact Impact and Control was also covered during the session, giving each individual member of the Regiment a different aspect of how and why in Systema we punch in a non-tense yet destructive way. Great focus during the drills was placed on the great health practice of being struck and absorbing the blow in the right way. The guys really took to this aspect of training like ducks to water, with two huge young Guardsmen going at it toe to toe and matching each other blow for blow (I hasten to add with huge smiles on their faces).

We capped off the introduction with weapons training drills focused predominately on the Pistol and Knife (Bayonet) again simple yet effective drills focusing on the key elements that set Russian Martial Art Systema at a level apart from other more conventional Martial Art practices.

In summary it was with great pride that I undertook the opportunity to train with and instruct such a great bunch of young men. In my own small way I felt like I was helping to arm them to continue to protect our Great Nation and most importantly each other on the battlefields of the future. Fighting for Queen and Country is what the British Army is all about, but ask any serving or former member of the Army what they really fight for and they will all agree “We fight for our mates” meaning the guy next to you.

This is the first of many sessions we at Russian Martial Art GB will be conducting with the 1^st Bn Irish Guards. The young Guardsmen, NCO’s and Officers were a fantastic and friendly group of people with Great Spirit and camaraderie that filled the room with so much positive energy throughout the whole of the event.

UK SEMINAR

Russian Martial Art GB is hosting the UK Russian Martial Art Systema seminar with Vladimir Vasiliev in October of this year (2012). The event is being held at Eton College Windsor and is a fantastic opportunity to train with Vladimir Vasiliev one of the Worlds leading and most relevant Martial Art experts.

For further details of the seminar please visit http://www.thesystema.co.uk

Russian Martial Art GB is proud to announce that the Russian Martial Art Chief Instructor Vladimir Vasiliev will be our guest for the Systema Hand to Hand & Edged Weapons Summit.  The event will be held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October 2012 at Eton College,  Windsor, UK. 

Whether you are looking at Systema for the very 1st time with or without previous martial arts experience, or whether you have done Systema for many years, this is truly a not to be missed event for anybody interested in learning the incredible power of Systema from one of its foremost practitioners. 

Included in the 2 day event will be

• Breathing in defence and attack
• The principles of Systema movement
• Systema strikes and kicks
• Defence against strikes and kicks
• Groundwork and take downs
• Defence against adn the use of edged weapons
• Instructor Evaluation and Requalification.

This list however belies the sheer depth of work that can be achieved with Systema so we all at Russian Martial Art GB urge you to join us on this special weekend.  Please contact us via our website http://www.theSystema.co.uk  and you can also contact us on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/thesystema

The session then revolved around incoming straight punches to the shoulder.  Rotating away from the strike and then executing take downs and administering strikes and then taking down.  Working in groups of 3 we had two attackers alternating and moved around the floor.  The great thing about Systema is you quickly start to improvise as you find yourself out of position or the strike comes at an odd angle.  Doing multiple rounds of this as well as being the guy taken down continually was a pretty hard work out in anyones book. 

What was really interesting about this sort of training is when you get really tired and the strikes continue to come in you still manage to find a way to work against them.  Even if the strike comes in quite hard and fast Systema seems to allow you to really use the small amount of gas you have left to remain effective.  Think about boxers for a moment.  The first thing you see happen as they get really tired is the hands drop and the face is exposed and knockouts become much more likely.  In Systema because there are no stances or guards as such, one can still defend against strikes even when the arms are too tired to hold up. 

Just when we thought it was all over Andy 'politely requested' we finish off with a 5 minute pressup – lovely.  I've only just got the strength back in my arms to raise my cappuccino as I write this post.  See everyone again next week.

Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee is still one of those films that I watch if I come across it when I'm 'scanning sky'.  I don't know if it is a shaggy dog story but I smile when I remember the story that apparently during its initial releases in China and Hong Kong, each night after the film was played there were mass kung fu fights outside the cinema.  So 'inspired' were people by that movie to take part in this new phenomenon that they tried it out almost immediately. 

Martial art is still a huge phenomenon and more than 30 years after Bruce Lee hit the screens it is bigger than ever.  Whatever the inspiration that leads people to look at another path in life I personally believe that an introduction to martial arts  is one of those few things that truly can change your life. 

I have trained in various styles starting with Wadokai more than 20 years ago and more recently MMA type styles like Promai.  I found Systema must be more than 10 years ago through a friend of mine and devoured each and every video that Vladimir bought out (yeah VHS videos remember them).  I continued to do my other styles along side Systema but went 'full time' with Systema shortly after.  I lived down in London for around 10 years and trained a lot with Greg Coveney down in Maidenhead (hi Greg) and started training with Dave Flaherty here at his shrewsbury systema school when I relocated back here a couple of years back. 

Systema has had a big impact on my life.  The other arts whilst effective in many ways, did turn me into a more aggressive person.  Yes I could pound the cr*p out of a bag and break boards and all that stuff but when I switched to training in Systema there was never any aggression or ego or technical showing off.   To many it is a paradox that one can become a better and more relaxed person, inspired to help not hurt, but also having the ability, should it ever be necessary, to deal out a measured and effective amount of punishment to anyone that crosses the line.  Systema people are nice but never underestimate the power of the system.

Interested in shrewsbury martial arts then why not try Russian Martial Art and The Systema.  Visit us at our club.  We also run a club in Rudheath see rudheath systema.