Seminar Reviews

FYI Note: This review is for the breath training on Oct 18, although the seminar title says Nov 8. This was my first meeting with Vladimir although I have been training in Systema for a while with James Williams. I have also read and re-read the "Let Every Breath" book at least a dozen times. This seminar really drives home the power of breath. I now truly understand why it is repeated that you not treat the exercises as physical training, but breath exercises. But it will challenge you - physically and mentally. The biggest thing I got from the seminar that I could not get from the book is to really push yourself with the breath exercises - it's when you get tired and fatigued that you realize what the breathwork does for you. I couldn't be more satisfied with this training. My only regret is that I was coming off being sick and traveling the week before and didn't have the energy stores I would have liked going into the seminar. But even that turned into a plus, because I felt SO much better the day after the seminar, which I am sure was a result of the training. Outstanding training - Thank you Vladimir! -Michael

Breath Training Seminar (Oct.18, 2008). I am new to Systema and I must say that the seminar with Vladimir was absolutely amazing. I would recommend this to anyone looking to improve their quality of life. Unfortunately I had to leave 1 hour early to catch a flight and if I was in town I would definitely sign up for the next one in November. Thank you Vladimir for your teaching.

I would like to thank you for the recent breathing seminar on Saturday, November 8th. It was challenging work, but the rewards were well worth the effort. Due to the "cleaning the muscles" breath work, I didn't feel stiff, or sore the next day, just a deep sense of power and strength. I would also like to share with you my experience of the benefits of the training. While driving back to London that night, a deer jumped out in front of my car on the highway 401. I hit the brakes, and swerved to avoid the deer, then continued on my course. I did not hold my breath at any point during this near accident, and I believe that is the reason I didn't hit the deer. Another example of the many benefits of the Russian Breath work!

The Breath Training Seminar held by Vladimir Vasiliev was, in all truthfulness, one of the most challenging experiences of my life. After a year of what I considered to be strict and dedicated personal efforts directed at mastering the exercises and principles outlined in Vladimir’s book “Let Every Breath”, I walked into Headquarters confident in my abilities to put up a good show… I couldn’t have been further from the truth if I had tried. In three short hours, I experienced pain and fatigue the likes of which I have never felt... and the only thing that saved me was breathing. I never really understood that I could use breathing to push myself to the extreme, to calm myself down, to gather new reserves of energy from seemingly nowhere, to soothe and heal my aches and pains, and to rid myself of fear and self-pity. Vladimir pushed us all to that place of understanding, and I walked away with a glimpse of the awesome power that we all have within ourselves. Vladimir was, in one word, inspirational. He’d shake his head with a smile of embarrassment at what I’m about to say, but take my word for it when I say that this is all true. I have never in my life met a person of such skill, knowledge, and humbleness. He is a man who can demonstrate, both verbally and physically, the theory and principles of breathing in an awe-inspiring manner and for us all to understand. The whole experience could be compared to visiting your trusted family doctor. Even though the event may cause some pain, the man’s skill and character speak in such a way that you have complete confidence and trust in his abilities and his knowledge, and you come out the other side feeling better than before, well on the way to recovery and healthfulness. To top it all off, he has a wonderful sense of humour and a kind and caring character that is rarely seen in people who have reached heights beyond heights in any practice or discipline. All in all, the Breath Training Seminar was a wonderful experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. I left Headquarters that day humbled yet happy, energised yet calm, and with a wealth of information that has helped me in more ways than I can say. The seminar alone was worth the trip from Australia, and I cannot recommend it to others highly enough. Lastly, I’d like to add that the knowledge and principles of breathing have always been there for anybody to read and use. It’s what it takes to achieve outstanding results that one needs to understand. It’s not enough to always practice in relative comfort. To truly understand and master how to breathe, sometimes we must push ourselves to what we think is the very edge and beyond, and this is exactly what Vladimir Vasiliev’s Breath Training Seminar does.

Vladimir, Thank you very much for a great seminar. Your generosity and kindness have helped me grow in many ways. Your teaching seems to come straight from your heart, and I beleive that is why I have learned so much from you in two seminars. Thank you again for making the trip to North Carolina. Very respectfully, Chris Benvenga

A fantastic seminar! A wonderful warm-up class with Kwan followed by Vlad's cheerful and intensive workouts! Great conditioning leading up to the striking and multiple assailent trainings. Every seminar I go to I am more hooked - as are my friends who attend in ever-increasing numbers! A fantastic experience! -Nick Kiritz Systema DC

The past experiences in seminars with well known Masters of different Martial Arts have all been unique in their own time and fashion. Charlotte Seminar was my third time I was previlleged to study with Master Veladimir Vesiliev, and it truly added to my accomplichments to date, thank you Mr. jakabsin for your effort. It may not even be Master Vladimir Vesiliev's experties that impresses me the most, though unmatched to anything I have seen thus far, it is his sincerity, humility, and his integrity that is most attractive to me. Many in the Martial Arts world would like to one day be able to emulate the experties of their masters, for me however, I wish for the day that I can be as humble, sincere and perseverate as Master Veladimir Vasiliev, Even if that day happens to be my last day of life. I sincerely Thank Dr. Kritis Desgupta and master Thong, who led me to meet such Character as Veladimir Vasiliev.

I came to Virginia seminar with SystemaCT (Connecticut group) and was very happy to discover that there were Systema groups from New York, Long Island, Delaware, Florida, North Carolina and all most East and Central USA. When I met Vladimir before seminar, I told him about Systema groups and it seems, he was happy see everybody too, when I asked what we are going to study this seminar, he just said :” Oh, we will be fighting”, and when he saw my confused face, he explained me , that there were about 80% participants, who been practicing Systema at the seminar, and it easy to give close to real fight instructions as all participants would not been so shock from guys punching, stabbing and screaming at the same time. That was a promising beginning. There were about 50-70 people on the beginning of event and we trained for about 6 hours. We were introduced to quick warm ups: breathing exercises with different tensions, in different parts of the body, than breathing through the tenting on restricted moment by partner, when you are raising your arms, and legs. Then Vladimir asked us to do set up, pushups and squads without engaging any muscular system, it was easy and hard at the same time, but it was very useful for everybody to know, how to use your body if you are injured, very tired or if you are wounded and you are still need to move. After warm ups, Vladimir asked us to take knife and hold it during all future work. We started with a nice soft work avoiding grabs, holds, punches and kicks, I actually forgot for the moment , why I have knife in pants, but Vladimir reminded us very soon to take knife in our hands and defend ourselves with a knife from all attacks mentioned above, we started slowly and softly moving away and avoiding attacks using knife only at the end of movement for the restricting and guarding attacker with it, slowly progressing to more harder work, meeting attacker with a punches and the knife. We work in the different positions standing, sitting, and laying down. Next day we continued this line of work with multiplied opponents, starting with warm ups at friendship exercises, when group of 50 people doing push up, set ups and squads sometime helping, but frankly restricting each other. After, warm ups we started work in groups of 3-4 people, who been trying to grab, hold, punch, kick and stab you, sometimes at the same time .You worked on your moves and defense with arms , legs and the knife against all your opponents. At the end of the seminar, it did look like the mass fighting in the groups, everybody was punching, kicking and stabbing each other and the whole mass was on the move. Vladimir covered a lot of material and he gave us a good fighting-ready spirit and we had real fun during a practice. Of course, we always were amazed by Vladimir’s demonstrations; his soft, swift and unpredictable work kept us surprising the whole seminar, all participants admitted that Vladimir’s demonstrations showed them unaccountable amount of movements which could be used in real confrontations with or without knife, sometimes everybody just wanted to watch Vladimir’s work more and more. Indeed, my student’s and I would like to thank you Vladimir and his family and all seminar participants with whom we worked out that day. We are grateful to Vladimir for giving us new material and a good fighting spirit, which will keep us as the peaceful warriors. Thank you very much to Dino and Ashley for organizing this even and their hospitality.

This was an extremely rare and special event for us. At the request of past participants, in particular the growing pool of senior practitoners in and near Quebec, we conducted a much smaller and more intimate seminar limited to only 30 participants. While I realize that this is like a regular class for those lucky enough to live near the headquarters, it was a rare and exceptional gift for most of use in attendance. The focus of the day was short work with an emphasis on removing and aggressor in crowded environments, while minimizing any risk of injury for innocent bystanders. Work because with a detailed treatment of the subtleties of short punching, including a great variety of systema exercises using differing degrees of contraction, working from full, partial, targeted and then finally no contraction. Vladimir masterfully illustrated how this translated in to non-telegraphic work and how this integrated with reading aggression cues in attackers and predicting the ideal physical and psychological moment to retaliate or attack pre-emptively. Even, experienced practioners were impressed with the amount of contact they were taught to absorb and experience throughout the day. Gradually, drills worked up to resistant sparring and testing. Upon request, Vladimir also demonstrated and instructed on whiplike strikes as well as a treatment of defense against handgun. Thank you very much on behalf of The Montreal Systema Academy for making this experience possible and thank you Vladimir for bringing out our potentials and pushing us to such great achievement and understanding. Training is truth, Kevin

I've been with Rick Fowler as a student and Instructor going on 11 plus years and have seen and participated in many seminars we have hosted with various high ranking instructors. Vladimir Vasiliev is by and far the best instructor I have ever had the pleasure of observing and participating with. The drills and demonstrations by Vladimir of motion and flow were amazing to watch, particulart the time Vladimir held one student at bay while putting his shoe back on. The Systema partcipants who came from all over the world for this seminar were the nicest and most sincere students I have ever had the pleasure of working with. If opportunity presents itself I would encourage anyone to participate in one of Vladimirs seminars. Systema is truly amazing! Thanks to everyone who made this seminar a success and thank you to Vladimir Vasiliev for allowing Rick fowler's School to play host to you. Many Blessings... Ms. Oscar Steele