Training Tips

Systema Training

The articles presented here are for the education and enjoyment of the Systema community. The writers are solely responsible for the content and such content may not completely reflect the views of Russian Martial Art Systema by Vladimir Vasiliev. Any training conducted by you is at your sole risk.

Below is a list of articles with the most recent ones listed first.

Systema Training Martin Wheeler

A Question of Faith

by Martin Wheeler Published: April 19, 2013

A common question asked is: do you have to be Orthodox Christian or even religious in order to be good at Systema? The answer is no. But the concept of faith and religious philosophy in Systema is an intriguing one. What is the purpose of faith in Systema other than the well known health and well-being benefits? I think there are many, and they are certainly worth exploring, as the heart of the art is more than certainly rooted in religious philosophy. To me it seems likely that the concept of Systema has been around for a very long time, a lot longer than the name Systema itself. […]

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Systema Training Scott Meredith

Knife in a Fight: Systema Real Body & Mind Training.

by Scott Meredith Published: February 28, 2013

One day many years ago, a good friend of mine who worked for years as a corrections officer with the most dangerous inmates in a notoriously rough facility, and who knew of my interest in esoteric martial arts, took me aside with a smile and offered to give me "a lesson in how the real world works".   He then demonstrated on me physically a dozen different prison knife killings that he had either observed or cleaned up after. The setup, the attack, the follow-through. […]

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Systema Training Andrea Bisaz

Spatial Perception - A Systema Concept

by Andrea Bisaz Published: February 09, 2013

Systema is a complex entirety of many features interacting in total harmony. To my understanding, one of the greatest assets is the use of natural, relaxed movements in an unnatural combative environment. If mastered, this provides efficiency, calmness and power, whilst its invisibility leads to confusion and uncertainty on the opponent’s side (see mirrorneuron article), opening up many doors of advantage in a conflict.   Another interesting area in Systema is the ‘short work’. […]

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Systema Training M. Ryabko & V. Vasiliev

What is Short Work?

by M. Ryabko & V. Vasiliev Published: December 18, 2012

  Practical and real for confrontations, Short Work is one of the most appealing and challenging in Systema application. It is not to be confused with work at close distance, in fact it has very little to do with distance. To clarify, we recently asked Systema founders to define Short Work. This is what they said.   Mikhail Ryabko: It includes movements of minimal quantity and amplitude yet of top precision and power. Short work is the opposite of moving around a lot, waving, long, broad, fidgety and redundant movements. […]

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Systema Training Joao Carlos Furia

On Fighting and Training - Tips from Vladimir Vasiliev

by Joao Carlos Furia Published: August 10, 2012

Joao has shared his notes from Vladimir’s seminars, DVDs and online discussions. HITS, STRIKES, PUNCHES It is next to impossible to be in a real fight and not take a single hit. While studying to deliver strikes based on Systema principles, you learn to pick an ideal distance from your partner, you learn to position your body in a straight and natural position, and you learn to align your arm, wrist and hand along solid lines in a relaxed and comfortable way. As a result, you get powerful and precise punches, and your punches do not injure yourself. […]

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