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Melbourne Systema Development Syllabus
I am happy to say that Melbourne Systema Development Syllabus has been finalised and will be introduced in class over the next few months. The goal of the development syllabus is to help guide you in the progression of your training. It lays out the fun-damental concepts found in systema and gives you an expected time frame to measure your continued development.
Russian Fist Fighting Seminar Part II
Our next in-house seminar will on Russian Fist Fighting. This seminar will build on the work of last year's seminar and will cover such areas as:
• Wave development to deliver and receive strikes • Effective counter punching techniques • Dealing with mass attacks • Tool and target development
Please note in the interests of hygiene and safety all participants will be required to bring their own protective mma style gloves.
Seminar details
Date: Sunday 10th April 2011Time: 10am – 4pmLocation: 18 Catherine St Coburg NorthCost: $30 (Melbourne Systema members) $50 (Non members)
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Mar 11 I Vol: 3 I No: 2
IN THIS ISSUE
:: Melbourne Systema
Development
Syllabus
:: Russian Fist
Fighting Seminar
Part II
:: Russian Combat
Manual
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Russian Combat Manual
I was searching on the internet and came across a pdf copy of the Russian Combat Manual written by Vladimir Vasiliev. This book pre-dates the old guidebook which some of you may have read. So over the next few issues I thought I might share some excerpts from it with you all.
Introduction
In the Russian System of Martial Art the main goal of a fighter is to render the opponent harmless with the least losses for himself and for the opponent.
You are learning to, work efficiently in any situation that requires defense or prevention of aggression. This way you bring the good into the world. Learning The System you acquire greater power as a fighter but also as a person. That means you shouldtruly value the health and especiallythe life of others.
Both in combat and in life you should treat people with much awareness and understanding.Where necessary act with firmness but never in a callous or careless way.
Principles of The System
Physical Psychological
• Continuity • Do not be aggressive
• From support • Use everything for victory
• Coupling of forces • Live in harmony
• Circles &spirals • It is not a weapon that
• Work based on situation works, but the person
• Any body part strikes • Think, Think, Think
• No compulsory tactics • There are no Rules of how
• Non-completeness of to work
movements • Fear and anger have their
• Breathing place and are necessary
• Changing position • Fear should not disappear
• Apply strong onto weak completely
• Wave • To slip away without
• Impulsiveness breaking contact is the goal
• Working around or cutting of combat
the force • No matter what you
• Points of pain demonstrate do not be
• From any position any strike afraid to seem funny or
• Economy of movements awkward
• Pendulum • Everything has to be done
• Independence of movements with awareness & relaxation
• Folding of movements • Perform the work with the
least possible effort
The History of Russian Combat
No stances, no kata, no uniform, no formalities, rituals, or belts. The training consists of the real thing. Any student right away begins to learn how to defend against a knife stab to his stom-ach, or a punch to his head, or a painful choke. The techniques are simple and deadly, practical and effective, based on a few unique and powerful principles.
This is known as the system - a Russian Martial Art that goes back over a thousand years, but has been kept under wraps throughout the communist era and taught only to some units of the Special Forces.
So how did this style originate? Every nation from the five conti-nents has its own material traditions. They were formed for cen-turies under the influence of many factors: geographic location and climate, religion, culture and customs, the people's mentality and physical body structure, and historic events.
As for Russia, a tremendous .variety of geographic and climatic conditions exists throughout this huge country. The religion and culture have been remarkably rich and diverse. The people have always been strong physically and brave, seeking freedom rather than definite structure. Historically, a rare year would pass by with the Russians not involved in battles. The invaders came from the North, South, East and West. They attacked with their dis-tinct styles of combat, unique weaponry, and different mentality. The battles happened on different terrains, during freezing win-ters and sweltering summers alike, with the Russians often greatly outnumbered by their enemies.
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As a result of all these factors, the Russian warriors acquired a style that combined strong spirit with creative, intelligent and versatile tactics, practical and deadly, that worked against any type of enemy, in any circumstances. This style was natural and free. It had no strict rules, particular structure, or limitations (except for moral ones).
Moreover, most warriors were never soldiers by trade. The The people could not afford the luxury of supporting professional warriors. Once a battle was over, they returned to their fields and shops. Thus, the martial style was extrapolated from the regular labour and everyday activities, an inherent part of life rather than a devised art form. The Russian nation had unique ways of pre-paring warriors without interrupting the countryman's labour. Martial games, exercises, sparring matches and mental contests were held on regular bases, especially during holidays and fairs. Fist fights and wrestling, stick and knife fights were individual and between groups (up to 10,000 participants in St Petersburg for example).
Boys often started their training at the age of two. First using toy weapons and by the age of four learning to ride a horse. At ten, a boy was expected to master the main tactics of using wooden weapons and at twelve, to master unarmed techniques. At eigh-teen, the young men were strictly tested for all of these skills as well as swimming and breathing under water through a hollow cane. They had to know about ambushes, and pass a survival test - when left alone far from any shelter, with no food or weapons.
The Russian fighters were very highly rated throughout history. Many rulers of the world such as the Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Avars tried to employ them. The Russians were known to be courageous, devoted and very well prepared physically.
Unfortunately, these great martial skills and traditions developed for centuries were almost lost under the Communist regime. Following the revolution of 1917, everything traditionally Russian was discouraged by the authorities - promoting the old culture could be severely punished. Thus, this authentic fighting style was reserved for the Elite units of the Special Forces. There it was further perfected and continuously used in covert military opera-tions and by bodyguards of the highest level. The combat tech-niques, defence tactics, philosophies, knowledge and survival practices were incorporated into The System utilizing all three levels of human abilities: The physical, psychological and psychic.
As for the Soviet people, in order to 4istract the masses and give them a substitute (a common trend for that time), a decision was made to create Sambo - a different kind of martial art based on
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the traditional oriental styles.. While the old Russian System continued to live in the secret academies and among some people who quietly maintained their training and passed it from generation to generation within their families.
It often happens that people of completely peaceful professions are compelled to take care of their own safety. Unlike sports that exist for aesthetic reasons, excitement and physical fitness, the goal of hand to hand combat is survival in goal of hand to hand combat is survival in extreme situations. Real conflicts do not take place in the comfort of a gym, but during a day or night, in the heat or cold, in the rain, on slippery ground or boggy sand, in clothing that may be absolutely inappropriate for fighting, in a forest or park, in a narrow elevator, inside a car, etc... The con-frontation may be with one opponent, or many, it can occur at close or farther distances. The fighter may be tired, sick or wounded, usually having to fight without any physical or psycho-logical warm up. It is important not to give all you have got in a struggle as in a sports contest, but to preserve some strength and survive after your victory in order to take care of the wounds, help somebody else, get out of a trap, or wait for help.
The students of the Russian System learn all these situations. For instance, since a fight can break out from an unpredictable posi-tion, the students study defence from a "conversational stance" - i.e. any position they happen to be in at the time. This not only includes sitting, standing and lying down, but also common positions of the arms and legs often uncomfortable for starting a fight.
Fixed stances and threatening poses contradict the principle of instant readiness for a fight and disrupt the continuity of move-ment. Thus, they are not practical and there are none in the system
The techniques are based on the natural movements of a person, his reactions to unpredictable circumstances. Most of these reac-tions come from the inborn defensive instincts. In a street fight two situations are ever the same, thus it is impossible to prepare yourself and memorise all variations of techniques. This way, a lot more practical and effective is to become consciously aware of your natural moves, to understand them, to use them as basics for further work and to"teach your body to think". The students do not prearrange how they will strike and do not repeat the same attacks and soon it becomes unimportant for them what kind of attack to defend from.
In just three-four months of training, a student becomes ready for self defence. There is so much to the training beyond the physical work. There is psychological preparation, knowledge of
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nature and of defence against animals, tactics of bodyguarding and body language, understanding the psychic attacks and working with bio energy, as well as learning new philosophical views and using the Russian System of health and rejuvenation. This way the martial art becomes not just a part of life but its' natural expression.
In just three-four months of training, a student becomes ready for self defence. There is so much to the training beyond the physical work. There is psychological preparation, knowledge of nature and of defence against animals, tactics of bodyguarding and body language, understanding the psychic attacks and working with bio energy, as well as learning new philosophical views and using the Russian System of health and rejuvenation. This way the martial art becomes not just a part of life but its' natural expression.
However, practical application of the marital art is only the sad and inevitable outcome of our civilization. Its main value is still the same - moral and spiritual growth of a man. Modern interest in sparing among women may be another negative deviation of our society. Women should exercise and train but for' self defence only. Confrontation of women even as a game or sport is inappropriate and dangerous for their bioenergy.
In our aggressive society without a good martial art training, a man unwillingly moves to the class of victims. Aggressive behav-iour cannot be eliminated with violent measures. An aggressor, (and while he exists there are victims), can be overcome only by an individual who is strong spiritually.
What is aggression? From the point of view of psychotherapy it is a stable neurosis - a persistent need to put down or hurt some-body. Underlying this need there is a fear of the aggressor's humiliation.
The Russian System tries to free the student of fear to become a victim and protects from even greater terror of becoming an aggressor. In the art of combat there is only one material for us to work with - ourselves, the whole dissection from the bottom up – the flesh and the soul.
To understand yourself, to realize what your abilities are and what your role in life is that should be the beginning. As for the martial art it is only one side of fighting. Such a powerful weapon can only be revealed to a person with good psyche and with honest intentions. That is why before giving somebody our "invincible weapon" it is necessary to know whether he deserves it.
