Systema is a Russian martial art. It is not a sport. There are no prohibited techniques; anything goes, and it has no competition or belt system like, for example, karate, jiu-jitsu, judo, or aikido.
There are general principles that teach Systema practitioners how to respond to an attack.
The essence of Systema can be summarized in the following four concepts:
- Breathing is important for proper oxygen intake, but it can also be used for a kiai when delivering atemi. Proper breathing is especially essential in stressful situations for staying relaxed.
- Movement is the first form of self-defense; avoiding a kick is better than taking it. The credo is to remain as mobile as possible. If possible, run away as fast as you can.
- Structure is the third pillar. This refers to a person’s posture; the defense is aimed at causing it to collapse. A hand against the chin throws someone off balance much faster than a series of kicks or punches. Breaking a finger can also immediately end a fight.
- Relaxation is the fourth pillar. Many techniques performed against you become much less effective if you receive them softly. Drunk people do this naturally due to the influence of alcohol; the art is being able to do the same while sober.
Principle of Systema
The fourth pillar (relaxation) does not make Systema inefficient; its credo is therefore: receive softly and strike hard. Many techniques from karate, jiu-jitsu, judo, and aikido can be used in Systema as long as they are applied in the Systema manner.
No one dictates how a technique must be performed. It is up to the practitioner to find the best way.
Training may look ‘soft’ because much of it is practiced in slow motion, but in practice it is performed at full speed.
Depending on your level, you can gradually increase the speed to full speed. Many techniques are so efficient that they are better performed slowly anyway.
There are no prohibited techniques. Women can easily train at the same level as men (even though they have a disadvantage when it comes to physical strength), because the emphasis is more on sensitivity and effective techniques.
Mentality
Systema is also partly a mental exercise: precisely because there are no restrictions, you must determine for yourself how far you will go in a defense, and that means confronting yourself.
The fact that you can get injured also requires preparation. You must take into account that you will never remain 100% fit during a fight, and your techniques must be adapted accordingly.
A knife fight, for example, is more likely to involve being stabbed unexpectedly than someone threatening to stab you. Other situations may include being extremely tired or being threatened by several people.
Slow motion
It can be confusing that videos on the internet show almost exclusively slow-motion Systema and people falling to the ground relatively easily. There is a very practical reason for this: when performed with full power, there is a high chance that you will leave the training session injured.
However, when controlled, you can strike each other’s bodies hard, perform chokes, and apply locks to get used to the stress this entails.
Free sparring is also an essential part of Systema, whether standing or in a ground fight. Low kicks, a knee to the head, high kicks—as long as you can perform them in a controlled manner, they are fine.
Striking the face, hitting the ears, pressing into the eye sockets, or bending fingers: nothing is prohibited. Free sparring is therefore only possible if you are able to protect both the other person’s body and your own from serious injuries.
Beginners
Systema is suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners who want to learn effective self-defense. Of course, this is claimed about every martial art, but Systema is characterized by teaching a personal style.
General principles are used, and no techniques are taught; practitioners develop those themselves. There is therefore no training for exams or kata. Beginners quickly feel comfortable among people who have been training for much longer, due to the absence of a clear hierarchy.
As for fitness: if you build a good basic level of fitness (in whatever way), you will improve it by doing lots of ground fighting and similar activities.
No arrogance
The attitude toward the surrounding world is also different from that in some other martial arts. A black belt, for example, carries status, and practitioners also receive an ‘ego boost’ as they progress.
In Systema, the aim is instead to give your opponent the impression that you are inferior to him and then end things completely unexpectedly. Not standing out is the credo; let the attacker believe that he is winning.
You therefore do not stand ready in a karate stance; rather, you look as if you do not quite understand what it is all about and are not really interested either. If he realizes that you can defend yourself, he will be on his guard (or perhaps draw a knife sooner).
Instructors
The best-known Systema instructors are Michail Rjabko in Russia and his successor Vladimir Vasiliev in Toronto, Canada. In Western Europe, some Systema instructors are represented by the European Systema Association, led by Andreas Weitzel (Augsburg, Germany).
Much of the knowledge is still being spread by attending seminars held all over the world.
