Interpreting Footage of the Internal Work

It's amazing to see footage of great Systema Masters demonstrating skills and abilities which leave us inspired and even more curious about our study of the System. However when viewing these things from the other side of a computer screen, it is important to remember there is a lot that we can't see going on. Furthermore it is also to  important to remember that what these people can do is often the result of a lot of time and hard work to acquire these abilities which is a credit to them. Neglecting to remember this and  neglecting to take into account the context of what we are watching can sometimes lead to imitation without understanding. This is a big problem.

I recently came across some great footage on Facebook of Mikhail Ryabko teaching internal work in Moscow. Through this social medium I got into a conversation with a friend of mine Loren Clements, an Instructor in New Zealand who raised some questions which were both FAIR AND REASONABLE to consider. For context here is a link to the footage. I could not embed it so please click the link below the photo:

 CLICK HERE TO SEE FOOTAGE

Please note that this article has been written with the permission of Loren and also, Kitagawa Takahide, the gentleman who's Facebook wall this conversation occurred on. 

Loren Clements: What are we seeing here? What is the purpose and what are the roles played? Cheers.

Justin Ho: From the outside looking in, to me it looks like incredibly refined internal movement to study how to return tension. IMHO it is the result of meticulously cultivated FORM, but real form not just "good" posture held with tension. I don't know if you can see it due to the angle of the camera but look at the connection of his feet to the floor and how it relates through his body to the top of his head. Whatever existing tension he has he evenly distributes throughout his body making it both full and powerful.

Again as I'm on the on the side of the screen and can only take a stab at it; He seems to use his sensitivity in order to feel the direction of the external force the Japanese gentleman is giving him, and uses the very minimal amount of internal movements (a masterful expression of economy of movement) in order to RETURN TENSION into this gentleman's body affecting his structure in such a way to weaken it enough making him dependant on Michaels physical presence for support.

I think this also involves how Michael is in terms of his very being (not in an esoteric sense). I think due to the practices he engages in the way he is as a person but also just being comfortable as physiological and neurological ATTRIBUTE enables him to develop that rapport through comfort to enable him to relax and hence control this person's nervous system. Simply put he is so comfortable he makes the other person comfortable. The other person is so comfortable he has no desire to fight against the situation and his nervous system accepts it, and as such is willing to accept Michael as his main frame of reference (perception) to remain standing and his main source of support (physical).

I believe that Michael then indicates that once you can do this from contact, by keeping a "Connection" (I am not entirely sure as to the nature of this connection) with the person you can begin to have a similar effect from a distance. That part is outside the realms of my understanding so I cannot comment.

That's just me taking a stab at it. I may be wrong.

Also I think whilst we can perceive a very small amount of what's going on, there are always many things going on which we just don't understand, and may not have the capacity to understand... Yet

Loren Clements: That's the one Justin, thanks! The posting of these types of clips is a doubled edged sword - good to see the work, not so good that there are no real descriptions or translations of what the work is......

This is an interesting clip. What is the transition to using this work against someone that does not want to be controlled?

Justin Ho: Again I may be wrong but I'll take a stab at it. Oh and I'm not saying "It's like this and that's a fact". I'm sincere when I say there are always other factors at play which we don't and may not ever have the capacity to understand. This is just what I can see at this point in time.

1. Acquire the right attributes and understanding of ACTUAL form. And TAKE THE TIME to do it properly. Don't just gloss over the work like it's a chore. As a mutual friend of ours advises you gotta go back to the beginning before you can climb higher. As usual it involves finding whatever it was we've been missing/ignoring, and as we both know that hurts the pride and ego more than any beating ever could. It's hard to convey the information properly via text but this may be useful: http://sydneysystemablog.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-soles-of-feet-and-squat.html?m=1 
NOTE: In the linked article I am not referring simply to keeping the heels on the ground. I am talking about whole contact and even distribution of weight and pressure throughout the entire soles of the feet.

If you observe the clip in the article I think that the same principles may be at play:

2. Once you have acquired REAL form as an ATTRIBUTE (not something that you "do", and "not something written in some textbook, or that someone else tells you to do" but something that is part of "who and how you are". Then Begin studying the impact of external forces on your body and your form. Begin with a slow, honest push consistent in pressure. Pick a part of the body that suits you (hand, forearm, chest, stomach etc...) Take that pressure from the push and rather than escaping absorb into your physical being, distributing that pressure and external force evenly throughout your body. Here's a tip: Feel the soles of the feet. Really feel the sole's of your feet. Don't gloss over it.

I know everyone always wants to go full speed and force with that whole "would this work in real life?" Mindset... Resist this urge in the initial stages. People are keen to pressure test their skills (and gratify the ego) but I submit to you this: how can you pressure test skill when you do not possess any skill to pressure test? Or as I like to say: "why buy a lawn mower when you don't have a lawn?" Work at the pace and level where you can produce results, and increase the intensity (speed, physical pressure, unpredictability of the attack) to the point you are able to succeed until you reach the point of failure. Reaching a point of failure is inevitable.

3. Upon reaching the point of failure often the pride is hurt and it is a common misconception for a person to throw their hands in the air in frustration and go " arrgh it's all just smoke and mirrors!!". Do not fall into this trap. People will often try to break through this plateau by banging their heads against the wall. But now the question is "how did you come to the wall in the first place?"... Time to study ourselves. Go back to the beginning. The problem is likely to not be where you are stuck but something missing back in the beginning. The weak, undeveloped and ignored part of the base so to speak. Go back to the beginning and figure it out. Again, this hurts the pride and ego more than any beating. But then you should be able to progress further with greater levels of intensity and pressure before failing.

Do this again and again and again. Hard work. No short cuts. No excuses. No self pity.

In my opinion the mark of a good Systema practitioner is someone who can take the rawest of ingredients pulled from a personal experience, and make those raw ingredients into whatever he needs them to be. Someone who can take it all the way from beginning, middle and end, but as a result of studying themselves.

When people say things like "aww know yourself, know yourself, these Systema guys are just spouting out catch phrases and buzzwords"... Well they are only buzzwords when people choose (and it is a choice) to pay lip service to them. "Study yourself" is NOT a metaphor.

(Just a general statement I'm not having a dig at you man)

I don't mean to talk down to anyone. I consider how this applies to me and my shortcomings far more than I do to anyone else. Nobodies perfect.

Loren Clements: Studying is good. Taking things for granted is not.

The question - Will it work in real life? is a very important one and should not be swept aside because we are 'supposed' to be training a certain way. Some of us HAVE to know whether the work CAN translate to streets because we rely on the lessons to protect ourselves and our colleagues on a daily/weekly basis.

Systema is a lifetime of study - but we should definitely be taking away very PRACTICAL information from every class. This immediate practical material keeps us safe and healthy while we have years to delve into the truly mysterious and amazing.

END OF DIALOGUE

Thankyou Loren for being so mindful and having the time (and nerve) to ask questions of such an important nature, rather that simply accepting what is seen on a computer screen without thinking. 

Loren Clements and Systema Auckland

Loren CLEMENTS is the Principal Instructor at Systema Auckland Loren began his involvement in martial arts in 2000. He studied a number of Chinese Martial Arts systems before becoming heavily involved in Yin Style Bagua Zhang. Loren's interests expanded to the 'reality-based' combatives systems but he found that although they were extremely functional they did not fit in with his philosophical needs. Upon commencing his Systema Journey and obtaining certification to teach from Systema Master Vladimir Vasiliev, Loren has set about creating a healthy environment where those interested in Systema can work as equal explorers and delve into this unique art. He has set a goal of constant upskilling for himself and sought out the opportunity to do so; this has included - daily training, attending and arranging further seminars, as well as regular trips to Systema Headquarters Toronto. For anyone interested in training with Loren in Auckland please visit:
http://www.systemaauckland.com

Regards,

Justin Ho
Principal Instructor
Systema Sydney Russian Martial Art 
www.systemasydney.com

Control of Tension with Breath

So since I returned from training at Systema HQ in Toronto about a fortnight ago, we've been playing with a lot of work involving breath permeation exercises (breathing and visualising the breath entering and leaving from different body parts) in order to diagnose and clean tension in the body. During the recent Mastering Systema Seminar Vlad went through some very simple breathing exercises in order to help us learn to do this. Whilst during the Seminar a lot of different lessons were covered over the 5 days, this work was utilised intermittently throughout the seminar. It was an incredibly physically strenuous 5 days, however everyone seemed able to function without falling into exhaustion. I believe it was the result of this amazing breathwork and it's restorative and performance enhancing properties. Upon my return home we have been focusing and exploring this work in great depth and also applying it to other concepts which we have been utilising over the last year.

In a nut shell it has involved: 
1. Connecting the breath to the body
2. Inducing tension and managing it by way of breath during physical exertion
3. Removing the residual tension that has remained in the body by way of breath following the physical exertion

Whilst in a lot of cases getting rid of accumulated tension can be done by way of movement, we have been studying how to do this by use of breath alone. Breath permeation has been the key. For anyone interested this process is described in detail in the book “Let Every Breath”, and involves visualising the breath entering and leaving through different body parts Ie. Arms legs, back, stomach, head. In order to do this we have to be aware not only how to breathe through the different body parts, but more importantly that we CAN breathe through the different body parts.


The Work:

1. Prepare yourself: 
Lay down on your back, put your arms by your side and close your eyes. Check your body is as symmetrical as possible. Begin to inhale in through the nose and out through the mouth. Direct your breath into the diaphram so that your stomach rises and falls like that of a new born baby. Keep it there. Breath in such a way that does not bring tension into the body. Breathe light. Not Shallow light. When you breathe light you are able to breathe deeper. So breathe deep. While doing this work it is important to note what it means to breathe deeply. According to Vlad to breathe deep is not just about filling the diaphragm and lungs with as much air as possible (respect the principle of sufficiency). To breathe deep is to do so without creating excess tension in the body. To breathe deep is also to be able to breathe through and take in air from any part of the body and also to be able to exhale and allow the breathe to exit through any part of the body. In this way we study how to connect the breath to the body, and with that connection directly regulate our tension levels with breath alone.

2. Connect the breath to the body: 
You can jump straight into the Breath permeation work, however if you have trouble perceiving the the breath entering and leaving through different body parts, it may help to do a series of full body and segmented tension sets to increase your ability to feel your body.

For example:

• Inhale and tense the whole body, Exhale and relax the whole body 
• Inhale and progressively tense the whole body like a wave from the top of the head down to the soles of the feet. 
• Exhale and progressively relax the whole body as a wave from the top of the head down to the soles of the feet. 
• Inhale and progressively tense the whole body like a wave from the soles of the feet to the top of the head 
• Exhale and progressively relax the whole body like a wave from the soles of the feet to the top of the head

Then move onto the breath permeation work. It is important to note that the more relaxed you are the easier it is to perceived the breath entering and leaving your body through the different body parts. So again, Breathe light and breathe deep. Not Shallow and not heavy. The lighter you breathe, the deeper you can breath because the more relaxed your are.

When you inhale and exhale visualise the breath entering in though the different described body parts and spreading though your whole body like a wave. I like using the analogy “like a full jug of water being poured into a container, until the container is completely full. You are the container and the water is your breath.”

For example:

• Inhale from the top of your head, and ALLOW the inhale to spread from the top of your head down through your face then neck, shoulder and arms, chest, stomach, hips, down through your legs and to your feet. Then once your body is full of your inhale, exhale but through your mouth. Repeat this process several times.
• Inhale through the soles of the feet like a wave all the way up your body through to your head and arms until your whole body is filled with the inhale. Then exhale through your mouth. Repeat this process several times.
• Inhale through the entire left side of your body spreading the inhale like a wave to the right side of your body filling your whole body. Exhale through the mouth. Then do this from the right side but to the left side of your body, then exhale through the mouth. Repeat this several times.
• NOW: Inhale form every single part of your body and gather your inhale into the very centre of your body i.e. The solar plexus. Then exhale down through the legs and make the exhale exit your body through the soles of your feet. Repeat this several times.

There are endless permutations to the breath permeation and segmented tension cycles. The above cycles are just some examples.

3. Induce tension and manage it by way of breath during exertion: 
One way of doing this is the use of holding static positions. When holding the following positions described find away to breathe, permeating the breath through your body in such away that takes the tension away. Again there must be endless variations as to how to do this so figure out what is best for you, but one way I have found to work quite well is to inhale through wherever the tension has stored itself and exhale through the mouth. Another way is breathe through the body part which is raised off the ground (I will explain in a second) and then exhale through and then out of the body part still resting on the ground. When doing this part perform 1 set of the static hold followed by 1 set of breath permeation for restoration detailed in the next section, before moving onto the next static hold set.


For example:

• Whilst still laying on your back make sure that your lower back is flattened and pressed firmly on the ground. This will activate your core and protect your lower back from taking onto much load preventing strain to the lower back muscles or damage to the intervertebral discs of the spine. DO NOT leave the arch present and allow your lower back to come off the ground at ANY POINT during any of these static holds.
• Keeping your lower back flushed and pressed against the ground raise your legs up of the ground 90 degrees. Keep them as straight as possible without allowing your lower back to come off the ground. Make sure the upper half of your body is as relaxed as possible. Breathe through the soles of your feet and exhale through your arms. Now lower your legs to 45 degrees of the ground and hold this position for a certain amount of time. Then lower your legs to just a few centimetres off the ground and hold this position for a certain amount of time. -
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4
• Now raise your upper body 45 degrees of the ground, keeping the spine as straight as possible and the head in line with the spine. Check and make sure your lower half of the body is as relaxed as possible. Check and make sure your arms and shoulders are as relaxed as possible.
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4
• Now raise your legs and upper body off the ground so that you are sitting on your butt. Breathe and make sure you are as relaxed as possible. Hold this position for a while. Then take your arms and place them out to your sides like a crucifix, and straighten your legs. Slowly and with breathing lower your whole body so that your lower back is flushed flat on the ground, but your upper back is just a few centimetres off the ground. Try to keep your head in line with your spine. Your arms and legs should be just a few centimetres off the ground, with your arms still out to your sides. Straighten your legs as much as possible without letting the arch of your lower back leave the ground. Play with how far apart you would like your legs to be.
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4

Now roll over onto your stomach. Make sure you are still breathing into your diaphragm/stomach. Through out all of the following holds continue to breathe into your stomach making it rise and fall like a new born baby.

• Raise your chest and head off of the ground keeping your arms and lower half of your body as relaxed as possible. Hold this position for a while 
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4 
• Now while laying face down raise your leg up off the ground as high as possible. Hold this position for a while 
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4 
• Now raise your arms above your head (like Superman). Make sure your are still breathing into your stomach/diaphragm. Raise your legs, chest and arms up of the ground continue to breathe through the diaphram. Hold this position for a while 
• SLOWLY LOWER YOUR WHOLE BODY TO THE GROUND AND PERFORM A SET OF RESTORATIVE BREATHING DETAILED IN SECTION 4

The entire time you perform these holds breathe in such a way to remove the tension. Test yourself to see how minimally you can use movements to remove tension and see if you can remove tension by breathing in and out of the areas of tension in your body.

Interesting note: We have observed that when you inhale into a limb raised of the ground it tends to make the limbs lighter. When you exhale into a limb that is raised off the ground it tends to make the limb heavier. Try it during the static holds. Then consider the applications of this information.

4. Remove induced tension that has remained in the body by way of breath following the physical exertion:
The afore mentioned RESTORATIVE BREATHING. Again whilst in a lot of cases getting rid of accumulated tension can be done by way of movement, we have been studying how to do this by use of breath alone. Take note of where the tension has stored itself following the static hold and just be aware of it at first.

• Inhale from the top of your head, and ALLOW the inhale to spread from the top of your head down through your face then neck, shoulder and arms, chest, stomach, hips, down through your legs and to your feet. Then once your body is full of your inhale, exhale down through your legs and out through your feet. Repeat this process several times.
• Inhale from every single part of your body and gather your inhale into the very centre of your body i.e. The solar plexus. Then exhale down through the legs and make the exhale exit your body through the soles of your feet. Repeat this several times.

Something we have been playing with:

• The inhale can help identify where the tension is and the exhale can release it. So take note where the breath has shown you where your tension is during the previous cycles. 
• Inhale into where ever your remaining areas of tension are and exhale them through your mouth. Repeat this several times -Inhale through your nose and exhale into where ever your remaining areas of tension relaxing them. Repeat this several times 
• Now: Inhale from every single part of your body and gather your inhale into the very centre of your body i.e. The solar plexus. Then exhale down through the legs and make the exhale exit your body through the soles of your feet. Repeat this several times.

Then move on to the next static hold.

Again there are endless permutations to the breath permeation cycles, and the above cycles are just some examples.


5. Finishing Up: 
Begin to quicken the pace of your breath. Breathe in such a away that begins to make you feel awake and alive. Begin to move your body as if you are about to get up out of bed. Slowly open your eyes. Slowly sit up.


.....OKAY THEN!!!!!!......


When you look at it in writing it doesn't sound particularly exciting, however feeling that you are left with after performing this work is truly remarkable. When teaching this work Vlad advised all of us that it would take years to truly understand it because it is both incredibly simple but incredibly deep. Again where this work takes you inside yourself and returns you to after is truly amazing and changes everything. You could do it again and again and learn something new every time. In the last 2 weeks we have been taking what this work has shown us and used it to explore and enhance many different areas of our training.

Some examples in the last fortnight include:

• Restoration following physical exertion. 
• Efficient movement so as not to accumulate excess tension and tire out. 
• Filling the Body with “power”. 
• Expelling tension from the body that an opponent attempts to induce in you. 
• Enhancement of performance increasing the intensity of the work and staying relaxed 
• Materialisation and management of fear, evenly distributing and cleaning the tension that comes with it. 
• Maintaining the internal state despite external stressors 

And I'm sure we've only just begun to scratch at the surface of this work.

Try it out. You won't regret it.

Justin Ho
Principal Instructor
Systema Sydney Russian Martial Art
www.systemasydney.com

The Soles of the Feet and the Squat

About a year ago during my 2012 trip to Toronto, Vlad advised me that in order to feel the form properly try to feel the soles of the feet completely flat on the ground as it would enable you to feel your whole body from the soles of your feet all the way to the top of your head and everything in between. It was quite cool. Now the interesting thing is that he also showed us how to apply this to the squat. Alot of the times it's easy to fall into the trap of just pumping out squat after squat mindlessly allowing the tension to accumulate, the breath to run out, or just simply become a mechanical process which doesn't actually do anything to remove tension and actually just expediates fatigue. However feeling the connection of the soles of the feet can be quite remarkable.

In the DESCENT rather than lowering yourself with tension, use the breathing in order to relax yourself downwards progressively switching of the necessary tension required to keep you standing. It's like taking the remaining tension holding you up, and funnelling it down and out through your body. However if you are doing this the tension has to have somewhere to go otherwise it'll just linger in your body and disable your ability to go lower in the squat with relaxation. This is where the connection with the feet comes in. When the soles of the feet (except for the arches as they ideally should be off the ground unless you are a flat footed) come up off of the ground, that is usually indicative of excess tension that is being stored in the body. That excess tension leads to fatigue, depleting the oxygen supply, and also just simply restricting relaxed movement. So if you notice the soles of the feet coming up, you then check yourself and see where tension is building up preventing your descent whilst being able to keep the whole soles of your feet completely flat on the ground. This is diagnosis of tension, and then you will have to remedy it though breathing and relaxation. Once you have relaxed to the point where you can go down in the squat with the soles of your feet flat on the ground, there is some good news: There is now a path for any remaining EXCESS tension to go in order to exit your body rather than building up. The storage of excess tension in the body creates the a disconnect in the body so it is no longer one piece unified by relaxation in effect destroying the form. You can have what appears to be good posture on the outside but if this excess tension and disconnect remains, then that good posture does not mean that there is good form. You can of course have just right amount of tension to hold shape (form) and perform the activity however it is now evenly and appropriately distributed throughout your entire physical being. This is because of the other good news: When you can keep the soles of your feet flat on the ground is that it begins to properly use the skeletal structure as support without having to rely on excessive activation of the musculature (excess tension) in order to perform the activity.

In the ASCENT by keeping the soles of the feet flat on the ground and pushing up I have found that it enables me again to utilise my skeletal structure in order to rise and keep the necessary shape and posture, whilst I can then also allow my muscles to relax (aside form the ones required to perform the task) and use breath and very minimal movement in order shed the excess tension. Going up from the squat by nature of the movement and the fight against gravity tends to accumulate more excess tension especially when you go slower. Keeping the soles of the feet flat on the ground and pushing the ground away from you seems to have the affect of (and bear with me here):

Being able to funnel the excess tension down throughout the entire body around the skeleton and to the feet connecting the entire body for the soles of the feet to the top of the head and everything in between through relaxation. This I believe is good form. The change of shape and maintenance of structural integrity and the even and appropriate distribution of tension by way of relaxation evenly throughout the whole being.

So what's the practical application of this you ask?...Well I reckon this is pretty good:

Regards,

Justin Ho
Principal Instructor
Systema Sydney Russian Martial Art
www.systemasydney.com