Veteran Australian Systema instructor David Quaile will be conducting a System seminar in Hamilton on 12 & 13 April 2013. This event will be hosted by Systema Waikato.
David Quaile (left) is Australia’s longest serving Systema Instructor under Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko (Right). Having Studied with Vladimir Vasiliev since the mid 90′s, David has always acted as a pioneer of Systema in both Australia and New Zealand giving seminars to training groups and clubs interested in studying the System. David has also had the opportunity to travel to Moscow Russia, to train directly with Systema Master Mikhail Ryabko.
David is also a retired Operative from the Australian Military. With his extensive real life combat experience in some of the harshest circumstances and environments that a person would have to survive, he has a thorough and intimate knowledge of how understanding of Systema can help an individual maintain him or herself in such situations.
An amazing and genuinely good natured human being with a wealth of knowledge and experience, David Quaile is highly skilled practitioner and teacher of Systema, and for a long time has been one of the best kept secrets of this art that you will find on our shores.
For more information on this seminar or to book you place contact:
If you are interested in finding out what a seminar is about feel free to read the following review on one of Dave's seminars in Sydney in July of 2012.
Our Resident Health Practitioner, Peter Scarselletti, has just returned from a Systema training trip at the school of Mikhail Ryabko in Moscow. During his time in Russia, Peter was able to attend the Russian Bath house, Banya, which is a common but amazing health practice in Russia. Peter recently wrote a few words about this awesome experience which he was kind enough to share for everyone's benefit:
Russian Banya (Steam Bath), Systema Style. A brief run down, for the uninitiated:
Ok, I have experienced bath culture all over the world, including China, Japan and Hungary, but Russia takes the first prize. It was so different, but because it included Systema health practices and breathwork, it was particularly aimed at balancing the body, and it was particularly rejuvenating for the body, not just hanging out in a hot room.
Process: 1. Go to the Banya 2. Debrief with Systema Instructors on how to do correct breath work in the extreme heat sauna and in the baptismal ice pool. 3. Remove all clothes until you are butt naked 4. Go into the Sauna, and use slow breath work until you cannot stand the extreme heat anymore, and then jump into the ice pool, and hold your head underwater for as long as possible, until you can't anymore, resurface and do quick burst-breath-work, until you come to terms with the ice water, then back into the Sauna. 5. Repeat, repeat, repeat. 6. While in the sauna, get whipped with Birch and Oak Tree leaves all over your body, get massaged and smacked all over your body with an open palm, including your inner thighs to boost sexual function, get stretched and musculo-skeletally adjusted, and get pummelled with a rubber mallet down the whole length of your spine. 7.Finish with a nice cup of herbal tea! 8. And if you're really lucky, end it all with a Systema Whip Massage.........
About the Author:
Peter Scarselletti is a Sydney based Acupuncturist, Meridian Therapist and Chinese Herbalist. He is also the Director of Qiology, a company located in Sydney that provides premium acupuncture and herbal services, sells energetic medicine and health products, provides industry seminars and community based education concerning alternative health.
His qualifications are as follows:
Bachelor of Applied Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Sydney
Certificate of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing
Certificate of Manaka Acupuncture Protocols, Sydney
Certificate of Toyohari East Asian Needle Therapy, Gold Coast
Certificate of Mitsui-Onnetsu Therapy, Narita
Certificate of Far-Infrared Onnetsu Therapy, New York City
Certificate of Shinkiko Therapy, Tokyo
Certificate of The Dorn Method, Sydney
AACMA Accredited Member
Registered Toyohari Practitioner
Peter has been recently certified by Mikhail Ryabko as an instructor in the Applied Methodology of Systema Principles to Health. These practices are utilised and taught to people in the form of breath-work and exercises to balance their bodies. Peter is also the first Australian resident to been trained to administer the famous Systema Ryabko Russian Stick Massage which he will be offering as a health service to the public in Sydney, Australia commencing in November 2013.
This is a very personal post for me. So I am going to take off the Instructor hat for the moment and just address whoever is reading this as simply - Justin. A guy from Sydney, Australia, who is a practitioner of Systema. The following piece of writing does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Mikhail Ryabko, Vladimir Vasiliev or any other persons referred to with in. It is simply my personal account and experiences drawn from my time training in the Ryabko-Vasiliev camp. If I refer to said persons it is simply to convey my experiences and opinions.
Let's Begin,
Systema is very rewarding but it's not always the easiest art to study due to it's seemingly structureless nature, endlessness and the level of introspection required. That raises the question: Why continue to study this art when there are so many other easier options out there? Especially where explanations, techniques, clear guidelines, a syllabus and gradings indicating levels of competence are present to put a concerned mind at ease.
For me Systema has for a long time been about fixing myself up inside and healing. I'm not saying I have had the worst life in the world. Comparatively speaking I'm doing quite well. But nobodies perfect and we all have our share of damage inside. Some of us just hide it better than others. Systema is first and foremost a healing art, but I know people don't think that sounds "cool enough"... So I am going to approach this a different way.
A while back when I was going through a bit of a rough patch with my training I had a conversation with Vlad. As I walked with him through the training hall at Systema Headquarters he explained to me "In this "style" we teach a person to be a Master...But a real Master." I pondered this for a moment and the first image that came to mind was an old guy in silk pyjamas and a long white beard who could crack skulls with a single chop. As Vlad continued to explain I began to realise he meant "A Master Craftsman".
"Think back to how things were in the old times," said Vlad. "You would have one person. Somebody with his two hands and an axe, who could go out into the woods, chop down a tree, select the part he needs, take it back to his cabin, using his simple set of tools shape it into the components for a piece of furniture, put those components together, sand it varnish it and would have a complete product that he created himself." Again I pondered over this analogy. I thought to myself, someone who has created something whole and complete, but because of himself and his know how. Someone who has taken something all the way from beginning to middle to end.
Vlad continued, "Now think about how many cars are made in this day and age. One person designs the frame, another person designs the seats, another person designs the engine, another person designs the fuel system, another person designs the brakes.Then in the end all these different things made by different people are jumbled into this one end product. While the end product may be impressive... It is no longer the work of a Master." I continued to Ponder... A Master...Someone who has taken something all the way from beginning to middle to end. The other option is where the end product is developed...But the Master Craftsman is not.
For a long time this sat in my mind... It took a while for the enormity of this to sink in. I imagine I am still very much coming to terms with it.
Systema does not work...You Work...Systema is just there to help you see how to do this for yourself. It is there to help you Know for Yourself.
At this point I must reference some instruction I received from Sonny Puzikas during his time with us in Sydney. Please understand I am not name dropping I just don't believe in taking credit for other people's good work and intelligence. My understanding and interpretation of his advice is as follows:
In the beginning you study Systema and Yourself.
The Study of Yourself gives rise to the development of certain attributes
Over a period of time the combination of those attributes become skill.
Once you have acquired skill the next step is to apply them.
And so they become Applications.
Then you work these applications increasing the intensity, pressure, speed, level of impact, situational variants...until you reach an inevitable point of failure.
Achievement breeds pride...Failure is where you learn.
Determine for yourself what went wrong, why it went wrong and then how to fix it.
Modify the error or hole in your base, then repeat the process again and again.
You need to go back to the beginning before you can improve further.The problem won't be solved by bashing your head against the wall. Go back and fix the simple things that form your base. That is where the weakness is. Study and fix yourself. This breeds humility.
This is the work. And don't forget acquisition of skill takes priority over acquisition of knowledge. Skill saves lives. Knowledge on it's own does not. And while Skill can morph into intellectual knowledge at a later point, intellectual knowledge seldom morphs into skill.
On a personal note, Sonny if you end up reading this, thank you for coming to Sydney when you did, and for helping me find the strength within myself to carry on.
One thing I really respect about Michael and Vlad is that they do not try to make clones of themselves. However for some reason people think that doing Systema is all about copying them and mimicking some sort of "style"... It's not a style, it's a process. A process which is your responsibility to take from Beginning to Middle to End... Yourself. Don't just mimic Michael and Vlad. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want you to. You're not them. They know this. You should too.
Your teachers guide you and you should listen to them, but do not ever expect somebody to do for you what is your responsibility to do for yourself.
That being said, this is not a licence for incompetent instruction. There is a difference between helping people to know for themselves versus just leaving them in a rowboat with no paddles. All things are a double edged sword. How do the people choose to hold that sword?
Remember acquisition of skill before knowledge. As an aspiring Master Craftsman and as a human, what is the rawest of materials that someone can have access too in order to begin to learn to do this? What is the rawest of materials that gives rise to the principles, occurrence of technique or strategy? An experience. You start by having an experience. A raw, often but not always non-verbal, unrestricted, unjudged visceral experience. Then you teach yourself to become a Master. If the pathways are drawn too easily, a person gives in to laziness and becomes dependant... As a result they fail to become self sufficient, self reliant, and to learn to find and navigate their own path. Life is NOT always clearly mapped or logical. Thinking and acting like it is so makes somebody simply a consumer, rather than someone capable of creating and seeing something through from the beginning, the middle and to the end....But then having the maturity to accept that there is no end...Only going back to the beginning. There are reasons that Michael and Vlad do things the way they do. In my humble opinion those reasons are not nearly as selfish as some may have you believe.
At this point it is probably starting to sound like a lot of hard work. Yes. Yes it is Hard work. Not in the sense of physical demand (although there is that too) but the level of personal responsibility and self accountability involved when you study this art. As a Student or Instructor you choose to take on responsibility for yourself and your journey. The alternative is to complain that someone else isn't doing this for you, or latch onto some sort of guru figure to do all your thinking and problem solving for you... I wouldn't recommend either... And from what I have gathered from my time spent with them, either would Michael or Vlad.
Remember Systema gives us freedom, but with freedom comes personal responsibility...But when personal responsibility is accepted freedom soon follows :)
Nobody knows what it's like to be you. To have lived your life, your pain, your joys, your needs. Nobody truly knows what is best for you except you. Learn to have faith in yourself and to keep your own counsel in all matters of life. It doesn't mean ignore everyone else's input, but learn to trust yourself. The System is you.That last sentence is one of David Quaile's, a great teacher.
I admit there is a high likelihood I'll never be good as Michael or Vlad. But that is ok. I don't really care. I never got into this gig to be "the best". I don't need to be good as Michael or Vlad. I don't need to be better then anyone. I just need to be as good as me. And that is a by product of studying and healing the self. That is it's own reward. One of the greatest thing I learnt from all of this was to be kind to myself. By doing that you are kinder to other people. That is a gift to both them and you.
I'm not saying it's easy. I'm not even saying that it's even fair really. There will be stumbling points. You'll strive, you'll fail, you'll hurt. You'll be knocked down, again, and again, and again. Some times by life, by circumstance, by your own fears and sometimes by other people. That's the worst especially when a lot of the time they're the very people who you have sincerely tried to help and have suffered for in the process. All of these things will happen sooner or later despite your best intentions. Just keep getting back up. Like I said, it's not easy and a lot of the time it's not fair. It's not always your fault, but it is your responsibility. So find a way. Find a way.
You don't need the respect or approval of other people when you are able to give those things to yourself. That is your reward. And you give that to yourself. Don't ever make your happiness dependant on the words or actions of other people. Happiness has to come from within...And so does Systema. It's not about being perfect, it just about trying to improve yourself, for yourself and the people you love.
Another important thing. Do not underestimate the importance of the Spiritual Aspect of things. I don't strictly mean Orthodox Christianity. I myself am not Orthodox, and don't see myself becoming so any time soon. But what a person chooses to believe, or not to believe is no one's business except their own. Do not jump to conclusions about people's decisions or lack there of. You don't know them. Don't presume to. To quote the film Snatch, "Assumption is the mother of all F#%K ups". I'll say it again:
Do not underestimate the importance of the Spiritual Aspect of things. Make of this what you will.
This is my opinion and whether or not you agree with it, please respect it as I respect yours. Whether or not I agree with it.
I know this journey is hard. I choose it anyway. It may not be right for everyone. But it's right for me.
I can appreciate that this doesn't sound particularly glamorous or feel good inspirational. But please keep in mind, there is a difference between being straight up with people versus tailoring words and responses in such a way that elicits a response from them that satisfies a particular agenda. Beliefs don't make a good person. Actions do... And while I don't claim to be a good and perfect person, I can assure you I try. I don't care much for it when people presume to judge me based on here-say taken out of context, limited time with me and half baked opinions that may have formed, or an idea in their heads of the person I was years ago although we may have barely spoken two words since. Time passes and people change. Life does that. The Systema Community is not a museum of saints. It's just a bunch of imperfect people trying their best to heal and make themselves better.
In this crazy and sometimes harsh world of ours Systema is a beautiful thing, and a gift that you give to yourself through time, hard work, honesty and faith tempered with common sense. There's a feeling that you get which is different for everyone and as undefinable in words as the taste of something sweet or fragrance of something wonderful. A long time ago the group I was training with at the time was visited by a gentleman named Dimitri Trufanov from Chicago. After the session he finished with some breath work. I just remember being left with a feeling. A very calm, relaxed and peaceful feeling. I remember thinking to myself "If I could feel like this everyday even for just a little bit of that day, everything would be worth it". Personally I believe this feeling, however you wish to define it (or not to) is at the heart of the System. It is from where everything springs, and it is inside of you, connecting you to yourself and everything and everyone around you. Without it there is nothing. That is worth protecting. That is worth cultivating. That is worth sharing....All the best Systema people I know are people just trying to heal themselves. This is what keeps me going.
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:
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
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
This November Daniil Ryabko returns to Sydney to share with us The Secrets of the Russian Masters
Dates: 23 & 24 November 2013 (Saturday and Sunday)
Times: 10:00am to 4:00pm both days
Place: To be Announced
Topics: Strikes and Knife Work
Price: Early bird special of $340 before 30 September 2013, then full price of $400 from 1 October 2013 onwards. Please note that all payments are non-refundable.
It’s really simple to pay online, just take a moment to set up a Paypal account to pay by credit card.
Alternatively to arrange to pay via bank transfer contact Justin by e-mail on jho_systema@hotmail.com
Daniil Ryabko is the son of Systema Founder Mikhail Ryabko. Daniil has been training in the Russian Martial Art, Systema, with his father since a very young age and is today one of the most experienced Russian Martial Art instructors in Moscow. He has also served and trained an elite unit of the Spetsnaz.
I came across this today. A clip of one of the French Systema Groups during their time in Mikhail Ryabko's school in Moscow. About 40 seconds into the clip one of the English speaking Instructors, a gentleman named Aslan Guseynov begins to teach a French Systema Practitioner about strikes.
During a training trip to Moscow in May of 2009, Aslan was one of the Instructors who looked after David (Quaile) and myself. He was already very skilled back then, and from what friends have told me he has progressed even further under the tutelage of Mikhail.
I love how he teaches striking, progressively and with a lot of care to build, not to damage the person's Psyche. He explains and demonstrates the need to understand how much a person can take, and understand how much to give him in the strike so that you don't destroy the person.
This type of training allows the partners to Keep the trust between them, when they strike each other... This is so important.
At the end of it, the gentleman being struck looks so Alive!!!
During my first trip to Moscow in May of 2009 , David Quaile (Australian Systema Instructor) and I visited the Napoleonic war museum. We were fortunate enough to be in the company of Victor Petrov, a student of Mikhail Ryabko and one of the Instructors at the Moscow school. There were many interesting things to be seen in that museum. But the thing that stuck out in my mind was a large mural, painting on the wall, depicting the battle of Borodino during the French Invasion of Russia.
It was an amazing painting, with details of the battle painstakingly captured with the precision of the artist. You could see everything. Hundreds of men on horseback charging each other with sabres drawn, while their comrades on both sides loaded their muskets and fired at each other. Cannons aimed at the opposing armies with smoke covering the battlefield. In addition to the mural which was very large, small huts had been constructed on dirt surrounding the artwork in order to replicate the scene of the battle. There was even a recording which would play in the background; the sound of the trumpet signalling a cavalry charge, followed by the sound of galloping horses, cannon and gunfire. The effect was incredibly impressive.
Then at one point Victor said "Look over there," pointing at a smaller barely noticeable part of the enormous painting. "Look at that small cottage there." We then noticed amongst all the carnage, the artist had taken the time to paint a small domicile near the edge of the battlefield. It was a simple building, made from chopped down tree's with a straw thatch for a roof. Just outside of the cottage was a little vegetable garden with a few cabbages growing in the dirt. "Back then someone would have had to work hard in order to build that little house," said Victor. "They would have had to chop down the wood by hand. They would have had to find the straw for the roof. And then they would have had to put a lot of effort into putting it all together to make their home." We took another look at whoever's home the little cottage amongst the carnage was. "Now look at that, the roof is now on fire, and there are soldiers jumping over that fence and running through that vegetable garden stepping on the cabbages. That was somebody's home." We continued to look at that small part of the painting, surrounded by the images of war and death. "Isn't it interesting how people are always interested in violence and learning how to destroy, yet rarely ever take any interest in learning how to build and create?", asked Victor rhetorically.
When studying Systema remember that learning about fighting is only a part of the training. Remember to learn how to heal yourself and your training partners, and not just how to rip people apart.
A major factor in fighting arts is the speed of response to a given attack. As we know this is dependant on many different factors. Timely action is crucial for a positive outcome with an adversary. Different fighting disciplines have implemented various strategies in order to gain a time advantage over their opponent.
A common approach by many professionals such as SWAT Teams, Special Forces etc. is to use just a hand
full of very generic applicable techniques based on gross motor skills. The idea behind this approach is:
One, to decrease decision time of the mind, thus to shorten your reaction time (response time) to a given attack.
Two, the gross motor skills allow people to still perform under duress.
Whilst the response in our brain to physical attack is very complex and varied, there is an intriguing aspect, which I would like to discuss. It is important in understanding the response time of the subconscious approach (Systema) as opposed to the conscious choice approach mentioned above. It is relatively unknown that when our brain prepares for a movement, for example in response to an attack on our person, it will always do a dry-run first, without activating our muscle and without our conscious awareness. This means the brain has like an emulator. Before we become aware of our intended movement, our brain will dry-run the movement through its brain maps. This will include hormonal activation, blood pressure changes and all the usual psycho-physiological adaptations. The only thing, which is missing, is the activation of our muscles (and our awareness). Only following this dry-run will our intended movement become conscious and we will perform this action with our muscles activated. To our conscious minds this movement appears spontaneous and original, as we are not aware that in actual fact we have already done it in our brains.
Now here is the difference: if movement is directed by our subconscious mind or as we call it, if movement happens spontaneously, then our conscious response will be the second run through by the brain. However in the example of conscious mind control (SWAT team, Special Forces…), if a technique selection is required, then the brain will repeat the dry-run with the chosen technique, before activating the muscles in a third run through. Whilst a small selection number (of technique choices) decreases selection time, it still remains the third fully performed run through by the brain when applying a conscious mind approach. Systema however relies on a subconscious response, meaning that we can act on the second performed run through. Whilst this advantage represents only a fraction of a second, it is nevertheless very significant.
This however is not the whole story. Where do the brain’s initial ideas for the subconscious response originate? Neurologists refer to these sudden reaction movements as Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs). A FAP is a chosen system by natural selection for a reduction of choice and decision time. In other words, through past experiences the body has learned to react in a certain way under certain circumstances (Trigger Event), and in order to reduce reaction time a quick “movement package” is applied in a coordinated fashion whenever needed, without the brain having to repeatedly invent the wheel again. These patterns are very deeply rooted in our response system. They can range from very simple withdrawal actions to complex movement patterns. That doesn’t however make them the best or most efficient choice under any given circumstance.
Let me give you an example: if you touch a hot object you will withdraw your hand immediately in a FAP, nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, if someone grabs your finger in a finger lock this same FAP will be activated putting you in a much worse situation as you have just increased pressure on your finger lock. How then can we change this situation and how can we change FAPs or any other rapid reaction movement? The answer is training.
Training has the ability to override current FAPs.
Lets look at this a bit closer. The brain has many body maps spread throughout its different areas. The most basic (and famous) are the primary motor and sensory maps also referred to as homunculi. These body maps interact in hierarchical fashion from lower- to higher-grade maps. Information from the body enters the primary sensory map and then rises through complex processing and constant reassessing procedures up to layers of higher maps. The higher up they travel the more information gets incorporated in the processing of an action such as emotions, memories, body images, beliefs, pain patterns etc etc. On the way up information gets constantly fed down the chain again for reassessment and confirmation with new sensory information just entered. Eventually appropriate action is decided on and emulated, then fed down through the hierarchy and all the way to the primary motor maps, from which muscles are activated and conscious movement arises. Lets bare in mind that these complex procedures and interactions take but split seconds to occur. We also can see that no matter how much we try, every action has an emotional association attached. We might not be consciously aware of it but it is unavoidable!
Through regular training we can teach our body to behave with chosen patterned responses to particular situations. The interesting point here is that we can learn specific patterns (techniques) or we can teach our body principled responses such as relaxed generalised movement patterns. The difference being that we allow our bodies to come up with its own solutions to problems as long as it adheres to chosen principles such as relaxed, efficient, natural movements as in the case of Systema. In order to allow for this wide range of body applications we have to understand that the nervous system works via what we call facilitation. In simple terms this means; the more we use an action the more likely the same action will be chosen the next time. Now if we use a mirror action over and over again we will eventually reinforce this action in a specific way as a FAP to be used by what’s deemed as relevant situations (Trigger Event). However if we continually vary the specific movements, whilst keeping the modus operandi more constant, this being a calm, relaxed way of movement, then the quality of this habit will start to instill itself as a FAP response without a specific hyper-facilitated movement pattern attached. The brain will then pair up it’s own choice of movement pattern, which it regards as most appropriate. It will draw from familiar movement patterns that have been trained, however more ‘freedom’ exists, which will be advantageous in adapting precisely to individual situations.
Once the initial subconscious response has taken place we can include a consciously directed action if necessary, as we can perform it concurrently with the already happening responses, thus we don’t suffer an apparent time delay. In simple terms the brain is multitasking (although strictly speaking due to the on/off nature of the nervous system it is actually an alternating action).
A subconscious approach requires a certain level of faith, as we teach ourselves principles, hoping that the best response will be chosen subconsciously at a time of need. It is a very different approach to training specific names and techniques for specific situations. An advantage of the ‘principle approach’ versus the ‘technique approach’ is that the brain does not get bored through endless repetitions of the same movements, as every movement is slightly different and somehow novel. Once the principles have established themselves though a marvelous thing occurs: Instead of a limited set of technique responses, we now have an unlimited array of ‘principle responses’ available. We have trained our bodies to come up with its own creative solutions to a given situation. Of course the body will always develop its favorite idiosyncrasies, largely due to neurological facilitation, individual body parameters and individual abilities.
It is also very important to mention that RELAXATION is absolutely imperative in order to work subconsciously. When afflicted by tension (fear, aggression etc) our brains will lose their ability to be creative, to multitask and eventually to function efficiently altogether. Much has been written about the debilitating effects of tension on our performance, especially in the flight-fight situation. It is not the purpose of this article to discuss this, but I simply would like to stress that it is crucial to instill a relaxed manner of working, if we want work efficiently subconsciously.
It is also important when training for conflict situations to incorporated regular human-to-human interaction with significant contact such as strikes, aggressive behavior and the like. This will assist in providing proper trigger events and help in reconditioning specific ‘approach and avoidance behaviours’ already present in FAPs. If done properly, it will also assist in reducing fear and pain based tension.
An additional interesting point is that research has shown slow training of complex movements to significantly shorten the learning time required for those movements…sounds familiar?
Now the more we train the lower down on the brain-map-hierarchy we move the processing. This means that after many years of training our principled responses can be processed mostly in our primary motor maps. At this point we have made the system our own and we will instinctively and spontaneously respond with FAPs according to our training. In other words our subconscious mind will now start to respond spontaneously to attacks in a smooth, creative and intelligent way just like in training, instead of in a rushed, abrupt and tense fashion. With appropriate training we will also be able to work with much less emotional involvement and less disruptive fear based tension.
Obviously technique based training can override the spontaneous FAP response too, however if we continue to involve our conscious mind for technique choices we will still react with the third brain run through only. Alternatively if Systema practitioners miss this point of subconscious action either through faulty training or lack of faith/trust, then they too will respond to the third run through only. This is particularly apparent in new students and will only change after considerable training.
As mentioned, it is very acceptable, even advisable to use conscious decisions during a physical conflict but the trick is not to initiate with a conscious action if spontaneously challenged. Rather intermingle it sparingly amongst plenty of subconscious work. This will minimise interference and allow your work to be fast fluid and natural, whilst still maintaining some conscious strategic control.
As simple as this all may sounds and as easy and natural as a competent Systema practitioner can look in motion, this is actually very difficult to achieve. Difficult inasmuch, as it takes dedication and years of mindful training in order to acquire this natural and efficient subconscious/conscious response process when under attack or duress. A good dose of playfulness, dedication and faith can make this journey however spectacularly joyful and satisfying. Not to mention the insight into our persona and our emotions, which we can gain through introspection and through feeling during training.
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Dr Andrea Bisaz was amongst the first fully qualified Systema Instructors in Australia. He received his certification from Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko with whom he studied in Canada and Russia respectively.
For over twenty years Dr Bisaz traveled the world with professional tennis players such as Lendl, Rafter and Hewitt and for nine years until recently has worked as the Chiropractor and Medical Officer of the Australian Davis Cup Team. In that capacity he has also worked at Olympic Games, World Championships and All African Games on Boxing, Karate, Tai Kwon Do and Wrestling competitions as well as Aikido seminars. For many years he has studied various martial arts and apart from active army duty has experienced conflict-combat assignments all over the world.
I have been in Toronto now for just under a month now, and an obvious but important thing has just occurred to me.... I'm not Mikhail. I'm not Vlad. I'm not any of my training partners. I'm me, Justin. As such things that the previous parties are going to be capable of doing aren't necessarily going to work for me all the time. Seems simple, but easy to forget sometimes.
In the first day of the seminar (Escape from Holds Seminar - Short Staff and Knife Seminar)systema Headquarters today, I was working with one of my training partners. I was amazed at his ability to draw me in when I would attempt to grab his arms and keep total control of my motion as I was taken down. This particular partner also had an uncanny ability to tie me up with my own arms in order to take me to the ground. However when I attempted to replicate this, by "copy catting" him, my work kind of crumbled and was not very effective. I found myself getting anxious and frustrated. Fourtunately my partner was quite a good natured fellow who did his best to help me out. What I found was when I stopped trying to replicate his movements, and simply appreciated them as things that he was capable of, then continued to work in my own way, things flowed and and worked much better for me. I would walk around one side then to another in order to find the take down, and work with the limbs as I saw fit. It wasn't perfect (it never is), but it was mine, my movement, me as a person in that situation. And me adapting as the situation demanded.
A few days ago another training partner also pointed out to me that when we work, it's not going to be like Vlad or Mikhail where we will be able to find something 100% of the time. Sometimes we will just have to move and preserve ourselves, and wait until the right moment presents itself. But that is ok because that is where we are at at this point in time of our training and our lives.
Remember; Never try to imitate someone else. Your experience and physical expression of Systema is your own and no one else's. Study the principles and study yourself. Use the drills to learn how your body will move, and don't rely on preconceptions. Don't become disheartened when you are unable to do things your teachers or partners can. Just do what YOU can do. Just be present in that moment and that situation.
The options will present themselves if you just be you.
Ahhhhhh Moscow. What a town. The trip in 2009 was life changing (and I mean that very literaly).
What occurred in the following clip was a very interesting experience indeed.
With regards to our time there, David and myself had the chance to express the following:
Thanks a million to those who looked after us. Victor Petrov, thankyou for your guidance during this trip and also in September 2010. Your advice "Be Alive" still gives me much to reflect on even today. Andrei, thanks for the stick massage. Both occasions taught me new things about myself, and helped heal me just a little bit more...and yes the second time round is much better. Daniel Ryabko, thanks for an awesome day during our first trip, and thankyou for introducing me to Banya (Russian Bath House). And of course thankyou to Mikhail Ryabko...pretty much for everything.
One last thing. When you make trips like this, remember to listen to your body. Remember there is only so much information your nervous system can integrate at one time. So pay close attention to yourself and know when to take a rest. Otherwise by the end of your trip you will look like this:
My name is Justin Ho (far right). I am a Systema practitioner from Sydney Australia.
After studying Systema for some years I made a trip to Moscow in May of 2009. I was fortunate to be in the company of Australia's longest serving Systema Instructor, David Quaile (Far Left) of Bundaburg, Queensland. David has always been a good teacher and friend, as well as one of the most skilled and humble men I have ever met. He has always been active in sharing his knowledge and helping with growth of Systema in both Australia and New Zealand. He has been kind enough to guide me in my study of the System, and helped me to understand the lessons during our time in Moscow. During this visit I had the pleasure of meeting Mikhail Ryabko (Middle), and training at his school. The lessons I learned will last me a lifetime. I was fortunate enough to return to Moscow again in September of 2010. The lessons learnt from my second trip, for me, continued from the lessons of the previous trip. Once again; these lessons will last me a lifetime. And no doubt it will be a far better lifetime than if I had not had the chance to learn them.
It is now March of 2011. As I write this I am behind a computer in the city of Toronto, Canada, where I have come to continue my education by training with Vladmir Vasiliev and his senior Instructors. Since I have arrived I have been looked after the by the Systema community here, and have been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of my Intructors and training partners who have been kind enough to help me on this journey. I begin this blog today hoping to share what I have learned, and will continue to learn with the rest of the Systema community (and anyone else) worldwide. Some posts may be longer, some may be shorter. My musings I hope will be interesting at least. After all mine is just the experience and perspective of one man. But I hope whatever I post may be of some use in helping you find yours....Perspective that is.
To all my friends, teachers, and training partners (and you all are essentially all of these things to me), who have helped me along the way;
