Paul Genge started studying martial arts when he was approximately 12 years of age. Having practiced Judo and other popular Martial Arts he started studying Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu during June 1992. In 1994 he spent time in Japan studying with the arts Grandmaster Doctor Hatsumi and his senior instructors.

He continued to practice and teach the Bujinkan Martial Arts, passing the 5th Dan test in August 1999. This is the final hurdle Bujinkan students have to pass to be a full instructor.

During 2000 Mr Vladimir Vasiliev taught the first course in the UK on the subject of the Russian System taught to him by Mikhail Ryabko. During this seminar Vladimir worked without a script against multiple armed opponents. This and the training methods impressed Paul so much that later that year he spent 6 weeks training at Vladimir’s school in Toronto, Canada. On his return he started to teach the system along side the Bujinkan arts, but soon came to realise that the best way to improve was to let go of his old training and concentrate on the system.

In February 2001 Paul moved to the Greater Manchester area and later established a small Systema class.

Along with other members of the Systema community in the UK Paul traveled to Moscow in June 2003 to train with Mikhail Ryabko. During the week of intensive training Mikhail demonstrated the principles of and how to teach the system. Other skills taught were defence against knife and stick, use of whip to teach movement, breathing, posture, hand to hand combat and use of the Russian saber.

Since this trip Paul has made trips to Toronto, East Germany and Moscow to further his study of Systema.