Russian Martial Arts Northwest
How has Russian Martial Arts Northwest and my own approach to studying Systema developed with time?
I first started studying Systema in 2000 as a method of improving my combat efficiency in the very real world environment of law enforcement. For nine years I sought out the top Russian Systema Instructors’ from the Vasliev / Ryabko lineage and followed their training drills without deviation or addition.
One of the instructors I was exposed to was Vladimir’s brother Valentine. Valentines approach was a lot rougher and in some ways more easily applied to real world situations than some of the more complex work of Ryabko. Though the two had met before a couple of times Valentine had only trained with Ryabko once and did not get on with his method. This was my first source for adding related, but differing training methods to our groups approach.
During my first trip to Vladimir’s school I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with a relatively new student at the class, Alex Kostic. Alex is a Serbian National with a heart of gold and a real interest in life and martial arts. On my second trip to Vladimir’s school Alex was absent. When I enquired as to where he was it was explained that he had gone to Russia to train and had not been seen since.
Eventually Alex resurfaced having spent time studying a number of Russian Systems including ROSS, Kadochnikov, Ryabko, Storm fighting, some Sambo and a traditional system of fist fighting. In 2008 I travelled to Serbia to visit my old friend and to get a fresh perspective on Systema and martial arts in general.
During that trip I learnt about the principles of movement and mechanics as taught by the Kadochnikov system mixed with other familiar systema concepts, Thai massage, Alex’s own biomechanically efficient method of kicking and his unique outlook on martial arts and life in general. To put it simply the trip left me feeling free to explore and grow in my own way.
The funny thing is that there is no one style of Systema. Every Systema student has their own unique approaches, movements and methods it would almost be simpler to say that there is Ryabko Systema, Vasiliev Systema, Kostic, Genge, (or insert your own name here) Systema and that this in some ways would be more honest.