IS SYSTEMA BULLSHIDO?!!! Black belt analysis

[@lucaslustosa1077]

I've tried Systema, and personally i think it's an amazing way to increase your body consciousness and mental toughness through breathing. One unique thing that i've learned from them is that relaxed movement doesn't telegraph, it's just hard for the brain to assimilate that kind of movement as aggression and I've found that to be super useful when dealing with "surprise" situations, specially if you train to stay calm dealing with it. Awesome video, btw!

[@lucaslustosa1077]

About the punching aspect, i think it's just a matter of changing the perspective. Other martial arts compare the body to wood, steel, trees (ouiiii) and other solid stuff... Systema sees the body as a big jelly. They strike not to go through but to make your insides "shake" and damage internals. Also, they are the best art for learning how to improvise and not stop to think when you just don't have time. That's some good skills to have in my humble opinion.

[@lawrencefishbourne5500]

I've also done Systema and I find it focuses a lot on teaching you how to learn. Ie it teaches you to feel where tension is and then move towards where there is no tension. But doesn't say when they do this then you do this. This actually helped a lot when i started to learn bjj. When i started bjj I didn't know any moves but by following the path of least tension i was able to get some escapes and other stuff going without knowing an exact technique. Also those 'wave' punches can hurt and a lot of the breathing they do is very novel at least to me and very helpful for relaxation.

[@Ninja9JKD]

So glad to see others on this channel who have a similar experience with Systema :)

[@someguy7046]

I love the burst breathing fist slow pushups. Great for relaxing the shoulders, maintaining the heart & strengthening the wrist to shoulder connection. Warm tendons make for relaxed joints. Losing the fear of falling over is good too. I liked the psychological aspect that came with the breathing exercises. Like focusing on breathing prevents overthinking & the posture always moving towards comfort within discomfort. It came together for me a lot when the constant burst breathing slow pushups became relaxing to me & changed my punching game completely by stabilizing my wrist during a strike.

[@W1LDtracer]

Im russan guy, and i know that systema and "systema Kadochnikov", and "systema Volk(Wolf)" is absolytely scam, ok on training you can go "flexible-waves like jelly" but UNDER STRESS you never did that techniques, NEVER, Its ok joint gymnastics+falling acrobatics, thats all pros

[@Ruleisbroke]

Surprisingly fair and honest review. I have trained Systema for 9 years with Martin Wheeler. I have trained in many styles over a 30 year period including military service for most of that time. I have learned more from my Systema training than any other art. What you see from the compliant student demos is an exploration of structure and selective tension, Mikhail is showing how he can control tension in a student with minimal force if placed in the correct locations. A very tough concept to master but very effective and it makes your overall fight IQ much higher. I find Systema a very complete art and of course, the instructor matters greatly, but all the instructors you displayed: Vladimir, Martin, Tommy Floyd, are master instructors. Mikhail passed on this year and he deserves much appreciation for sharing his vast knowledge with so many students around the world.

[@ransakreject5221]

If it’s best then combat athletes would use that punching style. If there was a better way to kick a ball soccer players would use it. Common sense

[@sirseigan]

​@@ransakreject5221 You forget the context. You use different things in different contexts. A wrestling stance is great in a grapping context, but it is kind of useless in a boxing context. The punch in this case can be used to achive an goal that is not benificiary in a combat sport context. Or it could be really good in a situation that will not happen in a combat sport context. Or it could be an advantage in a non combat sport context but a liability within. Context is the key.

[@RAS0850]

I think of it as a rock-on-a-rope type of punching and I see the very best boxers and MMA fighters using it all the time. Look "harder" haha.@@ransakreject5221

[@leonvitovincentradwe1543]

@@ransakreject5221common sense?!? You don’t have the conmen sense to try it out yourself. Grow up and start doing things on your own - internet experiences are just to laugh about😂

[@swimmerwolf5]

You've nailed it. Thanks!

[@lincolnpascual]

Martin Wheeler and Kevin Secours are very good examples of applying the concepts of Systema effectively in a combat scenario. The systema videos people use to call it bullshit are misunderstood. They are NOT DEMONSTRATING COMBAT. They are explorations in body awareness and isolating concepts. Systema concepts work well coupled with BJJ, Kali, and Silat. Hell, throw in Wrestling too. I trained with Kevin Secours, and I'm not a slouch. He handed me my ass on a silver platter. I've been doing various martial arts since I was a child.. I had at least 15 years of experience in Muay Thai, BJJ, Kyokushin, and boxing at the time. It wasn't that he was BETTER than me (although he had twice the experience anyway), it was simply a better understanding of body mechanics. For instance- Hard vs soft energy, from a completely physical perspective. most martial arts that use locks do so without regard to body composition... But bone vs soft tissue, bone wins every time. Going for a rear naked choke? Use the forearm bones to open up the throat area with pressure (nasal bone, below the jawline, across the temple, etc). Striking? You have more weapons than just your hands, feet, knees, and elbows. Your hip bones, shoulders, crown of your skull, hell any angular part of your body becomes a weapon. I've gotten takedowns and submissions that came out of nowhere, simply because of that. And dirty boxing takes on a whole new dimension when you stop limiting yourself to the usual suspects (I'm not a ring fighter beyond training... I spent my life in military and personal protection... where this stuff is very much applicable. I'm a evil fighter, because I'm not going for knockouts when I fight... I go for disabling or death. It actually makes it hard to light spar with my partners, because in order for us to pressure test some of this stuff it requires heavy padding, and even then dislocations are a real problem). Systema really boils down to body awareness. You don't NEED an instructor or even a style to explore this stuff. Simply put aside your preconceptions and experiment. Creativity is the most useful weapon you can add to your arsenal. ANYTHING becomes a weapon if you are creative enough. You don't have to cause destruction in order to be effective. Compliance is also an effective tool, yours AND the opponent.

[@r.s.dissendissen6752]

Great comment🙏

[@gerhardklassen1035]

Well said

[@johnneydoe]

Kevin is good…the best I think is a Serbian Alex Kostic…

[@overeasymode]

I have no experience with systema, but the relax punch idea; I think it's like a pitcher throwing a baseball. The harder you grip the ball the slower you throw it. The hands move more like a whip than a hammer.

[@Arthyron]

Speaking as a long-time, credentialed Systemist myself (among other styles like yourself), the biggest problem here when you really put the time in to learning Systema is not so much the impracticality of the methods, but the nebulousness of their pedagogy. It is so free-form and unstructured that unless you are naturally very gifted at learning by observation or happen to have one of the 1st-generation students who is gifted at teaching as your instructor, it's very easy to "go off in to the tall grasses" and end up with an incomplete, impractical skill set. You've rightly discerned the purpose of some of these drills and demonstrations, but from my perspective you've only scratched the surface of others. Mikhail and Vladimir are savants, and this is universally recognized by anyone I've ever encountered who has actually taken the time to train with either of them, but their method of teaching isn't very accessible or intelligible for the majority of people, especially those who lack a foundation in other styles that give them the biomechanical "vocabulary" and insight to "read" and interpret what they're seeing as you've done in this video. That being said, there are some very good 1st-generation students with which I've had the opportunity to train or otherwise encountered who have done a very good job of making Systema more accessible and fleshed out for a more Westernized pedagogy. You've already found Martin Wheeler, but on par with him are Al McLuckie, Brad Scornavacco, Kevin Secours, and Rob Poyton. They are all very talented martial artists but also excellent teachers and conveyors of these more esoteric concepts. So if you want to actually understand Systema and what you're seeing in these seemingly strange videos, I'd recommend checking them out.

[@Arthyron]

Additionally, what you're describing toward the end of the video where you're advocating more "live" training with sharper, more "realistic" movements, there's actually a term for that within Systema's nebulous pedagogy, and that is called "Short Work," where movements are eponymously "shorter" and sharper and more abrupt. There's a video back from 2009 on the Systema Vasiliev main channel called "Movement and Short Work" that highlights this kind of movement, which is more akin to what you're describing. Yes, though, many Systemists could stand to engage in this to better prepare themselves for the stressors and rigors of actual fighting. Kevin Secours referred to it as "Pressure Testing" and emphasizing this--especially with protective gear--is what led to some of his falling out with the head schools and instructors, but there is definitely merit to his intentions and methods. Brad Scornavacco developed a pretty good method for this as well where you train the same concepts and drills at varying levels of speed and intensity to see how your work changes and adapts. I appreciate your honest and insightful review, though, and would encourage you to look at some of the work of the other teachers I mentioned to get a broader picture. Al McLuckie in particular may be of interest to you as he was one of the first Americans to train very extensively in FMA before discovering Vladimir in the 90s.

[@xGarrettThiefx]

Great comment ! Did you ever train at the Toronto School in the old days ? I understand that the training was tough... also did you train with Maxim Franz ?

[@Arthyron]

@@xGarrettThiefx No, I didn't learn about Systema until the early to mid 00's, but my instructor trained with Vladimir in the early days. They've definitely softened their approach quite a bit, as I understand mainly for religious reasons, there's a lot of things they don't show/teach anymore. I have attended two of the outdoor camps and a few classes in Toronto, though, some taught by Maxim Franz, and also attended a seminar he taught elsewhere. As I understand it, he had a falling out with the main school, so I didn't recommend him simply because I don't know if he's still teaching anywhere at all and there's not a lot of his work recorded. Maxim's very tough and talented as a martial artist, no doubt.

[@xGarrettThiefx]

@@Arthyron That's very interesting, thanks for your reply. I remember seeing Maxim do some work on a Green Beret Vs Spetznaz documentary years ago. His way of moving always stuck with me as being something special unlike anything I had seen before. I'll have to get to a camp one of these days, do you recommend going ? Did you get a lot out of them ?

[@Arthyron]

​@@xGarrettThiefx Yeah, he and Sonny Puzikas represented Spetsnaz on the tv show "Deadliest Warrior," probably what you're referencing. Camp is definitely worth attending at least once, just to learn Systema in that outdoor environment (there are things you can train there that are tough to duplicate in an indoor setting), and to have access to over a hundred new training partners from around the world. The advantage there is you're training with people who mostly all know the basics of how to take and give hits, fall/roll, etc, so you don't have to "catch them up" as we often have to with cross-training with practitioners of other styles. There's of course value in cross-training with practitioners of other styles, but the way Systemists train is pretty unique, so having tons of people who are already on the same page is a great experience. The most important thing I get out of going is just tons of new drills and ideas for things I can take home to my training partners, and getting to work with so many new people. I find one of the best ways to increase your skill is simply to work with as many new and different people as possible. Also, you're going to be exhausted every morning, but put in the effort to drag yourself to morning warm-ups, you'll feel much better afterward and be ready for the day.

[@shadesoul]

Hey! Great analysis! The ninjutsu master's name you were looking for is Hatsumi Masaaki. Other stuff I found interesting about systema was is psychological conditionning. They get rid of unnecessary aggression and they fill their body with joy. It can do a lot to mask your attacks but I think it's even better for general health. Another aspect is were the spirit rests in systema, instead of letting it sink all the way down to the lower dan tian, it's closer to the heart, which means they don't have to be rooted to project a lot of power. Lastly, if you want to check a more technical systema dude, check out Skogorev. Cheers!

[@andrewgillman6327]

I trained in college under Nick kines who was under Steven Hays who started New York Budo.

[@ChristophePeytier]

I fully agree with you that Skogorev is a league of his own. The mere fact that you cite him shows that you are an advanced practitioner.

[@FrictionCanada]

As someone who trained for 8 years in System under Vladimir V in Toronto, I would point out that there is a core element you missed. Those ‘drills’ you’re seeing, some do look goofy (no question), but everyone trains together with the same instruction, so the instruction is to show experienced and new students alike to explore what your body (regardless of height or body shape/flexibility) can functionally do - whether that be short strikes, whip strikes, counter-striking, body manipulation etc. This isn’t to excuse how it looks, but the videos aren’t of the hard sparring that happened each class, or the free for all melees, but the demonstrations. So demonstrating ‘what a body CAN’ do isn’t to be taken as ‘here’s what you should always do in situation X’ Eventually I found systema as a ‘style’ was similar but different between each practitioner. I did judo as a teen, and I came to having never thrown a punch and no flexibility. I was 5’8 170. Where another guy started the same time I did came from boxing and was 5’10 220lbs all muscle. After 5 years we each had noticeably different preferences for strikes and styles of movement but we were each proficient at systema. And no, that’s not saying systema is ‘better or worse’ than X other arts (imo worse exclusively for unarmed ground work than BJJ for instance), just maybe more adaptive/forgiving for individuals who work 9-5 and might have a bum knee so they’ll never throw a head kick.

[@noduslabs]

I love Systema and have been doing it for 10 years. But do you know of any "real" sparring that I can see online? I'm yet to find one... :)

[@FrictionCanada]

@@noduslabs Certain things are best left experienced 😉

[@greggreed3840]

Both Vladimir and Mikail say that you have to make Systema “ your” Systema. As you described there are always differences in build, and physical ability.

[@xtinctionagenda]

As a long time practitioner of Systema who absolutely cringes at the ostentatious pronouncements of many Systema students and teachers, a lot of what you say resonates with me. The art's primary values are not martial. Thank you for putting this review forward. I hope my fellow students listen.

[@christian140975]

Hola saludos desde Argentina , consulta cuál es su maestro o profesor de systema preferido ?

[@josephjoe4133]

I've seen this style before in clips and laughed, but the way you broke it down and found positive in it is impressive I appreciate that

[@jazzquire]

Fair, discerning, and critical thinking analysis like this is why I think you're the best martial arts channel on KZbin. You deserve more viewers/subs. Excellent work as always.

[@Easyflux]

I'd have to agree on that. Picking apart a system and finding the good takes effort compared to just tearing it down.

[@BradYaeger]

Wasn't a Systema guy , was a Choy Li Fut practitioner, but I've been hit by that type of punch . I describe it as like being hit with a bag of wet sand . It actually travels a long way from the ground but its not as obvious as other movements . And you likely won't tense up when it's thrown like you normally would and that increases the damage . Like the punch you don't see coming

[@dteun]

Kwa kup sow chui

[@ttx3]

the same feels after being hit by a propper wing chun fist, CST lineage

[@willtherealrustyschacklefo3812]

@@ttx3 they do have connections. "Systema" came from Chinese arts that were brought to Russia. And like all arts it has plenty of people who probably don't know what they are talking about, but as far as the actual art itself no it's all completely legit.

[@ttx3]

@@willtherealrustyschacklefo3812 I never doubted it.

[@CuttingEdgeSystema]

@@willtherealrustyschacklefo3812 I've seen no evidence of that. I had a 20 year background in CIMA prior to Systema. While some things are a little similar, the underlying core methods as very different

[@jarrodpelrine7229]

One of the best ways to understand the transitional flow of energy is chopping wood if you use to much power it doesn't work as well as when you allow the weight of the axe do the work

[@Easyflux]

Work smart, not hard.

[@so_ein_richtiger_beki]

Yes.

[@alexvucinic]

Good analysis of system that gets much hate. The same happens to wing Chun but it's interesting how this fluidity aspect actually comes handy in grappling or MMA, I see that in our BJJ and MMA gym with a guy that is a wing Chun teacher who cross trains in BJJ and actually competes in MMA, he is the fluent in his transitions and even takedowns, nearly every martial art has something to offer that can improve your fighting skills, that's what I like about this channel is the positive approach to every style. Well done and keeps the martial arts interesting.

[@danielkowalski7527]

in mma half of body cant be hitted and coincidence - so many wing chun techniques are simply banned in mma.

[@artair70]

@@danielkowalski7527 Except that's not true, and highly irrelevant, MMA rules in Japan allowed for kicks to the skull, and the idea "banned in MMA" is ludicrous.

[@danielkowalski7527]

@@artair70 why? so many strikes are banned in mma like eypokes etc

[@artair70]

@@danielkowalski7527 Really dude? "eyepokes" have you been in a fight? Those aren't happening, take your Bounre fantasy elsewhere...

[@johnelliott9823]

I'd say from the outside looking in you gave a fair evaluation based on your experience with systema. However, I think you missed a bit, not your fault. I mean, you did a couple seminars. Not sure who that guy in Montreal would be - the main guy there now is Kevin Secours and his former student Stephane, both of whom are quite familiar with choking. Secours was even running an MMA and grappling team for a while there, not sure if he still is. I encountered systema in 1999 or so. I started with a background in Canada's version of JJJ , some Kyokushin, some boxing some goju, some judo, some taiji. I'd been to sport grappling and sparring tournaments. My standup was stronger than my grappling (I'd at least managed to medal with standup (strikes + grappling) events). I say this just for context. My first systema instructor was a former detective from Krasnodar with a background in San Da and Sun style Taiji before he tried systema. He would, every class, cover conditioning, striking, grappling, and knife fighting and defense. He would learn from Vasiliev. He eventually left town and I would train under this fellow Demetry Furman (that I met through jujutsu and who had introduced me to the first instructor). Demetry also had made the national team in freestyle wrestling which certainly informed how he taught me, and we would both also go to Toronto to train under Vasiliev. When I went to Vasiliev's in Toronto I soon found out black belts there are commo. It was a good environment to reinforce respect because you didn't know who you were up against. People from literally everywhere in the world would show up. Not just martial arts hobbyists either - soldiers, cops, bodyguards, this one guy from the Mlitech gymn... Anyway, having sparred in karate, boxing, judo and that Canadian variant of jujutsu, I would say that unequivocally, systema people at Vasiliev's spar and grapple. Now, most systema people do what I would call randori sparring, to use a judo parlance. This is sparring to learn and develop skill. Some will go further to what I'd call more shiai sparring, but it's a choice thing. I've sparred and grappled Vasiliev. He would never tell you he can't be choked, because he's choked a lot of people himself. He can also heel hook, kneebar, hammerlock, armbar triangle choke, arm triangle, Turkish leg lock, and of course do small joint manipulation. He can also do a large number of takedowns and doesn't really pull from a fixed arsenal. I've also tried to spar and grapple Mikhail Ryabko (RIP). I stayed at his place for 3 days in Russia. I also tried sparring and wrestling his son. Ryabko was a beast. Those punches of his could crack a rib and he knows how to put every ounce of his mass into them. You get a couple tastes of those and you can get really gun shy. As for standup grappling, he ragdolled me easily, but a lot of the time he'd sneak in this nasty ass finger locks instead. His son and I would wrestle on round bit of plywood on this tractor tire 6-7 feet in diameter in a pool. This kid (15 then) would ragdoll me off the raft. I quit systema after a while because of skiing injuries, but afterwards I took my son to judo and figured I'd join for moral support. No leg locks in judo, so I figured safe enough. 5 years of systema rust and desk jockeying didn't seem to matter - by every metric my judo had improved to the point the dojo brass were telling me I understood judo. I could throw people in randori and shiai, and I felt like I was doing the systema drill "grab escapes" but with a uniform on and some restrictions. All of which is to say, the punches are easy to understand but if you dig a little deeper you will get more. I enjoy your channel

[@bangermccrusher]

Dude, maybe we trained together. I was at Vlad`s school in 2005 for a whole year training everyday in both classes. Cheers!

[@johnelliott9823]

@@bangermccrusher not unlikely then. I was the bald black guy from the Hamilton satellite club.

[@HA-rn2iu]

Why would the Systema guy ask him to choke and then try to wiggle out of it ? Would any high level systema practitioner ever suggest something like that ?

[@MrBracey100]

Those penetrating blows remind me of something I was learning when training in Kuk Sool Won. Part of my brown belt test was to shatter a glass Coke bottle with a palm strike. The bottle was rolled in in a brown paper bag to help prevent you from cutting your hand if you failed to hit it right. First time I tried to hit it I tried to use force and sink my weight into the strike (the set up was similar to a brick break) and I thought for a moment Id broken my hand! My instructor told me to recenter myself and try again (I only had one more shot at this). This time instead of using power or gravity I cleared my mind, relaxed and it felt like I just gently let my hand fall onto the bottle. No pain, no strain, heck it didnt even feel like I really struck it. But when the unrolled that bag and dumped out the broken bottle into the trash can, it wasnt broken, it wasnt shatter, it looked like it had EXPLODED! There was not a piece of that bottle bigger than one of my fingernails! That is the power of a relaxed, whipping blow, even at short range, even as an arm punch! The trick is one you know the technique is training to apply it to an aggressive, moving target. If you can do that consistently, then you are a truly dangerous man!

[@11261966]

Good video! I really like your balanced and honest evaluation!

[@inside_fighting]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@user-qj2gu5cy2b]

I trained for 6 years. Looks ridiculous to people until they feel it in person. Great explanation and analysis. Thank you for taking the time and energy to show people what is good in that training method.

[@gerhardklassen1035]

I have also "trained" with alexander from moscow who is a student of ryabko. He is a master and if you really try to hurt them it just means they have to react in a manner which will throw you a couple of feet. If someone tells you "hit me" and you hit them once and the answer is such that you do 1 and a half rolls backwards, you really do not WANT to hit them that hard again, you are not interested in that. So you get a lot of footage of what you call "hyper compliant" when in actuality a lot of them have gotten one really hard punch answer and they simply don't want to be hit that hard again so they go more "gentle" with the master when in actuality it is the master that is being gentle. A lot of the stuff in systema is tension dependant of the "opponent" the more tension he has the more you get to work with. Oh and one more thing! Ryabko had such nuanced movements that he knew excactly how to apply the force and where so that an extremely little amount of force is needed, so that it looks like a joke. imagine a ball sitting at the op of a peak from there you can BLOW the ball either to one side or the other. the more distance is from the peak the more you force and movement you need to push it over the peak. Rip Mikhail Ryabko!!!

[@ThrobbingChomboni]

I loved your comments on the knife fighting!

[@JackShen]

Was able to attend a systema seminar with Sonny Puzikas, he gave me a really light punch to the gut as a demo. It was weird, at first I was like ouch but not too bad. But a second or 2 later this sick feeling, like getting kicked in the nuts just overcame me. Couldn't breath, was hunching over, and puked in the bathroom

[@methodtraining]

I had a very similar experience. I’m a retired boxer. Golden gloves, etc.… Always thought systema was bullshit. Went to a seminar with Vladimir that a friend paid for. And upon my request I asked him to give me a shot so I could feel the difference. It looked like he gives me a tap, but it felt like he broke my back. Again, people can take and believe what they want. I really don’t care. But this is coming from a former competitive boxer. There’s something different in high level Systema strikes.

[@dababy4182]

​@@methodtrainingI believe you.

[@NealosMetropolos]

@@methodtraining Magical thinking.

[@greggreed3840]

There’s a video around if Mikail demonstrating strikes. He talks about how by controlling depth and direction of the strike how you can cause different reactions in your opponent. Up to and including causing them to piss themselves or 💩their pants. He hits one guy as he has been talking about this and all of a sudden he has to make for the bathroom.

[@dalehill6127]

😄​@@greggreed3840

[@decluesviews2740]

Thanks for the vid! This has become my favorite Martial Arts channel. Your insights and analysis are always appreciated. Keep up the good work!

[@bangermccrusher]

Very honest review man! the best on YT I`d say. I trained with Vlad and his students everyday from M to F and Saturday`s at Emmanuel Manolakakis school (one of the first Vlad`s students). No martial art is a "complete" system. The best thing to do is to also train some striking and grappling but definitely the are some very solid concepts in systema what will develop your game and also your life, you learn how to manage stress, know your fears and how weak you are (something very hard to know, especially if you are already a trained martial artist). Everyday I traind with black belts from bjj,judo, karate, tkd, bodyguards, special forces guys from the US and even trained with one of the Queen´s bodyguard etc. and also lots and lots of beginners. I had trained and sparred with boxers, MT guys, grapple with bjj practitioners (I would tap blue belts but not purple belts) and they all were surprised how I knew what I knew only from systema. You can also find videos from other BJJ black belts like Menamy Mitanes who teaches BJJ and systema and Rigan Machado`s The Academy, Rigan has a positive opinion about systema too along with Dan Inosanto, Marc Denny, Kitsunori Kikuno (you can find videos of him at a Ryabko`s Seminar) even Steve Maxwell (unfortunately he trained kadochnikov systema, not Ryabko`s) I even heard (not sure if true) that Igor Yakimov tried to embarass Ryabko at a seminar but he couldn`t take him down. Anyway, great video man, you can learn how to move fluidly under pressure and make your punches heavier, thats just a win win situation for me.

[@twistedtrailerparktales2126]

I'm really glad I clicked on this video. I've only seen demos of systema and while I've seen grappling and takedown techniques I didn't think would work I've seen some of their striking tutorials that looked legit.

[@odn7769]

Love the differentiated analysis!

[@loneronin6813]

One of the reasons I love this channel is that you are critical when warranted but also openminded and realistic. Respect.

[@garethlagerwall]

Systema punches are no joke! Very good commentary, fully agree

[@artair70]

They're the whole comedy act...

[@greggreed3840]

@@artair70yeah you might want to sign up for a seminar with Vladimir, Martin or one of the other senior instructors and get some real life experience. Then report back.

[@artair70]

@@greggreed3840 I'm always amazed with that excuse, do I need to drink poison if I know it is already such?

[@greggreed3840]

@@artair70 when you speak out of ignorance you should become educated.

[@artair70]

@@greggreed3840 lol, ignorance? No it's reality. I've actually got wrestling and boxing titles from my youth that are nationally and internationally recognised. Again, I don't need to sniff the poison.

[@FunkyBukkyo]

Love your objective and honest observation. Thanks for this

Nice to see for a change, a neutral, if not carefully positive review of Systema. I've only trained for less than a year, but I never ever want to stop it. My background is 10 years of Taekwon-Do, and only after this short period of time with Systema, I've found more tools in TKD on breathing, relaxation, technique body mechanics etc. than I could dream of. This is not to say I would not enjoy Systema in its own right - on the contrary. The slow speed in training the drills is aggravating - you, your mind or your body want to speed it up, but you only learn doing it slow at first. But the feeling of "emptiness" when you manage to do something right is unbelievable. And when you get in to the flow, you don't get tired even though it's still physically somewhat demanding. I think you shouldn't try to see Systema as a complete fighting style, at least not when you're a beginner, but instead as a tool to help you know your own body and mind. Systema doesn't train for combat per se, but a more overall perspective of surviving stressful situations. Getting punched (and doing that with a big smile) is something that helps you lower your fear reflexes and keep calm during hard times. It's more about a holistic view of physical and mental wellbeing than learning to fight. Obviously doing those drills (and occasionally stress testing them) for decades may help you fight, but don't all the martial arts try to help people get to a point where you don't have to fight?

[@DM-fj8wv]

Real internal kung fu can have the same soft power. I thought it was nonsense until I got hit, and dropped - from a soft, slow, body shot. It was really weird because I could take a decent strike and this was like a 'brush off', and I went straight to the floor half winded. I signed up after that. I still can't really get my head around it. Anyway, there are some guys in Australia who teach it, and I've met a kung fu teacher from China who had the same scary soft power. Thanks for your vid.

[@dunoze]

The Chinese soft power is different to Systema . I knew a world champion Yang style master who met a Systema guy and was thrown around like a rag doll . He now teaches mainly Systema . Love them both but they are quite different . It reminded me of Yi Chaun in as much as it about learning body dynamics rather than techniques .

[@sopwithcamelus]

Yes, that "iron wrapped in cotton" way of body mechanics is deceptively powerful. I respect the internal styles, I just don't have the time or patience to put into them. They look at things differently, although there are numerous Chinese styles that blend external and internal principles.

[@PaMuShin]

Systema is an amalgamation of different studies on kung fu and body mechanics in soviet union, that is why there are certain similiarties, but systema tries to get a step further in acting with improvisation ... but to me it is gonna stay inferior to the real internal arts, cause most people never gonna learn the mechanics that were developed in asia over centuries with anatomics, philosophy and many other arts influencing it

[@feirabbitt]

Got to train with Dan the Wolfman and I can say those systema punches hurt like hell

[@nbednar]

Hey brother, excellent analysis as always. This was also mostly my experience. Martial Artists who care about reality should take the best from arts and leave out the nonsense. This is why I followed Kevin Secours because he did just that.

[@benjaminwich]

Awesome points of view and attitude. Have done years of systema, and years of others. All have something to offer. 👌🏾🙏🏻

[@kmlgraph]

Steven Seagal and Bruce Lee have talked about similar techniques where a punch should be relaxed at the beginning and then generate full power and speed at the end of the punch.

[@rbrb7869]

wing chun talks about the same principle

[@KnowPorcelain1]

In my 50's and still train 4 nights a week, I did train in Systema for around 6 years regularly and loved the continuous movement, breath training and core strength training, I also attended many seminars, the depth or Ballistic striking is a phenomenal skill (check out Val Riazinov Ballistic striking). I think the overall benefit I got (still get as I go regularly as a guest) was from Martin Wheeler in a seminar he did here in the UK, which was the ability to become an Asymmetrical fighter rather than a Symmetrical fighter, by which he means the fluidity of the skill is attack and defence minded in the same disguised movement, and only revealing the skill at the point of impact or execution. Systema is a great art and almost the piece of the jigsaw that gives a practioner of several arts a light bulb moment to connect skills and technique that are valuable front and centre. In that light I would advise anyone thinking about trying Systema to think of it as a process rather than a style, a process which allows you to add to the tool kit, and blend your other tool boxes together, sort of like the Dewalt click n stack system. Good honest analysis.

[@nicolomariamascaretti676]

I like the approach of this video. I started martial arts with Systema, and know I'm doing Kickboxing cross training with boxing and some grappling know and then. What I've never forgotten is Systema's way to absorbe shots, in a more relaxed way and breathing through. I am considered very good in taking big punches (it is one of the few things I'm actually good at) and I think it comes from my Systema background. I am surprised because I've noticed the same similarities with Macgregor way to move his arms, and also with Canelo's ability in rolling the punches, in particular. I do agree almost 100% with this video.

[@jonmaz8080]

Respect for such a lucid and reasonable commentary on delicate topics.

[@burneyvisser]

Fairest assessment I've seen so far. Mostly a Muay guy because of where I live but I loved my systema training. Did 3 days with Mr Wheeler too. Truly is an amazing martial artist

[@emZee1994]

*In my honest opinion, the best Systema school bar none is Combat Systema in Canada. The teacher is Kevin Secours. Please react to some videos of him* P.S. The Systema punch is no joke. I trained Systema for about 6 months and I completely agree, that punch is so penetrative

[@nbednar]

Haha my comment above yours said the same thing. Kevin is a realist and an EXCELLENT teacher. Incredible encyclopedic knowledge and experience.

[@johnelliott9823]

kevin is a great teacher and a good guy

[@galenhawkins1459]

Immediately subscribed upon hearing your intro jingle. That shit is high art 😂

[@TheRenegadeMonk]

This is the first i have seen from you. It is so damn refreshing to see someone with genuine broad MA knowledge and experience who can understand that martial arts have their benefits even if they don't get showcased in the UFC regularly. Talking to younger martial artists online is so depressing because they have become so narrow-minded without ever experiencing any of the arts they trash.

[@josephwilliamroca]

Thanks bud. What you’re doing is great across the board.

[@joaoguilhermebastos519]

Quick notes: 1-Ballistic punches. AKA Russian Drunk Punches 2-The defensive countermeasure looks alot like the Bali's Shaori mambo jambo 3-Russian Drunk kung fu is QWAZY! 4-You are an awesome person giving credit to the good things found on an ocean of crap. ALWAYS. A real gentleman and dedicated student.

[@gbody2617]

You're the pile of crap and I can see you from where I'm at and that's amazing knowing the Earth is curvature.

[@inside_fighting]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@user-mc6kw1ex5v]

Thank you, brother for your openness to locating useful information 👍

[@missmorena1049]

This was an excellent post!

[@jamesallen6309]

Val Riazanov, a Sambo and Systema technician would agree with all you have to say. Reading between the lines in some of his comments, he has little time for some of the fluffy stuff taught as Systema today. The punch is real. I have developed that. But it's hard work trying not to tense up. The other thing is Systema punches can be thrown from below the sight line of the opponent. You don't see the punch coming. But conversely not many blocking techniques are taught. You are expected to take your opponents blows and move on. That could be a receipt for disaster if your breath work is not up to scratch. Because their is no formal strike, block and wrestle technique's taught, many systema pupils get a shock when they are faced with a grappler who takes then to the ground, or a full on attack the overwhelms the defender.

[@ned5231]

Pretty fair review, Iv done systema on and off for several years and alot of people misunderstand it especially if they've only seen videos. Iv always described it to people as a supplementary martial art, it's meant to be added into what you already know and it was designed that way as it was meant to be an add on to combat Sambo, when you join the army you would be taught Sambo and if you moved on to a specialist unit you would then be taught a style of systema (from what iv heard the Russian army doesn't really teach it any more as it was taking too long to train most guys to a competent level and took time away from other training) there is alot of bad systema floating around out there, trainer who just did a few seminars and then went on to train other people and passed along alot of bad habits and poor training to there own students, which is a shame cause if you have a good teacher there's alot of really useful stuff you can learn from it, there also unfortunately alot of bad systema that makes its way online or videos that are out of context and don't really explain what's trying to be achieved with the drills they are doing and it ends up looking stupid, ryabko despite being a grand master of systema was also guilty of putting out alot of bad systema videos, I trained with one of Vlad's top students years ago and he talked about how ryabko was frankly pretty lazy and liked to use very compliant students for demonstrations and there was a bit of a cult of personality around the guy. Systema can be great though, for anyone interested check out val riazanov he has absolutely insane punching power and has some great videos breaking down how to generate power

[@lusitanus6504]

The looseness and relaxed way of moving is the main reason I started training bujinkan again and will keep practicing. In many ways its similar to systema. I have a 1s dan and started proper kenjutsu training from bujinkan curriculum this week. I am really lucky to have good instructors so close. I practice other systems also but there is something about the way bujinkan practicioners train to move that I enjoy very much despite some bullshit techniques that are practiced. The instructors that I am learning now are both in security work like me and the bullshit as a consequence is not too bad, but its still there unfortunately. I am enjoying the weapons training a lot more these days.

[@jonathanjames8321]

Nicely done comparison. I like how you look for the common thread. Good review! Your channel is good too👍

[@paolosmaldone8347]

I have documents from the Soviet era and last 80:nowhere the military was doi9ng something else than combat sambo and basic shotokan karate.

[@martiallife4136]

You are correct. Systems is ok but it was never taught to Special Forces in Russia. That was told to Westerners to make it legit. Standing still and taking a punch, no matter how it feels is just showing the principle of the punch. How hard is that same punch on a bag? From what I have seen of the Systema punch, it doesn't put a lot of body weight behind it. Also, they don't have a guard so when you throw a punch you can get countered. There are a few schools that I have seen that spar with contact but it is rare.

[@CuttingEdgeSystema]

@@martiallife4136 every Systema club I've been in sparred

[@martiallife4136]

@@CuttingEdgeSystema I checked out your website and I remember your school from doing a search for Systema years ago. You are the few. Not just slow sparring, you speed it up.

[@soheilward5728]

I really liked this piece. Though I've never trained Systema, I've trained with 3 coaches certfied by ROSS founder Vladimir Retuinskih. The training was tuned between hard and soft, competitive and cooporative. From what I've seen, Systema took only the soft aspect of the art. I love those punches too! Getting barely tapped in the liver with one of those will drop most people. Check out Fedor's punches they too me are the perfect example IMO.

[@TheKillaMethod]

Systema low acrobatics is legit. The weapons system applied correctly might work. Imo

[@VikingSamurai]

Great breakdown, very insightful.

[@systemauppsalaofficial]

Ilan thank you for this good analysis video. It good to see that even pass all the soft work video that Systema is famous for on the youtube and other platforms, that you could find somthing usful in this style.

[@jamesoneill8901]

Objective analysis with well thought out insightful commentary. I have come to expect nothing less from you good Sir 🎉

[@inside_fighting]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 much appreciated

[@simonwilsher8308]

Great video and I totally understand what you are saying it is just sad when you see these teachers/instructors that spoil the system.

[@AtHomeNA]

I bought Vladimir Vasiliev's Systema Videos from TRS (Threat Response Solutions, now called Fight Fast) when they first came out (years ago) and I believe that he said that the System was selected for special forces soldiers to be able to fight when they are completely tired as they are usually overloaded with heavy packs and equipment when on a mission. The loose movements in Systema speak to that. I also think that there is merit to the phrase, 'Sometimes slower is faster'. Having said that, I fully agree on the videos showing students cooperating with their instructor to a very silly degree.

[@jamesallen6309]

Correct. Special Force guys are loaded down with equipment and maybe tired. I wrote to him asking for the combat methods the special forces guys would use. I told him it would be nothing like he teaches. I got no reply.

[@CuttingEdgeSystema]

@@jamesallen6309 combatives is taught, it's the same, just a bit shorter and sharper but all the same principles

[@Ninja9JKD]

Thank you for being brave and giving a fair review. It's much easier to hate, mock, and make fun.

[@mikitadou]

GREAT overview:) I tried Systema as well and made several videos about its styles and Soviet Martial arts as a whole.

[@inside_fighting]

Just checked out your channel. It's excellent. Subscribing

[@JohnHH59]

Have been in the martial arts for 44 years and I think your assessment is spot-on. There truly is power in the relaxation aspect of systema.

[@alexanderkappelhoff2819]

I'm such a big fan of this channel. I love the inquisitivity but also how unedited it is, so little brainfarts are not edited out. I enjoy those.

[@gbody2617]

This guy is a coward. He got into martial arts to act tough but I already put him in his place. Ask him if he will get in a cage with me and he will decline and make up every excuse in the book. What a puss!

[@IzzoWingChun]

That shirt (and this video) outstanding!

[@owenclayton9705]

Many practitioners and teachers of Systema have come into it having a nice existing background in one art or another. As a practitioner myself, I very nearly skipped your video. As you have said, there is alot of disbelief surrounding this system. However, I didn't and i was pleasantly surprised by your evaluation of it. As soon as you understand the principles behind it, it does greatly improve whatever you do. Whether It be combat arts or gardening. Everything starts with your breath, and when you learn how to control that you learn how to relax through movement with less tension. Great video. As you stated about the power of striking this way, you hadn't felt anything like that before. If you can think of Systema as a science, it will greatly improve all areas of life. Owen

[@wishfix]

When the guy is sat on the chair he is demonstrating how to off balance your opponent over and over again without using exessive force.

[@lesvenola2380]

I have been hit , very lightly I must say by a Kung Fu instructor with one of those penetrating punches on the shoulder that was strong enough to move me back a step. I didn’t feel anything on the shoulder but the energy moved into my chest and it felt like my heart and lungs etc were juggled, it felt terrible and I have boxed, had my nose and a jaw fracture but as you say this sort of hit is something entirely different. It would be really good to develop this type of power and if there was a systema school nearby I would learn from them for sure.

[@HollywoodTacticool]

that sticky hands is done a lot in wing chun, and esp in taichi sword

[@elijah99906]

Thank you for bringing awareness by analyzing certain martial arts in a fair logical way that can be easily misunderstood.

[@kendallwhite4699]

Very original intro and well lit sense of humor 😂😂.

[@junichiroyamashita]

I like their unhortodox striking weapons,like shoulders,hips and wrist/forearms. Also reminds me of westernised take to internal martial arts. More specifically Tongbei,"Through-the-back" power. Straight Circle Martial Arts here on youtube got a lot of videos.

[@giqwaju3691]

I have messed around with Systema since about 1993 on and off out of curiousity. Prior to that I was of a boxing and traditional martial arts background (shotokan, judo). I feel there are some cool concepts in Systema that can work IF you already know how to fight. If you can't fight, then Systema will not get you up to speed in real fighting. But then again, if you know how to fight, you can make ballet work in a scuffle.

[@giqwaju3691]

@@paulsinger5102 Haha! Yeah, if ballet and fencing had a child, Savate would pretty much be it.

[@agnisstapkevics2948]

100% agree. 2 dan myself improved a lot myself doing 1 systema class at week. Freedom of movement is first, improved all my punches second and concept fighting against weapons

[@eriksturdevant8589]

Fair and balanced. Good vid!👍

[@stefanorapallo1408]

I thank you so much for your review. There is a lot to say about Systema and how it is often represented on KZbin. The best way to know Systema is to train in a gym with a good trainer.

[@conservativelatino5686]

I took systema for a little bit. It was tough training.

[@donnielyons1360]

Great job, the “systema punch” is one of the hardest punches you will ever be hit with. Martin Wheeler is one of the best to train with. Great episode.

[@lewisb85]

One of the local systema instructors where I live is also the local kudo sensei, He teaches it as combat conditioning.

[@Gieszkanne]

Kudo is great. With more real sparring you will see very quick what parts of Systema work and what not.

[@lewisb85]

@@Gieszkanne He sees kudo as being like japanese sambo, but he was saying that when he goes to systema seminars that you can tell which guys also train sambo etc and use it as an add on, as opposed who come from a aikido background.

[@Guinnessdog77]

You should check out dynamic joint breaking by Vasiliev, I think that is the best application. If you watch those clips of Ryabco while seated look at how he is manipulating the elbow joint, they do a lot of their techniques in slow motion so you can see them. He locks the joint as he destabilizes the guy’s base. The techniques flow into the next one, some call systema the art of folding people.

[@malacostracus3663]

Fascinating to realize that these shambling relaxed body movements they do in their demonstrations, that definitely add to the goofy look of those demos, is actually part of their trained shock-absorbing defense reaction. Very similar to how aikidokas apparently over-exaggeratedly roll jump, which to outsiders looks like a ridiculously extreme effect of the aikido throws but actually is a conscious defense response to avoid damage by e.g. joint locks

[@richardmanningjr2637]

It is rare to hear what I can call a fair and balanced review. Good job.

[@luxurybuzz3681]

Your concept of "fluidity" reminds me of Chi Sao in Wing Chun., Reminds me of Erik Paulson demonstrating Chi Sao in Grappling.

[@FightCommentary]

Very interesting analysis!

[@mider9996]

Very good insights, one of Dan the Wolfmans teachers George S. Pogacich said the bigger guy Mikhail Ryabko (R.I.P) hit so hard you felt like you might have internal injuries

[@gavinharris1659]

Nice analysis. Insightful and honest. The name of the Bujinkan guy is Masaaki Hatsumi.

[@johnmckay4373]

Drills! Thanks for making that point, I think it’s easy to clip a video of relaxed drill that’s designed for body awareness, and it looks ridiculous

[@davidtipton7149]

I'm glad to see someone actually look more in-depth as to why they do what they do. The modern "system" as we know it today isn't so much a style so much as an encyclopedia to understanding shifts in balance, vectors if force, applying archimedean spirals when possible to multiply force, etc. The most important part if it, in my opinion at least, is the breathing techniques. For example: taking a punch to the gut. Pretend your stomach is a balloon and on impact, exhale 30%ish if the air from the balloon. That helps you keep your breath and it actually tightens your core at the same time for protection. For anyone that's curious thus more modern days systema that came about in the 60s or 70s Systema Kodochnikova is made for soldiers that are already battle fatigued and have to kill someone close quarters still. Loved seeing some positivity towards this. More people need to better understand what it's for before just dismissing it as a bs style. It's yoga and science having a baby that likes to fight. That's all it is.

[@inside_fighting]

Yoga and science having a baby that likes to fight is an awesome way to put it 😂

[@davidtipton7149]

@@inside_fighting Thanks, man. That's how I've always tried to describe it to people haha. You hit the nail on the head though. It's about being relaxed when you can afford it, marrying other styles with it to use in tandem, and using the pillars of it to introduce a creativity you don't normally see in fights. Also, the Slavic hook fucks. That's the punch you were talking about where you're almost pouring out a glass, turning your hand upside-down.

[@franktower9006]

I can't and won't hate on this. It's a fair and obective take on an unusual system. Subscribed!

[@angrysquirrel187]

I subscribed just on the strength of your awesome theme song 👍👍

[@stevenbradley5796]

Very fair analysis...I've trained several styles & had many bar room brawls & street fights. I Love Systema, especially the anti-panic/relaxation using breathwork training. The trouble for me is that when I actually spar full contact, it goes out the window & I fall back to my bread & butter, kick boxing. For me, Systema has a Spiritual component & when I was punched by Vladmir, Mikail, Martin, & Tom Floyd (yes I collected strikes, for a while -haha) there was a very subtle energetic transmission. Blessings!

[@inside_fighting]

Well said! I go back to my roots under stress too… but i do think elements may transfer over

[@righteousshadowsdojopt.3979]

I've trained in Systema(The System)at a seminar with the late Mikhail Riyabko (who just recently passed away),his son(his twin in looks and movement),Tommy Floyd(who's just spectacular)and a few other Systema greats. Had a great time and learned a lot. A lot of videos on KZbin give it a bad name b.u.t if you find the right ones then you'll see it's fits up there with the best I've seen. You have to really train it to really understand. Some food isn't pretty,but tast better than some that are.

[@roballington2319]

I would both good and bad weapon and weapon defense at Vlads school in Toronto. I tried only a few classes because I got turned off by some of the stuff people talk about. But I saw knife and impact weapon training along with locking and disarms that I have not seen since. It looked very practical. Unfortunately I don't see any of that online. You changed my mind about relaxed energy and penetrating strikes. I actually experienced a systems shove as funny as it sounds that was penetrating...totally shook me up so I understand what you mean. This is something that exists in other arts. Thanks for vid

[@johnpauldoyle9847]

What is your favourite style of Martial Arts maybe you might do a video on this

[@HellBoy-id6ss]

Your intro theme still makes me laugh..😂

[@stevegledhill1575]

Thanks for another great video…

[@fabchi4597]

Hey man first time getting to know your channel, I really like it. Good staff keep it going 🤙💪🏼

[@hkaszowi]

Hanshi Bruce Juchnik of Kosho shorei ryu has the same feel and reaction to his super subtle movements

[@Gieszkanne]

Yes Bruce Juchnik Kosho shorei ryu Kempo is very intersting. He didnt get the attantion he deserve

[@leonvitovincentradwe1543]

One of the better analysis of someone that not really trained the style

[@peterbrennan393]

martin wheeler is really good. see what machado said about him rolling with high level ufc guys

[@mikeyoung9763]

Great breakdown of what is useful and what is laughable. Great vid

[@DrKoulOfficial]

Thank you for your integrity. I highly recommend trying a seminar with Martin Wheeler

[@kamranabid3600]

Very interesting and fair minded review - many thanks!

[@michaelzimmer1115]

Good analysis. The next step would be to go up to Toronto and meet with Vasiliev as did Dan the Wolfman. You might come to understand what they are doing more clearly. Having said that, I don't think many people get to a level of skill in Systema where they could pull it off. On the other hand, that is true of any number of arts. All arts have their domain of applicability and they are not very useful in a different domain.

[@inside_fighting]

I’m going to start spending time in Toronto since my parents are there so that’s a good idea. I’ll visit him. Maybe he will shoot a video with me

[@michaelzimmer1115]

Sound like an opportunity. I hear Vlad is a decent human being. One of my Eskrima students would train with him in Toronto.,@@inside_fighting

[@johnelliott9823]

@@inside_fighting Vladimir is very friendly and is not shy of sparring or grappling (edit - or knife work)

[@StarkRaveness]

Systema is a recent phenomenon not 1000 years old :D Have to say you are spot on with your review though bro, thanks for the positive vibes. Our system tries to take it to the place where everything turns to shit every now and then because its good for the ego to do so. ie knocked down. But we are also getting on in life and we want to be able to do other things in life without nursing injuries, so those moments are kept to a minimum. After all people like us just wanna keep training until we reach the grave taking hard hits safely and press-ups. :)