Interview with Matt Hill, Instructor of Systema

What is Systema?  We met up with Matt Hill, an instructor in the Russian martial Art Systema and foudn out all about it What i1s Systema? Lwom Matt Hill in this interview px on Russian Martial Arts Click Image above to Watch video on Youtube DOUG: MATT HILL, THANKS COMING IN TODAY TO TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND WHAT’S GOING ON A BIT FURTHER AFIELD FROM BRISTOL. SO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T KNOW WHAT SYSTEMA IS MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT SYSTEMA IS AND HOW YOU CAN GIVE INVOLVED. MATT: SURE, SO SYSTEMA IS A EUROPEAN PREDOMINATELY RUSSIAN BASED MARTIAL ART . ABOUT TEN CENTURIES OLD AND COMES FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS OF RUSSIA AND EUROPE. IT CAME THROUGH THEIR CULTURAL KNIGHTS AND THROUGH RUSSIA’S HISTORY. WHEN THE SOVIET ERA CAME IN, THEY OUTLAWED A LOT OF CULTURAL CUSTOMS AND SYSTEMA WAS ONE OF THEM, EXCEPT THE MARTIAL ARTS OF THE COSSACKS AND THE KNIGHTS SECOND I THINK. SO IT MOVED AND EVOLVED PRETTY MUCH UP UNTIL MODERN TIMES. THE SOVIETS KEPT SYSTEMA IN CERTAIN PLACES THEY WANTED, SO THEY USED IT IN THE SPECIAL FORCES IN RUSSIA. THERE’S A BIT OF A MISNOMER HERE, PEOPLE THINK THAT IT WAS THE SPETSNAZ, BUT IT WAS MORE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES. THIS HAS HAD A BEARING ON HOW SYSTEMA EVOLVED TOO. SO THAT’S THE BACKGROUND, IT’S PRETTY OLD AND CAME FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS SO IT HAS TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO WEAPONS, HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, AND IT EVOLVED THROUGH TIME INTO MODERN-DAY. DOUG: DID SYSTEMA HAVE EUROPEAN INFLUENCE OR ASIAN INFLUENCE OR HAS IT JUST COME OUT ON HIS OWN? MATT: I GUESS IT’S MIX OF ALL THREE REALLY. RUSSIA WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MOST OF THE WORLD. THE SIZE OF RUSSIA MEANT IT HAD IT HAD CHINA, THE FAR EAST, THE MONGOL EMPIRE ON ONE SIDE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, THE BATTLEFIELDS OF EUROPE ON THE OTHER. THEY HAD TO HAVE A FIGHTING STYLE THAT WAS VERY ADAPTABLE ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT TERRAIN. HORSEBACK, MOUNTAINOUS, DESERT, ROLLING COUNTRYSIDE, WOODS AND THEN AGAINST A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPPONENTS. THEY HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WASN’T A SET WAY BUT WAS QUITE ADAPTABLE, THEY WOULD HAVE PICKED UP INFLUENCES FROM PEOPLE THEY FOUGHT. IT’S A VERY NATURAL BASED APPROACH, SO IT LOOKS FOR NATURAL RESPONSES, KEY PRINCIPLES THAT YOU FOCUS ON AND USING PRACTICE YOU OPEN THINGS UP FOR YOU. THIS IS OUR FOUR PRINCIPLES IN SYSTEMA. IT’S REALLY LOOKS CLOSELY AT HOW YOU BREATHE AND MOVE. HOW WELL YOU CAN RELAX AND STAY CALM, AND HOW YOU MANAGE YOUR BODY POSITION, YOUR POSTURE STRUCTURE IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK POSTURE IS SHOULDERS BACK, CHEST OUT AND LOCKED KNEES. ACTUALLY POSTURE IS BEING READY FOR THE NEXT MOVEMENT AND SO WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS BUILD YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM. IF YOU WANT TO ADD OTHER THINGS ONTO IT THAT’S GREAT BUT THOSE FOUR THINGS REALLY CONSTITUTES A VERY EFFECTIVE OPERATING SYSTEM. Facebook Twitter Link Website Copyright © 2024 Enso Martial Arts Shop, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Enso Martial Arts Shop 190 Cheltenham Road Bristol, Avon BS6 5RB United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp S mailchimp