Although I usually kick back, read the newspaper, and write in my
journal after a Systema class, I watched a movie after Saturday's
class, and by the time I got home and sat down with my journal, I had
kind of forgotten what happened in class. Blame it on "Pirates of the
Caribbean." I do remember that at a certain point, when we were
practicing ducking underneath punches, Edgar had us swing at each
other about waist-high with short, blunt sticks, while we had to duck
underneath by sliding one leg until it was almost parallel with the
floor. My butt is still a little bit sore, we were practicing
takedowns for a good twenty minutes, basically "freestyling" sparring
by attacking one of the six levels (head, shoulders, elbows,
hips/groin, knees, ankles).

Due to lack of notes about class, this post is a little bit
different. It's a rundown of a typical Systema class. Systema class
is always different, every single time. Systema is a form of self-
expression, though some do not believe it's an art, certainly every
Systema-ists tailors the basic principles to fit their own physical
and psychological profile.

Class is scheduled for an hour-and-a-half, but we generally work for
two-and-a-half and sometimes even three hours. Clearly our
instructor, Edgar Tsakouls, is generous with his time. He is always
available before or after class for anyone who has questions. Class
generally follows this format:

Stretches: we lay on the floor and stretch freestyle for several
minutes

Conditioning/warm-ups: pushups, situps, leg lifts (where you lay on
your back and lift your legs so your toes touch the floor behind your
head), and squats. We do five breathing in on the downpress, five
breathing out on the downpress, and five without breathing at all.
Sometimes we do 7, with the first a one-count, the second a two-
count, etc., then reverse the breathing and do seven more.

Partnered stretching: We sometimes help our partners stretch their
back or shoulders.

Rolling/floor-work: we sometimes practice rolling or other floor
work, such as laying on our backs trying to move by wiggling only our
shoulders.

Yielding exercises: light pushes, walking "into" partners while they
avoid, evading punches, light kicks at shin level, sometimes the
partner returns the energy in the same sort of push, sometimes this
takes the form of a "melee" where we push or walk toward each other.

Pain compliance: limb-twisting, usually of the wrists, sometimes the
ankles, by one or more persons while the person being twisted had to
yield and escape.

Slow sparring: most of our class is slow sparring, very often with
practice knives.

"Refresher" conditioning exercises: if we are too tense or sleepy,
Edgar has us do more pushups, leglifts, situps, and squats, usually
of the forty-count variety.

More slow sparring, takedowns, disarms, etc.

Sensitivity exercise: sometimes we end class with a sensitivity or
pain-compliance exercise.

So that's a typical class for us at Fighthouse. A Systema class is a
unique experience, unlike a typical martial art class or workout
experience. The sense of "flow" that develops from the breathing and
relaxation, and sparring in slow motion, is addictive. I would
recommend it to anyone regardless of age, skill, or physical
condition. You can find an affiliate school in your neighborhood at
Vladimir Vasiliev's site: http://www.russianmartialart.com

*Vsego nailuchshego* (best wishes),
Rachel