Well, don't give up on Systema, just that particular trainer. I
wouldn't continue training with a teacher who is inflicting pain
beyond what is reasonable for a martial arts class. I'm surprised to
hear of this sort of behaviour from a certified Systema teacher.
Treating students like cannon fodder is more typical of the McDojo
style of training. I am certain there is no style that is gentler or
more suitable to all levels of experience and physical fitness than
Systema. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of certified
instructors so he may be the only one in your neighborhood. If that's
the case, I'd recommend finding some training partners and starting
an informal group, maybe get some videos, and practice on your own.
Try to get to seminars if any come within a few hours of where you
live. Or maybe there's another trainer that is farther away that you
could get to once a month or so. Here is a link to find other
teachers if you are lucky enough to have more than one in your area:
http://www.russianmartialart.com/main.php?page=affiliates
and you can also find a training partner here:
http://www.russianmartialart.com/main.php?page=partners
there used to be another "find a training partner" service on
MartialTalk.com but it does not appear to be working any more.
I hope you continue with Systema even if you cannot replace your
teacher. Good luck with your training and I'd love an update if you
manage to find a new teacher.
Best wishes,
Rachel


--- In systema_group@yahoogroups.com, "mikezcnc" <eemikez@c...> wrote:
> Well, I am jelous. My trainer does not know any of that. I've been
> going there for a month and it is insane what he is doing. .
>
> I am done with systema due to a fact that instructor is not safe to
> be around him.
>
> Good luck Rachel.
>
> Mike
>
> --- In systema_group@yahoogroups.com, "rkxyz" <rkxyz@y...> wrote:
> > Hm, I don't know what a downspiral press on a head is, but it
> sounds
> > painful. Our training isn't rough, just tough. The hardest part
for
> > me is all those conditioning exercises, especially the push-ups
and
> > sit-ups. When we just do them in the beginning of class, it's not
> too
> > bad, but lately we've been stopping our sparring every few
minutes
> to
> > do a bunch more pushups, 40-count squats, etc. The actual drills
> > aren't too rough, though, at least not for me, my mom, and the
two
> > other women in the class. There is no shortage of volunteers when
> our
> > instructor wants to demo a drill, even though they get knocked
> about
> > quite a bit. I think the guys enjoy it. But if Edgar demos on one
> of
> > the women, or the few guys who just started, he's quite a bit
> gentler
> > because we are relatively new to Systema. Actually Edgar and our
> > senior student are my favorite training partners because they are
> so
> > gentle; I think the more experienced the Systema-ist, the less
> likely
> > they are to be rough. But there is one drill where Edgar is not
at
> > all gentle, though I wouldn't go so far as to say he's rough.
> That's
> > the pain-compliance, limb-twisting drill where two people grab
your
> > wrists and twist as hard as they can while you try to escape.
> Somehow
> > I always wind up partnered with Edgar for this drill, and he
shows
> no
> > mercy. It's quite painful; Edgar told me "a little pain is
> healthy."
> > I think this kind of stoicism is part of the Russian concept of
> > physical fitness. But other than a little soreness around the
> wrists,
> > or some mild soreness from the conditioning exercises, I'm never
in
> > pain the next day. If I start class a little bit sore or stiff, I
> > always feel better after class. The only exception is one time I
> was
> > trying to do a backwards roll and my neck was sore for a few
days.
> I
> > can't seem to get the hang of rolling backwards. But Edgar does
not
> > insist that anyone do any drill or exercise if they don't feel
> > comfortable doing it. Sometimes, no-one in the whole class can do
> the
> > exercises he demonstrates (like 'walking' on the shoulders with
> legs
> > straight up in the air). However, I have some videotapes of
> training
> > at the Toronto School and it looks to me as if Edgar is a bit
more
> > gentle than Mr. Vasiliev and his instructors. Of course the guys
on
> > those tapes are volunteering as well, but I for one, would not
line
> > up to have Mr. Vasiliev hit me with a huge stick, punch my
internal
> > organs, or twist all my limbs like a pretzel. All of those are
> > thought to be beneficial and even healing to the victims, er,
> > volunteers.
> > I hope your trainer does not insist on these rough drills; after
> all,
> > you are civilians and paying for instruction which presumably is
> > going to make you feel healthier, stronger, and more confident
> rather
> > than causing pain. Might be a good idea to avoid training two
days
> in
> > a row. Systema training should enhance rather than limit your
other
> > physical activities. I would not hesitate to tell your instructor
> not
> > to hurt you; a good teacher should not insist on that sort of
> > training.
> > Good luck and *vsego nailuchshego* (best wishes),
> > Rachel
> >
> >
> > --- In systema_group@yahoogroups.com, "mikezcnc" <eemikez@c...>
> wrote:
> > > Very interesting stuff, Rachel except for the fact that one
writes
> > > CusteMa as in Russian lower 'u' means our 'i' (for lower case
> > > letters), for upper case leteter it is mirrored letter 'N'...
> > >
> > > PS I wrote capital M as lower case m would mean our 't'...
> > > But like you said it all means 'System'.
> > >
> > > Gosh I am hurting now. The trainer did a downspiral press on a
> head
> > > on me and it was already after previous hurts that way... Do
your
> > > trainers act like if you were a 16 old recruit with expandable
> life
> > > span of maximum 1 year and then they get the next one? I
cannot
> go
> > > to the training for the second day... how rough is your
training?
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In systema_group@yahoogroups.com, "rkxyz" <rkxyz@y...>
wrote:
> > > > I think the CNCTEMA with "n" reversed is Cyrillic
for "System"
> > > > (Systema is sometimes referred to as "The System). It looks a
> > > little
> > > > different than other Cyrillic I've seen, which has much less
> > > > resemblance to the English alphabet. The bat thing is a
Russian
> > > > Special Forces (Spetsnaz) insignia. I think it is also used
to
> > > > indicate military intelligence units. I don't know why they
> chose
> > > the
> > > > bat as their logo. Some people are afraid of bats, but
without
> > much
> > > > reason, as well as the Spetz, but with reason--they have a
> > fearsome
> > > > reputation. I've seen the one that looks nearly identical to
> > > > Batman's logo as well as another logo with bats silhouettes
> > flying
> > > > over a moon. Kind of Halloweenish with superhero overtones,
but
> I
> > > > think the bats might have something to do with the covertness
> and
> > > > secrecy which characterizes spec-ops. You can see all the
logos
> > > here:
> > > > http://www.spetsnaz.com.br/insignia.htm but they don't
explain
> > much
> > > > about the bat and what it symbolizes. Some Systema tee-shirts
> > have
> > > > the Spets logo on the sleeve but mostly it is used only by
> > Systema-
> > > > ists who were or are actual Spetsnaz.
> > > > The other logo that is on the front of Systema tee shirts is
> the
> > > > figure of a medieval knight with some Cyrillic words that I
> > believe
> > > > mean "Russian Martial Art" The knight alludes to Systema's
> > ancient
> > > > Slavic heritage as the fighting system of Cossacks and other
> > > medieval
> > > > Russian warriors. Because Russian knights did not have plate
> > mail,
> > > > they became adept at fluid movements that allowed their chain
> > mail
> > > to
> > > > protect them. Apparently chain mail can be cut by a sword if
> it's
> > > > stretched tightly enough, whereas if it's in a state of
> constant
> > > > fluid motion, it's harder to slice through it. If you've ever
> > tried
> > > > to cut ordinary fabric, you might understand this principle,
as
> > > > fabric is much easier to cut when stretched tightly. My
> > instructor
> > > > always tells us that if we relax our muscles, a punch or
knife
> > > thrust
> > > > will be less damaging than if our muscles are tensed up.
> > > > Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent. I wish I knew more about
> who
> > > > designed the knight logo or does it have a history that goes
> back
> > > > farther than the creation of the standard Systema tee-shirt
you
> > see
> > > > in every school. Also I am curious about the symbolism of the
> > bats.
> > > > There is a Russian ethnic group called the Bats, I wonder if
> > > there's
> > > > any connection? (http://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/bats.shtml)
Of
> > > > course the word for "bat" is quite different in Russian.
> > > > *Vsego nailuchshego* (best wishes),
> > > > Rachel