No conditioning exercises tonight, for the first time in more than 6 weeks of classes, I didn't have to struggle through pushups, situps, leg-lifts and squats....
Lately we've been starting class with this exercise where you are in a backbend type position, I think it's called a "bridge" but I'm not sure. Then you are...
Hello, This subject comes up frequently on the various Systema forums, mostly asked by people who live too far away from an instructor to take classes, or who...
Terrific write ups. I just joined a Systema group last week and my trainer is George. What an azing trainer he is! I like reading your Systema stories....
Hi my name is Jeff I just started studying systema about 3or 4 weeks ago. I have studied karate, kickboxing, sambo, taichi, xingyi, baqua, piqua. I think...
Hello, Thanks, Jeff and Mike, for introducing yourselves. Stay tuned for training diary #15 and if anyone feels like posting a writeup of their training...
We started almost cold today, warming up only with floor hip and shoulder exercises, i.e. wiggling across the floor using just the shoulders while laying on...
Saturday We started with our customeary 15-set conditioning exercises with varied breathing, and then wiggling across the floor using just the hips or...
Hello, I want to tell you about a new forum about martial and holistic arts, Fighthouse (the dojo where I train), and New York City. It's located at...
Jeff Here I was just wondering if anyone here ever heard of the method of strengthening the body with water and if so has anyone used it yet I tried it for the...
FYI, some useful information and chilling illustrations of Russian cold water therapy: http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/cold.html Best wishes, Rachel ... you...
I was still sore from Saturday's class on the mats. I thought it would be easier falling and rolling on the mats, but actually the hardwood floors are smoother...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Denis "the Menace," a Russian Systema teacher visiting NYC from Arizona, was our guest instructor on Wednesday night. Edgar told us Denis had many years of...
the difference is between the terms: soft systema and hard systema and %-wise what is the application of each during a fight and what does it depend on? In...
Hi Mike, I'm afraid I let you down as a moderator. I could not find any information about the questions you asked. My only suggestion would be to post the same...
Saturday Martin Wheeler Seminar This is a review of the Martin Wheeler seminar on February 14th at Fighthouse. Martin Wheeler was our first Systema teacher; my...
Hi, I have some information on hard/soft Systema from a certified Systema teacher: "In real Systema -- there is no such ratio. It is 'whatever is necessary' to...
Hi all, In case anyone was looking for it, I deleted the post about the free online martial arts magazine, and instead I added it as a link in our Links...
Hi, Just in case anyone is missing my semi-regular posts. I keep my training logs in a diary, I hand-write them all, then type them up. Lately I've been a bit...
My logs for class # 19-22 are handwritten in my journal, but I haven't typed them up. It was approximately my 23rd lesson, so I decided to maintain the...
I missed the warm-ups because I was a little late, coming straight from work, it took me longer to change. I heard Edgar leading the class through breathing...
The day classes have a nice relaxed vibe; Edgar waited for me to change before beginning our usual four warm-ups, 30 sets of each of the 4. Then we gave each...
