Ryabko's Systema
Encyclopedia
Ryabko's Systema is a type of martial art headed by Mikhail Ryabko
. Ryabko is a Colonel
in the Russia
n military
, and has past military, special forces
, and traditional Russian martial arts
training.
This art is variously called Systema
, "The System", "Russian martial arts
" and " poznaj sebya" (Russian language
: познай себя "discover yourself"). Although this art uses the same name as Kadochnikov's Systema
, it is different in a number of ways, most notably because it doesn't directly study biomechanics
. The practical philosophy, training methods, views on history and many other subtleties are completely different.
"The System" is a reference to the various systems of the body (Muscle
, Nervous system
, respiratory system
, etc) as well as elements of Psychology
and the Spirit
.
article describes history common to these arts.
The strongest influence of Ryabko
's style is from traditional Russian martial arts
, originally through a member of Sokoli Stalina (Russian
: Соколы Сталина "Stalin's Falcons" - Joseph Stalin
's personal bodyguards.)
Ryabko operates the Systema headquarters in Russia
, and continues to train students and military personnel, and also acts as an advisor. Lastly, belonging to the military, he still performs those duties. Students of various kinds travel to Russia to train with him.
Vladimir Vasiliev is Ryabko's senior student, who emigrated from Russia and presently heads the official Russian Martial Art Systema Headquarters outside of Russia, located in Toronto
Canada
. He has regular classes, and some students travel from international locations to train with him. He travels, mostly in North America
to host seminars.
Emmanuel Manolakakis is one of Vasiliev's senior students who also operates Fight Club in Toronto
Canada
. He also hosts and guests in seminars throughout North America, and has had appearances on television and radio. He has also produced instructional videos. Manolakakis is also one of the first instructors with a youth class.
Valentin Vasiliev, Vladimir's brother teaches in Munster Germany http://www.rma-deutschland.de/
Systema is taught in Port Hope, Ontario, by Sascha Lutz, a student of Vladimir Vasiliev.
One of most senior instructors and Ryabko's representative in Europe is Andreas Weitzel http://www.rma-systema.de/
Edgar Tsakouls teaches Systema at Fighthouse in New York, New York. Seminars that Ryabko has taught in New York have been released on dvd.
Arend Dubbelboer is also an instructor, who gives systema in The Netherlands.
He is trained by Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev.
In Belgium, Systema is taught by instructor Koen Vandersteene, also trained by Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko.
Although as of 2006 there are students who are three and four generations away from Ryabko, both Ryabko and Vasiliev remain the strongest influences and most capable practitioners.
In general, though, there is no set curriculum and no two classes even by the same instructor are the same. Commonly, training will include general calisthenics
, stretching
, breathing and exercises which dramatically enhance strength through body weight and one's natural range of motion. Despite generally being categorized as a martial art, training includes many of these health-enhancing exercises. Some training exercises could be seen as forms of meditation
or self-psychology
.
Some work could be done alone and some could be done with one or more students. Because Systema's popularity has expanded more than the availability of instructors and classes, solo-work is becoming more commonly seen with those who don't have ready access to an instructor.
Systema is particularly attractive to professionals in the police
, military
or bodyguard
professions, and even to "door men" (bouncer
s). Because of their special needs, and serious professional interest, their training may be very different from the "civilian self-defence" training which most undergo. The core lessons would be much the same, but specific circumstances and tools would vary. A bouncer may be interested in strikes with slaps instead of fists, a bodyguard would be interested in moving their charge to the ground without hurting them. Defence with knives, crowd or individual-psychology may be particularly important, etc. Work with handguns and rifles, night-work, stealth and espionage or any number of other topics are possible.
Any one exercise could be varied countless ways. Indeed, no exercise is counted and few exercises have more than a nickname to describe them. Most exercises are a description or a demonstration followed by the students trying it themselves. The exercise may be varied or transformed into a new exercise, or the training could progress to a different exercise. In some cases, students will choose to vary the exercise slightly to try something new or to practice something specific. In any case, there are many moments within any particular exercise which allow for variation. Working with a bigger or smaller partner is a notable example how one specific activity can vary widely.
Students attend to each exercise one after the other, without there being a concept of progression through a particular class or between different classes. Each student absorbs the content of their work in a unique way. Each student learns and understands "their Systema" uniquely.
Non-destruction: Training should not wear down the body or spirit. When done correctly, training energizes and heals.
Faith: This could be understood as relaxedness, openness to experience, confidence, mental fortitude or the like. Every practitioner expresses this in their own individual way.
Self-understanding: Systema is also known as "poznai sebia" (Russian language
: discover yourself
). Everyone is unique and should understand and apply themselves uniquely.
It is because of this personalness in training and understanding that Systema expresses itself uniquely in each person. Though surface ideas and so-called "philosophies" seem to differ between practitioners, Systema fundamentally encourages that practitioners adopt a philosophical disposition of openness to their experiences, so that they may attain truthful insight into their psyches
, to better understand personal strengths and weaknesses.
Other practices include massage
and strikes to alleviate stress and tension. Some practitioners douse
in cold-water. Typically, a bucket of cold water is left out to chill overnight; then poured over the head while standing outside with one's bare feet on the earth. Some students do weight training with kettlebell
s.
Other:
"Systema: Perspective in combat training" article by Kevin Secours]
articles by Kevin Secours
Mikhail Ryabko
Mikhail Ryabko is a Colonel in the Russian military, serves as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation and is the founder of Ryabko's Systema....
. Ryabko is a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, and has past military, special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
, and traditional Russian martial arts
Russian martial arts
There are a number of martial arts styles or schools of Russian origin.Traditional Russian fist fighting was outlawed in the Russian Empire in 1832.During the Soviet era the government wanted to create both military hand-to-hand combat systems and combat sports....
training.
This art is variously called Systema
Systema
Systema is a Russian martial art. Training includes: hand to hand combat, grappling, knife fighting and fire arms training as well. Training involves drills and sparring without set kata. It focuses mainly on controlling the six body levers through pressure point application, striking and weapon...
, "The System", "Russian martial arts
Russian martial arts
There are a number of martial arts styles or schools of Russian origin.Traditional Russian fist fighting was outlawed in the Russian Empire in 1832.During the Soviet era the government wanted to create both military hand-to-hand combat systems and combat sports....
" and " poznaj sebya" (Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: познай себя "discover yourself"). Although this art uses the same name as Kadochnikov's Systema
Kadochnikov's Systema
Kadochnikov's Systema is a Russian martial art developed by Aleksey Alekseyevich Kadochnikov.In development since 1962, this is a system said to be based on the application of the physical sciences, such as laws of mechanics/biomechanics/physics/psychology, etc. to hand to hand combat and survival...
, it is different in a number of ways, most notably because it doesn't directly study biomechanics
Biomechanics
Biomechanics is the application of mechanical principles to biological systems, such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells. Perhaps one of the best definitions was provided by Herbert Hatze in 1974: "Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of...
. The practical philosophy, training methods, views on history and many other subtleties are completely different.
"The System" is a reference to the various systems of the body (Muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
, Nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
, respiratory system
Respiratory system
The respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
, etc) as well as elements of Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and the Spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
.
History and Practitioners
Note: The SystemaSystema
Systema is a Russian martial art. Training includes: hand to hand combat, grappling, knife fighting and fire arms training as well. Training involves drills and sparring without set kata. It focuses mainly on controlling the six body levers through pressure point application, striking and weapon...
article describes history common to these arts.
The strongest influence of Ryabko
Mikhail Ryabko
Mikhail Ryabko is a Colonel in the Russian military, serves as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation and is the founder of Ryabko's Systema....
's style is from traditional Russian martial arts
Russian martial arts
There are a number of martial arts styles or schools of Russian origin.Traditional Russian fist fighting was outlawed in the Russian Empire in 1832.During the Soviet era the government wanted to create both military hand-to-hand combat systems and combat sports....
, originally through a member of Sokoli Stalina (Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Соколы Сталина "Stalin's Falcons" - Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's personal bodyguards.)
Ryabko operates the Systema headquarters in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and continues to train students and military personnel, and also acts as an advisor. Lastly, belonging to the military, he still performs those duties. Students of various kinds travel to Russia to train with him.
Vladimir Vasiliev is Ryabko's senior student, who emigrated from Russia and presently heads the official Russian Martial Art Systema Headquarters outside of Russia, located in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He has regular classes, and some students travel from international locations to train with him. He travels, mostly in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to host seminars.
Emmanuel Manolakakis is one of Vasiliev's senior students who also operates Fight Club in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He also hosts and guests in seminars throughout North America, and has had appearances on television and radio. He has also produced instructional videos. Manolakakis is also one of the first instructors with a youth class.
Valentin Vasiliev, Vladimir's brother teaches in Munster Germany http://www.rma-deutschland.de/
Systema is taught in Port Hope, Ontario, by Sascha Lutz, a student of Vladimir Vasiliev.
One of most senior instructors and Ryabko's representative in Europe is Andreas Weitzel http://www.rma-systema.de/
Edgar Tsakouls teaches Systema at Fighthouse in New York, New York. Seminars that Ryabko has taught in New York have been released on dvd.
Arend Dubbelboer is also an instructor, who gives systema in The Netherlands.
He is trained by Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev.
In Belgium, Systema is taught by instructor Koen Vandersteene, also trained by Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko.
Although as of 2006 there are students who are three and four generations away from Ryabko, both Ryabko and Vasiliev remain the strongest influences and most capable practitioners.
Training
Training can vary widely between classes or the focuses of each student. For example, instructors may have their own unique preferences and students may have injuries or fears which complicate certain exercises.In general, though, there is no set curriculum and no two classes even by the same instructor are the same. Commonly, training will include general calisthenics
Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a form of aerobic exercise consisting of a variety of simple, often rhythmical, movements, generally using multiple equipment or apparatus. They are intended to increase body strength and flexibility with movements such as bending, jumping, swinging, twisting or kicking, using...
, stretching
Stretching
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific skeletal muscle is deliberately elongated, often by abduction from the torso, in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and reaffirm comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility and...
, breathing and exercises which dramatically enhance strength through body weight and one's natural range of motion. Despite generally being categorized as a martial art, training includes many of these health-enhancing exercises. Some training exercises could be seen as forms of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
or self-psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
Some work could be done alone and some could be done with one or more students. Because Systema's popularity has expanded more than the availability of instructors and classes, solo-work is becoming more commonly seen with those who don't have ready access to an instructor.
Systema is particularly attractive to professionals in the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
or bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
professions, and even to "door men" (bouncer
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
s). Because of their special needs, and serious professional interest, their training may be very different from the "civilian self-defence" training which most undergo. The core lessons would be much the same, but specific circumstances and tools would vary. A bouncer may be interested in strikes with slaps instead of fists, a bodyguard would be interested in moving their charge to the ground without hurting them. Defence with knives, crowd or individual-psychology may be particularly important, etc. Work with handguns and rifles, night-work, stealth and espionage or any number of other topics are possible.
Any one exercise could be varied countless ways. Indeed, no exercise is counted and few exercises have more than a nickname to describe them. Most exercises are a description or a demonstration followed by the students trying it themselves. The exercise may be varied or transformed into a new exercise, or the training could progress to a different exercise. In some cases, students will choose to vary the exercise slightly to try something new or to practice something specific. In any case, there are many moments within any particular exercise which allow for variation. Working with a bigger or smaller partner is a notable example how one specific activity can vary widely.
Students attend to each exercise one after the other, without there being a concept of progression through a particular class or between different classes. Each student absorbs the content of their work in a unique way. Each student learns and understands "their Systema" uniquely.
Ryabko Systema philosophy and practices
Actual practices can vary widely between practitioners, especially for those who come from a different background and continue existing practices and training. Although there is no official, rigid "belief system" or ideology that is taught, most practitioners over time seem to share similar core values, including:Non-destruction: Training should not wear down the body or spirit. When done correctly, training energizes and heals.
Faith: This could be understood as relaxedness, openness to experience, confidence, mental fortitude or the like. Every practitioner expresses this in their own individual way.
Self-understanding: Systema is also known as "poznai sebia" (Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: discover yourself
Know thyself
The Ancient Greek aphorism "Know thyself", Greek: ', English phonetics pronunciation: , was inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek periegetic writer Pausanias .The maxim, or aphorism, "Know Thyself" has had a variety of meanings attributed to it in...
). Everyone is unique and should understand and apply themselves uniquely.
It is because of this personalness in training and understanding that Systema expresses itself uniquely in each person. Though surface ideas and so-called "philosophies" seem to differ between practitioners, Systema fundamentally encourages that practitioners adopt a philosophical disposition of openness to their experiences, so that they may attain truthful insight into their psyches
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
, to better understand personal strengths and weaknesses.
Other practices include massage
Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
and strikes to alleviate stress and tension. Some practitioners douse
Dousing
Dousing is the practice of making something or someone wet by throwing liquid over them, e.g., by pouring water, generally cold, over oneself. A related practice is ice swimming. Some consider cold water dousing to be a form of asceticism....
in cold-water. Typically, a bucket of cold water is left out to chill overnight; then poured over the head while standing outside with one's bare feet on the earth. Some students do weight training with kettlebell
Kettlebell
The kettlebell or girya is a cast-iron weight used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.Sizes may range from to...
s.
Article sources
- Vasiliev, Vladimir. The Russian System Guidebook (1997 Optimum Training Systems, Visalia, CA USA)
- Vasiliev, Vladimir and Meredith, Scott. Let Every Breath ... Secrets of the Russian Breath Masters (2006 V. Vasiliev, Toronto, Canada)
- Russian System HQ - History
- Fight Club - About the Russian Martial Arts
Systema in the media
A number of publications have featured Systema. Here are a few:- On Thursday October 25, 2007, filming of Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev at the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Headquarters in Manhattan will be done for a new Discovery Channel program. - In The Media from russianmartialart.com
- Systema's top exponent in Dunbeath (archive.org) - News article (and video) regarding Rob Poyton's visit to north Scotland.
- CTV TravelCTV TravelTravel + Escape is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Glassbox Television. The channel is devoted to travel and adventure programming.-History:...
's Go Warrior: Russia (season 1)
Other:
- Vladimir Vasiliev was an instructor at the 2003 Aiki Expo.
- Mikhail RyabkoMikhail RyabkoMikhail Ryabko is a Colonel in the Russian military, serves as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation and is the founder of Ryabko's Systema....
and Vladimir Vasiliev were instructors at the 2005 Aiki Expo.
External links
- Mikhail Ryabko's website (in Russian)
- Russian Martial Art. The System by Vladimir Vasiliev
- Affiliates -- has some other websites
- Forum -- The primary Systema forum.
- Pacific Coast Systema -- Pacific Coast Systema
- New York City Systema -- New York City Systema at Fighthouse
- Systema Belgium -- Systema Belgium
- Systema UK -- Systema UK
- http://www.polygonelite.com -- Systema - Polygon Elite, NYC
- http://www.meibukanmagazine.org/No10July2008.htm Meibukan Magazine no 10 July 2008
"Systema: Perspective in combat training" article by Kevin Secours]
- Meibukan Magazine no 9 september 2007 "Interview with Mikhail Ryabko" article by Kevin Secours
- Meibukan Magazine no 7 June 2006 "The training methods of the warriors of ancient russia"
articles by Kevin Secours
- Russian Martial Arts Split - Croatia
- Systema Serbia - with instructor Milos Malic