“Can you suggest some Systema drills I could incorporate to the martial art I already practice?” This is a question that practitioners of various combat systems ask me every now and then and, honestly, I find it rather frustrating. Never mind the answer (or, if you really want to know, it’s both yes and no) – what I find frustrating is that there’s a large number of people out there who are involved in the martial arts and think that Systema is just a large collection of drills and exercises! Out of this collection, they believe they can pick whatever they find useful, or plain cool, and practice it out of context: for example, I’ve heard of Kenpo people “using Systema concepts” and others who practice “a combination of Systema and Krav Maga” and you know what? This is simply not possible! Even worse is the fact that there are also people who actually practice Systema and think that it’s just a collection of drills, simply because they’re missing the art’s context…So, to make a long story short, I thought about writing this article in order to clarify that there is a context - a bigger picture, if you like – and explain what this context is, based on my knowledge and training experience. What I’m going to describe is three sets of rules (my personal cheat-sheet) that I’ve come upon while studying various Russian resources on hand-to-hand combat and athletic movement in general. I use them to help me classify the huge number of Systema training drills or devise new ones, according to the attribute or skill which is being exercised (so that I know what I’m training for) and trouble-shoot the training sessions of the Göteborgs Systema – RMA Klubb (so when something does not work, I know what the mistake is). Before I begin, let me clarify one more thing: these sets of rules in no way constitute an “official Systema training guide”, that’s why I’m referring to it as a personal cheat-sheet. Oh, and they’re also not set in stone, right???
Are you sitting comfortably? Good, then I’ll begin!
Rules set #1: N.A. Bernstein’s definition of dexterity
I do quote Bernstein’s work pretty often, I know, but when one’s field of study is human movement and especially athletic movement, it is practically impossible to by-pass this hugely important Russian Jewish neuroscientist of the 20th century. Well, according to Bernstein: “Dexterity is the ability to find a motor solution for any external situation, that is, to adequately solve any emerging motor problem correctly (i.e., adequately and accurately), quickly (with respect to both decision making and achieving a correct result), rationally (i.e., expediently and economically), and resourcefully (i.e., quick-wittedly and initiatively)”(1) . I believe it is quite obvious that any sort of combat skill, such as striking, evading a strike, throwing an opponent down, escaping from a restraining hold etc., can be treated as a motor problem that needs to be adequately solved, so it is a matter of dexterity. In this respect, the Russian Martial Art training methods place equal emphasis to each one of the four features of dexterity, according to Bernstein, in the following ways:
• In Systema, when training for a specific skill, we just follow a universal set of guidelines (do not hold the breath, keep a sound body structure, do not restrict your own mobility) and focus on the effect one’s movement has on the environment. For example, when we practice throws, instead of giving exhaustingly detailed instructions on how a technique is performed “correctly” (e.g. “put your foot exactly ten centimeters on the outside of the opponents foot" or "the left hand pulls diagonally down, while the right hand pushes straight up"), we just emphasize the universal guidelines and then focus on throwing the opponent to the ground. This way, the body learns how to solve a motor problem by… well, actually solving it! Contemporary sports science has proved that this approach to teaching motor skills is more effective: according to the constrained action hypothesis (2) proposed by a number of sport scientists in the beginning of this decade, “… when individuals focus on their movements they tend to consciously intervene in control processes that regulate the coordination of their movements. Yet, by attempting to actively control their movements, they inadvertently disrupt automatic processes that have the capacity to control movements effectively and efficiently. In contrast, focusing attention on the movement effect promotes a more automatic type of control”(3).
• It might seem strange, but in Systema we train for quickness in achieving the desirable result by INITIALLY training at slow speed. This way, we first develop the correct movement mechanics (which is in direct relation with the rationality of the movement, the third feature of dexterity) that will inevitably lead to more speed in performing an action – slow becomes smooth, and then smooth becomes fast. Also, by beginning our training at a slow time framing and gradually increasing the speed, we condition the brain to perceive multiple stimuli, thus increasing our reaction speed and at the same time building anticipation skills.
• Regarding the issue of efficiency in movement (i.e. getting the job done with minimum energy expenditure, getting more bang for your buck, if you like), first of all, keep in mind that the human body is a natural energy-efficient system: for example, if it is possible for you to lift an object by using one single motor unit (this means one motor neuron and the muscle fibers corresponding to it), you body would rather do this than use two or three motor units and thus waste energy. The historic roots of Systema as a combat system taught in the elite units of the Soviet military, place special emphasis on movement efficiency. The reason is pretty simple: unlike a professional fighter, who has to face only one opponent at a time and can “give 110%” of his effort in each of his fights - since his next fight is after two months - a soldier must find ways to drastically reduce his fatigue and recover to pre-combat levels of energy, because he must always be ready to fight. One more thing, and please pay extra attention to this, because it is crucial for your training: what you focus upon when you’re training affects the amounts of energy you expend! Gabriele Wulf, PhD, professor of kinesiology at the University of Nevada, claims that “…an external focus has been shown to reduce muscular activity, thereby enhancing movement efficiency. Moreover, an external focus seems to result in more effective coordination between agonist and antagonist muscle groups”(4) . So, once again, when training pay attention to the desired effect of your actions on the environment (your opponent for example), not minuscule details of your own movement – these have a tendency to take care of themselves.
• The fourth feature of dexterity, according to Bernstein, is resourcefulness and the heart of it, in my opinion, lies in the ability to correctly find a solution to a motor problem in conditions of an environment that changes unexpectedly. Well, one of the basic doctrinal tenets of Systema is to rely upon spontaneous improvisation to generate uniquely appropriate solutions to unfolding situations and that is why we do not train in pre-arranged techniques.
So, the first part of the context I was talking about in the beginning of this article is that Russian Martial Art does not consist of a number of comprehensive, start-to-finish, martial arts techniques that someone learns in order to “graduate”. It is rather a training method to make one’s body dexterous, “clever” enough to solve the motor problems of hand-to-hand combat – even those one hasn't faced before and does not expect to face...
In the second part of this article we will discuss the “Three Pillars of Systema” (yeah, I know some people talk about four pillars, but I can explain that).
• In Systema, when training for a specific skill, we just follow a universal set of guidelines (do not hold the breath, keep a sound body structure, do not restrict your own mobility) and focus on the effect one’s movement has on the environment. For example, when we practice throws, instead of giving exhaustingly detailed instructions on how a technique is performed “correctly” (e.g. “put your foot exactly ten centimeters on the outside of the opponents foot" or "the left hand pulls diagonally down, while the right hand pushes straight up"), we just emphasize the universal guidelines and then focus on throwing the opponent to the ground. This way, the body learns how to solve a motor problem by… well, actually solving it! Contemporary sports science has proved that this approach to teaching motor skills is more effective: according to the constrained action hypothesis (2) proposed by a number of sport scientists in the beginning of this decade, “… when individuals focus on their movements they tend to consciously intervene in control processes that regulate the coordination of their movements. Yet, by attempting to actively control their movements, they inadvertently disrupt automatic processes that have the capacity to control movements effectively and efficiently. In contrast, focusing attention on the movement effect promotes a more automatic type of control”(3).
• It might seem strange, but in Systema we train for quickness in achieving the desirable result by INITIALLY training at slow speed. This way, we first develop the correct movement mechanics (which is in direct relation with the rationality of the movement, the third feature of dexterity) that will inevitably lead to more speed in performing an action – slow becomes smooth, and then smooth becomes fast. Also, by beginning our training at a slow time framing and gradually increasing the speed, we condition the brain to perceive multiple stimuli, thus increasing our reaction speed and at the same time building anticipation skills.
• Regarding the issue of efficiency in movement (i.e. getting the job done with minimum energy expenditure, getting more bang for your buck, if you like), first of all, keep in mind that the human body is a natural energy-efficient system: for example, if it is possible for you to lift an object by using one single motor unit (this means one motor neuron and the muscle fibers corresponding to it), you body would rather do this than use two or three motor units and thus waste energy. The historic roots of Systema as a combat system taught in the elite units of the Soviet military, place special emphasis on movement efficiency. The reason is pretty simple: unlike a professional fighter, who has to face only one opponent at a time and can “give 110%” of his effort in each of his fights - since his next fight is after two months - a soldier must find ways to drastically reduce his fatigue and recover to pre-combat levels of energy, because he must always be ready to fight. One more thing, and please pay extra attention to this, because it is crucial for your training: what you focus upon when you’re training affects the amounts of energy you expend! Gabriele Wulf, PhD, professor of kinesiology at the University of Nevada, claims that “…an external focus has been shown to reduce muscular activity, thereby enhancing movement efficiency. Moreover, an external focus seems to result in more effective coordination between agonist and antagonist muscle groups”(4) . So, once again, when training pay attention to the desired effect of your actions on the environment (your opponent for example), not minuscule details of your own movement – these have a tendency to take care of themselves.
• The fourth feature of dexterity, according to Bernstein, is resourcefulness and the heart of it, in my opinion, lies in the ability to correctly find a solution to a motor problem in conditions of an environment that changes unexpectedly. Well, one of the basic doctrinal tenets of Systema is to rely upon spontaneous improvisation to generate uniquely appropriate solutions to unfolding situations and that is why we do not train in pre-arranged techniques.
So, the first part of the context I was talking about in the beginning of this article is that Russian Martial Art does not consist of a number of comprehensive, start-to-finish, martial arts techniques that someone learns in order to “graduate”. It is rather a training method to make one’s body dexterous, “clever” enough to solve the motor problems of hand-to-hand combat – even those one hasn't faced before and does not expect to face...
In the second part of this article we will discuss the “Three Pillars of Systema” (yeah, I know some people talk about four pillars, but I can explain that).
References:
(1)Latash Mark L., Turvey Michael T. Dexterity and Its Development. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 1996, p. 228
(2)Wulf, G., McNevin, N.H., & Shea, C.H. The automaticity of complex motor skill learning as a function of attentional focus. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54A, 1143 – 1154 (2001)
(3)Wulf, G., Attention and Motor Skill Learning. Human Kinetics, 2007, p. 113
(4)Ibid., p. 116
(2)Wulf, G., McNevin, N.H., & Shea, C.H. The automaticity of complex motor skill learning as a function of attentional focus. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54A, 1143 – 1154 (2001)
(3)Wulf, G., Attention and Motor Skill Learning. Human Kinetics, 2007, p. 113
(4)Ibid., p. 116
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