Systema--Technique-free?

[Klondike93]

Great post Kwan!!

Yes it was.

That was algebra!

And I suck at math too

 

[arnisador]

"It is our nature to want to do technique."

Thanks, these have been helpful responses! I think I am starting to get it.

I am not quite sure on "wave-like figure-eight movement" though! Does this underlie all or only some strikes? I know TKD has a "sine wave" theory.

 

[Klondike93]

Sine wave is more like settling your base in Kenpo, the wave in the system is more like a whip effect. It can be used with strikes, kicks, and even evading attacks. Very cool stuff

 

[Kwan Lee]

You guys are welcome!

Arnisador,

You can start by looking at your relaxed shoulder. Begin by very slowly rotating your shoulder circularly to the extreme ranges of motion without straining. Then pick up speed. The rest of your arm should be totally relaxed and should be doing a bit of a whipping up and down as your shoulder rotates. Change directions.

This kind of natural whipping motion gets enhanced as you coordinate the rotation of your shoulder onto the a half-twisting movement of your torso. Keep straight in posture while doing this.

It gets further enhanced when you incorporate the figure-8 motion of the shoulder instead of the plain circle. This movement is great in helping you evade or slip an attack/punch/kick and immediately attacking with same part of the body that was targeted.

Of course, you would first train the figure-8 slowly in the horizontal and vertical directions, then incorporate the twisting at the waist. If you first do this quickly, without knowing what you are doing, it looks like there is something wrong with you mentally. Start slowly, and as you begin to feel the "wave" energy propogate through your relaxed arm and shoulder, you will be able to connect this sensation throughout the upper body and into the hips where you can get your legs involved.

Later, you can start this wave motion without telegraphing by training to start the wave on a step or a movement to correct yourself after being thrown off balance.

Hope this was clear,

Kwan Lee

 

[arnisador]

I followed you up to the adding the figure 8 movement.

It does help me put words to what's unusual about Vlad Vasiliev's movement as I see it in the tapes (I don't have them, but my instructor does). I could see it a little while rotating my shoulder around.

 

[woda]

How do you do the figure 8?

 

[Pervaz]

Woda,

Theres a good article on http://www.formauk.org/ross.html - written by John Dovey (i think?). It gives a good overview of the principles

Thanks

P

 

[NYCRonin]

The article does give a good 'overview' but it is a difficult idea to put down into print. I agree with the author - it is much easier to demonstrate - "to show this" - as my teacher says.
Actually, I believe this entire thread has enough information that, with experimentation, a reader could begin to understand the figure 8.
Experiment - in leu of an instructor.

 

[woda]

Yeah, after reading it, I agree with NYCRonin. Tell me this then: I have H2H, Holds R&A, Defence from Weapons, Mass Attacks and Strikes. Is this principle shown in one of these films?

 

[NYCRonin]

Yep, most notably in H2H and mass attacks - though you wont hear any special attention brought to it. wath Vlad as he is working against the group in 'mass' and think about the written stuff above - you should see it jump out at you now.

 

[Clive]

For ways of punching see the H2H videos, Vladimir shows a good selection of the types of punches used in Systema, a good one i my opinion is Tichok, where you have one guy holding your arms from behind while you try and hit a guy in front. It stresses working from a disadvantage. You also have the military punch, this you use your body weight and let your arm fall on the guy, the idea is that when you are tired you need an effective strike you can use that will not require you to use to much effort. There are others but I can't remember them. Sorry.

 

[woda]

Thank you.

 

[Brian King]

There has been some curiosity about Systema raised on a couple of recent threads here on MT. Rather than respond to those threads I decided to bump this VERY good thread back to the top of the page. Many answers can be found in this thread and other threads. I hope that it provides some answers that will aid in exploration.

Regards
Brian King