Strikes: Russian Martial Art, the System
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DVD details
Running Time: 85 unknown-unitsPublished: 2003
Studio: Systema
DVD Reviews of Strikes: Russian Martial Art, the System
DVD Review: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
So this is Systema huh? There are people who swear by Systema and others who say it is complete BS. After watching this video, unfortunately I am going to have to call BS on Systema. I am not saying that Vasiliev and Ryabko are not great fighters. They obviously are, but that does not mean Systema is a practical art.
Ryabko and company are claiming that their brand of Systema (Systema, Russian for "system," is a generic term) is based on ancient Russian fighting arts dating back to the 10th century. They claim that such fighting arts were banned by the communists and that only government officials were allowed to practice them. Ryabko claims that one of Stalin's bodyguards started teaching him this secret art when he was five. The ancient, secret art of Systema thus survives through him.
Is this story exciting? You bet! Does it help sell Systema? Certainly! Is it true? Well.... Some martial arts researchers doubt it. The folks over at bullshido.com, for instance, analyzed the moves utilized in Ryabko's Systema and concluded that it's really just Sambo (which is a modern art) with Spiridonov's SAMOZ style thrown in for good measure. ( Ryabko's style is also NOT the same thing as Kadochnikov's Systema, which was developed in the 1960s and was likely also based on Sambo.)
It's interesting that Systema is being marketed differently nowadays. They are starting to steer clear of all the "psychic energy" BS and are trying to sell Systema as a practical fighting art. Good luck. There are far too many video clips floating around depicting complete and utter BS with the Systema name attached for this to be pulled off completely. This DVD is a good example. Well, if I'm saying it's BS then I need to give examples, right? Right--and this DVD is chocked full of examples.
First, a claim made right on the back of the DVD is that Vasiliev will teach you how to hit someone so hard WITH YOUR CHEST that you can knock them down. BS! First, Vasiliev's thrusting of this chest into his opponent doesn't even look like it hurts (or even smarts) the opponent. Forget knocking him down. Second, why would ever do that in a real fight? You wouldn't! Don't expose your chest to your opponent! Vasiliev promises to show how to counter someone's punch with our chests in a way that will break their wrist. All he shows us is this ridiculous move where you quickly rotate your chest upon being struck. It is totally silly and reminds me of the clips where Systema practitioners respond to knife threats by rotating the body AFTER BEING STABBED. The DVD starts off with Vasiliev having us hit with our chests, then with our shoulders (why would you hit someone with your shoulder?), then our elbows, and finally, with our hands.
But in Systema you don't throw a real punch. Mikhail Ryabko says that straight punches affect your vision. This is more complete BS. Boxers eventually get brain damage because of the incessant blows to the head that they regularly receive, NOT because of throwing straight punches. In case you don't know, fighting in traditional boxing matches is MORE dangerous than cage fighting (including UFC).
So how do they punch in Systema? Well, everything is basically a hook. Normally, you stand perpendicular to the person you are going to strike, off to one side of them. The strike starts with your shoulder, then your elbow and then lands with your fist or palm in a "whipping" motion. You can also strike with little hammer blows. Supposedly Vasiliev and Ryabko's blows are so powerful that students cannot withstand it. The only thing is the punches don't look all that impressive. I would really like someone to objectively measure the impact of these hits. Ryabko makes fun of straight punching here, but in the 60s Black Belt magazine did an experiment. They rigged a punching bag with sensors that measured the impact of punches. They had a group of boxers and a group of karate experts punch the bag. The boxers, lo and behold, were on average hitting the bag 4 TIMES HARDER than the karate experts. I would guess that the typical Systema punch is even less powerful than the typical karate punch. Note that I am talking about normal people throwing Systema-style punches, not Vasiliev himself. I'm sure Vasiliev can throw quite a hook, but he can also supposedly do pull-ups using only the backs of his hands!
This DVD also shows Ryabko "healing" students. Apparently if you punch someone and it hurts them, if you simply grab at the air in front of the point of impact this "takes the punch away." The DVD shows Vasiliev doing this and students nodding that they feel better. This is purely psychosomatic nonsense of course. In one bit Ryabko punches a guy. The guy acts like the blow hurt. Ryabko then does some nonsense with his fingers on the guy's chest and the guy says that the punch has now "settled in his stomach." Ryabko then does some nonsense with his fingers on the guy's stomach and then the guy smiles and nods, indicating that the punch is "gone." Whatever. In another scene Ryabko punches a guy who then staggers around and stomps his foot. This is a big, stammering idiot who overreacts to the slightest tap for dramatic effect (see link below). Ryabko then says that the guy had to stomp his foot because the punch "settled" in the guy's pelvis and "wouldn't leave," and so he stomped his foot to send it to the floor. I have also seen it claimed that Systema-style punches are so devastating that even bystanders can feel their impact. BS.
Ryabko goes so far as to say that different punches have different effects. Some of his punches, he claims, can heal people. Some give strength. Some have a calming effect. Huh? Now this is pure lunacy!
The DVD also shows Ryabko putting a student to "sleep" with his "psyche." BS. Similar chicanery can be seen on the video Beyond the Physical, where Ryabko seemingly throws people around the room without even touching them. As the folks over at bullshido point out, the students are likely performing avoidance exercises. This is also simply a matter of operant conditioning. The demonstrations are very similar to standard chi demonstrations in other martial arts. The student learns how to move when the teacher moves a certain way. First the student learns how to respond to certain throws and will move in concert with the teacher. Eventually the teacher does not even need to touch students and they will still respond in the conditioned manner, reinforced both by the teacher and the social situation created by the presence of other students. The teacher, not being familiar with the principles of operant conditioning, is conditioned by his own first-hand experiences that the feats unfolding before him are the result of some ability of his. Note that the teacher is also conditioned to believe it too. He is not necessarily conning people. But also notice that such techniques are NOT used by such a teacher when being attacked for real by someone he doesn't know.
The reinforcement caused by the reactions of other student spectators is an important factor. It is all very similar to hypnosis, which only "works" when the hypnotee has certain beliefs about what it means to be hypnotized and then acts in a way which suggests such beliefs are true. The hypnotist searches the crowd for a "good" hypnotee, which is someone who wants to be a "good" hypnotic subject. The "good" hypnotic subject attempts to fulfill the role presenting itself to him in the hypnotic social situation (see Spanos' Multiple Identities and False Memories for a thorough explanation of such phenomena, including certain bogus martial arts demonstrations). This can be seen when someone hypnotized to be "blind" says they can't read what's written on a large piece of paper. When they are then told that only fakers claim to be totally blind and that people who are really hypnotized see an image which then quickly fades, they say "Oh yeah, I saw a figure 8 that disappeared." (They were never told it was a figure 8.)
Unfortunately, Systema seems to be chocked full of such nonsense. Vasiliev once wrote that if you stare at yourself in a mirror while standing in a dark room with a candle lit behind you that eventually you will not see yourself; you will see an animal instead. This is your "spirit animal." Vasiliev claims his is a wolf. Complete BS.
Most clips of people using Systema for self defense are laughable. They typically consist of two or three people launching very fake "attacks" in slow motion with no intent to land any hits and no follow through. They slow down and wait for the Systema "expert" to throw them. It all kind of looks like a Steven Seagal fight scene--how all the people that attack him in his movies simply throw themselves at him with the reflexes of a crash test dummy. In the end, Systema by itself does not look like a very practical fighting art. I have seen it noted, for instance, that most Systema practitioners who are competent fighters are also experts in other martial arts. To try and strengthen the Russian heritage of it all, Systema is now very closely tied in with the Russian Orthodox faith. A lot of their training is very faith based and involves a lot of proselytizing. (I once saw it estimated that roughly 10% of practitioners end up converting.)
[...]
DVD Review: the power of relaxation
Summary: 5 Stars
I can't add much to the product description, but I can say that since I have been studying the principles of Systema, my outpower has increased greatly. Combining relaxation with timing and breathing has helped in a huge way. I suppose you may think that you already are relaxed, and maybe you are, but my guess is that you'll be able to do so even more if you study Systema's approach to movement and fighting.
This tape is divided into two parts- one taught by Vladimir Vasiliev, the other by his teacher, Mikhail Ryabko. They have different emphases in their styles of teaching, but both have devistating effects. Great stuff!
Description of Strikes: Russian Martial Art, the System
Over the centuries, Russian warriors have become famous for their superhuman ability to both deliver and take strikes. You can now see why! For the first time ever, the closely guarded bare-knuckle, full-contact training secrets of these awesome fighters are revealed on film by the Founders and Chief Instructors of Russian Martial Art - Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev. Perfected only at a few Russian Special Operation Units, you've never imagined strikes like these before! Hitting someone with your chest so effectively to knock him over. Transferring the impact of a blow right out of your body onto another person. Small, subtle hits so powerful that even the bystanders feel them. Light punches that reach the internal organs bypassing the muscles. Phenomenal use of breathing and psychology to dispel direct blows. Unbelievable strikes that remove stress, tension, fear, that make people stronger and actually heal them! Observe a tremendous variety of strikes, the apparent and the subtle, straight and whip-like, surface and internal, delivered with deadly accuracy and efficiency. Witness the exceptional scenes of people waiting in line to take punches and grateful for the experience! Watch the most unique use of human physical and psychological potential. Warning: The contact in Strikes is real. Filmed at the actual training sessions in real time and speed. Not to be attempted without the supervision of a certified Russian Martial Art instructor.Martial Arts DVDs
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