Russian Systema

Treebranch · Black Belt

Does anyone know a little about the history of this? It looks very similar to Budo Taijutsu and some the concepts are identical. Very cool stuff.
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"It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who
are willing to endure pain with patience."

"Always go for the submission"

cathal · Black Belt

As far as I know (anyone please feel free to correct me) it was started by Cossacks a very long time ago. It started off as a loose system as more and more border mercenaries were hired to help protect their land. As the country became more connected so did the techniques. When the Spetznas started up they made a lot of changes, creating a division between classical systema and the more modern techniques.
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The best victory is when the opponent surrenders
of its own accord before there are any actual
hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.
- Sun-tzu

Johnlogic121 · Orange Belt

I have an impression that the Russian martial arts primarily focus on grappling actions rather than striking. I'm surprised that you say that Russian Systema looks like Bujinkan Taijutsu. The Bujinkan forms of Doctor Hatsumi were normally throws against a lunging attack in which you simply shoved the opponent from a side position. This is a big generalization of coarse, because he had over 850 variations of this basic concept. Russian Systema if I understand it correctly considers grappling attacks and grappling defenses on the ground much more heavily than Budo Taijutsu. In Taijutsu, you try to grapple the opponent when standing in such a way that he is immobilized after the throw and locked so tight that the fight is over. Taijutsu tries to subdue opponents, mostly. The Russian Systema system goes for chokes and joint locks to a degree that would make it more similiar to Brazilian jujutsu or American Freestyle wrestling than Taijutsu.
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First Grandmaster - Montgomery Style Karate; 12 year Practitioner - Bujinkan Style Ninjutsu; Isshinryu, Judo, Mang Chaun Kung Fu, Kempo

NightOwl · KF Sempai

From what I've read, the tie to the cossaks is more or less not true. It 'legitimizes' the system and hearkens to a pre soviet era, but it is similar to many Korean arts trying to tie themselves to old warrior traditions. It seems to stem from soviet era programs (which might have bits of old fighting traditions in them) and military SD training along with lots of concepts and fighting theories. Systema itself is broken into different styles, much like 'Karate' or 'Kenpo'. However they do share many common elements.

As with any art, it depends on the practitioner and school. However, systema sometimes has problems with too much theoretical, rather than applicable moves, and a lot of people with pseudoscientific claims. For example no touch/light touch knockouts, claiming if you touch a certain part of the body to make someone strong or weak, untested medical claims, etc.
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Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.

~Theodore Roosevelt

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