Systema, Recommended Study

Fundamentals

• Systema: Hand to Hand, or Hand to Hand Combat; both are great introductions to the basics. Eventually, you will gain a great deal from both videos but for starting out, either one is good.
• Fighting from the Ground has a lot of great warmup exercises and is the best video for learning to be comfortable fighting from the ground.
• Holds, Releases, and Attacks provides great detail in escaping virtually any hold imaginable. This video would be highly recommended for those most interested in self-defense aspects of Systema. It would be particularly be of interest to women and children for learning how to evade an attacker. This video is probably the most "technique-oriented" video in a way since it shows you various movements you can make against holds. Try not to think of them as techniques however. Think of them as principles in body mechanics that you can improvise on and use as building blocks. Note the section of the video for "Student Demonstrations" where the student is not exercising particular techniques but is, instead, using the movements that were learned in varying combinations with their own interpretations on each move.
• Defense Against Weapons is a great overview of disarming of various weapons. Fundamentals of Knife Disarming provides great detail in defense against knife attacks and disarming. Gun Disarming teaches particular skills for disarming an attacker of his handgun.

Special Interests

• Knife Fighting and Throwing details using a knife to control an opponent without killing or severely injuring him. Also includes knife and military shovel fighting and throwing.
• Beyond the Firearm: AK 47/74 in CQB is a detailed introduction to techniques for less-than-deadly-force applications of the AK 47. Most of the techniques apply to other long guns as well. Sonny Puzikas produced this film and is an excellant teacher. I would highly recommend any of his seminars as well.
• Improvised Weapons how to make use of everyday items as defensive weapons.
• Defense Inside a Car provides a multitude of techniques for turning the tables on an aggressor at a time when you are most vulnerable, inside a car. This is probably one of the most practical self-defense videos produced.
• Defense Against Mass Attacks provides the information you need when confronted by multiple attackers. Also includes several great team warmups that will build your confidence and help you feel more comfortable in a crowd.

Systema In Particular

• The Russian System Guidebook is Vladimir Vasiliev's description of the history and philosophy behind Systema. This book is in a limited printing so get your copy soon!
• Let Every Breath provides an in-depth analysis of the importance and fundamental nature of breathing in Systema - or more precisely, life in general.
• For new students entering a training partners group, please take some time to look over Arthur Sennott's article on Slow Sparring Drills. It will likely save you a great deal of frustration as you first start learning.
• For a great overview of what you can expect at your first class, see What Might a Systema Class Feel Like? at the Systema NW website.
• Join the discussions in the forums:
  Russian Martial Art
• Check out the Training Logs in this discussion:
  Click to join systema_group
  Many of the ideas for the drills here came from those logs.
• Other discussion groups by area:
  Richmond Missouri area:
  Join the Systema_HickoryGrove Discussion
  Portland, Oregan area:
  Join the systema-cascadia Discussion
• Training Drills provides some ideas for drills you can use in your training partners group or, for that matter, any friends who are willing to help.
• Integrated Fighting Systems provides several video clips for instruction in various drills. Kevin Secours is a gifted teacher and an internet friend. He has been a great help to those of us geographically distanced from certified Systema instructors.
• The New York Seminars video provides several examples that build on the concepts in several other videos and also provides examples of many great warmup and conditioning exercises.
• The two-tape conditioning videos from Vladimir Vasiliev. These tapes were done originally for his students in Toronto but are available by special request. The tapes contain several great warmup and conditioning exercise examples.
• Any of the conditioning and stretching books or videos from Pavel Tsatsouline but especially The Naked Warrior and Relax Into Stretch. Pavel Tsatsouline is a medical doctor and former Soviet Spetsnaz conditioning instructor. His work on muscle and tendon training is especially useful to practicing Systema.

Martial Style of Systema

• Sun Tzu Review , deception, indirect approach, and avoiding strength against strength, a classic for the individual warrior and general alike.
• Phantom Soldier and The Tiger's Way to live out the Sun Tzu warrior doctrine in modern warfare.
• Defense and the National Interest website for a tutorial on "fourth generation warfare" and "OODA loops." A former Navy SEAL friend of mine calls OODA loops, "the holy grail of close quarters battle" (CQB). A related site is the War, Chaos, and Business site.
• Strategos International is a great place for learning CQB applied particularly to law enforcement and military applications. They also sponsor a PCR class that builds on Systema concepts. In addition, they partner with Vladimir Vasiliev and other Systema instructors to provide seminars.
• The Mind of War for a better understanding of fourth generation warfare, OODA loops, and many other contributions to the understanding of modern warfare given by Col. John Boyd and his small circle of reformers.
• 4GW Reading List for more great books on understanding fourth generation warfare.
• Comparing Attrition and Maneuver Warfare, note the similarities of thought in Maneuver warfare and Systema.
• If you are interested in other aspects of unconventional warfare, you might want to
  Click to join Irregulars
• If you are a Science Fiction reader, you will enjoy Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers (the book, not the movie) or Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.

• The Bible, should go without saying.
• Learning in Christ's School by Ralp Venning. An in-depth study of the Christian life cyle from babes, to little children, to young men, to fathers. And, follow it up with any of the Puritan Paperbacks series.