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articlesArticles by Martin Wheeler or contributing writers. KNIFE DEFENSE - INSTINCT THEN KNOWLEDGEThursday, December 15th, 2011There are essential rules to knife defense. Rules that probably pre-date any known knife defense system - ie. recognize the threat as immediate and life threatening, get out of the way of the on coming attack then control the ability of the attacker to come at you again. But from the first time someone took a sharp weapon and thrust it at another, the defender most likely discovered even the most basic of rules generally play out in a complex manner in a real fight.. GROUND FIGHTING AND GRAPPLINGWednesday, October 13th, 2010Systema ground fighting and conventional grappling are two different areas of study. Grappling by it’s nature suggests exactly what it is, a contest between two individuals, sometimes fluid, sometimes static but generally involving the locking of two fighters together in a dynamic chess match of holds, counter holds, pins, limb breaks and chokes. Jujitsu, Judo, Wresting, and most forms of grappling arts fall under this category. And as brilliant and dangerous as they are they do not really satisfy all of the requirements of ground fighting. A ground fighting system must accommodate a far wider range of elements than a contest of wills and skills to see who can make another tap. Or even in a real situation break another’s limbs or even choke them to death.
Review of ‘Moving and Striking’ by N. MorrisonWednesday, February 17th, 2010Review by Nathanael Morrison As of late there are a number of DVD’s being released on the subject of the Russian martial art called Systema (Сыстема). In Russian this simply means “The System”. Systema is without a doubt the last remaining true combat fighting system in the world. All others are an attempt to either adapt old systems or to cobble together a new system by combining sport forms. Systema stands as the last unbroken link to the past yet it has always remained modern and relevant to the present. It is in use in combat today with modern weapons. Why Systema? by Martin WheelerFriday, September 4th, 2009Over the recent years I have read with interest on the internet back and forth as to the validity of training in Systema by observers who have only viewed experts in the art on YouTube or video. Usually a comparison is made to the most visual of fighting arts, mixed martial arts. The same types of questions are posted over and over again, “Why do they train slowly? Why does this look way too easy? Why did that guy fall over and seem unable to get back up?” Read the rest of this article » PoiseWednesday, August 12th, 2009Enjoy a renowned ballet dancer or matador and you will soon realize that beyond their near perfect technique is a quality that transcends pure physical prowess. An aggressive leap with a grace that seems to defy gravity, or the coquette spin from a charging bull and precision placed blade bringing the powerful beast to its knees can only be achieved by giving oneself to an exact position. From day one a student of Systema is immersed in the corner stones of the art; breathing, relaxing, having good form and moving. And even though each one of these is a compendium of study limited only by a life span it is the seamless integration of these elements that produce the singular condition of ‘working’.
Read the rest of this article » Movement inside the movement.Tuesday, April 28th, 2009I have had the privilege to train under some amazing teachers in a number of fighting systems over the years. But for all the brilliance, similarities and differences of these fighting styles I cannot compare them in any shape or form to The System. Last week I was lucky enough to train with Mikhail and Vladimir. And afterwards considered an observation that is unique to the experience of the art under such teachers.
Read the rest of this article » Memory, Tension and StrikingSaturday, March 21st, 2009I know when I first started training with Vladimir I was overwhelmed by the fact that I seemed to be giving away such huge swathes of mental and physical information about myself that I felt practically naked in front of the man. If I moved he countered, if I prepared to strike he struck, if I did land a shot it was all but laughed off. And when I was hit, just how devastating the effect of the strikes were (and are). But for all my efforts, even though frustration was a huge factor, eventually through soft training, gentle coaxing and a monumental amount of patience on Vladimir’s behalf even the most dyed in the wool martial artist will finally get the point that far more is going on here than the simple or even sophisticated techniques employed by most fighting systems.
Read the rest of this article » Training OutsideSaturday, March 21st, 2009Like most of us, I spent my formative years traipsing from one dimly lit dojo to another to discover the arts we are all so passionate about now. Church halls, YMCAs, garages, boxing gyms, we congregated wherever some teacher had rented, begged, or borrowed to figure out how to beat, bloody, or force a tap from a willing opponent in relative privacy. And as much as I have come to love the smell of stale sweat that hangs in the air of any reputable training hall, there is nothing to me now like the smell of fresh air. Of course, there is also nothing like the taste of dirt grinding into my teeth and face as an added level of reality as some dude tries to drive my head into the soil while positioning me for an arm-bar. Read the rest of this article » An interview with Martin WheelerSaturday, March 21st, 2009This article was originally published in UK Kung Fu magazine in 2000. 1. Martin, perhaps you could start off by giving us all an insight in to why and when you originally got involved in Martial Arts? I started training in the martial arts when I was around nine in Judo at a local YMCA. Some of my friends had started training and I went with them. I really enjoyed the workouts even though I was far to young to really appreciate an art like Judo. The instructor must have had a great deal of patience to have dealt with us so effectively, we were an unruly bunch of kids.
Read the rest of this article » Village VoiceSaturday, March 21st, 2009Features
Girlfight Self-Defense Training Prepares Women for Combat on the Streets
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