SYSTEMA

Explaining it is difficult. Experiencing it is life-changing.

The Benefits

Fitness, strength training, improved mobility, and better posture; self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-defense; and the ability to better deal with stress, fear, and anxiety.  

The mind-body connection

Ever wonder why others can walk up to you and say things like “you look upset”, or “you look tired”, or “you look happy”, and so on, only to cause you to pause, assess your feelings, and then discover they are right? How is it that they seemed to know your state of being before you did?
I believe our body is always in the present moment. It is always reflecting how we feel now. It drops our shoulders and lowers our gaze when we are sad. It lightens our step and lifts our chin when we are happy. I believe our body is always responding to its surroundings now. It swats away the fly as it touches our neck before we even know it’s a fly. It leans away from people and situations we don’t like and toward those we do like without our awareness. It pulls our hand from the hot car in the sun, and then we think, “that was hot”. I believe that our thoughts and emotional state inform the body, and that our body informs our thoughts and emotional state. I also believe that by controlling the body we can interrupt and influence that cycle, thereby improving our mood, state of mind, health and physical well-being.  

Breath, Move, Relax, Good Posture

It is through these four basic principles that we can control our body. These principles are embodied in an ancient Russian martial art that has no name. It is only known as “the system” or “Systema”. At its core, the practice involves understanding our physiology, psychology, and emotions and, through that understanding, maintaining comfort in stressful situations. In our self-awareness we un-learn our many maladaptive responses (getting angry, becoming tense, shutting down, etc.) and re-learn adaptive responses such as breathing efficiently, moving naturally, trusting our body’s ability to take care of itself, and remaining calm and clear-headed.

How is Systema Different?

Other practices such as meditation, yoga and martial arts are beneficial and good for our well-being in many of the same ways. I encourage everyone to practice them as I have done and continue to do. However, these other practices have limits. Meditation teaches us to calm the mind by removing attention from distractions. Systema teaches us to maintain a calm mind amidst distraction. Yoga teaches us to relax and strengthen the body in a place of safety. Systema teaches us to control our levels of tension and relaxation amidst chaos and discomfort. Martial arts teach us to concentrate our strength and power. Systema teaches us that strength and power stems from relaxation.

What is training like?

In a supportive and nurturing community we utilize unique training methodologies that incorporate principles that overlap with, among other things, breathwork, meditation, yoga, strength training, mindfulness, physical fitness, martial arts and psychology. Explaining it is difficult. Experiencing it is life-changing. Come give it a try!

About the Instructors

Bruce:  I have been practicing martial arts intermittently for over 30 years. Once upon a time I was a nationally ranked Tae Kwon Do competitor. I have trained sporadically in other arts as well. Twenty years ago I was introduced to Systema and have not looked back. It is the most practical form of self-defense that I have come across, and it provides health benefits that are part of my everyday life. It has helped me heal from injuries faster. On any given moment of any given day I am much more aware of my posture, muscle tension, and changes in breathing that otherwise went completely unnoticed. And, recently, it kept me calm and in control when dealing with a tense firing situation at work. I have been one of Manny’s coaches for the past four years and am excited to work with him in sharing this knowledge and unique system with anyone looking to improve their health and their life. My goal is simply to help the world relax.

Manny:  As a disabled combat veteran, I discovered the transformative power of Systema in healing my scars from battle. Over a span of 15 years, I diligently worked towards recovering from injuries sustained during an overseas deployment. Embracing Systema's core principles of breathing, relaxation, movement, and posture in my daily routine yielded remarkable results. Gradually, I witnessed a decrease in both physical and emotional discomfort. Within a year, my crooked posture was corrected, my asthma symptoms vanished, joint pain and body aches disappeared, and my confidence and morale reached an all-time high. These four fundamental principles of Systema proved to be the perfect remedy for my recovery needs. My goal is to help others seeking to enhance their health and overall quality of life, with a special focus on wounded warriors and veterans.