Sunday, June 25, 2006

Russian Systema Self-Defense - What is it?

Is it shown at the link below, filmed at the school of a truly great fighting master?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQDuCRMGJ3Y

Or, is the authentic Systema demonstrated at the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_-5MY7qFWA&mode=related&search=

See how different they are. It is tempting to say "There are as many Systema's as there are practitioners." True to some degree. But the two video clips above show mutually contradictory approaches. It is tempting to say "Training mode is not the real art. True to some degree. But the first clip shows sparring style, mutliple continuous moves, jabbing, parrying, twirling around etc.. The second clip shows the classical single-motion elegant quick takedown approach, as always exemplified in Mikhail's movements.

All people on all clips above are doubtless real hardass, kickass real-world fighters. But only one clip can be "right" about what is Systema. Ignorant onlookers would say of the first clip: "It has some reality, but where is the Systema?" The same ignorant onlookers would say of the second clip "It sure looks like Systema. But are the attacks and defenses real-world credible?"

I do not know the answer.