Systema at the Salle d'Armes Cadet
By Pierre Berçot, instructor.
"Systema is an art linked to the understanding of the human being and the use of that understanding to enhance one's physical and emotional capabilities. Its purpose is to develop the resilience of the individual. Since it allows one to improve, it is a practice suited to anyone, from children to the elderly."
Khosrow Helly, senior instructor
Origins
Systema (Cистема, "system" in Russian) is a Russian martial art whose origins date back to the 10th century, when the Bogatyr warriors would retire to monasteries to be healed and live in prayer after a life of combat.
Currently, depending on the different styles one studies, we can consider that Systema combines:
- meditative and spiritual methods
- certain Cossack fighting styles
- the Samoz (Sambo) of Victor Afanasevich Spiridonov and the integration of applied military gymnastics
The Soviet government had restricted its teaching and use to certain divisions of its elite forces, the Spetsnaz. Since the dissolution of the USSR, the practice has been open to all and is experiencing growth worldwide.
Principles and Training
"First, do no harm"
"Know thyself"
Systema is a martial art in which calm, economy of movement, and mobility are essential elements. From an outside perspective, it may share certain similarities with aikido, close combat, or internal martial arts. In reality, it takes on a very different character depending on the practitioner's psychology, athletic background, body type, and so on.
Training is done in groups. It does not consist of techniques to be learned but is based on the acquisition of principles for physical development: breathing exercises, biomechanics, analysis of muscular tension, adaptability, and improvisation. Unlike other martial arts, the work is done without mats or protective gear. Strikes are delivered for real and rolls are performed on a hard floor. The body relaxes, learns to protect itself, and builds its own defenses. It can then face a wide range of situations.
Great importance is given to the anatomical study of the human body, health, and massage. The entire group trains together, regardless of individual levels, which allows newcomers to progress quickly and experienced practitioners to test their knowledge.
Our Approach
The instructor team at the Salle d'Armes Cadet teaches methods from two pioneering schools of Systema: the Ryabko-Vasiliev system and the Kadochnikov system.
Particular attention is given to the work of Konstantin Komarov, Andreas Weitzel, and Evgeny Matkovsky. We will also encourage you to visit other training halls in Paris, France, and Europe that offer quality instruction.
Systema is meant for informed and sound-minded practitioners. We are fortunate to count among our practitioners doctors, researchers, artists, military personnel, and security professionals, who contribute every day to improving the quality of this practice in France and around the world.
The Salle d'Armes Cadet is an ideal venue for training. It offers practitioners a unique working environment, a team of highly qualified instructors, and a multidisciplinary range of teachings related to Systema: historical and medieval fencing, stage combat fencing, acrobatics, and flexibility.