For a lot of years I am observing one vital misunderstanding of Systema and its real-world application.

MA people often suppose that Systema principles are bullshido and can not be applied in MA situations. Well, they are at least partially right. Systema has a solid inner paradox.

Systema is a military, combat philosophy. A set of principles guiding primordial survival and killing your opponent. Literally. Not winning a comfortable martial arts contest in some warm and cozy dojo. And when you try to use these principles on its full – you automatically transpose the battlefield into a MA match. And no known MA rules would allow this, so you “lose”.

Still, take it or leave it. This is the very history and inner philosophy of Russian “MAs”. As these are not martial arts. These were practices of 1000 year survival in the face of permanent battles with waves of nomadic invaders, treacherous greedy neighbors, European expansionary and cruel Nordic nature.

When you use Systema, you exit childish games of warm rules. And contact a chthonic realm of simple and cold natural survival. This is not for anyone.