Systema Voices Volume 1

Over the last 25 years, the Russian martial art of Systema has gone from being virtually unknown to having over 700 schools worldwide. This remarkable achievement has been the result of the efforts of Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev, who continue to draw huge gatherings at their workshops all around the globe. This book is a collection of interviews with nineteen of the leading first and second generation Instructors of Systema. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and each shares their own insight and experiences of this remarkable approach to training. Combat system, health practice, movement art, spiritual discipline, Systema is all of these things and more. From North and South America, to Asia and Europe, each Instructor talks about their background, how they found Systema and of their experiences in training and teaching. Full of advice for students and Instructors alike, this book is an important snapshot of Systema as it stands at the 25th anniversary of the Toronto schools' founding. Editor Robert Poyton is a UK based writer with over 35 years experience in martial arts. He was one of the first certified Systema Instructors in the UK