Training for life
By Vincent Kurmaer
I have recently realized something that is now really helping me in my training and I figured it could be of interest to other Systema practitioners out there too.
I guess, I shall start with the commentary often heard in seminars and classes (I think the first time I heard it was from Constantin Kamarov) is that “SYSTEMA BREAKS YOUR WORLD OF ILLUSION”. How?
When a newcomer enters in a Systema class, he has some sort of a preconceived idea (independently on whether or not he has any previous martial background or as a matter of fact he might actually have many more pre-conceived ideas if he has) of his physical abilities, of what stress and pain are and his ability to move with another human being or more (let’s not even mention fighting). Well, soon enough all these ideas that pretty much constituted the very idea that one had about a certain form of reality collapse. Soon enough, the person realizes that he cannot breathe, handle stress, wrestle what would have appeared to him as much weaker opponents, perform simple features like staying on his fists in a push-up positions for more than 2 minutes, put his legs behind his head and let’s not even start with breath holds! So in short, if the newcomer does not run away or resort to violence (two typical human reactions when facing fear), he will soon realize that what he knew about martial art can no longer be accepted as “real” and that there is much more to it out there. This is a great opportunity but it is also scary in a way. It is even more fearful when one grasp the idea that “THIS APPLIES TO ALL”. And that is something that I particularly love about Systema. Whatever the principle, whether it concerns a certain exercise, form of training or fighting in general, it applies to all parts of life if you look at it broadly. Anyway, let’s continue…
To adventure out of one’s world of illusions is not something most people would dare to do. A golden prison is a very comfortable thing and the first step is to even realize that one is in a prison. This is harder than one could think of because most of us have been raised on fear and lies. So to break out and adventure in the unknown means letting a lot of what we knew behind, freedom is at that price...
Now the above may sound a bit too abstract to some of the readers. So what is the real application to all that. Well, a good example in my view would be to look at your weaknesses honestly when training and not postpone them in a future imaginary world. Let me explain…
Let’s say you are wrestling or doing some grab/escape with a partner or doing some knife work, whatever, it does not matter. Imagine that, for whatever reasons, you cannot get much done and you are constantly overpowered with better skills, experience, you name it…a natural reflex I was personally falling for (and I had for years actually) was to tell myself in those moments “oh yes, he is stronger here in training but in real life I would do this or that and I would get him”…well, unfortunately and sorry to say but that is a lie. In real life, things will only get worse so whatever you think you’ll do in real life, why don’t you try to do it in training? I mean TO A REASONABLE DEGREE, don’t go stab a friend in the eye just to prove something to you, none of you will learn anything in this case and life brings enough drama anyway. Don’t try to go faster either because that would be a lie too, enough has been said about slow work in Systema but I can always expend on that next time for the interested readers. Simply try to move with this idea and see how the other person reacts.
If it is not going anywhere close to what you wanted it to go, do something else, bring it to the ground, keep moving ALWAYS OBSERVING WHAT GOES ON INSIDE OF YOU, check yourself! This reminds me of ODIN…
ODIN is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon. He is a god of war and death but also of poetry and wisdom. He pierced one of his eyes to assure himself that one of them will always be turned to the inside of him. The legend says that “he traded this eye for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge”.
It might be hard to face your weaknesses and fears by looking at them honestly and accept them but it is the only chance we have to work on them. Most of us have the luxury to live in a time of relative peace so we have a great opportunity to take our time to train honestly and not be lazy. To state that we have all the time we want is of course a relative statement, we will all die at some point. I read the following somewhere and I think it fits well here “use your time in constant pursuit of education and self-improvement. Time is limited but to recognize this urgentness is a positive thing for the warrior who turns it into an advantage to clear his mind and focus his attention towards his objectives whatever they may be, day in, day out…”
We should train like we’d fight and live like we train otherwise what would be the point… no, honestly, we train for life here…it is as simple as that.
Vincent Kurmaer
By Vincent Kurmaer
I have recently realized something that is now really helping me in my training and I figured it could be of interest to other Systema practitioners out there too.
I guess, I shall start with the commentary often heard in seminars and classes (I think the first time I heard it was from Constantin Kamarov) is that “SYSTEMA BREAKS YOUR WORLD OF ILLUSION”. How?
When a newcomer enters in a Systema class, he has some sort of a preconceived idea (independently on whether or not he has any previous martial background or as a matter of fact he might actually have many more pre-conceived ideas if he has) of his physical abilities, of what stress and pain are and his ability to move with another human being or more (let’s not even mention fighting). Well, soon enough all these ideas that pretty much constituted the very idea that one had about a certain form of reality collapse. Soon enough, the person realizes that he cannot breathe, handle stress, wrestle what would have appeared to him as much weaker opponents, perform simple features like staying on his fists in a push-up positions for more than 2 minutes, put his legs behind his head and let’s not even start with breath holds! So in short, if the newcomer does not run away or resort to violence (two typical human reactions when facing fear), he will soon realize that what he knew about martial art can no longer be accepted as “real” and that there is much more to it out there. This is a great opportunity but it is also scary in a way. It is even more fearful when one grasp the idea that “THIS APPLIES TO ALL”. And that is something that I particularly love about Systema. Whatever the principle, whether it concerns a certain exercise, form of training or fighting in general, it applies to all parts of life if you look at it broadly. Anyway, let’s continue…
To adventure out of one’s world of illusions is not something most people would dare to do. A golden prison is a very comfortable thing and the first step is to even realize that one is in a prison. This is harder than one could think of because most of us have been raised on fear and lies. So to break out and adventure in the unknown means letting a lot of what we knew behind, freedom is at that price...
Now the above may sound a bit too abstract to some of the readers. So what is the real application to all that. Well, a good example in my view would be to look at your weaknesses honestly when training and not postpone them in a future imaginary world. Let me explain…
Let’s say you are wrestling or doing some grab/escape with a partner or doing some knife work, whatever, it does not matter. Imagine that, for whatever reasons, you cannot get much done and you are constantly overpowered with better skills, experience, you name it…a natural reflex I was personally falling for (and I had for years actually) was to tell myself in those moments “oh yes, he is stronger here in training but in real life I would do this or that and I would get him”…well, unfortunately and sorry to say but that is a lie. In real life, things will only get worse so whatever you think you’ll do in real life, why don’t you try to do it in training? I mean TO A REASONABLE DEGREE, don’t go stab a friend in the eye just to prove something to you, none of you will learn anything in this case and life brings enough drama anyway. Don’t try to go faster either because that would be a lie too, enough has been said about slow work in Systema but I can always expend on that next time for the interested readers. Simply try to move with this idea and see how the other person reacts.
If it is not going anywhere close to what you wanted it to go, do something else, bring it to the ground, keep moving ALWAYS OBSERVING WHAT GOES ON INSIDE OF YOU, check yourself! This reminds me of ODIN…
ODIN is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon. He is a god of war and death but also of poetry and wisdom. He pierced one of his eyes to assure himself that one of them will always be turned to the inside of him. The legend says that “he traded this eye for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge”.
It might be hard to face your weaknesses and fears by looking at them honestly and accept them but it is the only chance we have to work on them. Most of us have the luxury to live in a time of relative peace so we have a great opportunity to take our time to train honestly and not be lazy. To state that we have all the time we want is of course a relative statement, we will all die at some point. I read the following somewhere and I think it fits well here “use your time in constant pursuit of education and self-improvement. Time is limited but to recognize this urgentness is a positive thing for the warrior who turns it into an advantage to clear his mind and focus his attention towards his objectives whatever they may be, day in, day out…”
We should train like we’d fight and live like we train otherwise what would be the point… no, honestly, we train for life here…it is as simple as that.
Vincent Kurmaer
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