WHAT IS COMBAT SYSTEMA? 

The martial arts of ancient Russia were forged in the fires of adversity, over an unforgiving landscape of extreme geography and climates. A continuous onslaught of foreign invaders laid siege to their borders from the 6th century onward and sparked a martial arts evolution unlike any the world had seen before. The earliest Russian masters recognized that combat was a state of chaos that carried with it an infinite number of challenges and opportunities. The most effective way to prepare a warrior to survive was to cultivate their adaptibility, creativity and autonomy. Since there was no way to predict how an enemy might attack, there could be no one technique or single form that could guarantee survival.

Reinforcing this emphasis on adaptability was the absence of a formal army to protect the people. As civilian warriors, fighters of this era required an art that was quick and easy to learn on top of their daily obligations as farmers, hunters and merchants. Emphasis was placed on natural body movements and the goal of training was always to improve health and general well-being in the process, while mastering the art of fighting.

In 1917 the new Communist government publicly forbade the practice of all traditional martial arts, in the hopes of further destroying the roots of nationalism. The government could not deny the sheer effectiveness of their indigenous combat styles however. Secretly, they worked to merge the various cultural traditions into a single concetrated hybrid. In the end, this enhanced version of their national arts was reserved exclusively for the most elite tiers of the Voiska Spetsialnogo Naznachenia (Special Forces) or “Spetsnaz” troops. This art was refererred to simply as Systema (The System).

In the modern era, this art was first revealed outside of Russia by Master Vladimir Vasiliev. A 10-year veteran of Russia’s most elite Special Forces Unit and former instructor for Special Forces, KGB, SWAT and law enforcement Agencies, Master Vasiliev sent shockwaves throughout the martial world with his phenomenal skill and generous teaching style and has launched a global awakening to the awesome potential of this once secret art.

Combat Systema is the modern evolution of this great tradition. Dedicated to leading the individual student to their

own best resolution of fear and the problem of violence, we believe there are as many "Systema" as there are practitioners. Systema does not advocate rigid structures or imitation, rote memorization or technique, but rather teaches a clear, logical, step-by-step curriculum of essential principles and places students in situations that allow them to find individual solutions that suit their natures and capacities. ALL SYSTEMA SCHOOLS ARE NOT THE SAME. The International Combat Systema Association and its affiliates are tirelessly dedicated to a scientific understanding of combat. Biomechanical principles, modern psychological research and active pressure testing are essential elements of our regular training. We are dedicated to an evidence-based approach to combat science based on Systema's central concepts. Through open-minded study, we are committed to creating an art that adapts to the changing needs of the student and the world around us, free of mysticism, ego, or hierarchy. Secondly, Combat Systema is committed to educational excellence. Founded by a professional educator and imparted with passion, understanding, and the latest innovations in educational methodologies, we make your excellence our only go