Systema For Life Podcast - Episode 35: On Balance

"Natural movement is the emergent property of getting out of your own way...if you just keep yourself open, relaxed, and balanced as a default state, then your body will answer those questions naturally..."

Glenn Murphy joins resident health and wellness guru Howard Jacobson as they explore concepts, notions, and principles of balance. Here, we cover:

    why people are pendulums (pendula?)
    bags and weights vs animate training partners
    physical, physiological, and psychological balance
    the necessity of finding, monitoring and restoring your balance, in all things.

Balance will be one of the themes explored in this month's Lessons From HQ workshop at NC SYSTEMA, on Saturday June 9th. Locals, sign up at: www.ncsystema.com/events

Follow Howie's healthy exploits online at www.plantyourself.com
 

Systema For Life Podcast - Episode 34: Pete Rogers

"There can be barriers with people when they're learning this...because they have to walk through doors they really don't want to go through. And in order to *fit* through those doors, they have to leave that backpack of junk behind."

A fascinating, wide-ranging conversation with 20-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces - and founder of Systema Kingston (Ontario) - Pete Rogers.

Pete has been training at Systema HQ Toronto for more than a decade. But in addition to this, he has trained extensively in karate, Muay Thai, Filipino Martial Arts, and continues to train BJJ and military combative styles.

Here, we cover perceptions of "reality" in martial arts; breaking the pride barrier; and how he uses Systema in his post-military life to work with dogs, horses, combat veterans and PTSD sufferers.

Mentioned in the podcast: Systema Camp Fund 2018: https://www.russianmartialart.com/camp_fund.php

Learn more about training with Pete and his group on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/systemakingston

Systema For Life Podcast - Episode 33: Sergey Makarenko

"You have all the answers you need already. And that's the value of what we call 'Systema' - it's not knowledge that is injected into you...it belonged to you from the start...it's your birthright."

Anyone who has ever met him will attest: Sergey is a force of nature. A mountainous man with legendary, Samson-esque strength, you might assume he has little need of subtle fighting skills. Yes his skills are as immense as his stature. Sergey is a veteran martial artist - well versed in competitive wrestling, judo, karate, sambo, and other combat arts - and is a powerful practitioner and Instructor of Systema.

He is a highly eloquent and astute observer of martial arts practice, and of what sets Systema apart in this regard.

In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, we discuss the differences and parallels between the most popular martial arts; the primacy of continuous change and development (versus copying and mimicking); the advantages and *dis*advantages of being bigger and stronger than most; and his Systema-mediated recovery from a debilitating spinal infection that threatened his very life. 

Sergey will be leading a two day seminar at Systema Greenville, SC on June 15 & 16 2018. Find out more and register online at https://systemagreenville.wordpress.com/events/

Learn more about training with Sergey and his group at www.norcalsystema.com