Systema training log August 08

Sorry i haven't posted in a while, i've recently been to Moscow for Mikhail Ryabkos summer camp (i 'll be posting all of my training notes on this blog), anyway heres a log from a training session i did last night:

Walking and breathing - starting off with my arms held in the air, with 2 steps inhaling and then 2 steps exhaling, i then skipped along to 5 , 7, 9, 12, 15, 17, 19 , up to 20 steps then i held my arms in front of me and then went back down to 18, 16, 14 etc.

Core exercises - I then did 25 pushups, 20, situps, 20 leg raises and 25 squats while roating the breathing patterns mainly keeping it simple either exhaling on the way down and inhaling on the way up or vice versa, i find these 2 breathing patterns to be both simple and powerful.

Rolling progression for softness - here is a rolling progression with sticks and other variations:

- rolling over and on a stick on the floor from kneeling
- same with eyes closed
- from standing
- added more stick 8 + and rolled from kneeling
- with eyes closed
- faster
-slower
- from standing
- from standing eyes closed

When my eyes were closed i noticed in this drill that my body was softer, possibly because i could not see what i was going to roll on, so my body did not tense up, to try to stop the impact of the sticks.

Note: There are few videos of me on youtube that a few people have put on, a lot are titled Letchworth training or tueday systema training, anyway have a look and tell me what you think.

Thanks

Tom

Systema core exercise holds

In Systema we do a number of drills where we hold certain uncomfortable positions for extended periods of time, these can be in any position or range in any exercise or drill.
This method has a number of goals.

- It strengthens you psychologically. During long periods of the push up hold i have found my own strengths and weaknesses become more apparent and i find myself thinking of so many reasons of why the exercise is pointless and why i should give up or do it later. The times when i overcome these weaknesses are when i feel the most alive physically and psychologically.

- It strengthens you physically - After the muscles get very tired the body has no choice but to align itself along the bones correctly and to hold itself up using a higher proportion of connective tissue than muscle. You develop a form in he body.

- It allows you to understand breathing. When you learn to adjust breathing to the effort felt, it is the only tool you will ever need to overcome fear, panic, tension and fatigue.

Things to try
- Try a 10 minute push up hold and see how far you get.
- Try holding any of the core exercise positions at the ending/ starting or halfway positions
- Try holding the squat position up against a wall
- Try holding a one armed push up or one legged squat

The secret is Breathing!

Tom