Any had any experience with systema?

[shadowkiller]

I am moving to oshawa and me and a buddy are checking out some schools, just wanted to know if anyone has any expierience, good or bad.

[bdipab]

I'd like to know too, from the demo's I saw online it seems so fake. I think Discovery had a show on this systema instructor and he did a multiple opponent demo but it was one of those "they all attack me one at a time" demo's .

[shadowkiller]

it actually reminds me a little of ninjitsu, of which I have taken a few seminars. Another question, does anyone live in the oshawa area, or knows of other schools there?

[Tant01]

Systema = Bullshido

I am moving to oshawa and me and a buddy are checking out some schools, just wanted to know if anyone has any expierience, good or bad.

There's several pages about "The System" on the other forum...

http://www.bullshido.net

Here is a small sample of the truth(? you decide) about this mysterious "art"...
I'm not sure which board I copied this from but I know the author and his credentials are noteworthy. He goes by the screen name JUDO COACH




Just remember, you asked for it.

I have had dealings with these folks for many years now.

First, I think most here will agree I have done this for a while, and know history as well as most.

Their "style" cannot be found anywhere until after the DC comic hero Batman fought a villain called "The KGBeast" who used something called "The system" against him. Look at their name again.

Russia's unarmed system is Sambo, and has been so from when the Japanese kicked their butt at Port Arthur until present. Attempts to connect their history with the legitimate one of Sambo have been convoluted at best, but it hasn't stopped them.

Worse, there is a "psychic warfare" aspect to their style, that if they were not serious, would be fall down funny. I have a tape of theirs teaching this called "Troopa" (which they denied existed for years) which IS fall down funny. They believe they can knock people down without touching them, and their leader claimed to be able to tell the color of paper by touch alone, while blindfolded.

I challenged that on behalf of James Randi, and of course they refused my test of his abilities, but were more than willing to have many of their members beet my brains out.

The best objective review of their methods is to say they did a demo at the Gene LeBell grappling event in Canada years ago. My entire school was there and the wives of my members ALL asked me "Is this a joke? Are we supposed to laugh?"

Sadly, people do take them seriously.....

[shadowkiller]

Thanks for the info and links. Helped a lot.

[marino13]

I've tried out one class and I was very dissapointed. I always try out something before I comment on it, but to me this is a JOKE ! I'm a Thai boxer mostly and I dabble in a few other arts, but this is by far the biggest rip off I've seen. I'll give you an overview of my class and what the instructor told me.

They don't train with pads or have any certain stance except keeping the body square. At one point we did a drill that consisted of two people walking up to one another then turn the body to avoid each other. We also done knife drills that consisted of letting the plastic knife actually make contact with the stomach before turning the body to the side to disarm. There belief was that your sensitivity should be so high that even if you didn't see the blade come at you, you should still be fast enough to react upon sensing pain !

But the biggest thing was when they told me that their head instructor from canada has such a high level of sensitivity that the world is like slow motion to him, and one time he was in a wreck and even dodged the air bag as it came out...... I think not ! I say how come he couldn't dodge the car! Anyway, thats my experience but maybe thats just this school I went to, I just know I won't give it another chance.

Rich

[Tant01]

I've tried out one class and I was very dissapointed. I always try out something before I comment on it, but to me this is a JOKE ! ....
But the biggest thing was when they told me that their head instructor from canada has such a high level of sensitivity that the world is like slow motion to him, and one time he was in a wreck and even dodged the air bag as it came out...... I think not ! I say how come he couldn't dodge the car! Anyway, thats my experience but maybe thats just this school I went to, I just know I won't give it another chance.

Rich

Thanks for the story Rich! I wonder if Coach has heard that one? LOL Too funny!

[Penance]

But the biggest thing was when they told me that their head instructor from canada has such a high level of sensitivity that the world is like slow motion to him, and one time he was in a wreck and even dodged the air bag as it came out......

Hey, you know pot is pretty much legal in Canada, maybe that has something to do with all this.