History of Systema

SYSTEMA is rooted in the martial culture of Slavonic nations. This culture was and remains now one of unsolved mysteries in world history. Did it ever exist at all? Previously, this fact was being doubted. Data and opinions on weapons, tactics, the military and social structure of the Slavonic army were ambiguous and contradictory. However, more and more historical evidence points out that the martial culture of Slavonic nations did exist. And it did not yield an inch to other systems that were created in the East.

The Slavonic martial system was based on local actions and not extermination of the enemy, “right” tactics, planned seizure of territory and actions typical for regular armies and justifying their existence; therefore, the task of martial training was survival in a battle: single combat, group fight, single warrior’s confrontation against a superior enemy, and then coordinated actions of the unit. Being behind other nations in weapons and professionalism, Slavs were superior in mastership, use of terrain conditions, organisation of reconnaissance, ambushes and sudden attacks or avoiding undesired battle – everything denoted by the term “Scythian war”. Superiority not in number but in moral courage, endurance, and skill to survive adversities and make do with a little to achieve great goals – these properties formed the pledge of victory of the martial culture of Slavonic nations.

Fundamentals of SYSTEMA are historical Russian martial and orthodox traditions and centuries-long experience in training the Motherland defenders from the times of Ancient Russia down to our days. I would like to clarify that the notion of “Russian” means martial art that had been born long before Kievan Russia joined Eastern Slavs, current Russians, Ukrainians and Byelorussians into a unified Russian nation. Being born as a means for the necessary self-defence of a freedom-loving nation, the art of hand-to-hand combat was perfected in military princely bands of men and hardened in the Battle of the Ice and the Battle of Kulikovo.

After the Revolution, the art of hand-to-hand partly moved abroad along with emigrated officers and replenished arsenals of foreign secret services, partly was only practised within the family ambience, partly got into the criminal environment during times of repressions, partly started serving for the Soviet power in bodies of national security and militia, and partly was lost. Soviet power tried to prohibit or conceal everything having common roots or anyhow associated with the church, belief, and God. Thus, having the origin of martial arts, we were forced to draw information from abroad…

According to historical notes and sources, SYSTEMA remained in service of the Soviet Army, but all associated activities were classified as “top secret”.