No. Systema in unlike any other martial art I have encountered. There are multiple reasons for this. First, Systema is not really a martial art – it is a system of survival that extends all the way to the most extreme levels of combat. Because of this, Systema has no excess baggage. Systema is not sport, nor does it train for competitions. Systema has no belts or uniforms. It does not teach techniques, as techniques are ultimately limiting in application. Systema does cover all ranges of combat, including groundwork, as well as weapons, multiple attackers and unique breathing and conditioning exercises. As you may have seen on this site elsewhere, Systema teaches one to survive by constantly challenging, removing the comfort zone, learning to confront fear and operate at a high level in the most demanding situations.
Systema focuses on developing your psyche as much as your body. Ultimately, those who survive extreme scenarios are those whose psyche has been well conditioned. By forging the psyche with combatives, Systema provides the foundation for modern practitioners to survive in a crazy world – even if you never have a combat encounter, the skills learned in Systema can impact each moment of every day in a positive and freeing manner.
