The primary topics of this article are Selective Tension and the Systema breathing principle of Leading. However, because there is such a high level of integration and interdependency of concepts and principles within Systema (it is, after all, called “The System” for a reason), many other principles and concepts specific to Systema practice will become evident. Additionally, what I describe here may not necessarily be applicable to all who practice Systema. We all find our own Systema… But I am satisfied that this article adequately communicates what I had hoped to share. So, here goes.
There are almost limitless ways to practice the “Core Four” Systema exercises: push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and leg lifts. I always remind my classes – and myself – that these exercises are, first and foremost, breathing exercises. The physical activity and motion is secondary, regardless of how intense or demanding the physical activity may be. The constant practice of these exercises with focused breathwork will develop deeper levels of knowledge, higher levels of skill and the ability to attain and maintain a more relaxed state of being. So when you are practicing your core four – don’t get into a rut. Strive to attain ever-deeper levels of understanding of the relationship between your breathing, your motion and your psyche. Below are some discoveries and realizations I have made that have helped me; perhaps they can help others.
In the book “Let Every Breath…” there are seven breathing principles presented and explained: one of these principles is The Breath Leads. When I began practicing Systema, my original interpretation of this principle caused me to apply it in its most literal meaning: all of my movements were “led” by breath – i.e. I didn’t perform any movement until I started an inhale or an exhale. I now believe this is a great place to begin, but is actually highly impractical for anything other than basic exercises, and this impracticality becomes evident sooner or later. It could actually be contrary to true Systema training by potentially constraining or programming a specific method of activity (which would violate the Systema breathing principle of Independence – and the overarching Systema principle of Freedom of Movement – but I will not elaborate on that topic at this time). I now interpret this principle as the breath powers all movement. In this way, the breath is “leading” everything I do regardless of the cycle of the breath or the activity performed. From an awareness perspective it is critical to focus on my breathing at all times. Even – or especially – when moving faster or when presented with a high stress situation. The focus on the breath provides the key to negotiating difficult scenarios. It disengages the ego and the mind. It allows authentic natural movement to become unlocked. It prevents you from entering the red and black zones so frequently discussed in reality-based systems and other combative approaches. All of this can also be considered “leading” with the breath. Ok – enough on that. How does this relate to selective tension…
Selective Tension. This concept needs to be taken to ever-deeper levels. I came to this gradual realization over the course of several events from the past year or so, beginning at Vladimir’s seminar in Los Angeles last year, continuing with my own individual practice and working with my students, and then some light bulb moments came during Martin Wheeler’s Master Class III last November. It has most recently been reinforced since I started working with Dr. Mark Cheng on increasing the mobility in my back and shoulders. He has dissected the kettlebell swing and Turkish get-up in extreme detail for me, which has made me examine selective tension and overall structure (another core Systema principle) in a whole new light. FYI: Dr. Cheng is an experienced martial artist, a highly respected specialist in functional movement and corrective exercise and an editor for Black Belt magazine. Check out his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/DrMarkCheng). Lastly, I train at Martin Wheeler’s school – The Academy at Beverly Hills (http://www.theacademybeverlyhills.com/) – as often as I can, which is only a couple times a month right now, and it seems that most of what Martin is covering these days is directly related to this concept. Of course, it is also possible that my current lens on training is specifically focused on this topic.
Selective tension will bridge the gap between over-relaxation and working in a relaxed – yet highly effective – manner. Because of the constant reminder in Systema to “relax”, some folks manifest this as a “limp noodle syndrome” physically and/or a non-focused attitude mentally, which is clearly not the desired state. I also observe that many folks stay properly relaxed for the first movement or two, but fall back to tension thereafter. I believe linking proper breathing to selective tension will allow practitioners to grow and improve. While it is absolutely critical to know how to relax deeply and maintain that relaxation to the greatest degree possible while working, we must also achieve the proper balance of relaxation and tension. Applied specific tension – specific in terms of timing, engagement of select muscle groups, and level of force – is a fairly reliable barometer of Systema skill and maturity; in other words, if you are consistently employing applied specific tension, you are doing it right. At the other end of the spectrum you find the obvious case of being unable to relax properly at all and working with excessive tension, which will restrict proper movement, flow and feel. Exactly what we don’t want.
I look at Selective Tension – and all abstract Systema concepts – and how deeply one grasps these concepts, as the difference between understanding and knowing. You can mentally comprehend a concept and perhaps even be able to explain it well: that’s understanding. But that does not mean you truly know it. Can you apply it? Knowing something means it has become integrated within you and you function at levels you may not be able to verbalize; yet you can express and demonstrate freely in action. The Core Four in all of their derivatives, or any drill done during training, offers the potential to know what selective tension truly is. Selective tension is sometimes confused with isolation. I have used these terms interchangeably, and I should stop doing that. Selective tension is self-describing: you are deliberately choosing (initially in a very conscious manner, but over time in an unconscious manner) which areas of the body to engage in order to complete a physical task. And you then learn there are linkages that must exist for the selective tension to work. This is in contrast to isolation, where these linkages are lost. In Systema, we constantly strive to reduce and refine so that a practitioner is selecting and implementing only exactly the muscles/joints/tendons required to do the work at hand. All other muscles are meant to be in as relaxed a state as possible – and/or be able to operate completely independently from other active muscle groups. Again, this may sound easy to comprehend when reading it – but putting it in practice is very different.
Why is selective tension so important? The more refined a practitioner can become in the application of this concept, the more relaxed s/he will be. And when one operates in a relaxed-as-possible manner, the more efficient, precise and powerful that practitioner will be. Selective tension is the physical manifestation of applying real relaxation to real work. Systema differs from other martial arts and other physical culture practices because Systema begins with refinement and avoids the complete- or excessive-tension approach that is the norm in most other systems. Over time, the practitioner absorbs and applies the structural, neural and psychological interfaces of selective tension and becomes stronger, more resilient and more aware of how the body operates in a holistic manner.
I have personally discovered the best way to achieve selective tension is through the breathing principle of leading, but with the following parameters, which could be applied to any discussions on breathwork: breathe through the nose and mouth – not with them. All breathing should originate from within the body, and the nose and mouth are just the endpoints of the conduit for inhalation and exhalation. Breathing in this manner encourages deeper, more efficient breathing (physical benefit) and keeps the mindset directed internally (psychological benefit). It is important to put this into practice. If you consciously focus on breathing with your nose and mouth, this localized attention will cause you to breathe in a very shallow manner and it also demonstrates that your mental focus is topical. I think I finally know what Martin Wheeler meant when he told me to relax my mouth a couple years ago (that one really threw me: “Relax my mouth!?”). Remember to breathe from within and the breath flows through the nose (inhale) and mouth (exhale). I have found this subtle detail to add significant breath capacity, while simultaneously enhancing overall relaxation, awareness and focus. I also believe this is one of the major reasons my exercise induced asthma (which I was diagnosed with last year) seems to be nonexistent today. By devoting a large amount of effort to how I breathe, I have not had to use any meds and I am now running 3x per week without any wheezing. Systema breathing is truly a gift.
Here’s how I got to this point: practice your breathing first from a relaxed position such as standing or lying down. Be sure you are breathing from deep within before adding any movement. Then add very basic and simple variants of the core four – all the while keeping focus on how you are breathing. Don’t overdo it – make it about the quality of the breath and not how many pushups or squats you are doing. Once you have this solid, add more challenging variants to the physical work by consciously adding tension to various parts of the body – both externally and internally – while continuing to develop the ability to keep your breath originating from within and not locally to nose and mouth. As you progress, you should discover some interesting ways to keep your breathing “internal” to your core without focusing on the nose and mouth – this sentence is perhaps the key theme of this entire article. Finding ways to continue breathing in a relaxed manner from within – and moving that breath around your body – is the specific skill to strive for. Example: do some challenging variants of Systema leg lifts (or whatever exercise is challenging for you – leg lifts do it for me) and focus your breathing only at the nose/mouth – and observe. Then, re-focus your breathing as being powered from within and see what happens: where does the breath “want” to go? How do you adjust your breath to continue to work in a relaxed manner? How is your own tension affecting your breath? I have done this type of focused breathwork while walking, running, doing kettlebell swings and getups, as well as the Systema core four exercises. Try a number of different exercises and drills until you find something that clicks for you. Then explore deeper. One particular important note: I have found it is especially necessary to focus on breathing from the core whenever doing restorative/burst breathing. If burst breathing is shallow, you may actually cause yourself to hyperventilate which is obviously not a good place to be in. Remember Konstantin Komarov’s rules for checking your own breath/body awareness: If you are light-headed from the exercise and/or breathwork – you need to exhale more; if your pulse is heavy in your chest/body – you need to inhale more.
Tying it together: the enhanced focus on core breathing and the principle of leading has allowed me to make progress in selective tension applications, which I had struggled with earlier. And this more-controlled selective tension has allowed me to practice Systema in a noticeably more relaxed and aware manner. Vladimir once said to me: “Master your breathing and all the rest becomes easy”. I think I am just now beginning to know what that means. And although I will most likely not master my breathing in this lifetime – I will continue to work at it as long as I am able.
