Wednesday 9 July 2014

SYSTEMA RETREAT 2014

This year's Systema Retreat runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday 12th-14th Sept
The work is led by Rob Poyton and Ed Phillips, plus guest instructors.
You will have the opportunity to study breath work, mobility, awareness training, massage, application work and more in a lovely peaceful setting!

Early bird booking discount at

http://www.cuttingedgeshop.com/Shop/sbooking.html


CLASS NOTES 5/8/2014

1. Jogging with pyramid breathing, breath holds
2. Core exercises
3. Upper body work with long sticks
4. Free movement with stick
5. Developing joint rotation with stick

6. Deflection / passing vs one and two sticks, slow to fast
7. Ditto vs punches
8. Rotation around point of contact
9. Multiple strikes from initial defensive contact
10. Learning different types of work for different types of situation and skill level
11. Using partner's shoulder movement as signal to move
12. Blasting forward on the pads
13. Ditto on a partner
14. Sword work as the source of punching work - deflect and cut
15. Footwork for positioning, evade into your counter attack
16. Battlefield mentality vs sparring mentality
17. "Invisible" strikes
18. Taking hits and massage
19. Experiencing adrenal dump in unexpected situations
20. Thinking = nightmare :-)

CLASS NOTES 21/07/2014

1. Breathing and stretching
2. Core exercises
 3. Pushing with the fist
4. Exchanging strikes
5. Footwork vs punches, hands behind back, avoiding strikes

6. Ditto with the hands clasped in front, use of elbows and shoulders to defend
 7. Ditto with full use of the hands in groups of three
8. Speed work - touch the attacking arm then touch the body/face
9. Pad work - hard hits from short range, punching from the hand not the body
10. Ditto against a partner - hit the attacking arm then into the core
11. Takedowns vs a punch
12. Multiple strikes from close range
13. Draining attackers will to fight - hits into muscles, etc
14. Freestyle work
15. Group work
16. The healing power of strikes!

Saturday 14 June 2014

Class Notes 14/07/2014

1. Stretching, tense relax for arms, torso, legs
2. Selective tension / muscle control
3. Pushing with the fist
4. Returning the push, feeding off the first push
5. Ditto with partner moving
6. Pushing with the foot


7. Returning the kick, feeding off the first push
8. Ditto with partner moving
9. Back and forth push/punch/kick - allow the attack to land and respond from it
10. Work to take us back to free /natural movement – allowing the body to work without conscious thought or intention / tension
11. Sparring in threes and whole group - ability to take strikes and use the movement, striking with no root
12. Basic pad work – importance of pad holder, movement and different striking methods
13. Shorter strikes – hammer or knife – developing power with tighter movements
14. Striking attacking arm the forward into face/neck/body for strike, takedown or restraint
15. Violent hospitality!
16. The return of Nathaniel!

Class Notes 1st June 2014

1. Breathing
2. Joint rotation
3. Pushing with fist, partner, threes, whole group
4. Integrated body movemement - punching from the feet
5. Punching from the hip
6. Punching from the shoulder
7. Punching with no "root", floating punch



8. Punching with no tension and punching into tension
9.Tap punch into muscles
10. Hitting arm then face
11. Affecting physical and psychological structure
12. Free work
13. Segmented movement - hand leads the body
14. The return of Dodger!

Class Notes 24/5/2014

1. Breathe tense/relax and stretching
2. Ground movement - sideways roll, shoulder crawl, side fall, forward and backward roll
3. Evasive ground movement vs walker
4. Defensive ground movement in confined space
5. Punching with no support or "root", isolating the arm, strike like a "grab"
6. ditto with kicking
7. Disengaging the intent and "invisible" strikes 

8. ditto on the move
9. Pushups with hands in different positions - reinforcing structure
10. Slow sparring - not a simulation or "fight", like learning scales in music
11. Slow work to re-programme the nervous system
12. Peripheral vision
13. Sparring on three levels
14. Maintaining an even psyche - how the ego creates tension and how tension draws attention
15. Whole group sparring
16. Breathing and 20 count

Sunday 18 May 2014

Instructor Training Workshop

INSTRUCTOR TRAINING TWO DAY WORKSHOP

We all learn how to punch, kick, stretch, move etc. But how do you learn to teach? For the first time in the UK, Instructors Rob Poyton and Ed Phillips are revealing the revolutionary methods of Russian teaching.

You will learn how to unlock student creativity and how to make your classes dynamic, productive and engaging - whatever your style!

So if you are an existing Instructor or are thinking of starting your own training group, click here to find out more details about this great opportunity!