Video images pulled from the sample YouTube clip from Paladin Press.
I believe that a well-rounded martial arts education should include more than one art, which is why I find Systema (a Russian martial art, also known as “The System”) so interesting. This hybrid involves various aspects of melee fighting, including quick-strikes, redirection of opponent momentum, grappling and other weapons-based movement (although, I find the unarmed aspect of it a lot more interesting). Kevin Secours, who many of our readers know from his work in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, has studied under top Russian masters and has engineered a scientific approach to learning what I believe to be some of the main aspects of Systema that make it so practical: flexibility and fluidity. The “Combat Systema” approach is well laid out in Kevin’s first video with Paladin Press, Combat Systema: The Russian Martial Art of Hand-to-Hand Combat. If you are looking for interesting material to supplement your training (as a source of information), then this video is for you.
After watching Combat Systema: Volume 1 (~120 mins), I have to say that I really enjoy Kevin’s approach to this art. While there is a lot to take in, Kevin’s approach is very methodical and informative – and I daresay that it is easy to grasp even for those who are new to martial arts. One of the more important messages that I took away from this production is that proper techniques definitely have a smooth flow, and power generation can be attained by careful thought and positioning – and his demonstration of this is fantastic. Volume 1 of Combat Systema is broken down into 4 main sections: upper body strikes, lower body strikes, combat clinching, and strike absorption.
Kevin describes how things are going to not go so well for the guy trying to suppress him.
Upper body strikes covers a number of different striking techniques, but it also shows you a number of other interesting things. First of all, Kevin shows you how to use your stance to generate power effectively (which may raise the hackles of some traditionalists). He also gets into a few ways to get behind your opponents defense and introduces some interesting ways to “layer” your attacks to always keep your opponents guessing. The section wraps up with a handy targeting drill. Lower body strikes covers a few kicks, as well as the proper way to apply them to get a highly effective ration of force to movement.
Combat clinching goes into the details of how to limit your opponents movements. In this section, Kevin teaches a few efficient methods that you can use to stymie your partner while maintaining relative freedom. Investing yourself too heavily into any technique without having some idea of transition is silly – but Kevin has got you covered. Many of these movements are gateways to level changes for fighting (standing to ground, for instance). With some creative though, and some practice, some of these can be used to the opposite effect. Finally, the chapter on absorbing the strikes does just what it says, giving you some tools to use so that you can effectively harness momentum and defend yourself well.
Probably the safest place to be if you’re in a room full of ninjas.
The format is fairly straightforward. It’s mostly Kevin speaking with various partners pairing up with him to do demonstrations. Instructions are clear and concise, with the examples of application supplementing the dialogue. Kevin is very comfortable teaching – and it shows. Some of the full-on demonstrations that get to ground level are quite fascinating. The obvious benefits of having this on a DVD set are that you can scoot over to any chapter you wish and you can slow down the action to watch the subtleties (which are quite clear, thanks to the filming). If I have anything negative to say about this video, it is that the opening sequence of Kevin being attacked by some random dude seems a little contrived and cheesy. That being said, it seems to be there to set the mood – so I can’t fault them for their choice (though I would have favored a montage of demos from Volume 1 itself).
Is it the complete solution for your martial arts training? That depends on what you already know, I suppose. I found this DVD set to be informative and also entertaining – and Kevin Secours is a great teacher with experience that is apparent from the get-go. If you are a student of martial arts, and you are curious to add to your level of knowledge (especially if your background is in upright sparring only), this is a great supplement. You can check out the Paladin Press page for this title here.
