Sharon Friedman – Vigilance and Tranquility

Intension: Movement wise systema isn’t all that different than other arts. It is the intension that makes the difference. Take for example the 5 minutes push up drill. If you do it to learn to soften your fists on the ground, breath away tension in the back and calm than it serves a purpose. If you do it to prove you can do it than it has little meaning.  What really counts is our intent during the drill and the affect that it has ON us. The will to develope changes us and that is the real thing.

A nice way to introduce crouwd work: have two people stand at a comfortable distance from you on opposite sides and have them step forward and backwards and hit you with slaps and fists and legs. Learn to breath and move with more than one strike in several directions at once and calm yourself on the inside. Special attention can be given to handling two strikes to the head at once and how the body defends itself from strikes. For the drill to work for the hitters too have the middle man (or woman) walk here and there so they have to maintain the distance for relaxed strikes while moving.

Sometimes lower back pain may result from tension in the calves which radiate to the lower back as the body tries to protect areas that suffered trauma or hardens to protect a joint that causes pain.  Stand on your knees with hands on a wall or some support to keep you upright and have a friend stand slowly on the calf muscles on all angles and from beginning to end. As the tension is brought to the surface breath swiftly bringing the tension up and exhaling it through the mouth. It may cause momentary pain and sweating but the relaxation later is worth it. Keep from feeling pity for the person you are helping. you are doing good for him so don’t take the load onto yourself. Release it.  We often wonder how to know what to do if there is pain and the answer lies in knowing yourself and being honest.  If you try to be the healer and take it on yourself than you are making the person you are with smaller and not helping him take care of himself. Simply try and see what can be done to help and that will free you from seeing the other and yourself as you want them to be.