Systema For Life

This week, a fascinating conversation with neuroscientist, self defense expert, and prolific martial artist Jan Bloem.
Jan has studied the art and science of movement and combat at the highest levels, in the fields of kinesiology and psychomotor therapy, as a world champion karateka, and as a teacher and student of Systema. Here, we discuss:

We cover a lot of ground in this extended conversation, yet clearly we barely scratched the surface of his knowledge. Very much looking forward to a follow-up discussion in the future. 

Mentioned in this episode
Jan's free video seminar series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67CvW8-ezus

Find out more about Jan's work at: https://www.janbloem.nl/

This week, an uplifting and inspiring chat with UK-based Systema Instructor Matt Hill. Matt is a former British Army Paratrooper Captain, and founder of the Matt Hill Systema Academy, based in Wiltshire (western England). An accomplished leader, teacher, and crisis management expert, Matt has a calming demeanour, an adventurous spirit, and a tireless dedication to training and living Systema.

Here, we talk about:

Mentioned in this episode:

Well here we are - we made it to the end of 2020 - some of us limping to the finish, but across the line, nonetheless.
Among all the challenges and problems we faced this year, I was grateful for the enjoyable and thought-provoking conversations that the Systema For Life podcast provided, and grateful for the opportunity to slow down, think more deeply, and reach out to guests I otherwise may never have considered.

This year, we had a wider range of guests and topics on the show, ranging from the collected wisdom of expert Systema Instructors like Vladimir Vasiliev and Emmanuel Manolakakis, to the musings of scientists and academics on fields relating to Systema practice. We had doctors, historians, philosophers, one professor of indigenous knowledge, and - entirely coincidentally -two former British Commandos. All waxing lyrical on what it means to breathe, move, think, train, stay healthy, stay prepared, and thrive in an uncertain world.

I hope you enjoy this selection of conversations from the last 12 months of podcasts, and that it might inspire you to go back and listen to any that you may have missed, or perhaps mine some of these episodes for hidden gems of wisdom. This selection includes:

Merry Christmas, to all who celebrate it!

This week, an energetic conversation with Rafe Kelley - martial artist, movement expert, natural parkour pioneer, and founder of Evolve.Move.Play. Rafe is legendary in natural movement circles, and seemed a great person to banter with about aspects of movement development, exercise, and play.

Here, we touch upon:

...and a great deal more.

Hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did.

Find out more about Rafe's work - and start your own explorations of natural parkour - at https://courses.evolvemoveplay.com/foundations

This week, a profound exploration of abstract strategy - and specfically Colonel John Boyd's OODA loop concept - with former Commando and professional technology strategist Ben Ford. If you are interested in any aspect of good decision-making under pressure, this is one you won't want to miss.

Boyd's OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop, is a powerful concept that describes how individuals and groups (and even entire armies or organizations) make and optimize decisions. Boyd, a US military fighter pilot, developed the concept over many decades of research, reflection, and practical experience. Ben Ford has studied Boyd's theory and its implciations extensively, drawing on threads from mathematics, evolutionary biology, manufacturing, and military command structures to provide a deeper context for his work.

This week, an enlightening chinwag with author, coach, body language expert, and former Royal Marines Commando Terry Vaughn.

Terry has a wealth of experience in personal protection, and is passionate about of the value of situational awareness for all. His D.I.R.T. (Dangerous Individual Recognition Training) program puts a laser focus on how to develop it.

Here, we discuss:

how the motivation to learn and practice comes from adverse experiences
the necessity of relaxation in scanning for threats
understanding the enemy: shock, ambush, and surprise
knowledge and training as the antidote to paranoia

Find out more about Terry's speaking events and training courses at tvempowers.com

This week, we embark on a wild, meandering convergence of modern and ancient thought, with author, academic, and custodian of indigenous wisdom Tyson Yunkaporta. A member of the Apalech Clan and a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledge at Deakin University, Melbourne, Tyson bridges the modern and ancient worlds in his work, and brings a radical perspective to things most of us take for granted.

His book Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World is unlike anything I have ever read - mixing imagery, storytelling, academic criticism, and ancient principles of thought to create an exhilarating, mind-expanding experience. You may want to read it before this conversation. Or listen, read, and listen again. 

Though from an entirely background, Tyson is fascinated by Systema and immediately recognized its power when he first saw a video clip of Mikhail Ryabko 10 years ago. What results is a truly joyful exchange of ideas, where humour and curiosity converge on fundamental truths of being.  Somewhere in there, we touch upon:

A warning: like the book, this conversation was non-linear, cyclic, and highly unusual - arriving at meaning tangentially, and only after considerable wandering. Hang in there, and you may find some gems. If not - no worries :)

This week, an engaging and enjoyable chat with Systema practitioner, wellness coach, and podcaster Howard Jacobson. Here, we get into a range of topics relating to coping with the ongoing constraints of the Covid-19 pandemic, as we face the sixth month of life in its shadow. Themes include:

Recorded outdoors at the beautiful Eno River near Durham North Carolina, this episode features an extended breathwork and awareness exercise (starting at around 15:00-minute mark) for resetting your mental and emotional state.

Mentioned in this episode:
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
Sand Talk: How indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, by Tyson Yonkapurta

This week we talk with James Somerville - Toronto-based Systema student, academic, and author of Meditations on a Russian Martial Art. James has a PhD in History from Queens University, and wrote his thesis on the dictum Know Thyself, as popularized during the Italian Renaissance era. As such, the book presents an interesting - if somehwat critical - take on the origins, practice, and historical context of Systema. Here, we discuss several core themes from the book, including:

You may not agree with everything the James has to say here, or in the book itself. But at the very least, it is a thought-provoking account of his very personal quest to understand and contextualize the art.

This week, a light-hearted conversation with Arizona-based Systema Instructor and world-class cybersecurity expert Jeff Shearer.

A warm, generous, and fiercely intellgent guy, Jeff trained with us for many years at NC SYSTEMA, before moving out west and starting his own Systema group near Phoenix, AZ. Here, we discuss: