Ryan Bertrand Reviews Seminar with Martin Wheeler

March 21st and 22nd
Longmont Colorado Seminar
Hosted by Brad Scornavacco- Russian Martial Art of the Rockies
Martin Wheeler- Instructor

Training started off with only a 10 hour drive to Colorado for the seminar. I say “only” because last trip was 26 hours drive to Phoenix for Konstantin’s Gun Fighting Seminar! I also say that the “Training” began with the drive because spending that much time in a vehicle can surely be thought of as work on humility and being long-suffering if nothing else!

First off, a couple of quick comments… If you haven’t had a chance to train with Martin, you are missing out. He is certainly of the same mold as other respected Systema instructors in that he has incredible abilities coupled with incredible humility, (like Jim King, Sonny Puzikas, Kwan Lee to name a few…) just don’t confuse being their being “nice” with being “soft”!!! Brad Scornavacco is great instructor in his own right. Brad is very knowledgeable and always gives great feedback and useful suggestions to improve your study of Systema. Many thanks to both!

Friday night session was geared to law enforcement and Saturday open to all. I am in law enforcement myself, so I was particularly interested in learning new things that would help me in my own work and also picking up some things that would help me prepare others at my department in my role as a trainer there.

So much information was covered that I find myself in the same spot that so many others are in after good seminars. Simply, I will be digesting the whole experience of it for some time to come, with some of the lessons turning into “lightbulb moments” sometime down the road in the future. I’ll speak from my experience and I’ll (brutally in some cases!) paraphrase some of what was taught.

To begin the Friday night session, Martin spoke from his background as a former bouncer, discussing the not just physical but also psychological aspect of doing the work.

Some of the ideas shared by Martin...

•When attempting to move someone don't neglect the simplest and easier method of all. Ask them to move! Martin gave a demonstration of some "no contact" work, simply gesturing for someone to “stand over here please”… Of course, they moved… Everyone watching was laughing at the simplicity…

•There is no need to “force” people into compliance with your will. Each person will have a type of “will” of their own. Allow their movement, move in and with them and “let them” go where they want to go, oftentimes they will do the work for you. This led into the next area…

•Continue to strive to become more and more comfortable in “every” position. The places where you are reluctant to go or be, when you are inevitably find yourself there, will cause you all sorts of problems (fear, aggression, tension, etc…) Martin found us all to have several “sticking” points in our movement, particularly during pushups, squatting, rolling and falling. During these points, self-awareness drops dramatically and a great degree of control is lost. There is also a tendency to quickly move through those ranges or completely out of those “places” instead of submitting to the experience and the lessons to be learned. Think of that “certain” range in your pushups or squats that is the most challenging, where your count becomes a “little faster” as your mind tries to avoid it. Stay there, and overcome with breathing.

•Be responsible for your own movement. Using the example of standing up and laying down, Martin explained that there are an infinite number of positions in between. Instead of standing one moment, falling in the next moment, and in some crude manner finding yourself on the ground (only then to “look around” and reassess), Martin had us work on being in control and aware throughout that entire sequence. In doing so, Martin was explaining how we could change our own perception of time to our advantage. I found several times in my own movement where I was “going blind”, not allowing myself to “see”. This type of work is best explored slowly, while staying relaxed and in control of your movements, cutting out the adrenaline “kick” that unnecessarily excites your psyche.

•Being in control buys you time. Conversely, movement that is out of control can quickly lead to becoming overloaded and “missing” things. During some drilling on this matter, Brad mentioned to look for “freebies” in the movement. When you are out of control, you will be in no position to recognize these “freebies” when they do present themselves, and even if you are able to recognize them, you will be in no position to act on them.

•In regard to timing and moving with an opponent, Martin said to “let the opponent think their technique has neither failed nor finished”. Match their speed. Moving away from them too fast will signal to them that that particular movement has failed, and they will then adjust accordingly. In other words, keep them thinking they are what they are attempting to do is actively succeeding. In doing so, you will “keep them with you” until it is too late for them.


There was of course much more covered! Numerous techniques (born of sound principle) that could be used to escort or control an unruly person, different aspects of striking and several ways to handle the handcuffing of resistive subjects.

For me, however, the seminar was not about learning several new moves, but really going back to the basics of Systema, breathing, relaxation, movement, and posture.

So often the tendency (especially in Law Enforcement circles) is to look for the “advanced” training… As I have heard it said before, so cliché, but true, true, true…

“Advanced is merely the basics mastered”

That’s what this seminar ended up being for me. Thank Brad for hosting and thanks to Martin for sharing a lot of great information…

Respectfully,

Ryan Bertrand
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Is it Still Russian Martial Art Even If The Teacher Isn't?

Here is a link to an interesting article from the New York Times about non-Italians cooking Italian food.

Is Cuisine Still Italian Even If The Chef Isn't?

Many people have asked if you have to be Russian to be good at Russian Martial Art.  Obviously you don't but for whatever reason people associate combat skill with nation of origin.  I point to people like Martin Wheeler who is not Russian, never been to Russia, doesn't speak Russian and is one of the best practitioners around.  I personally was among a group of non-Russians demonstrating the native Russian Martial Art for Russians in Moscow to expose the Russian people to this art in 2003.

This article is timely because  people sometimes ask me if I am Russian or if I speak Russian.  When I say I don't speak Russian and my dad's mom is Ukrainian they get this look like how can I teach a Russian martial art then.  I usually draw the analogy that you don't have to be Italian to cook Italian food.  This article then shows the same biases in the culinary world.  Perhaps the chefs can tell people that you don't have to be Russian to excel at Russian Martial Arts...