Ryabko Systema Philosophy and Practices
Actual practices can vary widely between practitioners, especially for those who come from a different background and continue existing practices and training. Although there is no official, rigid "belief system" or ideology that is taught, most practitioners over time seem to share similar core values, including:
- Non-destruction
- Training should not wear down the body or spirit. When done correctly, training energizes and heals.
- Faith
- This could be understood as relaxedness, openness to experience, confidence, mental fortitude or the like. Every practitioner expresses this in their own individual way.
- Self-understanding
- Systema is also known as "poznai sebia" (Russian language: discover yourself). Everyone is unique and should understand and apply themselves uniquely.
It is because of this personalness in training and understanding that Systema expresses itself uniquely in each person. Though surface ideas and so-called "philosophies" seem to differ between practitioners, Systema fundamentally encourages that practitioners adopt a philosophical disposition of openness to their experiences, so that they may attain truthful insight into their psyches, to better understand personal strengths and weaknesses.
Other practices include massage and strikes to alleviate stress and tension. Some practitioners douse in cold-water. Typically, a bucket of cold water is left out to chill overnight; then poured over the head while standing outside with one's bare feet on the earth. Some students do weight training with kettlebells.
Read more about this topic: Ryabko's Systema
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