ROBERT POYTON LOOKS AT THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKEDOWNS IN RUSSIAN SYSTEMA SELF DEFENCE...
SELF DEFENCE
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art of the development of the Russian martial art of Systema in modern times has been its use in close protection and bodyguarding work. Teachers such as Major Konstantin Komarov (still active in high level CP work) share their considerable practical and procedural experience, giving us a unique insight into the application of Systema at a professional level.
TAKEDOWNS One aspect of this work is the ability to take a potential threat to the ground where they can be restrained and contained. Why a takedown when there are many excellent throws available? Because a throw can ‘tie up’ the thrower. Throws can be devastating in the right circumstances, but they can also rely on certain types of clothing being worn and, in some cases, require throwing yourself in order to throw the other person. In a close protection environment this
is not always desirable and work sometimes needs to be more subtle and contained But, what does this have to do for anyone outside of the CPl environment? Actually, quite a bit - for example, if you are working a door or similar, takedowns may be a good option. You need less space, you run less risk of injuring a person (or at least have the option) and, when applied to team work, takedowns provide an almost impossible to counter method of control and restraint. The same applies to other more general self defence situations when used skillfully, takedowns are quick, require minimal effort and avoid the need for grappling, giving you time to escape or to deal with another threat.
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Systema is unique in that it works almost entirely from a principle base rather than technique. So, what are the principles of takedowns and how can they be realistically practised? BALANCE POINTS A throw or takedown involves first taking control of a person’s balance, so we need to know where the balance points in the body are. A simple example is the Triangle Point. Draw a line between a person’s feet - now take a line out from each foot to form a triangle (Figure One). The point of the triangle - front and back - will be the weakest point of balance. Test it out push down into the base of the triangle, then push towards the point. With the latter you should be easily able to move the person. The natural response for the person is to step to regain balance - so block the hip or leg and you control the balance. You can access the balance points through the limbs, the head, or directly to the torso.
LEVERAGE If we look at the body from a purely biomechanical point of view, we see levers, cylinders and planes. Again, as a basic example, the arm can be used as a lever in order to affect the structure of the body. If working against joints, we can once more follow a triangle principle - simply take the short side of the triangle towards the further angle (Figure Two). STRUCTURE BREAKING A person in a ‘neutral’ position is difficult to move - the shoulders and hips are in line and the feet are directly under the hips. In this position, the spine can take a heavy load. Break that structure, however, and manipulation becomes easier. We have already mentioned leverage, but the structure can also be broken by targeting muscle groups. Simple example drive the knee into the side of a tense thigh, the muscle is forced to relax and the leg will buckle. PAIN COMPLIANCE This includes small joint manipulation, working with pressure points or grabbing and martial arts illustrated | 31
SELF DEFENCE
twisting soft tissue. Probably the least reliable option as pain thresholds vary greatly and clothing may negate some methods. Worth exploring though as, when it works, it is very effective.
TEAMWORK I mentioned teamwork earlier. There are a range of methods used by Russian CP squads, from working in pairs up to teams of five or six. They involve co-ordinating actions against a target, including different angles of approach, distraction methods, ‘invisible’ work and more. These are best learnt from a suitable instructor, but they provide a very practical and ideal method for anyone involved in security/restraint/professional work.
HEAD MANIPULATION For me, the best way to control the body is to control the head. The head has plenty of ‘handles’ and, when in close, can usually be easily grabbed and controlled. Where the head goes the body follows. If you can, pin the head into your own body, then use your shoulders to guide.
This is a very quick look at the subject of takedowns, but I hope this article gives you a few ideas to put into your own training. If you are used to techniques then take a look at them in light of the above principles. If you find sometimes your technique is not working, come back to the underlying principle of what you are trying to do, or learn to shift into something else. Don’t ‘hang on’ to something that isn’t happening.
COMBINING The above methods can be practised separately, but in use you will most likely be combining two or more. For example, break the structure of the legs to bring the head in close, then effect the takedown through head control. PRACTISING We prefer to gain an understanding of this work through a direct, hands on approach. While it is important to understand something of the underlying physical/ psychological aspects of work, we have to remember that the Ryabko/Vasiliev method of Systema has been born out of experience and action, not just theory. For this, direct work against a partner is essential, so that our body, and not just our brain, understands.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with any of the instructors in the advert below, or via our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/46909449959 robert poyton
There are three levels of practise. The first is to work on a partner who acts as something of a ‘dummy’ for you. Manipulate their body through the methods above and start to get a feel for how joints work, how the spine can be manipulated, balance points and so on... The second level is for your
partner to be more active - they should feed you a grab, a punch etc...which you have to deal with and effect the takedown. They should use varying levels of speed and tension/resistance - this gets you used to points of entry, positioning, footwork and how much or little force is needed to do the job. The third level is to go ‘live’ and work against full resistance. This can be done in a few ways - one is simply to partner up and try to take each other down. Another is to set up a simple scenario one person has 60 seconds to get through a doorway, the other person stands in the door and tries to affect the takedown/control. Set up a time limit and see how it goes. REFINEMENTS These are the basic principles - from here there are plenty of refinements to be worked on - spiral movement, psychological aspects, use of breathing, close range striking and more. If you train in the Systema approach you will also learn how to flow quickly between different methods and positions - there are no guarantees with anything and we have to remain adaptable when working with a live partner.
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