Want to increase your muscle mass three-fold within one week? Decrease your reaction time by half? Learn how to disable a violent attacker with only one hand from a kneeling position? Enter and win a mixed-martial art (MMA) tournament with only 3 weeks of training under your belt?
If so, then you probably won't be interested in what I have to say next.![]()
There is a small but dedicated group of people here in HK (myself included) that practice once a week (Sat) a Russian martial art. There is just too much about it for me to explain here (plus, I could never do it justice anyway) so I've included the URL below to the main website. You can also google "russian martial art" or "systema" and you'll find tons of websites about it.
www.russianmartialart.com
In just a few words... for those interested in tai chi, aikido, krav maga, or MMA, systema is a very effective method for self-defense. It doesn't require a whole lot of muscle or technique. We don't learn stances or katas or anything like that. Moreover, for anyone interested in rock climbing, foot-bag (aka hackey-sack), yoga, isometric training, or muscular flexibility, I think you would find that systema workouts are very closely related. It's also an art that is well suited for practically any body type or shape, male or female. You don't need to be Bruce Lee or GI Jane to excel in systema. You just need to have an open mind and be able to breath, relax, and have fun. Some technical issues that we try to cover/teach:
-defense against a knife-wielding attacker
-defense in a confined space (say... for instance, Drop)
-groundwork
-working against multiple attackers
-fighting with a hurt/disabled/immobilized limb
-body movement, flexibility, breathing, and relaxation under stress
Oh, and we don't wear uniforms. Whatever you want to wear for the workout is whatever you want to wear. We don't care.
That said, if you are interested, read more about it online. As I mentioned, there is just too much for me to describe here and now.
I'd also like to point out that no one in our group, including me, is an expert in this art. We all bring something to the table (various experiences and different martial arts backgrounds). Mainly, we meet to learn something new, trade perspectives, and get a good workout (a refreshing departure from the normal gym workouts). Some of us have had direct instruction from certified systema instructors, and some of us just started here in HK. We don't consider ourselves a "school", just a training group that shares a common interest.
Anyway, we're always looking for more people to work out with us. Doesn't matter if you have any martial arts experience or not, there is always something to learn, and I guarantee that we always have fun. We usually meet in a park (HK or Kowloon or sometimes near Hung Hom) so we don't charge any fees or anything like that. We are usually flexible with our work-out times too.
And, need I mention... (not like you people need another excuse)but there's nothing like lunch and a cold beer or two with new friends after a tough workout.
If you are interested, you can PM me and I'll get back to you. Cheers.
p.s. Our group neither endorses nor participates in bullfighting, seal clubbing, whale hunting, the buying and selling of ivory, furs, or any animal products used in Chinese medicine. (I read that thread... man, you guys are harsh. But funny as sh*t.)