Martial arts are the orchestrated expressions of human physicality, strategy, and discipline, interwoven into a profound tapestry of principles techniques and philosophies. They transcend mere combat, encompassing a symphony of controlled movements, mental acuity, and spiritual growth. Martial arts are pathways for individuals to sculpt their bodies and minds, harmonizing the instinct for self-preservation with the pursuit of personal evolution. Through dedicated practice, practitioners cultivate a harmonious unity of body, mind, and spirit, guiding them to navigate the complexities of conflict, both internal and external, with grace and efficacy.
At Roots Dojo, we focus on various methods of accompanying students on their Martial path. With heavy focus on foundational principles- the Roots of all Martial Arts, we also take a refined approach to the subtleties of the “Arts” with the Martial.
When learning the martial aspect of Systema we focus on learning through play creating the psychological stressors of real situations and teach the students how to breathe, relax and connect with their intuition to find creative solutions in conflict situations.
– Hand-to-hand combat
Relaxation is more powerful than tension
Through the ancient practice of Systema we learn to absorb and redirect our opponents energy allowing a practitioner to gain strength from an attack instead of being broken by it, we focus on freeing the body and psyche from resistance to unlock the wisdom stored in each cell of the body allowing a practitioner to adapt and act directly from body awareness instead of memorized movements, which allows a practitioner to use their surroundings and opponent’s energy to their advantage.
– Weapons
In systema we learn to confidently handle all types of weapons has though they were an extension of our own bodies, knife or stick the fundamentals stay the same to find deep relaxation connect our breathing to every movement, then the tool becomes part of our body and our breath permeates whatever weapon we use and from this deep connection we explore and discover our own authentic movements.
– Groundwork
All humans have a primordial fear of falling
one of the fundamental aspects of systema is making your peace with the ground, learning how to disperse tension and relax when hitting the ground.
Whether it is in a physical confrontation or disaster situation, knowing how to use the ground to your advantage can mean the difference between life and death.
Even if you never end up in a physical confrontation it is still deeply beneficial to learn how to fall without injuring oneself, a bad fall can be a life-changing event.
overcoming this primordial fear and knowing you can fall down on any surface and use the momentum to stand right back up without pain or injury allows one to embody a deeper sense of relaxation and trust in the body’s natural reaction.