Lift Hands Vol 2 February 2017

3. From falling we would progress to rolling in all directions, firstly from seated or kneeling position and once a person has built up their confidence progressing to rolling from the feet.

4.Once a student has acquired sufficient skill in rolling and falling in all directions then we can progress to being led by a partner, either being tripped, taken down or working against a joint lock or immobilization.

Whilst this article barely scratches the surface, with regard to Systema floor work, it goes a small way towards introducing how the fundamental practices reinforce the same underlying principles.

Systema training also makes us aware of how anticipation causes tension in our psyche and body, causing restriction in our movement and prevents us responding to a stimulus in our most efficient way.

Learning to roll and fall as with all practices in Systema quickly teaches us the difference between fear and irrational fear. By offering resistance and tension all it serves to do is to cause us pain. It would be crazy to try and fight the floor rather we must learn to be pliable and work with it, in the same way we must apply this philosophy both to our combative practice, health and relationships, and importantly we must learn to embrace changes in environment and be adaptive.