Here is an excellent self-defense weapon, the Cossack whip, or nagaika. I received mine directly from Siberia (thank you Andrei!). It is a short braided leather whip with a hard handle and a tip which sometimes contains metal (mine doesn’t) like a small lead bullet. Overall length is thirty seven inches.Click on the image to [...]
Learning self defense or combat techniques won’t help you as much as learning sound principles and body mechanics.
Here are ten of the most influential and entertaining books I have read. some will teach you thinks, others will make you laugh. You might hate one or two. A couple might change your life. None will leave you indifferent. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This is probably the most important book I have ever [...]
Here is an excellent introduction to Systema posted on my instructor Marc Bresee’s site systemasarasota.com, and reposted here with his permission. We have a great class here in Sarasota. In my opinion Systema is one of the very best self defense systems out there.. Systema is a Martial Art with roots in ancient Russia. It [...]
Reading William Gibson’s novel, “Spook Country,” I first thought of his mention of Systema as unrelated to the Russian Martial art I practice. In the novel, the protagonists are Cuban spies working with the Russians in the United States. They live by a protocol of secrecy they call Systema. I thought of it as tradecraft, [...]