Testimonials

More Than I Ever Expected

"Since my start with Systema a few years ago, my experience with the martial art has been more than I could have ever expected. My involvement in the Russian Martial Art Academy of Lee County has not just taught me a means of self-defense, but has resulted in a wide-ranging improvement in my personal well-being. In Systema, there is something for everyone who approaches with a willingness to learn and improve.

This centuries-old discipline has so many facets that a lifetime is not long enough to master them all. However, I see that the journey is far more enjoyable than any perceived end result. Through the tutelage of instructor Peter Annazone, I have benefited from training directly with the Systema masters Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko, as well as a host of instructors they have trained throughout the nation and world. This art has taken me to far away places such as Russia and the Czech Republic to train with like-minded students in this most unique endeavor. Friendships made with these fellow students and instructors have been another wonderful consequence of my travels.

The Systema instruction we receive from Peter Annazone at the Russian Martial Art Academy of Lee County translates into all aspects of our lives. The foundational principles apply to everyday life as well as the fighting art. Because of its life improving potential, I can easily foresee practicing Systema for many years to come."

- Lee A. Heilig 9/17/2007

Exactly What I Had Been Looking For

"My Kenpo instructor Steve Casamento introduced me to Russian Martial Art in January of 2006. He had always spoken highly of Vladimir and the System. He had the opportunity to work with Vladimir and recommended that I give it a try. I started taking classes with Peter Annazone the Systema instructor in Fort Myers , Florida . I soon realized it was exactly what I had been looking for. I personally enjoy the fact that there is no ranking system. This allows everyone to get over their egos and work together to better themselves and their classmates. For me, it was not just a martial art for self-defense, but a system, that when followed, can be applied to every aspect of my life. I find that it is an art that keeps evolving, and is something I can do through my whole life."

- Russell Beazell 9/17/2007

The training is realistic.

"I have over twenty years of both military and law enforcement experience. In that time I have been trained to use a large number of techniques for both armed and unarmed combat. Almost all of the techniques and styles I learned were doomed to not survive the "what if" test. What if I don't see the attack coming? What if there is more than one attacker? What if the attackers are much larger? What if I'm injured? What if I have my gear on? When I asked my trainers tough questions about certain scenarios, I was told to "not get into that situation in the first place." Well, that's great advice unless you're being paid, took an oath, or a loved one put you in "that" situation. Furthermore, my fellow students and I were told that in a few years, if we practiced a certain move everyday, lifted weights, and worked on our fast twitch muscle fibers, their methods would work great. So, I was left with the impression that I needed to be bigger, meaner, and more vicious than the next guy. I had to hurt the other person faster and more often to get home safely. No wonder we see videos that leaves us shaking our heads, or fellow law enforcement officers in court fighting for their lives because of the measures they had to take in a combat situation. Then I found Systema, or "The System."

On my first day I was doing knife training. I was learning how to win by being put in the exact no-win situations that other instructors said, "If this happens you screwed up - you're dead." Not only did I "survive" the simulated combat in my Russian Martial Art instruction, the moves were easy and natural. I had learned the skills quickly, without having months of drills to learn first. In fact, there are no belts, ranks, or rules. The training is realistic. I didn't have to stand in front of a pad and kick it while trying to stand "just right" or punch that bag for weeks on end. Plus, street clothes weren't something saved for a "special" class once in awhile. They are what I wear to every class. Weapons aren't something saved for advanced students, for we started using them right away. I didn't just fight beginners - I even fought the instructor. Just like on the street where you may have to fight somebody of any size and any experience level, our Russian Martial Art training makes it happen today, not in a few years. More importantly, I am learning to defeat myself - to defeat my fears, to avoid tunnel vision, to ignore exhaustion and over reactions, and to manage stress. Theses are the things that can hurt me in everyday life as well as combat. If I have a question or problem, or my own "what if" that bothers me, I can freely ask the instructor. He and my fellow students will help me to find the answer. No hidden special knowledge is saved for the "chosen ones." The most advanced principles Systema can ever teach you are based on things you do everyday already. Sure, practice will make you a better fighter. I practice everyday in the car, at work, in the mall, or anywhere, all the time. There is no equipment needed for practice. That's because in Systema the most important things to learn are breathing, relaxation and movement in all situations. I work everyday for an elite Department of Homeland Security Agency on the street and undercover… I can't even imagine not training in "The System." Nothing else out there comes close."

- Name Withheld 4/16/2007