俄羅斯武術西斯特瑪台北道場除了疫情期間之外，每年都會邀請莫斯科總部或是加拿大總部的指導員來台灣，讓沒有時間出國參加研習會的同學以及同好們可以不用週車勞頓而直接在地得到總部指導員的指導。今年八月我們邀請了西斯特瑪創始者Mikhail Ryabko的兒子：Daniil Ryabko，來台灣給予我們三天的教學（一個兩小時的小課以及兩天12小時的研習會）。Daniil上次來台灣是2018年，沒想到一恍眼就等到2024才再有機會邀請他來台灣。
這次研習會的主題是「力量、放鬆以及內在」(power, relaxation and internal)。除了台灣本地的參加者之外，其他還有來自於日本、香港以及義大利的朋友。
西斯特瑪很簡單，但同時它也很難。這是Daniil在這次研習會的一開始和我們說的話。西斯特瑪的簡單之處在於它只是我們自然的動作；它難的地方在於，我們習慣用心智去複雜化所有的一切。維持清淨的心智，這是Daniil在一開始的練習就給我們的建議。
研習會中一樣從呼吸走圈開始，用手臂的不同角度去認知身上對應產生的tension，並探索如何去除這些tension。這就是我們主題中放鬆的這一部分。感覺似乎很簡單，但Daniil示範我們這些基礎的練習是如何導出高品質的動作後，我相信沒有人會認為簡單。
這些我們看起來很基礎無味的練習，都是Mikhail給我們的，這是他給我們去探索用的工具。所有的高級動作都是從這些不起眼的練習裡自然生成的。今年在莫斯科總部訪問時大沙夏也和我這樣說：「很多人急於去練習那些很華麗或是看起來很高級的動作，但其實所有的東西都在基礎的練習裡面。基礎的練習做的好，那些華麗和高級的動作會自然的出來。」
研習會的過程當中，我抓住空檔問了Daniil關於第二種呼吸的一些問題，他回答我第二種呼吸是呼吸帶動動作、動作帶動呼吸、最後兩者融為一體的一種呼吸。我問他如何練成這個呼吸，他說他問過他父親同樣的問題，他父親回答他這個呼吸自己會出來。這個回答在令人無語的同時，也讓我有點安心。因為Mikhail真的是這樣教的，Daniil也是這樣教的。他們的作法是做給你看，而我們的責任是探索這些我們所看到的東西，透過他們給我們的這些基礎練習。
Mikhail和Daniil都不會講一堆理論，他們只是直接給你示範你該做的，並從你做的給你建議。因為這些東西是我們本來就有的本能，這和嬰兒學走路是一樣的道理：嬰兒的本能讓他可以從翻身、坐起到站立、步行、跑跳，透過他對外界的觀察。有些youtube影片上頭還可以看到小狗和小嬰兒的互動中，小狗會示範小嬰兒一些動作是如何做的。這不需要理論解釋。
西斯特瑪的練習大致上是以：動作大到小、距離遠到近、速度慢到快的方式進行。所謂的動作大到小指的是練習初始先找到身體的大動作反應，確實的觀察自己身心的tension並去除，接下來由外顯的動作過渡到較為內化的動作，最後做到外面看不到但是切實有效果的動作。這就是我們研習會主題當中的internal。
速度由慢到快這一點，Daniil說：「如果你可以慢的做動作，那快的就不會有任何問題」，這來源於動作的質量。
關於力量，這來源於放鬆，當然和內在也有關係。Daniil示範了不給支撐、放鬆、clean mind這些原則如何體現在動作當中。
和Daniil在對練時，例如用手抓緊他的手臂時，會發現自己的力量用不出來。從接觸中可以知道Daniil並不是一昧的無力。雖然可以感受到他的力，但自己的力會完全找不到施力點。
研習會的訓練時間之外，Daniil還幫我們的一些同學做了Stick massage，同學的回饋都很不錯，做完後表情都完全的不一樣。我自己發現到做完幾天後身體的整體力量有提昇、身體的平衡也變好、同時心情上也變得很放鬆。
真的很謝謝Daniil這次的指導，也感謝這次研習會的參加者，也謝謝我們西斯特瑪台北道場CEO對這次研習會的統籌，沒有這些就沒有這次圓滿的研習會。
接下來Daniil九月會在土耳其、十月會在日本的大阪以及東京指導研習會，有興趣的朋友歡迎參加。報名方式如置底：
Except during the pandemic, we invite instructors from Moscow headquarters or Toronto headquarters to Taiwan every year, so that students and enthusiasts who do not have the time to travel abroad for seminars can receive guidance from headquarters instructors right here locally without the need to travel. This August, we invited Daniil Ryabko, the son of Systema founder Mikhail Ryabko, to Taiwan for three days of teaching (one two-hour small class and two days of total 12-hour seminars). Daniil last visited Taiwan in 2018, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to invite him back in 2024.
The theme of this seminar was "Power, Relaxation, and Internal." In addition to participants from Taiwan, we also had friends from Japan, Hong Kong, and Italy.
Systema is simple, but at the same time, it is difficult. This was what Daniil told us at the beginning of the seminar. The simplicity of Systema lies in its natural movements; its difficulty lies in our habit of complicating everything with our minds. Keeping a clear mind was Daniil's advice to us right from the start of the practice.
As usual, the seminar started with walking circles while breathing, using different angles of the arms to perceive the corresponding tension in the body and exploring how to remove this tension. This is the part of the theme related to relaxation. It seems simple, but after Daniil demonstrated how these basic exercises lead to high-quality movements, no one would think it's easy.
These seemingly basic and mundane exercises are given to us by Mikhail; they are tools for us to explore. All advanced movements naturally emerge from these inconspicuous exercises. During my visit to the Moscow headquarters this year, Big Sasha also told me: "Many people are eager to practice those fancy or advanced movements, but actually, everything is in the basic exercises. If the basic exercises are done well, those fancy and advanced movements will naturally come out."
During the seminar, I took the opportunity to ask Daniil some questions about the “second breathing”. He replied that the second breathing is a breathing bring movement, movement bring breathing, and eventually, the two merge into one. I asked how to achieve this breathing, and he said he had asked his father the same question, and his father replied that this breathing would come out on its own. This answer, though somewhat speechless, also gave me some comfort. Because this is indeed how Mikhail teaches, and this is how Daniil teaches as well. They show you what to do, and it is our responsibility to explore what we see through these basic exercises they give us.
Mikhail and Daniil do not talk much about theory; they just directly demonstrate what you should do and give you advice based on your performance. Because these things are our inherent instincts, similar to how a baby learns to walk: a baby's instincts allow it to turn over, sit up, stand, walk, and run through its observation of the external world. There are even some YouTube videos where you can see interactions between puppies and babies, where puppies demonstrate how to do certain movements to the baby. This does not require theoretical explanation.
Systema training generally proceeds from large to small movements, from far to near distances, and from slow to fast speeds. The so-called large to small movements mean starting the practice by finding the body's large movement responses, carefully observing and removing tension from the body and mind, then transitioning from explicit movements to more internalized ones, and finally achieving movements that are invisible but effective. This relates to the "internal" aspect of our seminar theme.
Regarding speed from slow to fast, Daniil said, "If you can do movements slowly, then doing them fast will not be a problem," which comes from the quality of the movements.
Regarding power, it comes from relaxation and, of course, relates to the internal aspect as well. Daniil demonstrated how principles like non-supporting, relaxation, and a clean mind manifest in movements. When sparring with Daniil, for example, when gripping his arm tightly, I found that I couldn't exert my strength. From the contact, I could tell that Daniil was not simply powerless. While I could feel his strength, I couldn't find a point to apply my own force.
Outside of seminar training, Daniil also performed stick massages for some of our students, and the feedback was excellent. After the massages, their expressions were completely different. I found that a few days after the massage, my overall body strength had improved, my balance had improved, and my mood had become very relaxed.
I am truly grateful for Daniil's guidance this time, thankful for the participants in this seminar, and grateful to our Systema Taipei CEO for coordinating this seminar. Without all this, we wouldn't have had such a successful seminar.
Next, Daniil will be holding seminars in Turkey in September and in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, in October. Interested friends are welcome to participate. Here are the registration details:
Daniil's seminar in Turkey in September
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWZgl3dIl_M
Daniil's seminar in Osaka in October
https://2024-systema-fundamentals.peatix.com/
Daniil's seminar in Tokyo in October
https://systemanewera.peatix.com/
