Howdy all!

I recently had the pleasure of attending a seminar hosted by the American Academy of Russian Martial Art and Combat Skill (AARMACS) in Manheim, PA. Though this group is relatively new to the American martial arts world, they represent a strong and vibrant cultural tradition. I had gotten a sense of how much material they have to offer and how seriously they take this task from their web sight, and the recent "World of Martial Arts Magazine" special issue, which featured them on the cover and in several articles presenting various aspects of what they do. When I read that they were going to be doing an introductory seminar in just a few weeks, I decided to go down and see just who these people were for myself.

The seminar its self was to be on Zdorovye, which is a form of traditional Russian health exercise. It consists of three main areas of practice: Breathing (Dykhaniye), Poise (Polozheniye), and Grace (Dvizheniye). These areas are all integrated to make the practitioner strong, healthy, and very agile. I had seen the introductory video on the Breathing method, but it had only hinted at the next two levels of Poise and Grace. Some of the Breathing material looked similar to things I had seen in the Internal Chinese systems, but much was completely new. Even the drills that looked familiar didn’t feel quite right when I did them – and yet I could see the power that they were generating. Having spent nearly 20 years in the martial arts, I could tell that this was something new and I was fascinated by it. I had to see more!

Initially, I had only planned to go down for the one day, six hour intensive workshop; figuring it would be a long drive, but hopefully a worthy one. Any hesitation I might have felt about the drive instantly dissipated when the seminar’s host, Scott Sonnon, invited me to stay for another day to play Sambo with them. This was an opportunity that I felt was not to be missed! As I headed down PA Route 72, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but kept an open mind and was ready for anything.

Finding the school was easy on Saturday morning – just go down the road, turn left and spot the cluster of folks in camouflage fatigues. Far from the imposing image of scowling, grim warriors that the thought of "Russian Combat Arts" might suggest; this group instead was all smiling and joking about something. Definitely the right place! Scott came over and we talked for a few moments as we all went into the building. He immediately recognized the HACA logo on my shirt, and we spoke briefly about the sword arts. Russian Martial Art (RMA) uses several types of swords, including the shashka (double edged curved saber) and the myech (bastard sword). He told me that later there world be a demonstration of the shashka as well as carbine (bayonet) fencing and unarmed Fisticuffs. Sounded great! There was time for a few sips of coffee and a quick stretch; then things got started in earnest.

Scott started off the seminar by having us do a series of foot and ankle rotations. These formed the basis for an efficient biomechanic for walking or running, which we practiced. Then, after drilling them for ten minutes and a few quick laps around the room to warm up, Scott tells us "OK, now take off your shoes, and we’re going to go running on the road and gravel outside." He explains that by doing this it will provide the proper biofeedback to our use of the mechanic – which in my mind translated to "it’s going to hurt if I do it wrong". There are only two reactions that I could have had - do it or don’t do it - so OK, I’m game. I bought the ticket, so I should sure as heck should enjoy the ride! Let’s go running outside!

So, did it work? Did the "biomechanic and feedback" combo do the trick? Well, first off let me say that after the brief time it took to learn the gait, it felt not only easy to run for nearly two miles barefoot, but it made me feel energetic for the rest of the day to come. It really set my mind to what I was doing, in the sense that for the rest of the day I kept trying to find that relationship between "proper biomechanics and feedback from the environment" in everything else we did. Again, this proved another valuable tool. This group and what they were doing was really good, no doubt about that, and moreover they wanted everyone there to get good, too. All throughout the day, the staff and students helped the beginners with all the material. They willingly got hit, thrown to the ground and across the room, leapt, dove, fell and rolled hundreds of times to show us the correct mechanics of each movement. They also knew when to let the class experiment and "make each move uniquely their own", as is the nature of the ROSS system.

When we returned from the run, Carl Smith taught a section on Breathing Techniques (Dykhaniye). We trained in the 3 Levels of Breathing (Prav, Yav, and Nav) which correspond to the upper, middle, and lower respiration patterns, respectively. Following this was practicing the 3 Levels while in 3 different postures (Standing, Supinated, and Pronated). These correspond with standing naturally balanced and centered, being on all fours with the weight even and your hands and feet forming a square, and lying on your back with the knees up and legs parallel to the ground. This gave us nine basic breathing drill combinations to practice.

We then trained with Ben Brackbill in a long series of joint circles and biomechanics for articulating all the major movements of the upper and lower body. The whole series were natural circling exercises starting with simple finger circles and then moving through the arm and neck. They are trained initially as just free, natural movements; but in application they could be used for anything – blocks, hits, grip releasing, knife, or whatever. Since we were practicing Zdorovye though, the idea for us was to link them to the breathing patterns and relax into the movement. We didn’t have to think application – only how does this movement feel. These movements felt very "freeing", allowing the body to move easily in all directions. There was a sense of rolling energy with the whole body, which we drilled in isolations for the torso, waist, and hips before moving the circles down to the legs, knees, and ankles. The whole series acts to simultaneously strengthen and loosen the body.

This biomechanical exercise is very important to understand, as it provides the basis for what they term Martial Movement Training (MMT). As opposed to focusing in on individual techniques, ROSS promotes the development of personal attributes and the ability to move in combative ways, which will come out in your responses to a given situation. Throughout the seminar, we would see examples of how this inter-connection would work in both the unarmed combat and weapons material. The instructors would often jokingly ask whoever was teaching "So you mean that the same mechanics that we just did earlier are used here again? It’s all connected?" really driving this point home in my mind.

Next, Scott lead us through an further series of leg strength and balance drills derived from Russian folk dance, in which you move each leg through a series of leg extensions and stretches. Each extension was held for held for a period of time, and then the next posture taken and held, and so on, before finally returning the foot to the floor. In Kung Fu I had encountered similar drills that placed the student in unusual positions on one leg, or upside down. The purpose is the same – to develop confidence and the ability to move and fight from positions you are normally unaccustomed to, along with the requisite strength and endurance to hold them for an extended period of time.

By this point, we had trained for about 3 hours, and were given a half-hour break to drink water, chew on bagels (thank you, Lauren), and watch an amazing show of ROSS combatives by the staff and students of the Lancaster academy. This was no formal, staged presentation – this was a group of training partners and friends just honestly playing their styles well and fighting very hard! The sheer level of speed, power, and intensity that they could take their game to was testament to the skill of all involved. In addition to the Fisticuffs, sword, staff and carbine fencing work they did, there was also a demonstration of the Soft techniques of the ROSS system. These techniques played directly on the power and speed of an opponent’s attack to unbalance, strike or throw them. Some might compare the soft style to the essence of Aiki, though not necessarily to the art of Aikido. These movements were soft and blending – but they ended in things like neck breaks, leg dislocations, and ground work. The tactics were similar on one level, but the objectives of the combatants and the weapons used were quite different. The Soft work appears to be effortless, with results that are simply devastating and could seem "magical" to the untrained eye. There is no "hocus-pocus" here, though; the soft work is an ultimate physical expression of the vital concept of "Efficiency of Movement" so prevalent in ROSS, and is a skill gained through years of dedicated effort. The concept of soft work is also applied to other areas of fighting in ROSS, such as the Sambo, carbine fencing, and so on.

From there Scott Fabel took the lead and introduced us to the principles of falling and rolling. Starting from on our backs - once again in the positions we had trained the breathing in earlier – we learned to roll to the sides or backwards. From on our belly we rolled to the sides or forward. We went through many variations of this, learning via "bio-feedback from the floor" if the movements were proper or not. If you were gliding along the floor in a low, easy, and painless manner then you had it! I love this sort of objective learning! Once again this is a very practical attribute for dance, sports, life, etc. The ability to move well is always a good thing. These drills also make you comfortable in a position. They should be done like you are a young bear cub or some animal rolling about, with a playful sense of what you are doing and a constant awareness of your motion. Once again, the concept of turning our "serious training" into play was addressed. This is a vital concept, voiced by such notables in the martial arts as Bruce Lee and the Dog Brothers time and again. "Play Seriously"!

These drills progressed to higher falls, rolls to the different directions, and combinations of falls and rolls. We then learned a peculiar "hopping" exercise done from the "all fours" position. This specific drill has you circling your torso on one of several axis, which alone is a good workout for the whole body. This teaches the mechanics of a movement which Ben compared to a ball on a string that is spun and then released. Using this method the student can bounce and move using their body’s kinetic motion. Learning to land the body lightly, and in a balanced posture while expending the least effort (biomechanical efficiency, remember?) was quite taxing! There was a temptation to push with the legs and to force the jumps instead of using the proper motion. This causes you to "palm strike the floor" when you land, however…bad news, unless there is a target there! Once again, I could see how easily the people who had done this for a while could move on the ground, effortlessly bouncing in different directions or simply circling in place. Watching them showed me the right form – now I just had to practice a lot!

After a long time of working these combinations, we moved outside where Ben taught us about moving from the squatting position. We practiced low side to side evasions, linear movement, low circle walking from the kneeling or squatting position, falling to a side "leg box" position, and much more. This section of the seminar was highlighted by two newlyweds – both students returning from their honeymoon – who arrived with their puppy! They joined the rest of us doing these low circling footwork patterns, while the pupster enjoyed some "Creek training" and playing with the group. Once again, I was struck by how close these folks were, and the sense of family that existed. It was very refreshing to be around such people in the martial arts world, which can at times be so rife with nonsense. Wah-hoo, real people!

For the final training section, we returned inside to practice combinations of the mobility drills we had just done from the squatting position with the falling, rolling, and breathing. We also practiced the rudiments of rolling when a weapon is in hand. By this point, we had practiced for six hours, with only perhaps 45 minutes total of down time, and had gone through a LOT of material. I was almost glad when Scott asked us "Are there any final questions?" At $20 for the seminar, I felt almost like a thief…and a very tired and hungry thief at that!

Luckily, as seems to be the tradition after every martial arts seminar, the group went out for Chinese food. It doesn’t matter what style of martial arts the group practices, when they go out to eat after a seminar it always seems to be for Chinese… This was a great time to get to know everyone better and learn more about ROSS, how Scott learned it in Russia, and how they are trying to spread the art here through seminars, videos, and the Internet. Here I learned of Scott’s background in wrestling and Sambo. He competed internationally in Sambo before he had ever heard of ROSS or his future teacher, Alexander Retuinskih. His meeting with him was the result of many years of asking questions and some downright lucky circumstances, the telling of which would take a whole separate article! Leave it to say that the group is the real thing, and regularly travels to Russia to train, as well as conducing national and international seminars. I left the restaurant feeling full and happy, and even more content after learning so much and meeting some great folks. The plan was to be at Scott’s house at 8:00 am the next morning for a short run…

Little did I expect just how the "short run", lead by "Crazy Bob" Stein, a veteran marathon runner and psychologist, was going to change how I trained! We started off at our trot, this time with shoes on. We ran through the city of Lancaster with our rolled kurtkas (Sambo jackets) slung across our backs, passing churchgoers and the sounds of Latin beats and James Brown records. It was about 3-4 miles to the park where we were to train, and I was pleasantly surprised that even after the previous days training I could still keep the "correct form" for most of the way. Once we reached the park, we went uphill to a secluded field to wrestle.

Donning our kurtkas, Scott told us about the technical side of Sambo. In his way of teaching it, the students do not learn techniques per se; rather they work on core body mechanics and tactics. The "technique" that this combination causes to happen is the result of the specific circumstances at hand, and not something to "freeze in time" and always try to do the same way. We did the figure-eight leg swing, which we had learned the previous day, and Scott showed us how this alone contains five key "leg fencing" tactics of Sambo: Reaping, Posting, Sweeping, Hooking and Tripping. When this was combined with an upper body grip, we could create a multitude of throws, without having to resort to a pre-set response. The advantage here is one of spontaneity and adaptability in the ever-changing realm of combat.

We paired off and worked on a sensitivity drill, learning to move with an opponent’s pull of our jacket, allowing us to enter, unbalance them, and then to take them down with the leg figure-eight movement. Innovation, softness, and focus were called for as we moved with our partners, staying aware of the movement at all times so we were not substituting power or speed for good technique. Not that power and speed aren’t important, mind you - I’m definitely a realist! There is the point in training, however, to learn to do things in the more efficient way – then when you add in the power and speed you are even better, and you can sustain your effort. This ability to sustain an effort was another theme common to the weekend, and to ROSS training in general. Sensitivity skills are essential for advanced skill development in the martial arts, and this drill was just one of many grappling applications of the sensitivity principal. One thing I liked about it was the direct way that you could just see it, do it, and learn from there. There were no complicated "flow drill series" to go through, just practical applied learning – Wah-hoo, more play!

After an hour of Sambo, and some quick impromptu matches, we ran back. This time, however, I took the pace much slower. I was not used to this much running before the seminar, and that was taking its toll on me. Dehydration was definitely a factor, as well as the looming specter of a 5-hour drive home after the run. Still, I was here to train. Once we returned to Scott’s house, we headed out to practice Fisticuffs in the backyard. Scott gave me a quick overview of the rules and motions used – once again using many of the elements of the biomechanical drill – which gives Fisticuffs and the Wall Fighting their perculiar form. The motions are not usually linear blows (like karate punching), but are swinging blows that come from all angles, and use a wave-like motion of the body, and whip-like motions of the hands to generate their power. When I first saw the Fisticuffs, I really had wanted to just jump up and try it! It was similar to many drills I had done in the martial arts, part sensitivity exercise, part striking drill, part evasion and mobility drill, and in the Wall fighting, also part teamwork and tactics drill. Like many things I had seen in ROSS, it was similar but clearly not the same as other Eastern or Western arts. The Fisticuffs clearly had their own "flavor". As we rested between flurries of punching, we discussed some of the connections between swordplay and unarmed combat. I found I was able to tap into the flow of this new game by thinking in a "knife" mode, mainly hitting with one hand and defending with the other to start. This helped me to better understand the forward and reverse hitting angles and the sinking and rising blows. Similarly, they use a riposte-style punching exercise and long thrusting steps, which have direct parallels in Western swordplay. I can hardly wait to get a group of friends together this winter to go out on the ice with, and do this training in the traditional manner of Wall fighting!

Exhausted, we retired back inside where Scott showed his skill in "culinary biomechanical efficiency" by making us all huge, thick, and ROSS-full Russian fried pancakes. They were the size of the plate, and covered with peanut butter and syrup. Truth be told, they had a miraculous curative effect, and after some more chatting it was time for fair-thee-wells and to hit the road.

Hopefully this article will give an idea what it is like to train with the AARMACS. For all of you out there interested in the Western combat arts, I highly recommend that you investigate what this group is all about! You will not be disappointed. They are highly skilled, innovative, and hospitable folks with a variety of programs to offer.

Train hard and stay sharp!

Pete Kautz