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ABOUT RUSSIAN MARTIAL ART
HISTORY OF RUSSIAN MARTIAL ARTS
Information from Nikolay Travkin - President of AARMACS, Inc
American Academy for Russian Martial Art and Combat Skill
(Web Site)
Russian Martial Art has a martial evolution which can be divided
into four periods of influence.
The first period of influence can be considered the period of
tribal combat. Predating the advent of recorded history combative
sport and dance were constantly being held, particularly during
holidays and celebrations. The forefather of Russian Martial
Art, these skills were passed on from father to son, and comprised
tribal rites of passage, from childhood to adulthood.
Between the sixth and tenth century combative sports influenced the connection
between tribal combat and hand-to-hand combat skill due to the incessant attacks
from the peoples of the North and the West. A scholar by the name of
Prokopiy Caesarean noted the Eastern Slavs to be fearless fighters, rather
skillful in close quarter combat. During this same period, the Gothic
historian, Jordan, also wrote about the Slavs being courageous warriors.
Not unlike the Chinese, who had their own patron saint of the martial art known
as Bodhidarma, the Slavs, too, had their patron deity, known as Perun. Martial
contests and games held in his honor, led to the inevitable creation of a Slavic
school of martial art. The effectiveness of this school of combat was
proven by the victories of both Mstislav the Daring over Rededia, the prince
of the Kosog people, and of Nikita Kozhemiaka over a Hercules of the Pecheneg
people. It is important to note that these sports were conducted without
individual competitive success in mind, but for the mutual benefit of the tribe
and for celebration.
Also, not unlike Chinese martial art, which were outlawed by the Chinese government
during certain periods in history, so too was Russian martial art denounced,
this time by religious groups. Religious prohibition, however, could
not uproot the continued development of the Russian martial traditions. On
the contrary, it was during religious holidays that brave warriors continued
to compete in "Wall-fighting" on the ice, Russian fisticuffs, stick
fighting, and other weapons skill.
The second influential period in the evolution of Russian Martial Art, known
as the Norman period existed from the ninth to the thirteenth century. This
period, with the refinement of metallurgy, saw many developments in the Russian
martial traditions. Warriors adopted the use of the kolchuga (mail shirt)
for body armor, the myech (long straight sword), the 'shlem' (round, hemispherical
iron cap) as helmet, and the long, almond shaped "kite" shield. The
evolution that occurred during this period was a direct result of enemy attacks
from the Western and Northern peoples. The need to adapt to this particular
threat demanded the creation of flexible martial tactics, both in preparation
and in application.
With the third period of influence beginning in the thirteenth century, the
influential exposure to an Eastern, Mongol and Tatar influenced style of weaponry
began to take form. During this time sabre, the Cossack Shashka (long sword
that is halfway between a 17th century saber and a 14th century shamshir [scimitar]),
round shields, and eastern style body armor appeared in general use. A
special Cossack weapon was also developed that is terribly lethal against the
Eastern threat: the Nagaika (lead-filled short whip). The influence
is most certainly the result of confrontations between the Cossacks (the semi-nomadic
frontier warriors of Russia) and Ghengis Khan and his Golden Horde. The
four hundred-year occupation of Russia by the Horde had tremendous impact on
the evolution of Slavic martial traditions.
It must be understood that this was an evolution, not an adoption or internalization
of foreign doctrines, which took place during the occupation. For example,
the Slavic word, "yar", signified life's strength and its manifestation. Considering
themselves descendants of Dazhdbog, the god of sunlight, they lived by a solar
calendar and in combat they used their "yar" strength or energy,
which was manifested in their solar plexus. In eastern martial traditions,
internal energy or chi has its own focal point, which is located in the lower
portion of the stomach, the dantien. Human biorhythms also followed
the lunar cycles. However, this coexistence led to the eventual understanding
of the enemy. To defend against an enemy, one must know one's enemy. Much
was learned from this period of occupation.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century the third period saw the gradual
introduction of Western influences, conversely the influence of the Oriental
styles slowly diminished. The continuing refinement of firearms inevitably
led to the exclusivity of Russian Martial Art. The case being that it
is much easier to teach someone how to fire a pistol, than it is to teach him
how to be proficient with autokinetic movement (human biomechanics); the psychological
leverage needed to kill a man with a firearm is significantly smaller than
that needed to skewer a man face-to-face. Firearms became very popular
because they permitted "instant soldiers". At this point, skills
began to be taught exclusively by old families that remained true to the heritage
of ancient Slavic martial traditions.
It is interesting to note that in Western Europe, Musketeers were distinguished
and separated from spearmen, which resulted in significant disadvantages during
battle; one warrior had only a defensive weapon or only an offensive weapon. For
the Russian Martial Artist, whose training is based on natural movement, any
weapon could be employed for any melee objective. This period served
to fortify the exclusivity of Russian Martial Art.
Besides firearms, the Russian Martial Artist possessed an array of diverse
weapons; the latter ones, respectfully called "honest weapons," were
preferred over firearms. As Suvorov's old saying goes, "The bullet
is for the fool, the bayonet for the good guys," and reflected one
of the important tactical goals of combat - movement which quickly transfers
to the venue of hand-to-hand combat, where the Russian Martial Artist possessed
a marked advantage.
The fourth and final period of influence, known as the Global period, begins
this century with the advent of the October Revolution and the introduction
of the Bolshevik regime. During their regime, they attempted to repress
all nationalistic martial traditions of native lineage. The result of
this was the creation of a group assembled by Stalin to develop a combat system
and national sport that would unite the Soviet State under one combative tradition
and one national sport. The sport was Sambo. Due
to the influence of foreign "tricks", Sambo soon became a mere curriculum
of techniques lacking any high degree of depth and substance. At higher
levels within the military, among the elite combat subdivisions of the Special
Forces ("Spetsnaz"), Russian Martial Art remained in practice and
was further developed as a science of biomechanics and psychophysiology ("Survival
under extreme conditions referred to as Combat Sambo Spetsnaz.
The contemporary training of Russian Martial Art, culminating from each of
these periods of influence and development, is known as R.O.S.S. - "Russian
Native Self-Defense System". ROSS is the national training system
of Russia, directed by the International and All-Russian Federation of Russian
Martial Art, who was approved and recognized by the National Olympic Committee
of Russia as the sole representative of Russian Martial Art, within Russia
and worldwide. R.O.S.S. is further recognized by the Russian Ministry
of Sport, and is personally endorsed by Russian President V. Putin
Training continued throughout the 20th century among the special operations
units of Spetsnaz in order to select elite, trustworthy individuals with which
to share the truth about the origin, nature and characteristics of Russian
Martial Art. Prince Boris Vasilievich Golitsin attended the induction
ceremony of the first non-Russian student of the Russian Martial Art, Scott
Sonnon, to give special insight and training and to offer his personal
blessings to Commander Retuinskih's decision to induct the first foreign student
of Russian Martial Art.
The Global period of influence dealt with the nature of combat during this
century. Therefore, weapons adopted by the Russian Martial Artist included
bayonet-equipped AK47 machine gun, the earlier SKS rifle, even earlier carbine,
the spetsnozh (special forces knife/bayonet), entrenching tools (shovels),
throwing knives, batons, military belts (used as whips and immobilizing shackles),
pistols, sword (European sabre and Cossack shashqa), axe. The many wars
and battles of this century are a horrific testimony to the effectiveness and
longevity of the Russian Martial Art; its vanguards, the trainers and elite
operatives of the Russian Special Forces, waged campaign after campaign with
epochal success.
This period of influence eventually evolved, once again, with the dissolution
of the Soviet Union into a form of community-based empowerment and a rejuvenation
cultural heritage and pride.
Seventeen All-Russian Annexes including Ukraine (Boris Shapovalov, President)
and Byelorus (Alexander Kistin, President) now exist. The first non-Russian
instructor, Scott Sonnon, was inducted into this heritage in the hopes of propagating
this Global period of influence and its Vision. Annexes in the United Kingdom
(presided over by the esteemed Matthew Clempner, President) and Holland (presided
over by the esteemed Do Boersma, President) have joined the ranks of the international
affiliates and were formed in the same hope of introducing Slavic martial traditions
abroad. The legacy of ROSS worldwide is gaining potency as the message spreads.
Biography of
SCOTT
SONNON
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