Systema For Life

This episode, a fascinating discussion with Systema veteran and Head Instructor of Systema NYC, Edgars Cakuls.

In this second appearance on the show, Edgars reflects on ideas and concepts shared during his recent 2-day, outdoor seminar in Durham, North Carolina, entitled Working From the Spine. Along the way, we cover:

The critical importance of spinal integrity

Stability vs fluidity

Training body awareness versus conceptual-intellectu...

Hullo, Friends. After an 8-week sabbatical, Systema For Life returns this month with a broad discussion on the subject of focus, attention, and the attempt to "optimize" your daily training and life routines. I'm joined once again by coach and wellness expert, Howard Jacobson.

Here, we get into:

• Losing and reclaiming routines during the pandemic
• The upside and downside of tireless life-optimization
• The focus economy and "productivi...

This week, another fascinating conversation with prolific movement scientist, neuroscientist, and martial artist Jan Bloem.

As we learned during our first conversation last year (see episode 124), Jan has studied the art and science of movement and combat at the very highest levels – on the theoretical side as an expert in kinesiology and psychomotor therapy, and on the front lines as a world champion karateka; a defensive tactics i...

This week, a deep dive into the world of Original Strength - a system of natural movement and neurological "resetting" created by company founder, personal trainer, and physical educator Tim Anderson. Tim's simple (but effective) OS system is a wonderful complement to Systema practice - especially for beginning trainees - and for anyone recovering from injury, impairment, or the ravages of modern life on the body. After many years ...

This week, a dive into the world of martial arts, medicine and holistic health - with impassioned Systema student and Doctor of Chinese Medicine Gabriel Stern.

On the medical side, Gabe was a trained EMT and ER nurse before becoming a student and clinician versed in Chinese healing modalities. On the martial arts side, he studied Eskrima and Pekiti Tirsia Kali for several years before venturing into Systema with Edgar Cakuls in NYC,...

This week, a rare hour with bestselling author, speaker, and leadership specialist Greg McKeown.  Greg is the author of the best-selling Essentialism: the Disciplined Pursuit of Less (2014), and the new New York Times bestseller, Effortless (2021). If you haven't read them, the relevance of Greg's central principles to Systema training are well worth exploring.Here, we discuss:

• the futility of trying to "do it all"
• minimum ...

This week, an enlightening conversation with veteran Systema, Filipino Martial Arts Instructor Al McLuckie.   Al has over five decades of experience in arts ranging from Western Boxing and Kempo Karate, to Eskrima, Kali, Silat, and (of course) Systema. A former instructor for the famous Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts in Chicago, Al's unique and unparalleled knife skills, in particular, have seen him teaching famous martial artis...

This week, a brief chat with Senior Systema Instructor Martin Wheeler, following his recent Redwoods Systema Camp in California, and foreshadowing his 4-day Masterclass events in Los Angeles and Raleigh/Durham, NC. Here, we chat about:- insights from teaching and training worldwide- the benefits of multi-day immersion training- the surprising effects of training outdoors- discomfort as a necessary path to awarenessBoth of Martin's ...

This week, another engaging conversation with author, podcaster, and expert health and wellness coach, Howard Jacobson.  Here, we get into the tricky question of how to discern truth from falsehood, reality from creative (and compelling) stories. Using concrete examples in the fields of nutrition, exercise, and martial arts practice.  Touching upon:

• How we decide what is true (or true enough)
• The necessity and paradox of tr...

After a short break (and an extended, three-week road trip across the USA), we return this week with Menamy Mitanes - Systema and BJJ Instructor at The Academy Beverly Hills and Systema Los Angeles. In this, Menamy's second appearance on the podcast, we delve beyond his personal story and get into the core training philosophies of the martial arts - about which Menamy is more than qualified to speak. With a pedigree that includes J...

This week, an engaging romp into the worlds of Systema, alternative medicine, and meta-cognition, with deep thinker, podcaster, martial artist, and Chinese medical practitioner Taran Rosenthal. Taran has an incredible breadth of knowledge - which is apparent to anyone who talks with him about anything - yet his experience of Systema profoundly influenced his experience of daily life and parenthood. Here, we riff on all that and mor...

This week, a mind-expanding walkabout through the realms of body, mind, and spirit, with Indigenous Australian author, scholar, arts critic, and martial artist Tyson Yunkaporta. Tyson is a Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Knowledge at Deakin University, and author of the extraordinary book Sand Talk: How Indigenous Knowledge Can Save the World. Originally aired on Tyson's own podcast, The Other Others, this episode delves into the con...

This week, a conversation with health and wellness guru, Systema For Life regular, and possessor of relentlessly regular bowel movements. Here, we ponder the subject of self-talk, which one way or the other has become louder and more frequent over the last, lonely year. We're often told by therapists, leadership gurus, and cocky celebrities that self-talk is all-important - the difference between success and failure. But how import...

This week, a light-hearted romp into the world of martial arts, mind, and creativity, with Systema Instructor and fiction author Patrick E. McLean. Patrick is an accomplished martial artist with a pedigree that includes Judo, Jujitsu, Eskrima, AikiJujitsu, and Systema. He is also the author of more than 10 dramatic-comedic fiction books, including the award-winning How To Succeed in Evil, and the host of the How It's Written podcas...

This week, a deep-dive into the myths, half-truths, and hard truths surrounding training for defence against edged weapons, with none other than Martin Wheeler - Senior Systema Instructor and Co-Founder of The Academy Beverly Hills. Here, we seek to include a wide range of perspectives on knife defence, in order to dispel confusion, inform your practice, and make sense of the frequent (and predictable) objections that inevitably ar...

This week, a ponderous diversion into the world of behavioural economics, with Economics Professor and Systema practitioner Rik Chakraborti.  At first glance, you might not think that economics and martial arts have much in common. But in truth, both involve the resolution of internal conflicts, warring instincts and incentives, and a keen understanding of human behaviour.   Here, we get into:

• Rik's attraction to Systema as ...

This episode sees the return of author, health and wellness coach, and host of the Plant Yourself podcast Howard Jacobson. Prompted by nothing and nobody in particular, we tackle the tricky subject of how not to be an a**hole - especially when you are trying to coach or change somebody for the better. Along the way, we touch upon:

• When and why good intentions go bad
• Clarifying your motivations
• Recognizing where the power l...

This week, an interesting departure into the field of nutrition and metabolism, with Stanford-educated physician, metabolic health expert, and Co-founder / Chief Medical Officer of Levels Health, Dr Casey Means. We know that diet, nutrition, and metabolism are critically important to overall health, regardless of other behaviours and considerations in life. As it has been said - you can't out-exercise a bad diet. You can't out-rela...

This week sees the joyous return of veteran instructor, founder of Austin Systema & Tai Chi, and thoroughly decent human being, Gene Smithson.  Always an elightening guest, here Gene shares his insights on:

• how he has grown and developed because of the pandemic
• why the goal of good movement is joy
• the difference between training, manifesting, and being
• advice for staying happy and whole in tough times

Train wi...