Systema is a non-competitive Russia martial art with three synergistic components – Combat Skill, Strong Spirit and Healthy Body. It involves hand-to-hand grappling, slapping, swaying, and weapon disarmament to turn an attacker’s strike against him or her. Systema believes that the body must be tension free, filled with endurance, flexibility, effortless movement and explosive potential; the spirit must be calm, free of anger, irritation, fear, self-pity, delusion and pride; the combat skills must be powerful and precise, instant and economical, spontaneous, subtle and diverse. There are five pillars on which Systema is built, which are Breath (a key foundation of training, as it helps the body & mind relax), Relaxation, Constant Movement, Structure/Oscillation, and Redirection. The reason why it is called Systema is because it is a complete system of concepts and training components that enhance one’s life. It is beyond self-defense skills; it helps to develop humility, clarity & sense of purpose, sharpening mental focus, overcome egotism and fears, strengthen the body and psyche, protect one’s family and one’s country. One key principle of Systema is non-destruction – fighters must ensure that their training and attitudes cause no damage to their body, their psyche, and that of other fighters. Fighters are trained on hand-to-hand fighting, grappling and groundwork, group attacks, and weaponry, including firearms. There are no special clothing requirements for training. The training can occur at different levels (lying, kneeling, standing) and in different environments (in the dark, against a wall, in a chair, in and around a car, in a stairway.