Different styles in russian martial arts

This article aims to clarify some of the confusion generated by the terminology sometimes used to refer to the different styles within the Russian martial arts in people who do not speak Russian or know the local culture too. I hope it will be helpful and to your liking.

Рукопашный бой (Rukopashney Boj) - Not a martial style in particular , it's just a general way of referring to fighting styles to originate the Russian and Ukranian people or Slavic ethnic group , which was developed by the Cossacks in the nomadic way and constant life trip from Siberia passing mainly Mongolia, Kazakhstan , Turkey and other countries of the Middle East to the Ukraine and Russia. Its literal translation is " melee " or "hand to hand " . This is the term most frequently used by the Russians to refer to their native martial arts and less used in the rest of the world .
To differentiate their styles ,  some schools add a name at the end such as: Rukopashney Boj " IZVOR " Rukopashney Boj "Berserk " Rukopashney Boj " Smerch " , etc. . This means that while the base of the style is the same , each school has a characteristic touch and different ways of working and developing skills . Also vary their attack strategies and trajectories . Some outstanding teachers who use this term for their schools are Mikhail Grudiev , Nikita Boltruchek and Sergei Malakhov , Alexey Kadochnikov and Konsantin Mishagli.

Русский стиль (Ruski Stil) - Literal translation is "Russian Style" and is also an even more general form which is called with the styles themselves Russian territory. This is the way in which they used to refer to the Russian martial arts neighboring peoples like the Kazakhs, Mongols, Tartars, Varangians, etc.. Some schools that refer to their style and are currently the A. Lavrov and some members of A.A Kadochnikov.

       (Master Serguei Malakhov and Master Nikita Bolotruchek performing Rukopashney Boj technique)

Кулачный бой (Kulachniy Boy) - It translates to "fist fight". It is an ancient form of boxing in Russian style dating from the thirteenth century. Was repeatedly banned as was formerly practiced with his bare hands (no protection) and proved several people dead and injured. Not known for being very technical or a martial art if it was a holiday and sporting tradition which consisted of a round form of public and folk musicians playing accordion mostly. In between the fight between two people who often have no knowledge or formal training in the fight takes place. Also exists in the mode called Stenka na Stenku (wall against wall) in which different teams face. Mostly, to differentiate, the custom is that a team shirt and the other not, involved young men while women, children and older men look. Currently still practiced but with boxing gloves as protection.

                                                               (Stenka na Stenku fight)

Система (Systema) - This is the modern name which became popular Russian martial arts in the West and the world in recent years. But this style is based only in the most basic techniques of the ancient Rukopashney Boj and was created by Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev, and is more accessible to the general public. The most common error is to call any Russian Martial Art Systema. Although in recent times many Russian schools began to use the name Systema as this would be easier to meet foreigners. Among these are for example the Andrey Karimov´s school, which is called "Systema Siberian Cossack" or Dimitry Skogorev´s "Sibiersky Vjun". Another exponent using the name Systema is Vadim Starov in his "Systema Spetsnaz" and sometimes the old master Kadochnikov uses the term "The System".

(Vasiliev showing some punching technique)

Then there is the category of schools using acronyms or proper names directly to their styles. This practice applies more than anything the schools that exist only in Russia, some of them are: "ROSS" Alexander Retuinskih, "SPAS" Konstantin Voyushina, "STRELA" Valery Kryuchkov, "VOIN" Sergei Tyshchenko and "Slavic Goritskaya Struggle" Славяно-горицкая борьба enthusiast reconstructor and researcher of Slavic culture Alexander Belov.

This article did not include the Sambo, since it is not a Slavic ancestral martial art, but a mixture of several foreign arts like Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling and struggles Caucasus developed by order of Lenin, the president of the former Soviet Union circa 1917.

                (Alexander Belov and some of his disciples of the  Славяно-горицкая борьба)

Казачий Спас o Казачий Вар (Kazachi Spas o Kazachi Var) -  It could be translated as "Cossack military arts" and are ways of referring to schools to strictly maintain the tradition of the Cossack people. Many of them are mostly in Ukraine and its teaching program are traditional dances, martial arts, empty hand, traditional weapons like nagaika (whip), the palkoi (sitck), the Shashka (traditional sword) and the knife, the acrobatic riding, Orthodox Christianity (Faith adopted by the Cossacks), traditional songs and military games that aim to awakening skills and concepts of the group battle. It is very common to see children and adults who practically live in these schools.

                                   (Cossack showing the acrobatic riding and shashka techinques)

As a final conclusion we can say that all schools teach the Russian style, which has the same general principles, but with the difference that each developed a different "style" because of the vision and contributions of their founders. Russian martial arts as we know them are now deeply marked by the development and optimization that had to have been used by members of the russian military elite special forces as Spetsnaz GRU, KGB, FSV, MVD and Secretary of National Defense.

Another principle of the Russian style (which is probably the cause of this branch) is the premise that each system is in constant evolution. The Russians do not like to just follow a structure of fixed movements, the Russian style is characterized by spontaneous, instinctive and adapt to the practitioner. Therefore, the ultimate goal is that the practitioner develops a way to use these principles which is best for your body and not vice versa suits as in other Asian or Western traditional martial arts where the student must practice certain strictly forms. You do not learn by pre-established techniques but only general ideas or concepts that generate a branch of moves are followed.

Another feature that some teachers mentioned is to "move like a bear" . The bear is a very popular animal in Russia and especially Siberia, land which lived and why they traveled many Cossacks. This animal was the inspiration for many of the movements besides forge the spirit and psychology of Russian combat , where the general motto is to achieve power blows through relaxation and "dead weight" of the members , using a inertial 'wave' characteristic of Russian styles that runs throughout the body to generate a hit.

We could say that the mechanics of the Russian strike works like a whip. In addition , at an advanced level , are more used palms , back of the hand , and semi closed fist hitting the inner face to hit. Using paths that go down and take the influence of gravity to develop strength , as the animal does. As for the use of the legs, and kicking movements used are also very relaxed and have intimate relationship with traditional Cossack dances. 

In an advanced stage, the practitioner will use a combination of hands and legs moving independently to attack in the same action , producing up to three shocks ( 2nd hand and a kick) for each step performed . Psychologically works the inner calm and security to carry out each action in a relaxed manner and with minimal use of muscle contraction.

                                                                                                                       Agustín Thören