"I first began
training with Val Riazanov in 2004 after watching him take
a number of Systema classes in London. I had come from a
background of two years at kickboxing, which I thought was
useful at a basic level of fitness but had doubts about
the value of choreographed sequences of movements which I
suspected would prove ineffective in in a sudden street
encounter.
I can say now that Val's
is the most effective tuition I have ever seen.
Everything you learn is
completely tailored for a street situation where you will
not pick the time, place or the kind of person you run
into. As Val points out, street attacks tend to be fast,
random and chaotic. His lessons cover topics like
effective striking, moving to avoid attackers, knife defense
and deflecting knife strikes. Realistic scenarios are
deployed in which you consider how to react if assaulted
on a bus or train, sitting down, and how you can begin to
defend yourself if you go to the floor".
~
Fergus Sheppard
Fergus
Sheppard is 41, is media correspondent for the
Scotsman newspaper. Currently working in Edinburgh, he has
also worked for ITN as a technology reporter and as
assistant editor for BBC London Radio. He is married with
one son (and one on the way)
I
was lucky enough to meet Val Raizanov as a consultant
working to help with the production of Ballistic
Striking. Having served as both a U.S. Army
Airborne and Air Assault Solider I really thought I knew
something about how to defend myself and how to strike a
person when I needed to. What I learned from Val was
not only how to strike harder then I though possible with
almost no real effort. I also learned how to be sure I
was going to land the blow in the first place, how to look
so non threatening even when in the act of being attacked
that an aggressor would not even know they needed to defend
themselves.
The
real thing I gained though was more philosophical! Val
changed the way I think, how I think about the world I grew
up in the 70s and 80s when the Russians were "the bad
guys". He changed how I see business and negotiations
and taught me the psychology of confrontation belongs not
just on the streets for defense, it belongs in board rooms
or in any place that intimidation arrives.
Val
has a way of disarming people with out aggression whenever
that is possible. Whether you are in a street fight or
a negotiation Val teaches you to use "sufficient
force" to handle an issue not maximum force. I
have learned that the most subtle moves both physically and
intellectually can at times be far more powerful then a
"devastating tactic".
~
Jack Spirko
Jack
Spirko serves as Director of Marketing for Cerion
Optimization Services. He also serves on the Board of
Directors and is an owner and founding member of The ICE
Marketing Group, LLC as well as a National Sales Trainer and
advisor to the Board of Directors at Cognigen
Networks.
