Author Archive: Matt Hill

Legacy of Power with Vladimir Vasiliev: Booking Options, Online Access, Meal & Accommodation

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Legacy of Power with Vladimir Vasiliev.

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Booking Options, Online Access & Accommodation

If you would like to join Legacy of Power with Vladimir Vasiliev, you can attend in person, join live on Zoom, or purchase the recordings.

Friday Special Class – Internal Power: Friday, 19:00

This is a rare opportunity to work in a smaller, more focused setting and explore Systema with the world’s foremost Systema instructor.

In-person attendance for this class is available exclusively to:

  • Saturday and Sunday seminar attendees
  • Systema Academy members

Friday Special Class Options:

Attend in person – £40
Includes access to the recording

Bank Transfer:
  • Wiltshire Martial Arts Limited
  • Sort Code: 20-05-06
  • Account Number: 10699853

Attend live on Zoom / recording only – £20
Includes access to the recording

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Full Weekend Seminar

Saturday and Sunday

The full seminar can be attended in person, joined live on Zoom, or purchased as a recording.

Full Weekend Seminar Options:

Attend in person:
For in-person seminar booking details, click here for links and options.

Attend live on Zoom and/or receive the full recording – £60

Bank Transfer:
  • Wiltshire Martial Arts Limited
  • Sort Code: 20-05-06
  • Account Number: 10699853

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Accommodation B&B.

A limited amount of accommodation is available for those travelling to the seminar and includes continental breakfast, shower facilities and use of Sauna. (£5 per night extra will be charged for sleeping bag hire)

If you would like accommodation, please email me directly to check availability and receive details.

Email: matt@matthill.co.uk

Accommodation Payment Links (for 2 nights you will need to pay twice):

Bank Transfer:
  • Wiltshire Martial Arts Limited
  • Sort Code: 20-05-06
  • Account Number: 10699853

⸻

Meal with Vladimir on Saturday Evening:

There will be a buffet meal with Vladimir Vasiliev on Saturday evening at 7pm at the Bear Hotel in Devizes. Cost is £25.

Bank Transfer:
  • Wiltshire Martial Arts Limited
  • Sort Code: 20-05-06
  • Account Number: 10699853

Questions

If you have any questions about attending in person, joining online, recordings, accommodation, meal or the seminar in general, please email:

matt@matthill.co.uk

Reflections and thoughts as we enter 2025 and Important Dates for next year at the Academy.

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As we enter the last few hours of 2024 in the UK I look forward to both the celebration and reflecting on the year gone, and the year to come.

Some of this may or may not resonate with you.

I look at where I fell short, where I moved forwards and where I am steady in maintaining good habits.

In the past I would list out goals in key areas of my life and found this useful.

I now have more of a narrative on a single sheet of paper, of the balance of life, how my time is spent, what is important to me and how I’m building for the future.

Physical health and mental wellbeing remain the bedrock. On top of this other things are built.

More than ever I am a firm believer that a natural approach to living and training gives a great balance for health, fitness and a balanced emotional state.

Nothing too fanatical as I have found this unsustainable in the long run. Also the older I get the more I realise I need to be gentler with my body and energy!

I train every day, but not traditional workouts.

Training is managing emotional responses;

Maximising efficiency rather than going to my max;

Conscious recovery between and during exertion.

I train my breath way more than my muscles.

I find that this increases output, reduces recovery time and minimises injury more than anything else that I have ever done.

The biggest battle is still inside.

The habit of not engaging with strong emotions but being curious about where they come from has been hugely impactful and somewhat of a revelation.

The following Systema practices have been at the core of being able to do this with some success:

  • Lightness.
  • Dissolving tension
  • Tension awareness
  • Breath holds
  • Localised and general tension & release
  • and many others.

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The practice of not fighting, resisting or acting on these emotions is powerful.

Training in Systema remains for me a healthy balance of focus outside and inside.

How to move properly, for a lifetime and how to manage your thoughts and emotions are inseparable in Systema.

I realise that a consistent weekly practice in a balanced, holistic activity, with a great group of supportive friends is so important.

If you are reading this before you go out tonight please stay safe and have a good time.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, it’s always great to hear from you.

For those close enough the Academy it would be great to welcome you for the first time or to welcome you back

We have people who have been with us for a decade or more, and the welcome is warm.

I hope that you are looking forward to the year ahead.

If I can help reach out.

Happy New Year!

All my very best as always,

Matt
​

P.S. Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways I am here to help you:

1. Trial the Systema Academy for free:

You can join live or watch recorded training sessions, access the library that has a beginners section and a resource of hundreds of videos searchable by topic. online, and enjoy member discounts to the courses, camps and events that run at the Academy.

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2. Alternatively you can join right away and get 2 months free here with all the benefits listed above:

3. Monthly 1-on-1 coaching in person or via zoom.

Coaching is a key way to keep moving forward. I have coaches and mentors and they make a huge difference.

Reply to this email if you are interested to find out more.

​

P.P.S Dates for 2025:

January

  • 18-19 January Systema Health Retreat: A perfect start to the year with activities focusing on health, relaxation, and well-being.
  • 25-26 January Netherlands Systema Seminar: Grabs, Holds, and Counters.

March

  • 3rd–16th March Cambodia Jungle Adventure: An unforgettable expedition into the wild.

April

  • Date TBD Spring Systema Camp: 3 Day Systema Camp in Wiltshire

May

  • 16-18 May Fireside Retreat – Scotland: A serene and reflective experience.

July

  • 2-6 July Summer Systema Camp: Enhance your Systema practice in an immersive environment.

September

  • (Date TBD) Ryo Onishi Course: A rare opportunity to train with an exceptional instructor.
  • 13-14 September Fireside Retreat – Wiltshire. Another inspiring camp to deepen your connection to faith and training.

November

  • 19-23 November Intensive: End the year on a high note with an intensive experience designed to elevate your skills.

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Let me know if you are interested in any of the above and I will be sure to keep you in the loop.

Discussing Systema with an an ex British Covert Security and Intelligence Operative.

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Last week I had a great conversation with Gavin Stone, an ex British Covert Security and Intelligence Operative.

Below are the highlights from the conversation:

Highlight Reel:

  • [0:06] Introduction to Systema’s unique approach to martial arts.
  • [1:22] The origins of Systema: A martial art rooted in Russian intelligence and special operations.
  • [5:58] Why Systema prioritises natural movement over techniques and gradings.
  • [9:53] The surprising health and emotional benefits of Systema training.
  • [16:03] Jungle expeditions: Reconnecting with nature and yourself in untouched wilderness.
  • [30:19] The transformative power of disconnecting from the digital world during a jungle adventure.
  • [35:24] How Systema helps manage stress and tension through breath and relaxation.
  • [41:51] Real-life applications of Systema principles: Staying calm under pressure.

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Below is the link to the video, I hope that you enjoy it!

video preview​

All my best as always,

Matt.

P.S If Systema intrigues you reply to this email and I can explain how you can get started!

P.P.S If you are a past member and want to start again you will of course be very welcome! Again just reply and I can let you know how to get started.

Plus, Here are some dates for this year:

  • ​25-26 January – Mat Hill – Netherlands Seminar​
  • ​3-16 March – Matt Hill – Cambodia Jungle Adventure.​
  • April – Date TBD Spring Systema Camp: 3 Day Systema Camp in Wiltshire
  • 16-18 May – Fireside Retreat – Scotland: A serene and reflective experience.
  • 2-6 July – Systema Summer Camp: Enhance your Systema practice in an immersive environment.
  • September (Date TBD) – Ryo Onishi Course: A rare opportunity to train with an exceptional instructor.
  • 13-14 September – Fireside Retreat – Wiltshire. Another inspiring camp to deepen your connection to faith and training.
  • 19-23 November – November Intensive: End the year on a high note with an intensive experience designed to elevate your skills.
    ​

‘Just be yourself’ Why I think it is easier said than done.

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..’just be yourself…’

I’ve always thought that this is tough advice to follow.

For example when you go for an interview, or a performance or presentation, and you get the advice, ‘just go in and be yourself’.

Partly it’s hard because being yourself is an unconscious thing. When you consciously try to do it, you have little frame of reference.

This is made doubly difficult in a stress situation, like a job interview or presentation. Your mouth goes dry, you cant remember your words, actions lose their smoothness, you feel awkward and self conscious.

So why is this relevant?

I was teaching a class on Thursday and this idea came up in conversation around Systema’s idea of a natural response to a situation.

During a conversation with Vladimir on his last visit to the UK, he mentioned that Systema is a study in how to be a normal human being (or words to that effect).

I think that what he meant by this is how to be natural, how to be yourself.

In Systema we spend time studying the simple things, how to walk properly, how to breathe properly, how to do simple movements properly.

By properly you could read naturally: In balance; efficiently; without excess tension; in a way that doesn’t strain or damage your body or increase stress or strain in your system.

In order to do this you have to manage yourself emotionally. Fear, anger, anxiety, self pity, pride etc. will all affect your ability to be natural. They all move your baseline restricting or amplifying you.

This is important because it gives you that frame of reference. You know how simple things should feel when you are calm, at ease and natural.

So when you have to perform these things under pressure, you know what it should feel like and you can replicate this feeling.

You can then bring this feeling to all of your actions under pressure.

As Vladimir says:

Don’t study movements, study the feeling of correct movement.

Practical Takeaway: The Natural Breath Reset

Stand or sit comfortably with your feet flat on the ground.

Take some soft, natural breaths. Breathe in through your nose, feeling your breath enter with minimum effort or tension. Then exhale softly without forcing it. Focus on releasing tension with each exhale.

Add movement. Feel relaxation in your knees and then softly lift one knee at a time in a walking motion on the spot. Try not to tense anywhere and use minimum effort. Maintain soft correct breathing as above and if standing you can start to walk a little.

Notice the feeling. How does your body feel when you combine calm breath and soft light movement? This is the natural state we aim to bring into training and into life under pressure.

This simple practice helps you establish your baseline, reset under stress, and build awareness of what it feels like to be calm and natural. To be yourself.

These principles are at the heart of everything we teach in Systema. If you’d like to explore this further, I’d love to see you at one of the upcoming courses below:

All my best as always,

Matt.

Plus, Here are some dates for this year:

  • ​25-26 January – Mat Hill – Netherlands Seminar​
  • ​3-16 March – Matt Hill – Cambodia Jungle Adventure.​
  • April – Date TBD Spring Systema Camp: 3 Day Systema Camp in Wiltshire
  • 16-18 May – Fireside Retreat – Scotland: A serene and reflective experience.
  • 2-6 July – Systema Summer Camp: Enhance your Systema practice in an immersive environment.
  • September (Date TBD) – Ryo Onishi Course: A rare opportunity to train with an exceptional instructor.
  • 13-14 September – Fireside Retreat – Wiltshire. Another inspiring camp to deepen your connection to faith and training.
  • 19-23 November – November Intensive: End the year on a high note with an intensive experience designed to elevate your skills.
    ​

Discover the New Sauna Experience at the Systema Academy

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At the Systema Academy, Matthill.co.uk, nestled in the scenic Wiltshire countryside, we are committed to fostering health and wellbeing through unique training experiences and holistic practices. As part of this mission, we are thrilled to introduce a new sauna facility to the Academy, complementing our offerings with the powerful benefits of heat therapy and cold-water immersion.

The New Sauna at the Systema Academy Matthill.co.uk

Our newly installed sauna combines traditional craftsmanship with modern design to create an immersive and restorative experience. Built to support our focus on resilience, relaxation, and recovery, the sauna provides an ideal environment for physical and mental rejuvenation.

Cold Water Therapy

As part of the sauna experience, we integrate cold-water therapy—a practice that alternates hot sauna sessions with cold-water immersion. This method, scientifically proven to deliver exceptional results, is renowned for:

  • Enhanced Circulation: Stimulating blood flow and cardiovascular health.
  • Immune Boosting: Strengthening the immune system to ward off illness.
  • Accelerated Recovery: Reducing inflammation and easing muscle soreness.

Health Benefits of Sauna Use

Regular sauna use offers a wealth of scientifically backed benefits, as highlighted by the renowned Norwegian study, including:

  • Longevity and Heart Health: Using a sauna 4–7 times a week has been linked to a 50% reduction in cardiovascular-related mortality and a 65% lower risk of stroke.
  • Pain Relief: Saunas help alleviate chronic pain, arthritis symptoms, and muscle soreness.
  • Improved Circulation: Heat therapy enhances blood flow and supports cardiovascular health.
  • Stress Relief: The calming environment reduces tension, promoting relaxation and mental clarity.
  • Cognitive Benefits: Sauna use has been associated with improved focus and reduced risk of dementia.
  • Skin Health: Regular sessions cleanse the skin, improving elasticity and clarity.

How the Sauna Enhances Systema Practice

The sauna at the Academy integrates seamlessly with the Systema philosophy, which emphasizes resilience, health, and natural movement. Whether preparing for advanced training, recovering after physical activity, or seeking balance, the sauna supports both mental and physical growth central to Systema.

Other Services offered at the Systema Academy, Matthill.co.uk

The sauna is just one of the many offerings at the Academy. Our range of services includes:

  • Systema Classes: Learn the art of natural movement, relaxation, and self-defense.
  • Specialised Seminars: Focus on resilience-building and advanced self-defense techniques.
  • Personalised Training: Tailored sessions to meet individual goals.
  • Holistic Practices: Breathing exercises, nature immersion, and recovery-focused activities.
  • Massage Therapy: Relax and rejuvenate with expert techniques.

Visit Us

The addition of the sauna reflects our unwavering commitment to helping people achieve physical vitality and mental clarity. Whether you’re looking for a new challenge, recovery from training, or a restorative experience, the Systema Academy welcomes you to explore this transformative offering.

Visit us at Matthill.co.uk to learn more about the sauna and our full range of services.

All my very best,
Matt

From Long Form to Short Form: A Shortcut to Deeper Relaxation (Video Included)

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In his recent seminar, Vladimir introduced a very interesting concept.

The idea is to find a point of deeper relaxation in your breath.

You can then functionalize it and carry it into your movements and state.

You begin by observing your exhale.

An exhale is naturally relaxing, but if you feel your way through it with attention, you’ll notice a point where the relaxation deepens.

You get a kind of opening or dropping feeling inside.

This feeling can be applied in many ways, ranging from practical to profound.

It can feel like the brakes coming off, allowing for more ease and freedom of movement, or it can involve “letting go” of thoughts and emotions that are unhelpful.

The first step is to find that point in your exhale.

Then, try the exercise with tension, and you’ll notice that at this deeper point, the tension dissolves or is unconsciously “let go.”

Next, try to link this point to movement.

As you reach the point, take a few steps in any direction.

Try incorporating it into basic movements—squats, push-ups, sit-ups, etc. See if they feel different.

They should feel lighter and more effortless.

You can also take this concept into combat work, allowing movements and responses to flow unrestricted under pressure.

The key is to notice this feeling repeatedly, to the point where you know it so well that you can shortcut the preparation stages and even the breath itself, “conjuring” the correct feeling at will.

Once you understand this, you begin to realize that changes in your state are accessible at the speed of thought.

The nervous system works at an electric speed, so clearing your head, dissolving anger, releasing tension, or finding courage and confidence can all happen at the speed of a decision.

This really functionalizes it for everyday life, where you often don’t have time to step aside for preparation or breathing exercises.

Sometimes, you need to notice, adjust, and act in the moment.

Below is the video—I hope you find it useful.

All my very best,

Matt

Discover the Wide Range of Services at The Systema Academy

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At The Systema Academy, we pride ourselves on offering an extensive range of services to support individuals looking to improve their physical and mental well-being. Our academy is not just a place to learn self-defence, but a comprehensive space for personal development, fitness, and community.

What We Offer:

1. Self-Defence Training: Learn the art of self-protection through the unique and effective Russian martial art of Systema. Suitable for all skill levels, our courses help individuals build confidence and resilience.
2. Movement and Breathing Classes: Enhance your physical well-being with classes designed to improve body movement, flexibility, and breathing techniques, which are essential for stress management and overall health.
3. Workshops and Retreats: We host workshops that cover various aspects of martial arts, mindfulness, and holistic practices. Retreats are also available for those who want an immersive experience to fully explore the principles of Systema.
4. One-to-One Coaching: Personalised coaching sessions tailored to your goals, whether it’s for self-defence, fitness, or mental clarity.
5. Health and Wellness: We provide holistic approaches that blend physical training with mental well-being practices, ensuring a balanced approach to health.

Our Location:

Systema Academy Matt Hill,
Montecello Farm House,
Devizes Rd, Potterne,
Devizes SN10 5LN

Our academy is conveniently located in the peaceful surroundings of Montecello Farm House. Complete with a wood fired Sauna and stunning natural surroundings the Academy is perfect place to come to train, relax and rechWhether you’re a local resident or visiting from outside the area, our serene environment in Potterne, Devizes offers the perfect setting to focus on your personal growth.

If you’re looking for a supportive community and top-quality training, The Systema Academy is here to guide you.

Visit us today at The Systema Academy Matt Hill, Montecello Farm House, Devizes Rd, Potterne, Devizes SN10 5LN.

Ready to join or want to learn more? Get in touch and take the first step towards a healthier, more balanced you.

Matt@matthill.co.uk

How Darren overcame decades of pain and how you can too!

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I wanted to share an inspiring story that might resonate with you. It’s about Darren, who came to me after suffering for decades with severe pain:

“Thirty years ago, I suffered a terrible fall that left me with damaged C3/C4 vertebrae. The result? Decades of crippling back pain, neck ache, and relentless migraines.”

“Matt’s approach has transformed my life. In a few weeks he’s not just reduced the frequency of my pain; he’s elongated the pain-free periods with the aim of eliminating the pain entirely. And we’re getting there!”

Darren’s story highlights what’s possible through Systema’s natural movement approach, breathing focus, deeper understanding of tensions and fears in your body and posture corrections.

These are the principles I teach at the Systema Academy, both in-person and online, to help people regain control over their bodies and live pain-free lives.

Unlock Your Potential with Classes and Membership at the Academy

Our Academy offers a variety of ways to start your own journey:

  • In-Person Classes: Train at our brand new beautiful venue complete with wood fired Sauna, here in Devizes, Wiltshire, where you’ll receive hands-on guidance in a supportive environment.
  • Online Membership: Can’t make it to the Academy? Join our community remotely and participate in live-streamed classes, or access recorded sessions whenever it suits you. You’ll learn the same techniques that have helped people like Darren overcome long-standing pain.
  • Tailored Private Training Plans: I work with private clients to develop a personalized approach that addresses their unique needs, whether you’re dealing with injuries, chronic pain, or simply want to enhance your wellbeing, resilience and combat skill.

Check out our updated membership options here with our Limited-Time Offer: No Joining Fee and No Contract – Start Your Journey Risk-Free!

Where to Start

If you’re ready to take the first step toward a healthier, more resilient body, I’d love to speak with you. There’s no hard sell – just a conversation to understand your goals and see how we can work together.

To learn more about our classes and membership options, ​CLICK HERE​. Or, if you’d like to schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation, reply to this email.

Let’s work together to unlock your potential for a strong, confident, pain-free life.

All my very best, Matt.

Upcoming Courses: (click the link below for more information and to book)

  1. ​9-10 November – Matt Hill Stuttgart, Germany Seminar ​
  2. ​20-24 November – Matt Hill – Forging Resilience – System Academy. ​
  3. ​3-16 March – Matt Hill – Cambodia Jungle Adventure.​