Kill or Cure: The health benefits of Martial Arts by Gareth Leake

A few months ago my two daughters came home from Youth Club buzzing from a self defence class run by Matt Hill of Wiltshire Martial Arts. My youngest daughter aged 12 said ‘Dad try and grab me around the neck.’ To show willing I gently did as asked only to find my daughter had disappeared, sliding out of my grip. Totally stunned by this I asked her if I could have another go only to find the same happened again. After my 4^th attempt and by this stage using all my focus and effort I still found it impossible to restrain her. She was visibly more confident and left me feeling somewhat perplexed as how this could be possible after the shortest taster into self defence.

Some weeks later I was chatting to one of the other Dads in the park, who had practiced Aikido under Matt Hill. I asked him if he thought Aikido might help to improve a chronic back problem I had been suffering from for well over 10 years. The last few years becoming increasingly disabling in terms of my day to day life. I wondered if the ‘rolls’ that are performed when you fall to the floor would have the same mobilising effect on my back as an osteopathic treatment. He said that the exercises that are carried out provide good overall strength and flexibility to the body and that in principle rolling should be beneficial. I thought to myself well it would be a ‘kill or cure’.

Up to this point I had invested a much time and money seeing, over a number of year’s osteopaths, chiropractors, cranio sacra therapists, physiotherapists and acupuncturists all sadly providing little sustainable improvement in my back condition. Many of them gave advice and countless exercises to do at home, which with the best will in the world on my part, were quickly shelved as time and life got in the way. So ‘what the hell’ I thought and gave Matt a tentative call to see if there was a place for a stiff and immobile middle aged man in his club. As I was so anxious about the prospect of falling over and hitting the ground, only to find my spine shattered around me in a thousand pieces I asked if it might be possible to have some private 1 to 1 sessions to prepare for the class and see if I was indeed capable of moving and falling. Matt suggested we could meet at an outside training area near his home to go through some basics. Odd, I thought at the time as surely the sports hall and the cushioned safety mats would be the place to meet. But not wanting to question the idea I thought, well it sounds different.

By this stage I had started to take my youngest daughter to the Saturday morning sessions where it quickly became apparent to me that Matt has a deep understanding how the body and the mind works with regards to movement, strength and relaxation and is able to convey trust and confidence in those around him. I felt increasingly reassured that the odds of ‘kill or cure’ for me were moving rapidly in my favour.

So, fast forwarding to the present I have now had a couple of months of club work and some highly focused 1 to 1 sessions with Matt. There are two main disciplines at the club; Aikido and a Russian defence system called ‘Systema.’ The impact of joining the club and learning these martial arts has made a huge difference in the quality of my life and is one I am still getting my head around as its all happened so positively and so quickly. The masters of Systema, Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev talks of 3 principle aims within the Russian system of ‘Systema’ which capture and encompass all the areas of personal growth for me in the last 2 months.

1)      Clearing the mind

2)      Strengthening the body

3)      Cleansing the soul

They are huge aspirations and beacons to have in anyone’s life and give such depth and validity to the art form. My own personal experience within each of these has been significant to me and I know will be common to others who commit time and an open heart and mind to Systema practice.

The first principle of ‘clearing the mind’, I have found the breathing practices which are taught and practiced in each lesson highly effective in promoting inner calmness and improved focus. In addition a significant factor in the practices taught is the removal of fear from the mind and body. It is this fear which presses down and limits us, be it the fear of hurting old injuries we carry to protect the body or fear of emotional and stressful situations in our daily life.

The second principle of ‘strengthening the body’ is astonishing in its effectiveness. There are four basic exercises are called the ‘Four pillars’ which include press-ups, squats, leg raises and stomach curls. If I am being honest my immediate thought at the time was ‘Oh here we go again, those old chestnuts!’ my reminiscent memories from school PE lessons I guess! But very quickly these simple exercises are elevated to being quite literally the pillars of movement of our daily lives. Taught and practiced with care, skill and depth these exercises not only provide the strength to develop in class practice, but more fundamentally are the keys to improving everyday movement such as getting up from chair, or in and out of a car, walking up and down the stairs, crouching down and getting up off the floor or out of bed in the morning. After so many years of back and knee pain I find that within just 2 months I can manage steps with a feeling of real strength in my knees and legs and almost no discomfort. For the first time in over 10 years I find I am now sleeping through the night without being woken by back pain. I’m even finding that when I lay in bed in the morning there is much less pain or discomfort. I can now bend over at the basin in the morning and clean my teeth without being in agony, something I never thought I would do.

Matt said when we first met ‘whist we cannot stop the passage of time we can limit and even rewind the effects of that aging process on our bodies.’ In my experience not hollow words but statements of fact.

The third principle of ‘cleansing the soul’ Within Systema practice important words are spoken and handed down by the masters of Systema Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev, such as the need for humility, living with an open heart, love and kindness for our fellow man. These are huge words and even greater principles to have in one’s life. They are handed to us in class by Matt during exercises and end of class talks for us to work with and aspire to. They form a deeper strength within us, than that which we alone can derive from physical exercise alone.

One surprising benefits I have found in my journey since knowing Matt is my renewed pleasure and joy of being outside and rolling around on the grass. Matt has a great love for the outdoors and all the health benefits it offers. Long gone now are my initial thoughts, of it being odd not training in a gym. I find now that whenever I see grass or slopes and banks I just want to roll down them! Its a lovely feeling smelling of grass, earth and sweat  after an exhilarating session surrounded by views of trees, distant hills and inquisitive cows for company rather than four walls filled with MTV screens blaring away. I have no doubt that being outside and exercising is the way forward, getting away from the confines of a sanitised gym doing exercises that frequently hinder rather than help. I understand that Vladimir Vasiliev once said ‘when did you last see a Tiger do a bench press and they seem to do ok.’

My final thoughts to any health professional or commissioner who might read this or to anyone who suffers pain from stiffness and poor flexibility, that there could potentially be another way forward.Calling Matt was undoubtedly the most significant step I have made in years managing my own health.

Now I feel like I’m gradually claiming back a few years of my life and I hope others on reading this will do the same too.

Gareth Leake

Small group or 1 – 1 sessions to really focus on improving health, well being and combat effectiveness.
To book email Matt at wiltshiremartialarts@gmail.comMatt also offers highly specialised small group or 1-1 overnight sessions in bushcraft covering the basics of kit selection, layer management, navigation and route selection, knife and fire management, cooking and minimal impact skills.  The courses leave you feeling light and invigorated.  Find out more here