Sweden Forest Systema Camp – In review

Posted on 18/09/201718/09/2017 by Matt Hill

Firstly a huge thanks to all who came on the Sweden Systema Camp. This years camp was the biggest yet. Just under 30 people from all over the world. This time I will leave the reviews of the camp to the participants. Here are some snippets of what they had to say:

‘Many things can be life-changing, although not all of them are good. I believe that this kind of experience can benefit people in so many ways. It’s not just the martial training, although that is the main drive, but the chance to get way from “civilisation” to a simpler time, and the opportunity to take stock of yourself.’
======
‘A fantastic opportunity to excape concrete jungle, enjoy nature and above all else learn systema from some of the best instructors.’
======
‘A camp, deep in the Swedish Forest, where you meet up with complete strangers, train up to 8 hours of Systema a day for 5 full days and leave as brothers and friends is hard to describe without using any superlatives. If I am allowed to use only two words, I would call the Sweden camp: mind blowing and life changing. If you really want to dive deep into Systema without any distraction and enjoy pure nature at the same time, there is nothing better than this camp now. High quality teaching by Systema HQ certified Instructors guarantees that you learn about your true potential and rise well above your limits. Last but not least you feel, see and learn one of the most important things in live: how to become friends with complete stangers and call them your brothers. It makes you grow but in a humble less egocentric way. In a true Systema way. I highly recommend this for everyone who is not only interested in Systema but wants to learn how little one needs to be truely happy and satisfied.’
======
‘The camp should be integral part of your Systema training. it allows the concepts to sink in and blend into yout daily life: breathing, movement, posture, psychological state. Same amount of training in the camp gives exponentially greater progress compared to regular training in the gym.’
======
‘This was the second time I’d had the good fortune to be able come to Matt & Dirk’s Sweden camp. Some have said this is a potentially life changing event, others have expressed their sense of great calm or wellbeing entering their person. Such feelings are special to each & everyone, and mine are no different. However this camp felt like an emotional step up for me. My tears (which came from nowhere and even caught me unawares!) at the end feedback session, probably cemented for me, the past two years of wonderful Systema training alongside personal losses and a plethora of constantly changing emotions. On the Systema side, the Twins’s almost personal attention over five days, perhaps honed into me how far I may have come with this wonderful art. Their sublime teachings supplemented by frequent humble discussions & dynamic demonstrations, allowed me to solely focus on my weaker areas like movement & strike heaviness. They also instilled a calm & spiritualness which, when combined with the beauty & tranquility of the forest & lakes, the camaraderie of my fellow friendly students, ultimately added up to an intense personal experience. Emotionally the last two years has been quite tough, having lost three close family members and a best friend. But equally it’s been a period of transition, a positive step forward with study, amongst the humble privilege of being able to start a small Systema club. Perhaps the camp therefore acted like a vortex for me…..the spinning culmination of two years of positive & negative emotions coming together, to vie for supremacy. As always though, good overcomes bad; the spiritual calm and indomitability of the camp, succeeding in bringing together a band of people to train, support & smile with each other. To ‘smile’ while being struck by leg or fist, knife or chain, during rain or sun, in mud or grass, night or day, is something I’ll always remember. “A smiling heart heals both body & soul” I could go on and on….describing the wonderful nuances of the training (“The Still Chain”), the bearhugs of training partners, the call of a single Raven embracing us with Odin’s good fortune, or watching summer turn to autumn as leaves fall upon us with the gentle breeze….but no. Suffice to say though, I must end yet again with the words of Vladimir (the words I tried to present through my tears)…. “Without humility we cannot be truly awed, and when we incapable of being awed, we fail to be inspired.” Thank you to all….. ‘
======
The camp will run again in 2 years time. In the meantime I will be running a 4 day Intensive course in Melksham at the Systema Academy on the 16-19 November. Numbers are limited to 24. Basic accommodation is available. I will be sharing concepts from the Twins Camp and Sweden and Vladimir’s upcoming seminar in the UK.

Click here to find out more.

My respect and best wishes,

Matt.

Are you prepared – part II – Systema Camp

Posted on 01/06/201701/06/2017 by Matt Hill

Wide Range Sensitivity

In the previous newsletter Are you prepared – part I, I discussed two important points that I picked up from the last Systema camp with Vladimir Vasiliev:

Before you move a muscle: Catch the thought.
Minimize preparation: Just move.

… Here is the conclusion of the story.

Wide range sensitivity: The highest level.

We worked on a lot of different terrains: open field, close forest, water, by day and night. Vladimir encouraged us to take a few seconds to check ourselves when we moved between terrains. Was there any effect on our heart rate, blood pressure, tone or tension in the muscles and nervous system? If so, we were to work to restore and remove the tension.

Then he said to spread that sensitivity out to check the feeling in the group, had it changed? Was there more anxiety, excitement, calmness?

Finally, Vladimir asked us to spread that sensitivity outside the group and into the wider area. Are there other people outside the group, around camp? Is their focus on us or are they going about their business? What do you sense around you in nature from the wind, the trees?

This is an important skill for a professional.

However, it is also valuable in everyday life. If you walk into a business meeting, take the time to check yourself before you go in. Are you calm and prepared? What is the feeling when you enter the room? Is it tense, friendly, guarded? Most of us naturally take a gut feel, it’s built into us, but how many of us are conscious of it let alone adjust our actions according to it.

In this day and age, I think this is more important than ever. When you walk into a pub, a busy train station, get on a train, enter a restaurant, attend an event or just walk through a supermarket or down a street, are you sensitive to the perceptions you are getting?

If it doesn’t feel right, do you have the courage to get off the train or walk out of the restaurant or club? This may just be the highest level of martial arts. The ability to sense a problem and leave safely with your family and friends before you even need to deploy or test your skills.

We will be covering this in the upcoming UK Systema Camp in Wiltshire on June 29th.

Click here to secure your place and see you soon!

Best wishes for your training and health,

Matt.

A Leaner Pack

Posted on 09/04/201708/08/2024 by Matt Hill

A Leaner Pack

Anyone who has had to carry a pack over any distance will know the value of making that pack as light and lean as possible. Imagine this scenario:

You park up at the car park and check off the kit list: tarp, sleeping bag, bivvi bag, roll mat, hammock, stove, food, warm kit, map and compass, knife, dry kit etc… check. As you are closing it you see a trusty top and an extra wooly jumper better throw them in just in case, it may get chilly you think. You also throw in an umbrella and small folding chair, just in case of a shower; an extra pair of wooly socks, a couple of extra snack bars and a light rain jacket for those occasional downpours.

Okay pack ready and I am now set for any eventuality.

You go to lift the pack out of the car boot and rather than it coming to you, you go to it. Its that heavy. You eventually get the pack on and almost buckle under the weight. You brace yourself and set off on the trail with the pack digging into your shoulders. Its okay you say to yourself, I will get used to it. Its good training.

The road less travelled…
However, ten miles in and the pack is really starting to weigh you down. The straps are digging in, your back is covered in sweat and your feet have ‘hot spots’. All that extra stuff that you put in is taking its toll and what’s worse? You haven’t used any of it.

You come to a fork in the path. You have heard about a glorious spot about 8 miles further up the trail to the left. People have waxed lyrical about how stunning it is and how good they felt when returning from the spot. It is a small secluded glade by a pool at the bottom of a waterfall that almost no one goes to. It is quite a steep path with some loose rock and all uphill. Any other time you would do it but after walking so long with such a heavy pack you are thinking of taking the more traveled route down to the riverbank. Not as spectacular, quiet or secluded but still nice and rewarding with good spots to pitch camp.

You catch yourself mid thought. When am I next going to be taking this trail? The last time was over a year ago. Carpe Diem. I am going to do it. You make the commitment, move into the bushes and take out everything except what you will need for the trip. Out come the rain jacket, wooly jumper, socks, umbrella, seat and extra snack bars and you hide them under a bush. You put the pack on and it feels so much lighter, almost half the weight. You almost float up the hill, its not just the reduced weight, its knowing that you are lean and clean of clutter.

The principle of minimalism
I know that this resonates with many of my experiences. In the Army we would go to huge lengths to lessen the weight of the pack. Cutting the bottom half off toothbrushes, cutting a roll mat in half, squeezing half the toothpaste out so that you only had what you needed. Cutting towels in half, trimming the edges of the map. It sounds crazy I know, but all of these things added up to a significant lessening of weight. We were ruthless with it. Take care of the ounces and the pounds will look after themselves. It was also mentally important to know that you were as lean as you could be. When you know you have extra clutter it is not just the physical weight. Mentally every step reinforced in your mind that you were carrying more than you should be.

A lighter pack for martial artists
Lightening our pack is vital as a martial artist. It is possibly the most important aspect. Correct training works to create an environment where the training pushes our buttons. It triggers our fears, tensions, anxieties, pride, ego, frustrations and other unwanted ‘heavy’ emotions. It gives us the tools to be aware of these emotions and simple reliable methods of removing them. In battle, be that a combat situation, self defence situation or a high pressure negotiation, we need to be free of these inhibiting emotions. We need to be relaxed, fluid, loose and creative both physically and mentally. We are often blissfully unaware of the fears and anxieties that are running constantly through our bodies and minds. Our body and our movements are the physical barometer for them. Unchecked, these fears and tensions inhibit spontaneous, natural, creative movement and a response that is ‘just enough’ and appropriate to the threat.

Lightening your emotional pack
Then there is the mental fatigue of carrying anxiety, stress, worry, and tension. These mental things very quickly become physical. Worries and fears quickly become physical tension. Usually in the back, neck and shoulders. These sap your energy levels, drive, motivation and enthusiasm. They cause poor posture, knotted muscles, headaches and worse, and they rob you of your vital energy. Spend just 10 minutes sat on a bench or at an airport watching people as they walk. The majority won’t be walking naturally and at ease. Most will be hunched in the shoulders, back, legs or hips. Most of the time this will be worry or anxiety related tension rather than an actual physical injury.

Lightening your pack in life.
The worries of everyday life can be seen in the same light. Worrying about meeting the costs of ever increasing outgoings for things that we know that we don’t really need. Meeting the demands of commitments to friends, family or co-workers that we couldn’t say no to even though you know that you should have. Wading through a life cluttered with stuff that we haven’t used in years. Items from old hobbies, an office and drawers overflowing with manuals for things we don’t even own anymore. Go through them and ruthlessly de-clutter. It will feel great afterwards.

Daily Ablutions
As well as normal cleaning, the warrior would need to ‘wash’ themselves daily of these unwanted emotions. The tightness, headaches and knots are the roadmap of the fears and thoughts of the mind. Daily training, floor rolling and breathing exercises help you to firstly notice and then release these tensions. The amazing thing is that once you notice and remove the physical tensions, the mental ones go too. Think of the body as your alarm clock. Once you start to do this you will find yourself much more aware of the daily tensions and be able to drop them, leaving you with more energy, feeling more relaxed, moving more smoothly, being more creative and much, much healthier.

I have 3 trips organised this year where you can put some of this to the test:

UK 4 Day Systema Summer Camp – 29 June – 02 July – Wiltshire with Matt Hill. Click here for more information and to book.

River Wye Canoeing and Camping Trip – 22-23 July – 4 spaces left Click here for more information

Sweden Total Immersion Systema Camp with the Systema Twins – 28 Aug – 02 Sept – 2 spaces left. Click here for more information

Respect and best wishes,

Matt.

Sweden Total Immersion Camp 2017 – with the Systema Twins

Posted on 02/03/201501/12/2016 by Matt Hill

Sweden Total Immersion Camp. The complete experience.
Remjäng Forests, Sweden.
Dates: 28 Aug – 02 Sept 2017

Set in the centre of the stunning Swedish forests and lakes the course will take you on a journey of self-exploration into all aspects of Systema. well-being, holistic relaxation, martial effectiveness, self-confidence and awareness. A deeper understanding of yourself and your environment.

INSTRUCTORS: Adam and Brendon Zettler. the famous Zettler Twins.

Personally Trained and certified by Vladimir Vasiliev since the age of 14 Adam and Brendan are now widely regarded as two of the most exciting and skilful instructors on the Systema circuit.

Renowned for their awesome demonstrations and huge range of exciting and fun training drills the SystemaTwins seminar should not be missed.

A bit about the course: You will immerse yourself in training in the forests for 7 hours per day or more. You will be surprised to find that rather than wearing you out this will restore you to an even greater level of physical and mental health and well-being. The training is unique, blending ancient practices of martial, physical and mental training and wellbeing in a stunning natural setting. Our DNA recognises the forest as home. We have spent much of our time there and belong just as much as any animal or plant. The forest is healing and restful to our body, mind and soul.

A typical day:

Each day may of course vary, but a typical day is as follows:

0700-0800 Systema Health and rejuvenation session
0830 Breakfast
1030-1230 Systema Training session
1300 Lunch
1430-1630 Systema Training session
1800 Dinner
2000-2130 Night Training Session.

The course is:

SMALL GROUP so lots of personal attention – approx 1-15 ratio instructor to student. This is a unique opportunity to immerse in 40 hours of training with two of the most sought after instructors on the circuit.
ALL INCLUSIVE Transportation from the airport to and from the camp and food. Important: You will need to bring your own tent or basha. If you wish to try the basha experience, (see pics below) demonstrations and help will be given to ensure a comfy nights sleep.
COMPLETE RANGE of training including timeless health practices, weapons (including natural and improvised) training, empty handed, multiple attack and all scenarios in between
ALL TERRAIN training in the forest, fields and water and practice by day and night,
SUITABLE FOR ALL LEVELS Ideal for beginners and advanced students due to the progressive nature of the training course building from basic concepts to advanced levels. *It is also suitable for all fitness levels as there is transportation to the campsite as well as the option of joining us for the walk in.

Accommodation:You can choose to bring your own tent, to sleep in a hammock and tarp (basha) or use one of the cabins (limited space available in the cabins).

What do I need to bring?
The kit list is very basic and will be sent to all participants prior to the course. Put it this way. You will be able to carry it in on your back.

Below is a video that explains the kit required and how to pack it.

Breathe deeply and relax: You do not have to do all of the sessions. You can chose to watch and study or just relax if you are tired or want to rest. There is also time set aside during the day to bathe, swim, douse and rest.

Food. All of the food is healthy and nutritious. We all take turns in cooking and preparing meals. Everyone gets involved in the whole camp experience. If you are not used to preparing food don’t worry, this is another element of the training to look forward to!

Costs & Payment Options: The all inclusive cost of the course is £1400. The early booking discount is £1200. A deposit of £400 is required to secure your spot. Please note. remainder must be paid by 31st June 2017. There are only 30 spaces and they will go fast.

You can send payment by Paypal, GoCardless or bank transfer. Surcharge applies for Paypal.
Please email me for bank transfer details.
There is also a monthly pay option. Again email for details.

Cancellation Policy:
As soon as the payment has been received, the registration is considered valid and binding. An already received registration/payment can be cancelled in writing until July 31st 2017 (processing fee: £99). Cancellations after July 31st 2017, as well as participants who are absent from the Camp, forfeit the entire amount of payment. There is no right to a refund of the Camp cost after this date, but another person can take your place.

Comments from previous courses:

Short form – “Eureka”!

Long form
Step into the unknown, feel the fear & do it anyway. Reflecting on the “Swedish experience”, physically I now move much more easily, mentally I am more tuned to combat situations & overall am a lot more creative and free from some long held paradigms/constraints about martial arts.

I have already recommended the trip to all my students and peers, why? Because it was simply the best “martial arts” seminar/course/experience that I have had in the last 40 years. Challenge yourself, reap the rewards. Steve Murphy – Scotland.

Often times we lose track of what we are.

We live sedated, isolated lives devoid of connection with the earth, sea and air. We do not see the land in front of us dying from our wants and needs. Instead we look sideways and fill the gap with trivial meaningless tidbits of the latest thing to stare at. We spend our days in stasis, stationary, halted in motion while mimicking movement. Minimalistically we traverse laid out paths before us without breaking the pattern, the social structure… Our bodies get deformed from this type of life, because we are not designed to live it!

We were given this body and a high-powered brain to use! So damnit, use it!

Take a break from the stasis for a while, heck if even for a single week, and experience movement for what it could be. Move uncummbered for a change and let go of all that’s holding you still. For just a tiny moment, live free without worries or to-do-lists. Just exist, peacefully with nature, all the while putting your body and mind through a cleansing experience. Even though you’ll be training all day- everyday and still doing all the chores that need doing in the wilds, you’ll feel yourself relieving tensions and strains that your body has built up over the years and in truth you will feel different when you come home.

The hardest thing you’ll have to do is being brave enough to take the plunge and decide for yourself that you want something to change. Because if nothing ever changes then… Oooh you know how it goes 😉

Hint though, if you do decide to go: Don’t overpack… You won’t need most of that junk! Especially not that, or that… or that. Or that forth pair…– Mikael Zall

The Swedish camp for me was the adventure of a lifetime. Training, cooking and sleeping in the great outdoors truly bring you back to a healthier and more natural way of life (there is the option of traditional Swedish cabins for those who don’t fancy sleeping under the stars). I got a huge energy boost from the week’s training and I couldn’t believe how fast it went. The best thing about Matt’s and Dirk’s camp is that you don’t have to be a martial artist to benefit from it because the training is holistic, well paced, suitable to all ages and fitness levels, and most of all it’s great fun. – Isabelle Vinet.

The Sweden forest camp was an unforgettable experience, a true adventure. I thought that I had given up on having adventures, like those I had in my youth, but this camp proved me wrong! From start to finish the camp was exciting, invigorating, rejuvenating, inspiring, physically and mentally challenging, and loads of fun. It really takes you back to nature in a very beautiful part of a very beautiful country. The company is fantastic and a real bond develops with the other camp participants. Many things claim to be ‘life changing’ but very few things live up to it, this camp however is an exception. I strongly recommend anyone to attend the camp, you really will not regret it. – Ed Roberts.

Read more testimonials here: https://www.matthill.co.uk/testimonials/

4 Day Systema Camp 29 June – 02 July 2017

Posted on 19/01/201501/06/2017 by Matt Hill

Hit your reset button. This course is deeply rejuvenating, a 4 day Systema immersion for the mind, body and spirit.

Campfire cooking, training by day and night in field, forest and water, self reliance and outdoor skills.

Set in a stunning area of natural woodland this course is much more than just a Systema course or camp experience. The course is deeply relaxing, invigorating, rejuvenating and wholesome for the mind, body and spirit. For four days you will live a very simple existence. Training, eating, sleeping, relaxing and learning all in the company of like minded people.

INSTRUCTOR: Matt Hill – Systema HQ Certified Instructor, 5th Dan Aikido, Ex-Parachute Regiment Captain.

A bit about the course:

Training:

Each day begins with 1 hour of breathing, stretching and mobility training to prepare you for the day.

A campfire breakfast is then followed by morning training, lunch and then afternoon training. A communal campfire dinner follows. For some this is the best time of the day. To just sit under the stars in the open is primal. It is a powerful time to discuss the day or just relax and watch the flames, embers and stars.

This is then followed by a night training session to improve your awareness and senses.

You will immerse yourself in training for 7 hours per day. However, you will be surprised to find that rather than wearing you out this will restore you to an even greater level of physical and mental health and well-being.

You will be studying the unique combat and health methodologies of Systema with its ancient practices of physical and mental training and wellbeing.

NEW FOR THIS CAMP:

I will also cover vital bushcraft skills including:

Priorities of survival: What would you need to do first? Having a systematic approach keeps the panic at bay. Take a deep breath and lets begin….
Shelter building: you will be shown how to set up a tarp (basha) and sleeping system and also how to make a shelter out of woodland material that will keep you dry and warm down to at least -10.
Fire lighting: without matches using only a flint and steel.
Navigation: you will do some basic navigation training including orientation and use of a compass and pacing.
Knife work: – simple skills to make useful items for traps, shelters and importantly to ensure that you stay safe while doing so.
Snare trap setting: you won’t have to catch your own food, but I will show you some basic snare traps.
Camp Cooking: you will have a go at preparing and cooking meals over a campfire.
Simple knots: you will learn a small number of useful knots and put them to use.

The course is:

ALL INCLUSIVE food and all essential equipment is supplied. You can bring your own if desired. *there is limited indoor accommodation for those who require/desire it.
COMPLETE RANGE of training including weapons, empty handed, multiple attack, awareness, striking, stretching, meditation and health promotion
ALL TERRAIN training in the forest, fields and water and practice by day and night,
SUITABLE FOR ALL LEVELS Ideal for beginners and advanced students due to the progressive nature of the training course building from basic concepts to advanced levels. *It is also suitable for all fitness levels as there is transportation to the campsite and all training areas are a short walk from the main camp.

Here is a video clip of highlights from last years course:

Comments from previous courses:

“An immensely enjoyable experience, that will not only put you back into the heart of nature but may also help to put you back in touch with who you really are”
– Danny Hamilton Mills

“Thank you Matt for a very enjoyable weekend and a life changing experience”
– Gergana Milkhanova

“The woodlands course gives those that wish to see a glimpse into what is important”
– Mark Wood.

‘This is my first seminar with Matt Hill. I have learn’t so much that I will keep with me.’
– Dave Hartley

Read more testimonials here: https://www.matthill.co.uk/testimonials/

There are only 40 spaces on the course. Book now below to secure your place.

Cost is just £199 inclusive of food and accommodation for the 4 day course.
Price rises to £225 in June.

Devon Guarantee

Or via bank (Email me for details)

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau

I sincerely look forward to welcoming you to the course.

Matt Hill.

Systema Massage Workshop – 24th August 2014

Posted on 17/07/201421/10/2014 by Matt Hill

‘Know Thyself’

The Systema Massage is a unique approach to relaxing the body, mind and spirit. On Sunday August 24th, Wiltshire Systema will be conducting a workshop on the basics of Systema Massage.

You do not have to be a massage therapist to benefit from this workshop. Everyone will benefit from it. The methods are simple yet profound. You will learn in a four hour workshop how to:

find and remove tension, stress, emotional burdens and ease pains in yourself and in others,
Increase your freedom and ease of movement,
learn to ‘let go’ of physcial, emotional and mental tension and stress,
balance your system to optimise health, energy and sense of well-being

Systema massage is often described as a process of ‘annealing’. This is the process used to remove inherent stresses, reduce brittleness and impurities that cause weaknesses when working with glass and metal.

The session will start with learning how to breathe in a way that removes stresses and tensions and allows the body to relax deeply.

Using hands, feet, or a combination of both, participants will then systematically learn to massage the whole body, identifying and removing tension from their partner.

Meditative
It is important to note that the Systema massage is not a passive massage. The receiver is managing their breathing and relaxation in a way that is critical to the successful removal of tensions, stresses and emotional burdens. In this way it is very like a meditation session. You will receive the same benefits. These benefits are profound and will change, for the better, the way that you deal with the everyday stresses of life.

The softer you get, the stronger you get. Your body will soften as the muscles release a lifetime of built up tension. Your mind too will begin to soften, not holding on so tight and learning to ‘let go’ of physical, mental and emotional burdens.

The build up of tension in our bodies begins as a thought or receipt of information. We then turn this into an emotion through the filters of our experience and education. When the emotion is negative such as fear, anxiety, worry, anger or even hate, the muscles begin to tense and lock that emotion in. This emotion then becomes physical in the body. By working on the tension in the muscles we can begin to remove the emotions, fears and anxieties that caused the tensions in the first place. This leaves you feeling cleaner, lighter, and with a sense of freedom.

The Systema massage also works on the joints, ligments, tendons and organs of the body. They all carry stress and tension. Every part of your system begins to release, soften and relax deeply throughout the massage.

This wholistic approach begins to calm and balance your whole system, in a way that will leave you feeling lighter, more relaxed and better able to cope, in a proactive way, to the stresses and strains of life.

You will get an innate understanding where tension is in your body and that of others. You will learn how to ‘let go’ of that tension so that you begin to be able to self heal.

You will leave more relaxed than you can possibly ever remember. More importantly, what you learn in this workshop will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Details

Date: Sunday August 24th
Location: Unit S3, Avonside Enterprise Park, New Broughton Road, Melksham, Wiltshire
Time: 10-2
Need to bring: Loose, light clothing, Water bottle, hand towel, roll mat (optional), light snack (optional)
Investment in a lifetime of health and well-being: Just £40.

Numbers will be strictly limited to 40. Secure your space below to avoid disappointment.

Testimonials:

Having studied and practiced a number of Eastern and Western massage systems over the last 20 years, I believe the Systema Massage has great importance and its full value and scope is still to be understood. In my own experience, it is unique in its effective treatment of deep rooted muscular tension caused by years of poor posture, muscular tension and any disharmony within ourselves. It works on physical, mental and emotional levels leaving you feeling washed clean of inner tension, anxiety and muscular tension. I also recognise the bodywork skills in Matt Hill and his ability to read and connect during a treatment, to ensure that whilst he takes your body to the edge, you feel safe and in control at all times.’. – Gareth Leake.

I went to Matt with a shoulder injury that I have had for years and within 10 minutes Matt had cleared the knotting to an extent that I can stay on top of it myself. It was amazing. – Will Jones.

Is it entirely pleasurable at the time? No. Does it work? Definitely. If you want an effective massage that will clear tension related pain and leave you feeling light and relaxed this is the one. – Martin Earley.

I have travelled all over Asia and had hundreds of massages, from some of the oldest and most respected massage traditions in the world. Matt’s Systema massage is in the top three. It clears things that others don’t get near to. – Peter Dolan.

A Lighter, Leaner Pack

Posted on 23/07/201308/08/2024 by Matt Hill

helping you go further on an adventure, in everyday life and in martial arts.

Anyone who has had to carry a pack over any distance will know the value of making that pack as light and lean as possible. Imagine this scenario:

You park up at the car park and check off the kit list: basha, bag, roll mat, hammock, stove… all done. As you are closing it you see a spare set of trainers. Better throw them in just in case, my feet might get wet or hot you think. You also throw in a trusty top, an extra wooly jumper just in case it turns chilly; an extra pair of wooly socks, a couple of extra snack bars (not mars bars of course) and a light rain jacket for those occasional downpours.

Okay pack ready and I am now set for any eventuality you think.

You put the pack on and almost buckle under the weight. You brace yourself and set off on the trail with the pack digging into your shoulders. Its okay you say to yourself, I will get used to it.

The Fork in the Trail
However, ten miles in and the pack is really starting to weigh you down. The straps are digging in, your back is covered in sweat, your feet have ‘hot spots’ and all that extra stuff that you put in is taking its toll. And what’s worse? You haven’t used any of it. You come to a fork in the path. You have heard about a glorious spot about 8 miles further up the trail to the left. People have waxed lyrical about how stunning it is and how good they felt when returning from the spot. It is a small secluded glade by a pool at the bottom of a waterfall that almost no one goes to. It is quite a steep path with some loose rock and all uphill. Any other time you would do it but after walking so long with such a heavy pack you are thinking of taking the more traveled route down to the riverbank. Not as spectacular, quiet or secluded but still nice and rewarding.

Then you catch yourself in mid thought. When am I next going to be taking this trail? The last time was over a year ago. No, I am going to do it. You make the commitment and suddenly feel a surge of adrenalin and energy. You move into the bushes and take out everything except what you will need for the trip. Out come the spare shoes, rain jacket, wooly jumper, socks, extra snack bars and you hide them under a bush. You put the pack on and it feels so much lighter, almost half the weight. Buoyed by your decision and commitment you step onto the trail again with a fire in the belly and a spirit of adventure. The warriors spirit of knowing how fleeting and precious every experience and moment is. This day will never come again and you have the knowledge that you are seizing life by the horns.

The principle of sufficiency
I know that this resonates with many of my experiences. In the Army we would go to huge lengths to lessen the weight of the pack. Cutting the bottom half off toothbrushes, cutting a roll mat in half, squeezing half the toothpaste out so that you only had what you needed. Cutting towels in half, trimming the edges of the map. It sounds crazy I know, but all of these things added up to a significant lessening of weight. We were ruthless with it. Take care of the ounces and the pounds will look after themselves was the maxim. It was also mentally important to know that you were as lean as you could be. When you know you have extra clutter it is not just the physical weight, but mentally every step reinforced in your mind that you were carrying more than you should be.

Lightening your pack in life.
The worries of everyday life can be seen in the same light. Worrying about meeting the costs of our ever increasing outgoings for things that we know that we don’t really need. Meeting the demands of commitments to friends, family or co-workers that we couldn’t say no to even though you know that you should have. Wading through a life cluttered with stuff that we haven’t used in years. Items from old hobbies, an office and drawers overflowing with manuals for things we don’t even own anymore. Go through them and ruthlessly de-clutter. It will feel great afterwards.

A lighter pack for martial artists
Lightening our pack is vital as a martial artist. It is possibly the most important aspect. In training we work to create an environment where the training pushes our buttons. It triggers our fears, tensions, anxieties, pride, ego, frustrations and other unwanted ‘heavy’ emotions. It gives us the tools to be aware of these emotions and simple reliable methods of removing them. In battle, be that a combat situation, self defence situation or a high pressure negotiation, we need to be free of these inhibiting emotions. We need to be relaxed, fluid, loose and creative both physically and mentally. We are often blissfully unaware of the fears and anxieties that are running constantly through our minds. Our body and our movements are the physical barometer for them. Unchecked these fears and tensions inhibit spontaneous, natural, creative movement and a response that is ‘just enough’ and appropriate to the threat.

Daily Ablutions
As well as normal cleaning, the warrior would need to ‘wash’ themselves daily of these unwanted emotions. The tightness, headaches and knots are the roadmap of the fears and thoughts of the mind. Daily training and simple breathing exercises help you to firstly notice and then remove these tensions. The amazing thing is that once you notice and remove the physical tensions, the mental ones go too. Think of the body as your alarm clock. Once you start to do this you will find yourself much more aware of the daily tensions and be able to drop them, leaving you with more energy, feeling more relaxed, moving more smoothly, being more creative and much, much healthier.

Attention to keeping your pack light whether for a trip, in daily life or in a martial situation will make a huge difference.

De-cluttering your pack is an on-going process. It gets easier the more you do it, a bit like weeding a garden. In the beginning the best advice would be to tackle one area at a time. There are really 4 things to de-clutter:

1.     Your ‘stuff’ (old clothes, papers, manuals etc. for things you no longer need use, or even own)
2.     Your finances (BIG cause of anxiety.   The key thing for stuff you have is to ask yourself, do I need it, do I use it, and is it worth it?)
3.     Your schedule (is it filled with things that you should have said no to but couldn’t? Things that are not aligned with your key priorities?)
4.     And finally and most importantly your mind of fears, worries, anxieties and stresses that you don’t need.

Now watch your lighter leaner life fill with opportunities and adventures that truly matter to you. The view from the waterfall is exhilarating.

I am organizing a trip to Sweden in September this year that will focus on two of these topics. A lighter pack for an adventure and lightening the emotional weight of fears, tension and anxiety. Let the stunning Swedish forests and some simple effective, reliable exercises melt away your tensions, worries, anxieties and stresses.

For the ideal chance to get a better understanding of the unique breathing exercises in a martial arts setting come and see the hugely talented Martin Wheeler in Melksham on August 10^th and 11^th.

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

Posted on 21/06/201310/12/2024 by Matt Hill

Testimonial from Gareth Leake on the health benefits of Martial Arts

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

Personal Sessions

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