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.

Good posture – how to have youthful, comfortable, fluid movement at any age.

Posted on 15/11/201302/02/2015 by Matt Hill

Good posture represents a proper state of mind – Morihei Ueshiba.

Good posture – its not what you think. Dispelling some common myths about posture and tips on how to have youthful, comfortable, fluid movement at any age.

Good posture benefits us in many ways. It:

helps with elegant, effortless, fluid movement,
provides greater comfort and mobility,
puts less wear and tear on joints,
improves mood, self image and appearance,
provides space for internal organs to work and
improves blood and energy circulation.

It also means that you will have optimum readiness for your next movement, pretty handy as a martial artist or sportsperson. However, there are some common misconceptions about posture.

Good posture isn’t just about how straight your back is, or about sucking or pinching things in to be ramrod straight. It is more about being efficient, freely moving as you need to in a natural expression of yourself and being ready for your next movement.

There are three main misconceptions about posture:

Firstly good posture shouldn’t require constant attention to maintain it. If you think about it this is impractical at best. Try constant attention in any movement for more than a few minutes. I bet you can’t do it. For it to be effective we want to have good posture all day not just when we think about it. Good posture needs to be unconscious. Like walking.

Secondly good posture shouldn’t require extra effort. In fact it should require less effort than most people use. Good posture is very efficient. It uses the body’s bone structure to minimise the amount of muscle strength that needs to be used. The body ‘settles’ in a relaxed way. A simple test for this is to check and see if there is any strain in your current position. If there is you are probably not in a very good posture.

Thirdly, posture is not about keeping ramrod straight and still (think military recruit standing to attention) you certainly couldn’t manage that all day. Believe me, I have tried and failed. This type of posture brings stiffness into the muscles and reduces blood flow. This stiffness or tension interferes with other movements and breathing and impedes the natural relaxed state of awareness that you need.

Of course this is not a license to slouch. Slouching also inhibits breathing and readiness for athletic movement. You really need to find that happy medium between tension and complete relaxation. Alert relaxation if you like.

Are you evolving or de-volving?

The way that we have evolved is to be ready at any moment to meet an attack from a predator. Alert, ready, balanced, efficient. Watch an animal. They can move from complete relaxation to very athletic movement in an instant. Good posture then allows for three things:

It is efficient, conserving energy for when you need it most.
It allows for constant subtle movement such as scanning for information or danger.
It prepares you for your next movement, be that hugely athletic or a subtle change of position.

Efficiency really means minimal effort to get the job done. With posture this means holding a position to do the work while counteracting the effects of gravity. I am sure that you all agree that lying down is a pretty efficient posture. However it is not very efficient when it comes to doing other things at the same time (well with the exception of a couple I guess). Standing on the other hand, is a very unstable position. It is like balancing a bowling ball on top of a stick on top of two sticks. It requires constant corrections and movement to keep you upright (apparently for every inch the head falls forwards in bad posture the weight on the spine increases by 10lb causing long term muscle strain, disc hernaitions, arthritis and pinched nerves*)

In a standing or sitting posture you are in fact never standing still. We are all continually making minute falls and corrections in order to maintain good balance.You should strive to keep the main heavy body parts (feet, knees, pelvis, chest and head) stacked one on top of the other. Any change to this requires a lot of muscular effort to maintain balance. An understanding of these bio mechanics is what allows you to disrupt someones posture in a martial arts setting.

To keep alertness in our movements we need to be able to comfortably make subtle shifts of movement in a good posture to scan for information. Taking in the field of play, the location of different attackers or escape routes, or other dangers approaching. Alternatively it could be as simple as typing, eating or turning around to check over your shoulder in the car. If you are too tense and rigid, these on going movements will be restricted.

Finally you need to be optimally ready for the next movement, relaxed and ready to make a big exertion or just a subtle change of position. If you are too tense or rigid then your next movement will be slow, strained or cumbersome. This is however, situation specific. An almost perfect example of posture is a sprinter in the blocks. He is efficient, ready for information and perfectly positioned for his next movement.

As a martial artist you train for the time when you don’t know what is going to happen next, such as an imminent attack. In this instance your posture would be more neutral – ready to move any part of you in any direction, freely and spontaneously.

I want to get old gracefully. I want to have good posture, I want to be healthy and a good example to my children. – Sting.

In conclusion good posture is not just about sitting straight and still with an erect spine. It is more about a dynamic and ever changing event that takes minimum effort to hold, doesn’t cause injury, allows for constant ongoing activity and is ready for the next movement.

There are just two days left and only 6 spaces remain for the seminar with Jamie and I this weekend where we will cover in depth the last four posts on
Breathing, Movement, Relaxation and Posture. Attention to these four arts really can improve the quality of your health and life immeasurably, seeping into everything that you do. Click here to book now to ensure your place.

Relaxation

Posted on 07/11/201302/02/2015 by Matt Hill

The ability to relax is probably one of the most overlooked skills in life. All of the research shows that your ability to relax has a huge impact on your ability to deal with life and stress, to perform well, stay healthy and energized and to be creative.

Do you ever find everyday movements laborious and overly tiring? Many injuries and cases of fatigue come not from extreme exertion but from performing everyday movements with too much tension in our bodies.

“Its about making the impossible possible, the hard easy and the easy elegant’. – Moshe Feldenkrais

Most movements that we do in the martial arts, sports or everyday life are easy. If you think of a punch, kicking, throwing or catching a ball, sitting down in a chair, lying down in bed to sleep, getting in and out of the car, picking up a bag, turning to look behind you when sitting down, walking, running or sitting at a computer, none of these are hard physical endeavours. However, for many people they can be laborious and cause discomfort, pain and fatigue.

The goal is to make these movements easy and graceful so that moving in sport, martial arts or everyday life becomes pleasurable, elegant and efficient, generating energy as opposed to being wasteful of energy.

Watch a world-class sports person or dancer. They make their movements look effortless and elegant. Think of Best, Federer, and Ali. Their ability to make the generation of speed, power and skill coordination look effortless and smooth is legendary.

Sprinters for example, are widely known not for how well they can engage muscles but for how much of the race they can spend in relaxation. Think about how relaxed and effortless Usain Bolt makes sprinting look. As the great sprinting coach Charlie Francis puts it:

‘The number one secret to greater speed is relaxation! It allows a faster and more complete shutdown of antagonists, quickening alternation cycles and permitting more force to be delivered in the desired direction with less energy consumption. Relaxation must become second nature in every drill you do and every run you take. You may feel that you aren’t generating enough force while relaxed (a perception that gets a lot of sprinters into trouble in big races), but remember, only the net force counts! The net force is the amount of force delivered in the desired direction, minus the force generated by the antagonist muscle at the same moment.’

Much of the skill in making the impossible possible, the hard easy and the easy elegant, is down to how well you can relax individual muscles.

This is a skill. Most adults progressively lose their ability to differentiate parts of their body. I.e. to move or tense individual parts or muscles, whilst keeping others still or relaxed. For example in many people the hips and lower back often move as one big block, causing forced unnatural movement and often resulting strain and injury. There are some very simple exercises you can do to remedy this to increase your freedom and range of movement.

Tension is contagious.

Skill in relaxation is also important to prevent an excess of tension in everyday life. When you sit at a desk typing you only need to be using your hands and fingers. However, the stress of work will often cause excess tension in surrounding muscles like your shoulders, neck, upper back and jaw. This causes headaches, fatigue and chronic injury. Keeping these muscles relaxed is a skill that can be developed.

Reducing tension in your movements will give you more energy, efficiency, power, smoothness, elegance, and timing. In effect it takes the brakes off. Moving with tension is like driving with the handbrake on.

Up to this point we have just dealt with physical tension. It is also important to relax your mental and emotional tensions. Relaxing your mental approach of always evaluating and thinking about situations and your responses to them allows you to live and respond in a more spontaneous, natural and free way. Relaxing your emotional tension is vital for your health, energy and sanity. The breath is the key to this.

If moving with tension is like driving with the handbrake on, having too much emotional and mental tension is like living with the handbrake on.

Everyone from Steve Jobs to Einstein to Aristotle espoused the need to relax physically, mentally and emotionally in order to be creative. So whether you are looking for creativity in your job, business, hobby or spontaneous natural movement in your sport or martial art – work on how to be more relaxed.

At the upcoming seminar Jamie and I will take you through some very simple exercises that will highlight tension in your movement and show you how to release it bringing smoothness, efficiency, elegance, speed, and power. We will also show you how to work on mental and emotional relaxation.

It is an open seminar suitable for all. It will cover, movement, relaxation, breathing and posture and is being attended by sportsmen and women, martial artists and people who just want to improve the quality of their day to day living. We will be giving you ways to make the practise of the concepts that we show you part of everyday living and not something that you need to set aside time to do. Click here to book now.

1 Day Holistic Performance Improvement Seminar

Posted on 02/10/201308/08/2024 by Matt Hill

For dramatic and lasting improvements to your physical, mental & emotional well-being….

Saturday November 16th
Melkham, Wiltshire
10.00 – 14.00
Cost: £40

This course is for people of any activity level from martial artists and athletes to couch potatoes who want to get active, or people who have lost thier mobliity and flexibility. The day is progressive and WILL change the way you operate, move and think.

One of the questions that I am most often asked is, ‘How long will it take me to get good?’ or, ‘How do I get faster results?’. This seminar is my answer. Not because it will give you magic pills, but because it will give you tools that you can use in almost every facet of your life, all day long. You see the honest answer to the oft asked questions is, ‘it depends on how much time you are willing to put into it.’ The more time you can put into training the better you will get, simple really. For most people the answer is two or maximum probably four hours per week. However, with most practices you have to set aside time to do them. Not with the material that Jamie and I will be sharing. You will learn habits that you can adapt easily and seamlessly into everyday activities helping you to train not just when you go the gym, the track or the dojo, but when you are doing anything and everything.

Jamie and I will be delivering an exclusive and new programme designed to radically change and improve your health, well-being and performance in everything you do. On the four hour course you will learn ancient breathing and relaxation techniques that you can practice throughout the day as part of your everyday activities.

You do not have to set aside time to do these practices as in meditation, yoga or exercise. They will become part of your daily habits, as natural as breathing and moving.

You will also learn subtle yet profound ways to improve your movement and posture that make everyday movements, smoother, more relaxed, less strained and more efficient.

Jamie and Matt will be sharing new material and tools that will make you:

More energised
Feel calmer
Think clearer
Less anxious
More mobile with greater freedom and range of movement
Able to deal with blood pressure and pain management issues
Understand what your body is communicating to you
Able to perform under conditions of increased physical or psychological stress and
Able to recover yourself from conditions of high physical or psychological stress

It will improve your physical performance whatever your level and whatever your activity be it yoga, meditation, walking, running, martial arts, football or anything else.

Testimonials:

“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.” – Gareth Leake

“After 8 years in Martial arts I can now roll straight up onto my feet, rather than putting my knee down. I have also found out that I can now jump from kneeling to standing. I contribute this new found ability to my daily practice of the four pillars of Systema, especially squats. They have opened my hip joints while removing tension from my legs. I have managed to achieve this new skill in a little under 4 weeks. With this in mind I am inspired to carry on discovering new freedoms that the four pillars can provide.” – Karl Durrant

“Just getting in touch to let you know that after just 8 weeks I’m feeling the benefits of Systema training in everyday life!
I’ve noticed that during times of pressure at work I am better able to identify the early signs of stress and prevent it from affecting my mood and productivity. Overall as a result of Systema training I am much more mindful of the state of my body and psyche (and often the state of others around me) and so feel equipped to deal with adversity in a relaxed manner and thus feel much more relaxed on a day to day basis. From a physical standpoint my body also feels refreshed. My joint mobility and strength is continuously improving and my ability to endure strenuous exercise improves without fail each time I apply Systema breathing techniques.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and time so generously.” – David Greenwood

If by the end of the morning you feel that you will not benefit from the seminar we will happily return your course fee.

Spaces limited to 40. First 20 places will get a discount of £10. Click here to book now for £30.

Or pay by bank transfer:

Barclays Bank
Seend Aikido Club
Sort code: 20-05-06
Account Number: 33042545.

From the mountains of Costa Rica to the jungles of Borneo Jamie has always sought out the best in Health and Combat methods. Jamie has studied extensively with masters in martial arts, martial sports, energy and mind development, including various healing methods.

Matt is a Certified Systema Instructor, 5th Dan in Aikido and an Ex-Parachute Regiment Captain. He has been devoted to the study of optimum performance of mind, body and spirit since childhood and has lived, studied and taught all over the world. Matt is committed to sharing this knowledge with others.

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

Shinrin Yoku – The healing effect of Forests

Posted on 17/05/201319/02/2014 by Matt Hill

As our lives get busier, time seems to go quicker. We have less time, more stress and seemingly ever greater responsibilities.

In 2008 we crossed the Rubicon. For the first time in human history more people lived in towns and cities than in rural areas. This is compounded by the fact that the average worker now spends 8 hours a day in front of a screen. They then go home and relax by watching on average 3 hours TV or the Internet.

Research tells us this is not good for us, that this behaviour makes us more aggressive, more depressed, less patient, slower witted and fatter. But we already know that. What research hasn’t been able to tell us is why, or how we can fix it.

The answer really is simple and obvious.

If you knew of a simple, scientifically proven way to lift your mood, make you 50% more creative, increase your production of cancer fighting cells by 40% and keep all these levels high for a month afterwards, would you take it? You bet. Read on for the answer.

I’ve often wondered why I take such pleasure from being in nature. I teach my classes outside whenever I can and get immense satisfaction from taking people into forests for weekend experiences. What I couldn’t really explain was why people seemed to ‘get’ things so much quicker in an outdoor environment than they do in a dojo. It is almost as if there is a secret accelerant in the air.

Why does a weekend in the woods would have such a profound impact on people? I thank Japanese researchers for giving me the answer.

Miyazaki San, a Japanese physiological anthropologist and vice director of Chiba University’s Center for Environment, Health, and Field Sciences, located just outside Tokyo has been at the centre of Forest Therapy for the past decade. In that time he has taken more than 600 people out into the woods and monitored their reaction to their surroundings.

The results are startling.

The findings show that leisurely forest walks, compared with city or town walks, yield a 12.4% decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a 7% decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4% decrease in blood pressure and a 5.8% decrease in heart rate. On subjective tests, study participants also report better moods and lower anxiety.

Is that really a surprise? When you consider that we have spent 99.9% of our evolutionary journey in nature and we are still physiologically tuned to it. The more time we spend there, the better we feel. Consider how you would feel…

Listening to the sound of running water and birds singing
Smelling fresh pine, wild garlic, bluebells
Feeling the sun on your back and the wind in your hair
Seeing sunrays through a canopy or a beautiful waterfall
And have you ever noticed that food tastes better outside – think barbeques and picnics or fresh fruit plucked straight from a tree.

As much as the forest gives us, it is also what it takes away that cleanses us. The anxiety of checking your smart phone, sweating the little things and lack of perspective that every day life brings.

Japanese Doctors have been prescribing a cure for these ailments called ‘Shinrin Yoku’ or ‘forest bathing’. Literally spending time in forests. You don’t have to do anything else. Researchers are building a body of evidence that proves at a cellular level what we already innately know.

So if we know it, why don’t we do more of it?

I think that it is too easy to stay comfortable and easily entertained. I confess that I am as guilty of this as the next person. I maintain numerous social network platforms, spend most of my day in front of a screen and yes, I relax in the evening in front of one too.

So how do I get my dose of forest medicine? I try to build in to my life as many reasons as I can to go outside. Building a business around the outdoors has been instrumental, as has having dogs and a family that loves the outdoors and wild swimming – so in no particular order:

I have dogs,who LOVE walks in the forest.
I have cultivated a love of wild swimming in my daughters and have a wife who loves walking
I make conscious decisions to live near woods.
I teach my general classes outside whenever I can.
I teach private lessons outdoors whenever I can
I run woodlands experience courses where people literally rediscover the pleasures and benefits of being outdoors.
If I have to choose a business hotel when travelling I will click the ‘countryside hotel’ option wherever possible.

I am sure that very little of what I’ve said will astound you. You will have felt it yourselves I’m sure.

All I would say is try to find ways to get out into nature and just be there.

An afternoon or a long walk will bring you lasting benefits. Even better would be a few days. The Japanese prescribe 3 days. If you would like to get some real benefits try a few days on a woodlands course and on top of the health benefits improve your martial arts capability way beyond where it is now. You will be immersing in at least 6-7 hours of training a day and far from leaving you depleted you will be energised in a way you will have rarely if ever felt.

Three days of this gives you about 21 hours of training with more time spent in discussion with like-minded people. Most people spend about 3 hours a week in training – 12 hours a month. You will be getting about 2 months worth of training in a weekend.

Add to this the compound interest of the training being condensed into a short period. without the skills fade that comes between sessions. You then have incredible value.

There are limited spaces for this years Devon Camp in June. Click here to find out more

P.S If you fancy something even more thrilling There is a four day course in Sweden in some of the most beautiful forests and lakes that I have ever seen. Once again spaces are filling fast for this so don’t wait too long to book. Click here to see a video of it

If I was to leave you with one message from this it would be that If you want to feel better, spend more time in nature. It really is that simple….

I hope to share some of those great forest experiences with you.

Stonehenge Course write up – Sensei and the Stones – by Karl Durrant

Posted on 10/04/201310/04/2013 by Matt Hill

Sensei and the Stones

It was a fresh morning, the journey to Stonehenge was certainly a lesson in night driving especially taking some unknown B roads. I arrived alert and excited it was 0530 Sunday 24 March 2013 I was here to watch the light come up and to practise aikido within the centre of this mystical site.

Being lead by Matt Hill of Wiltshire Martial arts the organisation of the event was very smooth and energising. Matt was on hand to liaise with the site staff and made sure all student attending the event had what they needed. This is an example of leader ship that is not commonly seen in martial arts, often it is the student serving the master. With this being my second course with Matt it is clear that his teaching to allows others to see themselves, not to see him.

From dark to light I began to see the face of fellow student clearly during the sunrise. The group stood in silence for a few moments in preparation to meet the stones.

Moving to the site car park, people adorned hakama and gathered weapons. After a quick security briefing we ventured through a tunnel to the site of our morning practise, the inner circle of Stonehenge.

With a briefing from Matt, we opened practise with a few minutes of sitting meditation. With my eyes closed I focused on the background hum of wind and traffic. Then all of a sudden it stopped, like someone pressed the mute button, after a few seconds all that could be heard was bird song and the wings of resident crows. Reviewing this later I found it was mutually experienced by all.

After meditation people had already began to feel the warmth that the stones provide. Moving onto tai-jitsu and awase practice the fresh weather was soon ignored for mindfulness, breathing and movement. Working with new people I felt nervous of my ability, this is common when stepping out of my comfort zone. But here in the circle I was safe as I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with some helpful and patient fellow Aikido students.

Before we knew the final kokyo-ho exercise came, grabbing my camera to get some final pictures my plans soon changed as Matt wanted to practise with me. A great end to a fantastic practise session. The morning was not over yet.

Heading back to the car park everyone was buzzing about the session and discussing the “mute button” during meditation. Some could not stay for breakfast so after goodbyes, the remainder gathered their cooking equipment and lead by Matt,headed for the woods 1 mile away.

Walking and chatting with new faces and future friends I began to feel a positive commonality in our experience. Arriving at the woods people naturally sat in groups of 3 and 4. Getting their stoves out and pans ready, a number of people , including me, realised that the wind was stopping their bacon from frying. I gave up on mine and settled for large mug of tea and some breakfast bars.

I noticed that Matt did not sit with any particular group while having his breakfast, once done, he made an successful effort to mingle with everyone. This demonstrated to me a key leadership ingredient, the ability to treat everyone equally allows for natural group cohesion.

Overall the experience will take a lot to equal, but the one thing I took was the lesson that a good leader stands behind ready to catch any who may fall.

KF Durrant.

The 40 Aikido and life lessons that 2012 taught me

Posted on 01/01/201314/02/2013 by Matt Hill

Here are 40 of the best lessons that I have learnt, had reinforced or found a new angle on in 2012: Hope they ring a few bells for you:

If you’re not improving something at each session, you’re going stale and backwards.
If you want an A-Level dojo, you can’t afford to settle for B-Level practice.
Practice Atemi in your aikido.
Practice against free attacks, punches, kicks, grabs, rugby tackles – taking the speed out of the training. This is where Takemusu lies.
Regularly practice multiple attack work – it is vital to efficacy and understanding O’Sensei’s magic.
When doing techniques look for complete precision. When doing randori look for takemusu.
Get hit – done right this can be therapeutic, honestly! And it is very good for your budo.
Transform your fitness and you’ll transform your Aikido.
Don’t waste time in bickering about other styles, train instead.
Exercising for 20 minutes first thing in the morning is a game-changer. As a teacher try to give your students exercises that they can do in their own time.
It is when you least want to get up and go training that you are going to get the most out of it personally.
Don’t do it if you’re not having fun. It is the job of the teacher to make training stretching and fun and the job of the students to bring enthusiasm to it.
If you’re not scared a lot you’re not improving and growing very much.
It’s never been easier to be of service to a large amount of people in aikido (and few things are as rewarding).
People are craving transparency, authenticity and community. Give it to them through your dojo.
Progress comes in hills and plateaus. Understand this and your approach to training becomes much more relaxed. (I’ve been working on integrating this lesson for years).
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax (When you relax, your brain shifts into alpha state–the time when real breakthroughs and those profound realisations present themselves).
Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end. (And without change, there is no progress).
Dream big in your Aikido – plan a trip to Iwama, or Japan or a big seminar – push your boundaries. Aim for that which you think is out of reach.
Pursue excellence versus chasing perfection.
Celebrate small wins in your club and with your peers and you’ll unleash a huge amount of momentum and positive energy.
“There is no purpose in wanting or pursuing many techniques. To master a technique, one needs to make each technique, one by one, his/her own.” – O’Sensei, Budo.
“I don’t fear the man who has done 1000 kicks once, I fear the man who has done 1 kick 1000 times.” – Bruce Lee
Begin with the end in mind: We should not lose sight of the fact that our aim in aikido is not to master techniques but to master the principles of aiki through the techniques.
Delete ‘victimspeak’ from your training. No more “I can’t” and “It’s not possible” and “It’s so hard.” More “I will” and “This is awesome” and “I can”
If you inspire one person each session, your class hasn’t been a waste. It’s been a blessing.
Live an amazing path in Aikido but enjoy your life, family and friends along the way. What’s the point of becoming an Aikido legend but a failed human being.
Look people in the eyes when you talk to them on the mat. Smile at people when you train. Say “please” to respect them. And “thank you” to appreciate them.
Don’t be on time–Be early.
The person who tries to master everything at once achieves nothing. Focus. Focus. Focus. **More on this with the goal planning to come
Spend time in silence each day. You’ll never do O’Sensei level work if you’re over stimulated by technology.
Your behaviour on the mat broadcasts your truest beliefs.
To have the results only 5% of Martial artists in the world have, have the guts to do what only 5% of the Martial artists in the world are willing to do.
World-class begins when you think you’ve done a great session but know you can do a better session.
Everyone’s in Aikido Human Resources. And we are all there to develop the talents of the people we train with.
Mediocrity is a mindset. Avoid the mental viruses of negative people.
Problems and loss of motivation come to test your commitment to your goals, hopes and dreams.
Begin to feel energised through your practice – be like a dynamo. You should generate Kokyu energy.
At the end Budo is as much about what you take out as what you put in. Rid yourself of tension, fear, doubt, redundant and superfluous movement and unnatural or incorrect movement. Your movements need to be precise, calm and powerful.
Use your time in Aikido to make the world a better place.

Enjoy your training and let 2013 take your Aikido to new heights.

Inspired by Robin Sharma’s 50 lessons of 2012. If you haven’t read his stuff check out, ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari’ – awesome book.

In Aiki,

Matt.

For dramatic and lasting improvements to your physical, mental & emotional well-being….

Saturday November 16th Melkham, Wiltshire 10.00 – 14.00 Cost: £40

Testimonial from Gareth Leake on the health benefits of Martial Arts

Sensei and the Stones

Saturday November 16th
Melkham, Wiltshire
10.00 – 14.00
Cost: £40