I had the great fortune of speaking with Leonid Polezhaev of Sistema Boya yesterday. With his permission, the following is a portion of our Q&A with his thoughts about Systema, Cossack style training, spirituality and combative arts...(he speaks English , yet some words were translated via Google Translate).
(preface) I have followed Sistema Boya for a while and recently, found a few of his videos posted on Combat Labs Russian Martial Arts' Facebook Page. While I never continued my research into the Boya school, I always admired Polezhaev's videos and his exquisite skill level. Leonid Polezhaev was both profound and deep in our conversation, which was something I have only witnessed with a handful of other Russian instructors. He accredits this depth with the reality of being in Kosovo in 2005 , where he had a spiritual internal awakening of sorts(roughly described).
Polezhaev spent 10 years from 1998-2008 committed to both his faith and Russian Martial Arts , and in 2008 started his own combative style and methodology. He has a passion for the Cossack style with a focus on personal growth and emotional health and well being. This was something I have become highly familiar with in my understanding how even some of the most sought after instructors really utilize and put into practice in their lives. They negate fear and emotional weakness with a deep understanding of being alive and not taking anything for granted. Often times, their faith is their driving force behind their powerful and effortless movement that reaches a skill level unparalleled to anything I have seen in the United States. The sense of calm and peace radiates from some of the finest instructors and they have all stated that this is the sole reason their skill level is amplified. While at times I still struggle with understanding the complexity of these great instructors, Mr.Polezhaev really explained it at a whole new level.( please note, this is a roughly open conversation with some translation errors and has a generalized open communicative tone-any mistakes made in publishing due to translation will be corrected if necessary)
--I asked Mr.Polezhayev to tell me a little bit about himself and what he thinks of the division and contrast to the "combative" arts and the Cossack style and how he feels about the continued debate of what is right, what is wrong on different resources and RMA threads...this is what his response was ..
LP: Yes. It is fine. Everyone has his own view on the close fight. I tend to think to what is art - the art of life -humanity and human development through the motions? The vector can be deployed in different directions - you can wear uniforms and belong to the "special forces" or "Cossack", but the inner meaning - what is inside a person - it's energy is what is more important.
(on telling me about himself)- I am: Man. Personality. Energy. Divine Energy.Love. No Fear.Violation of Divine Love. Restoring the Balance. No matter distance and time, countries and continents. With thoughts. Promised thought. Micro- and macrocosm. We are together, or not. Friend. Enemy. Love is love. Love is evil. The adoption of an evil. absorption and return back to his Love. Folded point. Expansion into infinity.
Attack the enemy in the reflex of fear, anger, hatred, resentment. Pain. Pleasure. Lust. We expose it to the dead point - adjustment and murder with Love. Take his confession and repentance. Give him the joy of returning to God. Protection - love pain. Holy Rage. He wants to make himself sick. Take in the waves of love, the Holy Sacred Rage what you spawned. I will recompense, and will give you and erase from this world manifestation of the Void. Give a death or life. Destroy or (repair)? Decide for yourself. Why have you come to me? The solution is for you. I am your reflection.If the person does not love - he is afraid. Walk down the street and radiate an inner light through a smile (smiling mask). Peace and balance. If you are afraid - then you are a victim. So you sit .
Another point - practice - training should lead to a balance and peace, the different rhythms of the training-hall one situation to another rhythm street - but it is also training - the game - the main thing at the end of the game to reach nirvana. (Or soon to enter itself in nirvana). Light destroys darkness around, slowing, stopping time. Disappointment that the enemy stands firm. Beat, tear, and tear it with a smile - and then regret it, or a piece of meat (that is left of it) as a child(sic)
OO: And this is something you have written?
LP: Yes.This is the philosophy of "система боя"
OO: And where did you train?
LP:Kosovo. It was scary at first. My soul trembled with terror. But love has destroyed the fear. When I came back - I felt that while I was there, something very important and valuable to mankind. I was asked to describe how I go into an altered state, Not describe the training process but internal content.
OO: Was this during a war in Kosovo?
LP: In 2005 there was no physical war,but a spiritual war. There was a place of contact between light and darkness.
OO: What about other training background information?
LP: In 1998 I graduated from the training system Kadochnikova. and I went to the Orthodox church. Confession - prayer and monasteries - it lasted 10 years. In 2008 I developed my own combat system from there.
Now I'm combining everything associated with the Cossack style because (I value) their policies.
OO: How do you feel about the criticism that the style of dance and fight are not developed together?
LP:It is not true! Dance has to do with the Cossack battle! A dance is the rhythm inside of you - this will be drawing the battle. I love Lezginka. My family lives on the Kuban 160 years. We are Cossacks .Before, we lived Chernihiv (Ukraine)
OO: Many "combatives" instructors say it is pointless and there is no reason to train in Cossack style... that there is no history with Russian Martial arts and Cossack style. How do you feel about this?
LP:Then they do not understand the soul of the Cossack.
We are united by Orthodoxy,but the rhythm of movement of Russian and Cossack dancing is different. But in the end what is the difference - which way to achieve inner enlightenment!? Russian or Cossack style?
While my conversation with Mr.Polezhaev continued on to other topics, the few key points he had mentioned , were commonplace for many of the other highly skilled instructors I have spoken with along my journey, including Sergey Zhukov, Sergey Kuznetsov, Andrey Karimov and Yuri Sheshukov. Their seemingly fearless approach, grace, permanent smile and lack of tension, all come from within. Almost all of these men attribute this practice to having a true understanding of themselves and inner peace.
To see Sistema Boya videos you can go to his You Tube page, in Russian language here.
Don't speak Russian? No problem, Leonid has an English You Tube channel here.
The following is an interesting excerpt I copied from Mr.Polezhaev's Sistema Boya website in reference to the rules of his school. Very , very on point(in my opinion)
LP: Yes.This is the philosophy of "система боя"
OO: And where did you train?
LP:Kosovo. It was scary at first. My soul trembled with terror. But love has destroyed the fear. When I came back - I felt that while I was there, something very important and valuable to mankind. I was asked to describe how I go into an altered state, Not describe the training process but internal content.
OO: Was this during a war in Kosovo?
LP: In 2005 there was no physical war,but a spiritual war. There was a place of contact between light and darkness.
OO: What about other training background information?
LP: In 1998 I graduated from the training system Kadochnikova. and I went to the Orthodox church. Confession - prayer and monasteries - it lasted 10 years. In 2008 I developed my own combat system from there.
Now I'm combining everything associated with the Cossack style because (I value) their policies.
OO: How do you feel about the criticism that the style of dance and fight are not developed together?
LP:It is not true! Dance has to do with the Cossack battle! A dance is the rhythm inside of you - this will be drawing the battle. I love Lezginka. My family lives on the Kuban 160 years. We are Cossacks .Before, we lived Chernihiv (Ukraine)
OO: Many "combatives" instructors say it is pointless and there is no reason to train in Cossack style... that there is no history with Russian Martial arts and Cossack style. How do you feel about this?
LP:Then they do not understand the soul of the Cossack.
We are united by Orthodoxy,but the rhythm of movement of Russian and Cossack dancing is different. But in the end what is the difference - which way to achieve inner enlightenment!? Russian or Cossack style?
While my conversation with Mr.Polezhaev continued on to other topics, the few key points he had mentioned , were commonplace for many of the other highly skilled instructors I have spoken with along my journey, including Sergey Zhukov, Sergey Kuznetsov, Andrey Karimov and Yuri Sheshukov. Their seemingly fearless approach, grace, permanent smile and lack of tension, all come from within. Almost all of these men attribute this practice to having a true understanding of themselves and inner peace.
To see Sistema Boya videos you can go to his You Tube page, in Russian language here.
Don't speak Russian? No problem, Leonid has an English You Tube channel here.
The following is an interesting excerpt I copied from Mr.Polezhaev's Sistema Boya website in reference to the rules of his school. Very , very on point(in my opinion)
Guidelines for Practice "combat system"
- "Combat system" should be open only to those who agree and upholds the principles "combat system". Anyone who does not follow this - can not join us. Specifically: Only those who have read and agreed with these guidelines shall be allowed to participate.
- Only those able to exercise true patience, self-control, and dedication shall be allowed to participate. It requires a doctor's note. In particular, people with mental illness, drug addiction, or mental instability shall be barred from participation. The need for such a doctor's concerns individuals who may present a danger to others. Naprimer-, those with infectious diseases or clinically insane person or persons who have no self-control.
- Persons with criminal records are not eligible to study. Troublemakers, those who commit crimes, and those who live in Russia that violate domestic laws do not have a right to learn.
- Those who do not uphold the guiding principles of the "combat system", either as practitioners or as members of society who have committed shameful acts should be expelled.
- Regarding accidents occurring during training (both inside and outside the gym), should not cause problems in the "combat system".This is an extremely important point. Those who wish to take personal responsibility for accidents occurring during the practice of "combat system" to learn not allowed. We reiterate for clarity, "combat system" does not accept responsibility for accidents occurring in the course of training, regardless of location.
- The tradition of "combat system" recognizes nature and the universality of human life We are studying the way to a man's heart.Recently "combat system" has become a truly international movement. There are various taboos among the peoples and countries of the world. We must respect each other, striving to avoid such taboos. We must put the heart of the warrior first, working together for self-improvement and "combat system". Those not upholding the above-mentioned guidelines should be expelled from the "combat system".
Here is a brief summary of his education and training :
Education: from 1988-1993 - Krasnodar Higher Military
Command School of Engineering Strategic Missile
Forces ( KVVKIURV ) Faculty : ACS; specialty: Cybernetics engineer
Combative Training and Experience:
1977 to 1987 -Engaged in Greco- Roman
wrestling
1988 to 1993 . - Training at a military school
1993 - served in the Armed Forces, a reserve officer
1995 to 1997 . Martial arts instructor
1998 - current-System " Cossack Spas"
Since 2010 led the club " Dogfight Cossack
scouts
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