Learning Martial Arts with physical limitation due to an injury

 I am wondering how difficult this will be to learn with physical limitation due to an injury?

First, I want to say that it’s inspiring that you want to learn Martial Arts regardless your physical limitations due to injury!  In reality, there are a lot of people who have great health and too lazy to learn new skills. Your desire tells me about your strong soul and willingness to overcome life challenges. This quality gives you a huge advantage, and you might get even better results compare to people who do not have any injuries. We are at Systema Spetsnaz strongly believe that our power comes from inside, and the combat mastery can be reached only with inner motivation.

I want to be completely honest and tell you about cons and pros that you might face while learning Systema Spetsnaz style or any other Martial Arts. Here is a list of things to pay attention.

Learning Martial Arts with physical limitation due to an injury

1. Do a research about your injury, learn which muscles/bones were injured and what is the current situation (did you fully recovered, partially, how much time has passed since the time of injury, how are your muscles and bones now, compare to the “normal” standards etc.)

2. Talk to your doctor about his recommendations on what type of exercises he/she recommends and how often. Please, note, that a lot of doctors would not recommend you to do any Martial Arts (because, they want to avoid any risks, which is understandable). Take this step seriously, but remember, that only you can make a final decision. Consider all risks and keep them in mind while doing any exercises.

3. Don’t base your decision on any Martial Art’s teacher opinion (including us). A martial art’s instructor is not a doctor, he does not know details about your injury. Instead, consider different opinions, all risks before choosing self-defense style that will be best for you.

4. Choose a Martial Art style that does not require a lot of jumps or other crazy combat techniques. In a reality, you need to learn only 3 major things:
a) how to fall safely on the hard concrete (ground, office, stairs etc)
b) how to redirect your opponent’s power (single attacker or multiple opponents)
c) how and which counter-attack technique to use based on the current situation.

Systema Spetsnaz, originally, was developed for soldiers. We are teaching how to use only 25% of your physical strength to overcome an attacker. Originally, it was a military system for special units. It was built on a fact, that soldiers might be severely injured at the war. We are teaching how to use a body weight, simple principles of mechanics and physics and generate powerful strikes, punches, and kicks.

5. Pay attention to exercises that include not only hard combat techniques but also exercises for joints, breathing, and meditation. A lot of people loose fight not because their opponent is stronger, but because their body is not flexible. Another big reason of losing a fight is a psychological weakness. People get scared, they begin to breathe rapidly, lose concentration and forget about all their knowledge. We have a set of DVDs specifically developed for that. There is a term that we like to use, the ‘combat trance’, that helps you to keep your mind clear and control your heart rate.

6. When you choose your Martial Art style and start training slowly. Listen to your body, increase time of your training and its intensity slowly. Your body is your number one weapon. Maybe you will start with 20 minutes of training twice a week and then increase it to 25 minutes, then 30 minutes 3 times a week.

7. Learn multiple self-defense techniques simultaneously. For example, if you are learning how to deliver a punch, also, practice how to deliver a kick, plus do joints development exercises. This way, you can cover a different range of muscle and joint of your body at once. This way, you can reach combat mastery quicker and avoid injuries.

8. Remember, you have a unique body (as everyone else) and when you learn any self-defense technique update it for your height, weight, physical limitations and personal preference. Some exercises might not work for you at all. And that’s normal. Do what works the best for your body! Take the main concept and adapt it.

9. Try different self-defense applications. If you do not have a training partner, ask your friends, co-workers even family members to “attack” you from different angles. Consider it as a game, just for fun. Do it safely and see what works for your unique body type.

10. Check this article – “Systema Spetsnaz vs other Martial Arts“. If you are interested in a “sport” combat or sparring on a ring, then our system will not work for you. If you are looking for a reality based self-defense, then we are glad to welcome you as our student!

And, always, feel free to contact us with any questions.