Rob Poyton

27/09/2026

What are the components of effective self defence? And where do we start? One idea is to first develop our base position.

What are the components of effective self defence? And where do we...

26/09/2026

Today's Class Notes

1. Breathwork
2. Stick warm up
3. Hammer time
4. Knife flow
5. Accepting and re-directing movement, knife into locks and takedowns
6. Review of "name the target" drill for precision
7. Footwork to develop continuous strikes
8. Closing and maintaining nearness to attacker
9. Working elbow strikes into punches
10. Fold and move, continuous strikes to overhwelm
11. Developing "forward" mindset
12. The Stop principle - internal work for structure and power
13. Not allowing attacker to latch on - stop, disrupt, overwhelm
14. Maintain awareness while driving forward
15. Aggression or control?
16. Taking strikes
17. Free sparring
18. Massage and breathwork
19. Circle and finish

18/09/2026

First day of the Geneva 26 Workshop. Focus for the weekend was how to develop speed and power with relaxation through a wide range of drills.

https://youtu.be/JsPdC-nVB68

Full 95 minute download at
https://cesystema.myshopify.com/products/worksgen26-part-1

First day of the Geneva 26 Workshop. Focus for the weekend was how ...

12/09/2026

Today's Class Notes:

1. Breathwork
2. Stick warm up
3. Hammer time
4. Knife push
5. Knife flow
6. Knife evade and punch
7. Review of last week's kicking work
8. Variations in target and angle, precision
9. Free play
10. Power through acceleration - punch
11. Adding in "the whip"
12. Developing pull, from the feet, shoulders and wrist
13. The whip strike, varying ranges
14. Targetting
15. Using the same movement against other areas - arms, legs, boxing guard, etc
16. Accelerate into flow
17. Free sparring
18. Massage
19. Circle and finish

04/09/2026

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghost-stories-for-christmas-tickets-1989674288357?aff=efbevent

30/08/2026

Today's Class Notes

1. Breathing and balance
2. Stick exercises
3. Hammer time
4. Knife "massage"
5. Knife flow
6. Resting fists exercise - refining alignment, both physical and mental. Strength through posture and relaxation
7. Fine tuning short punches
8. Speed work - pads, hit as fast and hard as possible
9. Applying to an attacker - preparation of hands and lining up targets
10. Closing distance and striking on the move
11. Name the target drill. Developing precision and flow
12. There is no plan but there is a plan!
13. Maintaining forward pressure and striking without pulling back the fist
14. Stress inoculation - staying comfortable under pressure
15. Free sparring
16. Circle and finish

15/08/2026

15/08/2026

Today's Class Notes

1. Breathwork
2. Stick exercise
3. Knife flow, partner and group
4. Sword evasion, partner and group
5. Speed work - anticipate, don't wait
6. Respond, don't react
7. Movement as defence, think attack
8. Escape into safety, cut with precision
9. Working into flow from initial response
10. Same work vs two attackers
11. Transferring sword skills to empty hand
12. Again, why wait?
13. The balance between calmness, aggression, speed, timing, forward drive and over-commiting
14. Don't be ruled by anger, it restricts awareness - eye gouge example from pub fight
15. Crash in with your body weight - first contact must disrupt the physical and psychological structure
16. Fear as a weapon
17. The "Lennie Approach"
18. The challenge of meeting tension with relaxation
19. Twist the spine
20. Extended free sparring, speed and resistance
21. Breathwork
22. Circle and finish

09/08/2026

Systema Vlog Aug 26 The One Inch Punch
We revisit a drill in context of working the one inch punch. All you need is a cup of water!

We revisit a drill in context of working the one inch punch. All yo...

11/07/2026

Today's Class Notes

1. Breathwork
2. Balance
3. Stick exercises and massage
4. Stick pushing
5. Knife flow
6. Pushing with fist - strengthening and alignment exercise
7. Sink and expand rather than push
8. Short stick soft deflection reviewed
9. Applying the same with the hand
10. Minimal effort work with fingers to break posture - find position and angle
11. Pressure points vs working into tension or "gaps" in the armour.
12. Applying on the move, links with massage
13. Working into flow state - intuitive rather than planned response
14. Detaching from result, developing flow
15. Speed comes from relaxation and deeper connection to our nervous system.
16. Extended flow sparring, whole body movement
17. Breathwork
18. Circle and finish
19. Remembering Sergey