This week, a deep dive into aspects of internal training, with Toronto-based Systema Instructor and founder of Gaian Heart, Jamie Lippiatt.
Jamie is a personal student of Vladimir Vasiliev and Emmanuel Manolakaki, and teaches regularly at Systema HQ in Toronto. He has also made several extended trips to Moscow to train with the inimitable Mikhail Ryabko and his instructors there.

An accomplished martial artist even before coming to Systema, Jamie is a past member of the Canadian National Judo Team, a 2x Canadian Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champion, a 4x Toronto Wrestling Champion, and certified Israeli Special Forces 707 Krav Maga Instructor.

Here, we discuss his path into Systema, and some of the deeper insights he has gained along the way. Including:

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• Searching for unifying principles within the martial arts
  
• Understanding tension as a psychological phenomenon
  
• The concepts of pressure, weight, and body unity
  
• The dangers of creating a "box" for yourself in training
  
• The essential goal: freedom from the self
  

A rich and varied discussion, and one serious trainees won't want to miss. 

Jamie is currently offering a series of three workshops on Breathing, Movement, and Application through Gaian heart online. For details, visit http://gaianheart.com and subscribe to their event newsletter.