Systema Exercises for Beginners: What the Systema Push-Up Is Really About

If you have been curious about Systema exercises for beginners, the push-up is the perfect place to start. It looks simple and it is. But here is the thing: what you do with the push-up is what makes all the difference.

It is a Push-Up - But It is Also So Much More

A lot of people have built the Systema push-up up into something way more complicated and mysterious than it needs to be. It is a push-up. But what you do with the push-up is what matters. Just like in any martial art, it is not about which system is better than another. It is about what you do with what you learn. That is what makes it effective.

The purpose of Systema exercises is to build strength. Not just physical strength, but strength in your body, your mind, and your spirit. That is what we are after at Personal Defense Concepts.

Start at the Wall: Establishing the Shape

Before we hit the floor, go to the wall. We are using the wall to establish the shape of the movement first, without fighting gravity right out of the gate.

1. Stand facing the wall and raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor.
2. Close your hands into a fist position and touch your fists to the wall.
3. Inhale, then as you exhale, imagine pulling the wall toward your chest. The elbows will naturally drop and pull back behind the body.
4. Your forehead may contact the wall before your chest. That is fine.
5. Once close, inhale again. Then as you exhale, push the wall away from you.

Pull the wall to you. Push the wall away. Get comfortable with that mental image before moving to the floor.

Taking It to the Floor

Now we introduce the concept of the platform - what part of your body contacts the floor and how many points of contact you have. The fewer points of contact, the harder the movement.

• Hands and feet on the floor: great for beginners
• Two hands and one foot: more challenging
• One hand and two feet: even more challenging
• One hand and one foot: advanced

Starting position: lay face down, bring palms close to your ribcage, form fists and place the flat part on the floor, elbows pointing toward the ceiling, shoulder blades lightly retracted. Then push the earth away. When you come back down, pull the earth toward you.

Do Not Worry About Perfect - Worry About the Press

Your body might sag. You might not be perfectly straight. That is okay. The goal is not the perfect gym-class push-up. The goal is to feel the pressing of the earth away from you and then the pulling of it toward you. Once that becomes natural, bring the whole body up at once as one unit.

Breathing Is Not a Formula - It is a Tool

At Personal Defense Concepts, we teach breath and movement independence. You should be able to breathe through any pattern and apply it to any movement. Check out our video on the Seven Keys of Systema Breathing, specifically Key 6, which covers independence. Once you understand that concept, your training opens up in a big way.

The Variables That Change Everything

Within the Systema push-up framework, you have five key variables to adjust:

• Angle: How steep or flat your body is
• Depth: How far down you go
• Load: Added weight or resistance
• Platform: Number and type of contact points
• Speed: How fast or slow you move

Decide what outcome you want before you start training. Each variable produces a different result.

A Simple Progression for Beginners

1. Start at the wall. Get comfortable with the shape and mental cues.
2. Move to the floor. Use fists, keep elbows up, shoulder blades lightly back.
3. Do not rush the form. Let the movement teach you.
4. Experiment with the variables. Start with angle and platform.
5. Integrate your breath. Start with what feels natural and build from there.

Final Thoughts

The Systema push-up is humble. It asks nothing fancy of you. But if you bring real attention to it - to the breath, the press, the pull, and the platform - it starts to show you things most people never notice in a standard workout. Start simple. Stay curious. Explore the movement.

Want More Systema Training Like This?

For more information or for more trainings such as this, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Personal Defense Concepts. We are always dropping new content to help you build strength - in your body, your mind, and your spirit.