Russian All-Round Fighting
From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source
Russian All-Round Fighting or RAF is a Russian hybrid martial art that incorporates streetfighting, wrestling, fencing, stick and knife fighting, and Russian folk martial arts into its style. Its real-world effectiveness is tested in full-contact fighting, regular sport competitions, street fights and combat situations as well. It has different levels of fighting skills that are tested in its annual Russian championships. Practicing RAF demands not only a high level of determination and sound physical abilities, but remarkable intelligence as well.
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History
RAF was created in the 1990s by three men: Maxim Shatunov, Eduard Sergeyev, and Denis Roikov. Shatunov started out studying boxing, wrestling, Karate, Sambo, and Russian Storm Fighting (RSF). Sergeyev started out in Sambo, Judo, and RSF. Roikov is a Russian national fencing champion. These three men got together to create a complete, practical martial art that would be effective in real-world fighting, combining the skills they learned from the various martial arts they have studied (excluding Judo and Karate). The art is still evolving. The Russian All-Round Fighting Federation was registered in 2004.
Techniques
The punching techniques ("fisticuffs") include both linear and round swinging motions using fist and hammerfist punches, palm-strikes, elbows and forearms. Students are taught to either change the angle of attack while fighting or to hold and punch the adversary. Kicks are studied with students always wearing sport shoes. Both are often used to injure the enemy's arms so as to open his defense in order to attack the head with further kicks and punches. "Fisticuffs" and kicks are combined into "hand-to-hand fighting," which is further combined with wrestling into "Storm Fighting." The full style of RAF, Storm Fighting generally involves a combination of grappling while throwing punches and both high and low kicks to subdue a foe. Study also includes realistic training in the use of bayonet, sticks, knives, and other weapons.
Philosophy
The first thing one should understand about RAF is that it teaches that the best defense is a good offense. Students are first taught how to attack, then how to defend. This principle has proven most sound in real-world testing, which RAF students in Russia routinely engage in due to the nature of society in modern Russia. The second thing one should understand is that RAF is imbued with a spirit of Russian/Slavic patriotism and religious Paganism.
The founders of RAF stress that it is a European martial art, not a hybrid of European and Asian or other non-European techniques. There is no breaking of stones or blocks of ice, and no finger-strikes or knifehands, all of which they regard as stupid. All techniques are from Russian and other European martial arts.
The symbol of RAF is the svarga, an ancient Slavic solar symbol, essentially an eight-legged spinning wheel. They seem to prefer the version of Slavic Paganism that centers on worship of Nature rather than worship of the ancient Slavic Pagan gods.
Training and Rankings
The study of RAF is divided into three levels: Beginner, Sport, and Combat. Study is done both indoors and outdoors.
At the Beginner level, students learn basic techniques plus special exercises and gymnastic workouts. Beginning instruction operates on the theory that a student must first become athletically adept in order to learn how to fight. At this stage, there is no sparring yet.
At the Sport level, students are first taught bayonet fighting, stick fighting, knife fighting, and fencing, in that order. Then comes training in punching ("fisticuffs") and kicks ("kick-fighting"), originally taught separately, then combined into one discipline, hand-to-hand fighting. Finally, there is instruction in wrestling, which is then combined with hand-to-hand fighting to form "Storm Fighting."
The Combat level involves refinement of skills learned at the Sport level, plus advanced training, focusing mostly on defense against multiple and/or armed attackers and other disadvantageous situations. Skills are further developed through combat games, full-contact sparring, regular fighting competitions, and annual championships held in Russia.
External Links
- RAF Federation (English version)
- RAF Federation (Russian version)
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