A Boy to A Man
I wish to take this chance to pass on mine and my son's first experience of training with Canadian Systema Instructor, Emmanuel Manolakakis. I have waited with much anticipation for the weekend of October 24th & 25th 2015, after watching Emmanuel on his You Tube channel and the "Manny Minutes" series I had very high expectations. I can happily say I was blown out of the water with the experience of working with Manny.
The weekend covered many of the basics we should make part of our everyday life to enable us to practise Systema 24/7. Not only physical attributes, but also the psychological and environmental aspects that we encounter every day. The use of fullness of the body to overcome our partners, and concluded by working with the legs and arms. I don't want to list the content of Manny's seminar as I would no doubt miss something out, but I do wish to share one profound experience...........
As a father I have always encouraged, but never insisted my children take part in the martial arts. Both of my daughters trained to a high level before deciding to retire in their late teens. My son has also trained like his sisters from the age of four, he is now sixteen having been training in American Kenpo for twelve of those years. He has also trained in Systema since he was eleven, but has never worked with students of equal age, always working with Systema partners many times his age.
This had never bothered him he just accepted it as normal, but it was always a child working with adults. This weekend I saw my son turn from a child into a man, all through the care and direction of Emmanuel Manolakakis.
Manny took my son and broke him down with
the care of a father and rebuilt his spirit with that of warrior. I have obviously seen that my son was taller than myself, but I had never realized actually how tall he really was. Was this because I was so use to seeing him that I had never actually noticed? or was it the fact that he was now standing taller, giving off an air of serene confidence that had been placed within him by Emmanuel? After this weekend I know which of the explanations I believe had occurred, and I shall forever be thankful to Manny for assisting my son to become a man.
Emmanuel showed he is one of those instructors in Systema, (you know the ones) they have that special "thing" that thing that makes them stand out, without actually standing out. My son Joe and I will be looking forward with much eager anticipation to our next training time with Emmanuel Manolakakis.
by Andy Seatherton (a proud father)
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