Mukilteo *(pronounced Muckl-te-oh) is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Though Mukilteo was officially incorporated on May 8, 1947, the city has a historic role in the development of the Puget Sound. It was at Mukilteo that the Point Elliott Treaty was signed between Governor Isaac Stevens and the chiefs of 22 Puget Sound tribes on January 22, 1855. In its early years, Mukilteo was a fishing village, trading post, and a port-of-entry. Surrounding wooded hills filled with Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock supported a lumber mill and the town also had a cannery, a brewery, and a gunpowder plant. (*Source wikipedia)

All of the many Systema components will be touched upon by the students training here at the Mukilteo location but the main object of our training is to learn how to efficiently and effectively hurt somebody in order to survive and thrive during and after conflicts no matter how brutal the conflicts may be.

Training at the Mukilteo location.

We train mostly outdoors in all weather but especially during bad weather and on various terrains, such as on hills and slopes, in water and among the trees and the blackberry bushes and on rocks.

This is the Northwest so remember if it isn't raining it isn't training.

At our school we train all ranges of combat and train assuming that all conflicts are armed and that we may be facing multiple opponents. We train honestly so that all training partners can learn the lessons that they need and want to learn, iron sharpens iron. We do not hit pads or bags to learn how to strike. Instead we hit each other (a lot) learning both how to strike and how to handle receiving strikes through regular heavy contact in training.

What the training at the Mukilteo club is not.

We are NOT some kind of back yard fight club underground gladiator school. We do not draw lots and square up and fight. With that type of work ego comes in and it becomes competition not training.

We are NOT sports training facility for events and competitions. That type of training sets the student inside a mental expectation and outlook box that limits the student to habitual reactions.

We are NOT some kind of military basic training boot camp type of training. I do not yell to 'motivate' or punish the student. What we are learning is important and the types of students that train here do not need convincing or 'motivation' from an external source but must develop it internally.

What we DO is maximize our training but do so as safely and professionally as possible. Finally, basic manners, open communication and a concern for others are essential in creating a positive and safe training environment and are every student's responsibility. Training is serious at our school even while having fun is encouraged.

Principle based training vs. Technique based training. Systema is a intensive research and principle based learning system designed to challenge each student's current skill level as well as teach them simpler easier methods for handling violent situations. The principles in Systema are explored through extensive use of drills focused on developing various attributes within the individual and are readily adaptable too all skill levels and any previous training experience. The best teacher is experience, hence the drills that we do are designed to challenge each student's current ability and help them understand various methods of application by experiencing a wide range of difficult situations. 

Technique based systems teach a student a specific reaction for a specific situation. This requires the student to accurately analyze the situation, remember the correct solution and then apply the solution to a constantly changing environment. Since life frequently throws us a curve ball it is important that students learn to accept and adapt to any situation quickly and smoothly. A principle based system encourages students to see reality as it is, not as he/she wishes it to be and to react to that reality, instead of attempting to force a prearranged technique in the inappropriate situation.

Knowing that it is impossible for each student to be the biggest, strongest, and fastest person in every encounter, Systema encourages mobility and natural movement with minimal effort, i.e. efficiency. Surviving difficult and uncomfortable situations is the goal of Systema and the Russian training method. This is accomplished by repeatedly placing the student in dynamic and challenging scenarios that require a survival mindset. Survival is rarely clean or neat, it's simply about getting the job done in the most efficient manner possible. Systema helps each student explore his or her strengths and weaknesses in order to develop an individual survival strategy.