[div class=”notice” class2=”icon”]The following is from an article on DstryrSG, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div]
Russian All-Round Fighting (RAF) is a hybrid martial art consisting of various Russian and Soviet fighting and martial systems. There are a number of martial arts styles and schools of Russian origin. Traditional Russian fist fighting has existed since the 1st millennium A.D. and for a time was outlawed, however, it has seen a resurgence after the break-up of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, the government wanted to create both military hand-to-hand combat systems and combat sports.
RAF has influences from
- European martial arts – Fighting, combat, wrestling, martial and sport systems and styles from ancient and medieval times to more recent eras
- Sambo – Including the combat and sport variations
- Storm Fighting – MMA style fighting for competition
- Street fighting – Offensive in addition to merely defensive techniques
- Folk styles – Influenced by folk games, events and competition, such as fisticuffs and mass fighting
RAF combines the best elements of several martial arts for sport and combat. The philosophy behind RAF is to combine the best of the best so the practitioner becomes a complete fighter. The aggressiveness of the system, it’s offensive (rather then self-defense) orientation can be considered as the part of the RAF philosophy as well. As you can see here, RAF encompasses many disciplines including native folk wrestling/grappling, knife/stick and empty hand.
