Systema has a relatively short history in the UK, at least compared to karate, judo and similar arts.

Cutting Edge Systema was founded with the aim of promoting the practice of all aspects of Systema.

Cutting Edge Systema is an affiliate of Mr Vladimir Vasiliev’s School of Russian Martial Art

We maintain very close links with the top teachers as well as fraternal links with many other Systema groups and practitioners world-wide.

ROBERT POYTON

Robert was born in 1963 in West Ham, London. He has been well known in the UK as a Tai Chi Chuan teacher, with many years experience in a family style of that art. His teachers included Vincent Chu, Gin Soon Chu, John Ding and Jim Uglow. In addition he has trained with many teachers and friends, including Yap Cheng Hai, Ji Jian Cheng, George Xu, Erle Montaigue, Chen Xiaowang, Rick Moneymaker, Peter Consterdine, Dave Turton, Rob Murray, David Nicholson and others.

Robert was Editor of Tai Chi & Alternative Health magazine and Tai Chi International magazine. He has had articles published in Combat, Martial Arts Illustrated, Men's Health, Maxim, Yoga & Health, Steve Grayston's Martial Arts and others. In 1998 he was featured in the Ultimate Book of Martial Arts (Anness Publishing). He also assisted with the Systema section in the 2008 book The Way of the Warrior (Dorling Kindersley)

In 2001 after seeing a copy of one of Vladimir's early video tapes Robert contacted Vladimir with a view to further training. Since then he has visited Vladimir's Toronto school several times and has also traveled twice to Moscow for intensive training with Mikhail Ryabko and his senior instructors. In addition he has arranged numerous UK seminars for Mikhail, Vladimir and Sergei Ozhereliev.

Robert runs a regular weekly training session as well as private tuition and corporate work. He also travels throughout the UK to teach seminars and workshops. He now trains solely in Systema, which he describes as "an art that encompasses all aspects of living". Outside of training Robert is a professional musician who claims to have "suffered for my art, now it's your turn..."