Five Directions of the World

Five Directions of the World Пять сторон света
Location
Khalimbekaul , Buynaksky District , Republic of Dagestan , 368215 Russia
Coordinates	Maps 42.85155683208944°N 47.1539138355985°E / 42.85155683208944; 47.1539138355985
Information
Established	1996 (1996)
Founder	Gusein Magomaev Olga Magomaev
Website	5storonsveta.ru

Five Directions of the World (Russian: Пять сторон света) is a martial arts school in Dagestan, Russia. It provides both formal education as well as training in martial arts.

History

Gusein Magomaev was an artist who graduated from Dzhemal Dagestan Art School and moved to Moscow for his career. When he was young, he saw a book about Chinese martial arts which led him to be involved in martial arts. During his career as a martial artist, he was heavily involved in the art of Karate. In early 1982, there were crackdowns on martial arts for political reasons so Magomaev and his wife, Olga relocated to Dagestan in 1984.[1][2]

The basis for Five Directions of the World came in 1984 from Magomaev and his wife. It was originally an arts studio based on ideas around Chinese Wushu. During the 1990s, the USSR was falling apart and social unrest followed, which was having a significant effect on the youth in Dagestan. Magomaev and his wife saw the need for action and decided to act upon it to change the situation by building a school to teach not only martial skills but also academics and arts to the Dagestani youth. In 1996, Five Directions of the World became formally established as a school.[2][3] The name refers to a cosmic fifth direction which can only be accessed by the joining of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west).[4]

Al Jazeera produced a documentary on Witness about the school. The documentary, called "Dagestan’s Peaceful Warriors", was aired in 2015.[5]

Structure

There are around three to four hundred students who attend the school. They attend regular classes in subjects such as Mathematics, Russian and English languages, history, arts, etc. Students combine their academic work with martial arts training in Sanda and Taekwondo multiple times a week. This is possible because the students live at the school full time until they are allowed to go back home for their school break.[3][4] Due to this, the curriculum is considered very rigorous.[6]

Admission to the school starts from grade 5 after passing entry examinations both academic and medical, with only boys qualifying for the live-in option. Local girls can attend the school's academic and Taekwondo programs and after lessons back to their homes every day. There is also an option for boys to attend the Sanda program only. Applicants not only come from Dagestan but also from other Russian areas.[3]

Achievements

The school has produced more Russian and European Sanda champions than any other school, and has also produced Olympic gold medalist and the first non-Chinese "King of Kung Fu", Muslim Salikhov.[4] For this reason, the school has been dubbed the "Shaolin of Dagestan" by some.[7] In addition its alumni have achieved success in other combat sports such as taekwondo and mixed martial arts.

In 2015, the school was included in the "100 best schools of Russia" competition hosted by the All-Russian Educational Forum.[8][9]

Notable alumni

• Muslim Salikhov – 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, multiple time Wushu Sanda world champion, UFC fighter,[3][4][7] peak ranking No. 14 in UFC welterweight division[10]
• Bozigit Ataev – multiple time Wushu Sanda world champion, MMA fighter[3]
• Zabit Magomedsharipov – Wushu Sanda European champion, UFC fighter,[3][6] peak ranking No. 3 in UFC featherweight division[11]
• Gadzhi Umarov – participant in Taekwondo at the 2012 Summer Olympics[12][13]
• Zainutdin Ataev – Bronze medalist in Taekwondo at the 2020 Summer Paralympics at men's +75 kg.
• Magomed Magomedov – MMA fighter, first fighter to defeat UFC Bantamweight Champion, Petr Yan.

References

1. Гасанбекова, Зоя. "Школа боевых искусств "Пять сторон света" воспитала ни одно поколение талантливых спортсменов". rgvktv.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
2. "МАГОМАЕВ Гусейн Сайгидович – МАГОМАЕВА Ольга Николаевна". Издательский Дом Эра Пресс (in Russian). Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
3. "Dagestan's Peaceful Warriors – Part 1". Zhongguo Wu Xue. 2 February 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
4. "The Fifth Direction of The World". Inside the Ropes Boxing – Your No. 1 source for boxing news. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
5. "Dagestan's Peaceful Warriors". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
6. Snowden, Jonathan. "Learn the Name: Zabit Magomedsharipov Has the Tools to Be a UFC Star". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
7. "Muslim Salikhov In The UFC: The New Herald of Sanda? – Jiayoo Wushu". Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
8. "100 лучших школ". eforumspb.ru. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
9. "Школу-интернат "Пять сторон света" назвали именем Гусейна и Ольги Магомаевых". Информационный портал РИА "Дагестан". Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
10. Burke, Tim (9 June 2021). "UFC fighter rankings: Lawler, Felder out; Tybura climbs at heavyweight". Bloody Elbow. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
11. Chauhan, Nikhil (27 April 2021). "Zabit Magomedsharipov Removed From UFC Featherweight Rankings – What Does This Mean For the Dagestani Fighter?". Sportsmanor. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
12. "Достижения наших ЧЕМПИОНОВ – Тхэквондо! — Общеобразовательная спортивная школа – интернат". 5storonsveta.ru. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
13. "UMAROV, Gadzhi". TaekwondoData. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.

External links

• 5storonsveta.ru (Official Website)