Defences against attacks in Systema Colonel Maksimtsov are first studied separately, divided into direct attacks, attacks from the side, and attacks from above. They are also divided into attacks with the hands, with the knife and with the stick (shovel, or other weapon of similar length to the stick).

This is a characteristic of Systema Colonel Maksimtsov, where you always start with the simplest and gradually increase the difficulty.

Before starting to study defences to attacks, the attacks are practised first. At first, they are carried out at minimum speed, but they must be real and effective attacks. Then you begin to study the defence to these attacks, starting once again with the simplest methods, how to get out of the line of attack, and when you are comfortable with them, you add the counter attacks and the ground controls. Disarming is not done until the enemy is in a position where he can no longer attack. The different possibilities are explored, moving outside and inside the line of attack, moving with the attack or against it.