Combat Sambo is a Russian Martial Art that began development in the 1920's. Combining a wide range of throws, take downs, sweeps, ground work, submissions and chokes. Also having a comprehensive stand up game including striking and weapon work. Sambo is often called Russian Judo due to its heavy influence from the Japanese art. Russian Sambo has many similarities to Judo and Jujitsu, with its own identity and path to victory.
Reasons To Train Sambo
1) Total Body Workout/ Conditioning
Everything from our solo drills to grappling demands wholeness from your body. Something I hear non stop from new students is how after their first class they hurt in ways and in places they never imagined. Sounds scary, but don't let that keep you from hitting the mat. Grappling is very demanding, a wonderful workout for the entire body, mind & definitely good for the spirit!
2) The Martial Aspect
Sambo is a non-impact martial discipline. Sambo utilizes throws, locks and holds to unbalance and submit your opponents. This makes us formidable in a way striking doesn't. This also makes Sambo safer to train, and gives us more humane answers to self defense situations. We absolutely don't condone picking fights in the street, but feel it is important for us to hit the mat and test our metal against live opponents. Live resistance everywhere from light to heavy while grappling dramatically improves your self awareness, state of mind and fitness.
3) Self-Defense
I know from experience that not everyone who comes to my academy is looking for self defense. Plenty are here for fitness, community or to try something new. The Martial Arts are our priority and fighting ability comes with that, whether you want it or not. Personally, I have been on each end of the Martial spectrum more than once. I have spent years diligently drilling my mind and body for the worst case scenario, just as I have spent years purely enjoying the "sport" aspect of what we do. No matter what, I enjoy what I do. I stay disciplined and try to avoid being cornered between "traditionalism" or "reality" based hoopla. Your reflexes will improve, as will your state of mind, spacial awareness, physical strength and speed. You will be placed in uncomfortable situations that can make you feel hopelessness. This will certainly give you even the slightest advantage during a stressful or self-defense situation. Learn to protect yourself, your loved ones and so on. We all rather have it and not need it.
4) What A Mind Game
Grappling is as close to a live chess match as one can get. Every move, instinct and decision you make will be tested. Each counter or defensive maneuver leaves you open to attack and so on. Techniques all flow from one to another, requiring focus, strategy and mindfulness. You will feel like you know nothing and for a long time. What a great place to be. When I grapple I am reminded of Miyamoto Musashi and the book of 5 rings. "No-Thing-Ness" To be perfectly centered, focused on everything - and nothing simultaneously. Perfect focus.
5) Community
The Martial Arts is a fantastic lifestyle FULL of fantastic people. Our class is unique in regards to offering Sambo, but certainly not unique in terms of the people it attracts. We have such a helpful, likable group of students and instructors. Everyone is approachable, well tempered and eager to see you improve. You will often hear students cheer each other on, especially while grappling. Everyone gets pumped when you land that insane submission you learned the class before. All great relationships start with a knee bar.
6) Become Comfortable With Discomfort
Real talk time, if your ego can't be contained once on the mat and in uniform - don't bother. I have tapped thousands of times. To higher belts, lower belts, even out of pressure and exhaustion. Your ego will hurt someone, get you hurt or cause you to quit real fast. I see it more often than I'd like. Overly confident wrestlers, "street brawlers", the "this is all hoopla" folks and muscle heads will enter thinking, knowing they will own all who dare challenge them. They tap just like everyone else. But instead of win or learn, they lose. Grappling gets real, real quick. Live training and rolling is a blessing disguised as a samurai wielding a big stick named humility, and he isn't here to churn butter. When you head into a roll, you won't know the outcome. In fact, you will never know the outcome. What you think will happen, usually holds nothing to what's really going to happen. So much so that I no longer hold any expectations, I merely center myself and tune out the alarms. No preconceived notions, equals no ego. In fact, after all of these years of rolling - I purposefully place myself in inferior positions to meet said discomfort head on. In life you cannot avoid discomfort. Why waste your time on the mat by doing so.
1) Total Body Workout/ Conditioning
Everything from our solo drills to grappling demands wholeness from your body. Something I hear non stop from new students is how after their first class they hurt in ways and in places they never imagined. Sounds scary, but don't let that keep you from hitting the mat. Grappling is very demanding, a wonderful workout for the entire body, mind & definitely good for the spirit!
2) The Martial Aspect
Sambo is a non-impact martial discipline. Sambo utilizes throws, locks and holds to unbalance and submit your opponents. This makes us formidable in a way striking doesn't. This also makes Sambo safer to train, and gives us more humane answers to self defense situations. We absolutely don't condone picking fights in the street, but feel it is important for us to hit the mat and test our metal against live opponents. Live resistance everywhere from light to heavy while grappling dramatically improves your self awareness, state of mind and fitness.
3) Self-Defense
I know from experience that not everyone who comes to my academy is looking for self defense. Plenty are here for fitness, community or to try something new. The Martial Arts are our priority and fighting ability comes with that, whether you want it or not. Personally, I have been on each end of the Martial spectrum more than once. I have spent years diligently drilling my mind and body for the worst case scenario, just as I have spent years purely enjoying the "sport" aspect of what we do. No matter what, I enjoy what I do. I stay disciplined and try to avoid being cornered between "traditionalism" or "reality" based hoopla. Your reflexes will improve, as will your state of mind, spacial awareness, physical strength and speed. You will be placed in uncomfortable situations that can make you feel hopelessness. This will certainly give you even the slightest advantage during a stressful or self-defense situation. Learn to protect yourself, your loved ones and so on. We all rather have it and not need it.
4) What A Mind Game
Grappling is as close to a live chess match as one can get. Every move, instinct and decision you make will be tested. Each counter or defensive maneuver leaves you open to attack and so on. Techniques all flow from one to another, requiring focus, strategy and mindfulness. You will feel like you know nothing and for a long time. What a great place to be. When I grapple I am reminded of Miyamoto Musashi and the book of 5 rings. "No-Thing-Ness" To be perfectly centered, focused on everything - and nothing simultaneously. Perfect focus.
5) Community
The Martial Arts is a fantastic lifestyle FULL of fantastic people. Our class is unique in regards to offering Sambo, but certainly not unique in terms of the people it attracts. We have such a helpful, likable group of students and instructors. Everyone is approachable, well tempered and eager to see you improve. You will often hear students cheer each other on, especially while grappling. Everyone gets pumped when you land that insane submission you learned the class before. All great relationships start with a knee bar.
6) Become Comfortable With Discomfort
Real talk time, if your ego can't be contained once on the mat and in uniform - don't bother. I have tapped thousands of times. To higher belts, lower belts, even out of pressure and exhaustion. Your ego will hurt someone, get you hurt or cause you to quit real fast. I see it more often than I'd like. Overly confident wrestlers, "street brawlers", the "this is all hoopla" folks and muscle heads will enter thinking, knowing they will own all who dare challenge them. They tap just like everyone else. But instead of win or learn, they lose. Grappling gets real, real quick. Live training and rolling is a blessing disguised as a samurai wielding a big stick named humility, and he isn't here to churn butter. When you head into a roll, you won't know the outcome. In fact, you will never know the outcome. What you think will happen, usually holds nothing to what's really going to happen. So much so that I no longer hold any expectations, I merely center myself and tune out the alarms. No preconceived notions, equals no ego. In fact, after all of these years of rolling - I purposefully place myself in inferior positions to meet said discomfort head on. In life you cannot avoid discomfort. Why waste your time on the mat by doing so.