What is SAMBO

 SAMBO is a martial art and combat sport developed and used by the Soviet Red Army in the early 1920s to improve their hand-to-hand combat abilities. The sport is similar in many ways to Judo and Jujutsu but also incorporates different types of wrestling and various self-defense systems. SAMBO is an acronym which stands for "self-defense without weapons". 

 

There are three types of SAMBO

Self-Defense/Applied:  Curriculum of techniques from Jujitsu, Judo, SAMBO, Karate/Kung-fu, and Boxing.  Sambo's self-defense training should remain focused on gross motor movements, adaptability and efficiency.  Preparing students for “real life” is the first goal of SAMBO training. 

Sport/Wrestling: Athletes must cross train  to reach their potential and fix the holes in their game.  Training in any sport based grappling is an invaluable skill builder. Sport SAMBO allows all of the throws and takedowns of Judo and wrestling and allows both leg locks and arm locks.  IFJA Freestyle Judo is the perfect sport to develop well rounded Sambists.

MMA/Combat: Putting it all together: utilizing all of your skills against a diverse set of opponents is the ultimate way to test technique and ability.  Producing high performance MMA Athletes is the third point and ultimate goal  of SAMBO's three tiered approach.

SAMBO: The Unification of Techniques

Grappling is universal. Across all styles there are certain common denominators; techniques that exist in every style but with slight variations due to rules, contest area differences and match attire. In some cases techniques are used in one style that are highly effective but not used others: an example of this is the hand fighting and 2 on 1 grips of wrestling, which prior to the creation of SAMBO didn't not exist in Judo.

SAMBO's approach dictates that in the training room it isn’t necessarily important to distinguish between grappling techniques by sport, instead, athletes should be taught all these universal techniques and the appropriate way to use them according to each ruleset.

The area where it all comes together can be considered SAMBO

In conclusion SAMBO is a martial art  that uses the best techniques of: Judo, Wrestling, Kick-Boxing and Includes Leglocks. Sambo urges creativity and efficiency in how those techniques are combined. There is no right or wrong way to do a technique: if it is with in the rules and it works is all that matters. However hat doesn't make SAMBO just a hodge-podge assortment of unrelated techniques: SAMBO has been refined over many decades and there is a style that can be recognized as distinctly Sambo. This approach  has lead to a style of “Wrestley” Judo and “Judoish” Wrestling; a style known for excellent grip fighting, huge throws and hyper efficient submissions .