Customer Reviews

1. Sambo Submission Fighting Volume 1: Throws, Sweeps and Takedowns

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised to find a wealth of very well delivered and thoroughly explained material on this DVD.

Master Vladislav Koulikov focuses on sambo hallmark throws and leg sweeps. Vlad is very articulate and his English is excellent. He is beaming with genuine enthusiasm about his sport, at which he is undoubtedly excels. He works with two assistants who keep a low-key presense but help him greatly.

The techniques are explained very well, with accents made spot-on on the vital details of execution. Right on the first technique "over the chest throw", he gives an illuminating tip which I totally missed in my first encounter with sambo. Instead of focusing on the sharp spin, as I was thaught before, he urges to use a pelvic/hip bump to pop the opponent up, which makes the technique so much more effortless and so much easier on your back.

The players wear traditional sambo clothes throughout demonstrations. These are: "kurtkas" similar to Judo gi but with shoulder flares (epaulets) similar to some Hapkido or Kuk Sool uniforms, belts, shorts, and high-top boxing shoes. Kurtkas facilitate many grabs and holds, but Master Koulikov highlight when and which an alternate hold may be employed when your opponent wears a different kind of clothes.

Fighters familiar with other systems will find Vlad's remarks and on-going technique comparisons very helpful. Vlad also constantly notes the differences in application in competition or self-defence scenarios. One thing I wish he touched more would be covering some of the falls aspect. It makes a big difference whether you're tripping an opponent and making him fall on your leg on a mat or on the hard aslphalt pavement. That's a relatively small complaint, given the wealth of other advices Master Koulikov gives.

The DVD is chock-full of explanations of many techniques, and keep in mind that it is dedicated to two technique types!! There's a tremendous depth of coverage there. I was originally only interested in throws, but I will be buying other DVDs as well just because there's such a huge value in there and they're so much fun to watch. One advice about the purchase: check the prices on the official website of ShogunMedia first, they are lower.

The disc wraps up with footage of Vlad's three fights against other sambists and a no-gi ring match under what seems to be UFC-type rules. Definitely interesting for a specialist, but the viewangles unfortunately aren't the best.


Why am I giving this product 4 starts instead of 5? Technicalities. The DVD is created in a low-rent Nero or Roxio one-shot approach, and isn't structured in any way. There's just one huge chapter. There are no menues, and navigating back and forth between the myriads of techniques is a throw-back to a tape VCR era. I ended up watching it on my PC in NVDVD app, where I created bookmarks/tumbnails for each technique as I fast-forwarded through the footage.

The footage itself is great. No complaints here. Apparently shot digitally, great contrast, great clarity, sound is loud and clear all the time.

About myself a little bit. I am a bo-dan in WTF-style Taekwondo who is interested to broaden his horizons a bit. Our school, besides Olympic sparring, puts big focus on traditional Taekwondo training (athletics, endurance, conditioning) augmented in areas of self-defence with elements of Hapkido. I am in love with my art, however I want to learn more of the less-brutal techniques which give more options in a self-defence situation. I looked at this DVD because Sambo shines in areas of throws/sweeps takedowns, and I got what I was looking for, in spades, and then some!

This is a fantastic set! All high percentage moves and great Russian belt-grab throws and pick-ups. The throwing dvds are worth the entire set!!! Great stuff and I really love the flying armbar section. Tons of techniques plus fantastic instruction from a Sambo Master (and gentleman. Excellent production quality....a HOME RUN!