Issue 093

October 2012

From Russia with love, FO picks out some inspired leg submissions that will make you top dog on the mats

Sambo was developed in the former Soviet Union as a close-quarters combat system for the military. It incorporates techniques from multiple unarmed fighting styles including judo, jiu-jitsu, and various folk styles of wrestling from former Soviet countries like Uzbekistan, Georgia and neighboring countries like Mongolia. 

The origins of sambo certainly have a lasting effect on how the art is practiced today. However, modern rules for the sport of sambo ultimately dictate the training focus for the athletes. This is true for any combat sport. The skill-set it takes to be a champion in contemporary Olympic judo is a very different than what it takes to be a BJJ world champion. Thus the time spent on the mat will be focused accordingly.

When talented athletes from a combat sport move into a broader rule-set, like mixed martial arts, we can see they bring with them an advantage in a certain area of play. With dedicated cross-training in other elements of MMA, the athlete can become well rounded but still have a distinct advantage in one area.

When we look to see what sort of advantages a high-level athlete from a sambo background may have, the first thing we have to do is examine the rules. Most of the scoring in sambo is done with throwing and takedown techniques. So we can assume that a world-class sambist could potentially start his MMA career with a strong takedown-oriented skill-set. 

This is not, however, what most people in the grappling/MMA community think of when the word sambo is mentioned. Most people associate sambo with the highly controversial topic of ‘leg locks.’ To understand why this element of sambo seems to stand out when compared to the other major grappling sports, one can simply analyze the rules of each.

In BJJ, points are awarded for sweeping techniques, passing the guard, and advancing to other positions like mount and back-control. Instead of passing or sweeping, however, an athlete could choose to attack the legs for a submission. The rules of modern BJJ, as stated by the IBJJF, will disqualify an athlete for attacking the legs in a particular way that forces his opponent’s knee laterally inward. This is called ‘reaping the knee.’ Considering these limitations, and that sweeping, passing and working for upper-body control positions is awarded with points, leg locks often take a backseat to other tactics. Now, if we look at the rules of modern sport sambo competition we will see many differences. First, there is limited ground time. The sooner an athlete begins a submission attack, the more time he will be allotted by the referee to try and finish it. Second, there are no points awarded for passing the guard or sweeping your opponent. Or for achieving the mount or back positions specifically, but points are awarded for pinning an opponent’s shoulders to the mat and holding them there. 

Though sweeping an opponent could eventually lead to a pin for the bottom player, the limited ground time makes that unlikely. Because of this, the bottom player is usually looking to secure an armlock or simply delay the pin until he is stood up. 

If the top player does not see a quick opportunity for a pin, he is likely to attack his opponent’s legs as the nearest target. Unlike in BJJ, there are no rules on how one can control the legs once the submission begins. ‘Reaping the knee’ is not only legal but considered proper technique. 

In sport sambo, if the defending athlete can stand to his feet, then it is considered an ‘escape’ and the action is stopped. Thus, a major part of leg locks in sambo is keeping your opponent from standing by controlling both of their legs whenever possible. This can be done by simply grabbing their free leg with your hand or by intricately tying their legs up with your own as you work to get the tap.

When we look at MMA we see some parallels that could make this type of leg control useful. Stopping your opponent from standing is paramount in MMA to avoid taking hard punches to the head. With the advent of twisting leg locks like heel hooks, controlling both legs is often the difference between getting a tap or your opponent escaping. 

Almost all heel hook escapes seen in modern MMA involve the attacker not consciously controlling the free leg of their opponent.

Heel hook 

Triangle heel hook

My training partner Collin (in blue) demonstrates a very common heel hook attempted in MMA. Because he has no control over the free leg, I would be able to rotate inward to relieve the pressure and probably work myself out of danger.

Leg-control heel hook

In this leg-control technique, I am controlling both of Collin’s legs. He is unable to rotate freely, and therefore he is less likely to escape.

Ankle Lock 

Knee-Pinch Ankle Lock 

This common ankle lock is painful and secure but it cannot stop me from standing. If I am able to stand, then I will usually be able to work my way out, especially in MMA.

Leg-Control Ankle Lock 

Here we see what I call basic ‘leg control.’ With both of my legs under Collin’s free leg, he is unable to stand quickly. This position should give me the time and safety I need to finish the submission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Reilly Bodycomb began studying Sambo in 2005 under Stephen Koepfer in New York City. His competition achievements include a gold medal at the 2011 Dutch Sambo Open Championships, a bronze medal at the 2012 British Sambo Open Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2010 USA Sambo Open Championships. He also represented the United States at the 2008 World Sambo Championships in St Petersburg, Russia. He is currently based at NOLA BJJ in New Orleans and is the author of acclaimed tutorial Sambo Wrestling, available from sambowrestling.com or amazon.com.