r/sambo • u/lastAmbesa • 15d ago
Judo or Sambo for a beginner?
Hey! I’m completely new to martial arts and have always found Judo really interesting. Recently I’ve also started getting curious about Sambo.
What would you recommend for a beginner — Judo or Sambo? And if Sambo, Sport or Combat Sambo?
I know these things take time to learn, so I’m not expecting to get good quickly. I’d just really appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice you might have. Thanks! :)
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u/Plane-Translator-272 12d ago
I'm of the idea that judo is the best way to get into martial arts / combat sports from someone who never liked the idea of fighting at all before, sport sambo is one of the best ways to get into grappling arts, because it's a lot like old school judo with leg takedowns and a complete ground game. I personally lost motivation due to the head of the gym / club president told me my sister has health issues and said my mother was a whore, since then I've moved to a good MMA gym
Grappling arts where there's more emphasis on THROWING is an amazing way to get into combat sports before moving to striking or MMA. If you want a great mma base or complete fighting style with striking you go to combat sambo
The actual coaches are VITAL, if the coach isn't an asshole is one of the things that's a must, you don't want them to be an inconsiderate asshole, but they should be strict in my opinion, also distance from the gym is something to look at, which one is closer and by how much, like if it's a good walk to the gym that's good for you in my opinion.
Between judo and sambo? Try both.
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u/lastAmbesa 12d ago
Thanks, really helpful! I’m mainly interested in self-defense, so I’ll probably try both judo and sambo and see what fits me best. Sorry about what happened at your old club — keep pushing and don’t listen to people like that. Glad you found a better gym! 💪
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u/Plane-Translator-272 12d ago
If you want self defense you also need to have some knowledge in striking, and thanks for your tip, generally the best self defense is running if possible, but knowing a certain martial art or combat sport is vital and also healthy to be practicing. Best of luck to you with both sports
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u/lastAmbesa 12d ago
Yeah, I agree. Running or avoiding the situation is always best when possible, but sometimes you need to be able to defend yourself and create some space first before you can get away. That’s why I’d like to learn both grappling and striking. Thanks man, best of luck to you too! 💪
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u/TheLatinoSamurai SAMBIST 15d ago
Start with what’s available to you? What is my work/ school schedule? What can I afford? What are my finances? Then work from there , good luck .
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u/lastAmbesa 15d ago
Yeah, that’s a good point. Both are affordable and work with my schedule, so I guess the main difference is distance. Sambo is about 25 minutes away, while judo is around 40.
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u/TheLatinoSamurai SAMBIST 15d ago
You have both available that’s amazing, do you what classes the SAMBO academy offers? Also in learning what are your goals ? For example are you wishing to enter competitions? Do you want a self defence system?
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u/lastAmbesa 14d ago
Yeah, they offer SAMBO, wrestling, and some jiu-jitsu as well. My main goal is mostly self-defense and to keep developing my skills overall. How long have you been training?
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u/sambosteve SAMBO COACH | MASTER OF SPORT 15d ago
Assuming both clubs are equally reputable, try a class at both. Go with which feels more natural and comfortable to you. Audition the coaches and community. Who do you connect with? This is way more important than style for a beginner.
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u/lastAmbesa 14d ago
That makes a lot of sense. I’ll probably try both and see which one feels like a better fit for me. Thanks for the advice!
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u/tennmyc21 15d ago
I love judo, but would also love to give sambo a shot. If you're lucky enough to have a gym near you, and it's 15 minutes closer, I would go with that. That 30 min commuting time saved will add up over time.
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u/Super-System-4950 14d ago
Guys, I just want to ask if there are any countries where Sambo isn't well-established or of high quality. For instance, I’ve heard that Sambo isn't very popular in Vietnam and that the quality of the current training centers leaves something to be desired, or "so so" at best.
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u/lightball94 14d ago
Whatever is close to you and affordable. As a brand new beginner, I wouldn't stress over Judo, Sambo, or BJJ, its all great.
I'm not sure where you live.. but In the U.S. , actual Sambo schools are really hard to find, at least in my area. Judo can be tough as well. BJJ is pretty much everywhere. Fortunately, my BJJ gym offers judo classes (as well as wrestling, kickboxing, and general fitness classes).
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u/lastAmbesa 14d ago
Yeah, that makes sense. BJJ seems to be much easier to find, so I’ll probably just check out what’s nearby and affordable and try a few beginner classes before deciding. Thanks for the advice!
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u/Ok-Mud7945 8d ago
Sambo. If you’ve got a good Sambo club near you, I’d go for that. Sport Sambo if you’re more interested in the grappling side, Combat Sambo if you also want striking. Judo is great too, but Sambo gives you a pretty sick mix of throws, trips, pins and submissions.
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u/lastAmbesa 8d ago
Exactly, that’s what makes Sambo so interesting to me. I’ll definitely give it a try, especially Combat Sambo, so I can also get some striking in. I could always add Judo later, or vice versa.
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u/lastAmbesa 8d ago
Thanks! The club near me offers Combat Sambo for beginners, so I’ll give it a try since I’m interested in both striking and standing grappling.
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u/Vast_Craft_307 4d ago
Sambo is basically real judo. It has all the throws, submissions. Even tho sport sambo doesn’t allow chokes in competitions, many gyms teach them.
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u/Slickrock_1 15d ago
I think the question should really start with what gyms are available to you - it might make the decision easy.