Combat Sambo Training: What to Study Online and Practice in the Gym

Keep four parts of preparation in view

The 2026 FIAS combat sambo rules include permitted strikes, throws, hold-downs, joint locks and chokeholds. That is broader than a collection of grappling techniques. When planning what to study, give each part a clear purpose.

Striking: study distance, movement and defensive responsibilities with a qualified coach. A video of a successful strike does not show every decision needed to practice it.
Grappling: examine grips, balance, positional control and the reactions that make a continuation available.
Transitions: identify what changes when athletes move between striking distance, close contact and the ground.
Conditioning: review how physical preparation fits beside technical sessions, rather than adding hard work simply because the sport is demanding.

Watch for one decision

Choose a lesson about a familiar position. Watch it fully, then pause before the key transition. Identify the initial control, the opponent's reaction and the resulting position.

Write down the part you cannot explain. For example: “The defender turns during the transition. Which control prevents them from creating distance?” This is more useful than attempting to memorize every movement in one viewing.

Turn the uncertainty into a coaching question

Include the lesson, timestamp and rules you train under. Describe what happens in your practice; the same correction may not suit every athlete.

Ask whether the issue is the setup, the transition or the final position. If striking changes the problem, say so explicitly. A grappling explanation should not silently become advice for a different training format.

Take one agreed task to the gym

Ask your coach to choose the starting position, permitted actions, equipment and level of contact. Begin with a controlled task and a clear stopping point. Add resistance or complexity only when the coach considers the current version appropriate.

After practice, record what became clearer and what still breaks down. Repeat the cycle: watch, ask, practice under supervision, then review.

Use the catalog for the part it covers

BORETS LAB's current Sambo material supports the grappling and groundwork part of this study plan. Check the published lesson list and choose a position relevant to your practice. It is not a complete combat sambo striking program.

Use a separate consultation to ask a coach about a lesson and take a clearer task to in-person training.

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Common questions

Can I learn combat sambo entirely from videos?

Videos can help you analyze demonstrations and organize questions. Contact work, partner reactions and preparation for competition require qualified coaching in an appropriate training environment.

Should I copy a competition sequence directly into sparring?

First establish which actions are permitted for your age group and training task. Ask your coach how to break the sequence into an appropriate exercise before using it with resistance.

What if I currently train sport sambo or BJJ?

Start with the shared grappling problem, then identify what changes when strikes are part of the format. Keep that adaptation as a separate coaching question rather than assuming the original sequence transfers unchanged.

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