Find a class that fits your starting point
Tell the coach your age, training experience and what brought you to sambo. Ask whether beginners join a dedicated session or work within a mixed group. Confirm what clothing is acceptable for the first visit before buying a kurtka, shorts or shoes.
Ask which discipline the class teaches. Sport sambo focuses on grappling; combat sambo includes striking under its own rules. If you already do BJJ or judo, explain that background, but expect some familiar movements to have different priorities. Your first class is a chance to see how the coach makes those differences clear.
Your first sessions: learn to receive and reset
Falling skills, controlled partner work and knowing when to stop come before trying to win every exchange. Follow the coach’s progression and ask how to signal that you need to pause. A training partner should help you learn the task at an appropriate pace.
After class, note what you practiced and what remains unclear. “I lose my balance when the grip changes” is a useful observation. “I am bad at throws” tells you much less. The more precisely you can describe the difficulty, the easier it is for a coach to help.
Next: connect stance, grip and movement
A throw begins before the dramatic part. Notice how the starting stance, the grip and the partner’s movement fit together. Ask your coach which direction you are trying to create and what should happen if your partner does not react as expected.
Work on one familiar entry long enough to recognize its starting conditions. You might spend several sessions on the same task. That repetition is useful when each attempt has a clear detail to check. There is no need to rush into the next technique because someone else is already practicing it.
Follow the exchange onto the ground
Ask what you should control after the landing and how to stop safely if the attempt goes wrong. Learning the entry and the next position together gives the throw a purpose. It also helps you see why a technique may be adapted when moving between sambo and another grappling sport.
Submission choices depend on your age, experience and the rules being taught. Learn the release and stop signals before adding pressure. For your first month, judge progress by whether you understand and control the task, rather than by how many partners you can make tap.
Use online sambo lessons before and after class
A recording is useful when a demonstration moved too quickly or you want to revisit an explanation after training. Watch the part related to your current task and bring one question to class. You can learn from an online school while keeping the coach and partners you already train with.
BORETS LAB’s Sambo page combines sambo lessons, Ukrainian Grappling Style, physical preparation and psychology. The teaching draws on founder Ievgen Skyrda’s background in sambo and judo and his work developing two generations of athletes. Browse the actual lessons and watch the school’s introduction to see whether the explanations suit you.
Build a first month you can continue
Agree a realistic attendance pattern with your coach and keep a short note after each session. At the end of the month, ask what has improved and what to focus on next. Your background and the class schedule will shape the pace; the same calendar does not mean the same progress for every beginner.
For extra study, BORETS membership opens the recorded school library. Selected lessons have English audio alongside Ukrainian originals. If you want the coaching team to discuss your question or footage, use a separate consultation in your account. Start with a task you recognize, and let your next lesson answer a real question from the mat.
Explore the video library
Published lessons in this training category, ready for your next session. Watch them all with your school membership.
Hip Lock: Coming Up to FinishKostya Zhyvanov
Sambo Hip Lock: Basic FinishKostya Zhyvanov
Kani Basami: Sambo Scissor TakedownKostya Zhyvanov
Calf Slicer from Bottom: Finishing DetailsKostya Zhyvanov
Common questions
Can a complete beginner start sambo?
Look for a coach and class that accept complete beginners. Tell the coach about your experience and goals, and follow the progression for falling, movement and partner work before attempting advanced techniques.
Should I learn judo or BJJ before sambo?
Prior experience is not a universal entry requirement. Ask the club how beginners are taught. If you already practice another grappling sport, your coach can help you adapt familiar skills to sambo.
Can online lessons help before my first sambo class?
Yes. You can see how techniques are explained and prepare questions. New throws, breakfalls and submissions should be learned with suitable facilities and qualified in-person supervision.
Is this a fixed four-week sambo course?
No. This is a guide to beginning training. Your coach should set the pace around your experience, attendance and progress. The BORETS catalog contains recorded lessons you can choose according to that work.
Build a more complete grappling game.
Learn from the team that developed homegrown black belts and an adult ADCC Trials finalist at 16.
One membership unlocks every published lesson in sambo, BJJ, freestyle wrestling, strength and conditioning, and mental preparation. Pick your focus, study the details and take them into your next session.
1,340 UAH / month · 13,400 UAH / year
Payments are charged in Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH). Your bank determines the conversion to your currency.
Continue reading
- Learn Sambo Online: Lessons, Practice & Coach FeedbackLearn sambo online with BORETS LAB: recorded lessons, Ukrainian Grappling Style, conditioning and a practical way to get feedback on your own training.
- Sambo Uniform: What to Check Before Training or CompetitionUnderstand the sport sambo jacket, shorts, belt and shoes. Use a practical fit and equipment checklist before buying or entering an event.
- Sambo Training at Home: What to Practice Between ClassesMake sambo training at home useful: review technique, practice familiar solo movements and plan your next mat session with BORETS LAB video lessons.
- Sambo Classes in the USA: Find Training Near YouLooking for sambo classes near you? Compare local training, know what to ask a coach and add Ukrainian sambo lessons to your training anywhere in the USA.