The History Of COMA
COMA is based on Sambo, a Russian self-defense system that translates as an acronym for self-defense without weapons. This system has its roots in Judo, which has its roots in Jiu-Jitsu. Since Sambo was adopted by the Red Army, it has combined many different techniques including grabs, throws, wrestling, punching, striking, working with weapons, and fighting multiple opponents.
There are two main godfathers of Sambo. The first was a World War I soldier named Victor Spiridonov. Suffering from a bayonet wound to the hand, he needed to figure out how to optimize his Judo training in way that would work more effectively for his needs. This is why a lot of the techniques in Sambo allow you to work with one hand or use leverage from angles.
The second was a man named Vasiliy Oshepkov. Some students learned from one master and some from the other, and when they interacted with each other on the battlefield, they shared their knowledge and techniques; this is how the
system came into being in only the last century. Because of its young age, Sambo is still continually evolving, absorbing and improving techniques. Unlike older martial arts, where traditions are already set, Sambo is more flexible.
This kind of flexibility is what makes my training sessions unique. They’re not structured in a regular way like what might be expected from a martial arts school. Rather than starting slowly with fundamentals and working up, I begin my students with an introduction to the whole technique. Depending on the student’s skills, level of understanding, and learning style, I will then break down the techniques to the level required. Beginning with what appears to be pieces of random knowledge, the student will find that these pieces start falling in place after time like a puzzle. This makes training more fun and creates a higher level of engagement; it’s a differentiated system proven successful with students of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and learning abilities.