Sambo Wrestling Benefits

Sambo wrestling is a Russian sport and martial art. Sambo began in the Soviet Union as a form of hand-to-hand combat for Special Forces soldiers and means "self-defense without weapons." Sambo was created from a mixture of other martial arts, including Jujitsu, Karate and Aikido. There are several benefits to learning and practicing Sambo wrestling, such as improved strength, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance.

Strength Benefits

Wresting against a formidable opponent is one of the most challenging things you can put your muscles through. Although a lot of Sambo techniques use leverage to get the upper hand on your opponent, there is still quite a lot of brute strength involved. When you're wrestling with someone, it's literally your muscle working against his. The more force they generate, the more force you have to generate to counter. It's like lifting weights with your upper and lower body at the same time while using barbells that are constantly moving and changing in weight.

Flexibility

Sambo wrestlers are extremely flexible. You have to be able to move quickly and contort your body into all sorts of awkward positions to evade your opponent's attacks and get the upper hand. Stretching for many minutes before and after practice is a regular part of a Sambo wrestler's training regimen.

Cardio

A Sambo wrestling match is one of the shortest yet most intense forms of cardiovascular exercise you can experience. You're using all of the largest muscle groups in your body simultaneously with maximum effort to try to overcome your opponent as quickly as you can. Even though a Sambo match might only last up to six minutes at the most, it's not uncommon for a wrestlers heart rate to jump up as much as 170 bpm in that short amount of time.

The Combined Results

All in all, Sambo wrestling is a fun and effective way to get in great shape. If you want to be strong, lean and agile, but don't want to spend countless, boring hours lifting weights and running on a treadmill, Sambo wrestling might be just the thing for you.