Popular types of martial arts in Russia: choosing a gym and sports equipment

Impact types

A special feature of striking martial arts is the fact that only striking techniques are allowed in them. In some types, the fight is carried out using punches and kicks, in others you can fight with knees or elbows. Athletes who train in striking sports are vulnerable to those who study mixed martial arts. The fact is that they are defenseless against fighters of mixed styles when the fight is transferred to the ground.

Strike martial arts include:

• Boxing.
• Taekwondo.
• Thai boxing.
• Karate.
• Kickboxing.

Arm wrestling in life and on the street

Of course, arm wrestling is not a martial art, and it will not directly prepare you for a fight on the street. But indirectly, through the hyperdevelopment of the hands, fingers and forearms, arm wrestling will make your grips so steely that sometimes a would-be fighter can simply be taken by the scruff of the neck and thrown into the bushes. Which, of course, does not mean that you don’t need to engage in boxing or wrestling, or just use your head when going outside.

However, one of the most effective ways to turn your hands into weapons of mass destruction is with a gym and an arm wrestling table. Moreover, the strength of the hands, fingers, forearms and biceps may be needed not only for unscrewing the heads of adversaries, but also for the banal opening of cans or carrying your girlfriend in your arms.

Boxing

Boxing is a sport that developed from fist fighting. Over time, rules were regulated and special training methods were developed. The fight takes place in a ring fenced on all sides. Athletes perform in soft gloves. Competitors who are in equal weight categories and have similar sports categories take part in the competition. The rules prohibit performing potentially dangerous actions.

Boxing is one of the most difficult sports. The fact is that the battle environment is rapidly changing. Athletes must have instant reactions and good spatial orientation. Moreover, boxers must quickly make decisions and carry out technical actions. Dexterity, speed, accuracy, good self-control and rationalism - all these qualities are inherent in a boxer. The body must be very resilient. During training, athletes learn to use their strength economically but effectively. Success in competitions depends on how much effort the athlete puts into improving the technique and tactics of combat.

John Brzenk and Sylvester Stallone - arm wrestling hits cinema screens

When talking about the history of arm wrestling, it is impossible not to mention the legend of this sport - John Brzenk, nicknamed “The Professor”. Born in 1964 into the family of a professional arm wrestler, John became interested in the sport quite early on. Yes, he became so interested that he tried to fight with his father’s friend and did not calculate his strength - his healthy father’s friend simply broke young John’s arm. But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the future legend, and at the age of sixteen he took part in his first tournament.

John became a world champion at the age of eighteen, after which he won many prestigious professional tournaments. In 2014, “Professor” participated in a professional tournament in Moscow, where he became third in the open weight category, losing only to the Russian athlete Denis Tsyplenkov and the Ukrainian Andrey Pushkar. Despite the fact that at that time John was already fifty years old.

Still from the film “Fighting With All My Strength”

But one episode from the life of John Brzenk forever inscribed him in the history of arm wrestling from an unexpected angle. The fact is that the Americans decided to make a film about arm wrestling. But the first pancake turned out to be lumpy - the film PK & Kid, the main action of which takes place in Petaluma at an arm wrestling tournament, turned out to be such a slag that it was not even released.

But fortunately, Sylvester Stallone became interested in the idea, who, taking some of the plot twists of the previous film, together with several people, wrote the script for the film “Over The Top”, called “Fight and Forward” in our release.

The same John Brzenk was invited as a consultant, and to promote the film, an arm wrestling tournament of the same name was organized, where the main prize, as in the film, was a huge truck worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And if in the film Stallone’s hero wins it, then in life it was the same “Professor” John Brzenk who took him. The film itself was shown in 1987, and it started a new wave of global popularity of arm wrestling.

In our country, the history of professional armwrestling begins in 1989, when a team of American and Canadian professionals came to the USSR, where fights took place between them and the strongest Soviet weightlifters, wrestlers and athletes. And naturally, almost all the fights were won by professional arm wrestlers, except for one - Sultan Rakhmanov, the Olympic champion in weightlifting in the super heavy category (150 kg), managed to defeat his opponent.

But since that time, arm wrestling in the territory of the former USSR, especially in Russia and Ukraine, has been developing at a frantic pace, and such top athletes as Denis Tsyplenkov or Andrey Pushkar are beginning to push the Americans off the pedestal.

Thai or Thai boxing

One of the most famous boxing arts is Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing. Initially, this type of boxing was developed as an army and military martial art. The monarch's personal guards were fluent in Thai fighting techniques. They trained to fight back against an enemy that greatly outnumbered them.

By the 21st century, Muay Thai had become more of a sporting form of wrestling than a real martial art. The rules have undergone significant changes and have become more flexible. As a result, the once deadly martial art became much less effective.

Kickboxing

This martial arts originated in the 60s of the last century. It has become widespread in many countries of the world. There are several types of kickboxing:

• American. It is based on full contact fights. This means that during a fight you can strike with any force, aimed at any part of the body, including the head. You can fight with your feet and hands.
• Japanese. To be honest, Japanese kickboxing is a modernized Thai boxing. The types of wrestling that formed the basis of Japanese kickboxing are very similar to modern martial arts. They have only two significant differences. Firstly, elbow strikes are prohibited. Secondly, the scoring system has been changed. In 1981, many kickboxers were caught in criminal gangs, so a number of large Japanese schools closed. Subsequently, Japanese kickboxing came under the auspices of the K-1 organization, which took it to a new level.

Karate

Translated from Japanese, this word means “the path of the empty hand.” It is based on various striking techniques. The fight is fought with the hands. The rules prohibit the use of grabs and throws, but the use of certain types of weapons is allowed, among them cold steel. The main task of athletes is to force the opponent to change his stance. The greatest role in karate is played by the sense of balance, as well as the speed and speed of the fighters.

Judo

In Japanese, the word "judo" means "the gentle way." It was in this country that this combat sport originated. Judo is based on all kinds of painful holds, throws, chokes and holds. Judo athletes follow the principle of unity of body and spirit. When performing certain technical actions, they spend less energy and physical strength. This is the main difference between judo and other types of wrestling and martial arts.

Since 1964, judo has been one of the Summer Olympic sports. This martial art is subject to clear rules, therefore, at the moment of the fight, the mind controls the body, due to which judo is educational in nature. Athletes not only take part in competitions, but also explore technique, learn self-defense techniques, and also improve their spirit and physical fitness. In total, there are more than 200 national judo federations on 5 continents of the world.

What is arm wrestling?

Arm wrestling is a type of martial arts “one-on-one fight between two athletes.” Two athletes or two athletes fight standing at a special table. The athletes' elbows rest on the pillows. The winner is the one who is the first to reach the opponent's arm (hand) to the pillow.

Arm wrestling is not an Olympic sport, but organizational structures have been created - Associations - world, European and by country. Arm wrestling is practiced by amateurs and professionals, and professional athletes have the right to participate in amateur competitions.

Armwrestlers perform in weight categories; in professional armwrestling, fights take place in the absolute category. Women and men compete separately. Arm wrestling also has age categories and competitions for beginners.

Competitions take place on both hands, or (in the case of professional events or ranking matches) on the right or left hand, which prevents disproportionate expansion of the muscles and physique. Arm wrestling is a sport that greatly develops the muscles of the arms. Wrestling and training involve every muscle group from the head to the neck. Just look at the athletes who have been involved in this sport for several years.

Sambo

Sambo is a martial type of wrestling. This martial arts is used for self-defense; it can be used to incapacitate an opponent. However, there is another type of sambo – sports sambo. It has a beneficial effect on the spiritual development of the individual, promotes the development of perseverance, self-confidence, and trains a person in discipline and self-control. In addition, sports sambo is a type of wrestling that strengthens the body and brings a person into good physical shape. Sambo is a unique martial art. It is the only sports competition in which competitions are held in Russian.

Jujutsu

The concept of “jiu-jitsu” is used to describe a special fighting system that is very difficult to describe in words. First of all, it should be noted that jiu-jitsu is hand-to-hand combat. As a rule, athletes do not use weapons. The use of additional items is strictly regulated. This martial art is based on punches and kicks, throws, blocks, holds, strangulations and ties. In this case, it is not the brute strength of the athlete that is important, but his dexterity and dexterity. Maximum results are achieved with minimal effort. If you follow this principle, you can learn to control your body and use energy effectively, regardless of your level of fitness.

Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling is a sport whose goal is to put the opponent on the shoulder blades, that is, on the carcass. The fight is strictly regulated by the rules. The fight between athletes lasts about 5 minutes. If the match ends in a draw, another 3 minutes are added to the main time. If after this time none of the fighters has won, then the fight continues. Points are awarded for purely executed freestyle wrestling techniques. You can perform various actions with your feet, including sweeps, hooks, and steps. In addition, grappling is allowed. Freestyle wrestling techniques include throws and other technical actions performed with the hands.

Attack on horseback

So, let's get to the essence of common techniques. This arm wrestling technique, such as a mounted attack, involves sliding your fingers along the phalanges of the opponent’s fingers. The goal here is to cover the opponent's palm from above. Compared to other techniques, this approach is quite energy-intensive. However, it provides an opportunity to gain the upper hand over less experienced opponents.

Grappling

Grappling is based on the principles of several martial arts, including jiu-jitsu. The rules prohibit the use of techniques called “crucifixion” and “full nelson”. You cannot pull your opponent by the hair, grab your toes and hands, bite, press on the face with your hands and knees, scratch or put pressure on the ears. Grappling is rational wrestling. The winner is the athlete who is able to correctly build battle tactics.

This sport promotes the development of flexibility, strength, and plasticity. During training, athletes learn to defend themselves using their entire body, not just their arms and legs. The sense of equilibrium and balance plays a very important role. Sometimes grappling is called wrestling with the last of your strength, since opponents often reduce each other to unconsciousness using suffocation, pinching and various painful techniques.

Features of preparation for competitions

Regular training with dumbbells is of decisive importance in preparing for wrestling, which makes it possible to gain strength. However, arm wrestling also requires considerable endurance. You should increase it by going for long runs every day. Reaction plays an important role. Here sports games or exercises with a ball will come to the rescue. Training, the purpose of which is to improve these skills, must be clearly outlined in the form of a schedule.

Mixed styles

Universal types of wrestling belong to the group of mixed martial arts. They use various striking techniques, choking and painful techniques, as well as wrestling elements. Athletes who engage in these types of wrestling have a technical and strategic advantage over other wrestlers. There are several nuances with which you can distinguish between mixed martial arts.

• Kimono is not used in all types.
• The quantity and type of equipment used during competitions.
• Prohibition on the use of painful and/or choking techniques.
• The amount of time allotted for wrestling on the ground and for the duel.
• The number of points awarded for various techniques.

Since it is impossible to master absolutely all technical actions allowed in wrestling and striking types of wrestling and martial arts, not all techniques are used in competitions. Coaches discard some of them if they consider a particular technical action to be ineffective. Therefore, each fighter has his own fighting style, which makes mixed martial arts the most spectacular. These include:

• Combat Sambo.
• MMA (Mix Fight).
• Hand-to-hand combat.
• Wushu.

Leg position

For this or that arm wrestling technique to work, you need to pay attention to the position of your legs. You can increase the efficiency of your actions by slightly moving your lower limb forward towards the center of the table. The other leg should be bent at the knee and serve as a support.

According to the rules of arm wrestling, it is forbidden to transfer the entire weight of the body in the direction of resistance to the opponent’s hand. Only one leg is allowed to be lifted off the floor surface. However, this only applies to competitions at the professional level. In other situations, to gain an advantage over an opponent who clearly looks stronger, you can use cunning. It is enough to slightly raise both legs, grab the edge of the table with your free hand and apply pressure on the opponent’s limb not only with your hand, but also by shifting the entire body weight.

Hand to hand combat

This sport has roots in ancient times. It is divided into two groups:

• Army. The military was the last to resort to fighting with arms and legs without the help of improvised means. For many centuries they studied this discipline. Bayonet fighting, knife fighting and fighting without the use of weapons are all components of army hand-to-hand combat. This fighting system is aimed at quickly incapacitating opponents.
• Police hand-to-hand combat has its own specifics, since law enforcement officers often deal with unarmed lawbreakers. In this case, the enemy must be neutralized without causing injury to him. Therefore, police hand-to-hand combat was based on punches, kicks, sticks, techniques of disarming and releasing from grips.

Wushu

The main types of wrestling include kung fu, or, as it is also called, wushu. There are at least 300 varieties of this martial arts. Among them, Wing Chun stands out, which means “eternal spring”. It is aimed at people who are not in great physical shape. Lack of weight and size is not a problem for Wing Chun wrestlers. This sport is based on influencing the enemy’s unprotected pressure points, such as the groin, eyes and throat. For the most part, punches are thrown below the belt, so special flexibility is not required for athletes.

Useful tips

There are several tips that can improve the effectiveness of your training:

1. The main thing in this sport is not building muscle mass, but practicing arm wrestling techniques. It is necessary to monitor whether each exercise is performed correctly.
2. During training, it is necessary to perform so-called isolating exercises, which make it possible to qualitatively work out various muscles at separate angles. Certain days should be allocated for training the upper and lower muscles of the limb. You need to understand that the forearm area includes the flexors of the fingers and flexors of the hand. Each zone needs targeted strengthening.
3. It is recommended to pay attention to training the elbow joint. When the lesson comes to an end, it is enough to load this area to failure. Only in this case will an increase in limb power be observed.

MMA

MMA is an acronym that stands for Mixed Martial Arts, which translates as “mixed martial arts.” This type of wrestling in sports contains the most effective techniques from various martial arts. Athletes are divided into several weight categories. In battle, protective ammunition is used. Boxing gloves have been replaced with pads that are open on the inside. They not only allow you to perform throws and various painful techniques, but also protect athletes from all kinds of injuries. The rules prohibit the use of blows to the groin area, throat and spine. In addition, technical actions aimed at capturing small joints cannot be performed.

Arm wrestling: a sport for those whose arms grow out of place

On November 17-18, a super fight will take place in Poland, in which “Russian Hulk” Denis Tsyplenkov will fight in turn with Canadian Devon Laratt and Ukrainian Andrei Pushkar for the title of the strongest man on the planet. They won’t choke each other or beat each other with huge fists - everything will take place at the table, or rather at the arm wrestling table.

We talk about what professional arm wrestling is today.

Wrestling at the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games program includes 4 types of martial arts. Among them are wrestling, boxing, judo, taekwondo.

• Wrestling is an Olympic sport that has been part of the Games program since Antiquity. It is conventionally divided into two styles, one of which is freestyle wrestling. As mentioned earlier, in this sport it is allowed to perform technical techniques with the legs. Greco-Roman wrestling competitions are also included in the program of the Olympic Games. They are known as classical wrestling. The fight takes place in a circle marked on the wrestling mat. Leg holds are prohibited.
• Boxing first took part in the Olympic Games in 1904. Since 2012, not only men, but also women compete in this discipline. The rules of modern boxing are based on laws called the rules of the Marquis of Queensberry. They appeared at the end of the 19th century in England.
• Judo has been considered an Olympic sport since 1964. This type of wrestling is based on techniques from jiu-jitsu and other martial arts. Competitions are held on a hard wrestling mat, on which a square is outlined. Judges award points for correctly executed throws and techniques. Participants in the fight wear a kimono. The special shape allows you to perform all kinds of technical actions, including spectacular throws.
• Taekwondo was included in the Olympic Games program in 2000. The fight is held on a hard mat, the participants wear a special uniform and protective equipment. Opponents perform kicks to the opponent's head and body.

Participants in all Olympic martial arts are divided into weight categories. In addition, the rules of fights and refereeing are clearly regulated.

What is the name of the sport “arm wrestling”?

Arm wrestling - arm wrestling has been known since time immemorial.
This type of martial arts was especially popular among sailors. The ships entered the harbor, and the sailors, having gone ashore, scattered around the taverns. His favorite pastime was arm wrestling. The rules of martial arts at that time were very simple. The opponents sat down at the table opposite each other, placed their elbows on the table and each, wrapping his fingers around the opponent’s palm, tried to bend the opponent’s hand to the surface of the table. This is how the American writer Ernest Miller Hemingway describes this fascinating martial arts in his parable story “The Old Man and the Sea”: “When the sun set, the old man, to cheer himself up, began to remember how once in a Casablanca tavern he competed in strength with a powerful black man, the most strong man in the port. They are petitioners all day long against each other, resting their elbows on the line drawn in chalk on the table, without lowering their hands and tightly clasping their palms. Each of them tried to bend the other's hand to the table. Blood oozed from under the nails of both opponents, and they all looked into each other's eyes and at each other's hand and elbow. The advantage passed from one to another all night long, the black man was given rum and cigarettes were lit for him. After drinking rum, the black man made a desperate effort, and once he managed to bend the arm of the old man, who was not an old man at that time, by almost three inches. But the old man straightened his hand again. After that, he no longer doubted that he would defeat the black man, who was a good guy and a great strongman. And at dawn, when people began to demand that the judges declare a draw, the old man suddenly gathered his last strength and began to bend the black man’s hand lower and lower until it lay on the table. "

This popular arm wrestling received the status of a sport only in the fifties in America. Sports federations for this type of martial arts began to be created, and in 1962 the 1st World Championship was held. True, at that time wrestling on the hands was called “wrestling” (wrestling with the wrists). Since 1964, competitions among women began to be held.

In 1989, the 1st international arm wrestling tournament was held in Moscow with the participation of teams from the USSR, USA, and Canada. The competition took place in a sitting position. Our hero became the hero of this competition. Olympic heavyweight weightlifting champion Sultan Rakhmanov. In 1990, the Moscow Armwrestling Federation was created. The first national championship was held in the same year, and the second in 1991. At that time, participants competed in a standing position, and since 1994, this martial arts began to take place in a standing position. In 1990, the international arm wrestling tournament “Moscow Bear” was held in Moscow; from the following year this tournament became known as the “Golden Bear”. Arm wrestling has weight categories for both men and women.

Modern competition rules are as follows: Competitors compete in sports shoes and clothing. Arms up to the middle of the shoulder should be bare.

It is prohibited to use any bandages, wristbands, elbow pads, bandages, etc. You cannot perform with rings and bracelets on your “working” hand. Nails must be trimmed. For better adhesion, you can use magnesium or chalk. The fight is officiated by two referees.

In the starting position, athletes place their elbows on the armrests of a special table. Then the hands are grabbed so that the judges can see the first phalanges of the thumbs. The grip should be above the center of the table. The free hand grabs a special vertical pin located on the side, on the edge of the table. Shoulders should be parallel to the edge of the table. The position of the legs under the table is arbitrary. During a fight, only one leg can be lifted off the floor.

International competition rules provide for teams in English. At the judge's command “Redy! and Go! (ready and go), everyone tries to put the opponent’s hand on a special soft roller. A competitor who receives two warnings is considered a loser. If a participant violates the rules in a critical position for himself (when the hand has deviated by 45 degrees or more), then he is considered a defeat. If the grip fails in a non-critical position, then the combatants are allowed a 30-second rest. In case of a break in the grip, the hands of the participants are tied with special belts.

The match consists of three attempts. After the second defeat, the participant is eliminated from the competition.

Warnings are given for the following violations of the rules: Failure to comply with the referee's commands. Premature start. Separation of the elbow from the armrest. Elbow slipping from the armrest. Crossing the center line of the table with the head or shoulders.

Head touching your forearm. Intentional rupture of the grip in a non-critical position. Loss of contact of the free hand with the pin. Lifting both legs off the floor. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Russian national team won the world arm wrestling championship three times (Sweden - 1994, Brazil - 1995, USA - 1996)

Currently, there are only two large international organizations developing arm wrestling: &WWC& Inc. and &WAF&

Russia is a member of the international federation &WAF&. uniting more than seventy countries.

Currently, competitions are held among adult athletes and older boys and girls - 17 - 18 years old. It is planned to introduce competitions among younger boys and girls (15 - 16 years old) and among juniors (19 - 20 years old).

National martial arts

There are less popular, but even more spectacular types of wrestling. These include the national martial art called capoeira, which arose from the fusion of African and Brazilian cultures. It is a synthesis of dance, acting and acrobatics. Athletes fight accompanied by national Brazilian music.

Various types of Japanese wrestling have become widespread in all corners of the planet. However, not only karate and judo, but also kendo originated in the Land of the Rising Sun. The peculiarity of this martial art is that athletes use bamboo swords in competitions. The competitors wear special armor for training. For each cleanly executed blow that hits a certain part of the opponent’s body, points are awarded. Kendo is now part of the curriculum in Japanese schools.