Combat Sambo vs Krav Maga — What is The Difference?
Combat Sambo and Krav Maga are often seen as the best martial arts for self-defense. These two are very effective when it comes to real combat or any scenario in which you have to defend yourself. But, if we put these two against each other, which one is better and why?
Combat Sambo is a military system created in the 1920s in Russia. It is a mix of grappling, ground fighting, striking and dirty tactics put into one system. Krav Maga, on the other side, was created in the 1950s by the Israeli military. It includes only the best techniques from various grappling and striking martial arts, and it also includes weapon-based training.
Keep reading this article to learn more about Combat Sambo vs Krav Maga, and which one is better, and why.
What is the difference between Sambo and Krav Maga?
Sambo and Krav maga share a lot in common, but on the other side, differ a lot in various aspects. Here is all you need to know:
History
Combat Sambo is a combat system created by the Russian military in the 1920s. The original founders of this style were Viktor Spiridonov and Vasili Oshchepkov. They created Combat Sambo as a mix of techniques from jujutsu, judo, and catch wrestling.
Krav Maga, on the other side, is also a combat system but created by the Israeli military in the 1940s. The founder of this system was Imi Lichtenfeld, a wrestler from Hungary who migrated to Israel. He created Krav Maga as a mix of techniques from:
- Boxing
- Wrestling
- Judo
- Aikido
- Karate
Strategies
Combat Sambo is a military system designed for wars and real combat. The main emphasis is on finishing the enemy as fast as possible. Although students learn how to strike, the main focus is on explosive grappling. The main objective is to take the fight to the ground, get a top position, and finish a fight with strikes, joint locks, or chokes. In some way, Combat Sambo trains you to approach every fight with a kill or be killed mindset.
Krav Maga is also a military system where the entire focus is on self-defense tactics. The emphasis is on aggression, violence, and using brutal moves to get out of trouble. Students learn how to box, wrestle, and various violent techniques like how to break bones, gouge eyes, and strike throat or groins. The focus is on beating the attacker by causing serious injuries, and some of its techniques could be lethal.
Belt ranks
For the first 80 years of its existence, Combat Sambo didn’t have any belt ranks. But as of 2020, FIAS made a decision to introduce the belt ranking system in Sambo. There are 7 ranks and students need to spend one year of training before they can move to another rank. Or in other words, it should take 7 years for a beginner to earn a black belt rank.
- White belt (Rookie)
- Yellow
- Orange
- Green
- Blue
- Brown (Master Candidate)
- Black (Master Belt)
Krav Maga also has a color belt ranking system that differs between schools and organizations. Here is a typical Krav Maga ranking system:
- White Belt — beginners learn the basics like punches and kicks
- Yellow Belt- on this level, students learn how to defend against kicks and chokes
- Orange Belt- the introduction of advanced striking and self-defense techniques.
- Green Belt- on this level, students start learning ground fighting techniques.
- Blue belt — preparation for a black belt test
- Brown — preparation for a black belt test
- Black — final belt
Combat Sambo vs Krav Maga — Which one is better for self-defense?
Both Krav Maga and Combat Sambo are military combat systems designed for street fighting. Or in other words, the entire focus in both of these arts is on self-defense. That said, saying which one is better is not an easy task. The only fair answer would be that these two arts are equally effective for real combat.
BJJ, MMA, or Muay Thai are good options if you want to learn self-defense. But all of these martial arts are limited in some areas since the emphasis is on fighting under the rules. Or, some have big downsides like the lack of striking in BJJ or the lack of grappling in Muay Thai. Sambo and Krav Maga are two all around systems designed for fighting on the streets or battlefield where there are no rules or referees.
In training, students learn how to mix striking, grappling, and ground fighting together. They also learn various dirty tactics like groin and throat strikes, how to gouge eyes, and attack vital points. Students also learn how to deal with common weapons like sticks and knives, and deal with multiple attackers. The classes are intense, include a lot of sparring, live drills, and could be painful at times.
But this is a price you need to pay if you want to learn all about the physical and mental aspects of real fighting. Krav Maga and Sambo teach you how to assess the situation you are in, stay calm, analyze the environment, and do anything in your power to survive. If that means that you need to grab a glass and slam the attacker with it, these two arts would teach you to do so.
Combat Sambo vs Krav Maga for MMA
Combat Sambo is far better for MMA and there is a good reason why. The main reason is the fact that it includes a sports version while Krav Maga doesn’t have any. Of course, the sport version of Sambo is far less brutal as there are no dirty tactics and the concept of training differs as well.
In some way, Combat Sambo resembles modern MMA fighting. It was one of the first combat sports where fighters could mix striking and grappling together.
This is the main reason why there are so many top MMA fighters with a strong base in Sambo. They all have all-around skills as Sambo is well balanced between striking and grappling. Some of the most famous ones are, of course, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Fedor Emelianenko.
Whether we are talking about the rules of the sport or the military version, the story is always the same. What Sambo fighters bring to the table is a relentless pace, forward pressure, and superb grappling skills. Inside the cage, they are very explosive and throw each strike with a violent intention. The main objective is to always push for a finish. You would never see Sambo fighters taking their time or staying in a comfort zone. No, they all have that unique warrior mentality where the only way to win a fight is by finishing the opponent.
Krav Maga, on the other side, is not that good for MMA because its concept does not fit well within the rules of cage fighting. It puts too much emphasis on dirty tactics and doesn’t include any competition where you can train your mind and reactions to fight under the rules. No, the entire focus is on street fighting and self-defense.
