Red Star Sambo Sunderland

In the coaching clip I talk about the importance of having alignment in your foot and knee, in the competition clip, I rush in and drop under without my knee being in a stable position!! My bad!!! Painful experience for me, medial collateral ligament partial tear… make sure you learn from my mistake!

Sumi Gaeshi… right way and the wrong way! In the coaching clip I talk about the importance of having alignmen...

Follow the reaction and keep the pressure!!! In combat sambo you get two points for the pin, use this spin guard pass to put you in a strong position to grab some more advantage points by unleashing a little GnP..!

Don’t let them recover!! Once we have the flow down, we can look to chain some transitions t...

Finally home after another incredible couple of days in Paris at the Open International Kurash Tournament for the Prize of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 🇬🇧🥋

Jake and I travelled over on Friday, met up with the rest of Team GB, weighed in, registered and collected our Yakhtaks from the International Kurash Association before preparing for competition. Jake and me didn’t have the easiest of draws!

Jake received a first-round bye before facing last year’s French heavyweight bronze medallist. He fought a really intelligent tactical match, denying Cedric his preferred grip early on and even came close to landing a lovely drop seoi. Unfortunately, once Cedric established his grip, the match swung his way. I couldn’t have been prouder of how Jake handled himself.

I drew a very strong Greek judoka… who also happened to be 27 years younger than me! (A lesson learned… don’t Google your opponent beforehand! 🤦🏻‍♂️). We had some good grip exchanges before I got caught by an early trip. Game over.

And honestly… that’s okay.

This competition wasn’t really about results.

Four months ago I underwent open para-umbilical hernia surgery. At that point, simply getting back onto the mat felt uncertain. Paris became my goal—not because I expected medals, but because I wanted to prove to myself that I could trust my body again and compete in the sports I love.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t chasing a result. I just wanted to experience every moment… much to Jake’s annoyance as I kept stopping for photos! 😂

Last year I came away thinking, “Not many people get to earn a Union Jack patch in more than one sport.”

This year my biggest takeaway is even more special.

I got to represent Great Britain alongside my son. That’s one for the history books!

Not as his coach…

But as his teammate.

As a coach, I’m incredibly proud of him.
As his dad…
I’m even prouder.
A huge thank you to Paul Sawyer and the British Kurash Association for the opportunity, the support, the coffee… and the conversations (even if most of them revolved around comparing injuries!) Huge well done to the rest of the team too, especially Chloe and Rachael on their respective silver and gold medals!

Oblique Grip series #7 from last week!!! People need to follow the reaction and looks for transitions. Have a plan, work a system…. Think in chains!

Sneaky Submission no one sees coming!! Sometimes the throw into the pin isn’t the answer, if you can finis...

Another combat sambo flow… if you miss the Ouchi Gari/Zacep, double it up…! Follow the reaction and start thinking in chains….

Miss the inside trip? Double it up!! Another Combat Sambo flow from tonight…. Dropping for the Ouchi Gar...

Oblique Grip Series #6 tonight with a strong Brosok Cherez Golovu! Or Sumi Gaeshi if you like… follow the reaction, think in chains and avoid single attacks like the plague.! 😉

One grip - 6th reaction!!! Another strong option from an oblique grip attack, stamp through wi...

Oblique Series #5!! The submission no one expects…!

https://youtube.com/shorts/3_kbykE9yKE?is=R3UDTud16-jK5HUr

Follow the reaction!!

The submission no one expects!! Oblique grip series #5, same attack feint an Ouchi Gari leg attack...

Think you can’t score from this? Think again! Oblique grip series #4! Follow the reaction and think in chains!

Can’t score from here..? Think again! Oblique grip series 4! Fold the arm, take the belt, smash through a...

Oblique grip series # 3! Into Tani Otoshi, force the reaction then follow the reaction!
Stop collecting techniques! Start thinking in chains…

One grip - multiple options!!! Oblique grip series number 3!! Open the chest to threaten and crank...