I share the special conversation I had in Japan with my Martial Arts teacher the Submission Arts Wrestling Founder Shihan Hidetaka Aso.
We had talked about him, about the history of Submission Arts Wrestling, about Martial Arts, and about when I was training with him in Japan 30 years ago.
Toshi : Sensei, there are a lot of people who are interested in Submission Arts Wrestling (S.A.W) and about Sensei Aso now, not only among my students in Australia but also around the world, and it’s increasing. so I would like to use this opportunity to introduce to the world more about S.A.W and about Sensei Aso.
Aso : OK, no problem.
Toshi : Please tell us about how you started S.A.W first.
Aso : OK. My starting point was Judo, and to help my Judo ability, I started Olympic wrestling, Sumo wrestling, and Sambo wrestling.
Then, while I was training at all those different grappling arts, I realised every grappling art has submission techniques, but there is no place to teach a complete grappling system, or holding any competitions back in that time.
For example, Judo has very good throw, takedowns, great arm locks and chokes but no leg locks, and you rely on the “Gi” too much.
Any choke techniques in Sambo wrestling competitions are not allowed.
Olympic wrestling also has great takedowns but no complete submission techniques.
I thought if there is no complete grappling system, I would try to make one, and start competitions too.
Without wearing a “Gi” still be able to apply all techniques, and it’s useful for actual street fighting situations. That means also to be able to intercept opponent striking techniques and to finish with takedowns and submissions.
That was the beginning of Submission Arts Wrestling.
People might think S.A.W is specialised only in submission techniques, but we are specialised in throws and takedowns as well.
I am always telling my students about power of throws and takedowns.
We are always practicing and competing on soft mat or soft Tatami, so we don’t get much damage even we get thrown, and don’t get much fear of getting thrown, but if we fight on concrete, fight might finish from only one big throw or takedown, and we get more conscious about them.
Toshi : I have learnt about the importance of throws and takedowns from Sensei’s teaching and from competitions, so I am focusing on them when I teach at my club in Australia too.
Aso : If you get good throws and takedowns, you can get advantage when you go to ground fighting as well because you can get good top position, so you can finish quicker on ground.
You shouldn’t take too much time to finish on the ground because there is not much time on the ground fighting in street self-defence situations.
It’s not necessarily just your opponent to worry about. There might be more people attacking you, or other people might come to stop the fight.
Toshi : We have been practicing techniques which are not only to win competitions but also useful for street self-defence situations in S.A.W because of Sensei’s philosophy like that, since the beginning of S.A.W history.
That’s why in S.A.W competitions, takedown points are high. It’s illegal to just lie down by yourself from standing up (Pulling Guard) because no one will do that for self-defence. It’s quicker to stop on ground and start from standing up if there are not much actions because of that reason Sensei mentioned before, so we can learn quick submissions from any positions. Also, we can get points from pushing the opponent out from competition area too, like Sumo wrestling.
Aso : That is also for real fighting situations. You can smash on to wall, or if a fight happens to be on uneven ground you can use this to your advantage.
We can’t use pushing out point if we compete in a ring but using it when we compete on the open mat area.
Toshi : Because of that rule, I learnt a lot of pushing techniques and also counter techniques when the opponent tried to push me out.
Those techniques are very useful for even MMA fight because you can get advantage if you push your opponent on to the cage.
To be continued Part 2 “Improving the mind and mental quality in S.A.W as a martial art”
