Submission Arts Wrestling is a Japanese catch wrestling founded in 1980’s by Shihan Hidetaka Aso who was a champion of wrestling and Sambo in Japan.
He trained in various grappling arts such as Judo, Sumo, Sambo, Wrestling, and took only the useful techniques for actual fighting in to Submission Arts Wrestling.
He also Interacted with Karate, Muay Thai, Catch Wrestlers, and Shoot Wrestlers, and Incorporated the elements of them.
Submission Arts Wrestling is specialised as a No-Gi grappling art, and is known for variations of devastating leg locks and flowing submission holds, but those are only one part of SAW.
His main intention of making SAW was to establish a complete grappling system which is useful for any fighting situations.
That’s why SAW techniques are made to be effective not only for grappling competitions but also for MMA fight and for street self defence situations.
SAW is universal.
If it is a martial arts, it has to be useful in actual fighting like in street self defence situations.
Shihan Aso always says.
“ Doing takedowns on mats is like using gloves for boxing. We can practice and have competitions safely with less impact to our body.
If you attain good takedown techniques, you can smash your opponent onto the concrete ground to finish a fight in street situations, or you can take them down with control, then submit them if you don’t want to damage them too much. So attaining good takedown techniques is very important for Martial Arts. “
So, we learn a lot of throws and takedowns.
Many variations of counter throws and takedowns against striking is one of the key features of SAW too.
In street situations, it’s ideal to be able to take your opponent down as soon as you grab them.
The more time you take, the more risk of getting strikes against you.
Even getting attacked by more than one person.
Ground fighting is the same.
You can’t take too much time on the ground.
You have to submit them as soon as possible.
In SAW competitions, for that reason, you get a warning straight away if you grab your opponent and don’t apply techniques quickly.
So students learn nice quick takedown techniques.
The referee will stop straight away and start from standing up if both competitors are not moving, so students learn fast and flowing submission holds.
Also, just lying down and pulling the guard position without any takedown intention is illegal.
We want students to learn good takedown techniques.
We practice techniques always making the assumption about actual fighting to be able to handle any situations.
SAW learning system is formulated for students to learn those techniques step by step with gradings.
SAW is a competitive martial art that follows the Japanese martial art’s tradition, philosophy, and the Budo spirit.