Camcorder certification - sambo

**honesty** · Posted On: 1/06/2010 9:04am

I have sort of stumbled across this and am a bit reticent to post it here, but here you go.

I was looking at sambo events in the UK, when I noticed on the governing body's site that they are offering belts and certification in their variant of sambo through camcorder testing and training.

http://www.combatsombo.co.uk/Beginne...Blackbellt.htm
http://www.combatsombo.co.uk/combats..._syllabus1.htm

I found this a little odd, but Martin Clarke is a verified sambo person. I then noticed this:
http://www.classicalmartialartssocie...eyonder.co.uk/

Where they are now offering to grade you in any martial art through camcorder. Now this is a bit bad if you ask me.

Further looking around provided these guys:
http://www.combatsombo.co.uk/combatsombo_usa.htm

Spoiler:

People in the USA, who have been graded in sambo. I looked further into these three people, and it looks like they are all connected. Frank Muller seems to run a postal/camcorder certification organisation (the IFOMA) and is an associate instructor at A Plus Martial arts. James Eddings is one of the few members of the IFOMA. Carl Lee Tolbert is an instructor with A Plus Martial arts, where he teaches BJJ. He is a blue belt 4 stripes through the WBJJA (I've not heard of them, but I dont do BJJ).

Anyway, remote grading to me is a bit dodgy, can there be occasions where its acceptable to do these?

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 11:40am

When I first Heard of Martin's program, I got a sick feeling in my gut. Too bad as Martin is Legit.

**ctolbert56** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 1:47pm

My name is Carl Lee Tolbert from here in Georgia.
I teach a small BJJ program affiliated with Thadeu Vieira and Paolo Lopes called the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association at A plus Martial Arts in GA.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Lineage:

Carl Lee Tolbert <-- Thadeu Vieira <-- Paulo Wesley Lopes <-- Francisco Mansor <-- Helio Gracie

I’m working on Purple Belt and started BJJ in 2003. And have to say that the WBJJA is awesome to work with and has amazing teachers.
Sombo, two years ago I tried emailing and getting a hold of anyone affiliated with Sombo to start something up similar to the ‘Garages” idea from Gracie University (Who use camcorder grading as well). The idea is just getting folks together who want to train.
An opportunity to work with Martin Clarke (Who is an amazing Sombo teacher) came up recently from Frank Fuller my friend and associate who is pursuing his PhD in Philadelphia currently. I jumped at the chance to get a singular resource to start something here in Georgia from Scratch.
As most Samboists here in the USA do, I plan on just being a coach nothing more. I was introduced to Sombo in the Navy while training Judo and have a great respect for it.
How serious am I, I just signed up for the ASA for additional US resources and am looking for Kurtka’s for our class. We plan on adding the program to an open slot once a week to suppliment the BJJ program.
As far as Frank, I cannot comment for him, and I do not know James Eddings other than meeting him at a seminar a few times.
I understand this forum can be brutal at times, and just ask for the benefit of the doubt in my case and hold judgement until I get a chance to get things off the ground.
Sincerely,
Carl

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 1:54pm

Hey! You're the jits instructor from the place in Woodstock. You guys should come down and visit us in Athens some time. Are any of your guys going to NAGA in February this time around?

**ctolbert56** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 2:05pm

I have two guys that want to go, we competed in our first tournament last year in Arkansas for the WBJJA. I actually finished third in my first tournament in almost 16 years...lol.

We are looking at hosting a tournament this year for white belts Gi and no Gi here in Woodstock.

Maybe your guys are up for it, I have no details yet....just planning.

Carl

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 2:18pm

We've got a few white belts would would probably be down. We generally take 4-5 people to NAGA. I've got a huge tournament schedule this year, something like 5 NAGAs, the Miami Open, and a couple of Lutadore tournies I want to hit.

**honesty** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 2:27pm

Hi Carl, thanks for coming in here and making yourself known. Maybe you could give us a bit of an overview of the training you got through Martin, and your thoughts on it.

thanks!

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 7:34pm

Originally Posted by ctolbert56

I have two guys that want to go, we competed in our first tournament last year in Arkansas for the WBJJA. I actually finished third in my first tournament in almost 16 years...lol.

We are looking at hosting a tournament this year for white belts Gi and no Gi here in Woodstock.

Maybe your guys are up for it, I have no details yet....just planning.

Carl

I have a few guys(3 or 4) here in Pensacola and we have kutkas and are willing to travel for some rolling action!! We competed at the Alabama BJJ championship but it was real shady and we got a bad taste from the experience. We have been looking for some Sambo rolling and would love to come up some time to roll.

**theotherserge** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 8:29pm

I understand this forum can be brutal at times, and just ask for the benefit of the doubt in my case and hold judgement until I get a chance to get things off the ground.
Sincerely,
Carl

fair enough, absolutely.

I just have a lifelong issue with distance training: between being a carpenter, a fitness dude and a martial artist, I think it is just impossible to transmit the abundant nuances in physical mechanics. Having a similar background certainly helps but I-for one-am training with a BJJ black belt in person, rather than via the Gracie University online program.

The Japanese traditionalists were appalled that people were making video instructionals of Ikebana and the like. I see their point, especially when it comes to something like this.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 1/08/2010 10:45pm

I had recently spoken with Carl and was impressed with his honesty about his desires to learn as well as his own skill levels. I found him to be a genuine guy. This thread was weirdly coincidental, but I am glad he has come here to speak his peace. he has in fact joined the ASA (last week in fcat) and I look forward to working with him in the future and helping him build up his sambo program as best we can at the ASA.