Interview by Matthew Banks
Martin Clarke
With all the debate about the different styles contributing to mma. I
decicded to catch up with an all round grappling legend Martin Clarke, (8th
dan judo, Grandmaster Sombo wrestling and 6th
dan jiu jitsu) fresh from his recent victory in Arizona.
Matt Banks: Firstly I would like to
congratulate you on the Gold medal you recently won during the 2001 World
Masters for judo in Arizona. What sort of training regime did you go through to
get ready for the competition?
Martin Clarke : As a Young
Man I was known for my speed and agility, most considered for a
superheavyweight. I moved as fast as a middleweight. Sadly time and old
injuries have caught up with me. For 12 months I trained for power and stamina.
At the competition I weighed in at 25 stone won all my fights on Ippon with
throws, armlocks and strangles.
Matthew Banks: I understand your father the late Nobby Clarke must have
had a great influence on your martial arts career, were there any other
influential figures in the martial arts who you really admired?
Martin Clarke : My mother
Margret who was the first women black belt in Kent, first women professional
Judo Coach, Geof Gleeson 9th who made me
understand the philosophy of Kano’s Judo and how it applied to everything we
do. Bill Wood 7th Dan he had
a great knowledge of Judo
Matthew Banks: What do you consider to be your greatest competitive
achievements in your career so far?
Martin Clarke : World Sombo
silver 1986, World Master Judo Gold, 2001
MB: Have you any plans to compete again any time soon?
Martin Clarke : I will have
to have a total knee replacement in the near future they have told me once this
has been done I will not be able to contest again
MB: I know you’ve always been considered to be a tachi-waza specialist,
what is your favourite technique in terms of judo or sombo?
Martin Clarke : In my
younger days a very fast Uchi Mata (Inner Thigh) and a drop knee seoi nage
(Dropping Shoulder throw). As an Oldie Haria Maki Komi (Sweeping winding throw)
O Sot Gake (major outer hook)
MB: As I’m sure your aware the popularity of mma competitions in this
country is getting ever greater. Have you given any thought about getting some
of your students to compete in these events?
Martin Clarke :I have had
people train with me who have competed in this type of competitions but I am
mainly a Jacket Style wrestler. Although CombatSombo has a club in Ashington
Northumberland run by Gary Pollard who do extremely well in these type of
events. Like most things it is supply and demand if I get enough interest and
the money is right I will do it.
MB: You’ve started to put on Combat wrestling competitions that don’t
involve using a gi. What brought this about?
Martin Clarke : As I said I
am mainly a Jacket Wrestler but I have won some freestyle events so I can see
how wrestling without a jacket can help my Judo and Sombo players.
Long before the Gracie’s and Ultimate fighting in fact 25 years ago I
used to run Shiai Jutsu competitions this is something I invented where you were
allowed to kick and punch as well as wrestle. I run all told 6 events it was
not a success and thought it would never catch on. HOW WRONG I WAS!
MB: What places abroad have travelled to for training and competition?
Martin Clarke : US, Canada,
Germany, Malta, Canary Island, Belgium, Holland, France, Russia, Bulgaria,
Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Poland
MB: Are any of your students getting ready for international
competitions in sombo or judo at the moment?
Martin Clarke : A lot of
player’s compete in Veteran events but one player Ashley Costa was due to go to
the Worlds in October but broke his shoulder last week so he is out of it
MB: I know at the moment your working hard to get the popularity of the
sombo scene back to the level it was in the 80’s. Have you considered
organising any more international sombo competitions to be held in England any
time soon?
Martin Clarke : I have
considered it and rejected it because the British Sombo Federation has
insufficient funds and I would have to fund it, some thing I am not prepared to
do on a large scale. I funded the Europeans in 1990 and the Worlds in 1992. I
only just broke even. Every year we run a British Open where foreigners can
participate but I am afraid the World Sombo/Sambo community is not very
supportive of events in this part of Europe
MB: Who is the toughest person you’ve fought in competition?
Martin Clarke : Russian
World Sombo champion Vladimer Schaklov 1986
MB: You were a member of the 1980 Olympic judo squad, were those happy times
for you?
Martin Clarke : No it was a
very stressful time, as you know the governing body for Judo is the British
Judo association I came from the BJC and IBF. The heirachy tried to treat me as
an inferior, on one occasion I was asked to denounce my own parents needless to
say I did not. The Players themselves were a nice enough bunch and it is them
that run the BJA now thank god, but it was hard work for four years trying to
prove yourself all the time. It left me a much stronger person. International
Sport is not always about ability it is about not what you know but who you
know.
MB: What are your goals for the future?
Martin Clarke : Expand the
IBF and BCSA experiment with other forms of wrestling, play more golf own a
small holding
MB: Do you feel you’ve become a better person because of your
involvements in the martial arts?
Martin Clarke : Without a
shadow of doubt my whole philosophy is that Martial Arts/combat Disciplines are
only a vehicle to producing better human beings.
MB: Is there anything you’d like to say to people in the UK and abroad?
Martin Clarke : Martial
Arts/Combat Disciplines is about hardwork there is no quick fix.
Learn to do one style well before you start cross training.
Just because you enjoy what you are doing doesn’t mean you can make a
living out of it.
Martial Arts politics has nothing thing to do with Martial Art
MB: Thanks for the interview.
Posted 12 March 2002
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