The International Sambo Federation are delighted with the response to their social media campaign ©FIAS

Sambo athletes are continuing to take part in the International Sambo Federation's (FIAS) campaign to stay active at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their flash mob initiative, "Only Together We'll Defeat The Coronavirus", was launched in mid-March and included a video by Chinese sambist Ge Xiaolong who threw a dummy around with the name "COVID-19" on the back of it. 

FIAS has recommended that athletes stay home and practice from there during the pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 76,000 people worldwide.

Russian coach Vadim Kolganov displayed some kettle-bell exercises, where he focused on martial arts specific training rather than general work-outs.

British sambist John Clarke also took to his garden to show viewers some of his exercises with a Bulgarian bag, highlighting that these techniques can be practiced both indoors and outdoors.

Venezuela sambo athletes Maria Guedez Sr and Maria Guedez Jr also posted several exercises that the two are continuing to do around the house despite being in quarantine.

Many fans in China have been copying Xiaolong's video with their own tributes to new methods of training from home. 

A sports club in Folkestone in the United Kingdom joined the home training initiative with a local sambo coach encouraging children to also train from home to stop the spread of the virus.

European Games 2019 bronze medallist Yaiza Jiminez Lopez of Spain is currently in forced isolation, but has not stopped herself from training, using her house-mate as a sparring partner during the crisis.


Romania's two-time European champion Daniela Poroineanu has taken to her garden to create a makeshift gym which includes wooden pallets, large tyres, resistance bands and a metal bar.

Russian coach Levon Matevosyan also showed his sambo techniques off to his daughter by saying in his video: "Even in seclusion you can find yourself a sparring partner and in my case, even two, while the third one so far can act as a dumbbell."

World sambo champion Anastasia Shinkarenko of Russia is currently on maternity leave and is used to training at home, but now she is teaching fitness classes to her viewers.

Ukrainian sambist Ivan Vasilchuk has become one of the most popular in the sport online and has released a series of videos detailing exercises that can be done at home.

He is hoping to boost the immunity of his viewers during the current difficult period.