Vasily Oshchepkov, born in Sakhalin, having practiced judo for many years, gradually began to deviate from the sacrosanct Japanese canons. After the February Revolution of 1917, he became an instructor in the unarmed combat ‘training course for police officers in the city and county police’. He later spent several years in Japan and China, where he became a black belt in judo. Back in Russia he modified and introduced Russian-language terms to judo. He replaced the bow with mandatory handshakes before and after the bout, bringing the sport in line with Russian traditions. He also introduced a division of weight classes. On top of that, he worked to improve combat and self-defense techniques, forming the basis of a new kind of martial arts. Later on Oshchepkov organized competitive matches with Spiridonov’s students, and representatives of several national wrestling styles, primarily those of the Georgian chidaoba.

From the moment of its inception, sambo was seen as an effective means to a person’s comprehensive physical development. It raised one’s agility, strength, endurance, tactical reasoning, and assisted in formation of civic and patriotic fidelity.