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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