By the age of 18 Putin had achieved a black belt in judo - something he refers to as a "life philosophy" - and he still practises the martial art during his spare time. Interestingly, Putin - who also trained in the Russian martial art Sambo (or
Samozashchita Bez Oruzhiya) - revealed he took up judo in order to "keep his place in the pack" and not be bullied because other male teenagers had started puberty before him.
