Review 2 Instructional Videos and get one free event Video
Please Write a couple short paragraphs detailing the video as it relates below.
Please review videos under these guidelines:
1) Quality of Instruction
2) What does it Cover, Strong Points
3) What doesn't it cover, Weak Points
4) Lenth and Dollar Value
5) What Specialities does it cover , example: "Excellent on Open Guard" or
"Excellent on Leg Locks"
6) Overall Rating on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best
Instructional Reviews
Michael Jen Ultimate Guard tapes 1-3
Tape 1. This section teaches you the 12 basic techniques from the closed guard. These 12 techniques are essential for any novice and should be second nature for any experienced submission grappler.
Tape 2. This section teaches you how to put the 12 individual guard techniques into combinations of 2, 3, 4, and 5 techniques. Once you understand the concept of how to connect the individual techniques, you should be able to create countless combinations of your own. One of the biggest differences between the novice and experienced grappler is the ability to flow from one technique to another when facing resistance.
Tape 3. This section teaches you how to control your opponent with the open guard. Various drills guide you on how to handle common forms of resistance as your opponents attempts to pass your guard so you will no longer be afraid when your legs are uncrossed. However, as beneficial as the drills may be, the key is to understand the concept behind the drills. By understanding the concept, you will be able to handle any form of resistance an opponent may present.
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Igor Yakimov Leg Locks 1-6
There were a few Sambo videos on the market before Igor and WMA released
this series. None of the tapes were very good. This set is the best
Sambo video series on the market. However, the tapes deal only with leg
Locks and do not deal with other facets of Rsussian Sambo. But, you
still get a great feel for the essence of Sambo.
Vol 1 TakeDowns into Leglocks
The Theme: After a throw or takedown, an opponent will be so concerned
with a break fall, they won't be thinking about a lock.
The subject matter covered on this volume is a science a large number of
grapplers know shockingly little about. This tape (and vol 2) are
essential for any submisison fighter's library.
Best of all, Igor adds the little deetails so many tape instructers do
not give.
Many great moves including single leg into achilles lock; Judo hip throw
and hip throw fake into achilles --a great move. Variations o this move
int kneebars and calf crushes are shown and the mechanics on how to
apply them are also presented. This tape offers a lot of good advice
for competative sambo,. My one complaint is he spends a lot of time o
ground work and not entirel on the standing portion.
Vol 2 Takedowns into leglocks 2
An excellent tape that picks up where vol 1 left off. Some of the moves
may be hard to duplicate if you are teaching yourself and be warned,
some of these moves are DANGEROUS!
Includes unqique REVERSE rolling kneebar, baseball slide int a kneebar,,
and a look at the often neglected takedown into a 1/2 Crab achilles
lock. Best of all, Igor shows a variation on the half crab
where--instead of an achilles lock--you appl a sick, vicious knee screw.
Also included is a terrible variation on the achilles lock where you
crush the calf with your hip bone. Not too practical a move to execute
for me.
After you see the Combat Sambo leg attacks to kiks, you'll never kick a
sambo ever! Included is a sick, sick throw when someone roundhouse
kicks to your head.
I really liked how Igor follows up on what to do on the ground if the
opponent counters, but some of the moves look like they require too many
steps.
Tapes 3 and 4 deal with the guard. These tapes are where you can see the
differences between Sambo and BJJ. These are ot baic tapes on leg lock
attacks from the guard and do not contain the rehashed material you see
on most tapes. My biggest complaint, however, is the bulk of these
tapes deal with the achilles lock and its mechanics once you hit the
ground and not with the guard per se. Then again, it is a sambo series,
not a BJJ series.
Vol 3 Attacking the Guard
Once again, this tape is not just a random series of moves ala Panther,
but a very detailed and thought out presentation of a game plan.
Achilles lock variations and an explaination on various Achilles Lock
mistakes and how to avoid those mistakes. Great achilles crush is shown
when you opponent does the achilles lock wnd crosses their feet--a much
safer lock than the normal heel hook way of doing it. I also liked the
knee crush attack when an opponent goes for an achilles lock. Counters
to achilles counters are shown which I have never seen anywhere else.
About a half hour into the tape, it gets back int defeating the guard
and shows a basic toe hold attack on an opponent who is kicking you from
the guard. This moves is made ultra sick when Igor shows a knee screw
variation Also included is a weird groin stretch done during the
transitory period of a guard pass.
4.) Leg Locks from the Guard.
Begins wih showing how to avoid leglocks while you have someone in your
guard. Very few tapes deal with this. Has nice counter to achilles lock
into squeeze lock.
The bulk of the tape deals with counters to when an opponent has
standing leg control and getting ready to fall into an achilles lock.
(not a lot of offenses attacks from the guard, but lots and lots of
counters o this series) There is a great Guard pas counter into a
kneebar and step over toe hold.
Very good material, but this is intermediate stuff aimed at a
knowledgeable opponent. If you're looking for basic stuff, this ain't
it. Conversely, if you are looking for new stuff, this is the series to
get
5.) Leg Locks From The Cross Side
This volume quickly gained a reputation for being the weakest volume in
the series. It isn't all that great, but its not al that bad either.
Ithink the problem isis that the side control is not the easiest place
to secure a leg lock. For the record, the fall guy on this tape looks
very sleepy and in a peaceful state of mind.
Good material on the scarf hold and how to turn it into a knee screwek
rank. Igor also shows how to go into an achilles lock from the scarf
hold, but it looks veeeeeeeeery easy to counter.
Lots of catch style cradles (Knee twists and eck cranks simaltaneously)
that are often neglected by most styles. But the tape has a lot of
impractical calf crushes and hip screws.
Okay, just okay
6.) Leglocks from the Fron and Rear Mount
Great great great tape! This will open your eyes to the neglected lower
body submissions from these positions.
Igor spends a lot of time on the figure four calf crush from the 4
quarters position and goes into a lot of detail on this move including
proper mechanics and how to counter an opponent who tries the move with
poor mechanics.
There is also a section of the knee twists from the mount which most BJJ
instructers convienently ignore. Best of all is a phenomenal desparation
counter to the armbar into a hip crank. It isn't an easy move, but it
does open your eyes to a counter to an almost impossible situation. You
won't see this on any other tape. And veryone knows that you can foot
lock an opponent who takes your back and crosses their legs. What if
they don't? Igor shows you how to give them a little help.
A very good series with some excellent material. This is the way tapes
should be produced. Maybe Igor and WMA will release another Sambo
series some day that deals with other aspects of sambo besides just leg
locks someday. We can hope.
Rating 9.0
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"Functional JKD Vol. 1-3" by Matt Thornton
These tapes show the development of the martial arts over the years, from
Bruce Lee to Gracie Jiu-jitsu to the Frank Shamrock's of today. It features
all the different aspects of fighting from stand-up striking to
groundfighting. Matt Thornton can be considered one of the instructors
today of cutting edge martial arts development (together with Tony Blauer,
Eric Knaus, Geoff Thompson, etc). Get these tapes if you want to improve
your overall fighting ability. Also, it's advised to get the whole set
since all three are connected logically in concepts.
Tape one covers the fundamental concept of "aliveness" which means doing
techniques on an "alive", uncooperative training partner. This will train
you in applying your techniques for real (not like those self-defense moves
where your opponent has to hit you in a certain way for the technique to
work). Tape one also covers the stand-up fighting range or "game", where
you have to be aware of your distancing and the movements you need to do to
be more effective. A lot of examples of "alive" vs. "dead"
drills are
given. Matt uses some example to make his point (like the game of chess).
This tape also covers the basic stand-up fighting game, punching, kicking
(with or without shoes), the straight blast, the sprawl and other
techniques. Tape two deals with the second phase of the standing game,
where kicking and punching ends, up to the clinch and takedowns. The tape
starts off with a review of "aliveness", broken down into energy, timing and
motion. Without these elements, a technique can be very limited. Randy
Couture helps in with the instruction. The main energy drill shown is the
"pummel", similar to the wrestling drill where achieving control at the
clinch range is the goal. Matt emphasizes in the tape that even if you
don't want to be a takedown or groundfighting specialist, having knowledge
of the concepts will help you prepare for such attacks. Tape three
continues logically where the previous ones left off. It covers the ground
game and the concepts of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Matt again shows the basic
concept of groundfighting, which is positioning. Learning how to move from
position to position will give you the knowledge of controlling an opponent.
Chris Hauteur, a Machado black belt, is brought in to explain the basic
concept of the guard. Matt then explains the top and bottom positions. The
importance of knowing how to do techniques well with timing and flowing from
one technique to the next is emphasized in the tape. Again, practice in an
"alive" manner is pointed out. Anyone interested in ground grappling
should
use this tape as a foundation and just get the technique-oriented videos at
a later stage. If you want to become functional in all aspects of combat,
get these tapes and start practicing in an "alive" manner.
The tapes are put together very nicely, mixing in interviews, fight footage
and some (weird) music. To compare cost versus value, this set ($39.95 each
for 3 tapes) is really worth it. You'll get almost 6 hours of technique and
drills that will definitely make you a better martial artist. Overall,
these tapes are excellent no matter what level you're in. I rate it a 9.5.
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"Catch Wrestling Seminar" by Tony Cecchine
Tony Cecchine teaches a style of grappling known as catch-as-catch-can
wrestling. Control and submission holds (called hooks) are the main
objective of this style. This tape was shot on one of Tony's seminars. A
regular camcorder was used, so the production quality is just good.
The first part of the tape covers a brief explanation of catch wrestling.
The class was then shown some warm-up drills needed to condition the body
before the hooks are shown. Tony then worked through a series of hooks
focusing on leg submissions. The first move shown is very good especially
if you are regularly caught in the jiu-jitsu "guard". He then goes over
some grips. The next technique shown is the Achilles lock, going over the
details of the setup, grip, and positioning for the move to be effective.
The next technique, the heel hook, was shown in a similar fashion. Tony
explains how to make this technique hard to counter. If someone manages to
counter this hook, he shows a leg lock that flows out of the countered heel
hook. Tony then went through different positions and the applicable hooks
that can be done from them. The class then worked through some of the leg
locks while Tony observes and answers questions. The first half ended with
Tony showing some flowing techniques. The second half of the seminar
features mostly advanced techniques. One move shown is escaping the closed
guard by picking up and sliding your opponent underneath and then flow to an
Achilles lock. This move is pretty good. It shows that the main objective
of catch wrestling is submission and not positioning (submission should be
applied after control is achieved). Tony shows some more hooks that can be
done from within the closed, half and open guard. Various hooks are then
shown, among them include the Indian Deathlock, Head scissors, and short arm
scissors. The tape ends with two of the students grappling. One student
applied a hook after being in an "inferior" position (rear mount).
The cost of the tape ($28) is really worth it considering the amount of
material covered. The quality of instruction in very good and the tape
shows that. I think Tony can really be called the fourth living Hooker.
Overall, the tape is a 9.5.
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"Leglock Seminar" by Andrei Sosnovkikh
This is a tape of the seminar by Andrei Soshnovskikh held in Canada. Mr.
Sosnovskikh is a three-time Sambo champion. I find him knowledgeable and
competent because he is very solid in his execution of the techniques. The
tape is very organized with the techniques shown in logical order. You can
find some of the material here on other instructionals but there are also
some that is definitely new.
The tape starts off with the basics. Leg locks such as Achilles lock, foot
lock, knee bar, etc are shown and explained in detail. Leg locks from
different positions are then shown (opponent in quarter position, guard,
mount, rear mount, etc). There is also a section on flowing from arm bars
to leg locks and from leg locks to leg locks. Defense against ankle locks
is also covered. Finally, drills to strengthen your techniques without
using weights are discussed. Advance students may find the techniques in
this tape basic but there is still some useful information. The only
problem I had was the audio. There are times when you can't hear what the
instructor is saying. Anyone interested in leg locks should get this tape.
Considering the materials covered and how good the production quality is,
this tape is a bargain at $29.95. On a scale of 1 to 10, this tape is a 9.
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Review for Real Contact Stickfighting by the Dog Brothers
The Dog Brothers is a group of martial artists that practices real contact
stickfighting. Yes, you read that right, "real contact". These guys
banded
together from different stickfighting backgrounds, put on some protective
gear, and picked up a stick or two and start whaling at each other. These
guys are the Vale Tudo fighters of the stick. Along the way, they find out
what works in a stick fight and which techniques are the most effective.
Their martial training is on another level. With that in mind, I think
you'll know what to expect on their instructional tapes.
Tape one covers the concept of hitting with power. The importance of
hitting with power by using speed and your whole body correctly is
emphasized enough in this tape. This is the most important attribute one
should develop when learning how to fight with or without a stick. There
are no fancy moves shown on this tape, just direct, straight to the point,
brutal and effective techniques with the intent of winning in a stick fight.
Footage of different stickfights showing the techniques covered is also
included in this tape with Top Dog, Eric Knaus explaining some details.
Tape two involves footwork. The concept of footwork and how it affects a
stick fight is covered. The sidestep (evading the line of attack), attack
and evasion triangles, the saw-tooth, the takeoff (closing the distance),
the Hi-Lo (low line attacks) and the Kangaroo (low to high line attacks) are
among the techniques discussed in this tape. Mr. Knaus emphasizes the
importance of being mobile through the use of footwork. You might think the
moves look more like a dance, but when you see the fight footage and the
application of footwork, you'll definitely appreciate the techniques shown.
Tape three covers Siniwali or Double Sticks. Tons of drills are shown from
"Switching" to "Alternating Eights" to "Fluid Eights" (you
have to watch the
tape to see these drills and how useful they are). The emphasis on this
tape is to use both hands (and sticks) effectively and independently. Other
topics covered in this tape include the "Jab", single stick combinations and
double stick movements applicable to empty-hand techniques. Fight footage
and commentaries showing the techniques discussed are again present in this
tape.
Tape four covers Blocks, Punyos, Thrusts, Disarms and the Snakey Stick.
This tape shows the blocks, disarms, thrusts and other techniques, which are
proven effective by the Dog Brothers through actual sparring. Blocks like
the Umbrella and Roof blocks, Punyos, the Snakey Stick and the Seven
Seguidas are discussed in detail. The importance of constant movement and
the flow from one technique to another are emphasized in this video. The
shadow fighting drill Mr. Knaus showed is awesome.
Tape five features the Fang Choke and Machado Jiu-jitsu. The first part
covers the Fang choke. This is the one technique to use if you're not
messing around and want to hurt someone really bad. This is really
effective. The second part features Carlos Machado showing basic grappling
techniques directly applicable to stickfighting (from the guillotine choke
to countering a fang choke). This series has all the ranges covered, from
stand-up stickfighting to "ground" stickfighting. Fight footage showing
the
techniques previously discussed are again shown.
Tape six features the stick vs. other weapons. It shows fights between
different weapons (except for the knife vs. knife in the first part of the
tape). You might think that this tape is not instructional, wondering
what's the purpose of it being included in this series. Well, for one
thing, I think this tape is a continuation of the previous five tapes.
After learning all the techniques previously shown, one will see how it is
really applied to opponents with different kinds of weapons. I think this
is what makes this tape an instructional. You will see the different
strategies being applied. The tape ends with interviews that features more
insight about the Dog Brothers.
I think this tape series is a must-have for every martial artist. It shows
the way we should be training to more effective. This is a very valuable
set because it shows if the techniques we've learned or still learning
regarding stickfighting will work in real life situation. We should be
grateful to these guys for showing this to us. "Higher Consciousness
Through Higher Contact". Overall, this series has very good production,
great instruction and definitely worth getting. The only problem I have is
that some of the tapes have techniques shown repetitively. Otherwise, I
rate it a 9.5.
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Muay Thai Boxing by the Vut Kamnark
Kru Vut Kamnark is the head of the U.W.M.T.A., a Muay Thai association
involved in instructions, camps, equipment and other Muay Thai products.
He's been teaching Muay Thai for a few years.
Volume four in this four-tape set features fighting techniques. This is
recommended for those with previous kickboxing experience or has a very good
grasp of the basics. Throughout the tape, the details of the techniques are
explained by a voiceover in a clear and precise manner. Combine this with
pretty good camera angle shots of the techniques and you've got one of the
best quality-produced tapes today. The tape is broken down into three
sections. The first part features warm-ups before training, like shadow
(kick)boxing. Then, leg and knee combinations are shown using the Thai
pads. The techniques and combos are explained in detail. Also, the way the
pads should be positioned for each technique is covered. This is really
great instruction for both the trainer (pad holder) and the trainee
(kickboxer). The next section deals with defense and counters. Mr. Kamnark
shows various ways of defending against an attack (jab, kick, etc.) and then
the counters for each. Evasion and parry techniques and the counters
available are covered. Counter after counter are shown giving us a variety
of options for dealing with various attacks. The third section deals with
offensive combinations. The main equipment used here is the Thai pad. Tons
of drills are covered. Punches, elbows, knees and kicks flow into one
another. The techniques while in the clinch are awesome. Set-ups to doing
the combos are also shown.
Overall, this tape is great. The instruction is clear, the details are well
covered and the strategy presented is pretty solid. I just wish more drills
were covered (like using the heavy bag and various equipment).
Nevertheless, I rate it a 9.5 out of 10.
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BJJ 101 by Roy Harris
BJJ 101 contains three volumes on the basics of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The
instructor, Roy Harris, is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Joe
Moreira. These tapes contain techniques applying to both sports and
no-rules fighting. Everything you will learn here will lay the foundation
to your grappling skills. Mr. Harris teaches the basic concepts of each
techniques and the underlying principles and guidelines of grappling. After
understanding these concepts, you will learn to improvise and do techniques
on your own. These tapes are definitely of highest quality. Then amount of
detail, the logical manner the material is presented, easy to understand
instruction and very little wasted time makes this series one of the best
among the instructional videos out there today.
Tape one covers positional escapes. The escapes shown include eight escapes
from the mount position, nine ways of passing the guard, four escapes for
the across side position, escapes for the headlock, the cradle and scarf
hold. The escapes are shown in a variety of ways and how the opponent will
react to it. Counters for these reactions are then shown. Drills and
combinations are also presented with plenty of detailed explanations. The
last section of the tape has Mr. Harris and his students competing in
tournaments. The fights are narrated by Mr. Harris and gives details of the
techniques being executed.
Tape two covers positional dominance. He emphasizes establishing superior
position first once the grappling begins and then staying in that position.
If somehow you end up in an inferior position, base should be established
and then escape to gain a superior position. Mr. Harris explains the
important concept of space and weight. Among the positions covered in this
tape include the mount, the guard, across side and scarf hold. Drills and
combinations are again covered, just like the first tape. One thing that I
wanted more to see among the techniques covered is when someone bridges to
escape your superior position. Fight footage ends the tape.
Tape three feature leg locks. Mr. Harris shows ankle locks, knee locks, hip
locks, heel hooks and foot locks. The details are again covered for the
techniques shown. Combinations of leg locks, controlling techniques,
entries into leg locks, defending against leg locks and drills to increase
pain tolerance against leg locks are among the topics presented in this
tape. The tape finishes off with more fight footage.
Overall, this is an excellent series. The only problem I have is more NHB /
street techniques should have been covered. Also, the price of the whole
set is a little bit expensive compared to others instructional videos.
Nevertheless, this set is a must-have if you want to be effective with your
grappling skills. I rate it a 9.5 out of 10.
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Lethal Leglocks 1 & 2 by Michael Jen
Michael Jen is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Joe Moreira. He
and Roy Harris (BJJ 101) trains together and it shows in their instructional
videos (complete details are given on the basic concept of the techniques).
Therefore, you can expect good things from these tapes.
Leg locks are the main focus of this set. Techniques from Sambo, Catch
Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu are combined in the tapes. Tape one
covers basic leg locks like the ankle lock, heel hook and knee bar. The
techniques are performed with great detail, emphasizing the basic mechanics
of each technique. Ways of securing and controlling the leg are also
discussed. The next section shows techniques from an inferior or
disadvantaged position. Ankle locks, heel hooks, etc when back-mounted,
front-mounted or from the open guard are taught. The locks are done in
combination, flowing from one technique to another. A few more techniques
are shown towards the end of the tape.
Tape two continues with leg submissions from inferior positions. The
rolling kneebar is covered first, showing a method of trapping the
opponent's leg that is pretty effective. The back mount is covered again
but with the opponent's leg forming a figure four on your waist. Various
leglocks are shown from this position, with the locks forming a combination.
More techniques are demonstrated including ankle locks when your opponent
has you in a closed guard.
The quality of these tapes is excellent. The material is well presented and
the details are covered thoroughly. This is the set to get if you want to
be effective in your leglocks. Overall, a 9.5 out of 10.
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Killer Leg Locks # 1 by Eric Paulson
Eric Paulson's background is Jeet Kune Do. He competes in Shooto events
held in Japan. He learned Shooto from Yori Nakamura, a student of the
"inventor" of Shooto, Satoru Sayama. Mr. Paulson became proficient with
leg
locks through this art. This tape shows that.
This tape covers the Achilles lock, heel hook, toe hold, and knee bar. You
might think this tape to be very basic, but what's great about it is how Mr.
Paulson does so many variations of a single technique. He shows how to do
the setups into the locks, how to counter the locks and how to follow from
one lock to another. Mr. Paulson shows how to get an Achilles lock and then
transitions to a heel hook and then finishes with a knee bar. He doesn't
teach a lock in isolation but on a number of different series. He also
teaches these locks from different positions. For every position, he has a
combination of leg locks for it. The only problem I have with the tape is
the production quality. It's not on the same level as the Roy Harris
series. Also, the audio sometimes, is not clear. Nevertheless, the quality
is still pretty good. You can still hear the details being explained and
the material is very watchable. If you want to be proficient in leg locks,
get this tape. Overall, I rate it a 9.5 out of 10.
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Wrestler Killer 1-7 - BJJ by Rick Lucero
Rick Lucero is a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt under Joe Moreira. He has a
wrestling background and it shows in his tape. This series is not geared
towards countering a wrestler's attack but more towards a Brazilian
Jiu-jitsu practitioner using wrestling moves.
Tapes one and two cover takedowns. These are done from a wrestler's
perspective. The basics, like changing levels and penetration, up to single
and double leg takedowns are discussed in these tapes. These are all
modified for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I haven't seen most of the takedowns
presented here on any other BJJ set (except maybe in the Cesar Gracie set).
The end sections of these tapes feature drills like sprawling, base changing
and foot dragging for takedowns.
Tapes three and four feature defending the wrestler's takedowns. The
takedowns previously covered are countered in these two tapes. Practical
and effective counters are shown.
Tapes five and six covers advanced ground fighting. Tape five contains
advance sweeps from the open guard. It usually begins while sitting on the
opponent's feet and then performing the various sweeps. Pretty effective.
The last part of the tape contains connected moves from the closed guard.
Mr. Lucero flowed from one technique to another. Tape six involves a
modified key lock from the guard. Certain moves are again connected in a
series. Counters for the key lock are also shown.
Tape seven shows advance guard passes. A series of open guard passes by
gripping your opponent's legs are discussed. The proper gripping technique
and several passes are covered in detail. Other guard passes like the
"helicopter" guard pass and the cross arm guard pass are included.
The production quality of this set is excellent. The only problem I have is
the drills shown on one tape are again shown on the other tapes. The drills
are effective but showing them more than once are a waste. Nevertheless,
this tape set is recommended especially the takedowns. Overall, I give it
an 8.5 out of 10.
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Shooto Instructional by Rumina Sato
Rumina Sato is one of the best shootfighters in Japan today. He competes in
Japanese Shooto event and is ranked among the top fighters. His background
is combat wrestling (he started with the Kiguchi Dojo) which you will
definitely see in this tape.
This tape covers a diverse collection of techniques, from striking to
takedown to submissions. The general focus though, is on takedowns and
submissions. I think most of the submissions shown are very solid and
definitely workable. Although, if you're looking for moves on passing the
guard or transitioning from one hold to another, this is not the tape for
you. It shows techniques leaning more towards shootwrestling and not
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Examples of techniques covered include flying scissors
takedown to heel hook, flying armbar (Mr. Sato used this move to win one of
the fastest Shooto competition and against one of Frank Shamrock's
students), three open guard reversals, three closed guard reversals and many
more. For a one hour tape, Mr. Sato sure showed a lot of techniques. I
would have preferred the tape to be a little longer to see more techniques
like guard passes transitions from different positions and more details.
Also, the whole tape is in Japanese. The tape, therefore, is more
demonstration than instruction. Mr. Sato though, executed the moves slowly
and clearly, making the techniques easier to follow. The production
quality, too, is very good.
If you are a fan of the Shooto events held in Japan, you should get this
tape to see one of the best fighters competing there showing his techniques.
If not, you should still get this tape. There are a few moves that are
pretty solid. Overall, I rate this an 8.5 out of 10.
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Quest Combat Wrestling Instructional by the Kiguchi Dojo
This tape features the Kiguchi Dojo which some say where combat wrestling
originated. Among the famous Japanese fighters today that have trained in
this dojo include Rumina Sato, Hayato Sakurai and Kiyoshi Tamura. The
grappling style covered in this tape is a mixture of wrestling, sambo, judo
and jiu-jitsu. It looks like freestyle wrestling with a lot of submissions
thrown in.
The first part of the tape shows submissions like armbars, triangles and key
locks from different positions. Two students of the Dojo demonstrate all
these submissions, flowing from one technique to another. It is almost
non-stop.
The second part of the tape shows takedowns, chokes and flows from one move
to another. This section has more details included with each technique.
There are a number of ways a technique is shown and the setups and flows
applicable to it. The quality of the techniques is very good.
The last part of the tape features a combat wrestling competition of
different weight classes. I think Rumina Sato is in this competition while
he was still an amateur.
This tape gives an overview of combat wrestling. It is not for beginners.
Prior knowledge of grappling and submission is required. Also, the whole
tape is in Japanese, therefore, you can only learn by watching with no
details mentioned (unless you know how to speak Japanese). Overall, this is
a pretty solid tape, an 8.5 out of 10.
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Contact Sparring and Fear Control by Tony Blauer
Tony Blauer is one of the leading instructors of cutting edge martial arts.
All of his instructional are proofs. He not only teaches moves and drills
but also the fundamental concepts, thus giving the student better
understanding of the techniques. This tape is a good example. It has tons
of information, which can really improve your martial abilities, no matter
what your level is. Mr. Blauer shows great skill in this tape and he
teaches logically and with great detail.
This tape is broken down into three sections. The first section covers the
importance of sparring and how to overcome the fear associated with it.
Concepts regarding fear control, targeting, distancing and feinting are
taught in detail. Advice on strategy and training out of the "comfort
zone"
(a state of mind wherein you are most comfortable in dealing with any
problem) is also covered. Lastly, the problems people have in sparring are
discussed in detail so that solutions can be formulated.
The second section has Mr. Blauer teaching basic boxing like slipping,
counter-punching, footwork, etc. In my opinion, all the techniques shown
will put your striking skills to another level. The last section shows Mr.
Blauer and his students applying all the techniques and concepts previously
discussed. Tony gives corrections and suggestions to his students to
improve their skills. Then the students spar with Tony and his top students
to really show the stuff they were teaching, full-contact style.
Mr. Blauer ends by saying that training with realistic contact will greatly
improve your self-defense skills and prepare you much better on the streets.
The only problem I have with the tape is the audio. There are times when
the audio is low. Other than that, this is really a great tape. Overall, I
rate it a 9 out of 10.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paul Vunak's Streetfighter Series 1-15b
The JKD mantra has always been "absorb what is useful, reject what is
useless, add that which is specifically your own." I think Bruce Lee
was predicting the release of this video series. Paul Vunak's work over
the years has ranged from outstanding to awful. When he has his working
boots on, he can produce a great video. When he is slumming, buyer
beware. There is some great material on these videos, there is some bad
material, and there are some things you may have to modify to fit your
own needs.
1.) Bruce Lee's Straight Blast--a great tape covering oe of
the main
tools of JKD--the centerline straight punching series which Bruce
modified from Wing Chun ( Paul shows the dif between the JKD way and the
Wing Chun way).
The highight of the tape is where he shows how to use the Straight blast
against a grappler. This material is MMA related as well, as a sloppy
variation on the Straight Blast made Vitor Belfort a major star.
2.) Dumog (Filipino Wrestling)--A good tape but erroneously
advertised
as a Submission Wrestling system. It is not and the easiest way to irk a
consumer is to misadvertise a product. Anyway, Dumog is the art of
moving a body from "point A to Point B" either to restrain or set up for
a knock out shot. The movement is predicated around using the body's
joints and choke pints against itslef. The material is very good, but
may require decent trapping skill to pull off.
3.) Headbutts, Knees, Elbows--Vunak's specialty is one of the
best tapes
in the series. This is the only tape I have ever seen where someone
really goes all out to show you how to effectively deliver these close
quarter weapons with accuracy and power. Best of all, Vunak shows how to
use these tools in conjunction with the Straight Blast and against
different styles of opponents. A Must Have!
4.) JKD'S Energy Drills-- A good overview of Jun Fan/Kali
energy drills
such as Chi Sao and Hubud Lubud, but you can not learn either from a
tape. Sensitivity drills require expert instruction and the worst thing
a person can do is try and teach themself. Basically, the tape is a
referencce tool to see a demo of the drills. Decent.
5.) Pananjakman--This is a tape dedicated to the lowline
Filipino
kicking art. It is very street effective material, but the kicks are
nothing ground breaking. I would have liked it is Paul explained how
these kicks fit into the JKD mix of Savate and Mauy Thai and why they
are integrated into JKD, but he really doesn't explain the reasons WHY
pananjakman is part of JKD and it becomes just another tape on kicks.
The best part however is an eyeopening sequence where he shows how these
types of kicks can work within Puching range in conjunction with hand
attacks. Maybe that's why Panajakman is part of the mix, but it is
never made clear to me.
6.) Advanced Knife Fightig--Not really. Pretty basic stuff
with not much
new added. This is a bigger budget remake of his first knife fighting
video that was much better. A real disappointment, but if you never saw
the first knife fighting tape (by Panther) you might like this a little
more than I did.
7.) Advanced Trapping--Not good at all. Paul first
Trapping tape for
Panther was absolutely terrible so I was not going into this expecting
much. The main problem with this tape is you really can not call it
advanced because it never really builds on the basics of Trapping
techniques nor does it show how to implement trapping properly in a real
fight. At one point, Vu kickboxing with a student to show how trapping
works in a live scenario, but then does not pull of any TRAPS! Pass on
this baby.
8.) Mass Attack--this tape is all about multiple opponents
and is split
into too categories: Open Space and Closed Quarters. Paul cuts through
the BS and pretty much lets it be known that fighting more than one
opponent is a virtual impossibility, but does offer some neat info on
the subject.
The open space scenario stuff is 99% footwork and shows you how to use
boxing style foot work to cause opponents to end up basically tripping
over each other. Not too interesting. Where was all that Silat stuff
the Inosanto Academy teaches to combat more than one attacker?
The closed quarter section was fantastic. Paul offers the best material
I have seen for dealing with multiple opponents in the cofnines of a bar
or any similiar area where mobillity is limited. Very high energy and
the techniques are believable.
This tape is pretty short and oly worth it for the close quarter
fighting. Not worth $40.
9.) Attributes II (Note: Attributes I was produced by Panther.)
Deservedly, the Attributes tapes are considered Paul's best work. They
deal with the JKD Concept that techniques alone will not work unless
they are acoompanied by physical and mental qualities. These tapes seek
to enhance quality development. for reasons unknown, the chronology of
the videos were not released in numerical order and the volumes numbers
jump around. Why? Also, sadly, the A level production values of the
first 8 volumes disappear and replaced by poor camcorder esque
videography.
On to the video....
II deals with Body Mechanics, the abillity to put your entire
body
behind your hits, in this case, strikes in trapping range. There are
details on this tape on how to deliver power behind headbutts, elbows,
and knees that you will not se on other tapes! Also covered are Killer
Instincts (terminating a fight with extreme prejudice) and sensitivity
drills. Phenomenal tape.
11.) Attributes III
A hyper intense--and scary--Vunak covers entries into trapping,
interceptions, and the controversial topic of destructions: treating an
opponent's punches and kicks as targets and meeting the hands and feet
with knee/elbow strikes. In you don't believe destructions will work,
this tape will open your eyes. The tape introduces the "Vu Scale," a
training drill designed to prioritize attack methods. A definite must
have.
12.) Attributes IV
This tape covers the 2 reasons fights are lost: Endurance and Being
Caught in an Unfamliar Range . Presented here are drills whih breed
cardio conditioning and mental stress relaxation while moving from one
range to another. Also covered is the intergration of weapons in
striking range and the possibility of biting and eye gouging on the
ground. What I really liked most about this tape is, unlike Vale Tudo
Steetfighting tapes, Paul takes the environment you may be fighting in
into consideration. Excellent.
10.) Attributes V
ALRIGHT! The high production standrds of the first volumes are back.
Although the running time is short, this tape is still one of the best.
This volume covers "self perfection," the refinement of trapping
mechanics. Paul shows how to apply the proper mechanics of weaponry to
empty hand attacks. Included are some very unique traps designed more to
enhance skills rather than teach self defense techniques.
Great Tape!
13.) The Archive Tape
Not a bad tape, but you'd have to be a lunatic to pay $40 for this.
Made in 1986, but never released, this is a one hour look at a JKD/Kali
group class run by a very young Vunak. It is a neat curiousity piece
and would have been WAY ahead of its time 13 years ago, but it is just a
filler volume today. This tape should be free with orders over $100 or
sold at $14.95
14.) Anatomy of a Street Fight
A mess. Basically, you get several guys sparring kick boxing,
grappling
and weapons wih no commentary. WHY/ Okay, Roy Harris has an awesome Jiu
Jitsu match on here, but where is all the analysis of what we are
seeing? What exactly is the point? Here's were it gets weird, Vu ends
the tape with the best ten minutes of instruction on bar fighting I have
ever seen. I guess the first 4/5ths of the tape is NO STARS and that
last 1/5th is FIVE STARS.
My only guess this tape was poorly concieved and rushed out there when
Paul was running short on ideas. Bad tape.
15a and 15b.) Law Enforcement Tactics
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. These two tapes are absolutely AWFUL.
Among the worst videos I have ever seen. Basic Kali lock flows to subdue
criminals? Straight blasting and using headbutts and elbows for peace
officers? A class of 300 people (well, almost) reeating the same
techniques Paul shows over and over?
Definitely, PFS was grasping at straws to release a video by this point.
These two tapes are a down right embarrassing!
In Closing......
Some tapes on the series are a must for any serious martial artists
library and others are great for dubbing Monday Night Raw episodes
with. Overall, it is a very well made series, albiet inconsistant.
hile some may argue reality fighting tapes are where it is all at, you
have to remember that Paul is teaching STREET FIGHTING, not ring combat.
When these tapes first starting coming out in 93 and 94, the market was
flooded with those lame ESPY-TV and Panther Kata collections by the
trillions. Even with the MMA boom of the mid- to late 90's, these tapes
have remained popular while an enourmous amount of karate/kung u videos
saw their sales disappear. In fact, four new volumes are coming out!
Overall: 7.5
Without counting the dud tapes: 9.0
________________________________________________________________________________________________
How to hook a heavyweight by Matt Furey
Matt Furey is a Shuai-chiao champion and national collegiate wrestling
champion. In this tape, submissions are taught while standing or on the way
to the ground. Techniques from collegiate, Chinese and catch wrestling are
combined and shown in this tape. The main objective is to submit a bigger
opponent before going to the ground.
The tape starts off with control in the stand-up position. The pummeling
(wrestling) drill is also covered. Then, three types of headlocks are
shown, front face lock, head chancery and the guillotine. The setups are
discussed for these headlocks and the proper way of applying them. More
submissions are covered like neck cranks, face cranks, key locks and others.
Takedowns are also combined with these submissions. Mr. Furey then goes
into takedowns flowing into leg submissions (Achilles lock, heel hook and
shin lock). At the end, the submissions previously shown are discussed in
more detail.
The tape's production quality is just fine. No wasted time here though,
just techniques all the way (no filler, no intro and no music). You will
definitely get tons of submissions. One problem I have with the tape is the
details of the techniques at the end of the tape. This should have been
edited into the tape and shown after the techniques were initially covered.
No big deal, though. Overall, an 8.5 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
Combat Jiu-Jitsu Set I by Walt Bayless
Walt Bayless is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. He teaches a style of Jiu-Jitsu
geared towards combat. He has trained with some of the best including Pedro
Sauer, a BJJ black belt, and Mark Schultz, a world class wrestler. That's
why the techniques shown here are a combination of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu,
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. This set is for people with some
knowledge of grappling. Mr. Bayless covers techniques that he believes will
work effectively on the streets. Most of the techniques here are not new
but can be considered solid, street-oriented techniques.
Tape one deal with takedowns. The clinch is first covered, followed by
various takedown techniques. Among the details discussed are the stance,
level changes, clinch, throws and takedowns. Strike setups before doing
takedowns should have been covered more.
Tape two focuses on armlocks. Basics of maintaining position (like the
mount) are discussed first. Then various armlocks from different positions
are shown. Among the techniques covered include wristlocks, key locks,
armlocks and even shoulder locks from various positions (the mount,
cross-body, knee on the stomach, scarf hold and guard). Mr. Bayless goes
into detail for these techniques and the counters your opponent might try
against you.
Tape three is about leglocks. Around nine basic leg locks are shown.
Nothing new here, the techniques can be found in other leg lock tapes and
more. Although, these are all good, sound workable techniques. Among the
locks covered are heel hook, ankle lock and knee lock from your opponent's
guard, ankle lock and knee lock from the cross-body, and heel hook and knee
lock from the guard.
Tape four covers chokes. Chokes from different positions are discussed.
>From the mount, the forearm choke, fist choke, shoulder choke and side
chokes are shown. Then, clamp choke from the cross-body position and a
choke from the headlock position. Finally, the triangle and the shoulder
choke from the guard. Basic stuff but really effective.
Tape five involves reversals. Basic escapes from various positions are
covered like three ways of escaping the guard, two mount reversals, a
guillotine reversal and others. These are all solid escapes and reversals
but no basic sweeps shown on this tape.
This is a very good set. The techniques are presented in detail, with the
important parts broken down and explained thoroughly. I believe the
techniques here will work on an alive, resisting opponent. Also, the
production quality is excellent. The tapes are done professionally, the
instruction is clear and the price is very affordable. I rate this set an 8
out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
Seek and Destroy Vols. 1 to 4 by Mark Kerr
Mark Kerr is a world-class wrestler now competing in No Holds Barred (NHB)
competitions. He is considered by many to be the top heavyweight fighter
today. These four tapes (out of an eight tape set) focus on takedowns.
Tape one covers the basic NHB takedown. Stance and distancing are discussed
first. Mr. Kerr suggests staying outside the striking range of your
opponent by about three feet. This distance is ideal for takedowns. The
positions of the lead leg and the trailing leg are also covered. He also
went over the best time to shoot in for the takedown, stressing patience.
Then, the double leg and single leg takedowns are discussed in detail (with
plenty of slow-motion shots of the techniques). A brief review of the more
important details previously covered can be seen at the end of the tape.
Dealing with a striking opponent while going for a takedown should have bee
covered more.
Tape two features intermediate NHB takedowns. More entries and takedowns
are covered here. The main focus of the techniques is on moving opponents.
Among the techniques covered include the fake step to a high crotch leading
to a double leg takedown, misdirection, slipping a punch, pinching legs, low
single leg takedown, block or sprawl counter, varying attack levels, body
throws and taking down a kicker. Like in the previous tape, a lot of
details and explanations are given per technique. All the techniques here
are very solid.
Tape three focuses on advanced NHB takedowns. Clinch positions like the
over and under, double over and collar tie up are covered. Strike defenses
in the clinch are also mentioned but not discussed in detail. Then,
takedowns from the clinch positions are shown like the leg lace takedown,
shoulder throw, leg block, suplex, double leg and others. Strike defenses
in the clinch position (especially knee strikes) should have been discussed
more.
Tape four deals with defending the takedown. Some pretty effective takedown
counters are shown here. Mr. Kerr starts off on takedown defenses by
pushing the shooting opponent away and moving the lead leg. Then, the
sprawl is discussed including ways of off-balancing your opponent. He also
shows how to get the guillotine from this position. Lastly, he covers a
move against someone who grabs your leg and you're standing on the other
leg. His defense starts by securing the grabbing arm, off-balancing the
opponent, falling down on your back and then flipping your opponent over.
These techniques should have been shown more against a striking opponent.
These four tapes are great. There are only a handful of techniques but all
are discussed in great detail. Mr. Kerr explains the concepts for the
techniques very well and covers the options that you have for various
"what-ifs" scenarios. The only problem I have is the issue of strikes
involving takedowns (this is after all a NHB set). Dealing with striking
opponents is not covered in detail. Otherwise, this is a pretty solid
takedown set. I rate it a 9 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
Ultimate Groundfighting by Shahram Moosavi
Shahram Moosavi's martial arts background ranges from Tae Kwon Do to Jeet
Kune Do (under Paul Vunak) to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (under Megaton Diaz).
These tapes show Moosavi drawing moves from all these arts. The materials
presented in this set are really basic especially for someone with a very
good grappling background.
Tape one covers takedown. Mr. Moosavi starts off by showing some nerve
attacks and limb destruction to distract your opponent before going for the
takedown. According to him, this distraction is needed to create an
opportunity to take the opponent to the ground. I think using punches and
kicks to setup the takedown is more efficient than trying the nerve attack
techniques, especially if there is distance between me and my opponent. I
think the nerve attacks and limb destruction techniques will work more if
I'm already in the clinch. The next part of the tape shows basic leg
strikes likes the roundhouse and knees. Then, more takedowns like the
single leg, double leg and leg trips are discussed. Lastly, basic ground
positions like the guard, mount and cross-side including some escapes are
covered. These are not explained in much detail.
Tape two continues with more ground techniques. Passing the guard
techniques are covered first, explained in very good detail. Next, basic
submissions from various positions are shown, around one or two each. The
submissions are very good. Then, some drills are demonstrated like
positioning, armbars from the guard, and working the open guard. These
drills are pretty good. The last part of the tape shows Mr. Moosavi
sparring with people of various martial arts background. He goes on to
submit all these guys, mostly from the guard position.
This tape set is just okay. The techniques are pretty basic with not a lot
of new materials shown. Also, some of the techniques are lacking in
explanation. On the other hand, the production quality is excellent and the
instructor demonstrated pretty good all-around skill levels. Overall, I
rate it an 8 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
The Official Classic Sombo Instruction Series by Oleg Taktarov
Oleg Taktarov is a 6th degree black belt in Sombo and also a black belt in
jiu-jitsu and judo. He has won numerous Sombo and jiu-jitsu competitions
and some NHB events (like the UFC, etc.). This instructional set is mainly
on classic Sombo.
Tape one cover throws to finishing holds. Mr. Taktarov demonstrates some of
his throws continuing into submission holds. Around nine combinations are
presented on this tape. Some of the techniques are the bull throw to an arm
lock, tackle to a kneebar, scissors throw to an ankle lock and cross-hold
throw with arm lock. This tape shows that the perfect time to do a
submission is after a takedown, while the opponent is distracted.
Tape two focuses on setting up submissions on the ground. Mr. Taktarov
suggests keeping it tight to your opponent so that when you create a space
for him to escape, you can lead him towards a submission hold. Around ten
techniques are covered in this tape. Among the techniques covered include
armbar from the mount, armbar from the guard, armbar from the cross-body,
passing the guard and then flowing into an ankle lock and leg locks from the
half-guard. There is some interesting stuff here especially the submissions
from different positions.
Tape three deals with escaping dangerous positions and holds. Escapes from
various submission holds are presented. Around nine techniques are shown
like defending the armbar, escaping the triangle choke, escaping the mount,
defending the ankle lock, knee bar and heel hook and a lot more. I think
Mr. Taktarov's main goal (as I've seen on his tapes) is to counter an
opponent's specific technique with his own specific technique, regardless of
positioning.
Tape four shows submission combinations. Tons of submissions are presented
here. Examples of combinations you will find in this tape are choke to arm
lock, knee bar to leg lock, guillotine choke to neck crank, hip throw to a
double-leg takedown and others. There are some very good combinations here,
especially the leg locks (Mr. Taktarov is after all, a Sombo expert).
Tape five covers drills to develop attributes needed for grappling. The
exercises and drills presented here are pretty solid. These should improve
anyone's grappling ability if practiced regularly. The drills covered
include hip movement drills, drilling specific techniques in isolation,
different types of sparring, multiple opponent drills and more. A lot of
useful drills here.
These tape set is okay. The tapes are professionally made, Mr. Taktarov
demonstrated high skill levels and the techniques (especially the drills)
are very good. Although, I think this whole set is lacking. Concepts are
not discussed in detail (like Harris BJJ 101) and the key points in some
techniques are not mentioned. This is not good, especially for a beginner.
If you have the basics covered, you might want to experiment and try the
moves presented here. Overall, I rate this set an 8 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
Advance Black Belt Techniques I by Pedro Carvalho
Pedro Carvalho is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has trained under
Carlson Gracie, Ricardo dela Riva and Anibal Braga. He has won numerous
state and national BJJ Tournaments. This set contains eight tapes focusing
on the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, covering techniques from takedowns to
leglocks. The techniques are more for Sport Jiu-Jitsu but its application
for NHB competitions is also emphasized.
Tape one covers Tournament Jiu-Jitsu. It starts off by showing the three
types of BJJ fighting (Tournament, Vale Tudo and Self-Defense). Then, the
rules and point system of tournament Jiu-Jitsu are discussed with footage of
sport competitions included. There are also some Vale Tudo challenge
matches thrown in. This tape provides a good introduction of the materials
that will be covered in the other tapes.
Tape two deals with advanced street and tournament takedowns. It begins by
discussing the ways of defending against an opponent while you're on your
back (the "butt-scoot"). Mr. Carvalho shows how to kick and how to stand
up
from this position. Then, he covers stances, strikes and clinch. From
here, various takedowns are done (like the double-leg takedown). The next
section of the tape focuses on self-defense. Among the techniques covered
include defenses against a hair grab, a bear hug, a rear naked choke, gun
and knife attacks and more. I think these self-defense techniques are a
little out of place since this tape is about takedowns. Nevertheless, I
consider this a bonus.
Tapes three and four features advanced mount fighting. Various mount
positions are covered in these tapes. Mr. Carvalho starts off with the side
control position. He shows different ways of striking your opponent. Then,
various submissions (armbar, etc.) are done from this position. The
North/South position is then covered. He shows drills on how to maintain
this position and also applying some submissions from here. The knee on the
stomach position is up next. Armbars and chokes are discussed from this
position. Mr. Carvalho then moves into the mount position. He shows how to
use the legs to maintain position and also the various strikes applicable.
Then, various submissions are covered like the collar choke, triangle choke,
Americana and armbar.
Tape five focuses on guard fighting. First, the guard position is discussed
and also how to maintain this position. Next, submissions are covered like
the armbar and the triangle choke. Combinations of techniques are also
shown like flowing from a triangle to an armbar. Pretty good and basic
techniques here.
Tapes six and seven cover sweeps, reversals and escapes. Tape six starts
with counters to the triangle choke. Next, an effective escape from an
armbar is shown. Other techniques covered in this tape include side control
escapes (by flipping, by taking the back or by pulling into the guard),
guard passes (knee on the tailbone escape, etc.) and more. Tape seven
contains sweeps from the guard position (open and close). Around ten sweeps
are shown like the elevator, scissors sweep and others. A "crucifix" is
also demonstrated to an opponent in a turtle position. All these techniques
are very effective.
Tape eight deals with leglocks. Around ten techniques are shown here. The
techniques include Achilles locks, heel hooks, ankle locks and more. These
are done from various positions. Also, some combinations and escapes are
covered.
Overall, this set is very good. The production quality is comparable among
the best instructional tapes that are out today. The instructor showed
pretty good skills and he described the techniques very well. Also, the
techniques, in my opinion, will work even though they are not flashy. This
is the set to get if you're into Jiu-Jitsu. This is a very solid tape set.
I rate it a 9.5 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________
Ultimate Street Fighter 1-10 by Ricardo dela Riva
Ricardo dela Riva is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt under Carlson Gracie.
With that said, you know that this guy is for real since Carlson trained the
likes of Mario Sperry, Murilo Bustamante, Wallid Ismael, Carlos Barretto,
Vitor Belfort and other famous fighters. This set covers NHB-style
groundfighting.
Tape one focus on takedowns. Among the techniques covered here include the
single leg takedown (similar to a wrestling takedown wherein one leg is
controlled and the opponent is spun around and taken down); double leg
takedown and leg trip. Stance, footwork, how to enter for the takedown and
submissions after the takedown are also shown.
Tape two deals with guard passes. Passing the closed guard is the main
emphasis. Among the passes covered include the knee to the tailbone,
lifting the opponent's head, and putting the hands behind his head. Some of
the passes also are similar to the ones in Mario Sperry's instructionals.
Passing the half-guard is not covered in this tape.
Tapes three and four focuses on the side control and knee on the stomach
positions. Seven top control positions are covered in these tapes. The
placement of the hands and foot, body movement and weight positioning are
shown. How to use strikes at each position to achieve the mount or get a
submission are also included. Lastly, some baiting techniques to achieve
both positions are shown.
Tape five covers the mount position. Various moves from the mount are shown
like one hand under the opponent's neck for control, moving the knees to the
opponent's armpit and holding down his chin to open for a strike, switching
from mount to knee on the stomach and the proper way of doing neck cranks.
Various submissions, counters and combinations are also shown. The
techniques presented here are very solid and effective.
Tape six deals with the guard position. The moves shown here include ways
of submitting an opponent position to strike, countering by guillotine and
using the legs to block punches and control an opponent. Sweeps and
reversals are not presented here.
Tape seven covers the open guard position. The sweeps missing from the
previous tapes are all here and more. Among the techniques covered are the
elevator, sweeps done when the opponent is standing, setups for sweeps by
striking and ways of going to a standing position from the guard.
Tape eight focuses on leg locks. Leg submissions are shown from various
positions. The leg techniques included in this tape are Achilles lock and
knee bars from your opponent's guard, hip crank counter to a scissors sweep,
Achilles lock, foot lock and knee bar from the side position, Achilles lock
and heel hook from your guard, and other submissions. These are all very
good submissions but not much explanation is given.
Tape nine is about self-defense, showing ways of dealing with an aggressor.
Common attacks and the applicable defenses are covered. Defense techniques
against grabs, full nelson, guillotine and others are shown. Multiple
attacker defenses are also covered.
Tape ten deals with headlock escapes. Techniques for escaping a standing
headlock, a rear naked choke, guillotine, scarf hold and others are shown.
Almost all end in submissions. How to block strike attempts while in a
headlock is also covered.
This is a very solid tape set. The production quality is very good. Each
tape contains tons of techniques. All the moves make sense and are very
effective. The only problem is the details of the moves are not discussed
that much. The instructor fails to cover them and often does so with very
little explanation. Nevertheless, this set is a must-have for those that
are into NHB. I rate it a 9 out of 10.
___________________________________________________________________________