www.ko-reviews.com

MMA Weight Training by Brian Klaus (Paladin Press)

2011-10-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is the best DVD out there for turning a home workout into a realistic strength and conditioning routine for cage fighting.

Brian Klaus comes across instantly as knowing what he is talking about. The technique demonstrations are clear and conducted safely. Much of MMA training revolves around cardio training, but Brian pushes the envelope with building POWER. As a former power lifter, he puts together routines that will definitely boost your strength in the cage.

Even if you aren't cage fighting, Klaus's DVD can easily be translated to a hardcore home fitness lifestyle or to other MMA related sports such as Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Kickboxing etc. If you have a need for power and want to do it in a way that won't sacrifice speed, explosiveness or cardio, this is the DVD for you.

I was even more impressed by his connection to Tony Cecchine and his catch wrestling background as well. Great DVD by Paladin. (Literally everything I get from Paladin is super professional and helpful)

Paladin Press Product Reviews

2010-12-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

I recently received three products from Paladin Press and they all were very impressive.

The first product was THE BAD ATTITUDE GUIDE TO GOOD CITIZENSHIP. This was the first time I opened a book and found myself nodding and agreeing with nearly everything on every page. Claire Wolfe retells a variety of events that caused her to just plain get angry at how things are going in the USA. She uses this anger, combined with some easy instructions to show how we can all be fed up and still do something to put the country back on track. I found the book to be well written and eye opening. If you are mad as hell about what's happening to our country and want to how to do something about it, get this book immediately.

The second product was EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY FUN STUFF FOR BOYS WHO NEVER REALLY GREW UP. This is sort of a sampling of some of Paladin's more outrageous titles. This book covers everything from Dumpster Diving correctly to how to handle an armed roadblock. It's a fun look at subjects that you never knew there were actual experts for. A great Christmas gift for the person who has everything.

The last product was the DVD series, DEFENSE DANS LA RUE. This brutal French street fighting martial art was used to subdue the dangerous gangs of old Paris. This amazing martial art is still applicable today. There are techniques I've never seen anywhere else before that deal with street situations. We're talking about fully clothed attackers (not no-gi grappling or fancy head kicks) and how to defend yourself against them fighting even dirtier than they do. I loved this set and am sure you will too.

As always, Paladin delivered above my expectations. I have yet to see ANYTHING from Paladin that wasn't worth buying. Check them out for Christmas: www.paladin-press.com

Don Familton "Boxing" by SBGi

2009-09-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Straight Blast Gym was perhaps the first place to say, "Hey, let's do everything 'alive' " meaning with a resisting opponent. Since then, SBGi has produced through it's lineage some remarkable MMA fighters such as Rory Singer and Forrest Griffin.

I had the pleasure of reviewing their boxing material by Don Familton. It is incredible.

Don is an old school boxing trainer who shows boxing for MMA. Dirty tricks, how to box properly for MMA and how to be tough...these are some Familton staples they really blew me away.

Boxing is a sweet science in it's current form. With guys like Mayweather showing the beauty of boxing. But Familton shows the brutality of boxing when demonstrating how to adapt it for MMA. When trying everyone on the DVD's, I really felt my technique improving drastically..and not just my technique, but my confidence.

The set is well priced and provides A TON of information. It's an older set, but is released on DVD and looks/sounds really good. The set consists of 5 discs:

Disk 1 - Superior Fundamentals

Disk 2 - Superior Combinations and Power

Disk 3 - Superior Defense and Strategy

Disk 4 - Superior Sparring and Dirty Tactics

Disk 5 - Don talks Boxing

If you are in the market for a boxing set that will help in MMA, streetfighting or even conventional boxing, this is the set you've been looking for. For $139.00 you can't go wrong.

Order directly from: http://www.straightblastgym.com/

EVERLAST-Muhammad Ali Signature Line of Products

2009-08-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

Everlast has "shocked the world" with it's latest line of Muhammad Ali signature products.

These products are beautifully crafted, priced surprisingly low and capture the nostalgia you'd expect from an Ali product.

The gloves are gorgeous, with a rustic old time color that will make you think of your dad's old boxing gloves that were hung up in the garage. The construction was very impressive and the fit extremely comfortable.

The marketing package that came with the products was VERY well put together and expressed Everlast's appreciation of Ali's legacy and contributions to the sport. It is a classy promotional strategy that fits the product and the man well.

The Ali handwraps were also great. Comfortable, easy to use and also had a nostalgic flavor to them.

If you are a fan of Ali, these products are must have collectibles. If you simply want quality training equipment, this line fits the bill as well. I can't overestimate how impressive these products are and for the price they are being offered, it's a deal you cannot pass up.

(PS, they also offer signature medicine balls and focus mitts)

"Boxers". More than just about women boxers.

2009-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Joanna Kohler brings to the screen a topic that is still taboo in many ways...women's boxing.

Kohler chronicles the lives of seven women who are training for the world's largest amateur boxing tournament. What we find is that ring is only a small part of the fight that these women go through to conquer their own fears, doubts and limitations.

I would like to start off by saying, this movie surpasses the sport of "boxing". It really is a story of personal struggle and triumph with the sport of boxing being the chosen path for the women involved. I found all the women's reasons for choosing boxing as a way of expression to be meaningful and profound. This documentary would be enjoyed by fans of boxing, but like the documentary "The Smashing Machine" (which tells the story of MMA champion Mark Kerr and becomes less about MMA and more about his struggles in life), it is more about life than sport. I feel it is very important to support independent filmmakers and especially those who are bringing unique social perspectives to the table like Kohler has.

If you are a fan of women's issues, boxing or just plain interesting documentaries, I would recommend you pick up a copy of Boxers today. This thought provoking film is a "knockout"..ok, that was pretty cliche'. Trust me though, it's really good!

To order Boxers, please visit: http://www.kohlerproductions.com/buy.html

WEC: Disaster for Torres

2009-08-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not even going to comment on the other fights, because I wasn't really into any of them. The Garcia fight was decent, but I thought he lost. I was happy Cruz won because I don't like Benavidez. But obviously the main attraction was Bowles vs. Torres.

I like Torres, but I was nervous for him going into this fight. To me, it had the same feel of the first Faber vs. Brown fight. You have a highly touted champion facing a guy who is stronger and has more punching power. While I had a feeling that Torres might lose, I had no idea it would be that fast and that decisive.

Bowles looked far bigger when the two were in the ring. That's not really a surprise, considering Torres is notoriously thin looking. But Bowles looked really really big. Immediately Bowles tested Torres' chin with some power and it was the beginning of the end. I was impressed with Torres' ability to recover after being rocked early, but after being knocked down hard again, it was just a matter of time. Torres was very relaxed, maybe too relaxed, when he tried to work the guard. Bowles did what is normally very rare, and KO'd Torres from within his guard.

Brian Bowles is a strong and talented fighter. He went in there and took the title. In doing so, he made me wonder how Torres could ever win the belt back. It was an embarrassing loss for Torres, but one I'm not sure he can avenge. A year ago Torres and Faber seemed unbeatable. Today, both are on a second tier, behind champions they just don't seem to be able to overcome.

UFC 101: Penn and Silva victorious

2009-08-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

UFC 101 answered a lot of questions. Could Anderson Silva put on a highlight reel performance again? Could BJ Penn come back from his one sided loss to GSP?

Tonight the answer to both was an emphatic yes.

Penn, who rededicated himself to strength and conditioning after his loss to GSP, looked rebuilt and performed at an even pace the whole fight. It appeared his strategy was to stay calm and look for areas to explode, and he did just that. Kenny Florian tried to employ the same strategy that GSP used against Penn, by repeatedly pushing him against the fence and trying to wear him out. Penn kept his cool, remained on his feet and was able to pull away and land strikes each time.

I believe Florian's strategy was over-complicated and perhaps a little too one dimensional. He also appeared strangely hesitant for a guy who "finishes fights", but that could have had something to do with Penn's power, which was displayed at the end of round one by rocking Florian. I think the gameplan that everyone expected and would have been more successful was to fight how Florian has fought his last several fights...stay outside, use kicks and work elbows inside. His surprise strategy backfired by actually allowing Penn to rest on the cage and explode with combinations when the fighters were seperated.

Penn seemed a little cautious the whole fight, respecting Kenny's long range striking and being a little thrown off by Florian's stalling strategy on the fence. While Penn performed up to his ability, I thought a few times during the fight that the passion wasn't there like it had been in previous fights. He hinted at this a little in the post fight interview, saying that he woke up that morning wondering why he even fights. Trust me, I'm glad he does and his thanks to his fans was heart felt and warm. But I do think he's going to have a hard time getting up for fighters like Florian, Sanchez or Edgar.

Penn from day one in MMA has been all about being the best ever. He's a scrapper and has the heart of a fighter. His yearning for legacy-making-fights has defined him over his career . I'm not sure he can stand the grind of preparing for and fighting guys like Florian, Sanchez or Edgar who are not really on the same level.

Strangely, we have the same issue with the 185 pound champion Anderson Silva. Another champion, bored with his competition after cleaning the division and beating the best in the world. Silva, who barely phoned it in against Cote and Leites, has seemed ready for more challenges at the 205 weight class. (Which must be a nightmare for Rich Franklin, who left 185 to escape Anderson Silva). Like Penn, Silva is one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and has skills that are unparalleled in the UFC. But also like Penn, Silva craves marquee fights and doesn't like the drudgery of title defense that have little meaning for his legacy.

That being said, he destroyed the scrappy Forrest Griffin, making Silva look like not only a possible contender at 185, but a potential champion. Griffin will suffer from the perilous downside of a fight like this. How does a guy recover? I hope he looks to Matt Hughes and his rebound after losing to Penn in their first fight. An embarrassing fight can change up training and reinvent a fighters career.

Overall, the other fights were lackluster and the event was saved by Silva and Penn who delivered with huge wins and impressive victories.

Can Kenny Florian Do It?

2009-08-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

With UFC 101 coming up this weekend, the question on everyone's mind is, "Can Kenny Florian win the title?"

I've always been a fan of Florian, who has demonstrated world class BJJ and striking in the UFC. I was intrigued by his "I finish fights" mantra, a clear slap in the face to Sean Sherk who held Florian down for 5 rounds in their title fight. But his strategy in the Roger Huerta fight changed to more of a passive approach that suprised and dissapointed many fans.

BJ Penn is a tall order for most people in any weight class, but at 155 he appears to be unbeatable. With ANOTHER stint of renewed fitness training, Florian appears to be another blip on the radar for the 155 title. Penn, who brings in better BJJ and heavier strikes than Florian, will need to avoid being picked apart from the outside by the ever improving kickboxing of Florian. Penn, who is primarily a boxer in the cage, will need to solve the riddle of an opponent who will be constantly trying to kick and stay on the outside.

It would be very hard to not get finished by Penn in 5 rounds, and I see an uphill battle for Florian here. While he's a great fighter, I see this a little like the buildup for Thales Leites or Thiago Alves, who were both outclassed and hyped beyond their chances leading up to a title fight.

The question will be answered this weekend, but I'd bet on Penn to get the win.

UFC 100. Loved it.

2009-07-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed UFC 100. I thought it was a great event that lived up to the hype.

Even though the event went just about on time, I was disappointed to not be able to see the undercard fighters like Coleman and Jones. Is it possible to do a 4 hour PPV? If so, they should consider it.

The big fallout from this fight was the actions of Brock Lesnar after his beatdown of Frank Mir. I'll tell you right now, if you were offended by this, you're an idiot. People acting so offended by this is ridiculous. I even saw Skip Bayless on ESPN's first take today imply UFC was fake and that fighters "pull punches". This is the type of idiocy that is out there. Nothing Lesnar did was bad and if anything, it just brings more tension and excitement to the brand. I don't believe he was "acting" or slipping into WWE mode. I believe he is a deadly serious guy who was pumped after his victory. I understand Dana being upset, as this is a foothold for idiots like Bayless to try and tear the UFC down..but in reality, Lesnar's post fight antics were completely fine by me.

I purchased UFC 1 on PPV and now UFC 100. I've been along for the whole ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Mancino Martial Arts Shield

2009-07-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

I recently received a Mancino Armor martial arts shield for review. I was very impressed.

The first thing I noticed was the impeccable quality. Very durable outter shell and firmness not often seen by manufacturers who use a cheaper foam inner core.

For those of you not too familiar with these kinds of shields, they come in a variety of sizes and qualities. They are primarily used for kicking, punching or striking in general for practically every style of martial arts out there.

Having been in Karate/Taekwondo since I was 11, I can assure you I've tried nearly every kind of shield out there over the years and this is probably the best one I've had the pleasure of using.

One warning is, that if you are used to the cheaper brands of shields, this one will suprise you with how firm it is. It's a pleasure though to hold, because you don't absorb a lot of the shock you normally get when someone is kicking. I believe it offers a much more realistic kicking surface to the person using it, but don't expect to bury your foot in it, because this thing is tough.

I'd highly recommend professional MMA fighters as well as recreational martial artists to give this shield a try. I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

Everlast Pro Training Boxing Gloves

2009-06-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to try out Everlast's Pro Style boxing gloves this month and I really enjoyed them. They were comfortable, easy to put on the velcro wrist straps were very easy to use.

The gloves have a anti-microbial lining on the inside to combat odor. The entire time I tested the gloves, I never smelled anything bad from the gloves, even with my hands being pretty sweaty after each workout.

Everlast products are becoming my favorite for kickboxing, boxing and MMA. I think most people think of Everlast when they think of boxing gear, but they are now offering so much more. Their brand has even been prominately featured on MTV's "Bully Beatdown", hosted by Jason "Mayhem" Miller.

If you are looking for a solid pair of boxing gloves for an unbelievably low price, order directly from Everlast at www.everlast.com

Interview with Shayna Baszler!

2009-06-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Shayna Baszler made some time to answer some questions before her fight coming up this Friday!

1: The first time I saw you fight was against Cyborg. With her fight against Gina Carano coming up, can you tell us what it was like to fight her and what you would do different if you got in the cage with her again?

Fighting her was exactly as expected. She was really spazzy, aggressive and not very technical. What I would do different in a fight with her again is actually EXECUTE what I am supposed to. I would not stress as much and come in with a much more confident and settled head.

2: How do you see the Cyborg/Carano fight going?

I think Cyborg has the skillset to beat Gina, but I don't think she is a heady enough fighter to execute any sort of gameplan. She will try to stand with Gina, and Gina will beat her with her right hand.

3: Your last fight was a year ago. Anything coming up?

I'm fighting Sarah Kaufman this Friday on Showtime!

4: Who are you primary trainers? Are you still training with Barnett?

Yes, Josh is my main coach and I have a whole slew of trainers on top of that. Bruce Hoyer is my grappling coach, John Arends is my Thai boxing coach, Aaron Pollard my boxing coach, Pete Clausen is my Judo instructor, and Jason and Jeremy at XFitness are my strength and conditioning coaches.

5: Catch Wrestling is always a little controversial, can you tell us a little bit, in your experience, the differences between Catch and BJJ?

The main difference is in the philosophy they use. BJJ says, I don't care where I'm at, you are going to make a mistake, and I'm going to be safe until you do and catch you. Catch wrestling mindset is, I'm gonna be on top and FORCE you to go where I want you to go, FORCE you to make mistakes and then catch you.

6: Some people have claimed that Gina Carano is the face of women's MMA because of her looks. How do you feel about the issue of "looks" in women's MMA?

I think it's fine as long as the girl can also fight. Gina can really throw down so I don't have a problem with it. When it becomes a problem is when a girl has poor abilities in the ring, but still gets pushed over because of how she looks. I have no problem with it if it's used to supplement an already skilled fighters marketing.

7: Was your family supportive of you getting into MMA when you first started?

Not at first. My dad actually said to me that he thought I would only do this until I got my butt kicked then I would realize it's not so fun and quit. But then it happened and I stuck with it. Now that it's a big part of how I make a living, they realize how successful I am and they are super supportive.

8: How does your faith help you prepare for the stress of fighting?

It helps me realize the big picture. That this is just a fight. Actually a small thing. And helps keep my head knowing that I have a family, friends, and a God that loved me BEFORE I got into the ring, so I don't have to prove anything to anyone.

9: You have any sponsors you want to give a shout out to?

Hitman Fight Gear, ESP, Lethal Performance, Room101, Bolt Thrower, XFitness, and the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz

10: Most people know you're into gaming. Any big achievements you want to share or anything new you've been playing that you want to tell everyone about?

I've recently been playing the crap out of the new Street Fighter. And I just got the new Punch Out on the Wii and it is MEGA fun!

Thanks so much for the interview Shayna. You're one of my favorite fighters and I appreciate you making the time to answer some questions for the fans.

Thanx for the support!!!

UFC 99 Preview and Picks!

2009-06-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

UFC 99 is taking place in Germany, this Saturday, June 13th. It's the first foray into mainland Europe for the UFC and promises 6 televised fights. I'm interested to see what the German fans are like and what kind of reception the fighters get. It's also going to have a bit of that PrideFC feel with it being international in a place where English isn't the first language. I am hoping for a great turnout and a successful show in order to help MMA grow in Europe outside of the UK.

There are several interesting fights on the card. Starting from the bottom up I'll make my picks:

John Hathaway Vs. John Story: Hathaway. I'm not too familiar with either fighter, but I'm going to go with Hathaway based on his record and UK fighters have been doing pretty well lately.

Denis Stojnic Vs. Stefan Struve: Struve. I think Struve has a lot of tools and was overwhelmed in his debut. Looking for him to use his range and striking to win this fight.

Paul Kelly Vs. Rolando Delgado: Kelly. I think Delgado is way out of his league here. I'm thinking knockout in the first round.

Paul Taylor Vs. Peter Sobotta: Sobotta. I'm not a huge Paul Taylor fan and I don't know much about Sobotta..but I'll go with Sobotta for the upset.

Dennis Siver Vs. Dale Hartt: Hartt. Dale Hartt just has some great skills.

Terry Etim Vs. Justin Buchholz: Etim. Etim is scary good and Buchholz has yet to impress me yet at the UFC level.

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Mostapha Al Turk: Cro Cop. Cro Cop, though he looked terrible in his last UFC stint, I believe will come out to prove the naysayers wrong and destroy Al Turk.

Spencer Fisher Vs. Caol Uno: Fisher. I actually like both guys, but I think Spencer has more accurate striking and can avoid submissions well enough to pull out the win.

Marcus Davis Vs. Dan Hardy: Davis. This is actually a really tough fight to call. I think Hardy is longer and presents some distance problems for Davis, but Davis has a good chin and much improved wrestling/submissions.

Mike Swick Vs. Ben Saunders: Swick. I think Saunders is a great fighter, but Swick has got the experience and hand speed to win this fight. As long as Swick avoids Saunders slick submissions, he should pull this one off.

Cheick Kongo Vs. Cain Velasquez: Velasquez. I think that Kongo has all the tools and probably the experience to win this fight...but, for some reason Kongo doesn't crush people like you think he could. Velasquez also has some phenomenal striking and an X-factor that I think will help him get the win.

Rich Franklin Vs. Wanderlei Silva: Silva. This pick is more heart than logic. If I try and justify this pick it goes down like this...Silva is coming off an embarrassing loss to Rampage. He will be motivated. He has seen what agressive muay thai did to Rich Franklin in the past..and I still think Franklin has a little bit of a questionable chin. My logic tells me that Franklin has got the better wrestling and long range striking. But I can't count Wanderlei out and think he wins by KO late.

We'll see how I do!

Everlast 7oz. MMA Gloves

2009-06-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

Everlast was kind enough to send me some MMA gloves to try out and review.

The first thing I noticed when I pulled them out of the package was how well made they were. The construction was top rate and putting them on was easy and comfortable. The velcro wrapping around wrist was also very comfortable and snug. They use a dual-velcro attachment on the wrist which really keeps it lined up well.

The gloves are leather, which is great and are lined with a material that wicks moisture away to keep your hands dry and is anti-microbial so the gloves don't smell. The striking surface feels perfect and while these are not the type of glove you see in the UFC, they are great for training. They allow you to do bag work, spar and grapple without changes gloves.

In my opinion, a boxer would benefit from these gloves as well. They would be great bag gloves that would allow some freedom of movement with the hands.

The versatility is what makes these gloves so attractive. I was able to do bag work, grapple, jump rope and open my gatorade all without having to take them off.

Honestly, I wasn't that familiar with Everlast products. But if this product is any indication of the quality and ingenuity of the rest of their products, I would definitely recommend them to anyone. They are worth every dollar.

To purchase these gloves or to check out more from Everlast, you can go to: http://www.everlast.com/

(Their website is also really great)

Strikeforce...real competition for UFC?

2009-06-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Being from the bay area, I've been a fan of Strikeforce from the beginning. I thought the regional model worked great and the second tier and/or displaced fighters on the cards were enough to keep things interesting.

We are really starting to see the fruits of the labor now though with this latest card. First off, the card was stacked. Let's be clear, the guys fighting in Strikeforce right now could compete well at the UFC level. Heck, Strikeforce essentially is at that the UFC level as far as talent. As much as I love WEC, they never put on fights of this caliber in these weight classes (granted, some of the fights were at catch weights). I think that this one event pushed Strikeforce from being a second tier promotion to a legitimate UFC competitor. The real question is, do they have the depth to put events like this on every month? Every other month? That is yet to be seen.

The first fight of the night was Kevin Randleman vs. Mike Whitehead. I was really hoping to some something new and special out of Randleman. I was also hoping to see Mike Whitehead really battle for the finish. I was disappointed on both. But it was still a decent and competitive fight. A nice way to open the show with a couple good names. I think a win by Randleman would have made him relevent and could have reinvented his career. But it's back to the drawing board for Randleman, who apparently needs some more time at Xtreme Couture. Whitehead really gains nothing from this win. It was a lackluster performance against an opponent who people expect to lose as much as win.

The next fight was one I was looking forward to quite a bit..Riggs vs. Baroni. Once again, we have Baroni, a fighter like Randleman who is trying to reinvent himself and put some new legs on his career..against the underachieving Joe Riggs. By all accounts, Riggs is one of the most talented guys in the sport, but he never seems to be able to put it together in the ring. This fight went as a lot of people thought it would, with a solid Riggs outlasting a prone to gassing Baroni. I actually thought Baroni showed some good skills in the first round. But Riggs conditioning and varied attack got him the win. I was a little disappoitned that Riggs didn't finish Baroni, but Baroni is a tough guy and it was a good win for Riggs.

The fight of the night in my opinion was Nick Diaz vs. Scott Smith. Smith showed a ton of heart against Robbie Lawler and was really earning a reputation in Strikeforce as a tough opponent. The ever controversial, and grumpy, Nick Diaz stepped up in weight to take the fight and this win was huge for his career. Nick absolutely pummeled Smith for three rounds. Showing pinpoint boxing and well rounded skills, Diaz destroyed Smith in every aspect of the game. This is the type of loss that a guy goes home and rethinks his career...that's how bad it was for Smith. Diaz is showing the type of efforts in the cage that will get people talking GSP/Diaz soon if he keeps putting on those kind of performances.

Jake Shields stunned Robbie Lawler by stepping up in weight and catching the 185 pound brawler with an arm in guillotine to end the fight in the first round. Shields, who looked awkward standing, managed to survive Lawler's attacks long enough to sink in a tight guillotine. Lawler was gracious in defeat and showed some good sportsmanship. What's next for Shields? Well, Shields and Diaz are training partners and friends..so a fight between those guys looks unlikely. But I think that fight makes the most sense for the division.

The final fight for me to comment on was Arlovski vs. Rogers. Rogers knocks out Arlovski in what must be one of the most embarrassing fights of his career. Former UFC champion, Arlovski showed his trademark glass jaw in a huge win for Rogers. Rogers is still untested, but a victory over Arlovski certainly puts him in the public eye.

In my opinion, this was a total and complete success for Strikforce and the UFC should be watching it's back.

Tony Cecchine "Snap, No Tap!: Volumes 2 and 6"

2009-05-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

Paladin Press was kind enough to send two volumes of Tony Cecchine's newest release "Snap, No Tap!".

Tony Cecchine is a Catch Wrestling instructor, known for his revival of scientific wrestling and his bone snapping techniques. I've had the pleasure of speaking with Tony several times and he is a guy truly dedicated to his art. He's endured constant criticism for his brand of grappling, but has weathered it all to produce what I think is his best material yet.

Snap, No Tap! is the most brutal Cecchine product yet and for good reason..it deals with streetfighting. This isn't a DVD series you buy for clever sport techniques to apply at the gym (though, you may find some). This is series that literally bridges the gap between grappling in the gym and taking care of yourself in the street. I believe, unwittengly, that Cecchine and Paladin have released a "catch wrestling" set that should be owned by every grappler on the planet. If you are in Judo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, these discs will fill in gaps just not taught in the dojo.

In Volume 6 "Ground Fighting", I expected to see a variety of Cecchine's techniques repackaged and reshot for Paladin. Instead, what I found were clever strategies for street grappling and an approach to mindset training rarely seen in grappling. Going over weapons awareness and multiple attacker scenarios, Cecchine brings reality back to grappling. Just as many people watch Kung Fu movies and believe that's what they'll do if they are confronted on the street, Cecchine bursts the bubble of sport grapplers who think they are going to use their newest sport technique to end a streetfight. Cecchine does go over some catch wrestling stand by's with new and impressive instruction. Let me be very clear here, if you do grappling for self-defense, you must by this set. If you are scraping up pennies to buy your next instructional, buy Volume 6 if you can't afford the whole set. It's that good.

In Volume 2 "Takedowns and Throws", Cecchine demonstrates takedowns that are street-safe for you and brutally damaging for your opponent. The impressive thing for me in this set is how Cecchine cleary has a complete system. He is integrating striking, striking defense, throws/takedowns and ground fighting to present probably the best street fighting series Paladin Press has ever put out. Volume 2 is much more than a series of techniques, it also has extremely thorough explanations on why you should do one thing and not another. Believe it or not, this is fairly rare for instructional material. Usually it's a bunch of, "ok, this is what you do if a guy does this". Cecchine puts a whole fighting philosophy out there and shows that a lot of thought has went into keeping you in one piece. You will learn some great new takes on taking someone down and at the same time, gain more of Cecchine's masterful insight on how to approach a street encounter the right way.

Paladin Press has outdone themselves. I can't see how this set could be anything else but successful. Take it from someone who has seen a lot of instructionals, you haven't seen things that are taught on this set. Anyone, beginner or advanced, will benefit from this set. But I truly feel that every grappler out there should own this complete set. If you buy one set of instructionals this year, buy Tony Cecchine's "Snap, No Tap!".

To purchase this set, or view other great instructional material,
please visit www.paladin-press.com

IKF Point Kickboxing in Santa Clara Today

2009-05-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Today I headed over to Santa Clara, Ca to watch some IKF Semi-Contact Point Kickboxing. I had a buddy fighting in one of the lighter adult weight classes and wanted to show up and give him some support.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the ref was kickboxing legend Johnny "Superfoot" Davis. He was funny, interacted with the spectators and controlled the action well.

The sign behind the fighters said, "Your first step out of the gym". It was a great slogan because Semi-Contact Point Kickboxing is a great way to get your feet wet in real competition. Sparring in you own school with the same people over and over doesn't really test you as does competing in an event like this.

Actually, this was a large martial arts event that offered competition for a variety of martial arts. There was everything from point sparring to weapons forms. The event was well represented by a number of Japanese, Chinese and Hawaiian stylists. The kids at the event all appeared to have a great time and many people from the traditional schools competed in the point kickboxing competition.

One great thing about the kickboxing was the sportsmanship between competitors. There was a lot of glove touching, hugging and respect shown during the fights. This was in stark contrast to the behavior of some of the coaches. Some of the coaches (who appeared to represent traditional martial arts schools) bordered on embarrassing with disruptive and disrespectful behavior. Johnny Davis took a lot of heat from the coaches but handled it with humor and respect.

This type of thing has plagued tournaments, I imagine, since they were started. I competed quite a bit in the late 80's, 90's and early 2000's and it's the same thing every time. Why middle aged men who teach respect and discipline in their schools cannot demonstrate it in public at these tournaments is beyond my understanding. Like I told my wife, "Unfortunately, you see some of the worst behavior at martial arts tournaments and that is really too bad."

That was just a minor issue though on what I thought was an entertaining and well run event.

I encourage everyone to check out http://www.ikfkickboxing.com/PKB.htm and support these events. They offer an awesome opportunity for young fighters to step in there and compete. I would recommend just going as a spectator as well. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Next time they are back in my neck of the woods, I'm definitely going to go again and check it out.

The Ultimate Fighter 5/27/09

2009-05-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Great episode this week that showed who had heart and who didn't.

I was still really disturbed (apparently along with the rest of the cast) by Jason Pierce. He really should be tossed out of the house and it's a disgrace to let him stay in there. For him to walk around like that and play sick for Dana and then act like he was robbed is a joke. Then to lie in the car to everyone about how Dana would not let him fight due to the injury was just embarrassing.

I thought Frank Lester showed some courage by getting in there after a brutal fight a couple days earlier. Frank is game and with some more skills, could really be fun to watch. It was a little frustrating to watch him completely ignore or do the opposite of every instruction Henderson was shouting, but hey, he got the job done.

David Faulkner lived up to what Bisping said in episode one...weak mentally. His quirky mouthpiece issues were just one small indicator of how not ready this guy is for the big stage. He's go some nice skills in training, but has no excuse for losing that fight. Not coming out for the third round when he was able to talk and communicate with his corner was shameful. Fighting when you don't think you can is 100% mental. I don't see how he can fix that, but maybe some time with a sport psychologist can bring his mental game on par with his physical skills.

I do think his actions in the locker room were disrespectful as well. To say you enjoyed the fight when you wouldn't come out for the third round is a slap in the face to other fighters who deserved to be there.

Overral a good episode and I'm looking forward to seeing how the season turns out.

UFC 98 Results

2009-05-23T21:56:00.001-07:00

I was a little off here and there.

I was surprised by Sherk's strategy. Sherk just has such short arms that I can't think of a single fight where his striking doesn't always come up an inch or two short.

I really think Matt Serra won that fight. Rd. 1 for Serra. Rd.2 for Hughes. Rd.3 I thought was fairly even with an edge on striking to Serra and a takedown each. The difference maker for me in the third round was that Hughes didn't push to finish Serra when he had him down and Serra threatened with submissions. Conversely, when Serra was on top of Hughes at the end, he was dropping bombs. Close fight, but I would have had to go with Serra. No matter what you think of the decision, Serra proved his point. He was the superior striker, he did more damage on Hughes and Hughes was a one trick pony who layed on Serra for the win.

It was pretty sweet seeing Machida win that title. I am a fan of both guys, but that was just a great display of skill in there.

Congrats also to Sonnon who, while being booed undeservedly, was impressive in my opinion.

UFC 98 PICKS

2009-05-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here are my picks. I'm pretty sure I'll be 100% correct. haha

Evans vs. Machida: Winner Machida

Hughes vs. Serra: Winner Serra

McFedries vs. Professor X: Winner Professor X

Dan Miller vs. Chael Sonnon: Winner Chael Sonnon

Sean Sherk vs. Frank Edgar: Winner Sean Sherk

Brock Larson vs. Mike Pyle: Winner Brock Larson

Pat Berry vs. Tim Hague: Winner Pat Berry

Phillpe Nover vs. Kyle Bradley: Winner Phillipe Nover

Krzysztof Soszynski Vs. Andre Gusmao: Winner Krysztof Soszynski

Yoshiyuki Yoshida Vs. Brandon Wolff: Winner Yoshida

Dave Kaplan Vs. George Roop : Winner George Roop

Keith Kizer on "Greasing" and NSAC Regulations

2009-05-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to speak with Keith Kizer this afternoon concerning some issues around greasing in MMA. I didn't delve into specifics around BJ Penn's NSAC issue, out of respect for the fact it's an ongoing issue with legal ramifications. But Mr. Kizer was gracious enough to spend a little time talking about the spirit of the rules and how they are in place to keep MMA fair and uniform for all competitors.

For anyone who is interested, the exact regulation relating to the Penn case is NAC 467.598 subsection 2. It states:

"The excessive use of grease or any other foreign substance may not be used on the face or body of an unarmed combatant. The referees or the Commission’s representative in charge shall cause any excessive grease or foreign substance to be removed."

I've seen forums raging over whether there is actually a regulation that covers this. So there you go.

I asked Mr. Kizer about clothing requirements for fighters as well. Specifically in regard to:

NAC 467.7958 Proper attire for unarmed combatants. (NRS 467.030) An unarmed combatant competing in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts:
1. Must wear shorts approved by the Commission or the Commission’s representative.
2. May not wear shoes or any padding on his feet during the contest.
(Added to NAC by Athletic Comm’n by R070-01, eff. 8-31-2001)

By my reading, I thought perhaps the BJ Penn controversy could be solved in the future by participants wearing rashguards or Aoki style pants (rash guards for the legs). Mr. Kizer stated that rashguards would not be approved for use in an MMA contest. He said that the issue of Aoki's pants has not come up and would require review by the NSAC. He was very clear that the concern is for the fairness of competition and the uniformity of the sport. If wearing the pants presented an unfair advantage for one fighter over the other, they would be prohibited. He cited an example of a fighter's shorts having a rubberized crotch/inseam that allowed for better grip during armbar attempts. The shorts were not approved for in ring use.

The issue of uniformity was also very important to Mr. Kizer. He relayed to me examples of sports that have technological advancements that change the game and don't allow for historical comparisons. For instance, wooden tennis raquets vs. new composite raquets. Or record breaking swimming suits in swimming. It becomes impossible to compare athletes in the past with modern athletes if too many pieces of the game have changed.

The final subject I asked about concerning things not specifically in the regulations and how much leeway the commission has to make judgement calls. Mr. Kizer stated that the commission does have authority to make judgement calls that are reasonable to insure the spirit of the regulation is being followed. The regulations state that fighters must wear approved shorts, but it's the commission's judgement on what is safe or not safe for MMA. For instance, sequins on shorts might be fine for boxing, but not safe or appropriate for MMA.

Overall, I was really happy with Mr. Kizer's explanations and willingness to take the time to talk about the NSAC rules with the public. I'm not sure how BJ Penn's case will shake out, but hopefully we now all have a better idea of the rules that are in dispute.

Sang Kim (turtle press) LOTS of DVD's

2009-05-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

There are several DVD's from Turtle Press that I need to review and I'm going to try and cover it all in one post here.

First off, every company I work with has different strengths. Turtle Press's strength is their friendly service. They are absolutely one of the most responsive and customer service oriented companies I've worked with. Money is tight these days and you don't want to waste it or get ripped off. If you are looking at something from Turtle Press, you know you are dealing with quality products and good service.

First we have Taegeuk Poomse. These are basically the Taeguek Poomse from WTF Taekwondo, demonstrated by TKD phenom and master teacher Sang Kim. Absolutely great DVD that will help you learn your forms at home and supplement your class training.

Second we have Joong Bong Fundamentals & Patterns. The Joong Bong is a short stick. It's a great weapon to learn because so many things can be "Joong Bongs" in a self-defense situation (broom, stick etc.). Master Kim covers all aspects of this weapon, including forms. Fantastic DVD.

Advanced Joon Bong is another disc that takes over where Joong Bong Fundamentals left off. There are three advanced stick forms as well as more complicated techniques. Great companion to the first disc in the seris.

Complete Sparring 1&2 is a GREAT disc for TKD competitors as well as any fighter looking for lessons on strategy. Sang Kim is fast, technical and shows you how to do what he has done to become a champion. I've been involved in sport karate and TKD for years and I really enjoyed this set.

The next disc is Complete Kicking. Master Kim demonstrates the many kicks of TKD. While some of these kicks may not be easy to learn, they are necessary for advancement in TKD. Often times it's hard to practice these at home without an instructor. But this disc allows you to learn from a master.

Ssang Bong: Double Sticks. Like the Joong Bong DVD, this one covers a versatile weapon, demonstrated by a true master. This disc includes forms and techniques. Great self-defense applications as well.

Another disc I received was Jang Bong: Long Stick. Same as I said for the other stick based DVD instructionals, incredible techniques and forms taught by an incredible martial artist.

Junsado Fundamentals, Standing & Ground Combat. This is a must have for any TKD practitioner of any branch of TKD (or any martial art for that matter). Sang Kim has taken his formal and traditional TKD experience and used it to create a street system for self-defense. A comprehensive system that includes strikes, takedowns and ground fighting, I was impressed with Kim's knowledge and committment to this instructional. I really feel this is a must have for many traditional martial artists who want to look at transitioning some of their techniques from the tournment to the street.

www.turtlepress.com

Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming "Taiji Wrestling, Taiji 37 Postures Martial Applications, Taiji Pushing Hands 1&2"

2009-05-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, LOTS of material here.

These are three separate discs from Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. As I've stated in other reviews, it doesn't get much better in Chinese martial arts than Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. His discs have the highest production value of anything I see. The academic sections of the discs could be used in college courses and the technique itself is authentic.

Taiji wrestling is an instructional covering Shuai Jiao. This material is all about disrupting your opponents balance and taking him down. It's a little more traditional than you would see in an MMA class, but still effective. In fact, I believe a wrestler or MMA fighter could benefit from the lessons in this disc.

Of course, any practicioner of Taiji who is wanting to add more martial elements to his game will love this disc. I would recommend it highly.

The second disc sent was Taiji 37 Postures Martial Applications. As I just previously stated, if you are a Taiji (or Tai Chi) person looking to add martial applications to your Taiji, you've just hit gold. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming brings the pain back to Taiji. He shows why this modern exercise was formed as a highly effective combat art. Regardless of your branch of Taiji, you can apply these applications to your training. Once again, outstanding material.

Finally, we have Taiji Pushing Hands 1&2. Pushing hands is hard to experience via disc, but if you are learning it in class, you can really get your pushing hands to another level with this disc. An incredible amount of theory and subtle technique adjustment is presented here. A must have for pushing hands practitioners.

Everything I get from YMAA is professional. No hype advertising. No flashy instructionals. Just straight forward and technical study material. Always one of my favorites.

www.ymaa.org

Paladin Press "COMBAT SANSHOU"

2009-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

This series by Wim Demeere is probably the first example of a Chinese fighting art that is made for the street. Not to say that traditional systems wouldn't be effective in a fight. But COMBAT SANSHOU is an in your face system of basic and intense moves to end a conflict quickly.

This is a three disc series that focuses on upper body strikes, kicking/sweeping and throws/groundfighting.

The first disc is a pretty good primer on strikes such as the jab, cross and uppercut. Demeere shows some good angles and ways to generate power. He branches out into forearm and elbow strikes, which work better at a closer range. Finally, he shows defenses to a variety of strikes. It's a very good and thorough examination of upper body striking. Paladin's material is usually really good and it doesn't fail here.

The second disc focuses on kicks, knees and sweeps. There is some pretty unique information here on balance and maintaining a strong base. I actually learned some new things that I hadn't seen before on video and that is always exciting. The sweeps section was also very good and an area of martial arts not taught much these days.

The third disc is all about throws and joint manipulation. The throws were really good and this disc would be an excellent resource for someone looking for self-defense style throws. The joint manipulation section was good, but a good BJJ instructional would probably be a nice supplement after learning what Demeere shows.

Overral, this is a great set that demonstrates a well rounded system of self-defense. If you are looking for a Chinese system that will offer youa street and MMA style approach, this is what you need.

Paladin Press
www.paladin-press.com

JD Penn Interview

2009-05-16T17:33:00.001-07:00

I spoke with JD Penn and he has agreed to an interview. I'm hoping to get some more info and get that up here soon.

Working on some reviews

2009-05-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Should be getting some reviews out for Advanced Krav Maga by David Kahn and a few Paladin titles such as Combat San Shou and hopefully the new Tony Cecchine set.

Hot ass weather in California this weekend. I also got that thing you hang in your doorway and do chin-ups on. Most likely I'll go from fat to ripped within the next 7 days.

The Ultimate Fighter

2009-05-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

I watched The Ultimate Fighter last night and was really suprised about a couple of things.

First off, the fight was pretty decent. It was a shame that Whitson couldn't really train due to his infection. But I thought his face saving speech at the end, while semi-humble, didn't address the real problem in that fight..which is that Ross was 10 times better. Whiton is raw but I just don't see much potential in him. No submissions. No wrestling. No power or crispness in his striking. In the wrestler to MMA world he'd be known as a grinder. A grinder can get pretty far, look at John Fitch. But a guy who is a grinder on the feet isn't really someone who is going to make waves in MMA.

The house as usual is just insane. I'm not sure about a lot of these guys, but they just seem so mentally weak. I give nearly everyone on that show the benefit of the doubt because of the way it's all edited and everything...and I also understand that guys aren't going to get along. But you're in the place for 6 weeks and you can't just eat, sleep and train? It's no different then heading to Iowa to train with Miletich and living in the gym. Sure you're away from family and friends. Sure you are training to the point of breaking. But man up. If this is what you want, then this is a dream opportunity.

Once again, I know the show is edited to create drama, but Pierce is really looking bad. He is a nobody MMA fighter who thinks that he knows how to train better than Cyrille and Hendo. I understand he's hurt, but he's missing the whole point of what Hendo is trying to teach. If you only "listen to your body", you'll never push beyond your own limitations. It's only by going beyond where you think your body can go that you will make it to another level. I've had the EXACT same injury as he has and it's painful, but all that hoping around and crying is drama. If I were Hendo I'd pull a BJ Penn on him and say, "Man up or get out". Every season there are guys who find ways to get off the show or take the pressure of. He looks like one of them.

Roy Dean "Art of the Wristlock"

2009-05-13T15:29:00.001-07:00

Here is the thing...when someone does something that no one else has done, it makes me happy. Roy has done this with his Art of the Wristlock DVD.

Wristlocks are legal in BJJ. Not many people know this. And Roy shows how to apply some nasty wristlocks in the BJJ game.

It's an outstanding production with a series of technical instructions for pulling off moves I guarantee very few people are using right now in BJJ.

Roy Dean is the gold standard of BJJ instructional DVD's right now in my opinion. If you are a beginner or an expert, I highly recommend his material. Check it out at www.roydeanacademy.com

Wallid Ismail "Panther Productions BJJ Series"

2009-05-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

Is this series old? Yes. Is it incredibly poor in production? Yes. Is it voiced over and hard to understand? Yes. Is it STILL one of the best BJJ series' on the market? YES.

This has been and still is one of my favorite BJJ series on the market. Wallid Ismail is perhaps on the most underrated BJJ practioners of all time. With wins over Royce Gracie in pure grappling and some of the best pure BJJ on the planet, you'd think he'd be better known, but he's really kept a low profile. Of course, a lot of BJJ guys know about Wallid but even then, I don't think he gets the respect he deserves. There have always been more popular guys out of the Carlson Gracie camp such as Mario Sperry, Vitor Belfort and even Stephan Bonnar. But Wallid was the true "destroyer" of the old Carlson team.

This sounds like a joke, I know, but if you don't have this series, BUY IT. It is THAT good.

Vladislav Koulikov "Sambo"

2009-05-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Sambo is a Russian martial art that is grappling oriented and similar to Judo. It can be applied in a sport arena or on the street. Vladislav Koulikov is a Sambo expert with a great reputation in sport grappling and Sambo instruction.

Ok...this is a lot of a material and a BIG set of DVD's. I'll start off by saying right off the bat, I'm very impressed. I'll say a few things about each volume then sum up my total review at the end.

THROWS/TAKEDOWNS: This is a GREAT DVD. I've seen a lot of material concerning throws and takedowns and Master Koulikov really knows his stuff. Some of the throws are unique to Sambo and have interesting applications. I like Master Koulikovs teaching style and even the most complex throw is easily understood. There is material on here you've never seen before and I was quite impressed with the skill level and ease of application.

ARM, WRIST and SHOULDER LOCKS:Awesome. I've never seen one DVD spend some much time on upper body locks. You get A LOT of material here folks. There are no show holds and while some of the locks get pretty complex and maybe 2 years ago would have seemed "not applicable", guys like Karo Parysian have shown that intricate locks are possible and worth learning.

LEG, FOOT & ANDLE LOCKS: Ok, this is the DVD I was waiting for. Sambo is famous for it's leg locks. I have some Sambo material on leg locks and let me tell you, it is totally sub-par when compared to this DVD by Master Koulikov. The instruction is clear. The material is solid. The amount of techniques is unheard of. I was blown away by this DVD and it was nearly worth the price of the entire set alone.

CHOKING TECHNIQUES: The choking techniques go from the basic to the ultra complex. Which is good in my opinion because sport grappling is getting so technical, anything new can give you that edge. I like how each technique builds off of each other. This disk flows well with the other disks in the series and you really feel like you are just getting an insane amount of material in each DVD.

MOUNT & SIDE MOUNT: I've been in BJJ for years and this tape showed me some subtle things to improve my game. The Mount and Side Mount techniques presented are not found in your BJJ school. Some new stuff here and as any grappler knows, it's a lot harder to keep the mount than you think. At this point in the series, I've found that Sambo is much more technical than I had thought.

BACK ATTACKS & ESCAPES: Simply astounding work here. You simply cannot find this much time devoted to this subject anywhere else. Fantastic techniques, loads of techniques...there is so much to learn when you have the back or when you need to escape. Sambo has some great answers to these positions.

GROUND FIGHTING COMBINATIONS: I loved this DVD because it is the one thing neglected in EVERY series on the market. Sure, you get some transitions. But this is truly the bridge between being a beginner and getting to those higher levels of grappling. This is my second favorite disk in the series because it puts it all together.

WINNING TOURNAMENT TECHNIQUES: Another great disk and worthy of any sport grapplers collection. Grappling in an event is not the same as grappling in your home dojo. There are strategies for victory that Master Koulikov presents that are very worthwhile. This guy has been there and you feel lucky that he is sharing these techniques and strategies with you. Take your sport game to the next level.

FITNESS WORKOUT: This was actually my least favorite DVD of the series. Believe it or not, I was really looking forward to this one as well. I was hoping it was a workout you could follow along with. Something like if you were in his class and he was working you out. But instead it is a series of exercises that he presents in a "this is one I do in my class" type of structure. If you are an instructor and are looking for things to add to your grappling class, this DVD is good. But if you are a home trainer and looking to be led through a workout with Vladislav Koulikov, you'll be disappointed. This isn't to say you can't create your own workout, or that there isn't good stuff in here. But it's not a 1 on 1 workout that you can pop in and follow along with.

STREET FIGHTING TECHNIQUES: This is a really interesting DVD. I have to be honest and say that I am not comfortable grappling when guns and knives are present. That being said, there are some pretty interesting techniques in here. I would say this is much better material than you get in the Self-Defense book by Charles and Royce Gracie. This DVD does one thing though that I think makes it invaluable. It reminds the sport or even street grappler about the dangers of weapons and street attacks. This is something that is so neglected these days.

Ok, the ONE glaring omission on this set. Where is the guard? Maybe Sambo doesn't contain the guard. I don't know. But I would have loved an entire DVD devoted to how Sambo approaches the guard. How do Sambo guys use the guard? How do they escape the guard? I wish I knew.
Overall, this set is outstanding. It covers sport and street in a clear and concise way. Master Koulikov is the real deal. He is a great instructor and while he looks a little nervous in front of the camera sometimes, I think his obvious skill comes across very well. The production value is good, though there are some sound blurbs every now and then when they hit the mat. This is probably THE best set on grappling I have and I would recommend it to any grappler out there.

The price is RIDICULOUSLY low and the technique to dollar ratio is out of this world. Shogun Media has really done it with this series and I would feel very comfortable with any of their material at this point. Top notch grappling at a low price. What more can the home trainer ask for?

Sang Kim "Vital Point Striking"

2009-05-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to review this book. Turtle Press always puts out the best material and I've had a fascination with Vital Point Striking.

Let's be clear, I've reviewed other vital point striking books in the past and hated them. This one is GREAT. It's realistic, EXTREMELY technical, uses an eastern and western explanation and is applicable.

Kim even explains the difficulty in applying some of these techniques when attacked, which is an honest breath of fresh air in a subject so usually shrouded in mysticism and mistruths.

I believe ANY martial artist, in ANY discipline can benefit from reading this book. I have only made the recommendation a few times. Kim is a technician and clearly a great teacher. If you have any interest on knowing where to hit, grind or attack to cause the most damage or pain in your opponent, check out this book now.

Eddie Bravo "The Twister DVD"

2009-05-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Eddie Bravo. The name conjures up several images. Maybe when you think of Eddie you think of him slapping on a super tight triangle on Royler Gracie. Maybe you think of him as a UFC celebrity scorekeeper. Maybe you think of him talking about his male cameltoe in a youtube video clip.

Whatever image of Eddie Bravo you conjur up probably has some basis in reality and that is obvious when you watch The Twister DVD. Bravo is half jiu-jiutsu mad scientist, half comedian. It's interesting to watch Bravo commentate on several of his matches. You see him developing his own brand of jiu-jitsu before your very eyes. Watch the pre-rubber guard Eddie battle through blue belt competition with nothing but a half-guard sweep and of course...The Twister.

The Twister is Bravo's equivalent to the wrestler's guillotine. But with his endless setups and entries, this isn't just some high school wrestling move that happens to catch a guy or two off guard. I've heard criticism about The Twister and Eddie's jiu-jitsu. It's totally unfounded. Whatever you think about Eddie Bravo, the guys jiu-jitsu is insane. It works. The whole package of techniques and strategy are NOTHING like your regular run of the mill BJJ. Maybe you don't like to admit that a guy like Bravo can innovate BJJ...but he can and did.

Is Eddie Bravo offensive? Yes. Does his personality sometimes overshadow his grappling genius? Yes. But The Twister DVD is a great look at the Jiu-Jitsu and the man himself. Funny, rude, clever, witty, talented..that's Eddie Bravo. The Twister DVD is grappling with charisma (imagine that concept). I highly recommend it.

Yong Kil Song "Tang Soo Do Vol. 2 Black Belt Forms"

2009-05-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

Tang Soo Do is a fantastic Korean martial art, made famous by Chuck Norris.

I learned about Tang Soo Do when I was a kid and was taking Karate. I would see Tang Soo Do competitors at the tournaments and they would do very well. I've always had an interest but never had a school in my area to check out. I participated in Taekwondo as an adult and was very interested to view this DVD to compare the differences in Korean martial arts.

Master Song, Young Kil is a very technical and strong martial artist. The demonstrations of the forms and the instruction are top rate. His movements are crisp and there is a lot here that is very familiar from Taekwondo. The forms are different but the similarities in the Korean arts are noticable. There are strong hard movements combined with sharp footwork and a great sense of speed.

I am not familiar with Tang Soo Do forms, so evaluating a black belt forms DVD is difficult. But I have a strong background in traditional martial arts and I have to say that Song, Young Kil is the real deal. These are not "showy" forms, set to hip hop music. This is real traditional martial arts. This is not the type of stuff you learn in McDojangs in your local strip mall. This is legitimate forms training.

If you are looking for strong and straightforward forms training in Tang Soo Do, this DVD is for you. No frills, but filled with content. This DVD is a great purchase for a new blackbelt or an advanced martial arts who would like a solid reference for home study.

Paul Vunak "Advanced Trapping"

2009-05-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

I got this video as a package deal with a few others. It goes into "trapping", which is a range of fighting between punching range and grappling range.

This could be a great video. I don't know, because I just didn't "get it". Vunak is clearly a world class martial artist in the trapping range, but the techniques are so fast and so advanced, I got literally NOTHING out of it.

I felt like I was watching Paul Vunak do trapping and I thought, "Wow, he's scary good". But it didn't feel like an instructional as much as a demonstration. I have no doubt that if you reach a high level of trapping skill, you could apply it in a fight. It's brutal arm bruising stuff. But this video just did nothing for me. Sorry, Paul.

I'm giving it 3 stars because while I didn't understand or get anything from it, there are perhaps students of Jeet Kune Do or Wing Chun out there who could learn from this trapping master.

Tony Cecchine's "Catch Wrestling Titanium Package"

2009-05-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

When it comes to street grappling, there is Tony Cecchine and then there is everyone else. Tony's material is THAT good and I was lucky enough to receive everything he offers for review.

Tony Cecchine is a controversial figure in the world of martial arts. He was recently named one of the 20 most lethal streetfighters by Black Belt Magazine. Tony has had his share of critics as well such as Matt Furey and Eddie Bravo to name a few. I've been lucky enough to see everyone's material and am here to give MY take on Tony Cecchine's catch wrestling.

First off, Tony is damn strong. He is also quick and technical despite a severe lower back injury. For those who have said he's not for real, I don't believe it. Just watching him move and teach I know he is knowledgable and an excellent coach. For those who claim his submissions are "show holds", I couldn't disagree more. His submissions are straight up applicable in grappling. I've seen far more unrealistic moves from accepted grappling legends like Gene Lebell. So if you've heard that comment about Tony, just throw it out the window.

I'll start with the cornerstone of Tony's collection, the Lost Art of Hooking series. I feel this series is top rate. Tony, contrary to some other reviews I've read, does not just show submissions without setups. He goes in depth about leverage, control and when to apply the techniques. This is not Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so there is not a set "position" achieved before going for a submission, but that does not mean there is not "control". The techniques in LAOH are unique. The few techniques that you may have seen before are explained in much more detail than anywhere else you've seen them. These techniques are the core of catch wrestling submission and I think they can benefit any grappler from any style. They can also stand alone.
Next is Tony's R.I.P. series. Ripping in catch wrestling is the act of causing discomfort in order to manuever someone into giving up a body part for submission. These tecniques cause extreme pain and involve grinding the elbows into vital areas, eye gouging and other "pressure point" type of attacks that open a guy up. This isn't for sport competition but a cool aspect to grappling that is fantastic for street grappling.

The Seminar Series is a 3 disc set that is a seminar in Chicago that Tony gave on the subject of catch wrestling. It has some cameo's from the likes of UFC Vetern Shonie Carter and Bruce's protege/partner from the LAOH series, Bruce Lee...no, not THAT Bruce Lee. This is accomplished amateur wrestler Bruce Lee. A barrell chested asian powerhouse who shares some of his own secrets such as a fantastic escape from side mount. My favorite part of The Seminar Series was where the seminar participants "go live" while Tony watches.

The Wristlock Seminar is a great seminar that focuses mainly on the top wristlock, a foundation of catch wrestling. This move is known as the "americana" in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Catch wrestling treats this movement completely different and makes it so tight you wouldn't believe it unless you saw/felt it.

Taking It Lightly is a continuation from Tony's The Routine DVD. It highlights Bruce Lee showing some awesome techniques and tips. I enjoyed this DVD perhaps more than any other because Tony himself is very energized and light hearted. In the rest of his DVD's, he's professional, humorous and intense. But in Taking It Lightly he's almost like a kid in a candy store. His demeanor shows his enthusiasm for what he's teaching and his ability to willingly learn from others.

21st Century Fitness is an outstanding and BRUTAL strength and cardio program developed by Tony Cecchine. Lucky 13 is a DVD that demonstrate a series of techniques performed by Tony's students. This DVD has no cuts and goes for a LONG time. Seriously, if you can do this DVD all the way through and keep up with Tony's commands, you have the cardio to do ANYTHING. It is THAT intense. This is not for the lighthearted or beginner. Tony also provides a Lucky 13 Audio Primer with a more gentle (yet still incredibly difficult) audio description of his Lucky 13 DVD. Also in the 21st Century Fitness package is the The Routine DVD. This is a bodyweight only fitness routine. It is brutally intense and will bring amazing strength. Lastly is Tony's Worth The Weight DVD that shows his weightlifting philosophies. He demonstrates some unique techniques and also this DVD shows him curling world record amounts of weight.

Taking it to the Feet is a DVD entirely devoted to a wrestler staying on his feet. This DVD is awesome for strikers as well as wrestlers. I learned an enormous amount on this DVD and can't say enough about it. It also features Bruce Lee showing some fantastic principles on head manipulation and leverage.

Tony also sends a Catch Wrestling CD-ROM with some aweome techniques in .mpg format. I mean, there is SO much in the Titanium package, it's hard to keep finding words to praise it. Finally, you get Wristful Thinking. Wristful Thinking is a 2 CD audio set that has Tony talking about all the intricacies of wristlocks and catch wrestling in general. I've popped it my car CD player and learned so much on my commute.

I've been personally trying these moves and they work. It's hard to get out of the BJJ frame of mind and just wrestle. But when you do it's liberating and I think it's OK to fall into a BJJ position but now my approach is to transition out to a point of control and go for a submission immediately.

If you think Catch Wrestling is submission before position, you'd be wrong. If you think Catch Wrestling is like BJJ but strength oriented, you'd be wrong. Tony's material is unbelievably awesome. This isn't just my opinion, this is my experience after trying some of it out. I'm excited to keep learning and whether Catch Wrestling is your cup of tea or not, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing this entire set as a supplement to your current grappling practice. I would recommend the Titanium Package because it is SUCH a good bang for your buck. And EVERYTHING builds off of and is interchangable with everything else. So if you just buy LAOH you are going to want to buy more and more. You might as well get it all at once for a cheap price.

Dana White on E:60

2009-05-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

I heard a lot about how bad Dana was going to look on this show, but I thought he came across pretty well.

I wasn't sure why Tito thought it was so bad that Dana was happy to see his competition going out of business. Dana works for and owns part of the UFC. Why would he want his competition to succeed? I also didn't get the whole surgery thing. Tito Ortiz is a millionaire and his girlfriend/wife is a multi-millionare. Why would he care about UFC paying for a 70k surgery? Especially after all he did to bad mouth them? If there was no contractional obligation for them to pay, I wouldn't expect for them to do it out of the kindness of their heart. Though, I've heard they do help fighters out with these kinds of acts.

Overall, I think Dana is good for the sport. He's brash and savvy. Look at all the other MMA promotions who "didn't want to act like Dana White." They are gone.

I think many people don't like Dana White because they feel he should be an ambassador for the SPORT. When in fact, he is a businessman who is an ambassador for his company. If you owned a company and had a person that would work and fight as hard for you as Dana does for UFC, you'd be very happy.

My only beef with Dana would be his treatment at times of fighters. I wasn't thrilled to see him push Chuck Liddell into retirement. I'm not really into trashing fighters not under contract, then playing them up when they come to UFC. That is PROMOTION and I understand it. But legitimate sports don't need to promote serious atheletes that way. Leave that "hype" to their sponsors and to promoting the events.

Anyway, decent profile..wish it was longer. Thought Dana came across fine.

Dragondoor declines review request

2009-05-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I know a lot of people have written in asking for reviews for material from Dragondoor (ie. Pavel and his kettlebells).

Dragondoor has declined to submit materials for review based on this site's traffic.

Ed Benneville "The Guard Vol. 1 and 2"

2009-04-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

VOL 1: Passing the Guard is a huge effort on the subject, by Ed Beneville. Many have recently tried to cover this topic in it's entirety with mixed results. Ed was one of the first and I think his book definitely holds up.

The first thing that anyone wants to know about an instructional book is, "Can I apply this material in my training?" The answer here is..yes. I personally have applied a lot of the techniques from this book in my own grappling training. Like any instructional, especially a book, it can have it's shortcomings. For instance, because the pictures have small gaps between transitions, you can make mistakes in application. When I tried some passes, they kept failing. Then my instructor filled in the blanks that weren't completely explained or illustrated in the book. This is no fault of the book or Mr. Beneville, but simply a problem due to the format. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a dynamic and flowing art that simply cannot be totally captured with sectional photography.

On the other end though, I learned some critical details that have helped my game a lot. I know where to put my hands, how to position myself in my base and in general, some cool new approaches for passing the guard. These are things I work on in class normally, but having a book at home is a good refernece to review when you forget something in class that seemed small but in reality is critical.

The book is illustrated very well and the instruction is to the point. As far as instructional books go, this one is top rate. Ed Beneville did everything right with this book. Good topic, good approach, good techniques and easy to follow illustration.

Passing the Guard is a great book for all levels of grapplers.

VOL 2: Joe Moreira and Ed Beneville are grappling legends who you can often read about in the pages of most mainstream martial arts magazines. This book lives up to their reputation.

The Guard covers a wide array of guard techniques. I was happy to see that many positions were covered and many types of guard were utilized in this publication. So often, "the guard" can just be thought of as a position where you are lying on your back and a guy is between your legs. It is so much more than that and this book does a good job exposing many elements of the guard to the reader.

There were some techniques in here that I had never been taught and some things that I just plain forgot about. This makes this book even better in my opinion, because many times in instructional material you get the same techniques and you basically just reviewing the presentation and teaching style. But like I said, I was happy to see some new and cool techniques.

For a beginner, this book will help you build a solid guard. For intermediate and advanced guys, it is a really cool reference.

The Guard is very functional and yet is also beautifully illustrated. I would say it's still a step below the production level we see from Kid Peligro, but overall, it is a very nice book.
I would recommend it to anyone who is a grappler. A non-grappler might be a little confused by the sheer volume and technicality of the effort.

Bruce Tegner "Nerve Centers and Pressure Points"

2009-04-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Bruce Tegner is a pioneer of martial arts in the United States. He was the first to dispell myths and legends in the martial arts. This earned him a lot of hatred from the traditional martial arts community who didn't want these myths busted (mainly so they could sucker white students). Bruce did go a little too far when he became the paperback master of every style on the planet. This basically ruined his reputation forever. Though there is still some good material in some of his books.

This book is a decent look at where pressure points are in the body. It is in no way exhaustive, and many of the "points" are just common sense areas that you learn in your first month of Karate. For instance, hitting someone in the nose or the testicles.

I do like some of the ways he describes hitting vulnerable targets when a person is taller or shorter than you. Also, how effective a particular target is in that situation.

I also like how Bruce demystifies pressure points and explains these points as nerve centers and not as some mystical chi meridian or something. He's a no non-sense westerner when it comes to martial arts and it shows in this text. So if you are into the more esoteric stuff, this book will be a big disappointment.

Basically, if you don't think pressure points are that effective, you don't like esoteric martial arts but you still want to know a few very basic points for striking or control techniques, this book is a good purchase for the money.

Yang Jwing-Ming "Taijiquan"

2009-04-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Taijiquan is an internal style of Kung Fu. It is practiced today for health but also has martial applications. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is a well respected instructor and prolific author in the field of Kung Fu.

This is the best Yang Style Taijiquan DVD on the market. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming in my mind is the most credible instructor out there for this kind of material.

Everything you could want is on this DVD. It is loaded with content. It is beautifully produced. The picture quality is great. The applications are clearly explained. There are TONS of bonuses on the DVD, including a lecture about Taijiquan by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. We're talking 4 hours of material here.

This is a fantastic DVD and if you are a student of Taijiquan, this is an excellent DVD to study. I'm no expert on Tajiquan, but I can't imagine a higher quality DVD on the subject exists.

Paul Crompton "Tai Chi Combat"

2009-04-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

Paul Crompton is an expert in Tai Chi and emphasizes combat applications in Tai Chi practice.

This book was a very good introduction to the combat applications of Tai Chi. While no book can give you the subtle instruction needed to transform Tai Chi into a combat art, it explains several important concepts.

Tai Chi is normally thought of as an asian exercise for health. Some in the martial arts community know it can be a fierce fighting style as well. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find a Tai Chi instructor who teaches or even knows about it's martial possibilities. Crompton gives us a good base to know where to look. And to be fair, he does give some material that is immediately applicable.

ANYONE studying Tai Chi would be well served by owning this book. It is light reading, informative and a perfect compliment to regular Tai Chi practice.

Vladimir Vasiliev "Systema Strikes"

2009-04-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Vladimir Vasiliev is the head Systema instructor on the planet. Located in Canada, his unique "Spetsnaz" training methods are as controversial as they are popular. I find more negative about Vladimir than positive when I search the net. He makes bold claims and sometimes you just have to see it to believe it.

Strikes was an interesting DVD. It is not an instructional. It is more of a demonstration DVD that was taped during a seminar. Of course, the focus of this tape is Strikes.

Vasiliev is a very talented martial artist. His accent is a bit thick so some parts were hard to understand for me. But that is also part of his mystique and charm. Vladimir himself is extremely quick and relaxed. He generates a lot of power and has some unique ways to hit people.

His partners are of the "willing" and "believer" variety it seems, but all seem to appreciate Vasiliev's speed and power. Having a decently trained eye for strikes, I can see that Vasiliev is the real deal.

There are some areas that border on the bizarre during Vasiliev's demo. He seems to brush and rub certain areas of his opponents in order to let them relieve the pain of the strike or catch their breath. I didn't really get it. It seemed cool, but there was no explanation on what was really going on.

There is just as much time devoted on Strikes to Mikhail Ryabko. Ryabko is Vasiliev's mentor and apparent Striking expert. Ryabko is a tough looking individual whose body type misrepresents his power. He is round and cheery, but delivers pain to all willing participants. He also employees bizarre striking that does everything from make people laugh to put them to sleep. All I can say was it was bizarre to watch.

As a demo, it was intriguing and gave me something I normally don't see. I encourage anyyone who has something bad to say about Vasiliev to visit his seminars and give his techniques a try. Systema is a "soft" and relaxed art that may pack quite a punch...or strike.

Vladimir Vasiliev "Systema: Hand to Hand"

2009-04-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Vladimir Vasiliev's Hand to Hand is the first DVD to give a comprehensive look at Systema as a total martial art.

This was a very nice DVD. I enjoyed the style of presentation and the production. Vasiliev dubbed is a clear and believable instructor who clearly can demonstrate skill in Systema.

Systema Hand To Hand covers nearly all levels of hand to hand combat including common street attacks and unarmed methods of defense. Systema uses natural movements to thwart several common attacks. I say "natural" and that is because this is how an untrained person would react. Those of us with training almost have to unlearn what we have learned to get back to our natural state. A beginner probably catches on to Systema quicker than a long time martial artist.
Vasiliev teaches quick and smooth methods of escaping holds. It is not the clumsy "do this and now do that" style you've seen a million times.

Systema's approach to martial arts is more concept and attribute based than "technique" based. A master of Systema has no preset routines it seems but is a person adaptable and creative enough to survive any situation presented.

Overall, if you want to imagine Systema...it's the total opposite of traditional karate. It's more similar to Tai Chi or Bagua, but attempts to be 100% practical in focus.

I don't know if Systema is my cup of tea. It's approach is new and to most martial artists, will seem exotic. Systema exhorts and teaches "psychic" techniques and this is where they get a lot of criticism. None of the techniques I saw involved that, so I can only critique the physical aspects that I saw.

OTM "101 Submissions Vol. 2"

2009-04-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

101 Submissions Vol. 2 is a grappling fans dream come true. It is a TON of submission fights, featuring the worlds best grapplers, condensed with only the best parts being shown...the submission!

This DVD features Jeff Monson, Marcelo Garcia, BJ Penn, Dave Camarillo, Diego Sanchez and MANY more. It contains a section on no-gi and a section on gi only.

It was a fun DVD to watch. Believe it or not I actually was getting worn out from watching. I'm a big fan but this was A LOT of material.

If you are a fan of grappling this is a must own. It is simply the best option out there to owning some of the best submissions ever recorded on film.

Tom Kurtz "Stretching Scientifically"

2009-04-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Thomas Kurz is a stretching and bodyweight strength guru from Poland. His material focus a lot on old school eastern bloc training techniques.

This book should receive 5 stars. The ads show everything from little kids to grandparents in the chair splits.

I tried every "Test" in this book and passed. So technically I should be able to get into a full front and side split. Unfortunately, after MONTHS (more than is portrayed in the book), I could achieve neither. I was actually not much closer than when I began.

Yes, I did get more flexible, as will anyone with the stretch a lot. And I think Kurz's techniques are safe. But I just achieved no results. I was very dissapointed because this was an example where I was convinced by the advertising I could reach a goal I had been shooting for, for a long time.

This is how big of a sucker I am, after the book didn't work, I purchased his video..thinking I MUST have been doing something wrong. I wasn't...it still didn't work.

Also, if you do get this material against all my warnings, let me also say it is painful. Kurz's stretches HURT. The stretching routines were not relaxing or even challenging. They were painful and agonizing. Not good stuff. Stay away.

Scott Sonnon "Soft Work"

2009-04-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

Scott Sonnon is a former Sambo champion and currently a fitness and martial arts visionary who has produced lots of ingenious and controversial material.

Where to start? Let's start at the end of Softwork. Coach Sonnon tells us that this DVD is a hallmark event and what he's doing is something that no one has ever done before. I couldn't agree more. The material on Softwork is revolutionary in that it appears to refine and even change many of our previous conceptions (misconceptions?) of martial arts.

I have to be honest, some parts of this DVD challenged my beliefs. But I am very openminded and I kept listening. Throughout the 3 hours I became a convert. The material covered by Coach Sonnon is mind blowing. You truly have to open your mind and get rid of a lot of dogma that you have absorbed over the years. But once you open yourself to that, you start realizing that what you've learned isn't necessarily wrong, just totally incomplete. It's just that you've not reached the full potential of your previous training. Softwork while a stand alone, can be added to ANY martial art.

Even with all my notes, this DVD is very hard to describe. It's no wonder when Coach Sonnon uses phrases like "deforming the structures with superflous movements" and terms like "tensegrity structure". I mean, how do you put that in a review? You just have to see it.
I'll summarize the material the best I can without giving anything away. Sonnon's theories rise from the concept of absorbing strikes and repositioning your body to counter, based on flowing movements. The core of Softwork is relaxation, evasiveness, absorption, pliability and awareness. Sonnon moves likes a fighter out of the Matrix and makes his training partners look like they're learning to walk. I kept thinking while watching Softwork, "I bet Sonnon is a good breakdancer."

This material is not advanced and it's not basic. It's just natural movements. It's physics applied to observation.

The ground fighting material is also very good. I enjoyed Sonnon's teachings on riding the opponent and obstructing his respiration (pressure on the diaphragm). His weapons segments were also revolutionary. His approach is more conceptial than technique based.
To master Softwork is to become untouchable. To take anything your opponent can give, absorb it and return it.

The production value of Softwork is top notch. It is a class/seminar format and I really enjoyed that. I wish there was more footage of Sonnon correcting people during drills. Because often this is the most helpful material for beginners themselves. There are some audio issues as Sonnon moves or falls. But these are not major and the material is still easy to follow.

Sonnon himself is an interesting guy. He comes across as fit, charismatic and funny. He really enjoys working with his students and has a solid grasp of the material. His teaching style flows nicely and you feel like you are right there in the seminar. The last segment of Softwork is a sum up and Q&A with the seminar participants. I really enjoyed this segment but found the questions from the students and some of the responses hard to hear.

Overall, no other approach has opened my mind like Softwork. It blew me away and I don't even think I can really comprehend all the subtleties in just one sitting. Like I said, Softwork is strange in that it's new...but not new..It's advanced, yet basic. It's how martial arts should be and how you always envisioned them. I'm really at a loss for words on how to describe it. I give it 5 stars and couldn't recommend it more. I think a beginner benefits and an openminded advanced practioner can take his/her training to a whole other level. So go to www.rmax.tv and order Softwork and learn to strike people with your spine. You'll be happy you did. :)

There are very few DVD's I would recommend to EVERYONE, regardless of interest. This is the exception. Learn to work soft and you learn to work right.

Richard Dimitri "The Shredder"

2009-04-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

Richard Dimitri is a Reality Based Self-Defense guru and fight system genius.

The Shredder...wow. This DVD really blew me away. The production is ok but somehow this isn't important. Dimitri is confident and swears, but somehow this fits. The Shredder is brutal and effective, that's what I was looking for.

The Shredder is an combination of scratching, clawing, gouging and every other dirty trick you can think of. It's all those things applied to the face, head and neck. It's a brutal and psychologically damaging way to attack someone (or defend yourself). I found myself thinking, "Ok, that is common sense" but having never have thought of putting it together like Dimitri has.
What I also liked is that Dimitri has tested The Shredder in the labratory of his school. He has refined it and applied scientific process to making The Shredder a devastating tool.

As Dimitri reminds us, The Shredder is just a tool. It's not a self-defense system or cure all. It is merely a tool to deploy in the proper situation and at the proper range. I actually think Mr. Dimitri is being a little modest here because in reality, The Shredder is probably even more devastating than he is explaining.

I loved this DVD and HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who truly wants to be prepared for hard core self-defense. If you are interested in RBSD and want to take the "chin jab" to the next level, this DVD is for you.

Yang Jwing-Ming "Shaolin Kung Fu"

2009-04-23T15:11:00.002-07:00

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming's take on Shaolin Kung Fu.

Once again, YMAA productions delivers ULTRA HIGH QUALITY material. Crystal clear images and perfect sound are a relief to this reviewer, who has seen the WORST the industry has to offer. All the sets are indexed and easy to navigate on the DVD.

The techniques are what you expect to see. Standard Shaolin drills and techniques. But Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is a fantastic teacher. He explains very thoroughly each basic movement and you can tell that his knowledge extends far beyond what he is teaching in this "fundamental training" DVD.

I liked the segments which show the techniques demonstrated with people or on bags. I also liked some of the more uncommon training that you normally don't get on a Kung Fu basics DVD, like hopping and sense of distance training.

If you are interested in testing the waters of Shaolin Kung Fu, this DVD is for you. You can get used to the basic fundamentals and requirements before attempted complicated forms training. You can get a sense of if this is really for you. The content of technique is perfect for this type of DVD. This is what a beginner dreams about when he is wanting to learn Kung Fu by DVD. Overall, a very well done instructional that knows it's audience.

(This was actually a bonus for me. YMAA was only going to send the Tajiquan DVD for review but included this as well. Good company to work with).

Paul Vunak "Straight Blast"

2009-04-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

Paul Vunak is an instructor who is very well known, and a stable advertiser in many martial arts magazines. He is loved by some, hated by others. But no one can argue he is a solid fighter and instructor.

I loved this video. It's that simple. The straight blast is basically aiming a series of punches right at the center line or face of your opponent and just running right through him. Vunak gives some great instruction on this tape and gives a lot of tools and advice for making this work.

He shows how to use the straight blast against boxers, katate men and wrestlers. He demonstrates at full speed and with full contact. Paul is an aggressive guy and this one video gave me a lot of confidence on my feet. I think this video is helpful for the beginner and the advanced student.

Kazushi Sakuraba "Amazing Techniques"

2009-04-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

This VHS is a really cool look at the training and techniques of Kazushi Sakuraba.
Unless you've been living in a cave, you would know that Kazushi Sakuraba is the catch wrestling phenom who beat Gracie after Gracie in PrideFC to become one of the most popular Japanese fighters in history.

This tape features Kazushi Sakuraba demonstrating some of the more popular techniques he's utilized in the PrideFC ring. We see things like leg locks, takedowns, kimura armbars when someone has your back, acrobatic guard passes and standard wrestling techniques.

This tape is a legitimate instructional but also is just display the proper way to do the techniques that he's made popular in the ring. It's not really a tape to train and be like Sakuraba, it's more like a tape to learn how to do a select few of his more famous moves.

Did I mention this tapes all in Japanese with no subtitles? Yeah..it is. Which does make it kind of hard to follow. But if you watch what he's doing, you'll get the gist.

This tape is more of a novelty, but there is good instruction as well. If you are a big Sakuraba fan, this tape is 4 stars. If you aren't, it's probably more like 3 stars. I'm a huge fan and it's my website, so 4 stars for Mr. Sakuraba.

Russell Stutely "Multiplied Force Fighting System"

2009-04-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, finally a pressure point system with some balls.

Russell Stutely is a blue collar looking brit with a talent for knocking people out. I like it already. Stutely's system is based on pressure point fighting and the way it is presented will challenge even skeptics. This isn't George Dillman using no touch knockouts. This is honest and up front instruction.

The series is broken up into different sections. It ranges from pressure point theory to power generation. Everything here is sound. I would highly recommend this to anyone, but especially to proponents of Japanese arts such as Karate. I think a Karate practitioner would feel right at home with Stutely and would gain an incredible amount of knowledge. In fact, Stutely could probably market this entire system as a supercharger for whatever you are currently practicing.

I think skeptics will be impressed and believers will finally what they've been looking for with Russell Stutely.

Roy Dean "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminars Year 1"

2009-04-23T15:07:00.002-07:00

Roy Dean...I'd never heard of him until he was recommended to me by Keith Owen (see Keith Owen Favorite Submissions Vol.1 and Vol. 2). But just because I haven't heard of someone, doesn't mean they aren't great. This is the case with the Roy Dean DVD entitled "Roy Dean: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Seminars: Year One"

I'll make a small confession, Roy Harris has always been one of my favorite BJJ instructors. I was introduced to his material through some Paul Vunak material I had acquired. I tried to get my hands on more of his stuff over the years as well. Roy Harris is the instructor of Roy Dean, and it shows. The material presented by Dean is smooth, technical and varied. As with Keith Owen's material, Roy Dean has presented something new in the world of BJJ instructionals. It's almost like a scrapbook for Mr. Dean...I'll explain.

The DVD is broken into several sections such as:

Alaska Seminar, Summer 2007, Purple Belt Test, Roy Harris Seminar, Westside Submission and What Does Jiu Jitsu Look Like.

The Alaska seminar is great. I love watching seminar footage, and if you do as well, you'll like this a lot. It shows some cool twists on basic and not so basic techniques. Also the quality is great as it appears to have been recorded in a crystal clear digital format. The Summer 2007 section of the DVD is also great and gives you the feeling of the family atmosphere of the Roy Dean family. In fact, watching this whole DVD really made me understand his academy and the way he does things. If I were Mr. Dean, I'd highly recommend that all new students purchase this DVD. I think it would be great material for someone new to the academy.

The Purple Belt Test is a great glimpse into something rarely shown on commercial DVD. It's a great example to use as well, because I believe the transition between blue and purple is the most difficult to achieve and the most technically significant transition for a student of BJJ.
The Roy Harris seminar is great as I expected. Roy Harris ALWAYS does everything in ways you don't expect, but in ways that are 100% applicable. Even in the old days, you could count on Roy Harris to show you what no one else would and put out instructionals on topics no one else was covering. I would recommend this entire DVD just based on this Roy Harris seminar footage alone.

Finally we get into the last two sections. The first is a grappling tournament which gives you a good idea of what a grappling tournament looks like. It was filmed well. Are there better grappling tournaments on DVD out there? Sure. But I thought it was a nice touch for this DVD which shows a variety of phases of the BJJ experience.

The final section is sort of a short promotional piece about BJJ. It's a well filmed and nicely edited commercial for BJJ and I enjoyed it.

Overall, I think this DVD is a must have for the enthusiast or the beginner. In fact, if you've never done BJJ in your life and are on the fence with trying it out, this would be the first DVD I would recommend you purchase. Good job, Roy.

Yang Jwing-Ming "Qi Gong Massage"

2009-04-23T15:07:00.001-07:00

Qigong Massage is an interesting DVD produced by YMAA.COM and demonstrated by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming.

I am not much into esoteric martial arts and am not a believer in Qi. But this DVD was delightfully packed with soothing and relaxing massage techniques that did feel very nice.
My wife was the lucky recipient of the face, neck and back massage that were presented on the DVD. She thought they were very relaxing but was unable to tell if there was any other benefit besides the obvious muscle kneading.

I would recommend this DVD highly to practitioners of Chinese Martial Arts. Anyone doing a lot of strenuous exercise could benefit from a good massage and with the theory and expertise behind this, many will find it beneficially.

This DVD received 5 stars because it is simply an academic masterpiece combined with applicable material. There are GREAT martial arts DVD's out there. But I have not found 1 person who puts out better DVD's than YMAA. They are the absolute finest quality of production and technical data. Sometimes packed with HOURS of additional seminar and lecture footage.

Erin Day "Pilates"

2009-04-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, "What they hell? Pilates?" Our good friends at Shogun Media were kind enough to send us this DVD for review so hey, we reviewed it. Actually, I requested it because my wife is a Pilates nut. So the following review is what I got from here.

This DVD stars the fit and friendly Erin Day. The production value is nice and the way the DVD is presented is user friendly in application. My wife enjoyed the basic DVD and the advanced DVD. She found both challenging and helpful for her general fitenss. Pilates targets your core muscles (stomach, lower back, butt, hips etc.).

Overall, my wife gave it a 4. She said there was nothing wrong with it, but for a 5, one needs to go to a Pilates center. I don't argue with the wife, so a 4 it is.

Paul Vunak "Pananjakman"

2009-04-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here we are introduced to the Filipino kicking art of Pananjakman.

I liked this video but didn't love it. This is one case where the video didn't live up to the cool hip description that is meant to make you think you NEED this video.
I thought, "hey, I'm not super confident about my kicking" and ordered. I don't really feel like this delivered what I was promised.

It is a decent video. And I think put together with other videos or instruction, it could make some sense. But it doesn't teach enough to become effective. I like PFS videos and Paul Vunak. But this was a dissapointment. There wasn't a lot of technique. There wasn't a lot of explanation. And even after drilling the techniques, I didn't get the confidence I normally do after learning from one of Paul's videos.

Keith Owen "Favorite Moves Vol. 2"

2009-04-23T15:04:00.002-07:00

Keith Owen returns with a strong follow up to his Favorite Submissions Vol. 1 with Favorite Submissions Vol. 2.

Owen is a really cool guy and a marketing machine. Not a day goes by I don't see a message from him on my myspace. Keep up the good work, Keith!

Favorite Submissions Vol. 2 takes over where Vol. 1 ended and delivers big time. Once again we get a glimpse into some high level techniques presented in a great quality production. Reread my review for Vol. 1 and you'll essentially know what Vol. 2 is all about. But honestly, I think Vol. 2 is better. The material to me is a little more interesting for me personally and I believe once again, this is a must have for anyone practicing BJJ. I mean, seriously, if you want a ton of material that you can use in class tomorrow, buy this DVD.

It seems like every town has some sort of BJJ school going on these days and that is a great thing. But you can't always find the quality of instruction that is offered in the bigger cities. If you want to train with one of the best in the country for just a few bucks, buy this DVD. Volume 1 and 2 are probably 6 months worth of high level BJJ instruction. I'm going to kill Keith's private instruction business, but if you want the next best thing to 6 months of privates with Keith, but these DVD's.

Keith Owen "Favorite Moves Vol. 1"

2009-04-23T15:04:00.001-07:00

Keith Owen is perhaps the best BJJ instructor that you've never really heard of. A black belt under Pedro Sauer, his "Favorite Moves" instructional DVD is off the charts! I was really, REALLY impressed with this DVD and highly recommend it to anyone out there who is studying BJJ. The DVD is all in the gi, but I think there is a lot to apply with no-gi as well. He covers submissions, counters, escapes, sitting mount, side control, S-mount, turtle position, north-south and much more.

Owen is an instructor who uses very clear language and is excellent at explaining techniques. He explains techniques from the opponents point of view and what you should be thinking of during the technique to set him up. I've seen many more famous BJJ instructors fail where Owen has succeeded.

The production value is fantastic. Probably the best I've seen for a BJJ instructional recently. It appears that everything has been filmed digitally becauses the images are crystal clear. The sound is perfect and you can always hear Owen as he explains techniques.

There were several things that impressed me with this DVD. The first is the level of technical expertise. You may think that all BJJ DVD's are pretty decent...they're not. Owen offers extended explanation and small subtle details that make a huge difference in application and success. I've seen guys with incredibly thick Brazilian accents say things like, "Ok, you got the arm now fall down into the armbar." That's it. Next technique. Owen offers precise and detailed instruction that makes the techniques "technical" and "tight".

Another thing I really enjoy is that he teaches from a perspective of experience that you believe. Sometimes you have guys who are naturals say things like, "You just do X, Y and Z" or you have guys that aren't qualified to teach or dont' have the knack sort of explain things is a robotic way. Owen teaches in a way where you really feel like he's performed these techniques successfully many times. He says things like, "You think you could do this, but it won't work, the guy usually does X and then you go for Y". He says this in a confident and assured tone that helps you to feel comfortable going for these techniques in live practice.
The final thing I really like about this DVD is that nearly everything he showed was something new. I haven't seen anything Keith Owen is doing on any other DVD. The techniques are new or are explained in such a technical way that even old techniques feel new. He talks a lot about setups, baiting your opponent and transitions. If you want BJJ from the Rickson Gracie lineage, this is exactly what you've been looking for. For the blue belt to black belt level BJJ practitioner, this is probably the "perfect" DVD. I always give people fair and positive reviews, but if you are looking for the next great BJJ instructional, this is it. No joke. You may not know who Keith Owen is, but after watching this DVD you'll be glad you do now.
Click here to purchase: www.bjjmoves.com

Hatsumi "Essense of Ninjutsu"

2009-04-23T14:59:00.002-07:00

Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is a master of Ninjutsu and presents his philisophical view of Ninjutsu in this text.

This is an interesting book. It has no techniques, cool invisibility tricks or anythign like that. It is purely a book that explains the essence of Ninjutsu through fictional stories.
The stories are colorful, have morals and relate to Ninjutsu. I found the book enjoyable, but would think a Ninjutsu practitioner would "get" more out of this book.

Turtlepress "Muay Thai from Northern Thailand"

2009-04-23T14:59:00.001-07:00

This is a fun DVD from Turtlepress that showcases 4 Muay Thai fights from Thailand. You get to see some hard hitting action, but sometimes there are lulls. I liked watching real Thai boxing straight from Thailand, but I wasn't particularly impressed with the fights themselves. I think it's kind of like boxing in that sometimes these fights are hit and miss and I'd rather have seen a Muay Thai highlights DVD.

The quality of video was top rate and you do get a feel for the native crowd in attendence, but overrall this DVD didn't blow me away.

If you like fights, you'll like it, but you won't love it. I've seen better and I've seen worse. 3 stars.

Turtlepress "Muay Thai Knockout"

2009-04-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

This is another great instructional DVD from Turtlepress whose quality and dedication to great content is making them one of my favorite vendors.

Muay Thai Knockout is a 1 DVD instructional that takes you through the basics and fundamentals of Thai boxing in a very logical way. The techniques are explained well and the demonstrations are great. The DVD quality is top notch and it's probably one of the best instructionals I've seen that deal strictly with Muay Thai.

I recommend it for ANYONE who is getting into Muay Thai. You acutally can learn from this DVD and that makes it pretty unique.
4 stars only because it's not a longer series.

Martina Sprague "Complete Kickboxing"

2009-04-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Admittedly I've never kickboxed. I have however trained extensively in karate and taekwondo. I believe this is the best book on realistic stand up fighting I've seen...period.

Sprague brings us a HUGE encyclopedia or technical knowledge and instruction. As the cover states, it covers techniques, concepts and strategy. It delivers on each concept and then some.
The text is readable, the pictures are good as well. I wish they were in color and maybe that the pages were glossy. But it's a huge book and the cost would most likely be astronomical in such an effort.

I'm considering signing up for kickboxing in my area and this will be my main source of getting ready. Once again, Turtle Press delivers.
BUY THIS BOOK!

Ken Shamrock "Inside the Lion's Den"

2009-04-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

Inside the Lion's Den is a great look at the inside of one of MMA's most prestigious schools. It is also a candid look at Ken Shamrock, founder of the Lion's Den and MMA champion.

I found this book extremely interesting and hard to put down. Shamrock's life is movie worthy and his struggles to become a MMA legend were compelling. Shamrock is to this day an enigmatic figure who has admittedly struggled to claim his place at the top of the MMA world for various reasons. His reasons for sometimes not finishing UFC tournaments to his secrets for winning some of the biggest fights in MMA history are all included.

From a neglected child, to a petty thief, to multiple group homes, the military and finally organized fighting, Shamrock is a true badass. I'll be the first to admit I was never a fan of Ken Shamrock. His style always seemed power based and watered down compared to the super-technical Gracie family. But I've since changed my appreciation for Ken Shamrock and his school the Lion's Den. Shamrock is an American fighter to truly be admired and respected. He has my greatest respect and I am today a big fan.

This book also shows in a general way straight from Ken Shamrock the nutritional, strength training and technical training of the Lion's Den. I've read reviews that criticises this section of the book as being too simplistic, but I found it fantastic and it actually helped me in 2006 change the way I train. The most important information for me was the psychological approach. Many things he said ring very true and if you've ever trained hard in grappling or strength training, you can tell immediately Shamrock is the real deal.

If you are a fan of MMA and even if you aren't a fan of Ken Shamrock, I would highly recommend this book. It is a look into a miraculous life and into the background of the early UFC.

Bas Rutten "Lethal Streetfighting"

2009-04-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Bas Rutten. The name conjures up images of fighting. Former King of Pancrase and former UFC champion are a few accomplishments to name a few. But what people may not know is that Bas Rutten was a streetfighter and bouncer for a long time.

This series gives you what you'd expect and what you wouldn't expect.

What you'd expect: Streetfighing with a MMA flair. Yes, there is striking based on kickboxing and grappling based on BJJ style positions. There are also some of Bas' insights into real fighting and he shares some interesting tips.

What you don't expect: What you don't expect is the mindset stuff. The awareness stuff. I've seen a lot of these streetfighting videos put out by pro fighters and they are usually just bash your head in technique based items. But Bas really gives some interesting fight "strategies" and gives you clues on what to look for to prevent and end fights.

Though this DVD set is a little old, it still packs a punch. I would say if you are a MMA guy who thinks in the back of his head, "I know I'm ready for the ring but am I ready for EVERYTHING on the street?", this would be the set to pick up. Bas Rutten is a name you can trust.

Turtlepress "Kyuktooki"

2009-04-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Wow.. Was I impressed with this DVD!

I had never heard of Kyuktooki before the nice folks at Turtlepress decided to send it over. It is sort of a documentary/instructional look at the Korean kickboxing art of Kyuktooki. Kyuktooki is a combination of Taekwondo, Muay Thai Kickboxing and Yudo (Korean Judo). When you want the sparring, it is very similar to San Shou which is an art that involves striking and throws in competitive matches.

The training and instruction on the DVD are excellent and I kept wondering, why are there no Kyuktooki fighters in MMA. This style would make an excellent base for MMA and I would love to see it gain some popularity in the United States. Being far more practical than it's Taekwondo cousin, Kyuktooki is hardhitting, graceful and powerful.

The DVD features some champions and some training matches which is very cool to see. I was 110% impressed with this DVD. I would be really excited to see Kyuktooki gain more of a foothold in the US. I would also like to encourage Turtlepress (hint hint) to put out a full scale Kyuktooki instructional set.

5 stars all the way on this one. Any fan of MMA or Kickboxing will LOVE this DVD.

David Kahn "Krav Maga"

2009-04-23T14:04:00.002-07:00

This book is AMAZING. I've often been a critic of martial arts books because it's very hard for me to learn from books. The creators of martial arts books don't always make it easy to learn from their books either...and let's face it, some martial arts don't lend themselves well to book form.

David Kahn has OUTDONE himself with Krav Maga: The Contact Combat System of the Israel Defense Forces. The format of this book is very eye catching and uses a lot of bold text, boxed text and special sections to hold the readers attention. While much of the material can be considered "basic self-defense" by some standards, I found myself learning a new perspective on every nearly every page. Even though I've seen these techniques before, I had never seen them packaged and categorized in the way David has done it.

I'm going to make a bold statement here...I can actually learn Krav Maga from this book! That's right! We all know that going to a class is the best way to learn any martial art. But this particular book even surpases DVD's in my opinion in an applicable way to learn effective self-defense.

I try nearly everything that lands on my doorstep for review. I enjoy a lot of it, but nothing, not one thing on this website has impressed me the way this simple book did. I wish I owned 50 copies and could give them out to family and friends.

If you follow what David is saying and practice in the SUPERB way he has it laid out, you will learn self-defense and Krav Maga. I am following David's 12 week program right now and I will finish it. I was VERY sore after the first day which was a suprise! This isn't just a fitness program or something, you are drilling the techniques and building muscle memory.

Summary: I have quite simply never come across a martial arts book THIS inspiring and THIS good...ever...period. It's a MUST READ for anyone concerned about self-defense, fitness or Krav Maga.

"Kosen Judo"

2009-04-23T14:04:00.001-07:00

Kosen Judo is a branch of Judo that focuses almost entirely on newaza (ground grappling). It was nearly put out of existence when the Kodokan revised the rules of Judo to minimize grappling and mainly reward the "ippon" (perfect throw).

As an instructional, this tape lacks. But don't write it off so soon. This is an excellent tape. It is more of a documentary than an instructional and that is ok.

Think Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu invented the butterfly guard, spider guard, sweeps, transitions, etc etc.? Well, you're wrong. If you look at Kosen Judo, you'll realize that Judoka were doing these techniques for at least the last 50 years.

Kosen looks like a slightly more traditional and stiff version of BJJ. That is not to say that it is ineffective. It is actually shocking to see that these techniques were not pioneered by BJJ players. Here are Judoka who don't focus on the throw. Who like BJJ guys, have been evolving the Judo ground game for a long, long time.

The particular Kosen video I have, has clips from Kimura (former Helio Gracie foe) among other Judo legends. It's an amazing look at a nearly extinct branch of Judo that to this day, even with the popularity of ground grappling has not recovered from the stigma placed on it by the Kodokan back in the day.

If you are a BJJ artist, buy this. It's eye opening and extremely interesting material.

Paul Vunak "Sledgehammer KO's"

2009-04-23T14:03:00.001-07:00

Paul Vunak is the master of streetfights. His methods are proven and his instruction highly sought after.

This DVD is awesome. As usual, Vunak takes things that you think are common sense and shows you the real deal on how to make them work in the street.

The focus of this DVD is simple. It covers Head Butts (The CORRECT way how to do them), Knees and Elbows. These three techniques are devastating fight enders and can be used by people of all sizes to escape violent assault.

Vunak's teaching style is clear and to the point. He is a charismatic guy with a wealth of knowledge to share. It is easy to immediately apply the information on this DVD.
Excellent DVD and I highly recommend it.

James Kodzis "Jujitsu"

2009-04-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Jujitsu by James Kodzis was an interesting series to review.

Let me start with the good things. This is an excellent series if you have no martial arts experience at all. It covers basic footwork, striking and defense. It also covers in a suprisingly good way the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style ground grappling.

The bad things...James Kodzis holds no rank in BJJ that I could find. He appears to be a Japanese Jujitsu artist (obvious from the spelling he uses of "jujitsu"). His studio in the DVD series is also Japanese in style. This is fine as I believe there are many fine benefits to Japanese Jujitsu. The problem is, he wears a black belt in one arts, but essentially teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling on this series. If I want to learn either, I'd probably go to someone more qualified. Kodzis appears to be a dedicated and talented martial artist but is using his background and blackbelt to teach something different than what his background is in.

It's not that the material is bad, because it's not, but the content is misleading and strange. If you want to learn any art he demonstrates, there are better instructors out there.

Kodzis is most likely a very capable fighter. He comes across as skilled and intelligent. The production value of this series is very high. But over all, it is just a very basic beginners set that is packed with wrestling and BJJ delivered from a Japanese Jujistu instructor.

Paul Vunak "Advanced Knife Fighting"

2009-04-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Paul Vunak has taught knife techniques and disarms to combat teams all over the world.

Finally a guy who can teach knife defenses. I've seen such horrible stuff on the market, it would make your head spin.

Compared to all the others out there, Paul Vunak is in the top 3 of all the material I've seen. He truly knows how to use a knife and how to disarm people using them.

Training to disarm people with knives is difficult to simulate and even more difficult to get comfortable with. I think a person could actually learn to defend themselves with this DVD and that is saying a lot.

Well done, Paul...this is top rate.

George Kirby "Budoshin Jujitsu"

2009-04-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

George Kirby is a pioneer in the martial arts world. His Jujitsu predates the American arrival of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and he has been a leader in grappling for several decades. He was kind enough to send a lot of material for review and I have to say, I'm very impressed.

Kirby's Budoshin Jujitsu is dynamic blend of standing joint locks, throws/trips/takedowns and ground grappling. He is a master of technical and tight grappling techniques that can be applied to a practitioner of any art.

Mr. Kirby was kind enough to send his original Panther Production Budoshin Jujitsu series which is now available on DVD, as well as some supplemental material and a seminar DVD. It was all awesome. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone wanting to expand their grappling knowledge. I think Kirby is perhaps one of the most underrated grapplers on the market right now and his material is simply overlooked. I'm telling you that as a complete novice or expert, you will benefit from the techniques and knowledge of George Kirby.

George Kirby "Intermediate Jujitsu"

2009-04-23T13:58:00.002-07:00

George Kirby is a long time legend in traditional Japanese JuJitsu. This book is the sequel to his book Basic JuJitsu.

George Kirby has always been a personal role model of mine in the martial arts world. His character and dedication to his art are admirable and others in the martial arts should take notice how he conducts himself.

Kirby teaches the traditional brand of Japanese Jujitsu, which is stand up joint locks and joint lock take downs. It is brutal stuff if you can learn to apply it. Police use a lot of these techniques and Kirby's brand of Jujitsu is tailor made for peaceful control and not necessarily the Brazilian method of mounting a guy and pummeling his face.

I think Kirby is the real deal. I think he believes in what he teaches. I also think with enough time you could learn this....but it can be hard from a book. This is a good companion if you are learning traditional Jujitsu from an instructor. Kirby's Budoshin Jujitsu can be complex and my only complaint if you can call it that is that it's sort of hard to learn from a book. I think that is true of all martial arts books, but especially dealing with a series of joint locks.

Overall, a fine book and I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about this branch of Jujitsu.

"Kikskin Kompetitor Gi"

2009-04-23T13:58:00.001-07:00

I first heard about Kikskin products from Dave Camarillo. Dave Camarillo is a BJJ phenom and a good guy to listen to when it comes to what kind of equipment to buy.

I received Kikskin's Kompetitor Gi and immediately I was very impressed. The Kikskin Kompetitor is an insanely good gi! The weave is soft and fantastic to role in. An EXCELLENT buy for the price. I felt very comfortable and mobile in the Kompetitor as well.

The patching is some of the best around. The chest/should patch is bold and designed nicely. The entire gi has an awesome look and is very traditional in design.

Oh, did I mention the gi they sent was black? Yes...black. If you want to feel like the Darth Vader of BJJ, pick up Kikskin's Kompetitor series gi in black! Black is a color you don't see much in BJJ but it is definitely very cool.

Overall, a fantastic gi. Kikskin has been delivering nice looking, comfortable and durable gis for a long long time. They continue to step up to the plate and offer one of the finest products on the market. If you're gi shopping, check out Kikskin. Great products and great people to deal with.

David Welp "Kibun"

2009-04-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

Kibun is an interesting conglomerate mixed martial arts system developed by police officer, David Welp.

Welp a former kickboxer and student of mixed martial arts style grappling has put together a comprehensive volume 1 of what will be a multiple volume course on his system.
Kibun focuses on no-gi style MMA grappling. There are seperate chapters for positions, chokes, armbars, leglocks etc. The production value is very high and the Welp comes across as knowledgable.

The techniques themselves are straight forward and would be a benefit to anyone looking into beginning a MMA career. This isn't sport BJJ or even no-gi grappling. This is grappling specifically for self-defense or MMA. There is an emphasis on strikes and defending strikes from all positions. This is a basic first edition but covers over 140 techniques. The techniques are somewhat foreign to me as I've never trained in this type of MMA style grappling. This is a specific niche and will probably appeal to fighters and those looking for adding this type of grappling to their arsenal.

Overall a good effort and I expect more good things to come from Welp. Kibun is one to keep on your radar and if you are training for MMA, I would pick this up and take a look at what Kibun has to offer.

Gene LeBell "Handbook of Judo"

2009-04-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

Gene LeBell is a legend in the martial arts world. Most everything he's done I've enjoyed. Here we go.

This book was written in the early sixties and is just as relevant today as it was then. This book is fantastic. It is one of the best books on Judo and grappling I've read.

There is an emphasis on sport judo and that is fine. Any judoka would be well served to pick up this book and pay attention to LeBell's instruction. I guarantee that careful study of this book will improve judo results.

Even a BJJ student could learn a lot of this book. It has a lot of techniques and LeBell's light hearted (but tough) method of instruction.

As expected with Gene LeBell, this book contains "not legal in tournament" techniques and techniques to "cheat". Fun stuff. Very crafty and will turn even a judo newbie into a veteran.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in grappling or any martial art for that matter.

Scott Sonnon "Immovable Object, Unstoppable Force"

2009-04-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

Immovable Object Unstoppable Force is a grappling oriented video series by Scott Sonnon. Sonnon is a Sambo champion, Russian Martial Arts expert and creator of several unique approaches to health and martial arts training.

With a camoflage kurkha and neo-slavic facial hair, Scott Sonnon has given us the finest series on takedowns ever produced. This is a must have series for anyone interested in self defense and especially those who practice Judo, Sambo, Wrestling or Jiu-Jitsu.

The first volume is called Hyperfunction. All three videos, interestingly enough, start off with a commentary/speech by Vladimir Putin extolling the benefits of the system Coach Sonnon was involved with at the time, ROSS.

"Hyperfunction" is about creating "overfunction" so your opponent cannot create a defense. It looks to spontaneously create techniques as you create hyperfunction in your oponent. This takes advantage of your opponents physiology and is related much more to physics than to traditional dogma about what works. There is a strong emphasis on unbalancing and taking people to a "triangle point". You're probably saying, "We do unbalancing in Judo or Jiu-Jitsu". True, but not like this. Sonnon's material is fresh and I haven't seen this type of instruction anywhere else.

The next video in the series is Quantum Gripping. Gripping is an oft neglected art and hardly acknowledge outside of really high class grapplers. This tape was very informative on proper gripping, movement and releases. In fact Sonnon teachers threw main areas of focus, Grip Releases/Grip Counters/Grip Confirmations. This video builds off of what was in "Hyperfunction" and you start to see a bigger picture as you go through Quantum Gripping.
The last tape in the series is Joint Mass Center. This tape brings the entire series together and focuses on the center of where throws are generated. This involves solar and lunar plexus coordination. Coach Sonnon also introduces leg fencing and the totality of throwing mechanics.
This series has become a big favorite of mine. Sonnon has impressed me again by presenting material I've never seen before. I highly recommend this series for anyone out there looking to improve their stand up grappling and throwing. It will make a difference in your training and improve your understanding of stand up grappling.

Igor Yakimov "Ultimate Armbars of Russian Sambo"

2009-04-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am a generous reviewer. I really respect what goes into putting together a video series. I also try and look outside my areas of expertise and truly learn what is on the material.

In the case of Ultimate Armbars of Russian Sambo, I cannot be too generous. This is a GREAT series and I would recommend this 100% to any grappler out there.

This series WILL make you a better sport grappler. The Sambo on this series is not the Judo-esque sport affair that you see on a lot of Sambo material. This is fantastic submission ground fighting at it's highest level.

This series covers one thing, armbars. Each volumes covers armbars from every possible ground fighting position. This makes this set invaluable as it makes you offensive from every position.

Yakimov is a great instructor and I enjoyed learning from him via tape.

If you want to take your game up a notch, get this series. I'm awaiting his Russian Judo series and I hope it is as impressive as this one.

Sifu Harriston "Internal Damage Tai Chi"

2009-04-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Tai Chi is normally thought of as a health and exercise program for the elderly. Sifu Glenn Hairston shows everything you thought you knew about Tai Chi is dead wrong. Sifu Hairston comes from a pedigreed lineage in Yang Style Tai Chi and is a globally respected instructor in Tai Chi.

This is the best self-defense Tai Chi DVD on the market.

The production value is probably the highest level I've seen on an instructional DVD. It has a pumping hip hop soundtrack that is far from the cheesy heavy metal or corny oriental music you find on most instructionals. The quality is crystal clear and the sound is overdubbed to be extremely clear.

I loved the outdoor scenes. Sifu Hairston demonstrates his hard hitting brand of Tai Chi outside in an inner-city basketball court. Complete with graffiti in the background and broken concrete all around.

I was very impressed with Sifu Hairston's Tai Chi form. Hard hitting or not, a Tai Chi artist is always going to be judged by his peers by his form. Sifu does not gloss over form but demonstrates and explains the forms well.

I was also impressed by Sifu's combat ready applications. He holds nothing back. There are no secret techniques or holding back. He is giving the viewer applicable and effective Tai Chi application/self-defense. This is what seperates Internal Damage from the rest of the pack. It's modern, it's powerful and it's learnable. Sifu Hairston has done a rare thing in the world of martial arts instructionals, he's given us something brand new.

I have to say, I was anxious to review this material because it's rare that we get anything from African-American instructors. Clearly, in the arena of African-American instructors, he's at the top of the pack. But more than that, he's in the top 3 instructionals I've ever reviewed for anyone of any race. He's not a good "black" instructor. He's a world class instructor...period.
I can't say enough good things about Internal Damage. It's production is crisp and clear. It's music is powerful and avoids the trap of being "corny". The visuals are appropriate and interesting. The instruction is of the highest level. Most importantly, Sifu Hairston isn't just showing you an art form and saying "good luck". He's showing you how to defend yourself from violent attack.

If you are a beginner in Tai Chi, this DVD will help immensely. If you are an advanced practioner, check it out for the fighting applications.

There is a lot of material on this DVD. You get your money's worth ten times over. There is even a really funny blooper reel.

Internal Damage is a 5 star instructional DVD. I highly recommend it. Buy it today, you won't regret it.

Karon Karter and Guy Mezger "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kickboxing"

2009-04-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I really enjoyed this book.

As with most Idiot's Guide Books, it is pretty basic and starts from the beginning. But I think that the writing style is entertaining and gives a really good overview of competitive and non-competitive kickboxing.

I think the technical information was presented well and the tips were helpful. I don't have a big background in kickboxing, and I really feel like I learned a lot about it from this book.
I would recommend this very highly to someone investigating Kickboxing and maybe a little less highly to someone who already knows the basics of this great sport.

George Dillman "Humane Pressure Points"

2009-04-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

George Dillman is the most famous guy to go to if you are into pressure point fighting. Personally, I don't buy into it as a fighting technique. It's more of a questionable novelty to me. So I'll be the first to admit this will bias my review.

This book was crap. There was nothing applicable in it.

It contained your basic traditional Karate and Japanese Jujitsu restraint techniques that you've seen a million times. I don't think you could even apply these basic techniques in a crisis, but hey, to each their own. But my point is, there is nothing revolutionary here.
Dillman explains his theory behind pressure points. It's esoteric and based on the Chinese Medicine System of Chi Meridians.

The application of these techniques is just kooky. I was often shaking my head wondering how anyone, no matter how well trained would apply these techniques. And I also thought, even if these things were possible, why would you spend years and years trying to perfect something questionable where there are several more straight forward and time tested ways to do it.
I had high hopes to seeing something here that would show me complex pressure point fighting had a place in a fighters arsenal. I was VERY disappointed.

Al Abidin "Hikuta: Extreme Combat"

2009-04-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hikuta is an exotic martial arts system made popular by the late DOK Lee. This system is as controversial as they come. Claiming "Egyptian" roots and "unbeatable" techniques, it's no wonder Hikuta is a hot topic on several martial arts forums.

All that being said, I was pleasently suprised. The instructor on the video, Al Abidin, is an unassuming fellow who walks you through the basics of Hikuta. It's important to note that Hikuta is ALL basics. There is no advanced level. It is simple to use techniques based on the bodies natural response to attack.

There are a couple of things on the DVD that are emphasized. One is the startle reflex. This is the sort of "startle" flinch that your body does when you are suprised. Hikuta attempts to harness this reflex to increase the speed of it's strikes through a series of drills.

The other main thing on this DVD is "the hikuta hand". It's a punch performed with a loose fist. I know what you are thinking, "Won't I break my hand?" That's what I thought, but suprisingly I got good speed and power with this technique.

I really felt that this video is excellent for a family member who doesn't want to attend a martial arts class but wants to defend themselves. It's not a macho system built around no holds barred fighting or military training. It's not intimidating and I think it's pretty solid self-defense for the non-self-defense person.

Al Abidin is a nice guy who was very helpful in reviewing this tape. He gave me a discount and was always available for questions.

Al Abidin "Hikuta: Quick and Easy Self-Defense"

2009-04-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Once again we're dealing with Hikuta, the ancient Egyptian martial art...or so it's claimed.

I loved the Hikuta: Extreme Combat DVD from cutting-edge-combat. I found it effective and great for a non-martial artist who wants to learn some self defense. Unfortunately, this tape is not great.

This is a collection of mediocre stand-up "japanese" jiu-jitsu techniques. I'd be nervous attempting these in a violent encounter and didn't find the scenarios or instruction to be good enough to convince me otherwise. Sorry Hikuta, you're 1 for 2.

Mark Hatmaker "Busting the Legs"

2009-04-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Busting the Legs is another awesome release by Paladin Press by Mark Hatmaker.

Hatmaker to me, is a grappling genius. His material is so different from BJJ yet still so brutal and effective. Busting the legs is all about escaping the guard. Hatmaker lets us know that being in the guard isn't necessarily a bad thing in a fight. He shows some great ground and pound as well as technical escapes from this position. Many of the escapes are "mma" related, meaning, he uses striking to move positions. But there are several techniques shown that are purely grappling oriented as well.

If you have only done BJJ, there will be MANY techniques and strategies here you've never seen before. Hatmaker has a pedigree in wrestling and catch wrestling submissions and you will see that represented here. For instance, sprawling from within the guard....yes, you heard me right, it's weird, but it's also effective. Mark Hatmaker is a super nice guy and his material always delivers. If you are looking for unorthodox guard passes or MMA training material, go no further.

Mark Hatmaker "The Complete Pugilist"

2009-04-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

The Complete Pugilist by Mark Hatmaker is the difinitive work on the subject of bareknuckles or MMA striking. There is nothing on the market this technical or this good.

Hatmaker's resume is extensive and well known. His instructionals on catch wrestling, no-gi grappling, streetfighting and MMA are legend in my book. The Complete Pugilist is another installment in Hatmaker's already prolific library of combat science instructionals.

The material is highly technical. I think a beginner would benefit but an experienced fighter will be blown away. This is best instructional on any kind of boxing out on the market. Kudos to Paladin Press for this product.

I could go on and on about exactly what is in this DVD set, but I'm just going to say that it covers everything you'd ever want to know about striking with the hands. Strategy, power, footwork, dirty tricks is all shown by Hatmaker in this excellent production.

If you are an into MMA, this is a must buy!

Steve Sexton "Hapkido"

2009-04-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

The cover of this DVD set says it all. THE ULTIMATE in Self-Defense.
Steve Sexton holds nothing back in this fantastic series about self-defense, Hapkido style. There is no fluff, no hype and absolutely nothing that will get you killed. Sexton is not the kind of guy to mess around with flashy or overly complex techniques.

It has to be said that to buy what Mr. Sexton is selling, you have to be into standing joint locks. Hapkido will remind you of Japanese Jujitsu. The way Mr. Sexton presents it, there is not a lot of pagentry or formality. It's just plain old bone breaking. I have met many people though who do not buy into the "if a guy puts his hand on your lapel, you do this" type of self defense. If that is not something you are into, stay away from this set. Also, if you are thinking of the vertical splits version of Hapkido that mirrors Taekwondo, this is also not it.

I enjoyed every aspect of this comprehensive set, personally. Mr. Sexton shows the standard fair of defenses against grabs, punches and kicks as well as defenses against knives and guns. He also instructs you on how to do techniques with a cane.

For the price, there may not be a better DVD set on the market to get you safe quickly. I highly recommend this set to anyone looking for bare bones self-defense at a great price.

Gustavo Froes "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu"

2009-04-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Gustavo Froes is a black belt instructor under Joe Moreira. He has his own academy in the Los Angeles area called Global Jiu-Jitsu.

Shogun Media has done it again. This is another top notch grappling production and am excited to review it.

Froes is the type of instructor everyone who is seeking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wants. He looks tough and speaks in a thick Portugese accent. And for all your hardcore grappling fans out there: Yes, Master Froes is very technical.

The production value was great. The visual quality is excellent and very clear. The sound is also very clear, even when Master Froes has his face on the mat.

This series is unique to the large and ever expanding world of grappling DVD's. Froes explains in one series, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced techniques. This is very attractive to me as a buying point. When watching it, I was enlightened by Froes' approach to basics. As any grappler knows, the basics are the important foundation from which all else flows. It's also nice that when the basics and intermediate are TOO basic, that there is also an advanced look at each position and technique. You just don't see that. You normally see a BASIC series or an ADVANCED series or entire series just on on aspect of BJJ. But this covers it all.

You are getting 11 DVD's here. That is a lot and for $99, I think this series is a steal. If you are thinking of which BJJ series to get, you can't go wrong with Froes. The technique is solid and the price is right.

I'm not going to go through each DVD, but I will say that all the material is good. Once again (as with the Sambo series), I personally was not too impressed with the Workout Video. Though I found this one to be better than that offered in the Sambo set. That is a small complaint though and many people will find this information very helpful, especially if you are an instructor or a brand new student of BJJ.

I was VERY impressed with Master Froes and think his debut series is fantastic. It's an excellent first effort that BY FAR outshines his instructor Joe Moreira who had just an abysmal instructional series with Panther Productions. I look forward to more from Froes in the future.

Gene LeBell "Grappling World"

2009-04-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

This is a look at finishing holds by grappling great Gene LeBell, accompanied by another grappling legend, Gokor.

LeBell does it again. This book is outstanding.
Now I've heard that this book contains a lot of useless show holds and no information on how to get to positions. That is true. But you cannot learn to "grapple" from a book. You need to go to a class or club.

This book is for the person who already knows Judo, Wrestling or Jiu-Jitsu. Many times in all of these arts you sort of stagnate. LeBell's book gives TONS of great techniques to try. They are fun, unorthodox and will certainly improve your game.

LeBell, in addition to being a fair boxer, world class Judoka and all around master of pain is an old time catch wrestler. These techniques are pure catch.
If you are a student of grappling and want to add some spice and fun to your game, pick up this book and keep an open mind.

As far as technique to dollar spent, this book is well worth every penny. Go buy it!

Kid Peligro "The Gracie Way"

2009-04-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know this is not a video or an instructional. But it's a book that covers several generations of the Gracie family so I figured it was appropriate.

What an interesting book. Anybody who is a fan of MMA knows the Gracie's. They are an intersting family whose entire existence seems to be to promote BJJ or "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" as they call it.

The book is an easy read with some rare and cool pictures. The format of the book is really well done as it covers different memebers of the family past and present.

The book is written by BJJ blackbelt and Gracie family friend, Kid Peligro. Peligro just does some high quality work and that's all there is to say about that.

The book is colorful, interesting, well formatted and done in a way that makes it literally one of the most professional looking books I own.

If you are intersted in the Gracie family, MMA or the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, check this book out.

Gracie Academy "Intermediate"

2009-04-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is my follow up review for the Gracie Basics Series. Welcome to Gracie Intermediate.

Gracie Intermediate starts up sort of where basics left off. It's the same basic feel and location. The same set up. The same patient Rorion Gracie walking you through techniques. What's different, is more "modern" and "sport applicable" techniques.

"Attacks from the Mount". This tape is excellent. It is solid and gives some great fundamentals with out the "basic" drawbacks for sport application that was found in the first series. The fact that Rorion starts with the mount in this series shows this is a self-defense/fighting oriented series. Because if you are a newby grappler you better start with "How to Pass the Guard". This series has some great control techniques and some interesting finishes. For it's time, this video was pretty eye opening.

The second video is "Attacks and Reversals from the Guard". This is a nice video for some what by todays standards are basic guard attacks and reversals. All I can say is this is solid technique with Rorion teaching in a very structured and caring way. You feel like he is teaching just you. This is not always the case in instructional vides.

The last video in the series is "Offense and Defense from the Cross Mount". This is a GREAT tape. The cross mount is an oft neglected part of jiu-jitsu even today. This tape has some awesome techniques for suprising your opponent from this position.

Once again, the Gracie Academy is great. The prices are high. Still high ever years after the release and these are not available on DVD. But still worth the money. Heck, email them and tell them to put it on DVD.

At the time it was advertised that mastery of the techniques on these videos would make you eligible for a blue belt at the Gracie Academy. I was skeptical then and wouldn't expect that claim to hold up today.

Gracie Academy "Basics"

2009-04-23T13:32:00.002-07:00

Isn't this series ancient? Yes. Isn't there more "cutting edge" stuff out there? Yes. Will this help me learn grappling. Definitely.

Gracie Basics is the tape series that became popular after the initial UFC successes by Royce Gracie. This series is produced by the Gracie Academy and stars Rorion and Royce Gracie.
The first tape is "How to close the distance and Escape from the Mounted Position". It's an excellent tape. It doesn't have the technique to dollar ratio that other more moderns series do, but it is some solid material. The problem with this whole series is that a BJJ practioner today is going to think these are flawed and too basic. But this is a street defense tape, not sport. Many of these setups and techniques are outdated for MMA competition, but still highly applicable for self-defense today. Rorion is a clear and experienced instructor and that comes across on the first video. I found it to be a good start for someone who doesn't have any experience on the ground.

The next video is "How to Pass the Guard". Will these techniques work on the street? Yes. Will they work in a tournament? No. Rorion leaves you in dangerous waters for a sport competitor here. These are VERY basic guard passing techniques. To be fair, everyone at every academy still learns these when they are a beginner. But if you think you can apply these techniques against even an intermediate practitioner, you'll be finding yourself in a triangle choke. There are some excellent techniques for getting out of headlocks on this tape as well.
The last main tape in the series is "Finishing Holds". There are some solid and basic finishes here. And most submissions branch off these basic techniques. Once again Rorion's instruction is top notch. A lot can be learned here for the novice grappler.

There is a small additional tape called "How to Handle Stand Up Agression". I wasn' overly impressed, but it is a good tape for the person who is really not accustomed to striking or any type of stand up fighting. It is the grapplers take on getting to the clinch.

The Gracie Academy in Torrance, CA is HUGE. They are a world wide corporation with their fingers in many areas of the martial arts. Yet, they are incredibly responsive. Since 1993 I've spoke with Royce himself several times and via email with Rorion as well. (Note. Royce Gracie is no longer affiliated with the Gracie Academy.)

I recommend this series in despite of it's age. The basics are crucial to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and this series handles that in a professional and patterned way. I still use these videos to review the basics. Nuff said.

Gracie Academy "Advanced"

2009-04-23T13:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, yes, this would be Gracie "advanced basics" by todays standards. But at the time, it was some pretty advanced stuff and it's still pretty applicable.

When you order from the Gracie Academy, you are paying for brand name. But hell, you are getting taught by Rorion Gracie. I think it's worth it. Some don't. And I undertand. But let's move on to the first tape.

"Defense Against Mount Attacks" Good stuff. If you are a new BJJ student, you will be mounted....A LOT. This tape has been very helpful for me because it has some very useful defenses against gi chokes and armbars.

"Footlocks: Attacks and Defense". By the title, you can tell it's outdated since most people call these "leg locks". When this series came out, leg locks were a thorn in the side of BJJ and this was the Gracie Academies solution. Funny thing is, this tape is still really good. Doing leg locks is difficult and it takes VERY clear instruction and Rorion gives you that. This tape saved me many times when people were trying leg locks all the time from the guard.

"Finishing Moves from Standup" I didn't like this tape. I don't doubt the techniques work. But I am not a fan of appling joint locks from the feet. I think it gets messy and for me, it's not my cup of tea. Hey, who am I to argue with Royce about their effectiveness? But for my money, I don't spend a lot of time on this type of material.

Gokor "The Advanced Series"

2009-04-23T13:31:00.001-07:00

This is a better production version of the first series, with the same barely audible, heavily accented Armenian instruction that isn't particularly easy to learn from. But it does build on what you learned on the last set and is pretty cool none the less.

Once again, if you want to continue to learn some catch-wrestling meets Judo meets Sambo...this is the set for you. The techniques are great. I am not giving either series a 5 simply based upon the fact they are hard to learn from. A lot of people out there are putting some good effort into making sure the quality is excellent, the sound is good, the chapters are easy to get to etc. etc. This series doesn't do that. A good student will get from this set what he puts in. But a beginner could get lost pretty easy.

Gokor "The Original Series"

2009-04-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

If you can get past the old non-digital production and the barely audible, heavily accented Armenian instruction, you have a pretty good series here.

I remember reading a review of this series a long time ago that said it was the worst thing the reviewer had ever seen, that nothing on here was applicable and that it was generally dangerous. Of course that was before we say Karo Parysian in the UFC doing this in insane stuff for real. This was before Manny Gamburyan was in the UFC breaking people's legs. This stuff works and is for real.

Gokor is a grappling master, Judo champion and all around badass. I've heard some stuff about him exagerating his credentials etc..but whatever. The guy has the backing of Gene Lebell and has trained or trains some of the best fighters in the world.

This series takes you through a Sambo on steroids approach to grappling. Leg locks, flying techniques, rolling techniques etc. It would be a great addition to your game if you're coming from a purely BJJ background and looking to spice it up a bit with something more unorthodox.

Gameness "Platinum Weave Gi"

2009-04-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

This Gameness gi is so good, I'd give it 10 stars if I could. It is the best product I've ever had the pleasure of reviewing. The quality is out of this world and company stands behind their product.
Gameness was kind enough to send us two Gi's. One was an adult Platinum Weave Gi. The other was a childs Gold Weave Gi. Both are so outstanding that there doesn't seem to be another gi I've come into contact with that is close to what Gameness offers.

The Platinum and Gold weaves can only be described as incredibly light, soft and durable. It makes make my HCK training gi feel like sandpaper.

The material is very flexible and the collar is nice and stiff. The patchwork is stylish and this gi just looks great all around.

I would give a longer review but one isn't necessary. This is literally the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi I've ever felt or used. If you are looking for a new gi, DO NOT overlook the Gameness Platinum Weave!

Frank Shamrock "Fight and Win"

2009-04-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

This series has the honor of being called one of the best DVD sets I've ever had the pleasure of reviewing.

Frank Shamrock puts it ALL together perfectly in this set by Century.

From striking and grappling to fitness and drills, this set is everything a person who wants to learn MMA could ask for. If you like Frank Shamrock you'll LOVE this set.

First off, the production is top notch. The best I've ever seen and it's not a suprise coming from a large well respected company like Century. The quality is crisp and the sound perfect. Frank also comes across as very charismatic and funny. He's not nervous and you feel he really knows exactly what he is talking about. I'm not sure if the dialog is scripted or not, but the instruction is clear and very well thought out. Sometimes you get a guy talking off the top of his head and he leaves something out. This is a very professional effort by Shamrock and should be looked at as what "TO DO" when making an instructional series.

The techniques were fantastic. I actually learned some new things and you trust what Frank is teaching because he's been there and done that. He talks about throwing out what never worked for him and explains in detail why the techniques he's showing do work. There is just something about the way he teaches that gives you confidence that you don't often find in other DVDs.
If I could give this series more than 5 stars, I would. It's THAT good and I truly enjoyed it. My only criticism of this series for me might be that there is a lot of time spent on some VERY basic moves and positions. This is just something that wasn't useful to me, but might be useful to other folks. I would say this series is ESSENTIAL for beginners, OUTSTANDING for intermediates and WORTH OWNING for advanced guys. This series shows why Frank Shamrock is one of the baddest men on the planet.

Mike Kanarek "F.I.G.H.T. System"

2009-04-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

You've seen the ad and you're wondering if this new Israeli combat system is all it's cracked up to be. The answer. Yes.

I ordered the original FIGHT system DVD's and was very impressed with the content. Mike Lee Kanarek is a former Israeli Special Forces Operator with the credentials to prove that he is who is says he is. He's well respected in the general martial arts community and for good reason. He is a certified badass.

The first DVD covers basic combatives (ie. punches, kicks, eye gouges etc.) The first thing you notice is the production value is light years ahead of anything else on the market. The techniques, while simple are taught in a very clear and concise way. There is a flow that helps you to make sense of how to put it all together. You get a sense of FIGHT's brutality right off the bat.

The second DVD covers Street Scenarios. These are your basic, "The guy has me in a bearhug, what do I do?" sort of situations. I was very impressed by the speed, power and simplicity of the solutions presented by Mr. Kanarek.

The third DVD covers Gun and Knife Defenses. This DVD is a MUST OWN for anyone who is interested in defending themselves from armed attack. This is quite simply the best, most cutting edge material on the market. Defense against weapons is an oft neglected part of training these days and Mr. Kanarek gives incredible advice for dealing with any kind of armed threat.
Overall, this series would come with my highest recommendations if you are in the market for Quick and Dirty Self-Defense. It has everything you want in a self-defense series without any fluff or BS.

This is an EXCELLENT company to work with. I had no problems in ordering or receiving my material. The website is an excellent resource as well with updates and a web forum hosted by Mr. Kanarek himself. (On a side note. I noticed a flaw in their website security and they sent me their ground defense and knife fighting DVD sets for free.)

Phil Elmore "Shorthand, Empty Hand"

2009-04-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

Phil Elmore is an author and martial arts commentator. Shorthand Empty Hand is his first book on the topic of martial arts.

Shorthand Empty Hand is a small book that deals with basic self-defense issues.
Phil Elmore spends the first portion of the book explaining his background in martial arts, sets out disclaimers about his experience and distances himself from previous instructors (in an effort not to speak for them). This section is an interesting look at who the author is. He's an enthusiast and martial arts practioner. He's traditional and non-traditional. An interesting guy, but does this book have anything to offer?

Well, he starts the self-defense portion of this book speaking to issues such as mindset and awareness. I feel he does a good job having a beginner think about these oft neglected subjects. These subjects are rarely talked about in the "average" martial arts school and Phil does a good job of bringing up an awareness of awareness.

The technique section of this book was tougher for me to swallow. It is simplified Kung Fu and that is just not up my alley. I have some exposure to White Crane Gong Fu and the animal and whiping movements demonstrated by the author are not usuable for a beginner as shown. I also feel that the book would have benefited greatley with more pictures, diagrams and movement sequences. Some of the techniques are of course basic and solid (such as the palm strike), some are not.

Mr. Elmore ends the book speaking to the issue of panhandling. In New York where Mr. Elmore resides, panhandlers can be dangerous people. Anyone can actually be dangerous. Where I live, panhandlers are more of a nuisance than a danger. I found the chapter interesting and it is a nice encapsulation of a problem everyone knows about but rarely thinks about.

This is an interesting book. It doesn't promise a lot and it doesn't deliver a lot. I don't mean that in a bad way either. It's just an introductory primer to get people thinking about "real" self-defense instead of McDojo self-defense that many are seduced by. Elmore scores with his writing style and observations but doesn't impress me with instructional value or technique.

Paul Vunak "Dumog"

2009-04-22T09:51:00.002-07:00

This video introduces us to the oft neglected art of Dumog (Filipino Wrestling).

Once again, Paul Vunak comes through on this tape. Dumog is an awesome art to use in the clinch. It would help any judoka, BJJ, wrestler or MMA fighter immensly. These are techniques you don't see often but are very effective.
I practiced the Dumog drills and found myself getting a lot of sensitivity with my partner. I felt a lot of upper body control and really feel that this can be applied to a fight. This tape was a real suprise becase there is no "wrestling" in the traditional ground grappling sense, yet suprisingly, I picked up a lot that I wouldn't have got anywhere else.

Tony Cecchine "Double Trouble"

2009-04-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

This is Catch guru Tony Cecchine's foray into gi grappling...it is a success.

Cecchine and his partner demonstrate how to apply catch wrestling to the gi game. This DVD was outstanding...and I have seen a lot of BJJ stuff. There is always something new and cool on these DVD's but Tony's stuff is just brutal and unique.

I honestly felt like this would step up a gi grapplers game to the next level, and that is saying a lot coming from me.

Cecchine is featured at the beginning and end of this DVD. The person demonstrating the catch/bjj techniques is Mr. Chitwood. Chitwood seems to be a proficient sport BJJ player and alluded to a past in Japanese style sport Jiu-Jitsu. I liked Chitwood's instruction, but did long for more direct Cecchine instruction.

The DVD covers leg locks extensively. Specifically, the correct set ups and positioning. A good portion of the DVD is also devoted to grips and "ripping" techniques. Ripping is a strategy to cause pain in order to move a guy into better position for a submission or strike. An example would be driving your elbow into his temple or eye socket to create such discomfort he opens up for your offense.

There are two types of gi grappling instructionals out there. There are the BJJ series'. Some are good, others not so good. Then there are those who are not BJJ guys but are trying to capitalize off the hype. Or, to give the benefit of the doubt, they are trying to solve the BJJ question within their own style.

Tony's DVD is totally different. It's not BJJ and it's not some lame attempt to "defeat" or "be like" BJJ. It is just something altogether different.

I don't want to say Tony's style is brute strength, because that would minimize his innovative and excellent technique. But where BJJ is soft and flowing, Tony's interpretation is brutal and crushing. I would also say there is a MUCH greater focus on pain in catch than in BJJ.
If you use the gi and have an open mind this DVD will blow you away.

Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming "How to Defend Yourself"

2009-04-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is an expert in the area of Chinese Martial Arts. This is his first English version of a basic self-defense text.

This book is by far lightyears ahead of other Chinese Martial Arts books when it comes to Reality Based Self-Defense. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is a traditional teacher who emphasizes internal arts that are often thought of as ineffective for the "street". But this book shows that not only does he have street ready techniques, he can present them in an easy to learn way.

The begining of the book deals with "Martial Morality". It is a treatise on proper character in the martial arts. It seems to be what seperates the streetfighter from the martial artist who can fight on the street. It is in depth, deep in meaning and context. It was an interesting way to start off a book of this nature, but it was appropriate and useful.

The next section of the book deals with psychology. Here we have a very detailed explanation of the psychology of an attacker and what your mindset should be during an attack. This section is more detailed than what you'd get in many more "mainstream" RBSD material.

The technique section uses basic Kung Fu techniques (well illustrated) for striking and Chin-Na techniques for grappling and knife disarms. All are simple and effective, though it may take some training in Chinese Martial Arts to make them realistically workable. I have seen better material on "basic" techniques. This has more of a traditional flare that may not sit right with a person looking only for hardcore street defense. There is still art here and there is still "technique" as opposed to instinct.

I enjoyed this book. It was well written, well researched and presented nicely. This is a perfect book for a Kung Fu artist who wants basic self-defense or for a person who would like to get into a Chinese Martial Arts system. This is a good book overall and I'd like to watch the companion DVD that is now available to see how it compares.

Dean Lister "Real World Submissions"

2009-04-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dean Lister is truly an American icon in sport jiu-jitsu, American martial arts and MMA.
If you've never heard of Dean, you are not a fan of BJJ or submission wrestling. Dean was the ADCC Absolute Champion and has beaten some of the biggest names in the sport. BJ Penn may be the best known American BJJ practitioner, but Dean Lister may be the most talented all around. He has truly done some amazing things.

If you don't know him from his actual career, you may know him as the ground fighting Guru for Team Ortiz on this season of The Ultimate Fighter 3. Dean is the quiet and informative sidekick to Ortiz as he gives these guys the best 6 weeks of free jiu-jitsu lessons they'll ever have.
Dean Lister's Real World Submissions is an ultra cool DVD that is part seminar, part instructional and part documentary. The movie portion sort of follows and chronicles Dean's trips through some Scandinavian and European countries. It shows him hosting some seminars and competing against the European grappling champion.

The technique portion is equally informative and while you've seen most of these moves, you may have never seen the detail Dean gives. I literally learned new things from every technique or position he showed. This was NOT repeat material. You'd probably pay hundreds in private lesson fees to get 1/3rd of what you get on this DVD, making it well worth the semi-steep price of 29 dollars.

Overally, I really only had one complaint....I wish it was longer. The movie portion was very interesting and I loved the amature video camera feel. I just wish it was 3 times as long and included more "behind the scenes" type of stuff. It was THAT interesting. Dean is an interesting guy and if the worst thing I can say about the DVD is that it left me wanting more, than I think this DVD is a must have. I can't say enough about how great this DVD truly is.
Congrats to Dean on his recent UFC win. It was really an exciting and skilled performance and I wish him the best of luck in his MMA and grappling career.