Company: DMM Group
Tape Name: Street Self Defense 101 - Volume 1
Tape Cost: $39.99 for Vol 1 & 2
Length of Tape/Time: 60 minutes
Number of Moves/Techniques: 30 techniques
Return Policy: NA
Experiences in dealing with this company: NA
The Instructor: Michael Pace
 Company's Address: 1 Stone Ridge Rd. Sussex, NJ 07461
Company's Phone Number: 1-888-857-5715
Web Page: http://www.self-defense-videos.com
E-Mail: mpace02@pacekarate.com

Primary Grading Criteria:

1. Production/Tape Quality: 70
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 60
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 70
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 30
5. Score on delivery vs hype: 30
6. Degree to which we would recommend this product: 0
7. Wasted Time ( The higher the number,the less " fluff" /repetition ): 80
8. Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again: 0
9. Would I purchase more of this company's products: 0
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value: 0

Grand Total: 34% (Poor/Fair "on the fence")

Secondary Grading Criteria:

1. Beginners benefit: Poor
2. Intermediate benefit: Poor
3. Advanced benefit: Poor
4. Time to benefit: Little-to-no benefit, so who cares!
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None

Written Summary:

Has it been 2 yrs since we did our last review? Has anyone missed us? Probably not people like Mr. Pace, who has had a nice little ride til now...lol. I just want the fans to know, the sheriff is back-in-town, and he's not taking any prisoners! Be sure and check back at least once a week, because I have a feeling there's going to be some shock-and-awe!

First off, I'd like to thank the gentleman who sent me Pace's DVD's! I'd heard of Pace in the past, but wondered why he hadn't sent us his stuff for review, now I know why! As I've said in the past "BEFORE buying any tape/dvd, check our site, and if it hasn't been reviewed, tell the people selling it, they need to send it to us for review, before you'll buy it! And if you own a tape that you think is garbage and we haven't reviewed, and it sits on a shelf because you can't get your money back, why not get rid of it by sending it to us so we can review it and warn others about it. Wouldn't that be your best way to get back at the shysters and hucksters?

If you're new to our site, we are all over the internet (linked at many sites)! If you go to Google and type in "Martial Arts Video Reviews", guess who pops up on the first page? We are the largest Martial Art Video Review site. Something that was long needed, but no one had done on a grand scale! And I want to thank many of our past reviewers, who without them, this project would've never been a success! Special thanks goes out to C.J. "you worked long-and-hard my friend, enjoy the rest that you truly deserve, and know that I still get emails about reviews you did, and that your contribution is probably more appreciated by fans and myself than you'll ever know"!!!

To the fans of this site who have followed us for awhile, play time is over!!! Grading is going to become much harsher and more critical. We are going to separate the good from the bad, and make it VERY CLEAR which-is-which from here on out! My goal with future reviews is to end all confusion,and make sure the scoring/grade makes things VERY clear! We'll probably along the way offend those we grade poorly, and make some enemies, but who needs or wants those guys as friends anyway! The friends I've made over the last 8 years, who make great videos, I'm proud to say are my friends! This site is for "consumers who buy tapes", and if along the way we make friends, that's just a perk! Besides, would you rather have high quality friends or low quality friends?

As I've said in the past, I've found that video instructors who are only out for money, know that their stuff isn't that great, have to over promote it, and in an effort to keep sales going and money coming in, they know better than to send their garbage to us for review. If they do, and get a bad review, guess what happens to their gravy train? Sales slow down and money stops coming in! Guess what, if their stuff is bad, they deserve that. The only reason videos should be bought, is if they're good! And if they're not, that should be pointed out, and they should either stop selling videos altogether, or go make a better one! Can I get an "Amen on that"? Those of you who buy videos, know what I mean! Too many companies still have a "no refund" policy, meaning, they can over promote themselves, sell you garbage, you're stuck with their overpriced garbage, and all you can think about is how much ligher your wallet feels!

Every now-and-then it seems someone pops their head up out-of-the-blue and, creates a video, and promotes themself by more-or-less saying "I've got all the answers to your self defense needs". 90% of the time, after watching the material of someone who says "I'm all you need", I've almost everytime disagreed with their claim and their material!

Having done The Reviews now for 8-9 yrs, I've had the opportunity to talk and meet with many video instructors all over the U.S. Many travel, as do I, sometimes I look them up if I'm in their town, or they call me when they're in Dallas doing seminars! And I've had many students and non-video instructors (school instructors) write me. So I've been able through that, and the association I have, to get acquainted with people all over the U.S. and worldwide! So after watching this tape I made a couple of inquiries around the area of Pace's schools. I checked with a couple of people who provide high-quality instruction, who I respect, and whose identities I won't reveal. These are people who know those around them that are "good" and will tell you! Needless to say, their comments were "interesting" regarding Mr. Pace!

I found Pace's techniques to be like the vegetable/fruit drawer at the bottom of most everyones refrigerator. Some of the stuff was good, some bad, but the overall odor and seeping sludge had contaminated everything, so you have to chunk it all! Problem I had, you can't have ANY of your self-defense be bad, or, if someone buys your stuff thinking ALL of it is good, but it's not, then they might get hurt if they use it in a real situation. Have video instructors not yet realized that when they parade themselves as "Self Defense Kings" they are shouldering a huge responsibility that they "damn well" need to live up too! Lives are more important than dollars! If you haven't tested your techniques in numerous situations, then don't try to market a video for the sake of making a quick buck, based on some theory you pulled-out-of-the-air! Based on what I saw, versus Pace's own hype about himself, I had to in good conscience give this dvd the grade it got.

On this video, I saw timing issues that left you wide-open, strikes that were questionable, striking without looking, responding to certain attacks with a series of complicated and time consuming moves - where quicker-and-fewer techniques would be preferred. What Pace offered, was in my opinion, no better than spending your first month at ANY martial arts school, and in many instances worse!

There's not enough room or time for me here to critique each of the 30 techniques. His 30 techiques are the equivalent of self-defense/one-steps. In a nutshell, Pace tries to keep applying the same moves, as much as possible, to a variety of attacks. He justifies this by wanting to make sure a defendant doesn't have to remember too many ways to respond. Problem is, at times his techiques are too slow, leave you too open for counters, aren't really the best-or-easiset response, and could in my opinion get you hurt!

After watching this dvd I went to Pace's different websites (yes, websites, one doesn't seem to be enough for him....hmmmm)! During the writing of this review (he might change this later so he doesn't seem so money hungry), I noticed Pace sells $40 CD's that have Military Hand-to-Hand combat manuals. Those manuals are now declassified for the general public, and there are a couple of websites that allow you to download them for free!!! You can search for them in Google and find them for FREE! Also, he sells some other books on his CD's, where either the copyright expired, or was never applied for! I know your tricks Mr. Pace, and the websites on the "net" where people can find this stuff for FREE! Now tell me this guy isn't just out for a buck? Publications you can get on the "net" for FREE, he sells for $40, and has SEVERAL series of CD's with this FREE stuff he sells for top dollar! Maybe I should go to www.irs.gov, make a CD with all the 2004 IRS tax return forms I can download, hype them as "rare-and-hard-to-find", and list those CD's on my website for $40 each. What is this world coming too? Shame on you Mr. Pace!

Dig around in these links and you can find most of the PACE manuals for FREE:

http://get-tough.net/combat/manuals.html
http://ejmas.com
http://www.stormpages.com/handtohand22/index.htm
http://ahfaa.org/unarmed.htm

Pace's video production was mediocre (home shot quality). Also, it's almost apparent to a person with some "insider" knowledge of how things work in the tape industry, and internet marketing, that he hired someone to create the wording on his MULTIPLE websites. There are individuals and companies that specialize in creating "sales wording" that makes a product so irresistable, you feel stupid after reading it if you don't buy it! Some of them often guarantee a certain amount of sales, if you use their service, or a refund for what you paid them to do that! I have a very strong suspicion he used one of them. I've found that about 80-90% of the time, when someone uses one of these companies to create the "wording" for their MULTIPLE money grubbing websites, it's not usually someone offering something of REAL quality. In my opinion, Pace appears to simply be someone who knows a couple of things, and is out to make a buck, without providing true quality video instruction. Combine what I saw with wording on his website that says "Special deal if you order today" and I can't help but shake my head from side-to-side.

I have 3 other Pace dvds to review, and if I can stay awake long enough during them to make some notes, you'll likely see a couple of more reviews of his stuff!

Bottomline....I'd pass on this one, not look back, nor think twice about it!

I have a list of other video martial arts instructors I'm suspicious of, who haven't sent us their material. Please make a donation so I can buy their stuff and review it!

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