Company: Bernie Lau Productions
Tape Name: Advanced Aiki Jujitsu
Tape Cost: 39.95
Length of Tape/Time: 1 hour
Number of Moves/Techniques: Approximately 50
Return Policy: Don't Know
Experiences in dealing with this company: Don't Know
The Instructor: Bernie Lau, Roy Goldberg, Miguel Ibarra, Diane Hughes
Company's Address: PO Box 299, Mountlake Terrace, Washington 98043
Company's Phone Number: Don't Know
Web Page: http://www.seattleschoolofaikido.org/about_icho_ryu
Another Link: https://www.facebook.com/bernie.lau.3
E-Mail: Don't Know


Main Grading Criteria

Production/Tape Quality: 10
Instructors demonstrated skill level: 8
Comprehension Score: 10
Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist:8
Score on delivery vs hype: 9
Degree to which we'd recommend this tape: 8
Wasted Time ( The higher the number, the less " fluff ") 7
Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again): 9
Would I purchase more of this company's products: 8
Overall grade based on cost vs value:8

Grand Total: 85 % ( Fair = 1.25 Stars )


Secondary Grading Criteria:

Beginners: Fair
Intermediate: Fair
Advanced: Fair
Time to benefit: Not immediate for most people.
The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: Possibly


Written Summary:

This video is another beautifully produced video from Bernie Lau Productions. The footage looks like it was filmed in a Japanese garden / dojo. The tape opens with an interview sesssion with James DeMile, an early associate of Bruce Lee. Mr. DeMile is apparently a master of the 1 and 3 inch punch made famous by Mr. Lee. Mr DeMile demonstrates the punches on an uke but very little is said about how to actually do the punch. I also wondered just what Bruce Lee's 1 and 3 inch punches had to do with aiki jujitsu.

The second section of the tape shows Mr. Lau in a police uniform using various aikijujitsu techniques on a perpetrator who is brandishing different weapons and then is shown attacking Mr Lau empty handed. The video is so well produced that you can see a great deal of detail but there is virtually no narration or explanation of the fine points of executing these techniques.

Next we are treated to a very traditional aikijujitsu class complete with advanced breathing exercises and training in falling techniques. There is not much here that most intermediate and advanced students have not seen before but beginners may find it extremely interesting. We are then treated to some aikijujitsu offensive techniques versus two opponents which are effective but not really that advancecd.

The tape concludes with an interview with Professor Wally Jay followed by a demonstration of Mr. Jay doing small circle jiu jitsu. This is an amazing sequence for anyone who has never seen Mr. Jay in action but I really question what is he doing in a video that is billed as " advanced aikijujitsu ".

There is plenty of good material available on this tape. But there is a lot of fluff as well. A lot of the material is repeated many times and frankly, the majority of the techniques shown are not that advanced. Good techniques yes, but not that advanced in my opinion. One has to wonder why Mr DeMile and Professor Jay were on this video if the video was billed as an aikijujitsu tape). Also, the lack of narration and explanation of how to do the techniques is a minus if the tape is intended to be used as a teaching aid. It's a good tape but there are better tapes available on the subject of aikijujitsu ( in my opinion).

CJ


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