Company: Paladin Press
Tape Name: Masters and Styles
Tape Cost: $49.95
Length of Tape/Time: 1 hour
Number of Moves/Techniques: Numerous
Return Policy: Money Back Guarantee (just started in 2005)
Instructor: Christensen & Hatmaker & Morris
Company Address: P.O. Box 1307 Boulder CO 80306
Company Phone Number: 303-443-7250
Web Page:
http://www.paladin-press.com
E-Mail:
sales@paladin-press.com
Primary Grading Criteria:
1. Production Quality: 70
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 70
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 70
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 70
5. Score on Delivery Vs Hype: 70
6. Degree to which you would recommend this product: 70
7. Wasted time (The Higher the number, the less “Fluff “/repetition):70
8. Playback score/watching it over and over again: 70
9. Would I purchase more of this company’s products: 70
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value: 70
Grand Total: 70% (Good = 3.5 stars)
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1. Beginners benefit: Good
2. Intermediate benefit: Good
3. Advanced benefit: OK
4. Time to benefit: Immediate
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None
Written Summary:
In this dvd we see 3 video instructors, Loren Christensen, Mark Hatmaker, and Vince Morris, each show us how they would prefer to handle each of the following 6 self-defense situations:
Haymaker
Front Kick
Tackle
Rear Choke
Side Headlock
Lapel Grab
To me, this was a bit of a mixed bag. Each instructor shows his way of handling each of those 6 situations, which of course is different amongst all 3 instructors. Each does the 6, and then its on to the next instructor for him to show how he'd do those 6. Sometimes I felt while watching "OK, that would work", other times I caught myself thinking "I wouldn't use that one", and in a couple of instances I thought to myself "I liked that one". Out of the 6 techniques, I'd say each instructor showed 1-2 out of the 6 I liked, often the rest were ok, and sometimes 1-2 I'd say "Not for me".
I'd say Hatmaker impressed me the most. In general, I'd say his stuff was a little more impressive, and something I could picture myself or others liking a bit more. Although Hatmaker did have a couple of instances where I said to myself "Why did you do all that when you could just cup-slap the guy in the groin, strike him in the eyes, stomp his foot, or Palm Heel him in the nose or chin". It was like he took the long-way in a couple of his to dispatch of his aggressor. Yet technically, what he showed was impressive. Hatmaker seemed to address each situation by combining grappling and boxing. I counted on one of Hatmakers (on the Haymaker), him showing like 6 variations. Morris, who didn't fair too well in past reviews here, actually did 2 of his extremely well (Haymaker and Lapel Grab). Christensen had one really nice one (Rear Choke), and the rest were OK.
I'd say the winners here, if I had to rank whose techniques I liked the most, in order, it would be: Hatmaker, Morris, and Christensen.
A majority of this video was simply "ok", but due to Hatmaker being quite impressive, and the other guys having a bright moment here-and-there, I'm going to rate this one simply as "Good".
EM
