Company: ESPY-TV
Tape Name: Dynamic Aikido Combat, Tape 1
Tape Cost: $29.95
Length
of Tape/Time: 40 minutes
Number of Moves/Techniques: 20 techniques ( including
variations )
Return Policy: Return On Defective Or Damaged Merchandise Only
Experiences
in dealing with this company: Excellent
The Instructor: Robert B. MacEwen Jr,
Company's
Address: 611 Broadway, N.Y., N.Y., 10012
Company's Phone Number: 212-673-0899
Web
Page: http://www.espytv.com
E-Mail: order@espytv.com
Primary Grading Criteria:
1. Production/Tape
Quality: 9
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 9
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate
Understanding: 9
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist:
9
5. Score on delivery vs hype: 9
6. Degree to which we would recommend this
product: 9
7. Wasted Time ( The higher the number, the less " fluff"
/repetition ): 9
8. Playback Score/Watching if over-and-over again: 9
9. Would
I purchase more of this company's products:9
10. Overall grade based on cost vs.
Value: 9
Grand Total: 90% ( Fair = 2.5 Stars ) Original Grade = 94%
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1. Beginners
benefit: Fair
2. Intermediate benefit: Good
3. Advanced benefit: Good
4.
Time to benefit: Immediate
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this
one: None
Written Summary:
When it comes to the
martial art of aikido, there are two definite schools of thought in the martial arts
world. The first believes that aikido is basically a "ballerina" art with
no real world applications. The second is that aikido is the "ultimate"
art which is second to none in real world applications and gives one a sound philosophical
base upon which to build a martial art. My opinion is that the truth probably lies
somewhere between these two extremes. This video by Mr. MacEwen definitely presents
the harder edge, the more combat oriented edge, to aikido and does not concern itself
with "looking pretty" or coming across with philosophical mumbo jumbo.
Anyone
familiar with the aiki based arts will recognize much of the material, but Mr. MacEwen
goes further than most aiki videos by explaining many of the fine points of the art
such as correct foot pivoting, correct grasping of the opponents wrist and/or elbow,
and some good advice on finishing off a throw or takedown. Ikkyo, shionage, kotegaeshi,
some frontal handgun disarms, choke defenses, bear hug defenses, iriminage, and a
few other takedowns are just some of the material shown on this tape. Unless you
the viewer has had extensive aikido training, I assure you that the detail Mr. MacEwen
goes into on these techniques would be well worth one's time to watch. The material
on this video, unlike many videos on the aiki arts, is shown at realistic speeds
and with enough intensity to convince me that many of these techniques could indeed
be developed enough to become highly street effective. That said, I am not a complete
believer in the street applications of the aiki based arts and this tape is no exception.
The degree of difficulty on these techniques is quite high and require a higher
degree of fine motor coordination to pull them off. We all know how fine motor skills
tend to degrade under stress, particularly the stress of street self defense situation.
Because of that caveat, I recommend this tape as a possible buy but not a strong
recommendation.
CJ
