Company: ESPY-TV
Tape Name: Combat Aiki Jujitsu, Volume 2
Tape Cost: $29.95
Length
of Tape/Time: 50 minutes
Number of Moves/Techniques: Approximately 50
Return
Policy: Return On Defective Or Damaged Merchandise Only
Experiences in dealing
with this company: Excellent
The Instructor: Ronald Duncan
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: 10
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 8
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: 8
7. Wasted Time ( The higher the number, the less "
fluff" /repetition ): 9
8. Playback Score/Watching if over-and-over again:
8
9. Would I purchase more of this company's products:9
10. Overall grade based
on cost vs. Value: 9
Grand Total: 88% ( Fair = 2 Stars ) Original Grade =
92%
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1.
Beginners benefit: Fair
2. Intermediate benefit: Fair
3. Advanced benefit:
Fair
4. Time to benefit: Some of the concepts may be difficult for beginners
5.
The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None
Written Summary:
Unlike
the first volume in this series, there is no introductory segment. Instead, Mr. Duncan
gets right to the action showing the viewer self defense techniques from aiki jujitsu.
Mr. Duncan shows us a large variety of techniques against various attacks including
club attacks, knife attacks, punches, and handguns. The punching defenses were unrealistic
because the attacker delivers the punch like a classical karateka with the blow delivered
from the hip. I think that to practice too much against this type of punching attack
is not applicable to most street situations. I would think that very few street attackers
are trained in classical karate. That said, the weapon defense techniques are fair.
There is a large number of throws and some excruciatingly painful jointlocks demonstrated
by Mr. Duncan. The knife attacks are also very unrealistic because they are delivered
in an extremely telegraphic way, much like the classical karate punch. This gives
the inexperienced viewer a distorted view that defending against a knife attack is
easier that it actually is. Instead, I would have liked to see Mr. Duncan perform
these moves against a rapid slashing attack as opposed to the singular telegraphic
thrust that comes straight out and then freezes. Very unrealistic. At least in my
neighborhood.
This video is mildly entertaining and has a large number of
techniques to observe and learn from. It does take a more experienced martial artist
to recognize which of these techniques are likely to work and which ones are fraught
with peril. As a result, I would recommend this video to people who already have
a substantial martial arts background and who can see and understand the more subtle
nuances that are occurring in these techniques. Mr. Duncan explains the technique
but only in very general ways without going into a lot of detail. This can be very
misleading to martial artists who unfamiliar with the aiki arts or those who come
from arts that primarily emphasize striking.
CJ
