Company: ESPY-TV MARTIAL ART VIDEOS
Tape Name: Mande Muda Pencak Silat
Tape
Cost: $ 29.95
Length of Tape/Time: 52 minutes
Number of Moves/Techniques: Over
35 techniques or variations
Return Policy:
Experiences in dealing with this
company: Fantastic
The Instructor: Guy Chase
Company's Address: 611 Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10012
Company's Phone Number: 1-800-735-6521
Web Page: http://www.espytv.com
E-Mail:
order@espytv.com
Primary Grading Criteria:
1. Production/Tape
Quality: 9
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 10
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate
Understanding: 10
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist:
8
5. Score on delivery vs. hype: 10
6. Degree to which we'd recommend this
product: 8
7. Wasted Time (The higher the number, the less "fluff"/repetition):
10
8. Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again: 8
9. Would I purchase
more of this company's products: 10
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value:
9
Grand Total: 92 (Good = 3.0 Stars)
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1. Beginners
benefit: Fair
2. Intermediate benefit: Good
3. Advanced benefit: Good
4.
Time to benefit: Very system specific, thorough study should yield excellent results
5.
The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: Tape 1 would be useful but
is not necessary
Written Summary:
Not necessarily an
easy tape to review. Within the context of the available video material on the subject
of pencak silat, which is pretty sparse, this is an excellent tape, i.e. the instructor
is clearly a high-level expert in his art . He demonstrates the techniques clearly,
with authority, and the techniques themselves are beautiful to watch. So basically,
if you are a student of silat, this video is highly recommended for furthering your
understanding of the art.
The reviewers problem may well be his problem rather
than that of the video itself. Simply stated, any martial art technique will work
if the opponent is incompetent enough . In other words, yes you can use that flying,
spinning 360 degree reverse kick, IF your opponent is a seventy year old granddad
in a wheelchair. Try it against your friendly neighbourhood Hell's Angel and see
where it gets you. Obviously, the simpler a technique the easier it is to apply under
conditions of extreme stress. Few situations could be more stressful than life-and-death
combat.
The techniques demonstrated on this video range between medium and
highly complex.
Every technique is demonstrated several times but not often enough
to be redundant, since the techniques are complex. The attacker throws a punch, kick
or double punch and then stands there and waits for the counter to be applied. This
is not to say that Mr. Chase couldn't apply these techniques in a fight, the question
is whether the person trying to learn these techniques off a video could?
This
is very much a technique tape, although Mr. Chase shows how to apply the same basic
patterns against various attacks, i.e. underlying concepts are detectable, if one
is looking.
Mr.Chase shows entries against different attacks, these are mostly
simultaneous double armed entries which seem typical of Silat. These are utilized
in conjunction with subtle angulation and manipulation of the opponent's balance.
After demonstrating defenses against punches, Mr. Chase demonstrates counters to
kicks, double punches, multiple opponents and knives. There is also a short demonstration
of the defensive use of the sarong.
A final criticism : Whilst in the opinion
of this reviewer, most of these techniques are a little too complex for street usage
by the average practitioner, the techniques against multiple opponents are suicidal.
Fairly extensive nightclub work and my combat instructors have convinced me, that
given the choice, the primary tactic against multiple attackers is footwork, i.e.
continuous evasive footwork leading to getting the hell out of there and surviving
to fight another day. Attacked by two opponents, you should ALWAYS, angle out, thereby
putting one attacker between yourself and the other one. Mr. Chase again and again
moves into the middle, i.e. between the two attackers, then catches their punches
and locks up both attackers. Good luck, but why would a couple of blind, handicapped
people be attacking you ?
Having said all this, I would like to once again
emphasize that if you love and study the art of Silat, this is an informative, well-produced
and worthwile tape to get, especially at such a reasonable price. Just do yourself
a favour, occasionally put on some protective equipment and pressure-test your abilities.
E.P.
