Company: Paladin Press
Tape Name: Reverse Grip Knife Fighting
Tape Cost:
$29.95
Length of Tape/Time: Approximately 1 hour
Number of Moves/Techniques:
Concepts plus Training Drills
Return Policy: Refund on damaged or defective tapes
only
Experiences in dealing with this company: Fantastic
The Instructor: James
Keating
Company’s Address: P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO., 80306
Company’s Phone
Number: 1-800-392-2400
Web Page: http://www.paladin-press.com
E-Mail:
sales@paladin-press.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: 91% (Good) (2.75 Stars) Original score 90%
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1.
Beginners benefit: Good
2. Intermediate benefit: Good
3. Advanced benefit:
Good
4. Time to benefit: Depends on current weapons skill of viewer
5. The
need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None
Written Summary:
This is
another knife video from Paladin featuring James Keating. This one focuses on using
the reverse grip ( also known as an icepick grip ) in combat situations. The video
opens with some introductory comments by Mr. Keating in which he touches on the subjects
of knife selection, legalities, types of carries, and recommended knife deployment
techniques. The video is divided in three phases. In phase one, we are introduced
to several reverse grip sensitivity drills and triangle footwork. Phase two is the
application of the phase one material including knife deployment, body pivoting,
foot trapping and arm trapping. The last segment ( the one that I personally found
most enjoybable ) deals with quick knife deployment and targeting skills. In this
segment, we see Mr. Keating employing a quick draw and delivering rapid reverse grip
stabs to air filled balloons.
So what did I get from this video ? If you are
trained in the filipino arts, this material will be familiar. If not, then you will
definitely find some of the material very useful. Mr. Keating uses a fixed blade
knife on all of these techniques. In many parts of the country, this particular type
of blade carry is illegal. I would have liked to see the same material addressed
with a folder, which is legal to carry most anywhere. While the material on the first
half of the video was somewhat slow and repetitive, the second half of the video
was very informative. Mr. Keating is very skilled with a blade and he shows it in
the second half of the video. One point on which I strongly agree with Mr. Keating
is that not enough time is spent on knife deployment by most instructors. Learning
to draw and clear the weapon quickly under stressful conditions should receive more
attention. Mr. Keating addresses this point very forcefully.
Knife fighting
videos are difficult to review because it is difficult to determine to what audience
these videos are aimed. If you assume the viewer has zero to very little training
in weaponry, then this video is very good. If you assume the viewer is experienced
in bladed weaponry, then this video is not quite as good. This video is recommended
for those with little to no knife training and a lesser recommendation for those
with extensive training in bladed weaponry.
CJ
