Company: Goldstar Video
Tape Name: Combat Jiu-Jitsu # 2: Locks & Throws
Tape Cost: as low as $2.99 per rental!
Length of Tape/Time: varies, see "written summary"
Number of Moves/Techniques: Varies
Return Policy: Rental
Experiences in dealing with this company: Great with Goldstar!
The Instructor: Norman Leff
Company's Address: 413 Briarwood Ridge, Carl Junction, MO 64834
Company's Phone Number: 888-884-7482
Web Page: http://www.goldstarvideo.com
E-Mail: customerservice@goldstarvideo.com
Primary Grading Criteria:
1. Production/Tape Quality: 60
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 60
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 60
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 60
5. Score on delivery vs hype: 60
6. Degree to which we would recommend this product: 60
7. Wasted Time ( The higher the number,the less " fluff" /repetition ): 60
8. Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again: 60
9. Would I purchase more of this company's products: 60
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value: 60
Grand Total: 60% (Good = 3.0 Stars)
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1. Beginners benefit: Very Good
2. Intermediate benefit: Good
3. Advanced benefit: Fair-to-Good
4. Time to benefit: Immediate
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: No
Written Summary:
In this 2nd of 4 tapes we begin to see this style of Leff's take shape. Leff states that he has been taking martial arts for over 50 yrs and began as a teenager. So add the "over 50 yrs" with the "beginning as a teenager", and I'd guess Leff to be at least in his mid-60's, if not a bit older, when this was filmed. I mention this because I was concerned at times while watching this tape, seeing Leff do many techniques very slow. I honestly found myself while watching this video wondering if he could do them fast. He showed at one point on this video, a burst of hand speed when he did a combination strike, which was somewhat reassuring. Yet when it came to doing alot of the locks and throws, he did them very slow. Often he repeated techniques 2-3 times, but when he was attempting to show them fast, it was still quite slow in my opinion. He kept saying "practice slow...these techniques are very dangerous". To each his own I guess, but I have seen jujitsu locks and throws done alot faster on other tapes! I feel as if I must admit that I was somewhat bothered about his snails pace throughout this tape.
Tape 2 (of 4): The first 15-20 minutes of this tape was spent on "Defense Against Grabs". Leff shows a variety of ways to handle these, by mixing up strikes, locks, and chokes during each grab. At about 20 min into this video, Leff goes into "Defense Against Pushes", he again shows how to mix up strikes, locks and chokes. At about 35 minutes into this video he goes into "Controlling" techniques, more locks and chokes. Then at 40 minutes he goes through defending yourself if you are "Seated", and someone is standing and trying to attack you. At 46 minutes he goes into defending yourself against "Punch Flurries". Then at 50 minutes defense against "Kicks". At 52 minutes defense against "Tackles". Then he does a conclusion ending this one at about 55 minutes.
Like before, this was not a horrible tape, not a great one either, Leff once again talks very slow, often moved very slow, showed little enthusiasm, and at times I found myself watching the clock thinking "Dear God, when is this going to be over". Like Tape # 1, there wasn't really anything technically wrong with what Leff showed. I'm going to rate this one a bit higher than the last one, because Leff did show some pretty cool moves, but I have to factor in how this one dragged on a bit. Between our 1-5 Star scale, lets call it 3.0 Stars and move on.
EM
