Company: Paladin Press
Tape Name: Safe In The Street
Tape Cost: $14.95
Length of Tape/Time: 50 minutes
Number of Moves/Techniques: Concepts
Return Policy: Refund on damaged or defective tapes only
Experiences in dealing with this company: Fantastic. Great customer service.
The Instructor: Marc MacYoung
Company's Address: PO Box 1307, Boulder, Colorado 80306
Company's Phone Number: 303-443-7250
Web Page: http://www.paladin-press.com
E-Mail: sales@paladin-press.com

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Main Grading Criteria

Production/Tape Quality: 9
Instructors demonstrated skill level: 9
Comprehension Score: 10
Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 10
Score on delivery vs hype:10
Wasted Time ( The higher the number, the less " fluff "): 10
Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again): 10
Would I purchase more of this company's products: 10
Overall grade based on cost vs value: 10

Grand Total: 98 %

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Secondary Grading Criteria

Beginners: Excellent
Intermediate: Excellent
Advanced: Excellent
Time to benefit: Immediate
The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None

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Written Summary:

As martial artists, we all spend alot of time learning how to defend ourselves. Yet how much time do we spend learning to defuse a situation before it begins? Most martial arts schools I've visited, spend VERY little time on avoidance training. Instead, we spend years training ourselves physically, learning to use this technique or that one. Why shouldn't we spend as much time learning how to avoid, out-think, or effectively talk our way out of potentially harmful situations?

I'm sure there are some macho types out there saying, "Yeah, so what? I'd love someone to try and do something. I've been waiting for years to use this stuff." Believe it or not, I actually once took training from, and knew, quite a few martial artists like that. But against a gun, knife, or 3 or more assailants? Come on! Do you really want to test your training in a life and death situation? As my pappy always said, "There's always someone out there bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled, and better equipped than you. And how do you know it's not your attacker?" Wouldn't it be much better to prevent, avoid, or run from, a potentially hostile situation?

Heck, if an attacker wanted me to hand over my watch, money, keys, credit cards, etc., I'd do it, and I suggest you do the same. It's not worth you getting cut or shot over.

Personally, I'm not as concerned about what an attacker might do to me, as I am what OUR LEGAL SYSTEM might do! The idea of 12 people having the authority to decide whether or not I used "excessive force" on someone, and subsequently deciding how much money I should pay a criminal, or how much time I should spend in jail, scares me alot more than any attacker! And I say it's not worth the risk of having that take place. So if you can walk away from a situation, by giving a criminal whatever he wants, do so!

You know what's really funny? 10 years ago when I was practically penniless, I though I was one of those macho types, and I went around thinking, "Bring him on, let's say what he's got". Funny how a few more years of martial arts training, creating a life for oneself, having a really nice job, a couple of cars, a home, some very nice expensive toys, etc., and remembering what your pappy said, will change ones way of thinking. Unfortunately that's something I'm sure many folks will have to grow into to understand. Just like I had too! : )

I've worked too hard to get what I have, and I don't want to lose any of it. To me, there's no fight worth getting into that risks me losing my possessions, or my freedom! Why would any sane person allow a scuffle like that to take place, so that 12 unknown people can decide the fate of their freedom and finances? Wouldn't it be better to run away and prevent that from happening?

Besides, a jury won't REALLY KNOW what happened. They'll make a guess based on the evidence and testimony. And if it's your word, versus some lying criminals, and their shyster attorney, guess who the opposing legal team is going to say the criminal and victim are? That's right, no matter what really happened, you will more than likely be portrayed as the criminal, and your attacker, the victim. And even though we would all like to think and believe TRUTH WILL PREVAIL, there is ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE that will happen, or things will go your way! Just look at the recent outcomes in our nations courtrooms, they are extremely shocking to say the least!

As this video suggests, the legal and financial risks for taking on an attacker are very real. I'm sure we've all heard lots of stories in which someone defended themselves, using what they though was reasonable force, a court decides otherwise, the victim ends up being sued, the criminal wins a huge monetary settlement, or worse, the victim ends up going to jail, and the criminal is released. Doesn't the thought of that just make you furious? We live in a very screwed up world folks!

This video really is an eye opener, and suggests that the criminal has many things in their favor. As law abiding citizens, and martial artists, we're at somewhat of a disadvantage, and there is a very fine line we must walk in which we must act legally, responsibly, with reasonable force, and even more importantly, know when we can legally begin our attack/defense. But how many of us really know where that fine line begins and ends? Do you know what signs to look for that might indicate a situation is about to go bad? And do you have a step-by-step process to analyze any given situation, know what stage it's in, and based on that stage, how best it should be dealt with? These are but a few of the things talked about in this video.

Thank God, Marc MacYoung and Paladin Press put out a video like this. It's jam packed with quite a few ideas and concepts that I bet many martial artists either forgot, haven't heard of, or don't think about. Not only is this video well organized and scripted, but the viewer is given many step-by-step guidelines on how to recognize, avoid, prevent, out-think, and deal with hostile situations. In fact, before you spend several hundred dollars on your next hot-new-video-series-of-the-month, I'd strongly suggest you spend $14.95 on this tape. All those hot-new-techniques may be great, but until you "have them down", why not learn how to walk away safely from a situation, with everything you own, and your freedom, intact?