Company: Senshido Combative Science Technologies Inc.
Tape Name: Shredder, Shredder Enhancer, and Scenario Replications (3 dvds)
Tape Cost: Varies - see website
Length of Tape/Time: Varies
Number of Moves/Techniques: Numerous
Return Policy: Replacement for defects
Instructor: Richard Dimitri
Company's Address: P.O. Box 423 STN B, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3B 3J7
Company's Phone Number: 1-866-879-5620
Web Page: Senshido
E-Mail: Orders
Primary Grading Criteria:
1. Production/Tape Quality: 7
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 10
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 10
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 10
5. Score on delivery vs hype: 10
6. Degree to which we would recommend this product: 10
7. Wasted Time ( The higher the number,the less " fluff" /repetition ): 10
8. Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again: 10
9. Would I purchase more of this company's products: 10
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value: 10
Grand Total: 97% (Very Good = 4.5 Stars)
Secondary Grading Criteria:
1. Beginners benefit: Very Good
2. Intermediate benefit: Very Good
3. Advanced benefit: Very Good
4. Time to benefit: Inmmediate
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None
Written Summary:
Let me say right off the bat I liked where Senshido founder, Rich Dimitri is coming from. With his black shirt and tattoos he seems like the Henry Rollins of martial arts combatives. He is obviously passionate about what he teaches and it makes you want to pay attention.
His big theory on his DVDs entitled The Shredder and Shredder Enhancer is essentially, at close range grab on to your assailants face and rip, shred and dismantle him without let up. What I liked about the technique is that there is no pull back to a punch or strike once you have attached yourself to your assailant. You flow from one gouge to the next. For example when your in the mount, instead of reigning down punches, which gives your assailant a chance of either intentionally blocking or reflexively blocking something, you never pull back to deliver your ripping, gouging or close quarter strikes.
Two examples impressed me on the tape. The first was one of his students who is 6’4” and a grappler, who was urged to attack him full on. He essentially nullified his student by using his shredder technique. The other was where one of his female students was attacked by another student. Rich literally said ”I want you to attempt to rape her and if you succeed, well I guess we’re making a porn movie”. I have seen women defend themselves in adrenaline classes against a padded assailant. I admit there is a bit of realism to it, but something always looks missing. I have also seen women defend themselves on other tapes, but I always doubted what I saw. This guy really tried to assault her and she started growling, fighting for her life and turning him into dog meat. I was very impressed. The sign of a great teacher is a great student.
In my own training I have used similar movements whereby crashing in on my opponent and trying to gouge, and rip, more in the Tony Ceccine mode of Ripping. Where Rich differs, and I can now add to my arsenal, is that there is no wind-up, no telegraphing once he latches onto you. I have gotten people mounted and gone for the ears, throat and I've even bitten them. I’m guilty of falling back into ground and pounding, where you give your opponent the opportunity to fight back. The one thing that I found amusing is that Rich says it has taken him nine years to perfect this technique. It’s a great technique, but nine years? The bottom line is that there are very few people doing realistic combatives out there. I always see techniques but I rarely see these put into the “alive” stage of reality training. Rich obviously does, and I would go so far as to say if I am ever in Montreal I will give him a call and take some lessons. The quality of the tapes is okay. One camera, shot in his school. You’re not getting a Steven Spielberg production. I’m not complaining and I especially liked the drills he showed in the Shredder Enhancement DVD.
If you have some willing friends, this information provides you some great drills you can practice. His other DVD tape was scenario driven with different self-defense situations involving armed and multiple assailants. I like how Rich teaches and what he teaches. The bottom line a good series of DVDs.
Rick Weisbrot (Reviewer) - With 30 plus years of martial arts training, Rick currently trains students one-on-one in Manhattan, focusing on combative principles that anyone can apply.
