SD Question: choosing a knife training DVD

[Agent Starling]

I'm thinking of ordering some SD knife training DVDs and there seem to be several good options/schools of thought available:

Michael Janich
Jim Wagner
SouthNarc
Bram Frank
James Keating

Whose system would you recommend? (I have had no formal knife training at this point. I plan to get live instruction at some point, but I thought this might be a good way to start??) :confused:

Agent Starling

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I recomend Michael Janich because he stresses using the fewest techniques against the most attacks. His system is fun and easy to use and very effective. Here's his quick & dirty primer http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1454 or on sale on vhs http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1454 :spyder:

[Medic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWmRWjDhYw

:)

[raven]

Hey Knife Sis, Another vote here for Michael Janich. I ordered the MBC and Fighting Folders DVD from Paladin Press. They're easy to follow and the overall instruction and drills are excellent. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!! Mr. Janich is a TOP NOTCH instructor. My buddy and I can't wait to get in on his classes. Take Good Care and Be Safe Always.

God Bless :)


-raven-

[Dr. Snubnose]

There is nothing like Live training with a qualified Instructor...That being said I'll echo the sentiments of the other forum members who posted in this thread. MJ's video's are easy to follow and understand...I teach something very similiar to beginning knife students...the only drawback is you really need a training partner to get the flow drills down pat, and I highly suggest a leather protector for the wrists. (one inexpensive way is to make one from a wide leather belt, take one of those streachy wide head bands and cut one to the size of your wrist to line the leather with so you will have a soft cushion under the leather and then just tape (duck tape) the whole deal to your wrist)...SouthNarc's stuff is also worth looking at specially if you are playing with the idea of Ice pick grip (pikal) edge facing in as a viaable option....Have fun KnifeSis....Doc:D

[224477]

Starling, as Doc. said - get a life training... DVD is good for making your focus broader, but not for learning primary skills. Sparring partner, instructor and lost of sweat behind it... Period :cool:
You can watch those DVDs in the evening when the training is over and maybe work on that in life training. DVDs are not giving you skills, training does.

[Joe Talmadge]

Mike Janich is awesome, haven't seen his videos but he's a great instructor. That said, if a person who has had no training is going to get one video, it should be Southnarc's. His video spends time on the context surrounding real assaults, and has a very simple and direct strategy to deal with them. Without follow-up training with a live instructor, you'll get the most out of SN's stuff. And I agree with the sentiment that training is a must ... for me personally, I get so little out of DVDs that if I"m not also training, it's not worth the money or time to buy a DVD, I'm better off just working out or something. Some people are better than me at picking up things from the DVD, but I think most people need live training with an instructor (or at minimum, a good partner) to really pick anything up. You won't learn to be a great baseball player by just watching a baseball DVD, and this is even more true with edged weapon combatives.

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: Or better yet get south narc's and Michael Janich's, then you can avoid the pitfall of thinking that the one style is superior to the other. It doesn't matter who you fight like, only that you fight well. :spyder:

[KaliGman]

I see DVD more for polishing skills or learning new skills once you already have a good baseline. Without a lot of prior experience, you can learn some really bad habbits training by DVD alone, even with the best instructional DVD. You see, no matter how good the instructor on the tape/DVD, he or she cannot watch your technique and correct your mistakes. You might think that you are exactly following instructions, but your body posture and "attitude" could be wrong.

If you absolutely must start with DVDs--of those you mentioned, I would look at Janich and Bram Frank. Both of these gentlemen know what they are doing. I am not a fan of edge in icepick grip or its limitations, so I am not as enamored of Southnarc's system, though it has its good points and from everything I have heard about him, he is a terrific guy and good instructor.

Take care. PM me if you have questions--like, hopefully, how do I choose a local school in which to study?

[markg]

I echo the above statements... I would add.

If you are interested in knife combat, I would suggest getting into some form of martial arts training. No, it might not give you the best edged weapons training, but it will give you access to people who more than likely will be willing to be training partners. This will support your training, and give you a context for martial blade training. As surprising as it sounds, when you start working on counter blade concepts, it is nice to some past history to know how to twist wrists, lock shoulders, hit/poke/pinch and throw people, without getting mad or upset. Plus, the training is just good for you from a personal and physical standpoint.

Get many viewpoints... Most good instructors have something to bring to your game, have a couple you commit to, but see what is out there.

You are staking your life on this stuff... See what is out there, what you really believe in. Train and test it, see if it works, and be humble enough to know when it does not and you need to move to something new.

[Agent Starling]

Thank you all for your comments and advice! I think I'll probably start w/Mike Janich's DVDs. I was thinking that since I don't have the time for martial arts classes at the moment, at least i could squeeze in some sort of instruction via DVD that I can do whenever.

But I definitely hear you all on the live training thing...that will be another thread I've been saving for the future...like which martial art do I choose, etc., etc.

Cheers,

Agent Starling :D

[Lostification]

I'm in the same boat as you... lol

I'd love to learn how to fight with a knife. I take kaju kenbo but we only learn how to disarm someone with a knife. Even that we practice extremely little. I might pick up Janich's DVD eventually.

[Kaizen]

SD seems to be as controversial as politics & religion, so don't be surprised by different suggestions. For real SD, I train in Target Focus Training:

www.tftgroup.com

I also train in MMA for sport.

[Michael Janich]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words and endorsements of my videos. If you're still "on the fence" and would like to see a sample of my teaching style before you make an investment, there are several videos on BlackHawk's video page that you can view free of charge:

http://www.blackhawkvideos.com/knives.html

My favorite is the Shooting Gallery episode at the bottom of that page. It aired earlier this year.

I hope this helps.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Lostification]

Great video. I think I'll have to pick that DVD up sometime soon. ^_^ Looks great.

[Kaizen]

Here's a quick video from one of the instructors at the TFT Group:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ibGyGG3X4PI

[Lur Kingman]

:spyder: I recomend Michael Janich because he stresses using the fewest techniques against the most attacks. His system is fun and easy to use and very effective. Here's his quick & dirty primer http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1454 or on sale on vhs http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1454 :spyder:

I'll second the Crash Course DVD, or VHS for the budget minded soul. I also agree that a DVD cannot replace live instruction, but being willing to train this material in the first place is better than most people out there who comment from "the couch". I have found Mr. Janich's material to be taught, both in person and via video, in a relaxed and easy to absorb, as well as confidence inspiring manner. Sometimes videos can come off as being too "high speed" or aggressive for normal people. I didn't find this to be the case with Mr. Janich's material.

I have also studied the SouthNarc material in the form of Shivworks REM Vol. 1. The material seems quite effective, as well as simple to employ. Truly an excellent companion to the MBC system.

A lot of this sort of training comes down to what one is comfortable with, and what one really wants to get out of it. I feel a wide exposure to lots of different material is great. The main thing is trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. This is, of course, an ongoing project. If it wasn't Paladin Press and others would only sell one video. :)

I guess the only thing I would add in my ramblings is to check out this video:

http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1234

It's called The Missing Link. It gives you even more important techniques for staying out of situations where you'd have to employ MBC or Shivworks material in the first place.

As always, these are my opinions, and you get what you've paid for! :spyder:

[Michael Cook]

I guess the only thing I would add in my ramblings is to check out this video:

http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1234

It's called The Missing Link. It gives you even more important techniques for staying out of situations where you'd have to employ MBC or Shivworks material in the first place.

As always, these are my opinions, and you get what you've paid for! :spyder:

:spyder: Bill Kipp's Missing link is one of the most important videos any self-protection minded person could ever see! It's SO much more important than any "technique" video! It is a true "must see"! :spyder: