5 comments about Rickson Gracie: Choke.

1. Young, inexperienced no-names are invited to get beat up on by the Gracie's best. I felt bad for these guys. Gracies are shameless.



2. One of the best documenteries on the gracies!!! One of the most motivating videos in my library!



3. I bought this DVD some time back because Rickson Gracie is just awesome, one of my idols after the UFC made Gracie Jiu jitsu a household name among martial artists. Although this DVD is a documentary and does not have full fights, it's still good DVD to have for all martial artists, and Gracie fans. See how Rickson trains and prepares himself, and his thoughts before and during the tournament. I think it's a must have DVD because it shows one of the greatest in his prime. And you can also see how other fighers feels about fighting Rickson.



4. This is an excellent DVD! Much better than I expected it to be. The production quality is excellent. The story gives a lot of insight into Rickson Gracie's approach to training; some insights that I didn't have before depsite the fact that I am familiar with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There were also insights into the backgrounds, motivations, and training approaches of the other fighters as well. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the DVD and will likely watch it several times over.



5. This documentary covers the preparation of Rickson Gracie for the Vale Tudo tournament held in Japan. It contained some good interviews with him and with the other top competitors. Of course Rickson won the tournament, and all his wins were via the rear naked choke. I am assuming this is why the documentary is called Choke.
   
   I wish Rickson Gracie would have competed in the UFC. After Royce Gracie, we wish some new Gracie's would participate and continue their family's legacy. The difference today is that most competitors know Jiu Jitsu quite well. If the Gracies improve their stand up fighting, they will be unmatched in the UFC.

No comments about Roberto 'Cyborg' Abreu - Cyborg Guard Collection - Amazing new BJJ collection.

No comments about FACT II : Fast Action Combatives Techniques for Police, Corrections & Self Defense Video.

1 comments about Saulo Ribeiro - Jiu-Jitsu Revolution Series 2, 6 Volume World Class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instruction For Sport Jiu-Jitsu and Tournament fighting.

1. I bought these tapes and use them for when I am home and do not make class, I find that it helps me to review the small things that make a move work or not. And I have to say that after watching these tapes a few times I was already using the moves in class and they were helping me finish off. Saulo Ribeiro is a legend himself and he is an excellant teacher. I highly recommend these tapes for anyone who trains

5 comments about My Lucky Stars.

1. Im a spoiled fan of Chan in Western flicks, and was expecting more of the same. Wrong. The characters and plot were sophomoric and mostly a clumsy attempt at Three-Stooges type comedy. Example - when not in their black "uniform," the scowling bad Ninjas appear in 50's style zoot-suits and broad-brimmed hats (except the sexy female baddie). The two main fight scenes (very early, and at the end) totaled about 10-15" and were classic Chan. Otherwise, a much better investment of time and bucks is Li's "Fearless."



2. This "DVD" did not work in my DVD player. It worked only on my computer's DVD drive. Disc looked different on the side that is read, different than a normal DVD. Annoying. The movie was in high enough visual quality to watch the fight scenes. Maybe the more expensive DVD of this film can be played on ALL name-brand DVD players.



3. My husband says he loves all jackie chan movies, and this movie was in good shape and he enjoyed it. thanks



4. Some films seem destined to have sequels. This is especially true if you have a multitude of popular stars that do not have to contribute to the whole film (and if one does not work out replace him), a boilerplate formula and financial success on the first movie. In fact, My Lucky Stars (1985) was more of a hit in HK than its predecessor Winners and Sinners (1983) with the original raking in 22M HK dollars and the sequel 30.7M HK. While I have grown in appreciation of the first film, I have also grown a little less interested in the first sequel though a few segments transcend above the mostly mediocre material. When watching this film it is good to think of this as an ensemble piece not a Jackie Chan or a Sammo Hung film (though Sammo did direct this in his most prolific period and after the success of The Own and Dumbo (1984)). That frame of mind might help in enjoying this uneven picture more.
   
   In the beautiful locale of Japan, Muscles (Jackie Chan) is chasing a corrupt Hong Kong cop (Lam Ching Ying: Mr Vampire) though an amusement park with the help of Ricky (Yuen Biao: Prodigal Son in an extended cameo compared to Winners and Sinners) until Ricky gets whisked away by a band of ninjas. This nice little 11 minute sequence of Jackie works well with the fight choreography and shows some nice jump stunts by Jackie. I am not sure of Sammo's use of slow motion in the beginning though. It just seems timed poorly (I have sensed this problem in a few of his movies like Mr. Nice Guy). There is also a strange scene where Muscles gets stopped by tourists to take a picture. If you were chasing a crook would you let yourself be stopped by tourists?
   
   Jackie needs help to find his partner. The help will have to come in the form of five trusted crooks since the cops could be spotted by the former HK officer. The ringleader is Sammo (once again having a horrific haircut) and he (after a stint in jail) has to recruit the old gang: Rawhide (Stanley Fung: The Owl And Dumbo), Sandy (Richard Ng: Shanghai Express), Herb (Charlie Chin) and Round Head (Eric Tsang who is in this movie instead of John Shum from the first film). They will be lead by a legitimate police officer Inspector Woo (Sibelle Hu playing basically the same foil role as Cherie Chung did in the first - I did say this was a boilerplate formulaic movie) who is consistently being hit on by the males (during a very tiring six minute gag) while having to take them to Japan.
   
   The whole second act of the film and the majority of the movie are the comedic sequences of Sammo getting the gang together, meeting the female assistant and going to Japan. While some of it can be funny (Richard Ng is almost always hilarious and those damn curly haired bus drivers), some of it is just strange like the Eric Tsang sequence of playing "fly" poker and some jokes just fill like filler. And there is that Bolo Yeung Sze cameo.
   
   When the third act starts with the appearance of Jackie Chan the pace of the movie goes from stagnant to ludicrous speed (interesting how the comedy segments were less fun than the action). Without giving too much away the haunted house fight segment with Jackie Chan going through the maze like corridors is quite good and the most talked about aspect of this film is the Japanese villainess played by female bodybuilder Nishiwaki Michiko in her first Hong Kong role (she did not speak Cantonese at the time) and her fight with Sibelle Hu. Her fight introduction (disrobes her kimono and then flexes) has also been mentioned in many male-written reviews. There are other fights with Lam Ching Ying and Lau Kar Wing that are quite good if a bit short. Also check out that nasty fall toward the end - breaking bodies for our entertainment.
   
   Fans of action films will find something to like in this movie. While it is quite uneven there are worthy scenes (especially the end and beginning) to watch several times. Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung fanatics will, of course, have to watch this, but on multiple viewings will probably only want to watch the first and third act. If you have not seen Winners and Sinners then see that film first. The comedy aspects did not work as well for me as the first movie and the characters seemed less in depth. Richard Ng was underused and that is enough to make me and anyone angry.
   
   I have the uncut R1 Fortune Star/Fox release which has a good transfer but no extras except trailers. The big minuses are the dubtitles and no original mono. The dubtitles are quite atrocious because of the amount of narration (voice over) on the English dub causing a huge amount of phantom subtitles if you listen to the Cantonese track (no one speaks but the words are there) and at least one questionable in taste Japanese imitation. Also since a lot of the humor is verbal, a lot is lost in translation. Here is another example of a Hong Kong R1 release that does not match the Hong Kong Legends R2 release for extras including a Bey Logan commentary (unless you would prefer a scholar like Stephen Teo doing your commentary).



5. one of the best..action comedy all together in one movie...no more else to say, just see it for yourself. no regrets...love it...

No comments about Elasticsteel Grappler - Strength and Flexibility for Grapplers.

5 comments about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu- Ultimate winning techniques.

1. I think that this DVD is not about Ultimate Winning Techniques, it is more about Beginner MMA information. If you really want to learn MMA go to a local MMA training complex. If you have never been, this DVD can help you in getting a step up on some of the basics before taking classes.
   
   With that said, it is easy to understand and follow along on the DVD. Simco goes over information slowly, but that is what you want to pound it in your head and understand the movements. Good for beginners, and if you are wondering whether you would like to take the next step and join MMA classes and learn some defense. It is also cheap. I think I am going to make my next investment in Mario Sperry's Vale Tudo 3.



2. I ordered this product and it was missing a DVD too. I am not sure how to contact the seller for my other DVD but not worth the hassle of only getting Disc 2.
   DON'T BUY THIS DVD



3. This dvd offers "winning techniques" as described in the title. The information is easy to follow and techniques are thorough. I highly recommend this dvd for beginners to intermediate looking to review structured techniques.



4. This DVD (3) to be exact has some good points and intruction, its just cheaply made and the intructor is one of the worst sites on camera. I could have made a better production with a retro 80's camera and a VHS player on EP mode, just rubbish. I found myself laughing more than I was paying attention, I had to go back and watch it a few times to get past it. I would recommend the BJ Penn MMA book on here, at least that won't have you laughing.



5. I am new to BJJ...so I was looking for a cheap DVD (I can't buy anything too expensive or my wife will start to rag and I will eventually end up throwing her down a flight of stairs - I bought a house with a set of stairs solely for this reason.) that would give you the basics of the sport...I thought the dvd gave me a good, simple overview into BJJ...

3 comments about Saulo Ribeiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Revolution Series One. Six Volume DVD Instructional Series for Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts.

1. This six set DVD covers the major aspects of BJJ: Mount, Cross Body (ie side control), Back, Guard, Half Guard, Passing Guard. The only other piece needed for a complete sport game is takedowns, which are covered in Series Two. All instruction is with gi, with Saulo demonstrating on Chris (one of his brown belts) for around 15 techniques per video.
   
   The techniques lean towards offense, so for example Half Guard spends more time passing and submitting than defending or sweeping. Saulo does a great job of emphasizing a consistent theme in each DVD. For example in the Cross Body DVD the first few sequences demonstrate the importance of controlling the opponents hips with your weight, as opposed to with arm positioning or grips, and he reiterates this point in every cross body technique. This theme of using your core positioning rather than limbs to maintain control comes across as one of the key tenets of Saulo's approach. Another key point is that jiu-jitsu is not as simple as learning a set of magic techniques that always work, and Saulo teaches you to recognize the moment ("momentum" is his word) in which a technique will be most effective.
   
   Overall this series is very good. As a white belt who has trained for six months, I found the half-guard DVD particularly enlightening, both the specific passes and the general philosophy for defending and sweeping. The only complaint is that the series emphasizes advanced techniques at the expense of basics. This is most pronounced on the Guard DVD, where the basic submissions (armbar, lapel choke, kimura, triangle) aren't touched, while multiple butterfly sweeps are. Bill Lewis's online review says this is probably due to marketing concerns of avoiding material well-trodden by other series. Still, I found Saulo's series most valuable when it laid out correct body placement on basic moves and positions as opposed to exotic submissions, and having this for the full range of "BJJ 101" would have been nice.
   
   Another minor complaint - both Saulo and Chris are wearing shiny white gis and sometimes it's hard to tell exactly where an arm or leg is positioned. Kind of an obvious oversight in what otherwise is a very well produced set.
   
   Overall though anyone up to a blue should find this set greatly clarifies some basic points and erases many of the misconceptions you've picked up early in training. I'm guessing advanced belts will benefit from the more advanced techniques, but I'll leave that to another reviewer to confirm.



2. it is well worth the money as it provides a different point of view n way to tackle some of jujitsu problems. saulo repeatedly emphasized the importance of energy conservation, leverage and avoid using power against power on the moves are something that all beginners n intermediate practisioners need to take at heart. his teaching is solid, very detailed and easy to understand. also the techqiues he taught are also the ones he used successful on the tournament i.e the spectacular judo throw !!!!!



3. I've been training in bjj for about a year now. I find it hard to remember all the various techniques taught in class, forgetting the majority of them until they are done multiple times down the line. In order to help me learn more, especially while sore, unable to train, etc., I began reading books, including Ribeiro's Jiu Jitsu University, which was excellent. However, I tend to learn a lot more (in this area) watching the technique over and over again. My brother bought Jiu-Jitsu Revolution (gii) while I bought the no-gii one. Both have helped me tremendously, though I was disappointed the no gii series had nothing regarding cross body, which is a place I find myself allllll the time against higher belts, and neither have anything regarding takedowns. Both packages are expensive but when compared with a private lesson (usually between 70 and 150), you really learn a lot and can watch the techniques over and over again. I've definitely benefited in a quick amount of time from Ribeiro explaining the details of various techniques and pointing out what are the most important areas. I've seen a large improvement in my game quickly but I also watch the videos, train, and asks lot of questions in class often.
   
   I will say if you're expecting to pay the price and hold your own against purple belts and above, it's probably overly optimistic. I often roll with two to four stripe purple belts and, while I don't get tapped out often, they are clearly aware of what I'm trying to do. I recently rolled with a very well known black belt and had several opportunities to try certain techniques in the series, particularly the knee on belly. He obviously knew what I was doing (don't they always seem to?) and had me twirled in a million different directions in no time. So yeah, if you're a newbie like me and aren't BJ Penn, I wouldn't buy these with the mindset you're going to be amazing.
   
   Overall, especially if you're new, I would highly recommend Ribeiro's videos and book. They're enjoyable to watch (hard not to laugh when he looks at the camera and says "guys" like he's talking right to you or "i don't want that") and teach you a lot of technique in various areas.

5 comments about Renzo Gracie Legacy DVD.

1. I am humbled an honored to be a student of one of Renzo Gracies black belts.



2. Really enjoyed this film, it provides a good insight to Renzo's time in the evolving pro MMA game. Interesting in that it's not heavily 'biased' to Gracie BJJ, showing the ups and downs (losses, injury etc.) Renzo's a great figher and instructor, having a really positive outlook despite some tough times through injury & loss. This is much more of a documentary than a training flick, and I'd strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in MMA that goes beyond pure training/competition.



3. I am inspired by Professor Renzo Gracie for his courage, tenacity, honor and love of family. I have not met Prefessor Renzo Gracie personally but hope to someday. Our BJJ school is encouraged by his teachings and legacy in and outside class. Our instructor Professor Steven Bongiorno in Berlin New Jersey is a certified Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu blackbelt under Ricardo Almeida. Professor Bongiorno often mentions both Professor Almeida and Professor Renzo Gracie during our classes. Both Professor Renzo Gracie and Professor Ricardo Almeida are our role model both in and outside class. We often are told about both them and their families. We were joyed to hear about Professor Renzo Gracies recently signing a contract with the UFC for 6 more fights a few days ago. We pray for his health as well as Professor Ricardo Almeida and his wife and family.



4. Great documentary on the wars faught and teaching of Master Renzo Gracie. I really thought I knew everything about MMA since I have been a fan since 1994 but this shed some new light on the famous Gracie family a why they fight. Renzo is a true master, particularly since he has lost quite a few times in his fights of the past decade. He did though, win some very important ones. But even more important, is that he never tapped or gave up.
   
   Now focused on his coaching skills (that is until UFC Abu Dhabi), he now gives his gift to other students seeking the way of the warrior. The extras on the DVD were equally as impressive, particularly the funny stories from Relson!! Check out this vid to see fantastic footage from Pride as well as Abu Dhabi 2003!!
   
   A must buy for the jiu-jitsu, UFC, Pride, or MMA fan!!



5. I have found this DVD very motivational in my quest to be the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter I can be.

5 comments about Cesar Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Grappling Instructional Series.

1. My first BJJ instructional DVD - CG is a great teacher, excellent quality DVD, outstanding review of BJJ techniques. Recommend to all BJJ aficionado-s:)



2. This collection of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is amazing. With each dvd there is step by step instructions and explanation of techniques. This dvd set is a must have for any skill level, and anyone who is interested in learning and improving Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques. Cesar Gracie shows step by step instructions on moves and explains the reasoning behind the moves. This is a very informative collection.



3. I have been studying martial arts on and off for years. I recetly have had the opportunity to start studying Gracie Style Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I wanted to get some additional materials to assist me in digetsting the information provided in the dojo, and I stumbled upon this DVD. Listen.. Cesar Gracie is a awesome teacher.
   
   1. He is easy on the ears :) His english is great no accent whatsoever and he gives great analogies
   
   2. In many cases he demonstrates moves from a variety of angles
   
   3. The DVD is broken up into different skill levels. Within just a half our of watching the basic DVD helped to shed new light on many of the techniques that have been presented to me in class.
   
   Bottom Line is that this is worth every penny. In fact if I had seen a few of the lessons I would probably have paid double for it. Please keep in mind that I am writing this review as a beginner so I cant speak to the inetermediate and advanced DVD's included with the set. Lastly I would like to repeat that I am using this as a suppliment to in class training.



4. This is an excellent series, and I would recommend it to anyone beginning jiu-jitsu. The examples are clear and shown from many angles, and there is enough variation of technique to keep you interested.
   
   So why give it 3 stars if it is so good? Even though these videos are very good, they do not compare to the Roy Dean Blue Belt Requirements series, and of the two, I would highly recommend the Roy Dean series over these, so that is why I gave it 3 stars.



5. This dvd is wonderful for when you need to go over the techniques or refresh your memory.its also good for beginners who want to memorize the basics and strategy .If you are a visual learner you will greatly benefit by this dvd .