Basic Combatives

Rating:
Summary: The basic techniques
Review: This DVD contains the basic techniques of Krav maga system. The techniques include attacks with hands (mostly punches with closed fist, but also hammer punches), elbows, knees and feet. There are some counterattacks and defences also included. At the beginning of the film they talk about angles of attack, target areas and stance & movement. As a DVD extra, they present focus mitt combinations to utilize in your training (they mention that they will produce an entire film on the subject in the future).

It is worth mentioning that they don't teach, or even mention the correct falling technique at all. Also, I think they should have taught also palm strikes, but for some reason they were left out. As palm strike is almost as effective as punch with a closed fist, but much more safe for your own hand, it should be included in everyones' arsenal. When instructing kicking techniques, they mention casually that you can kick also to the head. I think that they should have warned against that, because in real life, kicking above your own waist is considered risky, and generally not advisable.

The presentation of techniques varies from fair to excellent, the average being of good quality. In some techniques I learned some nuances I had not grasped in my Krav maga classes. Each technique opens up with a dramatized scene in which the technique is used. After that they present the technique at full speed, and after that in slow motion, and finally in learning stages. For some reason, they have chosen not to use slow motion of a full speed presentation of technique. Rather, the person presenting the technique is moving in slow motion, according to the instructions of off-screen narrator. This makes somewhat amateurish impression of the production.

Speaking of production, it is fairly OK. The film is shot with only one camera, but for the most part, it is shooting at the right spot. The techniques are presented in a studio against a black screen, but the dramatized scenes are shot in loading docks, restaurants, parking lots and so on. They use two narrators who take turns with narrating the techniques. The other narrator is International Krav maga federation head instructor Eyal Yanilov, and the other is U.S. chief instructor Darren Levine. Yanilov does not speak very good English, so from time to time it is hard to grasp what he is saying. Otherwise the production is good, and it's easy to understand the techniques.

As a Krav maga practitioner myself, I like the system. In this film, they have succeeded in presenting the basic techniques very well. There are some shortcomings, though, that reduce one star from the rating of this film.

Run time: 1:29