Apache Knife Fighting DVD
available from ApacheKnife.com for $75.00, sixty minute playing time
I was looking forward to seeing the system put forward by Robert Redfeather, the chief instructor of the Apache Knife fighting system, on this DVD since I have heard good things about his system and teaching style.
The instructional part of the DVD is divided into five sections. The Basic section comes first. In this part of the video Redfeather and Tanner Nydstrom, one of Redfeather’s instructors, introduce the system by talking about safety equipment that should be used when doing knife fighting training and then go on to show the stance and grips used in the system.
The second section is titled Apache Knife Techniques. In this section Redfeather and Nydstrom demonstrate different patterns of counters to attacks and Redfeather’s twelve angles of attack drill.
The third part of the video is the Non-committed or Non-lethal Techniques section. This section has Redfeather demonstrating techniques to disarm or discourage an attacker. I have a major concern with using the term “non-lethal” in the context of any knife fighting system. This concern is based on the fact that legally any use of a knife will be considered using deadly force.
In the fourth section, titled Committed Techniques, Redfeather shows fully committed, close range lethal techniques. These techniques include stabs to the body and head.
In the final section is a Review. Redfeather shows how techniques he has already demonstrated can be put together for use in a knife fight.
The production values on the video are good. Redfeather clearly demonstrates each technique multiple times and slowly enough that they can be followed. The name of each technique is clearly shown on the screen so the name can be associated with the techniques. However, it is a pet peeve of mine when martial artists wear black uniforms on their instructional videos and then use a dark background so it is sometimes hard to see all of what is going on. Unfortunately, Refeather has fallen into this style of martial arts video production and I feel it detracts in a small way from the instructional portions of the video.
Most of the DVD is taken up with video of the final free assaults (sparring) Redfeather has his students take part in at the end of each seminar. During these sessions the students use No Lie Blades training knives which are fairly heavy and rigid. In the first section of the DVD Nydstrom stresses using proper protective gear, but then in the two sections where Marines are shown fighting each other, no one has any eye protection at all. I n the other sections where free assaults are shown the students only have goggles on. In my personal training experience I have found that this really does not allow the student to use the knife with any real threat, since good attacks to the head cannot be made.
At the beginning of the DVD a statement is made that Redfeather bases his system on experience not theory. Yet on the DVD Redfeather gives no real information about his experience.
I went to the Apache Knife website and looked at Redfeather’s biography where he states that he holds an 8th degree black belt but he does not mention in what system or school. He also claims he is in several Halls of Fame but does not give their names.
As I mentioned, the basic production values on the DVD are good. The instructional sections present the material in a way that can be followed and replicated by the student. Redfeather and Nydstrom speak clearly and distinctly. However, there are only twenty minutes of instruction on the video. The rest of this sixty minute video is taken up with the free assaults. I just do not feel that this is worth the $75 that Redfeather charges for the DVD.
available from ApacheKnife.com for $75.00, sixty minute playing time
I was looking forward to seeing the system put forward by Robert Redfeather, the chief instructor of the Apache Knife fighting system, on this DVD since I have heard good things about his system and teaching style.
The instructional part of the DVD is divided into five sections. The Basic section comes first. In this part of the video Redfeather and Tanner Nydstrom, one of Redfeather’s instructors, introduce the system by talking about safety equipment that should be used when doing knife fighting training and then go on to show the stance and grips used in the system.
The second section is titled Apache Knife Techniques. In this section Redfeather and Nydstrom demonstrate different patterns of counters to attacks and Redfeather’s twelve angles of attack drill.
The third part of the video is the Non-committed or Non-lethal Techniques section. This section has Redfeather demonstrating techniques to disarm or discourage an attacker. I have a major concern with using the term “non-lethal” in the context of any knife fighting system. This concern is based on the fact that legally any use of a knife will be considered using deadly force.
In the fourth section, titled Committed Techniques, Redfeather shows fully committed, close range lethal techniques. These techniques include stabs to the body and head.
In the final section is a Review. Redfeather shows how techniques he has already demonstrated can be put together for use in a knife fight.
The production values on the video are good. Redfeather clearly demonstrates each technique multiple times and slowly enough that they can be followed. The name of each technique is clearly shown on the screen so the name can be associated with the techniques. However, it is a pet peeve of mine when martial artists wear black uniforms on their instructional videos and then use a dark background so it is sometimes hard to see all of what is going on. Unfortunately, Refeather has fallen into this style of martial arts video production and I feel it detracts in a small way from the instructional portions of the video.
Most of the DVD is taken up with video of the final free assaults (sparring) Redfeather has his students take part in at the end of each seminar. During these sessions the students use No Lie Blades training knives which are fairly heavy and rigid. In the first section of the DVD Nydstrom stresses using proper protective gear, but then in the two sections where Marines are shown fighting each other, no one has any eye protection at all. I n the other sections where free assaults are shown the students only have goggles on. In my personal training experience I have found that this really does not allow the student to use the knife with any real threat, since good attacks to the head cannot be made.
At the beginning of the DVD a statement is made that Redfeather bases his system on experience not theory. Yet on the DVD Redfeather gives no real information about his experience.
I went to the Apache Knife website and looked at Redfeather’s biography where he states that he holds an 8th degree black belt but he does not mention in what system or school. He also claims he is in several Halls of Fame but does not give their names.
As I mentioned, the basic production values on the DVD are good. The instructional sections present the material in a way that can be followed and replicated by the student. Redfeather and Nydstrom speak clearly and distinctly. However, there are only twenty minutes of instruction on the video. The rest of this sixty minute video is taken up with the free assaults. I just do not feel that this is worth the $75 that Redfeather charges for the DVD.
posted by Allen at 11:44 AM
1 Comments:
Thanks for the review. I was looking into buying this DVD till I saw your review.
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