FSCJedi
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2002
- Messages
- 711
Ok, same as last time, I'm gonna try and do this objectively, review by chapter, and stick to the highlights. I'm actually watching the DVD while writing this, so you're getting my opinions as they cross my mind.
The Review
This is a review of the second DVD in ComTech's Tomahawk line. Not the second in a series, per se, but it does mostly assume you've watched the first one or at least know the basics of tomahawk planar movements.
The first thing that is noticeable is that Jim is outside in what looks like a gravel pit, which is a nice change of scenery from the first DVD (which took place mostly in his dojo). This one has better lighting and removes some of the sound issues that I noticed in the first one.
Section 1: Intro - Jim begins by comparing the modern "tactical" tomahawks to the "traditional" ones, listing how the biggest benefits are seen in durability (synthetic handles vs. wooden ones) and when blocking with the head of the tomahawk (permanent pressed-on heads vs. friction held-on heads). Jim then moves on to a very basic Figure-8 movement which is quickly modified by a "rolling transfer" of the 'hawk from hand to hand during the Fg-8 (not seen in the first DVD). He emphasizes that footwork and movement is very important when fighting with a 'hawk. A quick demonstration on thick cardboard shows the effectiveness of the spike end of a 'hawk. Jim then runs through some circular movements and talks about hooking vs. chopping ("If you miss, you hook"). A little discussion talks about carrying the 'hawk and what locations Jim likes and dislikes.
Section 2: Accuracy and targeting - Jim uses a sheathed tomahawk versus an assistant armed with a shovel (to represent an arm, leg, rifle/bayonet, etc...). He uses the 'hawk to deflect the head of the shovel, discussing use of the empty hand for controlling the enemy's weapon once deflected
Section 3: Coordinated Drills - This section is started by Jim talking about the various working parts of the 'hawk (chopping edge, point, flat of the blade, haft, and butt of the haft). He follows up with a drill similar to one seen in the first DVD where he practices blocking/passing/striking with the butt of the haft. There is discussion about using the blade instead of the butt, but Jim insists this drill is to help build "base level" muscle memory. A quick full speed demonstration where they shuffle their feet in a circle is very good at relaying the effectiveness of this exercise.
There is one part where Jim talks about quickly drawing the 'hawk from its sheath by sort of tossing it out of its sheath and catching it for rapid deployment. I can see it being very quickly done, but I also see it being hard to do in a combat situation. When the adrenaline is flowing, I can see someone doing this move and literally launching the 'hawk out of its sheath and missing the catch entirely, leaving them defenseless against an oncoming attacker.
Jim continues this section by talking about using the haft to control/crush limbs when blocking/trapping. Several of his demonstrated moves are very effective that I like very much. They also do not appear to be very hard to utilize quickly, which is a benefit in combat. This section is ended with a very heart-felt monologue by Jim emphasizing that it takes more than training to win a fight and come home alive. I really got the feeling (and appreciated) that Jim cares very much about those who buy his videos because they might have to actually use the knowledge they gain.
Section 3: "6 Strokes, a Hand-grab, and Pass" - This section is mostly about the above quoted moves in a partner drill that involves grabbing the opponent and jerking them to a new location. Initially I was unimpressed with this drill, but after Jim goes in to explaining the drill, it made a lot more sense to combative use. The idea of moving the enemy (whether by grabbing the hand, arm, hair, vest, etc...) is something that needs to be trained and gotten use to because it's very likely to happen (or be necessary) in combat.
Jim continues to go on with a hooking/trapping section that reminds me, again, a lot of the first DVD. There are some differences, though. He discusses striking instead of hooking/passing, as well as the more vicious applications of the tomahawk and its spike ("ridge hand" type strike to the temple, spike to the mouth, etc...) and why the tomahawk is a feared weapon. I like how he talks about how, other than the knife, the tomahawk is the only other "old" melee weapon that has made it into the 21st century (warfare).
Section 4: Double-Weapon Use - builds on the passing techniques of the last section by using a 'hawk and a knife ("which could be conceptualized into something like a long screwdriver") instead of a free hand. Emphasis is given on moving yourself (the target) out of the way of the enemy weapon while engaging the opponent's weapons. This section is very offensive in the sense that there is less movement of the opponent's weapon hands w/o damaging them first.
Jim demonstrates a move that he calls "The Tornado" that used to produce sensory overload in the opponent by striking the weapon/weapon-hand twice and finishing up with a strike to the body. It seems very odd at first, but it has very sound reasoning; however, I don't see the "double-tap" effect being as valuable as another rapid strike somewhere else in the target area. Jim addresses this (other people's opinions) so that you can formulate your own opinion about it.
Section 5: 'Hawk and Knife in Reverse Grip - This section is similar to the previous section, but is much closer (combat-wise). I like this section a lot because Jim does a lot of trapping/hooking with the knife and 'hawk while controlling the enemy (scissor-type traps/arm-bars, pushing the enemy over, etc...). It's very "in your face" combat and shows what I feel is the real benefit of using the 'hawk and knife in combat.
Section 6: Combat Sets - Jim demonstrates a few take-down moves using the 'hawk and knife. I like the majority of the ones he does, but a few of them seem needlessly excessive in the number of moves between ENGAGING the enemy and EXECUTING the enemy. Of course, this assumes your goal is to kill the enemy. The good thing about these moves is that they can easily be adapted to taking a live opponent. This section ends fairly abruptly which caught me off guard the first time I watched it.
Final Thoughts
This video is about 25 minutes longer than the first one, but the same price, so it is definitely a good buy for the money you spend. This video is definitely targeted at people that may use the tomahawk in actual combat - soldiers, police officers, etc... - which I think is nice. The pace with this video isn't quite as fast as the first one, which could explain the longer run time. Either way, it was helpful to be a little slower and explain things better.
Easily, my favorite section was Section 5, with Section 2 or 3 being my next favorite as far as valuable information. I haven't been in discussion with Jim about this one like I was with the first DVD, but I might shoot him an email and ask a few questions about some of the moves here in the near future. As an aside, this is something that any 'hawk practitioner should take advantage of - calling up/emailing the existing tomahawk instructors and asking questions. I learned a lot just in emails with Jim and Dwight in the past. How many weapon trainees can just drop a line on a person who has their own book or series of training DVDs and actually expect to hear something back?
I liked this DVD better than the first. I felt like there was more useful material (to me) in this one than the first one (which is really more of a beginners/instructional DVD). If you're going to buy the first DVD, I definitely suggest buying this one to go with it. I promise you won't be disappointed as you will learn at least something from it.
4 :thumbup: out of 5
The Review
This is a review of the second DVD in ComTech's Tomahawk line. Not the second in a series, per se, but it does mostly assume you've watched the first one or at least know the basics of tomahawk planar movements.
The first thing that is noticeable is that Jim is outside in what looks like a gravel pit, which is a nice change of scenery from the first DVD (which took place mostly in his dojo). This one has better lighting and removes some of the sound issues that I noticed in the first one.
Section 1: Intro - Jim begins by comparing the modern "tactical" tomahawks to the "traditional" ones, listing how the biggest benefits are seen in durability (synthetic handles vs. wooden ones) and when blocking with the head of the tomahawk (permanent pressed-on heads vs. friction held-on heads). Jim then moves on to a very basic Figure-8 movement which is quickly modified by a "rolling transfer" of the 'hawk from hand to hand during the Fg-8 (not seen in the first DVD). He emphasizes that footwork and movement is very important when fighting with a 'hawk. A quick demonstration on thick cardboard shows the effectiveness of the spike end of a 'hawk. Jim then runs through some circular movements and talks about hooking vs. chopping ("If you miss, you hook"). A little discussion talks about carrying the 'hawk and what locations Jim likes and dislikes.
Section 2: Accuracy and targeting - Jim uses a sheathed tomahawk versus an assistant armed with a shovel (to represent an arm, leg, rifle/bayonet, etc...). He uses the 'hawk to deflect the head of the shovel, discussing use of the empty hand for controlling the enemy's weapon once deflected
Section 3: Coordinated Drills - This section is started by Jim talking about the various working parts of the 'hawk (chopping edge, point, flat of the blade, haft, and butt of the haft). He follows up with a drill similar to one seen in the first DVD where he practices blocking/passing/striking with the butt of the haft. There is discussion about using the blade instead of the butt, but Jim insists this drill is to help build "base level" muscle memory. A quick full speed demonstration where they shuffle their feet in a circle is very good at relaying the effectiveness of this exercise.
There is one part where Jim talks about quickly drawing the 'hawk from its sheath by sort of tossing it out of its sheath and catching it for rapid deployment. I can see it being very quickly done, but I also see it being hard to do in a combat situation. When the adrenaline is flowing, I can see someone doing this move and literally launching the 'hawk out of its sheath and missing the catch entirely, leaving them defenseless against an oncoming attacker.
Jim continues this section by talking about using the haft to control/crush limbs when blocking/trapping. Several of his demonstrated moves are very effective that I like very much. They also do not appear to be very hard to utilize quickly, which is a benefit in combat. This section is ended with a very heart-felt monologue by Jim emphasizing that it takes more than training to win a fight and come home alive. I really got the feeling (and appreciated) that Jim cares very much about those who buy his videos because they might have to actually use the knowledge they gain.
Section 3: "6 Strokes, a Hand-grab, and Pass" - This section is mostly about the above quoted moves in a partner drill that involves grabbing the opponent and jerking them to a new location. Initially I was unimpressed with this drill, but after Jim goes in to explaining the drill, it made a lot more sense to combative use. The idea of moving the enemy (whether by grabbing the hand, arm, hair, vest, etc...) is something that needs to be trained and gotten use to because it's very likely to happen (or be necessary) in combat.
Jim continues to go on with a hooking/trapping section that reminds me, again, a lot of the first DVD. There are some differences, though. He discusses striking instead of hooking/passing, as well as the more vicious applications of the tomahawk and its spike ("ridge hand" type strike to the temple, spike to the mouth, etc...) and why the tomahawk is a feared weapon. I like how he talks about how, other than the knife, the tomahawk is the only other "old" melee weapon that has made it into the 21st century (warfare).
Section 4: Double-Weapon Use - builds on the passing techniques of the last section by using a 'hawk and a knife ("which could be conceptualized into something like a long screwdriver") instead of a free hand. Emphasis is given on moving yourself (the target) out of the way of the enemy weapon while engaging the opponent's weapons. This section is very offensive in the sense that there is less movement of the opponent's weapon hands w/o damaging them first.
Jim demonstrates a move that he calls "The Tornado" that used to produce sensory overload in the opponent by striking the weapon/weapon-hand twice and finishing up with a strike to the body. It seems very odd at first, but it has very sound reasoning; however, I don't see the "double-tap" effect being as valuable as another rapid strike somewhere else in the target area. Jim addresses this (other people's opinions) so that you can formulate your own opinion about it.
Section 5: 'Hawk and Knife in Reverse Grip - This section is similar to the previous section, but is much closer (combat-wise). I like this section a lot because Jim does a lot of trapping/hooking with the knife and 'hawk while controlling the enemy (scissor-type traps/arm-bars, pushing the enemy over, etc...). It's very "in your face" combat and shows what I feel is the real benefit of using the 'hawk and knife in combat.
Section 6: Combat Sets - Jim demonstrates a few take-down moves using the 'hawk and knife. I like the majority of the ones he does, but a few of them seem needlessly excessive in the number of moves between ENGAGING the enemy and EXECUTING the enemy. Of course, this assumes your goal is to kill the enemy. The good thing about these moves is that they can easily be adapted to taking a live opponent. This section ends fairly abruptly which caught me off guard the first time I watched it.
Final Thoughts
This video is about 25 minutes longer than the first one, but the same price, so it is definitely a good buy for the money you spend. This video is definitely targeted at people that may use the tomahawk in actual combat - soldiers, police officers, etc... - which I think is nice. The pace with this video isn't quite as fast as the first one, which could explain the longer run time. Either way, it was helpful to be a little slower and explain things better.
Easily, my favorite section was Section 5, with Section 2 or 3 being my next favorite as far as valuable information. I haven't been in discussion with Jim about this one like I was with the first DVD, but I might shoot him an email and ask a few questions about some of the moves here in the near future. As an aside, this is something that any 'hawk practitioner should take advantage of - calling up/emailing the existing tomahawk instructors and asking questions. I learned a lot just in emails with Jim and Dwight in the past. How many weapon trainees can just drop a line on a person who has their own book or series of training DVDs and actually expect to hear something back?
I liked this DVD better than the first. I felt like there was more useful material (to me) in this one than the first one (which is really more of a beginners/instructional DVD). If you're going to buy the first DVD, I definitely suggest buying this one to go with it. I promise you won't be disappointed as you will learn at least something from it.
4 :thumbup: out of 5
However, I'd definitely be interested in hearing a comparison review of the two (MM and Frontier)... 
