Video Review: The Dan Inosanto Series

S

Smoke

Joined
Oct 14, 1998
Messages
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This tape series featured in the ads of Inside Kung Fu is quite possibly the oldest instructional series on VHS available.

Saying that, the production quality of these tapes does not compare to the tapes of today.

Tape 1 BD
Grips and strikes
Double Stick Drills and Gunting
Hubud and Sumbrada drills
Stick and Dagger drills with disarms (2)
Knife Drills

The Full contact section shows Inosanto practicing against the Fighting Man Dummy using disarms with stick then the Nunchaku.

Afterward, he demonstrates using objects as distractions in self defense situations. Followed by a demonstration of double stick, stick and Igorot shield, and staff sparring. Full contact armor is used but this is not Dog Brothers type footage.

The 1 and 3 Inch Punch section is next, my favorite part as Inosanto goes into depth as to the purpose and mechanics of short distance hitting.

This tape ends with an overview of various Filipino blades and weapons in Inosanto's collection. Some might differ in opinion as to Inosanto's knowledge concerning certain swords. Again, it must be remembered that the Philippines is a diverse area and many blades were made to the owner's specifications.

More to come.



[This message has been edited by Smoke (edited 04-18-2001).]
 
Tape 2 begins with another overview of various Filipino blades and weapons particularly the flat stick, Moro blades, the Espada, Cane, Tjabang (Sai), and various knives including the Balisong and smaller versions of swords, intended as weapons of ambush.

Starting out with the Stick Grip and Strikes section from Tape #1.
Then stick chokes,
9 basic stick blocks including a gunting variation against a thrust.
9 disarms involving snaking and stripping motions and the monitoring concept

An extensive Double stick section is next
5 drills with three teaching footwork
4 demonstrations of double weapons including Double sticks, swords, the sword and shield, and sword and stick.
A demonstration of the Double knives (icepick style) vs a punch comes next

The empty hands section concludes this tape
Starting with a demonstration from tape #1 progressing to guntings, throws, defense against the jab, sweeps and locks, limb destruction/nerve hits, and guntings and kicks.

Okay breathe.
smile.gif


Tape 3 starts with the Sumbrada drill from Tape 1 introducing the seko(elbow) drill, "seeking the path", elbow/backhand combination.

6 Single Stick Drills including the Figure 8, Abaniko, Redondo drills are shown.

Flow drills covers maintaining the flow with the stick, swords, stick and sword and dagger with a Punyo (butt of the stick) drill after.

A young Jeff Imada helps Inosanto demonstrate the stick vs staff, the sword and dagger and staff, and the knife vs knife to conclude this tape.


[This message has been edited by Smoke (edited 04-18-2001).]
 
Tape 4 is pure Stick and Dagger training and gives disarms galore. That is both partners disarm each other and weapons are all over the floor.

Tape 5 continues the Stick and Dagger training starting with Sword and Dagger training. Inosanto recommends a strip disarm vs a snake disarm for this type of set up.

Drills cover the Figure 8, stripping and trapping, double hitting, stick and dagger vs staff, the circle movement drill, and sword and dagger vs the same.

You like stripping and trapping drills?
You get 11 variations of one, all with a different ending (locks, strikes, disarms)

Concluding the tape, Inosanto shows more weapons pairs such as Double Tjabang in similar and opposing grips,the Stick and Shoe, Two Shoes, Short stick and dagger, and Short stick vs Stick and dagger.

Tape 6 starts with inside hitting using the Fighting Man Dummy

The Full Contact section of Tape 1 is repeated and expanded. Including the bullwhip vs a knife wielding dummy (Inosanto is pretty good with the whip).

The 1&3 inch Punch section is repeated along with longer version of the Distractions in Self Defense Section.

A young Ted Lucaylucay helps with the Balisong section that includes grips and rakes, gunting vs a punch, disarms, a takedown,and a gunting/slash/takedown sequence.

Inosanto briefly explains his own personal view of using the knife. Blade vs empty hand is a no no, blade vs a weapon is justified but again it is up to you.

The Newspaper section is next. No, not articles about Inosanto but a rolled up lengthwise newspaper as a weapon. Inosanto explains the rationale and history behind this improvised technique as he makes one.

No power you say? Ted Lucaylucay holds up a board and Inosanto breaks it clean with a rolled up newspaper before going to a stick vs newspaper demonstration.

The Weapons overview appears again focusing on various shields, the Panabas (long handled agricultural tool aka Banana Cutter), Barongs, Bolos, and the Blowgun which is demonstrated.

The Full Contact section is repeated yet again this time including Long and Short Stick training, Limb destructions, flow drills, stick vs staff, stick and shield training, and concluding with the circle drill.




[This message has been edited by Smoke (edited 04-18-2001).]
 
Conclusion

Nostalgically, it's a must have for the Inosanto fan. It's strength is the stick and dagger drills, the 1&3 inch punch demos, the latter being very clear. The disarm drills are cool in that you see weapons drop everywhere.

Soundwise and productionwise, the newer tapes dominate. The whip, newspaper, and blowgun demos are fun to watch.

Nostalgia aside,there are more exclusive tapes on the stick and dagger, the balisong (Jeff Imada).

The Full contact section is misleading, perhaps disappointing as you see Inosanto and Steve Nakamura (?) replicate drills and attempt to hit. The aliveness and timing seen in Dogbrothers or stick tournaments is not there. This is as the ads say, an overview but really focuses on stick and dagger/disarms, drills, and hands.

Personally, I like Inosanto's book "The Filipino Martial Arts" more, which is now out of print and selling as high as $140.
 
Smoke,

Cool review of the series, very informative. Thanx for posting it!

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Attila
 
Great review! I was suprised at the value of the book.I have it laying around somewhere and thought it was readily available.

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Tim

 
Hey Smoke, that's a great review. I too have seen some of this video Vol. 1 & 2 and must say that it's a must have video to all FMA practitioner.

Rommel
 
ok, now you've gone and done it. I must have these videos! gotta buy and issue of Inside Kung Fu first...unless you got a web address for the retailer?

-henry-
 
guro Dan was unhappy with his book because he has evolved past it..so he let it fade away..that IS A CRIME..He might be past it personally but I find it enlightening and fresh as when he wrote it..I agree that the tapes are dated in some ways,,Tape #6 is really outtakes from the others...BUT he's unhappy with those as well sooooooo, I'd buy them BEFORE they become as available as his book..hint-hint! The info is always good and it provides an insight into Guro dan's approach to the arts at that time of his life. He has two tapes from Austraila that were to "replace" these but they aren't as good.
He says he intends to write a new book and to make NEW tapes.. I wish he would do so already.Ok..so I'm impatient!
 
Bram, hi. I just recently heard about the two tapes he made in Australia. Eric Paulson and Rick tucci or Faye supposedly helped him with it. Have you seen them? I was thinking about getting them just to see the evolution in Dan's body mechanics from then to now.

Thanks.

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Chad
Full Contact Stickfighting Hawaii
www.fullcontacthi.com
 
Chad,
Actually the tapes from Australia are different from the "newest" ones with Erik Paulson & Rick Faye. I have the 2 tape set from Australia and they are pretty good, basically a cut down/ shortened version of the 6 tape series, and dealing with JKD as well. I can't give a good review as I haven't watched them in a while. These are/were available from the Inosanto Academy as "Training in the Martial Arts" Vol 1 & 2.

The new tapes should be great, but I haven't gotten them yet.

Andy
 
Thanks, Andy. We're deprived in Hawaii. I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone at the Academy yet. I called but only get the answering and no ones returned messages yet. And theres probably no chance that he's planning a seminar in Hawaii. How do some of you guys afford hosting seminars?

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Chad
Full Contact Stickfighting Hawaii
www.fullcontacthi.com
 
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