Rating:

#1 – It incorporates itself into your current fighting style no matter what type of martial arts training you are into. Some videos out there are biased and only teach you things of it’s style/ryu. NOT this video, it is a mixture of MANY types of fighting. It uses “what works” and the more realistic streetwise self-defense.

#2 – This wasn’t made by a man who just got a blackbelt in a martial arts style and now is trying to toss together a low grade video to make some money, this was made by BAS RUTTEN! He PROVES he knows how to fight and WIN and tons of his wins are recorded by UFC and Pride fighting and other resources. Do yourself a favor and train with Bas Rutten because he is a WINNER.

#3 – Not only are you getting training in hand to hand combat, you are also learning how to deal with knives and guns in this video. You are learning how to deal with multiple attackers as well. Bas Rutten is serious about self defense and is a great teacher. There are a few humorous parts in it too. I found myself laughing out loud a few times when I first watched this video.

I am not affiliated with Bas Rutten or any agencies, i’m just a long time martial artist and I got sick of training in martial arts that weren’t street-smart. I have been in Kung Fu and Ju Jitsu and a few other systems but I like Bas Rutten’s videos alot more because he is realistic, quick, and to the point when dealing with attackers and thats what you need to WIN.

Rating:

The film is divided in two halfs. The first half is filmed in a bar, and the techniques concentrate on standing techniques. The latter half is filmed in a boxing ring, and the techniques cover floor techniques. The film opens up with presentation of various objects found in a restaurant you can use as improvised weapon. Next, Rutten presents a correct ready posture and handles ranges of combat. After that, the film moves on to actual self defence techniques.

Most (but not all) of the techniques are quite simple, but many of them are not very universally applicable, or even very safe to perform. First of all, many of the techniques require that you lift your attacker off the floor. That might suit well for a big and strong man, but I don’t see how a petite woman would pull this off to a man three times her weight. OK, it can be done, but is it reasonable to practice these kind of techniques, when you could use a different kind of technique that doesn’t require as much strength. Secondly, some of the techniques can be used only in a very specific situations, and are not usable in different situations. Third, some of the techniques are risky to perform, like haymaker block, that makes you to walk straight into your opponent’s fist if you use it to block a straight punch. Or a knife defence that requires you to kick your opponent’s knife hand, making it very easy for your opponent to make you impale your leg into his knife. Fourth, these techniques do not present a real self defence system, rather they are a collection of separate techniques.

The best thing in this film are not the actual techniques, but principles and attitude. While the techniques are not very realistic for average man or woman with average skills, the attitude is towards surviving a street attack, rather that practicing for a competition of for overall fitness. For one thing, Rutten constantly reminds that the attacker may have friends, and some techniques are designed to take care of those extra attackers. He also advises you to look for objects you can use as weapons, if the need arises. And the overall attitude of the film is toward defending against real attack; you never forget that Rutten is speaking of real life situations instead of some techniques you can practice in dojo as a hobby.

There is quite lot of humour throughout the film, and Rutten also tells true stories where he has used these techniques (or they have been used against him); either in the octagon of in the street. I like Rutten’s attitude that he does not try to convince the viewer that he knows it all, and that his way is not the only one there is. For example, he freely admits that he teaches some techniques that are pure krav maga techniques, and that for a better instruction on these techniques, you should seek a qualified krav maga instructor.

I think that this film does not present a very good self defence system. Rather, Rutten presents some interesting techniques, and handles some important principles of real life self defence. Therefore, this film serves best as an addition to your existing self defence techniques.

Run time: 1:45