Machida-Do Karate in MMA - Lyoto Machida

I'm not really a DVD guy. I much prefer books for a number of reasons I've detailed here over the last couple of years. However, I realise there are things you simply need a DVD to get across. That's why Victory Belt's idea of a Machida DVD is a great idea.

Video is kind of a new area for Victory Belt. They've released one series in the past - Mastering the Rubber Guard. My review of that DVD set was mixed, but the technical instruction was sound and the production was good. I'm pleased to say that the quality of both has improved on this set.

The DVD set consists of four discs. They are presented in plastic DVD cases and sleeved in a cardboard box. Disc one is titled 'Movement and Fundamental Strikes, disc two is 'Striking Attacks and Takedowns', three is on 'Intercepting Attacks, Takedown Defense and the Clinch' and disc four is titled 'The Ground Game'.

The first disc covers the elemental techniques Machida uses in his fights. Don't be fooled by the term fundamental. What Machida considers fundamental can be quite advanced. The techniques range from the simple to the unorthodox. Not many other than Machida are likely to attempt a hook kick in the Octagon, but the technique is here.

Disc two takes the techniques found on the first disc and joins them together into combinations. Machida explains the principles he uses to build combinations and why they work. My favourite aspect of this video is the focus on feints and setups. He's good at misdirection - we've all seen it - and this video gives you a taste of how it's achieved.

Disc three concentrates on defense and counter-attack. His evasion and counter-attacks are what he is known for and is well displayed here. His discussion on takedown defense and the various clinch positions is probablyt not what you'd buy the DVD set for, but it is interesting to see how these aspects fit into Machida's game.

Disc four was surprising for me. This is probably the aspect of Machida's game which interested me the least. There are plenty of DVDs out there on the ground game from people who are much better known for it than Machida. However, in watching the video, it occurred to me that it is a well put together treatise on the ground game. There isn't necessarily anything ground-breaking here, but the approach is very systemic and easy to follow. It's particularly great for those who might not have a lot of Jiu Jitsu or wrestling experience. And, let's face it - that's pretty much where it's aimed.

As far as production goes, it's pretty damn good. It's over-dubbed in english as Machida speaks in (I guess) in Portuguese. This is something I've commented before that is distracting for me at times. However, production companies are getting better at it and Victory Belt seems to have learned some lessons from others who have made mistakes in the past. The audio mix is just right.

The sets are appropriate and not distracting. The instruction is clear and to the point. VB and Machida have also paced the instruction pretty well and there isn't too much instruction to choke down in one sitting.

I'm no karate expert. It's been seventeen years since I was in a formal karate class. I don't think I'd be able to pull off some of the techniques Machida demonstrates here. Some of the techniques require some significant prior knowledge and practise. With that said, there's enough here that doesn't require years of practice, as well.

I think that the set is aimed at the competent karateka to learn to adapt their technique. In that case, the set is spot on. At the same time, though, 80% of what is taught doesn't require any detailed prerequisite karate training. Just about anyone can benefit from understanding some of Lyoto's technique and - more than anything - the misdirection he is famous for.

Victory Belt are pretty young in the video game. However, they're well known as a provider of quality products and this is no exception. They've rapidly ascended as a competitor and even leader in book publishing. Now, they've made a foray into video and they've shown themselves capable of competing with the leaders.

Anderson Silva's Mixed Martial Arts Instruction Manual - Striking"

Everyone's used to Victory Belt and have their expectations about what they'll see in the books, nowadays. As a group, VB publications are on a par with some of the higher quality books on the market. They stand out, though, in two areas.

The first is the sheer prolific nature of their work. They put out product after product. They release so much that they may, in fact, be their own best competitor. The other area they excel in is in marketing based on the game of the big names in the sport. Plenty of world champions have graced the VB catalogue and each of them give a unique insight into their game.

Anderson Silva is yet another in a long line of champions to be published with the group. He's also the first one to devote an entire book to striking. Of course, Krauss and Cordoza previously published the excellent "Muay Thai Unleashed", but this is the first time they've looked strictly at the game of one of the top strikers.

As I read the introductions of the books, I get a handle on the attitude of the subject. Fedor, for instance, is all about the work ethic, Saulo Ribiero seems to be enamoured with economy of movement and perfection of technique. In Anderson's case, he emphasises the artistic component of his craft. The introduction paints a picture of a man anxious to become better and to perfect his technique so as not to rely on his athletic ability.

He speaks of his desire to learn and implement new techniques and his pride in how he wins a fight being as important as winning itself. This introduction reinforced my impression of Silva and endeared me to him. I even see obvious parallels in my development that inspire me.

The book itself has 272 pages and is of the same stock the rest of the Victory Belt lineup is made from. There are 6-8 pictures per page and they are well described, have multiple angles and the flows are well marked.

In the past, I have been critical of Victory Belt's clarity of photography in some publications. Clothing and background selection has often made it difficult make out the action where the luxury of contrasting jiu jitsu gis aren't available. I'm pleased to say Victory Belt has gotten there with this book. The backgrounds are sparse and clear. Anderson and his opponent wear the same colours the entire time and there are no brightly coloured rashguards to be seen.

The book begins with a dozen pages on stance and footwork. This is where you see this isn't your run of the mill Muay Thai manual. Anderson is known for his skills in Muay Thai, but the discussion and techniques here lend themselves to fighting from ambidextrous stances and protecting against the takedown, as well as attacking in the Thai style.

The next section is on countermovement and covers evasion, parrying and leg checks. This is followed by a section on striking techniques. This is fairly normal for a book on striking. However, while most of this section is conventional, there are a few things you won't see in most Muay Thai manuals. He covers things like the side and spinning back-kick, as well as his famous "Lead Reverse Back Elbow" and flying knee. There's more than a couple unique (or at least unusual) techniques here.

The next section is titled "Attacks" and covers combinations used to do so. I'm no expert, but I'm fairly certain Anderson's combinations here are different to conventional Muay Thai or boxing ones. For instance, there are a number of rear hook punches and combinations of punches that are less conventional. In this section, Adnerson also describes his movement during techniques. He also has segements of the use of feints and opposite stances - areas not well covered in other texts. And, what would a section on attacks be without a discussion of the clinch. The best thing is, Anderson's clinch is well modified for MMA and is an effective tool to prevent the takedown as well as to attack.

The last section (and the biggest) is on counterattack. Watching Silva's fights, I'd have to agree with this being the bigger area of his game. He is probably the best counterfighter around in MMA at the moment. He covers counters to attacks from matched and unmatched leads and has a section on countering kicks. As with all the sections in the book, there is a good mix of conventional and less orthodox techniques, here. There are also some less orthodox combinations of conventional techniques.

This book is to the point. There's not a lot of fanfare or filler. If you're looking to add some standup to your MMA game, there are lots worse books than this. You'll learn some interesting ways of dealing with the standing game. However, I'm not inclined to add more than one combination at a time. I just don't have the Anderson Silva athleticism and touch to pull a lot of this off.

Then again, neither does Anderson, apparently. He makes no secret of the practice and attitude that make him great. You'll get a taste of that, as well as a solid dose of excellent technique.

Victory Belt
Buy the book form Budovideos.com

Jiu Jitsu University - Saulo Ribeiro

In my last review, I mentioned I'd received an early christmas gift from Victory Belt Publications. Well, it wasn't just the Fedor book I received. I also received Saulo Ribeiro's "Jiu Jitsu University". I didn't review this first since it's already received bulk kudos from just about everyone on the web, but I thought I might add my $1 worth (I'm Australian - that probably amounts to US20c at the moment).

Everyone in Jiu Jitsu is interested in details and I spotted the first one before I opened the book. A lot of these type of books have colour coded edges so you can easily index to a section. Since this book is divided into belt sections, the colour coded edges are made in the style of BJJ belts. It's a nice touch.

The book itself is made of the same high quality binding Victory Belt and all the other good publishers are using now. It is 368 pages long and has six to ten photos per page. In my last two Victory Belt reviews, I've criticised the photos. There's no need to here. The kimonos are clear in white & blue and the mats are green which contrasts the models well.

The photos also show the inherent details of the technique correctly. This was another criticism I'v had with other books, where the timing of the photgraphy is just a little bit off. Victory Belt has told me they're using new techniques now and it shows.

As mentioned above, the book is divided into belt sections. The white belt section is simply titled "Survival" and consists of six sections where Saulo describes the postures and strategies the novice needs to get by. I think this is a great feature. While I've praised products before for their emphasis on posture, nothing I've seen has come close to this.

The blue belt section is titled "Escapes". Yes, it contains lots of escapes from various positions and submissions. In fact, it shows sixty some-odd techniques in eleven sections. The purple belt section is about the guard and has seven sections. These include pieces on butterfly, spider, cross and De La Riva guards, as well as reverse De La Riva (Andre from MMA.tv fame should be happy - he's the first one I heard use that term), sitting and half-guard.

The brown belt section is all about guard passing. It is the biggest section of the book with around 130 pages devoted to it an it's my favourite. There are twelve sections in here with strategies to pass all the guard types mentioned in the previous section plus more. It is well detailed and covers more methods than I think I could ever learn.

The black belt section is on submissions. Strangely (and refreshingly) it covers just twenty-eight techniques. I believe you can rest assured these techniques are effective and they are extremely well detailed. I think this shows that Saulo's game is about position and control and is a great indicator of the tone of the book.

Sorry - there is no red belt section. Impending grandmasters with little to learn from Saulo will have to look elsewhere. For the rest of us, this is a great resource.

The introduction breaks from the traditional VB fare and serves as an introduction to Jiu Jitsu, rather than to the author. Novice and experienced students alike would do well to read it as well as studying every part of the book - irrespective of belt rank or perceived knowledge.

Saulo leans heavily on applied principles, as opposed to simple techniques. Fans of his various video series know what I mean. The book is no different. His system relies on mastery of the fundamentals and application of mechanics. Tiny movements and details are important to the completion of techniques and Saulo is keen to show you what they are - just as he has done on his DVDs.

Xande Ribeiro is also used as a model in a lot of the photo series. It must be handy to have a brother who is also a multiple world champion to help you out with your book.

Saulo states in the book that Rickson has been the major influence on him and his Jiu Jitsu and his discussions certainly cover the same ground. I think this is as close as we're going to get to a book from Rickson in the near future, but I can tell you it's a great substitute.

Not that it needs a substitute. A friend of mine suggested that comparing this book is not fair to it or other books. He told me it's more like Da Vinci writing a book on art that covers everything from the first time you pick up a pencil through to the time you end up with the Mona Lisa.

Of course, he's a bit biased, but all hyperbole aside, this is the best curriculum style book on Jiu Jitsu written so far and I reckon it would be hard to top.

If you don't have this book, I'd like to suggest switching to soccer.

Victory Belt Publications
Buy "Jiu Jitsu University" at Budovideos