DVD Review & Notes of Coldsteel's Stun Stagger and Stop Walking Stick DVD

About the Authors:

Lynn C. Thompson, the President, founder and face of Cold Steel, Inc., is a life-long practitioner of martial arts. He has studied and trained in Western Boxing, Kali, Thai Boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is also highly skilled in Shoot Fighting, Stick Fighting, Saber Fencing, and, above all, Knife Fighting. He has been consistently refining his skills for well over thirty years.

He currently spends fourteen to sixteen hours a week in training, six of which are spent taking private lessons with Ron Balicki, Anthony DeLongis, and other highly respected martial artists. From www.lynncthompson.com

Ron Balicki is an actor and stuntman for various films and television series. He is also a well known martial arts practitioner, teacher and author. He is a student and the son-in-law of Dan Inosanto. The basis for Ron"s work in the martial arts comes from his 25+ years under Sifu Dan Inosanto. Ron managed and taught at the Inosanto Academy from 1993-98. He also studied Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, Maphilindo Silat under Sifu Dan Inosanto. He also has studied Thai Boxing, Lameco Escrima, Shoot Wrestling to name a few. From www.ronbalicki.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Balicki

Review:

If you are looking for a video that you can study over a weekend and learn some basic stick self defense, This is not the video for you.

If you are looking for a video set that you can study for several months and learn some great skills...This IS the DVD for you.

The DVD has a flavor of sword work and filipion stick fighting. There is a lot of information dealing with an attacker attacking you with a stick. There is also information dealing with knife attacks, someone trying to take you to the ground, grappling with a stick. Stan or Sewart on the Cane Fighting Yahoo Group, put it best by saying this DVD set is skill based instead of technique based. It will give you a skill set. This is more useful to you but you have to know the skill set and realize when to use the skills. This is in contrast to technique based when you are given a technique to deal with a certain attack.

Pros - There is a lot of informaton here if you work though it you will have a good skill set but it is going to take a while. Below there are 6 pages of notes.

Cons - There is a lot of information here. Also they use fist suits in trainning. These are the suits with a LOT of padding so you can take a beating. At $900 they aren't really pratical for most people to own.

Some Examples

Choke from Side Controll - cane on top, put one end under your arm pit and reach behind his neck and grasp the cane and choke.

Push off to Arm Bar - Put cane under his neck and push him up and to the side. If possible hook his neck with your leg and hold his arm for a arm bar.

My Notes

Note DVD chapters are highligthed in gray.