Sadly, I want to inform you that on June 10, 2009, Grandmaster, Chong Sung Kim, passed away in his home in San Gabriel, California. He was 78 years old. Grandmaster Kim was the Chairman of the Jang Mu Won Hapkido Association consisting of 5 schools in Southern California, and the Master Instructor at Kim’s Hapkido, Alhambra. He was a student of Young Sul Choi, the founder of Hapkido.

Services will be held June 16, 2009, 11 am, at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier

While I never personally trained under Grandmaster Kim, Chong-Sung, I am friends with instructors under him, and have trained at one of the schools in Southern California. If the quality of an instructor is reflected by the instructor's students, Grandmaster Kim is of the highest quality.

Hapkido has lost one of the pioneers. May thoughts go out to Grandmaster Kim's family, friends, and students.

Alain

David Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room hanged. They believe it was suicide. He was in Thailand to film a new movie.

"Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: Simplified 24 Postures with Applications and Standard 48 Postures" with Master Liang, Shou-Yu is an excellent DVD by YMAA for anyone who wishes to learn or better understand Tai Chi Chuan. Out of many Tai Chi instructional DVDs to choose from, this is a wise choice. 

The DVD starts out acknowledging there is a companion book that explains some aspects in greater detail. Then there is a short introduction that shares the philosophy and benefits of practicing Tai Chi Chuan. As the narrator explains, you see video of Master Liang performing Tai Chi Chuan movements and other scenes that compliment the narration. 

Next there is a brief history of Tai Chi Chuan section that was interesting, and a little blurb regarding how to learn the forms. From there, the DVD goes into the 24 Posture (Simplified) Tai Chi Chuan Postures. Master Liang first demonstrates the entire form, with subtitles appearing below him to name each of the 24 postures. This is a great preview of what is about to be taught, and a good reference as to what doing the completed form should be like. The DVD then shows the completed form from the front without the subtitles, and then the rear. Please note, you will be into the video a bit over 25 minutes at this point. (It is a long DVD, which I've found to be a trademark of YMAA, they like to pack as much into their products as possible which as a consumer I really appreciate.) 

The form is then performed again, with subtitles at the bottom providing breathing instructions. The subtitles tell you when to inhale and when to exhale with the movements. This is actually a very important aspect of Tai Chi Chuan, and all martial arts, and I liked that it was included. It will be a good tool for people to practice their breathing as they do the form, something that should be done each time. 

Next comes the 24 Posture From with Applications. This section shows each of the 24 postures done solo and then the self-defense application performed on an attacker in slow motion and then regular speed. Multiple applications are shown for some postures. There is not "instruction" during this section, only illustration or demonstration. (For me, instruction is when an instructor actually teaches you by talking, explaining, and demonstrating all together. Of course this is for video, in person the instructor also assists, corrects mistakes, etc.) 

The DVD then goes into more detail for each posture. This is done with the illustration, or demonstration of the postures and applications by Master Liang with a voice over explaining the movements. I prefer DVDs where the instructor actually talks you through things rather than a voice over. I feel that is more like the instructor teaching. However, the voice over on this DVD is done well and if the viewer does what is said and follows along with Master Liang, the form can be learned. This portion of the program is the "meat" as far as teaching the 24 postures. 

Now that the 24 Posture form has been completed, the program goes into the history of the 48 Posture Tai Chi Chaun. There is a younger female, Kelly Maclean, demonstrating the form as the brief history is told. Then she performs the entire 48 Posture form with subtitles for the posture names. As with the earlier 24 posture form, it is repeated without the subtitles. 

The program does not show the rear view next, but rather goes right to the details of the 48 Postures portion. They don't repeat the instructions for the movements that are also contained in the 24 Posture form. Like earlier, the instruction comes from a voice over while Maclean performs the movements. This section does not contain the martial applications. After the closing posture, the programs ends and goes straight to the credits. 

The DVD also contains a slide show of the postures, which is basically photographs of the postures as you would find in a book, with the posture names to the side with pleasing music playing. I liked the music, but I don't know if these slides help with the instruction, since moving video illustrates them much better than stills. (that is why having this DVD as a companion to the book is ideal) Regardless, it was an interesting extra feature. 

The production quality it top notch as I've found with all of the YMAA DVDs I've viewed. There are over 100 chapter selections to assist you with the portions of the DVD you wish to study. However, I wished the menu would have been broken down a bit more. For instance, under the 24 postures detail section, you start at the beginning. If you want posture 15, you have to hit the skip button to pass through all the others to get there. This is easy enough to do, but it would have been great to have each posture listed in the menu. (Would have been a huge menu though) Like other YMAA DVDs, this one contains the YMAA catalog and video previews of other products. 

There are a lot of Tai Chi videos out there. Some are good and others are terrible. This is definitely one of the good ones. There is a lot of information presented in a clear format. If you practice or want to practice Tai Chi Chuan, this DVD is a great resource to compliment what you are learning in a class, or if you are unfortunate enough not to have an instructor, this DVD will help your home study and you can definitely learn a lot from it if you also put in the time practicing what the DVD teaches. 

This review was just posted on Martial Warrior and will also be on Amazon and other sources. The Lock On dvds are sold through www.aikiproductions.com and are also available at amazon:


I’m asked to review people and things quite a bit these days. As the owner of http://www.martialwarrior.com/ I come into contact with martial artists worldwide. I’m sent video clips, research papers, DVD’s etc, all asking for my opinion. Unfortunately, most of what I review these days is pure garbage, at least from a self-defense perspective. Fortunately, this time around, the person asking for my review was Alain Burrese and the product, “Lock On: Joint Locking Essentials Volume 3: Shoulder Locks”. Why do I say fortunately? From talking with Mr. Burrese on-line and reading his published work I’ve come to expect quality, in this expectation I was not disappointed.

First, the technical aspect of the DVD. It was taped in a well lit venue with a blue background and flooring. This contrasted nicely with the white uniforms and allowed the movements to be clearly seen. This is a plus since being able to see the presentation is the reason for buying the DVD in the first place. Secondly, the sound was clear and crisp. No need to hit the rewind to try and catch what was just said.

Now on to the meat of the DVD. I should pause for a moment and state that I have no reservations in saying exactly what is on my mind. I’ve had on-line wars with net-ninjas and cyber-warriors. If something is garbage, I won’t…and haven’t been afraid to say so. With that little tidbit in mind, I was very pleased with what Mr. Burrese presented. Here’s why;

1. He begins with a detailed explanation of the anatomy of the shoulder and the various balance displacement and mobility planes that exist in which to control movement or exploit its weaknesses.

2. In teaching a particular ‘technique’, he goes further into the principle behind the technique. As he aptly states early on, he can’t teach everything there is to teach in one DVD or hope to cover all the variables. But by explaining the principles behind each lock the viewer can then grasp the concept and expand upon it during training. This is an important point because far too many arts have become ‘cookie cutters’ in there approach. Either due to the rigid inflexibility of the instructor or their lack of in-depth knowledge to expand beyond what they themselves were shown.

3. One of the most important things covered; in my professional opinion was the necessity of a gross motor skill block/interception followed immediately by a solid, gross motor skill strike prior to attempting the lock. Let me explain why this is so important, and why I’m so appreciative the Mr. Burrese covered this information. I’ve been in one uniform or another since 1985. Currently I’m a Corrections Officer with eighteen years on the job. I’ve been in over two-hundred uses-of-force against armed and unarmed, violent felons whose intent was to injure me, others or themselves. In that time, I’ve used more joint locking principles than I care to remember. Unless the circumstances are ‘just right’, a solid strike is going to be needed in order to facilitate a proper lock.

I often see, unfortunately, a complete lack of realism in modern training or even an acknowledgement for the need. Recently, I’ve been sent several video clips of martial artists who were of medium to high Dan rank giving seminars or demonstrations. In some, the choreography was wonderful…unrealistic, but wonderful. Other offerings were so awful it was beyond the ridiculous. But they all had a common thread. In each, the bad guy was basically giving his hand/wrist/arm to the ‘master’. Or if there was a punch at all, it was a slow, half-hearted effort that wouldn’t have pushed over a one-hundred year old great-grandmother. I’m not trying to be harsh on this point, but a real, live, aggressive attacker bent on causing you the greatest amount of damage in the shortest amount of time is NOT simply going to stick his arm out for you to grab. Nor is he going to give you a slow, non-effort punch that is aimed about three feet short of your head. Although is was ‘neat’ to see these ‘masters’ grab the wrist and throw the compliant partner all over the mat…in real life, based upon the types of attacks I’ve seen, they’d have ended up in the hospital trying to pull off that nonsense. Or the morgue.

That is why I was delighted to see Mr. Burrese expound on the necessity of some type of a strike preceding the lock. He was careful to distinguish between the difference of the partner offering his wrist so that the technique could be demonstrated properly in a learning atmosphere and utilizing it in personal combat.

4. The techniques and concepts demonstrated used sound principles of motion. Flow and use of body weight was explained as well as breaking the axis for balance displacement and take downs.

5. Mr. Burrese covered applications of both a defensive and offensive nature with the locks. This is important as the necessity of a pre-emptive strike is sometimes a critical factor of survival. As the saying goes, a good defense is a strong offense.

6. Different conclusions were discussed during the explanation of the techniques. Options were given for a range of conclusions from a take down and pain compliance to control an attacker to incapacitation if necessary to the situation.

7. Finally, Mr. Burrese was well prepared for his presentation of this material. This is a plus and allowed for the easy flow of information.

In conclusion, whereas lately I’ve been inundated with choreographed garbage passing itself off as a martial art, I was very pleased to watch this DVD and found myself nodding in agreement many times throughout. Mr. Burrese has done and excellent job and I commend him fully. Where some offerings make me wish I’d spent the time more constructively, like watching paint peel, I’d not hesitate to view the teachings of Mr. Burrese.

About the reviewer:Mr. David Schultz has been in the martial arts since 1975. He holds Dan ranking in Shuri Te Karate, master rankings in the traditional arts of Taekwondo and Hapkido and master ranking in the eclectic martial art of Taekido. He holds six Law Enforcement Instructor ratings in Defensive Tactics, Combatives, Aiki Jujutsu and Firearms. He has taught military, police, corrections, executive protection and private citizens since 1986.

"Chin Na In Depth Course 1-4" with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is part of YMAA's Seminar Series and is described as "Everything You Need To Effectively Master The Seizing Art Of Kung Fu, For All Martial Styles." The DVD series compliments Dr. Yang's book, "Comprehensive Application of Shaolin Chin Na."

It is obvious Dr. Yang is an extremely accomplished martial artist with a wealth of information to share and teach, and in this DVD he instructs as subtitles go across the bottom of the screen. While Dr. Yang does have an accent, his English is definitely understandable but the subtitles are a nice feature and an example of how YMAA provides excellent products. The picture is clear, the audio is clear, and the lighting and camera views allow the viewer to see each technique clearly. Views include full body and close up. The DVD also has a very easy menu system to find the technique you wish to review.

Chin Na is the art of seizing and controlling, and this DVD teaches 33 different techniques. The Chinese name of the technique is shown in Chinese Characters and with audio Chinese language before each technique, but the rest of the instruction is in English. While I was familiar with some many of the locks, the Chinese names were new to me. Names such as "White Crane nods Its Head," Butterfly Bores Through the Flowers," and The Child Worships the Buddha" were foreign to me and my Korean and Japanese style training, but they were interesting.

Course one includes 8 techniques and all of these techniques involve locking the fingers in various ways. Some of these ways are similar, just with different angles, but there is good variety in the techniques illustrating a number of ways to lock the fingers from various grabs and reaching for you. I like how Dr. Yang provides little tips and suggestions on how to make the techniques more effective as he teaches. Course one of the DVD is just over 30 minutes long.

Course two includes 8 techniques that effect the wrist, shoulder, and elbow. These include s-type locks, goose neck type locks in different directions, outer wrist lock, a chicken wing type lock, a very interesting goose neck type lock behind the person's back, and a final lock that locks the elbow. Out of all the locks, this last one was the lock I liked the least because a basic arm bar could work more quickly without the bending over, but I enjoyed learning the variation. One great thing about learning various ways to exploit the joints is that it enables you to perform locks in a greater amount of situations. Course two of the DVD is just under 24 minutes long.

Course three contains 9 techniques that effect fingers, wrist, a technique I really like that wraps around the neck, and the shoulder with chicken wing type locks. This chapter contained one of my favorite escorting locks with the hand behind the back with fingers pointed straight up. I often teach people how to go from a goose neck in front to this lock. I also liked how Dr. Yang taught it. The final technique of this course is actually a variety of thumb and pinky locks against wrist grabs. Course three of the DVD is just over 25 minutes long.

Course four contains 8 techniques that focus on wrist, fingers, shoulder, and elbows including some s-lock variations. Again, the instruction was clear with good camera angles to assist the viewer with learning. Course four of the DVD is just over 16 minutes long.

The DVD extras include information about YMAA; the YMAA catalog; many video previews; audio set up in English or French, subtitles in English, Dutch French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish; and credits.

Overall, this is an excellent instructional DVD on the art of Chin Na. The only thing I didn't like that much was the music selection. It is Chinese and becomes a bit abrasive if left on. This is only if you leave the menu screen on for too long and with the opening credits. Other than that, everything about this DVD is very good and makes me anxious to see more of Dr. Yang's Chin Na DVDs. If you are interested in improving your locking skills, regardless of the art you study, Chin Na In Depth with Dr. Yang will be an excellent addition to your training library.




Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

There are some people that treat the practice of martial arts like any other hobby or exercise class. It is something to do a couple times a week. Then there are those of us that the study, practice, and teaching of martial arts means so much more. Regardless of the specific art or discipline, regardless of the country of origin of the art, to some of us, being a martial artist and studying our respective martial arts is not a hobby or pastime, but a part of who we are.

From reading Kevin Brett's "The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life" it is obvious that Kevin Brett falls into this category of practitioners. Brett is a martial artist, not a hobbyist. His martial study has helped shaped who he is and has provided him with a vehicle to succeed in many areas of life, not just the physical skills of punching and kicking.

I enjoyed the book and found myself agreeing with Brett on many points. In the Preface, Brett wrote that he does not know all that he would like about the topics in this book, and that they require further study by all of us. I think this is an extremely important point, especially since this book while mentioning many important topics does not go into great depth regarding them. I do believe the points he makes on these topics are good ones, but there is so much more to study and learn. I feel Brett knows this, and that's why I think his book is an excellent roadmap pointing towards things that must be studied further to improve not only one's martial abilities but one's life in general. This is a great introduction pointing toward areas to study further.

The Preface and Introduction of this book illustrate that Kevin Brett lives as a martial artist and doesn't view his training as a recreational past time, Chapter one goes into brief origins and traditions from China, Japan and Korea. This is not a history book, and as I said the chapter is very brief on the topics it covers. However, I think the book will wet the appetite for many readers who will then continue their study further by seeking out history texts and other books to broaden their knowledge on the history and traditions of not only their respective arts, but hopefully other historic warrior traditions and various martial art styles as well.

Chapter two, Skill and Training, covers many different areas that can be expanded upon. Chapter three, Strategy and Tactics does the same. These two chapters are the bulk of the roadmap I mentioned above. One should ensure they are incorporating all of the elements Brett writes about into their own training and study. Many concepts or skills that Brett briefly describes in a few paragraphs can be further studied with various instructors or entire books just on that concept. For example, Brett has about a page of text devoted to the concept of "timing." This is a very important concept when training in the fighting arts, and Brett provided a short explanation on why it is important. I would hope the reader using this book as a map would then seek out further instruction on this concept through instructors or the excellent book on the topic by my friends Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere, "Timing in the Fighting Arts: Your Guide to Winning in the Ring and Surviving on the Street." That is just one area of many where you can use this book by Kevin Brett as a catalyst toward further study.

Chapter four, Spirit and Excellence, shows that Brett's study and journey as a martial artist consists of more than just learning physical techniques and readers who also want to be complete martial artists can follow by learning from Brett, because some of the concepts he discusses in this chapter are the most important elements of warriorship and becoming a martial artist. Integrity and Honor beat technical skill as worthy goals anyday.

Chapter five, Success For Life, provides some good general advice on setting and achieving goals, both with your martial art training and other areas of your life. Brett stresses balance and I think that is extremely important as well.

Appendix A is a framework for martial arts study that could be modified and adapted to help fulfill various training goals. Appendix B provides 52 success quotes to help motivate you as you travel your own personal journey.

Overall I enjoyed this book and feel that Kevin Brett and I would get along great due to our sharing of what a martial artist is and how training in the arts can effect your entire life in a positive way. There were times while I was reading this text that I thought to myself, "I have not trained or taught that concept for quite a while, I need to work that into a lesson." I recommend you get it, read it, and incorporate the lessons and information into your training today. It is a worthy book for any martial artist to read, and I think if you incorporate everything Brett mentions in this book into your own training and life, you can't help but be a better martial artist and lead a more successful positive life.