So I'll be releasing an online course to some of my students and clients and wanted to get your opinions on the course breakdown. This is one of my favorite subreddits so I look forward to the feedback! Before I could afford to join a school, my training consisted of Karl Gotch and Gracie Jiu jitsu VHS tapes that my friend and I would practice in the basement after school. The videos would be for grappling essentials, taking from catch wrestling, jits and sambo. 20 years later and I have a chance to give back! Module 1: Balancing breaking and takedowns Module 2: Learning positions and transitions Module 3: Sweeps and reversals Module 4: Arm locks from various positions Module 5: Leg locks Module 6: Chokes Module 7: Advanced chokes Module 8: Advanced traps and set ups Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated! This was the order of how I was taught but it's flexible. Thanks!
Video's as a supplement are great! I use them a lot. Video's instead of live training. Sorry-not a fan. Don't believe in them in principle.
I disagree. Grappling I think you can learn to some extent from videos assuming you have a partner to practice with. Obviously live training would be better, but I don't think its impossible. The list sounds fine but there's not much to comment on with just some vague module titles. Also forgive the question but since you mentioned learning from vhs yourself, I assume you've been taught the sambo etc you plan on using in these and you're a decent level in all of them now?
Second Aaradia on this one, Tapes for your students as a supplement to training is great but without formal training especially with regards to grappling they have no way to get feedback on bad techniques that can form into bad habits that can be hard to break if they go into formal training....
Great feedback thank you guys! Yes i've since pursued all the styles i was training from videos. I've actually been lucky enough to seek out many of the people i watched for so long and get some certs and ranks along the way. I now own and operate my own school and consult at a few others as well. Excellent point about the disclaimers. Will make sure to get some legal consultation on that. I agree that training from video isn't ideal but can add to your training in between sessions. Even when I did start i could only afford to train once a week so i ended up relying on video quite a bit.
I use online videos to learn new combinations/tricks/counters and then I work them into my uchikomi, randori and sparring. So I don't hate these things in principle, so long as they are intended as a supplement and not the core of the training itself.
I still disagree. So long as there's no illusions you're getting the same level of training (looking at you Gracie online grading) then I think grappling is an exception to that rule. Due to it being with a apartner and the fact that a fluffed armbar doesn't hurt and a fluffed choke won't make you feel choked, I think you can reasonably learn techniques. I mean I learn new stuff from videos. Granted I have a grounding in live teaching but that teaching doesn't have any movements that prepare me to do new sweeps or subs. I'd give an example but I've forgotten the name of the thing I'm working on now
Karl Gotch tapes? Which ones? As far as I know he only released 2 (not including the "Kami Sama" documentary or the posthumous "My Cigar with Karl"
But you understand the core principles that are transferable between all techniques. Grappling is so often about small adjustments that are the difference between a technique working and a technique that doesn't. Once you know the fundamentals of what makes a choke or an armbar work, then learning variations is easy, but learning solely from a video? I'm not convinced. And I'm certain that grappling isn't some exception to the self learning rule - it is at least as technical as striking, probably more so.
Which is why I wouldn't recommend making a dvd about the waiter sweep but I think its possible to learn things like rear naked choke's from a dvd. I'd still advise people to go to a teacher but I don't think its the taboo that it's traditionally seen as
Wrapping an arm around someone's neck is easy - until they are trying to stop you doing it. Getting it to work against a resisting opponent requires instruction and technique tuning that you can't get from a video.
i'm not so sure that's a good idea. if for no other reason than to defend your own name and reputation. just think, if you release those there will be a whole bunch of people saying they've been trained and throwing your name around, but you have zero control of how good they are. more likely than not, most wont be very good at all. i know i wouldnt put my reputation on the line like that
Are you Kris Iatskevitch by any chance? Seems the same kind of thing... no real formal training etc. as others have said you can't substitute live training with vids especially to then be an 'instructor'. And please don't teach 'Catch wrestling' without having actually trained under a legit coach in it, there's too many of those charlatans knocking about doing a disservice to the art.
Yes, you can learn an RNC and really any other technique from video. But you will never break mediocre without constant troubleshooting from instructors and constant resistant training with a broad, deep pool of training partners. I acknowledge that someone with a solid base in the mechanics of a technique or style can learn a new trick or novel application for those mechanics from a video, but without training regularly in what amounts to a school setting (competent, interactive, in-person instruction plus constant sparring/rolling with many competent opponents) learning the "moves" won't amount to anything.
