Peter Aerts Volume 5
Power Sparring & Equipment Training


This tape too is a wasted opportunity. No teaching happens at all. The ealier tapes of this series has some pointers from Peter on what he was doing. This volume and number 4 are just watching him, no teaching.

This tape does have Thom harinck holding pads which is interesting to watch but there are no tips on being a pad holder. Maurice Smith's tape does a better job in that aspect. Some of the segments really appeared to be more of the same, a 1 minute demo round of pad holding you could see in any Thai camp.

After this it moves to the heavy-bag work and really just repeats, punching the bag, kicking the bag, combos on the bag etc., though the segment of Peter peppering the bag with his famous lumberjack round kicks is a thing of beauty to behold. There are no tips on working the bag effectively or how many rounds to do or anything really instructional.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

Peter Aerts Volume 4
Power Clinching Knees & Elbows
~30 mins

Unfortunately this is a weak tape. This was probably the one I most looked forward to seeing as I have found little out there in the clinch range. However of the 12 techniques covered only about 4 are done from in the clinch, and two of those are basic swimming exercises.

The rest are elbow and knee combos that are good but not spectacular and certainly nothing especially powerful as the title would imply. Don't get me wrong; any elbow or knee from Peter would hurt but I was left thinking this tape was lacking.

The final techniques was a bit of a saving grace. A nice fake knee into an almost jumping elbow, reminiscent of the fake kick into the superman/flying punch.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 5

The Noble Art of Muay Thai
Phosawat Saengsawang
~1 hour

This video is available from dcothai
Overall this is a good video. The menus are clear and the English track is presented in a clear, understandable voice. The presentation is top notch.

The hour or so of video is jam packed with information. There is little repetition and none of the slo-mo repeats and things that drive me nuts on so many videos. Be ready with the pause and rewind buttons as you'll want to see most of it again.

There isn't anything too far out in the first parts of the video. The mai mai and luk mai coverage is quite good and easy to understand. There are some techniques in the middle section that you may not think of as parts of Muay Thai, for example the 'spring whip kick' which looks like an inside crescent kick and the 'smash kick' which is similar to an axe kick.

Overall this is a good video and well worth the $20. Even better if you get it as a gift like I did. Happy Holidays.

Peter Aerts - Volume 3 - Combinations - approximately 35 mins

See the other posts for comments on layout and production. still the same here, overall good.
This is a good video consisting of 15 combinations. The majority of these are purely offensive but a handful start with a defensive move. As expected there are some very interesting and useful combos here. Simple perhaps but certainly effective.

There is less of the fight scenes spliced into this video. I like to watch fight action as much as anyone but this doesn't really bother me too much as most of these fights are available for viewing from different online sources. Google is your friend.

Without the slow motion replays the tape would have time for another 10 combinations, that is the only complaint i have. I'd like to see more. All the instructinoals from this time period have these slo-mo replays so I guess I can't complain too much.

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 4

Volume 5

Peter Aerts Volume 2 Power Kicking ~35mins of techniques

See Volume 1 post for the layout and technical presentation thoughts, this video is the same in those attributes.

This is a very thorugh presentation of the basics of kicking. As an example the first 15 minutes or so of this video is the basic round kick at 3 levels and two sides all shown separately. Sounds boring but each time Peter has a hint or two to share.

After this comes front and back kicks briefly. Then right into defense and attack combos. Block the low kick and kick back, scoop the front kick and kick the leg are examples. This material fills out the rest of the video and it is good stuff. In all 18 techniques are shown.

Like the volume 1 this video is interspliced with fight clips, this time it seems to be better lined up with the techniques being taught, you can see Peter practice the head kick and then watch a clip of some poor soul getting knocked out with it.

I liked this one better than volume 1, perhaps becasue I like kicking in general I suppose. It is worth a watch for sure though as Peter shares some good tips for setting up kicks.

Volume 1
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

Peter Aerts - Volume 1 - Power Punching - 35 mins approximately.

Filmed in the Chakuriki gym run by Thom Harnik.

Lay out is the tried and true - Technique One: Peter explains slowly, then lets loose, then the technique is shown a few times in slo-mo with some bad music playing in the background. Lather Rinse Repeat. Pretty much par for the instructional course. As a nice addition some fight clips are mixed in between techniques. These aren't tuned to be the technique just shown or coming next but if you watch the whole tape you will see the combinations taught in action in this clips.

Peter's English is good, it isn't his first language and it comes out stilted but the explanations are clear. In all he covers 16 combinations, touches on slipping and weaving and loves the liver punch.

Unfortunately we don't often see past the bottom of the shorts, Peter says many times that turning the body is important but we never get to see how his feet move to accomplish this. Near the end of the video as Peter explains slipping and moving outside punches we do get glimpses of the footwork but he doens't really spend anytime telling us anything about it.

Overall this is a good video for ideas on combinations to practice. Certainly worth the time to watch.

Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

Georges St. Pierre
Xtreme Rush Fighting
Instructional Video

Nothing bad can be said about Georges! It is illegal in Canada to insult him in any manner.

These videos are good. Clear sound and picture make this a very easy learning experience. Georges speaks English. You have heard him in post fight interviews and you know what to expect. It is amusing sometimes but in no way affects his ability to describe what is going on. David L'Oiseau helps Georges out in the video and does a solid job as expected.

Striking combos, including the infamous spinning back-kick are covered in the first section. Second section has some great takedowns, including hints for using the fence or wall to your advantage. Very interesting. The final section is a circuit training tour of Georges' weight workout. Chest, shoulders, legs and core are each done in separate circuits. The Georges gives a great description of his sprint program.

Volume 2 is all about the ground game. First some techniques, nothing really fancy in way of technique. Similar stuff to Eric Paulson's material but with the St. Pierre flair. Then Georges and David give us some tips on the ground game of MMA. This is a good section. It is too short at only 20 mins or so.

The only issue I have with this set is the repeating of this conditioning section on both videos. A waste of space that is labelled as a bonus on the sites selling these videos. No it is a waste, volume 2 should be half the price. Note to Mounties, this is not an insult to Georges, do not storm my house and lock me up in the Hudson Bay Detention Center ;)

Georges is great, these videos are well done and hold some good tips. Buy them now and you can say you had them before he becomes UFC champ.

Muay Thai instructional videos
Razor Rob McCullough
http://www.islandmartialarts.com/index.cfm?ac=ShowProducts&CatID=76&SetCat=1
$55 US

This 5 volume set is one of the best I have seen. Any beginner should have it. Any person that has done Thaiboxing for a while will know most of the basics covered but Volume 5 is a gem and there are lots of good tips to make the set a good purchase even for the more experienced. All types of pads and bags are used in the demonstrations making for great views of the techniques in action.

Rob is a for the most part clear and well-spoken. He uses everyday langauge to get his points across, which is nice, too many others try the baffle with bull tactic. Rob gets by that with clear, honest representation of the moves. He gets a little repetitive at times but it is forgivable as the explanations are good.

Volume 1 is the fundamentals. Rob covers footwork, angles and gives lots of emphasis to the hip rollover in the kick. The explanations using the heavybag for demonstration are great. Good tape for beginners for sure.

Volume 2 moves into the basic strikes. All the boxing staples are here; jab, cross, hook and uppercut. All clearly explained with good poiinters for technique application. The elbow basics are also handled well, with a bonus spinning elbow move or two. The strikes are shown in a variety of ways. Use is made of focus mitts, Thai pads and the heavy bag. Great stuff.

Volume 3 covers the knees. Nothing wildly different here, but good strong coverage of straight knees and the curved or circle knee. Rob covers basic clinch work and delivers some good tips on moving the opponent around by his neck. Also some great pointers on hip movement are included. All around this is a fine video.

Volume 4- we get to the kicks. This tape is delivered in an interesting and effective manner. First the kicks are all shown using the right leg. Then they are all done again with the left leg. I like this idea. There are subtle but important differences between the two sides that can confuse people starting out. So this deliverly helps by letting the viewer get one side down at a time.

Leg kicks, body kicks and the head kick are all covered. With pads, on a bag and my favourite for new learners; just with a partner. I love doing the kicks this way. Sure the purpose eventually is to kick hard and hurt folks. However learning the technique and distancing involved in each kick by aiming at a real person and using control to land in the exact right spot without breaking anybody is a great method of building that power via skill instead of butishness.

Volume 5 is the gem as I said. Though this section is short, all I need to say is the combos given on this video will keep any viewer busy for a long while. Don't just run through them and think you got them. Practice, make them second nature, then you'll be able to use them when it counts.

Go buy these,they are worth every penny.

Maurice Smith - Vol 2 Pad Work
Online at many places for abour $20 bucks or as part of a four video set in the $50 range.

Maurice starts with the focus mitts and the proper placement for the holder. This is great, the number of times I have tried to get a workout with someone new to pad holding only to be frustrated is immeasurable. Maurice talks about a rythm that develops between a pad holder and the fighter, never were truer words spoke. "The pad man...my friend."

Next up on the menu is working a dynamic drill with the padman using the basics just covered but adding some movement by both parties and some strikes by the pad holder. This is a good solis bit of footage with a lot of Maurice's knowledge coming through. This carries through to the next segment; hitting the pads 'realtime'.

Whereas the first 10 minutes were based on getting the holder working properly and done slow, this section shows the jab, cross, left hook, body hook and uppercuts at speed and in combination. Essentially applying what was earned earlier.

On to the Thai pads, Maurice shows us how he likes to have the pads held. Front kick and round kick tehniques from Volume 1 is reiterated and expanded on. For the low kicks Maurice has the padholder put his arm down with the pad by the thigh.

This goes against everything I have ever seen for practicing these kicks. I was always told the pad holder is learning too and this will only develop the bad habit of putting the arm down to defend the leg kick. To be fair Maurice says to be sure to not go too hard. However my opinion would be just kicking the thigh 'not too hard' to learn the technique would be better.

After a few examples of punch/kick drills we get to the knee section. Again Maurice shows clearly the basic straight knee technique from both in and out of the clinch. However he keeps saying not to do a lot as they are tiring. True they are tiring but they score more in the organizations I have competed in, we always do a lot of knees, enough to make us dry heave in training.

The video finishes up with combos combining all the weapons including elbows. Maurice comes through with great tips and advice for the application in a fight. Overall I think this is a solid volume. I'd certainly like anyone who needs to hold pads to watch it. The message comes through clear on how important it is to be a good holder. The video production is great and Maurice of course is a knowledgeable instructor. The only thing I can find fault in is; as with the first video, this isn't really Thaiboxing, though all the weapons are used it just has a more kickboxing feel.

See also Volume 1

Maurice Smith Thaiboxing Volume 1 - fundamentals
available online for ~$20 or as part of the four DVD set for $50.

This is sold as a Muay Thai tape on the sites I visited. It is about half Muay Thai, kickboxing is a better description. There is a difference, and if you are looking for pure Muay Thai you really won't find it here. Shins are used and low kicks covered but not in a fully Thai manner, more in a modified method. Good clear basic kickboxing is what is served up.

2-4 mins each on are spent on the jab, cross, left hook (that would make a boxing coach wince) and an uppercut. Both sides aren't shown and by eight minutes Maurice is onto the kicks.

Defensive front kick with lead leg, inside low kick, more like a JKD lead kick with a shuffle step than a Thai kick. The right leg version of the low kick is much more Thai like. Maurice shows a couple of angles to throw it and does a body kick from one side.

Knees and elbows are next on the list. The video is very clear on both long knees and short clinch knees. Some decent info on holding the clinch and making space to throw knees is included. The elbow section is short and sweet. A few angles are shown and the cutting aspect stressed. Once again the different sides aren't really covered, both arms are used but for different angles.

Defensive manoeuvres are next. Parries and scoop blocks. Defenses for jabs, hooks and uppercuts are shown, again only on one side. Elbow blocks get about a minute and are shown in a clear manner that co-incides with the Thaiboxing I have seen. Next in the defense is kick blocking, including a good section on defending against leg kicks to the lead leg. The last section is knee defense, unfortunately Maurice chose to show a knee defense involving both hands dropping to the opponents hips. Without explaining the timing and recovery involved this defense leads to the blocker getting elbowed and hooked punched everytime.

Maurice is a multiple kickboxing title holder and an accomplished MMA fighter. There is no doubt he has the experience to deliver this material. He does so clearly and concisely. My only complaint is it may be a little too concise. In an effort to cover all the material in the time alotted, some of it feels glossed over. The quality of the video is excellent and sound is fine. If you are a beginner this would be a fine introduction to kickboxing with some Thai technique included. If you have been training for a few months you may still pick up a couple of things but whether it is worth the money is hard to say.

See also Volume 2

Stretching for Athletes
Panther Video

Bill Superfoot Wallace
~55 minutes
Availble for about 10$

Bill Wallace has to be the most flexible guy I have ever seen outside the acrobats of a Chinese circus. Who better to lead a video on Stretching. This video focuses on the legs and hips, as world reknown kicker, again who better than Bill.

This video starts with a good introduction to stretching and the basics of the way muscles attach and work. This is clear and easy to understand. Bill tells us that A relaxed muscle is more resistant to injury, quicker and more easily moved. All that makes sense to me.

Moves into warmups, works from the top down. Gentle motions just to raise the muscle temperature and let your body know something is coming. After this Bill begins stretching exercises to do alone. This is comprised of a lot of static stretches keeping the tension on for counts between 2-10 seconds. None of the exercises are anything extraordinary but the order they are done in makes sense and flows nicely. This section is a little less than half an hour and Bill recommends doing them every day.

On to partner stretching. Bill stresses safety first with the partner. Another 20 mins or so is spent on these. Again nothing out of the ordinary but all good solid exercises in a nice smooth order. Bill recommedns partner stretching 2-3 times per week as it is harder on the muscles.

The third section is about the 'new fangled' stretching machines. I had one in the early 90's. That was probably when this video was first released. Anyhow the section is as good as it can get, showing a number of exercises to do while strapped into a machine. This is limited but the presentation is good.

Five minutes of review finishes the volume off in style. Bill comes across as an extremely knowledgeable and affable person. You can tell he is a great instructor with lots of experience with the material. The credit say written and performed by Bill Wallace and the preparation shows, unlike some instructionals where the presenter stumbles along never quite sure what to say Bill comes ready to deliver This video is full of traditional Karate or Tae Kwon Do class stretches. I am sure that trained kiniesologist or physiologists or whoever would wince but Bill Wallace is a trained martial arts stretchologist. I trust him to know from experience how to make me be able to kick high.

The video is clear, the sound is good, no annoying Panther slomo repeats. It is a quality show.

Killer Chicken Wings - Advanced
Eric Paulson
Buy it here
approximately 55 mins

I really enjoyed this video. Eric is a good instructor, clearly demonstrating the technique and packs each display with a lot of the little tips that make a difference. Hand placements, hip movement, every little thing.

The video is more advanced than the first doing chicken wing/kimura attacks from the guard; top and bottom position. Rolling moves into the chicken wing and of course being Eric Paulson some defense against leg locks and some variations into leg locks when the chicken wing doesn't succeed.

The video is shot like a small seminar. Eric displays the moves and really defines the important parts of each. This is well captured with steady camera work and good angles. After each set of moves are displayed the tape breaks into a training the techniques section. In these parts the small group of people practicing are shown doing the moves. It is apparent that skill levels are different in the group giving an idea what various scenarios arise while training. All the while Eric is moving about and coaching each pair through the technique. This is invaluable as I am sure I have run into the very issues that Eric is helping these people through. A great idea.

If I had to pick something that wasn't the best, it would have to be sound quality. At times it faded somewhat but never enough that Eric can't be heard, I did have to turn the volume up twice to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Well worth the investment. I play this one a lot.