farangkorat
White Belt
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Hello! I''m a newbie. Are the Simonet videos worth the mone?
Are The J. Simonet Videos worthwhile?
- Thread starter farangkorat
- Start date
I don't know, but welcome anyway!
He's the Wing Chun author?
He's the Wing Chun author?
Obliquity
Green Belt
He has several out. As a student of his, I would say absolutely. I have only seen Slam Set and DNA (Argument of Movement Part I), but if you not only watch, but listen carefully to the points he is trying to get across regarding why he does things the way he does, then I think you can learn tons o' stuff.
Of course, "worthwhile" is different for everyone. Being trained by him for about 8 months now, I really appreciate his perspective on fighting and his depth of knowledge in several arts. His stuff simply may not appeal to some martial artists, however, but I think a person would be missing out if they didn't at least seriously consider his approach.
Sifu Joseph (not Joe) is freaking intense. You can go to his web site www.kifightingconcepts.com and check out his history under the Our Instructors tab. There are also some great video clips under the In The Press tab.
Hope that helps.
Of course, "worthwhile" is different for everyone. Being trained by him for about 8 months now, I really appreciate his perspective on fighting and his depth of knowledge in several arts. His stuff simply may not appeal to some martial artists, however, but I think a person would be missing out if they didn't at least seriously consider his approach.
Sifu Joseph (not Joe) is freaking intense. You can go to his web site www.kifightingconcepts.com and check out his history under the Our Instructors tab. There are also some great video clips under the In The Press tab.
Hope that helps.
I don't know anything about them... but welcome to MT, and happy posting! :wavey:
Welcome. I don't know about his videos, but I've seen him in past issues of Inside Kung Fu.
Welcome to MT.
14 Kempo
Grandmaster
Hello and welcome to MT ... enjoy!
Welcome to MT!
As a long time Sera student I would have to say that his Silat videos are complete crap. His other ones may be good. I'm not a Kenpo or WC player and am not in a position to judge. But for the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster stay away from his Silat stuff.
As a long time Sera student I would have to say that his Silat videos are complete crap. His other ones may be good. I'm not a Kenpo or WC player and am not in a position to judge. But for the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster stay away from his Silat stuff.
I have the Kenpo tapes he put out as well as the Wind and Rock series. I've seen the Silat tapes as well. Great quality and explainations. Multiple angles as well, so you get a few different views.
As a reference tool, they're great. If you're using them to learn from, I'd find a live instructor to do that from.
Mike
As a reference tool, they're great. If you're using them to learn from, I'd find a live instructor to do that from.
Mike
kidswarrior
Senior Master
Welcome to MT! Don't have first hand knowledge of his materials, but can say, in my experience it's really difficult to master more than one art. I am seriously steeped in two arts, Shaolin Kempo and Kung Fu San Soo, and the best I could do was blend them. Was never able to compartmentalize the training (and not sure I wanted to, anyway--what's the point of cross training, if not to be able to use all the tools in your toolbox?). Anyway, just my limited perception, as I only want to see the best for you.
And as MJS said, it's always best to train with a live instructor for a few years first. The DVD's could then suppplement that, in the best scenario.
Don't have first hand knowledge of his materials, but can say, in my experience it's really difficult to master more than one art. I am seriously steeped in two arts, Shaolin Kempo and Kung Fu San Soo, and the best I could do was blend them. Was never able to compartmentalize the training (and not sure I wanted to, anyway--what's the point of cross training, if not to be able to use all the tools in your toolbox?). Anyway, just my limited perception, as I only want to see the best for you. And as MJS said, it's always best to train with a live instructor for a few years first. The DVD's could then suppplement that, in the best scenario.
Welcome to Martial Talk!
mjd
Green Belt
I say see if any one you know has one you can take on loan, check it out, if you like buy, if not don't buy, and buy the way welcome.
MJS, with all due respect his Silat tapes are not good. He gets the basic motions wrong. Not just "My teacher showed me a little differently" wrong but "That just ain't right" wrong. His explanations are often inappropriate for the moves he's showing. His use of footwork is really poor Sera - terrible misinterpretations of the basic langkah-langkah. The forward lean, the body mechanics he says are there, completely missing the point of what juru-juru are about....
I could go on. For hours. I spent over twenty hours going over his first set of Silat tapes and the "Finding the Fight" ones. His Kenpo ones may well be very good. The Silat ones are very, very bad.
I could go on. For hours. I spent over twenty hours going over his first set of Silat tapes and the "Finding the Fight" ones. His Kenpo ones may well be very good. The Silat ones are very, very bad.
No problem.
I know nothing of Silat. I suppose my analogy was a bit misleading. My appologies. To me, it seemed like he was doing a good job with the breakdowns, etc. Some tapes I've seen dont go into that much detail. Seemed like he was spending alot of time talking about what he was doing, showing different angles, etc. As far as technique wise, well, as I said, I shouldn't comment on that. I'll take your word on it, seeing that you're more familiar with Silat. Out of curiosity, I'm assuming that there are different versions of Silat. If that is the case, will that determine how the various moves are done? Not trying to make an excuse for what he's doing in the tapes, just trying to understand the art.
Mike
Obliquity
Green Belt
I'm assuming you're talking about Tellner. He is the one with the Silat background. I'm a Kenpo guy!
I know nothing about Silat, whats right, whats wrong. All I can go off of, is the tapes of Joe Simonet that I've seen. My Kenpo background is as follows:
Started in the Villari system. Trained until Brown Belt.
Moved to the Parker System.
Currently training Tracy.
Currently a 3rd Degree Black Belt.
I train in Modern Arnis. I'm a Brown belt at this time.
I also do some BJJ. No rank at this time.
Mike
Obliquity
Green Belt
I'm assuming you're talking about Tellner. He is the one with the Silat background. I'm a Kenpo guy!
My Kenpo background is as follows:
Started in the Villari system. Trained until Brown Belt.
Moved to the Parker System.
Currently training Tracy.
Currently a 3rd Degree Black Belt.
I train in Modern Arnis. I'm a Brown belt at this time.
I also do some BJJ. No rank at this time.
Mike
Yes, I was referring to Todd's post. And lest this be construed as as anything but curiosity, let me say that, yes, because I am beginning to develop a relationship with Sifu Joseph, I am concerned about the far-ranging comments made regarding his Silat tapes. At the same time, I admit to knowing pretty much zero about Silat, so welcome accurate, constructive information.
I am certainly not here to defend Sifu Joseph. It makes me chuckle just thinking about that. I know him to be quite thoughtful and articulate, and able to fend for himself. I do know that he has his detractors, but wouldn't we all agree that the martial arts are full of strong personalities and perhaps a few rather large egos?
Regarding your Kenpo stuff -- are you going to the Gathering of Eagles in Chicago next month? Sifu Joseph and Addy Hernandez will be there for induction into the Kenpo Hall of Fame as well as teaching at some of the seminars. Although invited to go along, I won't be able to make it this time around.
Regards,
Well, I personally havent heard any negative things about him and I don't have an issue with him.
As much as I'd love to go, I'm probably going to have to pass. Limited on vac. time at work and I already have a vac. planned in July with the wife.
Maybe next time around. Mike
Mod Note
Thread moved to General Martial Arts Forum.
Pamela Piszczek
MT Super Moderator
Thread moved to General Martial Arts Forum.
Pamela Piszczek
MT Super Moderator
Obliquity, sorry to take so long to respond.
I've been doing Silat for a while. Started off with Brandt Bollers and was with him for a couple years. When Guru Plinck moved to the area I began training with him. That was fifteen years ago. When he taught Bukti Negara I did that and was awarded a Guru Muda certification after a couple years (by the PDT Academy). He started teaching Sera a very short time later, so I switched over to that, what would it be, eleven years ago.
I encountered the Simonet Silat tapes because someone asked me to do a review of them. So I spent a lot of time going over them pretty carefully - regular speed, slow, going back to look at parts in detail. I simply wasn't favorably impressed. I'll admit right off that some of it was his initial comments, that trying to use Serak to fight was like, and I quote, "putting shoes on a snake" and a few others. One expects a person who's putting out a tape to toot his own horn, but that's a little off-putting.
The technical aspects, though? I was as careful and thorough as I could be and really didn't think much of the material or its presentation in those tapes. The fact that he hadn't actually studied Sera/Serak and was holding forth on "finding the fight in the form" was a serious minus. Like Bukti Negara, the Tongkat he studied comes from Sera, but it isn't the same thing. As I mentioned, that strange turned over punch, the body mechanics of the elbow, the misuse of important langka langka and a lot more didn't help matters any. A lot of the stuff there was decent martial arts because he's an experienced martial artist. It simply wasn't good Silat and isn't in the same class as material by any number of other people who are more experienced in it.
It could be that the tapes simply weren't a good representation of his skills. And he may well have improved since then. I can't speak to any of that. The only thing I have to go on is the tapes themselves, and they simply aren't up to par when judged against other material.
I've been doing Silat for a while. Started off with Brandt Bollers and was with him for a couple years. When Guru Plinck moved to the area I began training with him. That was fifteen years ago. When he taught Bukti Negara I did that and was awarded a Guru Muda certification after a couple years (by the PDT Academy). He started teaching Sera a very short time later, so I switched over to that, what would it be, eleven years ago.
I encountered the Simonet Silat tapes because someone asked me to do a review of them. So I spent a lot of time going over them pretty carefully - regular speed, slow, going back to look at parts in detail. I simply wasn't favorably impressed. I'll admit right off that some of it was his initial comments, that trying to use Serak to fight was like, and I quote, "putting shoes on a snake" and a few others. One expects a person who's putting out a tape to toot his own horn, but that's a little off-putting.
The technical aspects, though? I was as careful and thorough as I could be and really didn't think much of the material or its presentation in those tapes. The fact that he hadn't actually studied Sera/Serak and was holding forth on "finding the fight in the form" was a serious minus. Like Bukti Negara, the Tongkat he studied comes from Sera, but it isn't the same thing. As I mentioned, that strange turned over punch, the body mechanics of the elbow, the misuse of important langka langka and a lot more didn't help matters any. A lot of the stuff there was decent martial arts because he's an experienced martial artist. It simply wasn't good Silat and isn't in the same class as material by any number of other people who are more experienced in it.
It could be that the tapes simply weren't a good representation of his skills. And he may well have improved since then. I can't speak to any of that. The only thing I have to go on is the tapes themselves, and they simply aren't up to par when judged against other material.
