No schools close, what about videos?

quikhiccup

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there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies
 

MA-Caver

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quikhiccup said:
there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies
There are probably a good number of videos out there for whatever art you're seeking to practice... however; nothing will ever take the place of a live instructor to help correct: stances, techniques, and personal knowledge. Hopefully you can find something within reason. :asian: Good Luck.
 

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quikhiccup said:
there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies

There have been a number of threads on here regarding this subject. The search feature should provide you with quite a bit of interesting reading.:) As it was already said, its best to train with a live instructor. There are just some things that will not be covered on the tapes/dvd. In addition, its going to be difficult if you don't have a background in the art already. As far as a reference point, yes, they're ok for that.

That being said, you may want to check this out:

http://www.akki.com/indexs/indexpage.htm

Mike
 

bill007

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quikhiccup said:
there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies

Check this site www.shaolinkempo.com it's Professor Ingargiola website there's a at home program.
 

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quikhiccup said:
there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies
You can't even learn to effectively play a musical instrument by video, and a piano ain't trying to kick your butt.
 

Flying Crane

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IF you already have a solid background in martial art, you MAY be able to learn SOME things from video. But if you already have a solid background in martial arts, you don't need to learn from video. What you already have will be better than what you can learn from video.

IF you already have a solid background in the particular art you are watching on video, then video can be a good reference tool.

If you are a complete beginner, and you have an instructor who suggests some videos to use as SUPPLEMENTAL training guides, but not as a replacement for live training, then video can be useful.

If you are a complete beginner, and you are trying to learn from video without an instructor, you are almost guaranteed to have poor results.
 
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quikhiccup

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thanks for all the replies/info guys. any suggestions on what to do then? the only schools close to me that i can find teach TKD, Hapkido, Han Mu Do, a variation of Shotokan, Tai Chi, Yoga and Kickboxing (aerobic type). I'm not interested in any of those. Out of them all TKD is the only one I'd even consider. I travel alot in my job as well and that's the main reason I considered video training. thanks again for the replies/info.
 

MJS

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quikhiccup said:
thanks for all the replies/info guys. any suggestions on what to do then? the only schools close to me that i can find teach TKD, Hapkido, Han Mu Do, a variation of Shotokan, Tai Chi, Yoga and Kickboxing (aerobic type). I'm not interested in any of those. Out of them all TKD is the only one I'd even consider. I travel alot in my job as well and that's the main reason I considered video training. thanks again for the replies/info.

I'd go with the TKD or the Hapkido.

Mike
 

Doc

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Any training is better than video. If you don't like anything that's available, try doing aerobics and jogging on your own.
 
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quikhiccup

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Doc....i'm trying hard to gauge if that's sarcasm or not. since when is learning a martial art comparable to aerobics & jogging? now if you mean TaeBo i might understand (complete sarcasm intended on that statement)
 

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QuickHC -

I was going to ask what other styles are available close to you.

I'd recommend visiting a few classes of the other arts taught near you. You might find one that you like, and any training with a qualified instructor is better than working from a video (IMO). The techniques learned in TKD, Hapkido, or Shotokan will transfer nicely back into kenpo/kempo, if you ever get the chance to switch back to your 'first choice'. Each of these will also help with your endurance, timing, strength, flexibility, reflexes, and sparring. Also, all of these arts have enough schools that you should be able to find another school, if you ever need to move/travel again.
 

Kacey

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I agree with the previous posters - training with an instructor, even if it's not your first choice of art, is going to be much more useful and effective than trying to learn from a video. The topic of video instruction has been discussed in depth lately, most recently here and here. Videos are great references, but not great for primary instruction.
 

Carol

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The problem with training only from video is that it's possible to learn things from video but what the student learns typically is not the right thing to learn. An instructor is needed to help correct and refine your form. Habits are easy to burn in and extremely difficult to break.

Something that is very important is the material in Kenpo builds on itself, so a single move learned improperly will continually haunt the student as they progress.
 

Drac

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Damn. Everybody beat to what I was going to say..Reread all posts..A lot of good informtion there..
 
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quikhiccup

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thanks for the great info guys. i'm leaning towards hapkido at this time. also i believe the same school that teaches hapkido is looking into offering a grappling/jijutsu type art. TKD is great i'm sure but i'm not looking for something with so much emphasis on kicks/throws. i'd like to learn strikes with the hands/elbows/knees and kicks as well, but no so much emphasis on the kicking. also interested in grappling/jijutsu type arts. so hopefully this school will introduce that training and i can begin my studies there in hapkido and/or the grappling style. thanks again for all replies.
 

Xue Sheng

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quikhiccup said:
thanks for the great info guys. i'm leaning towards hapkido at this time. also i believe the same school that teaches hapkido is looking into offering a grappling/jijutsu type art. TKD is great i'm sure but i'm not looking for something with so much emphasis on kicks/throws. i'd like to learn strikes with the hands/elbows/knees and kicks as well, but no so much emphasis on the kicking. also interested in grappling/jijutsu type arts. so hopefully this school will introduce that training and i can begin my studies there in hapkido and/or the grappling style. thanks again for all replies.

If you are looking for the above, from what I have seen, I think Hapkido would be a very good choice. If you want to know more about it there are a few posts in the Korean MA section that are very informative and the Hapkido guys in that area are very knowledgeable on the it
 

BallistikMike

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The only thing stopping the human mind from learning from any type of input is the person learning it.

Now having said that mimicking is not learning and you have not truely learned anything unless you can apply that knowledge in the real world.

So... unless you have felt the speed and ferocity of a simple jab wrecking your nose how in the world do you think copying the moves from a video is learning?

I have 100's of videos. I love to watch what is out there and have a library of books and DVD's/Videos that I enjoy watching much more then what is currently on TV. Do I learn something from a video, yep. Am I able to apply it in the real world...sometimes after much trial and error and .... here it comes, the help of others working through it HANDS ON.

An Instructor bypasses this and allows for a "Better" learning environment if you believe learning something is applying it in the real world.
 

IWishToLearn

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I think that argument video vs. in person is going to rage on ad naseum. If you're completely isolated from schools and video is your only source - I hope you have at least a couple of people who you can work with, at least then everyone can help each other absorb from the videos - put 10 people in a room and everyone will get a lot of the same material as well as 10 different things from the same tape.
 

Kenpojujitsu3

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quikhiccup said:
there are no schools close enough for me to attend to learn kempo. my question is, are any of the video training materials out there worthwhile and legit? i've read a little on here about Villari not being any good, so I figured I'd ask you guys' opinions. thanks for any replies

Though I'd usually say videos can help but they are not enough by themselves, at the Tatum camp last week, Mr. Tatum made it a point to recognize a gentleman who trained from the videos and came to Mr. Tatum to test and was awarded his Black Belt. Mr. Tatum made it a point to mention that this guy didn't just do an OK test but that he "blew them all away" with his test...

It's up to the person, Take some tapes alot of rading, alot of practice and a determined person and youll get some effective stuff going.

My two cents
 
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