Primary Grading Criteria:

1. Production/Tape Quality: 9
2. Instructors demonstrated skill level: 10
3. Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 10
4. Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 10
5. Score on delivery vs. hype: 10
6. Degree to which we'd recommend this product: 10
7. Wasted Time (The higher the number, the less "fluff"/repetition): 9
8. Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again: 10
9. Would I purchase more of this company's products: 10
10. Overall grade based on cost vs. value: 10

Grand Total: 98%

1. Beginners benefit: Excellent
2. Intermediate benefit: Excellent
3. Advanced benefit: Excellent
4. Time to benefit: very little time
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None !

In this 1st tape of the Jiu Joe Jitsu Self Defense series, Mr. Saladino really shines as he shows how the techniques of karate, aiki-jujitsu, and jujitsu can all be combined for street lethal self defense. This tape, titled "Beginning Jujitsu", gets right into the "meat of things", has no fluff, and is one of the best beginner tapes we've seen on incorporating these various techniques. It definitely has within it a Vee JuJitsu flavor, yet leaves out alot of the excessive talk and repetitive drills found on other Vee type tapes we've seen such as Black & Blue's.

In this tape there are about 10 primary self defense techniques shown. However the sub-categories and variations of each are numerous. What Mr. Saladino shows on this tape, in our opinion, would keep a "Beginning Jujitsu" student happily busy for quite some time. (It's definitely worth it's $29.95 price tag.) This allowed the tape to score high in all categories. In fact, forget about finding shelf space to keep this tape. I predict you'll want to keep it right next to your VCR for quick access.

Some of the techniques were shown 6 times, 3 times on each side. Usually this would have a tape scoring low on our "Wasted Time" criteria. Due to the techniques shown, and the sub-components of each, this much replay was needed. Mr. Saladino's thorough manipulation of painful come-alongs and aiki-jujitsu techniques, literally had the opponent going all over the place and sometimes in circles. Portions of some techniques had Mr. Saladino's back to the camera so that you couldn't see the entire technique and it's various sub-components. In the thorough manipulation and transition of various aiki-jujitsu and come-along techniques, that just can't be helped. It appeared that on those techiques, Mr. Saladino knew that his mastery and demonstration of them required they be shown from various angles. WELL DONE MR. SALADINO. This tape had a logical progression, appeared to have alot of planning and thought put into it, and was well produced.

In this tape, Mr. Saladino shows the viewer how to serve up an "appetizer" using quick strike distractions, which allow one to get in and make these techniques work. Then after the "main course" has been served, he brings out the "dessert" and shows how to finish off an opponent with rapid fire hand, elbow, knee and foot strikes. Mr. Saladino's fluid and extremely fast delivery of his distractions and rapid fire "finish-offs", not only show his mastery of this system, but more importantly, how one can REALLY enjoy putting "the icing on the cake" afterwards. In summing things up, Mr. Saladino introduces the viewer to the concept of how they can have, learn, and use, a thorough self defense system.

We highly recommend this tape to anyone wanting to learn a system that has within it, strong karate, aiki-jujitsu and jujitsu influences, which shows how to get in close, and make these various techniques work in the heat of battle. If you've been thinking about learning a combination of these arts/techniques, RUN TO YOUR PHONE and ORDER THIS ONE, it's that good!

Editors note to Mr. Saladino: "PLEASE send us tapes 2,3,5,6, and 7, we can't wait to see more!"

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