DVD Review: The Best of Roy Harris

[slideyfoot]

Finished up my review of The Best of Roy Harris today, so here is the short version (for the full version, which as usual is really long and has a bunch of pics, go here):

This re-release brings together three tapes by Roy Harris, which respectively cover takedowns from the knees, armlocks and training in later life. Harris focuses on the basics, emphasising simple movements rather than anything requiring great flexibility or athleticism.

Takedowns from the Knees fulfills a specific niche, but a useful one for the majority of BJJers who begin their sparring in class from that position. Armlocks: Volume 2 will give you numerous options from the bent armlock (kimura and Americana), which as Harris notes elsewhere is a strong point of his game.

The best of the three DVDs is BJJ Over 40. This will appeal to anyone who is recovering from injury, approaching or past middle-age, has a lot of much larger training partners, or simply wants to develop their BJJ in a cerebral direction rather than concentrate on athleticism. It would be worth the money to have BJJ Over 40 alone, so getting three DVDs for that price is a bargain.

[jandaim]

I have BJJ Over 40 and have really enjoyed it. I got a lot out of it for sure.

Also, congrats on your purple belt Slidey!

[JRT6]

While I found Take Downs from the Knees well taught I also found it really obsolete.

[henno]

Nice one on the purple Slidey - congratulations.

Hope you don't mind the cut & paste off your blog for the scoop - tied on by Roger no less!

On 6th March 2011, Roger came up to do a seminar at RGA Bucks. I was one of seven people to get promoted to purple belt. It is a heavy belt, but while Roger is the one who tied it around my waist, he was of course acting on Kev's judgement. That means I feel a lot less nervous about it than I would have done if anybody else had given me the belt. I have a lot of respect for Kev, and he has also observed my game for a long time now, including numerous rolls with me. I can't claim I'll be completely comfortable with it for a while yet, but then I felt the same way when I got my blue.


Oh, and thanks for that detailed review too.

[slideyfoot]

Originally Posted by JRT6

While I found Take Downs from the Knees well taught I also found it really obsolete.

Out of interest, is that because you think there has been a better instructional on the topic since this first came out (which I think was 2000/2001, so it's quite possible), or that BJJ itself has changed since then to the extent that you need a different approach?

Originally Posted by jandaim

Also, congrats on your purple belt Slidey!

Originally Posted by henno

Nice one on the purple Slidey - congratulations.

Hope you don't mind the cut & paste off your blog for the scoop - tied on by Roger no less!

Thanks! Yeah, I got promoted by Roger Gracie and my instructor Kev Capel last Sunday.

[aruffner]

Originally Posted by henno

Nice one on the purple Slidey - congratulations.

Hope you don't mind the cut & paste off your blog for the scoop - tied on by Roger no less!

On 6th March 2011, Roger came up to do a seminar at RGA Bucks. I was one of seven people to get promoted to purple belt. It is a heavy belt, but while Roger is the one who tied it around my waist, he was of course acting on Kev's judgement. That means I feel a lot less nervous about it than I would have done if anybody else had given me the belt. I have a lot of respect for Kev, and he has also observed my game for a long time now, including numerous rolls with me. I can't claim I'll be completely comfortable with it for a while yet, but then I felt the same way when I got my blue.


Oh, and thanks for that detailed review too.

What Henno said. Congrats! Awesome!

[JRT6]

The open guard/butterfly game is much more relevlant. Only new guys post a leg anymore when starting from the knees.

[WJC2000]

Congrats and nice review. I've been seriously thinking about picking this up. I'm 50 so I need all the help I can get.