02-05-2005, 02:22 AM
Hello all,
I have been seriously impressed and inspired by Softwork, and thought I would post a review of it. For those who don't me, I am a former Affiliate Instructor with Systema UK, so have experience in a systema style of softwork, alongside former instructor in JKD/Thai Boxing/Escrima and a few other arts. It is clear to me that softwork differs from anything else I have trained, and on seeing and exploring softwork I knew I had to get Scott over to the UK, and cant wait to see him in October.
Anyway, here is my review:
Softwork DVD, Scott Sonnon
After 14 days of eager anticipation, it has arrived, Scott Sonnons ‘Softwork’, and it’s even better than I anticipated. It’s difficult to know where to start due to the vast amount of information on the two DVD’s, but I’ll give it a try!
First, the presentation looks great, beautiful cover design and the content on the box instantly grabbed my attention. It’s a two-disk set, and I wonder how much better that would have been if mastered onto a dual layer disk rather than two disks, hell if nothing else I get to do some body flow as I engage the DVD player to swap disks.
The DVD is broken into sections, as most are these days, sections covered are:
Disk 1
Shock Absorption
Strategies
Leg Fencing
Touch Response
Putting It All Together
Ground Evasion
Disk 2
Blade Work
Stick Work
Ground Fighting
Guiding Flow
Grappling
Coaching Guidance
Overall there is over 3 hours of content, and that is a lot of value for your money, but not only that, the content is great, informative, well explained and contains non-stop demonstrations.
For those with RMAX experience, you will instantly recognise RMAX core components and how they all come together, namely as softwork. The methods of Shock Absorption, Body Flow etc, are all there in abundance and are demonstrated beautifully between Scott and Dan. The DVD is exceptionally complete, structured, progressive and inspirational, taking you through component after component in such a way it makes me want to run out and get a few of my students together and go ‘play’. This is the culmination of RMAX, what many of us were probably looking for, how Arthrokinetics, Leg Fencing etc come together in a complete format. For those without RMAX experience, then quite simply it will be spellbinding, demonstrating sophisticated motion and grace, alongside what many would call high-level martial arts ability. If viewed correctly this DVD has the capacity to alter how you train, and how to maximise your training methodology. It will bring to you many principles and applications, such as how to strike and absorb strikes efficiently, introduce you to the world of relaxation and intuitive movement, show you how to go with the flow and move efficiently within your environment.
Continuing the voyage, Scott shows you how to gain a deeper understanding of fear reactivity, how it can inhibit progression, and how softwork can break those binds, allowing you to train constructively and progressively. Then we move onto groundwork, blade and stick, grappling and more, all covered on disk 2, and again each section follows a continually structured path. Watching the DVD you can see how to take drills and apply them, and for the beginning martial artist or seasoned martial artist the drills presented can be applied to existing training, or for moving on existing RMAX training.
Coach Sonnon is not only able to demonstrate with great finesse, but is also able to explain with great clarity, and I can think of few people who have his ability to convey his ideas and understanding of how the body moves and responds. I have found that Coach Sonnon’s work has increased my knowledge and ability with softwork and supersedes the training in this area I have had with other systems.
Overall I was impressed with both the quality of production and content, and find little to fault with other than a suggestion that an introduction at the beginning would have been great. For me this DVD is going to be watched over and over, as there is much to be gleaned, and much to play with.
Andrew Usher
Director
Integrated Combat Systems (http://www.combatsystems.co.uk)
I have been seriously impressed and inspired by Softwork, and thought I would post a review of it. For those who don't me, I am a former Affiliate Instructor with Systema UK, so have experience in a systema style of softwork, alongside former instructor in JKD/Thai Boxing/Escrima and a few other arts. It is clear to me that softwork differs from anything else I have trained, and on seeing and exploring softwork I knew I had to get Scott over to the UK, and cant wait to see him in October.
Anyway, here is my review:
Softwork DVD, Scott Sonnon
After 14 days of eager anticipation, it has arrived, Scott Sonnons ‘Softwork’, and it’s even better than I anticipated. It’s difficult to know where to start due to the vast amount of information on the two DVD’s, but I’ll give it a try!
First, the presentation looks great, beautiful cover design and the content on the box instantly grabbed my attention. It’s a two-disk set, and I wonder how much better that would have been if mastered onto a dual layer disk rather than two disks, hell if nothing else I get to do some body flow as I engage the DVD player to swap disks.
The DVD is broken into sections, as most are these days, sections covered are:
Disk 1
Shock Absorption
Strategies
Leg Fencing
Touch Response
Putting It All Together
Ground Evasion
Disk 2
Blade Work
Stick Work
Ground Fighting
Guiding Flow
Grappling
Coaching Guidance
Overall there is over 3 hours of content, and that is a lot of value for your money, but not only that, the content is great, informative, well explained and contains non-stop demonstrations.
For those with RMAX experience, you will instantly recognise RMAX core components and how they all come together, namely as softwork. The methods of Shock Absorption, Body Flow etc, are all there in abundance and are demonstrated beautifully between Scott and Dan. The DVD is exceptionally complete, structured, progressive and inspirational, taking you through component after component in such a way it makes me want to run out and get a few of my students together and go ‘play’. This is the culmination of RMAX, what many of us were probably looking for, how Arthrokinetics, Leg Fencing etc come together in a complete format. For those without RMAX experience, then quite simply it will be spellbinding, demonstrating sophisticated motion and grace, alongside what many would call high-level martial arts ability. If viewed correctly this DVD has the capacity to alter how you train, and how to maximise your training methodology. It will bring to you many principles and applications, such as how to strike and absorb strikes efficiently, introduce you to the world of relaxation and intuitive movement, show you how to go with the flow and move efficiently within your environment.
Continuing the voyage, Scott shows you how to gain a deeper understanding of fear reactivity, how it can inhibit progression, and how softwork can break those binds, allowing you to train constructively and progressively. Then we move onto groundwork, blade and stick, grappling and more, all covered on disk 2, and again each section follows a continually structured path. Watching the DVD you can see how to take drills and apply them, and for the beginning martial artist or seasoned martial artist the drills presented can be applied to existing training, or for moving on existing RMAX training.
Coach Sonnon is not only able to demonstrate with great finesse, but is also able to explain with great clarity, and I can think of few people who have his ability to convey his ideas and understanding of how the body moves and responds. I have found that Coach Sonnon’s work has increased my knowledge and ability with softwork and supersedes the training in this area I have had with other systems.
Overall I was impressed with both the quality of production and content, and find little to fault with other than a suggestion that an introduction at the beginning would have been great. For me this DVD is going to be watched over and over, as there is much to be gleaned, and much to play with.
Andrew Usher
Director
Integrated Combat Systems (http://www.combatsystems.co.uk)