Richard Dimitri's Shredder Package - Review

[brokenelbow]

Thanks Ryan.

[Thai Bri]

I can't claim to have used the Shredder on anyone yet. Thank God!

But, like Ryan says, it leaves a mess in its wake. The old Karate type techniques were good, and it is a crying shame that 99.9% of Karate is all sport nowadays. But the Shredder applies a whole bucket load of face mashing techniques, and does so at an incredible rate.

ps - Why do you say the RAT system was a waste of money? Can you give me some details? I hanent got it, but was thinking of taking a look.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Just don't let anyone mess up that pretty face Bri.


At least not until I get me shot!

[Thai Bri]

I'm not sure you will be able to Shred. Not with those fat lardy fingers......

[Szczepankiewicz]

I'm NOT FAT!

I'm big boned.

[jules]

so it's something that if you use in real life your ass in the hands of the courts. Am I assuming right?

[Rashid]

wrong

From what I understand, the shredder can be used without causing much damage. Ryan mentions using it successfully every time in training I doubt he injured or maimed anyone doing it. I've used it sucsessfully in training several times and the mere act of shredding is usually enough to stop someone in their tracks. Dimitri always says that the use of force must warrant the threat faced. In the tape he explains that it is up to you to guage the level of pressure and force you apply, that the shredder can be used visciously or simply to disorientate an opponent enough to submit or subdue him with other tools.

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Rich is definitely the real deal, and is among one of the most down to earth and respectful martial artists I've had the pleasure of corresponding with.
His material adds a whole different realm of realism to what you're training. I've got a number of his materials, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to others.

Ryu

[brokenelbow]

ps - Why do you say the RAT system was a waste of money? Can you give me some details? I hanent got it, but was thinking of taking a look.

Thai Bri,
I'm just talking about the RAT on tape as sold by TRS, but a quick rundown. The interactive mode was silly. Sparring with your TV? Yeah right. The techniques were OK, but nothing you haven't already seen in Pauls other tapes. If you have them you have 95% of what's on the tape. For some reason he stuck trapping into what is an otherwise streamlined option. If he had gone from the destructions, eyejabs and straight blast into HKE it would have made sense, but excessive trapping just seems to break the flow. But most of all the tape was a disappointment to me because after all the talk about "no way as way" he teaches a specific way in a connect the dots system. He also assumes that the attacker will fight a certain way, which falls perfectly into "his way". It's as if the martial arts community learned nothing from the UFCs about closing the distance. After his previous work, which was pretty good, I felt like he produced a tape that was below par. I think others like Thorton, MacYoung, Demi, Blauer and from what you guys are saying Dimitri have all passed him by.
Around this same time I picked up a Systema tape and that came closer to "no way as way" than anything else I'd ever seen. But that's just my opinion and we know what that's worth.

[Thai Bri]

Thanks for that.

I just hear too many doubtful things about Vunak. I rather think he isn't getting any of my money.

[Nutz]

Originally posted by Thai Bri
Thanks for that.

I just hear too many doubtful things about Vunak. I rather think he isn't getting any of my money.

This sounds like what I've heard from others regarding his newer stuff. However, I can vouch first hand for his older tapes. His and Larry Hartsel's tapes from the late 80's and early to mid 90's were great stuff then, as well as now. I think Paul just tried to refine his way of doing this a little too much to the point of it losing some of it's functionality (for the general public). Don't get me wrong, his stuff is good, but there are others out there that are already picking up the torch and running with it (Matt and Dimitri come to mind).

[brokenelbow]

I think that Paul Vunak locked himself too much into trying to teach people how to street fight instead of teaching people how to avoid, de-escalate and what to do as a last ditch effort in regards to street fighting. He's still a very talented martial artist but maybe he does too much martial arts?

I've also noticed he says things that are questionable such as the 300 lb Olympic wrestler SEALS, karate peeps block a certain way because of samauri armor or his Trash Day sidebar in Black Belt that "Boxers insist that every violent encounter is based on the jab, hook, cross, uppercut and overhand." I mean c'mon we all know that SEALS aren't 300 pounds, if you want to dis karate blocks great but don't make up stories about why they do it that way, and which boxers have said that quote? He has the skills and credibility where he doesn't need to do those kind of things.

I will agree with Nutz that Vunaks early tapes are pretty good and worth a look.