Drew Foster
Silver Belt
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2008
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Okay, I know everyone has been waiting for someone to review Ryan's EXTREMELY large sets on the 50/50 guard and the Triangle. Each set has 3 DVDs. The first two DVDs in each set are about an hour and a half each. The last DVD in each set is about one hour. So the total runtime of these DVDs in 8 hours, most of which I digested in ONE sitting, for YOU guys, so that I could go ahead and get this review up. I'm not quite done with the 50/50 set, so that will be up later tonight or tommorow. I'll begin with the Triangle set:
DVD 1:
Ryan takes a very unique approach on both setss. Instead of showing entries and setups into the position, then showing how to finish and work within the position, Ryan does the opposite. Ryan spends the entire first hour of the Triangle series by simply explaining and demonstrating the mechanics and principles of HIS triangle. After watching, I really believe he has the best triangle mechanics of anyone in the grappling world. He emphasis how to properly lock the triangle after it is threatened, and then shows 3 ways of obtaining the perpendicular angle. If that angle is obtained, it doesn't matter where the trapped arm is or what it does. The focus is on 3 triangles: The regular triangle, the reverse triangle, and the switch figure-four. The switch figure four, is when you can't lock the triangle, and you switch to the reverse triangle, then switch back. It's important to know that this DVD set is about all 3 types of triangles. He shows some hip explosion drills, and then some alternative finishes, like armbarring or wristlocking the trapped arm, or doing a reverse armbarring or Kimura on the outside/free arm.
DVD 2
The DVD starts with some interesting philosophies on breaking an opponents posture. Ryan makes fun of 10th Planet without saying any names. Ryan says that if you break an opponents posture directly onto you, then you have no good offensive options, and have to resort to doing "silly crap" like throwing you leg up over their back and grabbing it, etc. Whenever Ryan breaks posture, he angles off to one side, in order to easily get triangles, omoplatas, armlocks, etc. After showing 4 ways to break posture, Ryan shows a tap through triangle, a kick through triangle, and a shin smash triangle. Those are the 3 basic triangle setups for his game. The rest of this disc covers combinations. Flower sweep to triangles, Hip bump to triangles, and triangles from the omoplata, armlock, guillotine, and Kimura. The last three techniques are half guard triangles. The Granby roll into the triangle from half guard was especially awesome!
DVD 3
Here Ryan goes into some advanced stuff, and some top triangles. If anyone has his original 4 disc Triangle set, I should go ahead and tell you that there is much on that set that isn't showed here. There was an entire 40 minute DVD on his previous Lloyd Irvin set about Triangles from the top. On this DVD, we only get about 3 triangles from the top. However, Ryan mentions that his top triangle finish pressure has changed since his first set, and he believes this set is a better indicator of efficient top triangles. If you can get your hands on the old set through a tracker, it's still cool.
Anyway, Ryan starts off showing his infamous inverted guard setup into the triangle. He then mentions that people have become hip to it, and that he now only does the reverse triangle from the inverted guard, which is much simpler and easier to get, because you don't have to whip all the way around. He shows how to do a triangle and reverse triangle when you have someone's back, but makes sure to emphasize that the rear Naked Choke should always be the preffered method to finish from the back. He shows a mounted triangle, side control triangle, KOB triangle, and reverse KOB triangle, and ends it with Genki Sudo's hopping triangle when you're standing in front of someone's open guard.
The real review starts here. Ryan Hall is quite simply an INCREDIBLE teacher. The first DVD of this set, is mostly talking and lecturing while showing examples, but it's worth it. Ryan approaches both DVD sets from a very scientific viewpoint. He is always talking about and showing proper mechanics and angles. He's constantly showing how a few inches can mean the difference. I imagine all experience levels will throroughly enjoy this DVD set. Begginers can see how to REALLY do a proper triangle, and more experienced people can tweak their triangles where they see fit. The DVD is definately about Ryan. If you're neutral about him, you'll love it, and become a fan. if you like Ryan Hall, you probably already have the DVD. if you don't like Ryan Hall, nothing I say will probably change your mind. Ryan Hall shows so many examples of where black belts do this stuff wrong, and as I watch a lot of black belt matches, he's often correct.
If you want a set on the Triangle that is comprehensive, and very scientific in its approach, this is a good set for you. Ryan seems more like an engineer that is explaining how to do controlled demolitions than a JJ teacher. It's a very interesting approach. The entire set is no-gi, but can apply to the gi.
The big downside is that, as all groundfighter products, it is very expensive. There are also no bonus features, like those common on most of Budovideos products. For that I have to take a star away from the DVD.
4/5 possible stars.
If you have any questions, I'll be checking this post throughout the day.
DVD 1:
Ryan takes a very unique approach on both setss. Instead of showing entries and setups into the position, then showing how to finish and work within the position, Ryan does the opposite. Ryan spends the entire first hour of the Triangle series by simply explaining and demonstrating the mechanics and principles of HIS triangle. After watching, I really believe he has the best triangle mechanics of anyone in the grappling world. He emphasis how to properly lock the triangle after it is threatened, and then shows 3 ways of obtaining the perpendicular angle. If that angle is obtained, it doesn't matter where the trapped arm is or what it does. The focus is on 3 triangles: The regular triangle, the reverse triangle, and the switch figure-four. The switch figure four, is when you can't lock the triangle, and you switch to the reverse triangle, then switch back. It's important to know that this DVD set is about all 3 types of triangles. He shows some hip explosion drills, and then some alternative finishes, like armbarring or wristlocking the trapped arm, or doing a reverse armbarring or Kimura on the outside/free arm.
DVD 2
The DVD starts with some interesting philosophies on breaking an opponents posture. Ryan makes fun of 10th Planet without saying any names. Ryan says that if you break an opponents posture directly onto you, then you have no good offensive options, and have to resort to doing "silly crap" like throwing you leg up over their back and grabbing it, etc. Whenever Ryan breaks posture, he angles off to one side, in order to easily get triangles, omoplatas, armlocks, etc. After showing 4 ways to break posture, Ryan shows a tap through triangle, a kick through triangle, and a shin smash triangle. Those are the 3 basic triangle setups for his game. The rest of this disc covers combinations. Flower sweep to triangles, Hip bump to triangles, and triangles from the omoplata, armlock, guillotine, and Kimura. The last three techniques are half guard triangles. The Granby roll into the triangle from half guard was especially awesome!
DVD 3
Here Ryan goes into some advanced stuff, and some top triangles. If anyone has his original 4 disc Triangle set, I should go ahead and tell you that there is much on that set that isn't showed here. There was an entire 40 minute DVD on his previous Lloyd Irvin set about Triangles from the top. On this DVD, we only get about 3 triangles from the top. However, Ryan mentions that his top triangle finish pressure has changed since his first set, and he believes this set is a better indicator of efficient top triangles. If you can get your hands on the old set through a tracker, it's still cool.
Anyway, Ryan starts off showing his infamous inverted guard setup into the triangle. He then mentions that people have become hip to it, and that he now only does the reverse triangle from the inverted guard, which is much simpler and easier to get, because you don't have to whip all the way around. He shows how to do a triangle and reverse triangle when you have someone's back, but makes sure to emphasize that the rear Naked Choke should always be the preffered method to finish from the back. He shows a mounted triangle, side control triangle, KOB triangle, and reverse KOB triangle, and ends it with Genki Sudo's hopping triangle when you're standing in front of someone's open guard.
The real review starts here. Ryan Hall is quite simply an INCREDIBLE teacher. The first DVD of this set, is mostly talking and lecturing while showing examples, but it's worth it. Ryan approaches both DVD sets from a very scientific viewpoint. He is always talking about and showing proper mechanics and angles. He's constantly showing how a few inches can mean the difference. I imagine all experience levels will throroughly enjoy this DVD set. Begginers can see how to REALLY do a proper triangle, and more experienced people can tweak their triangles where they see fit. The DVD is definately about Ryan. If you're neutral about him, you'll love it, and become a fan. if you like Ryan Hall, you probably already have the DVD. if you don't like Ryan Hall, nothing I say will probably change your mind. Ryan Hall shows so many examples of where black belts do this stuff wrong, and as I watch a lot of black belt matches, he's often correct.
If you want a set on the Triangle that is comprehensive, and very scientific in its approach, this is a good set for you. Ryan seems more like an engineer that is explaining how to do controlled demolitions than a JJ teacher. It's a very interesting approach. The entire set is no-gi, but can apply to the gi.
The big downside is that, as all groundfighter products, it is very expensive. There are also no bonus features, like those common on most of Budovideos products. For that I have to take a star away from the DVD.
4/5 possible stars.
If you have any questions, I'll be checking this post throughout the day.
