Looking at the Salem Savate DVDs

I was re-watching a couple of the Salem Assli DVDs as I have a savate lesson later tonight. While I do recommend these tapes, th one complaint that I have about them (and this criticism extnds to all instructional dvds in general) is the fact that the dvds spend too much time displaying examples of combinations. While understanding the logic of combos is important, when the entirety of the instructional is based almost exclusively on examples of combination patterns it makes the separate volumes all bleed together.

There is, however, a positive aspect to the examination of these combos and it is found in watching the perfomance of the combos. That is, when doing a multiple kick combination, the ability to stay balanced is not always an easy task. When a visual aid of a person performing the combo is presented, the viewer can examine all the citical components that allow for the martial artist to remain balanced and properly poised. What is good about instructionals is that they present a totality of the art that can be examined. In an actual match, most fighters stick with a handful of moves and avoid combos that they personally dislike or are not that great with. Plus, they is the issue of an opponent seeking to disrupt their actions constantly. So, watching someone hit mitts or a havy bag can have additional benefits to it. Unfortunately, when that is all there is, the quality of the tape/dvd suffers nonetheless.