Reviews

Clive Girdham
from Australian Personal protection.

Rather than give and in depth review of each, consider them as a whole with Volume 1 as the introductory basics Volume 2 as practice drills and Volume 3 as application. Buy the lot in one go you'll be pleased you did.

Essentially The Approach is based around the figure of 8 circular striking that can be found in FMA and Silat but Eddie has taken it to a whole new level.
Eddie likens The Approach to the movement of a propeller, continuos damaging movement with no stops, blocks or hesitations. There are no passive movements, everything is an attack, an attack on an advancing limb, neutralizing it in the most painful way. The Approach is the effective use of forward motion combined with torque transfer from the whole body and then finally delivered by back fists, forearms and palm strikes all on a 1/2 beat, in some instances the 1/4 beat.

These aren't DVDs on awareness, multiple attackers, weapons, pre-contact and aftermath, though Eddie does touch on the morals of striking someone, Eddie himself suffered a horrific knife attack when he was younger and is lucky to be alive today. The DVDs are a progressive set of drills which teach you a physical response through correct technique and power delivery against a number of attacks. The attacks in the DVDs aren't all "street" style, they don’t need to be as the concepts don't change. Eddie does cover blind side attacks, head butts, tackle attacks as well as traditional sport attacks by a single attacker. I found myself recognizing how useful The Approach would be in a multiple attacker situation because of the ability to perform left and right 1/2 beat attacks. Eddie should consider this in his next DVD because I think The Approach would be perfect in a 2 (or 3) onto 1 attack.

You can't help but like Eddie who wears a cheeky smile throughout the DVDs, he is a highly respected Muay Thai instructor who has done the hard yards and understands keeping it real in training. I would be very interested also to see ring "legal" aspects of The Approach in Muay Thai or used by MMA fighters as I believe it has it's place in those arenas. The Ian Dury punk style music also provides a useful NLP type anchor. I found myself walking the dog, hearing the music and seeing Eddie in my minds eye counter attacking poor Nigel his training partner.

All up would I recommend these DVDs? Hell yes! I can see how the DVDs will appeal to the FMA and Silat community as well as people like myself who would never have thought of circular figure 8 striking as being effective. At first I didn't quite get it, but once I followed the drills my mind jumped to all the real life applications. For example before this DVD I wouldn't have felt comfortable delivering a powerful right handed preemptive strike launched from a right handed fence as my background is from traditional western boxing. However now I just get it and can see how to drill the power from a "passive" lead right hand fence.

Guys it's only 30 pommie pounds to get the 3 DVDs and the package also includes an excellent introductory Silat DVD. On the subject of the Silat DVD, the Gent who is interviewed is not exactly a bean pole, I was thinking to myself, there’s no way that guy will be able to move the Silat way. I was staggered by his fluidity and ability, I hung my head in shame as there was no way on Earth I’d ever have that fluid ability.

As someone who has filmed, produced and then distributed DVDs, I can assure you at 30 pounds, these are great value. If you are the type to wait to get an illegal copy from a mate, you are no mate of mine. Eddie is one of us and deserves to recoup his hard work so just buy them! I look forward to seeing more of Eddies stuff.

 

DVD review by Hawk Curbello.
(inducted in the USA martial arts Hall of Fame 2007)

I’d like to thank my friend, Eddie Quinn from across the big pond, for the opportunity to comment on his DVDs. The approach is a street wise system based on Mr. Quinn’s 25+ years of training in Silat, Muay Thai and other systems. The Approach takes a simple movement and applies it to as many possible street attacks as possible. As a veteran Martial Artist and Combative I know that the mastery of a simple movement that can be applied to multiple situations is always the best approach on the street. This movement, based on gross motor function, is easily learned and applied. His DVDs take you from learning the basic movement, to application practice and then to destructive combos. The Approach is good for beginners looking for a relatively simple but effective system of self defense to instructors looking for another point of view to add to their Self Defense program. For more information about the Approach.

 

DVD review by Guru Santiago Dobles
(The Dobles institute Miami Florida)

Received from one of my Silat Brothers, Guru Eddie Quinn his "THE APPROACH" Silat DVDS and intro to Silat Fitrah. Well what can I say? Simply Awesome. Eddie comes from a strong line of Silat going back to Guru Tua Chris Parker & Bapak HJ Idris B Alimuda from Malaysia

Guru Eddie does a great job of teaching you the stripped down

"TRUTH" in movements needed in real combat & Pencak Silat. What will really work in real CONFLICT is actually very simple things that one must master. Guru Eddie shows you exactly what is needed. The "APPROACH" is the keys behind most SILAT at its essence. Its beyond technique but its clear that Guru Eddie has real technical, skill and proficiency.

Please do yourself a favor and get Guru Eddie's DVDS.

Peace
Guru Santiago Dobles

 

Guru Peter Lewis
Mabuhay

Since writing 'Eskrima Beyond The Stick' many years ago, I have always had a great interest in the transition from weapons techniques to empty-hand applications. Always seeking to improve this and create devastating self-protection methods. I was recently extremely pleased and impressed to learn that Eddie Quinn has developed 'The Approach.'

I first met Eddie over 15 years ago and have always been very impressed by his speed, power, focus and total dedication to the martial arts. Highly respected within the Muay Thai, Silat and Filipino Martial Arts communities, Eddie has developed a masterclass in self-protection. In a 3 DVD set recently released, Eddie demonstrates accuracy and clarity in performing and discussing the core techniques, training methods and strategies of The Approach. With clear demonstrations, Eddie reviews technique evolution, body mechanics, explosive power development and using The Approach for multiple striking methods against a variety of common and less common attacks.

Gumagalang
Peter