So - an immediate disclaimer - Stephan Kesting, owner of Grapple Arts
and creator of the Introducing Yoga for Martial Arts video, is my
training partner. So I'm not biased, right?
Well, if you knew me, you'd understand that I don't bother telling
anyone anything I can't back up. So I'll keep this really short and
to the point: Stephan impresses the hell out of me!
First off,
the man fights fires and rescues people for a living. Further,
he is a natural athelete and over-achiever of the kind that makes
most people jealous. And of course he is an accomplished martial
artist in systems ranging from Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to Filipino kali.
To top it all off, he has engineered
a training DVD/video with production values that amaze me.
Not only is this a valuable reference in terms of content, it
is, quite simply, very well made.
Clean editting, professional camera work,
tasteful settings, and even pacing set a standard that I wish
other martial videos could achieve.
He clearly and unpretentiously introduces the viewer to
the yogic practice by walking through a well organized series of
postures and exercises. Each one is illustrated from a range of angles
and shown in several variations.
Past the introduction, the structure and pacing of the material is
very well suited to self-training at home in front of the television.
Enough time is given to allow study and practice with minimum rewinding
and pausing during the presentation. Unlike some videos that either
seem devoid of real material or present far too quickly and
discontinuously, it is clear that Stephan has given careful
consideration to his audience and the challenges of training from
video.
But most importantly, Stephan and his guru Josephine Krizovensky have compiled
a tightly integrated package that gives the martial artist a
substantial introduction to yoga. I have been a yoga convert
for several years already so this isn't a hard sell to me.
If you have been looking for the right entree into this
essential training practice, I think you just found it.
Contact Stephan Kesting at Grapple Arts for any questions or orders at:
stephan @ grapplearts.com
Loki Jorgenson
FMA Database Editor
