Craig Gemeiner is a very talented Savate instructor from Australia, and on this first video he shows you the Vigney System of stick fighting. This method is a mix of singlestick, saber, boxing, and Savate that was created in the 19th century and perfected by Savate Master Pierre Vigney. It was popular in both France and England, and in the 1920's was taught by H.G. Lang to the police force in India where it became their standard training.

From the moment the tape opens, we see the essence of what this method is about - fighting! Throughout the tape, Mr. Gemeiner has footage of he and a training partner using this style of stick fencing at full speed and power, and this footage should leave no doubt in the viewers mind about the practicality of the method.

The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

Though the running time of the video is only 33 minutes, every second is packed with information. There is no fluff or wasted time, and more learning to be had here than in many 1-hour tapes I've seen.

You will need to watch it several times and take notes if you want to get all the drills and variations presented, so don't let the apparently short length throw you off. The drills and progressions on this tape could take months to get good with for the beginner, and even the advanced stick fighter will find some new tricks here.

If you have any interest in stick fighting, the walking cane, or Savate, then get this tape. You will be glad that you did. This is a practical method of stick fighting that is just as effective today as it was 100 years ago.