Required (or Recommended) Reading

[ryanryu]

Hello!

Does anyone have a required reading list for their dojo? (Such as for black belt or other advanced rank)

Are there books on karate that you would recommend to fellow practitioners? Are there any that expanded your perspective or added something new to your art? History, instruction manuals, fiction, I’d be interested in hearing about it all.

I can start with three that I’ve recommended wholeheartedly and even given as gifts before –

- Waking Dragons by Goran Powell – non-fiction narrative of training & competing in a 30-Man Kumite Challenge. Always gets me excited about training.

- Okinawan Karate: The Exquisite Art by Dragon Associates – Absolutely beautiful book, published in 2020, and I think the best introduction to karate history in a single book. It’s quickly become a useful reference for me, especially on the Okinawan masters.

- Sensei by John Donohue – this is a modern noir novel, the first in a series, about a swordsman-turned-detective in modern day New York. I love the atmospherics and the author is very skilled at writing the action and dojo scenes. I know it’s not strictly karate, but I think any martial artist would enjoy flipping through this one.

[aurik]

Hello!

- Okinawan Karate: The Exquisite Art by Dragon Associates – Absolutely beautiful book, published in 2020, and I think the best introduction to karate history in a single book. It’s quickly become a useful reference for me, especially on the Okinawan masters.

Does this include any of the Uechi-Ryu masters, like Kanbun Uechi, Kanei Uechi, or their students?

[Wastelander]

Required? No. Recommended? Yes! I have a fairely extensive list:

Karate 1.0 by Andreas Quast

Karate Uchina-Di by Itzik Cohen

The Study of China Hand Techniques by Itoman Morinobu

An Overview of Karatedo by Nakasone Genwa

Okinawa Traditional Old Martial Arts: Kobudo, Karate by Nakamoto Masahiro

Okinawa: The History of an Island People by George Kerr

The Bubishi by Patrick McCarthy

Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts: Koryu Uchinadi by Patrick McCarthy

History and Traditions of Okinawan Karate by Hokama Tetsuhiro

Okinawa’s Great Masters by Nagamine Shoshin

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do by Nagamine Shoshin

Okinawan Karate by Mark Bishop

Zen Kobudo by Mark Bishop

Bunkai Jutsu by Iain Abernethy

The Way of Kata by Lawrence Kane and Kris WIlder

My Journey with the Grandmaster by William Hayes

The Essence of Goju-Ryu by Garry Lever and Richard Barrett

Unante by John Sells

Ryu-Te no Michi by Seiyu Oyata

The Secret Royal Martial Arts Of Ryukyu by Kanenori Sakon Matsuo

Naihanchi (Tekki) Kata: The Seed of Shuri Karate by Chris Denwood

Okinawan Kempo: Karate-Jutsu on Kumite by Motobu Choki

The Art of Hojo Undo by Mike Clarke

Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts by Donn Draeger and Robert Smith

Tales from the Western Generation by Matthew Apsokardu

[Fat Cobra]

Required Readings:

Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate by Pat McCarthy

Ryute no Michi Kata by Taika Seiyu Oyata

Essential Anatomy for Healing & Martial Arts by Marc Tedeschi

Six Basic Principles of Tuite by Lee Richards and Tony K. Skeen

Living the Martial Way by Forrest Morgan

Code of the Samurai--Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe

The Bubishi translated by Pat McCarthy

[sensei8]

Excellent suggested readings, for sure. I'd add...

This Is Karate by Masutatsu Oyama

The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting by Hidetaka Nishiyama and Richard Brown

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu by Helio Gracie

And for those MA School Owners...

Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson

There's quite a bit of MA books that deserve to be listed, however, to save on space, I don't dare list what all that I'd suggest.

[Drew]

'Shotokans Secret' was very speculative but very interesting to read.

[Baka718]

Are there any good books focusing on Sanchin Kata from an Uechi Ryu perspective?

[KarateKen]

A couple I recommend are Verbal Judo by George J. Thompson and Positive Thinking is for Sissies by Sensei Ron Thomas, who also played Bobby Brown in the Karate Kid movie. They are more about life than martial arts. Dealing with conflict, managing emotions under pressure, ect. Stuff that we face in and out of the dojo.

[ryanryu]

Does this include any of the Uechi-Ryu masters, like Kanbun Uechi, Kanei Uechi, or their students?

Yes! There is about 20 pages focused solely on Kanbun Uechi.

Okinawa: The History of an Island People by George Kerr

- Great recommendation. Loved the history of Okinawa, probably the earliest comprehensive history in English, and laughed out loud at some of the 1950's-era perspective on Okinawan people and Okinawan life.

Man this thread is a treasure trove!