Martial arts research library

[bushido_man96]

Thanks, Patrick.

[DWx]

New additions to my library:

The Ultimate Kick - Bill "Superfoot" Wallace

I expected more from this book seeing as it was written by arguably one of the best kickers in tournament fighting. For starters very little is actual said throughout the whole book. Most of it is technique by technique photos of Wallace doing combinations against an opponent with little actual explanation alongside. Its all "Wallace does this punch... then he does this kick" and no actual suggestions as to angle or distance or anything else. Would be good for beginner sparrers to see what types of things they could do but for anyone with a reasonable amount of experience I wouldn't bother.

The Complete Master's Jumping Kick - Master Hee Il Cho

Does what it says. The first third of the book is general information about Hee Il Cho, his philosophies, and some basic information about the major muscles of the body. The rest of the book is dedicated to the kicks. For each kick there is a brief description, step-by-step breakdown of how to perform it, applications, common mistakes, as well as specific strengthening and stretching exercises for that particular kick. Master Hee Il Cho explains: the jump snap kick, roundhouse, twisting, spinning crescent, crescent (both inside to outside and outside to inside), side, jump hook, back turning, spinning hook, spinning back, scissor, twin front snap, double front and double side kicks. Great book for anyone that wants to improve their jumping kicks regardless of style.

The Complete Martial Artist, vol 2 - Master Hee Il Cho

I don't actually have vol 1 of this series but this book is alright on its own. Starts off with a chapter on fighting where there's a brief description of different sparring systems and then about 50 pages of example combinations with step-by-step photos and detailed explanations of how and when to do them. Chapter 2 is Counter Attacks which is basically more of chapter 1 but in the examples you wait for the opponent to initiate contact. Chapter 3 is Full Contact and again shows more combos but with what I think is a more practical focus and most would be appropriate if you wanted to focus on SD. Also shows ways to get out of the corner of a ring, get off the ropes etc. The next chapter is all about bag work; what type of things to drill and how. Chapter 5 is Boxing and outlines different types of punches and footwork. Chapter 6 is a short section on Woman's Self Defense and includes some basic defenses against being grabbed. Its pretty much applicable to anyone regardless of gender. The next two chapters are Women's Basic Exercise and Women's Weight Lifting but again I don't see why this type of stuff couldn't be done by guys. Final chapter is on Yoga and shows you how to do basic postures. Overall its well worth a read even if its just to get some ideas of combinations to drill or different exercises to try out. Really only useful for TKD or similar styles as most of it is heavily kicking based. Also wouldn't recommend it until you are already familiar with what I'd call the basic kicks; roundhouse, side, back and spinning.

[bushido_man96]

I have several of Master Cho's books, and I have not been disappointed by any of them. I haven't read them for quite some time, but I do need to so that I can drop some bites on them here, too.

One thing is for sure, even as old as they are, they still have some good stuff in them.

The way that Cho teaches sparring, really shows how TKD can work.

[bushido_man96]

Total Aikido, The Master Course

Gozo Shioda with Yasuhisa Shioda

Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Total-Aikido-Master-Bushido-Warrior/dp/4770020589/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240992029&sr=1-1

Total Aikido, the follow-up to Shioda’s Dynamic Aikido, takes a very in-depth look at the art of Aikido. The book is divided into 5 sections:

Section 1: The Principles of Aikido

Section 2: The Basics of Body Movement

Section 3: Basic Techniques

Section 4: Self-Defense Techniques

Section 5: Hidden Techniques

Section 1 touches on principles involved with the center-line, focused power through unification of the whole body, breath power, “ki”, entering and turning, using your partner’s energy, and striking. These principles form the basic concepts of Aikido; absorbing and yielding to energy, using angles to create the circular/spiral motions, and applying energy to break balance. There is also an explanation of a training system along with some terminology.

Section 2 covers basic body movements that come into play when doing the techniques. The importance of using the hip in the movements to keep the body moving as a unit is displayed, along with the circular nature of the techniques. Descriptions and photos show how to do these with and without a partner. Striking methods, as well as methods for receiving the strikes and entering are depicted. Methods for unbalancing the partner from the various gripping attacks are shown, as well as break falls.

Section 3 covers the basic techniques:

Four-Direction Throw (Shiho-Nage)

First Control (Ikkajo)

Second Control (Nikajo)

Third Control (Sankajo)

Fourth Control (Yonkajo)

Front Entering Throw (Shomen Irimi-Nage)

Side Entering Throw (Sokumen Irimi-Nage)

Return-The-Wrist Throw (Kote-Gaeshi)

“Hitting Elbow” Breath Throw (Hiji-Ate Kokyu-Nage)

Heaven and Earth Throw (Tenchi-Nage)

Elbow Lock (Hiji-Shime)

Breathing Method (Kokyu-Ho)

Front Strike; Breath Throw (Shomen-Uchi Kokyu-Nage)

Each technique in the list is shown with at least one variation, and some with as many as five variations. Most of the techniques are introduced with a page or two of descriptions on the important aspects of the technique, like important motions, proper grips and pins (where applicable), positions of the thrower and where the throwee should go when done properly, and common mistakes made for each. This section takes up the bulk of the book, and it is quite detailed. It is set up in numbered picture sequence, not unlike what you would see in Black Belt Magazine, but with more explanation and attention to detail.

Section 4 follows the same pattern as Section 3, but is titled Self-Defense Techniques, showing techniques performed against a knife, sword, or other grips and strikes.

Section 5 is titled Hidden Techniques, but it is more of a section on some of the underlying principles and philosophies of Aikido.

The depth and breadth of this book is quite extensive. I feel that this book has something to offer the beginner, and also offers the advanced student helpful information. As a beginner myself at the time of this writing, I see helpful points in throughout, along with spots that appear to be above my level. But as I advance, I feel that those blank spots will fill in, and this text will benefit me then, as well. A good addition to any Aikidoka’s reference library.

[bushido_man96]

The Taegeuk Cipher, The Patterns of Kukki Taekwondo as a Practical Self-Defense Syllabus

Simon John O’Neill

Link: http://www.combat-tkd.com/

This book tends to take an Iain Abernethy-esque approach to the form system of Kukki Taekwondo. As with so many books on TKD, O’Neill begins with an introduction of the art, beginning with its history. However, its similarity with the history section of any other TKD book ends there. He writes what is one of the most accurate and truthful accounts of TKD’s history, second only to that written by Alex Gillis in A Killing Art. O’Neill dispels the 5000 year lineage of TKD, depicting its actual roots in various forms of Karate. He also provides good information on the establishment of the Kwans and the later federations and associations that began to fragment TKD. The author also describes three models of TKD:

1. Hard style, consisting of power striking and hard blocking, and basic kicking skills consisting of front, side, round, and spin side kicks for power, with less of the intricate footwork of today’s WTF style of sparring.

2. Modern sport TKD is what is more recognizable as today’s tournament-style of TKD, propagated by both the WTF and the ITF. Even the ATA has added an Olympic-style sparring portion to its competitions, the last I had heard. High kicking, counter-kicking, intricate footwork, and very little use of the hand techniques (even for blocking!) are the hallmarks of this sport variation of TKD.

3. Patterns-based TKD is the focus of O’Neill’s book. The author uses the patterns to explore the self-defense aspects of TKD.

The second part of O’Neill’s history section delves into the history of TKD forms themselves, and the influences on their design. Mentioned in this section are influences from:

1. Okinawan lineage

2. “Korean Karate” forms

3. Chang Hon forms

4. Kukki poomses

In describing the TKD patterns as self-defense methods, the author lists:

1. The Shotokan influence

2. The Shudokan influence

3. The Shito-Ryu influence

4. The Yudo influence

5. The Taekyon influence

6. The Quan Fa influence

O’Neill then goes into the fundamentals of his interpretations of the patterns, and different elements of self-defense. At this point, O’Neill’s work isn’t much unlike that of Abernethy’s approach to Karate forms interpretation.

For the forms interpretation section of the book, O’Neill divides the patterns into three sections:

1. The Preliminary Exchange – Taegeuk 1, 2, 3

2. Infighting and Clinching – Taegeuk 4, 5, 6

3. Advanced Self-Defense – Taegeuk 7, 8

Each of these sets of forms, in O’Neill’s research, depicts a particular stage of a fight.

After the forms interpretations, there is a section that describes some of the techniques from the pattern interpretation section. The author also gives an Abernethy-like rundown of sparring exercises, and finishes with thoughts on designing a syllabus for the Kukki TKD practitioner.

Reading this book, I felt like I was getting a fresh, original (and honest) point-of-view of TKD. I have a little experience with the Kukki patterns of TKD, and I feel that this book can offer a path other than that of sport-sparring to the Kukki practitioner. The history section alone makes this book worth picking up, and I can’t say that about many other TKD titles. The section on the models of TKD was of special interest to me, seeing how TKD changed throughout the years. This book doesn’t focus on the performance or technical aspects of the forms themselves; that task is better left to other titles, like Complete Taekwondo Poomsae, written by Sang H. Kim and Kyu Hyung Lee.

O’Neill lists the moves of the forms, and then gets into pictures and descriptions of form segments and how they apply to self-defense. Rather than being a one move description, the descriptions divulge into the entire sequence that he depicts. So, you get pictures of a form segment, followed by pictures of the self-defense sequence applying to that piece of the pattern, with the explanation as to what transpires written in a bullet list above the pictures. It seems kind of backwards, but it serves its purpose well enough. The pictures are black and white, with the pictures of the pattern moves set above the pictures of the interpretations. The pattern pictures (3/4” wide by 1” tall) are smaller than the interpretation pictures (1.5” wide by 2” tall), and the interpretation pictures are still smaller than would be desirable, especially with what the book is trying to relay to the reader. Each page contains anywhere from 4 to 8 pictures. With all of this crammed onto every page, seeing the interpretations can be a bit difficult at times, especially concerning hand positions and turns. At times, I found myself re-reading and re-reading the bullets, and re-looking at the pictures to try to get the author’s meaning, but I feel that a more experienced Kukki patterns practitioner can work his way around this layout a bit easier. Larger pictures with caption descriptions would have been more helpful to the lay reader, but that may not have been a concern of the author’s. Those with more experience with Kukki forms shouldn’t have too much trouble deciphering The Taegeuk Cipher.

[JGBurnum]

The 5 World TSD books by Jae Chul Shin.

[bushido_man96]

The Tao of Gung Fu A Study In The Way of Chinese Martial Art

Bruce Lee

Find it here: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Tao-of-Gung-Fu/Bruce-Lee/e/9780804831109/?itm=1

I believe the book I have linked to is a second printing; the one that I have is a first printing from when the Bruce Lee Library was being published by Tuttle Publishing. I don't know what differences there are between the two, so the comments I make are on the version that I have.

This book was to be published in 1965, but Lee scrapped the idea of publishing it. Lucky for all of us, he did not scrap his notes, and this book, compiled by John Little, is the outcome.

When reading this book, Little notes that it is important to view it as kind of a snapshot in the life of Lee, for it was done in 1964, and many of his training ideas were still influenced by his Chinese influences. The subject matter of this book, concerning Lee's notes and research, tends to relate to Lee's years in Seattle, and a foreward written by Taky Kimura talks a bit of what Lee was like in this time period.

I enjoyed the book, and readers of Tao of Jeet Kune Do will notice many parallels to that great book. Some differences will be seen, as well, as The Tao of Gung Fu is more focused on his experiences with Wing Chun, and he speaks of his teacher, Yip Man here and there as well. It is interesting in that you see how his Wing Chun experience permeated his Jeet Kune Do. There is also a section in this book where Lee talks about :gasp: practicing forms!!!! (Sorry, had to throw that in there...)

Also included in the book are some bits of Gung Fu history, some masters that he familiar with the histories of, and also some interview Q&A sections to boot.

If you are a Bruce Lee historian, or just an enthusiast, then this is a great book to pick up and read. Although it is not the same as the end result of Tao of Jeet Kune Do, the reader can see how Lee begins to move in that direction, and one can see the direction he was coming from.

[RichardZ]

We also have a books page, long forgotten. Maybe I could add some entries too it from this.

Hey Patrick, what would be the link to that books page?

[ninjachamp8]

I realize the books you are talking about are based on the physical realm in the martial arts. But if you are interested in a book the teaches the mental martial art - consider Rick Tew's book Winjitsu.

He has been teaching the martial arts for more than 20 years and put what he learned from the arts and how the strategies learned from the martial arts have been applied to his life. He now runs a live in martial arts camp on a tropical island in Samui. His web site ninjagym has a lot of free information too.

[sunjiangyao]

Chinese kungfu

lee bruce