Training Books

The only time of the year I read the hunting and fishing literature is for my brother and for the holidays. This is the first time I did my reading not in an aisle but online. Great to quickly access and compare books on hunting with Springer Spaniels. My brother is knowledgeable about these topics and seems pleased with this book and he is picky. So that is my review. If I hear otherwise I will update this.

I have read many books on dog training, and never before has anyone offered a plan so detailed or as simple to follow as Kenneth Roebuck. His insight into how a dog thinks and how we can use that to our advantage in training is at once ordinary and astounding. Skip all the popular training methods of the moment and use this one. You will never raise a better gun dog.

This book takes you through the selection of and training of a gun dog using the late Kenneth Roebuck's methods. This book outlines the use of both positive and negative reinforcment to produce a quality hunting companion. This is a great resource for the man wanting to train his own dog, and if I could only have one training reference, this would be it.

This is one of the better training tools you'll ever buy. Roebuck take's you step by step from puppy through the second year. I refer to this book every time I start a new puppy. If you hunt upland birds this book is a must.

This is an excellent book by the late Ken Roebuck. I used Ken's advice to train my Springer and I am very pleased with the results. Ken writes the book with the beginner in mind.

The only drawback is that he doesn't give much useful information on how to train for blind retrieves.

One thing that I learned early on in my classes is that the hatchet kick is not only the hardest kick there is to master, but that it is also the most dangerous kick you, the kicker, can attempt. According to my instructor, the hatchet kick has caused more injuries to the kicker than it ever has to the persons being kicked. The reason for this is due to the extreme amount of flexibility and control a person must have in order to execute the kick itself properly, let alone use it correctly against an actual opponent. However, if you are one of the few people that can actually execute this kick well, it is an extremely devastating kick to be able to use on an opponent

I have been slowly working on my hatchet kick, but admittedly I have been having one heck of a time trying to get it down. After reading Hatchet Kick, the 8th volume in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, I found a whole bunch of areas that I was having problems with. From the position of my upper body during the kick, the proper rotation of my hips and legs, to the correct downward angle you leg should follow, just to name a few. I used this information (along with the guidance of a couple of higher belts), and have really improved on my kick. Although I still can only get it about halfway as high as it should be to actually be effective. I am sure that with lots of practice and a few years I will get it down.

Shawn follows the same format in Hatchet Kick that he does in all of his books and the way he presents his information is not only extremely detailed, but also very insightful. I can not praise enough this series of books and their author. I have learned so much from his books and can only imagine how wonderful it must be to be able to learn from him in person.

This is not a kick that can be taken lightly. And I would like to stress that it I not something that reading a book alone will help you master. Even though this book, along with all of Shawn's books, will improve your kicking skills, you really need a competent instructor to help you fine tune your kicks, especially the hatchet kick. This is one kick that even if you think you know the basics behind it, the truth is that unless you really understand the entire kick and what is suppose to happen throughout the entire kick, you will struggle and more than likely hurt yourself, especially if you try to use it against an opponent.

I highly recommend that you purchase all ten volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series and you (and your instructor) will see your kicks literally improve by leaps and bounds.

Volume 8, "Hatchet Kick" in Kovacich's "Achieving Kicking Excellence covers this kick very meticulously. Shawn if anything, is consistent, which aids this series. Format is the same throughout all books in the series, which aids the instructor or the student, making information more quickly accessible. The reader knows what to expect, details about muscle groups, target areas, and proper technique are standard. In this book, more than others, I found his training and practice methods of immense importance (P. 164-169). While I often taught people to help develop their kicking skills by using a chair with roundhouse, hook, and side kicks; Shawn shows how to use a chair as a tool to develop this kick as well. More than just showing pictures, Shawn details in writing how to perfect this kick.

Shawn Kovachich's technical knowledge about kicking in general, and the hatchet kick specifically, is outstanding!

This is Volume Eight of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the Hatchet Kick. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the hatchet kick?
I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the hatchet kick correctly right now, I cannot kick high enough--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points.
So, what is a hatchet kick and why would I use it? Shawn writes that the hatchet kick is a hybrid turning wheel kick and an in-to-out axe kick.. The striking surface is the back center of the heel and the head, neck, and shoulders are the targets. Getting inside another's Observe, Orient, Decide and Act loop can win a match for you--or allow you to seize and keep the initiative in a fight. I thought that the hatchet kick would be easy, but I've been humbled! Fortunately, following Shawn's safety procedures on page 11 (take one step at a time) kept me from injuring myself. It's just that unless my opponent's head is lower than my own waist, he's in no danger of my hatchet kick for now!
I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Hatchet Kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!

This series is a fantastic reference for anyone interested in the finer points of kicking, particularly for those of us whose exposure to this aspect of the martial arts has been somewhat limited. I have been doing this stuff since 1970, for example, yet have focused exclusively on styles that have very little emphasis on kicking applications (e.g., Goju Ryu karate, Kodokan judo, and Matayoshi kobudo). Goju Ryu, for instance, utilizes roughly 70% hand techniques. Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty mean mae geri (front kick) that can rock your world, but there are many other leg techniques utilized by other arts that I am simply not at all expert with--hatchet kicks, axe kicks, and crescent kicks, to name a few.

This is why I was so excited to find Shawn Kovacich's comprehensive "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. If you are familiar with Kris Wilder's outstanding tome, The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power, these books take a similarly in-depth yet approachable style. Each volume explores one type of kick in great detail, outlining some 50 or 60 technical points (depending on the type of kick), in an easy to understand and utilize manner. At first blush you might think that it would be tough to devote an entire volume to just one type of kick, yet each offering in this exceptional series runs more than 200 pages and is packed with meaningful information.

No dojo darling, Kovacich really knows what he is talking about. A fourth-degree black belt in both karate and taekwondo, he has competed in full contact sparring tournaments (including the prestigious Sabaki Challenge) and is the world-record holder for both endurance- and high-kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Kovacich has been teaching martial arts since 1985 and this knowledge, skill, and ability really shine through in his writing.

The text is clear and comprehensive, yet written in everyday language that just about anyone can easily grasp. No matter how good the writing, however, this sort of topic needs wide-ranging illustrations to ensure thorough comprehension. Fortunately there are tons of them. Regrettably though, the pictures are quite dark and/or grainy in most places (my only real complaint about the series). Despite the fuzziness of the photo printing, however, the pictures themselves are first rate as are the corresponding illustrations. Most of the pictures not only have captions but also reference numbers that align with the text to assure further clarity. There are separate illustrations that show the appropriate foot position and base of support for each movement too. This layout method is really slick; I like it a lot. There is a pretty good index in the back that supplements the table of contents too, so you can easily refer back to anything you will want to re-read later on (and you'll almost certainly want to refer back to much of this information later on).

While the front and back matter are virtually identical amongst the various volumes (such that each one can stand alone without the rest of the series), the core content is unique for each type of kick. This front and back matter (e.g., warm up and stretching) is a bit cursory too, though that is perfectly understandable given the primary focus of the books; truly nothing to be overly concerned with in my opinion. Each volume in the series is laid-out in an identical manner and includes the following topics:

-- Basic anatomy of the kick
-- Warm up and stretching
-- Principles of the kicking movement (e.g., stability, balance, sequence of movements, speed, accuracy, targeting, visualization, etc.)
-- Performing the primary kick (e.g., fighting position, knee raise, coil, impact, follow-through, recoil, knee drop, return to fighting position).
-- Performing variations from the primary kick (e.g., step, switch, jump, spin, cross-over, etc.)
-- Training and practice methods (e.g., skill, strength, speed, and power training)
-- Trouble shooting the kick
-- Kicking applications against an opponent
-- Author's awards and accomplishments
-- Recommended reading

No matter how well written, you cannot learn martial arts solely from a book, of course, but this series is a fantastic supplement for hands-on instruction. It covers important nuances that are rarely described adequately by most sensei (or sifu, etc.). I have found that, in general, books can reach a level of clarity and comprehensiveness that is simply not achievable with DVDs as well. This series is no exception to that rule. Despite a bit of redundancy amongst the various volumes, the technical merits and detailed analysis of the kicks make these books a stellar resource for any serious martial artist. I'm proud to include all ten volumes in my library.

Highly recommended!


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, The Way to Black Belt, and The Way of Kata

Achieving Kicking Excellence

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

Hi, this is Maggie Bonham (the author) and I hope you'll check out my latest book on agility, Having Fun with Agility. This is a fun book aimed at people who are looking for something to do with their dogs, but not necessarily looking to compete in it.

This book is laid back, discussing the obstacles and how to train your dog. I have a wonderful section on clicker training your dog to do agility as well. I also have sections for dog owners who have dogs who aren't necessarily fit enough to do regular agility but to provide some sort of activity for them. Lastly, I have information on how to throw an agility party.

Sounds fun? It is! Check out this book and my other agility book (for the more serious competitor) Introduction to Dog Agility.

This book is great for a novice like me. Shows how to keep it 'fun' and not get all serious.

My dog appreciates me reading this one.

I really like this book - it is very informal and has great ideas. I just wish it had more information on how to make your own equipment. Don't want to compete with my dog - we just want to have some fun and this book has been a great help.

Since my main goal in Agility is to have fun with my Golden Retriever, Pooka, I thought this would be a good book. It is! Lots of great training tips and super ideas to increase the enjoyment for handlers and dogs. Margaret Bonham's style is easy to understand, the pictures and illustrations are clear and encouraging. Maybe next summer Pooka and I will throw an 'Agility Party' for our classmates!

Super way to obtain this material! The book is well written and documented with outstanding pictures. All my dog and I needed to get started having a FUN time with AGILITY!

This atlas has the most beautiful anatomical pictures. They are precise and neat, and if you want to learn head and neuroanatomy, seeing such great drawings motivates you. This is a must have book for those who learn more and better by seeing the structures rather than just reading about them.

I have taught human gross anatomy to medical students for 3 years now. Netters is a good atlas but the Thieme atlas of anatomy series is the best I have come across. The figures focus well on specific areas of the body and give a much more information rather than just structure. It is not a replacement for an anatomy textbook such as Moore's but is an essential supplement.

This Thieme series has opened a new era! By far, this is the best atlas series available and as a medical student, I would recommend the three atlases to anyone who studies in the field of anatomy. Trust me, this is THE book you keep for life!

I just love the amazing pictures in this book. Although it is an atlas is also has some really interesting written details that you don't often get in the other atlases. I would recommend all the Thieme Atlases of Anatomy, they are truly worthwhile books to have

This series from Thieme (this is the third book) so far surpasses every other illustrated anatomy, comparisons are almost pointless. Get all three, learn them, pass your exams.

This is a great book for anyone in the health and fitness industry. It is more like a desk reference to be used. I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs a quick reference to be used. The book arrived exactly as I ordered and was packaged very well. Great shipper.

The book has a lot in it. From BMI, HR, ect to giving people a schedule. I learned a lot more than I thought, before. Bought it for a class. Will keep it afterwards.

BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR A FRIEND WHO IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER. HE CALLED TODAY SAYING "THE BOOK IS AWESOME" A "REAL" WORK BOOK WITH A WEALTH OF INFORMATION FOR ANYONE SINCERLY INTERESTED IN THIS FIELD..

Comprehensive book that has detailed information. A must for personal trainers!

I owen the Health Fitness Instructor's Handbook and I would recommend anyone who needs a wealth of imfor on getting stared on becomming a personal trainer this is a great book. Would also like to know if it is possible to find the forms that they give you in thebook in the library or can anyone point me to simpiary forms i really don't want to cut out any pages because, earlier i state the book is full of great information! Thankyou

This is Volume Seven of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the Hook Kick. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the hook kick?
I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points.
So, what is a hook kick and why would I use it? Shawn writes that the hook kick is like a boxer's hook punch--and should be used only after your opponent has been "set up" by another technique.. The striking surface is the back center of the heel and the head is the target. The hook kick was difficult for me to perform but the arc of the kick is deceptive and may confuse your opponent. Getting inside another's Observe, Orient, Decide and Act loop can win a match for you--or allow you to seize and keep the initiative in a fight. Shawn demonstrates using a chair for training--for me, that chair was a must! I need considerable more training before my hook kick will be effective.
I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Hook Kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!

Shawn Kovacich's next book in the "Achieving Kicking Excellence" is on the hook kick. Kovacich is outstanding at explaining precise detail on the method of his hook kick, which is the more traditional and probably most taught way of executing this kick. He again writes about what muscles accomplish what, base and support, and how to turn, and most importantly, placements of the legs, knee, feet, at certain stages.

While Shawn's method of performing this kick is a time honored method and works well for many people, I was disappointed that he did not mention the "Wallace method." Bill Wallace's method, of which Shawn is or should be familiar, is also a battle tested kick and has some advantages over the traditional method (and one may argue there arte some disadvantages as well, but I would have liked to see that debate). My base system does not have a hook kick, but I first learned it when I started taking Tang So Do at 13. I learned Shawn's method in the book, but later I was introduced to the Wallace method and found it better suite for my particular skills; I do agree that others may be better suited for the traditional method (I have had students who were). I think he should have shown both method's or explain why he choose to disregard the Wallace method. Shawn's method takes the added step of coiling the knee at the waist level before swinging up at the midway peak. In the Wallace method, the midway peak is the coil position and therefore, a step is eliminated (and in my opinion, this is generally a benefit).

Besides that criticism, I find his series to be outstanding and I still highly recommend this resource. I spent more time on the criticism, because his book and the rest of the series are really good books and my criticisms have been scant. I think this book on its own still fairs well and is a nice collection to any martial arts library. The photos in Black and White, while lacking a photo-finish quality, do show a quality of martial technique superiority.

Achieving Kicking Excellence

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

Here is another kick that I and my instructor thought was very similar to wheel kick with the exception of some hooking action of the lower leg. Please note; that my instructor was also taught incorrectly from his instructor, and therefore, thought that this was the correct way to execute this kick. Hence, the reason why I and my fellow students also learned it wrong. However, that error has been corrected because of the information contained in Hook Kick, the 7th book in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series by Shawn Kovacich.

This book was the one that finally convinced my instructor to purchase the complete series for our dojang. Now he'll finally quit borrowing my books.

The hook kick is more similar to the side kick than it is the wheel kick. Point of fact is that you actually do execute pretty much a side kick through the beginning phases of the kick before the hooking motion of the lower leg is utilized. I know this may seem like an over simplification, but in essence it is correct. A lot of people are taught that a hook kick is executed exactly like a wheel kick except that you execute a hooking motion with your lower leg just before striking your opponent. Now some would call this a lazy mans variation, I would call it simply an uninformed variation of the technically correct wheel kick, not the hook kick.

My instructor and I worked on both of our hook kicks outside of normal class times in order to get it down correctly before he began teaching it to the rest of the students. It took us both about three weeks of practice before he felt comfortable enough with it to start teaching my fellow classmates.

The absolutely outstanding quality of the information in this and all the books in this series is truly remarkable. It is plainly evident the great care and thought that went into each and every one of these books by Mr. Kovacich. He is truly one of the best authorities there is on the subject of kicking and how to get the most out of your kicks. He leaves no stone unturned in his quest to provide the readers of his books with all the information available on how to execute each kick correctly. I am anxiously awaiting the release of his "Applications in Combat" series which is due to come out at the end of 2007 or the beginning of 2008.

By purchasing, reading, and then implementing the information contained in Mr. Kovacich's books, I have improved my kicking skills by leaps and bounds. All I can say is thank you for finally making a series of books that goes into complete detail on how to correctly execute the kicks and there variations.

This series is a fantastic reference for anyone interested in the finer points of kicking, particularly for those of us whose exposure to this aspect of the martial arts has been somewhat limited. I have been doing this stuff since 1970, for example, yet have focused exclusively on styles that have very little emphasis on kicking applications (e.g., Goju Ryu karate, Kodokan judo, and Matayoshi kobudo). Goju Ryu, for instance, utilizes roughly 70% hand techniques. Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty mean mae geri (front kick) that can rock your world, but there are many other leg techniques utilized by other arts that I am simply not at all expert with--hatchet kicks, axe kicks, and crescent kicks, to name a few.

This is why I was so excited to find Shawn Kovacich's comprehensive "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. If you are familiar with Kris Wilder's outstanding tome, The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power, these books take a similarly in-depth yet approachable style. Each volume explores one type of kick in great detail, outlining some 50 or 60 technical points (depending on the type of kick), in an easy to understand and utilize manner. At first blush you might think that it would be tough to devote an entire volume to just one type of kick, yet each offering in this exceptional series runs more than 200 pages and is packed with meaningful information.

No dojo darling, Kovacich really knows what he is talking about. A fourth-degree black belt in both karate and taekwondo, he has competed in full contact sparring tournaments (including the prestigious Sabaki Challenge) and is the world-record holder for both endurance- and high-kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Kovacich has been teaching martial arts since 1985 and this knowledge, skill, and ability really shine through in his writing.

The text is clear and comprehensive, yet written in everyday language that just about anyone can easily grasp. No matter how good the writing, however, this sort of topic needs wide-ranging illustrations to ensure thorough comprehension. Fortunately there are tons of them. Regrettably though, the pictures are quite dark and/or grainy in most places (my only real complaint about the series). Despite the fuzziness of the photo printing, however, the pictures themselves are first rate as are the corresponding illustrations. Most of the pictures not only have captions but also reference numbers that align with the text to assure further clarity. There are separate illustrations that show the appropriate foot position and base of support for each movement too. This layout method is really slick; I like it a lot. There is a pretty good index in the back that supplements the table of contents too, so you can easily refer back to anything you will want to re-read later on (and you'll almost certainly want to refer back to much of this information later on).

While the front and back matter are virtually identical amongst the various volumes (such that each one can stand alone without the rest of the series), the core content is unique for each type of kick. This front and back matter (e.g., warm up and stretching) is a bit cursory too, though that is perfectly understandable given the primary focus of the books; truly nothing to be overly concerned with in my opinion. Each volume in the series is laid-out in an identical manner and includes the following topics:

-- Basic anatomy of the kick
-- Warm up and stretching
-- Principles of the kicking movement (e.g., stability, balance, sequence of movements, speed, accuracy, targeting, visualization, etc.)
-- Performing the primary kick (e.g., fighting position, knee raise, coil, impact, follow-through, recoil, knee drop, return to fighting position).
-- Performing variations from the primary kick (e.g., step, switch, jump, spin, cross-over, etc.)
-- Training and practice methods (e.g., skill, strength, speed, and power training)
-- Trouble shooting the kick
-- Kicking applications against an opponent
-- Author's awards and accomplishments
-- Recommended reading

No matter how well written, you cannot learn martial arts solely from a book, of course, but this series is a fantastic supplement for hands-on instruction. It covers important nuances that are rarely described adequately by most sensei (or sifu, etc.). I have found that, in general, books can reach a level of clarity and comprehensiveness that is simply not achievable with DVDs as well. This series is no exception to that rule. Despite a bit of redundancy amongst the various volumes, the technical merits and detailed analysis of the kicks make these books a stellar resource for any serious martial artist. I'm proud to include all ten volumes in my library.

Highly recommended!


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, The Way to Black Belt, and The Way of Kata

One of the biggest problems I have with books written for equine enthusiasts is the effort it takes to read them. Most of us don't have time to sit down and read technical books for hours on end. While there is a lot of information to gain, you first have to comprehend it before you can commit it to memory or use. This book is opposite of anything I have read or tried to read recently. There were sections of it that I didn't want to put it down. I find that extremely rare and priceless. I'm done Christmas shopping for my horseless rider friends, they're getting this book!

This is awesome. It tells about how to choose a good stable, how to be safe with other's horses, how to groom and care for horses, how to inspect tack, how to make you've got liability for borrowing a horse--plus humorous insights into the horseless. Adressed to the normal, horse-crazy public, this is a must have!

Being an experienced (but currently horseless) rider I loved this book! It's a wonderful celebration of everything that a horseless rider has gone through or dealt with. The author's stories of investigating a potential stable had me laughing from experience; the author seems to have found that not all barns with stunning white fencing are always worth their price.

I personally wouldn't really recommend this to a person who has ridden for less than five years because some of its advice will probably cause problems with other riders or stables. From my perspective the book was too quick to recommend readers to report to the ASPCA any stables with a horse that appeared to be thin. Some horses are "hard keepers" and will tend to look like that, they aren't always being neglected or abused. Additionally, the recommendations to "train" other people's horses for them while riding them will quite possibly not be appreciated by the owners if the horseless rider has not undergone extensive (and good) riding instruction themselves. My point is, unless you've been riding for a while, you wouldn't know any differently and might get yourself into some interpersonal relationship trouble.

Regardless, I loved this book and the wonderful way of writing that the author had and would not hesitate to read it again and celebrate memories of being a "horseless" rider.

Barbara Burn's The Horseless Rider provides a guide to riding, showing and enjoying other people's horses. From analyzing a stable's qualities to taking different approaches with different horses, this is packed with invaluable, practical ideas.

This book nourished me through many dark days of horselessness, and helped me even see it as an advantage. This is an outstanding book for new riders who want to know how far they can go without the committment of becoming an owner (as far as you want!), or for those who already know they want it all but do not have the resources to have a horse of their own.

I first came across a reference to this book in a medical ethics class. After watching an attending physician take the wrong tack in explaining a terminal condition, I decided to learn a better way. This book has excellent summaries, frequent examples of the "wrong" way and the "right" way, and is the single best book on talking to patients I've read. A must-read for any health care provider, and especially anyone who has to talk to critically ill patients or their families.

How to Break Bad News is one of the best books on the subject I've found anywhere. I wrote a book called "Difficult Conversations" which deals with some of the same issues in a broader context, and I am impressed indeed by Buckman's book. I wish healthcare workers everywhere would read it.

This is a unique, delightful, and highly practical book. I recommend it very highly for all physicians and mental health professionals. The authors explain that, despite the American focus on informed consent, some patients who develop life threatening disease do NOT want to know all the details, or even the prognosis, of their condition. A wise and useful six-step protocol for breaking bad news is proffered, incorporating both readiness to fully inform and readiness to respect the patient's psychological vulnerabilities. Since bad news comes in many forms in this life, the skills and attitudes described have wide applicability in the helping professions. A TRULY OUTSTANDING videotape also exists as a companion to this book. I don't know if it is available through Amazon or not. PKC

This is chock full of great advice when you don't know what to say, or are feeling slightly shy or uncomfortable. Just curling up with these study cases in how to tell someone their colon is infecting their entire body and they only have a few weeks to live, or that a hemorrhage in their daughters brain will keep her in a state of vegetation for the rest of her ... life is enough to make anyone feel better about their own situation. Not sure what to say at a party? Just imagine yourself in one of these terrible situations and you'll thankfully be chatting up a storm.

I am a psychololgist. I read this book very carefully and outlined it, it was that good. It is very practical information on how to deliver difficult news. I found that I deliver more difficult news than I thought. I use the six steps outlined in the book now, and teach residents about the book. This is the best resouce I found for delivering bad news to patients.

I'm a veterinarian, very involved in behavior training, because that's what keeps my canine patients alive. I've found that if I can get clients involved in teaching a dog who has found out that learning is fun, that dog stands a much better chance of staying alive of becoming an indispensable member of their family. I've checked out numerous trick training books, and this is hands down the best. It's focused, breaks the tricks down into easy, understandable steps, and is written by someone who knows and loves dogs. Bravo!

This is a very clearly written book that shows step by step how to make your dog impress people with how "smart" it is. The best thing about training your dog to do some of these tricks is that the basics sit, stand and stay also get transmitted. If you have a dog with behavior problems, once you start them out with this book everything else will follow. The book itself shows this with it's cross-reference at the end of each trick letting you know which tricks will be easy to teach in the future based on the foundation of just one trick!

This book would be great for puppies as well.

I taught my field spaniel to shake, speak, rollover, beg, bow, crawl on her belly, climb ladders, open and close doors, etc. Also, using the techneques in the book, I made-up other tricks. Now she can slp-you-five and jump and twist in midair.

My Scottish Terrier, Sgt. Pepper, is currently working on the balance the milk-bone on your nose, and rollover trick.

At this point we're having so much fun gazing into one another's eyes over the milk bone, that we don't much care whether he learns it or not.

This is great fun!

This wonderful book is lavishly illustrated, and takes a step-by-step approach that results in a over-all well-trained dog. Easy to follow and a fun read.

Finally a book which gives a complete overview of the many aspects of TTEAM work! I can imagine that it might be a bit overwhelming if you have never done any TTEAM, but if you have been to a course you will understand it very well. The book is very helpfull and suggests solutions to many problems.
The great thing is that Linda really thinks from the horse's point of view and is always looking why a horse does what he does and how you can work with him from there.

Vanda Oosterhuis

My horse trainer suggested I look for material by Linda Tellington - Jones on Ttouch as she uses some of her techniques and suggested it would be good to be consistent in handling. I picked it up and started to read and couldn't put it down. I read the first 40+ pages and completed it the next day. Moreover I started using the techniques the very next day on the horse and what a difference it makes. As a first time adopter of a five year old range born and range matured Mustang sometimes I feel I need a little help. Book is extremely helpful, diagrams are useful and exceptionally well done. 5 *s +

I felt like I was "missing" something with this book. It's not an easy topic to put in book form, I guess. If I had started with the video, I probably would've gotten it faster. I also wish she'd have picked easier names for some of the exercises. Call me clueless, but I'm not going to easily remember what the heck Lick of the Cow's Tongue is with a name like that. The main complaint I have about this book is the insistence on using stud chains. If you have a properly halter trained horse (or a really sensitive one), you should never need to use one. I have a wary Spanish Mustang rescue mare who'd charge into the next county if I even attempted to use a stud chain on her (and she's the one that I got this book for).

This book is by far one of the most comprehensive Tteam and Ttouch reference books. It shows you closeup pictures of how to do the Ttouch and how they are beneficial. The exercises are easy and anyone can do them. My horse was more attentive and trusting within just a few days of doing these excercises. I recommend using this book in conjunction with her video tapes. I sincerely recommend this book for anyone who wants to enhance their relationship with their horse and make it more of a partnership. It is fun for both of you.

This is an outstanding book. Whether you are new to the Tteam system, or whether you have seen the videos and attended clinics, this book offers clear, step by step directions, with very helpful pictures. An extremely useful reference book. I have used Tteam on lots of different horses and seen immediate and positive results. This book gives very clear directions and instructions.