Karate Books

As karate can not be learned from book because it is more practical and have to join the Karate club to learn properly. But this book is nice reference for doing your kata. Once you learn katas from your Master (sensei), it is good book for reviewing and refining your kata steps.
We are practicing Sotokan Karate in Richmond, Kentucky. Our instructors use this book as good reference. I am glad that I bought this book and anybody serious about learning of Shotokan Karate, I recommend this book.

This is an excellent book for any student that is a serious Karateka. I have shown it to some student's & they are ordering the same book.
Good job Amazon.com for having these books available to us.

one word "WOW", I got this book as per my Sensei suggested. I really like it. Very well make with detail illustraions. My book is the 7th edition 2007. Highly recommanded for everyone.

The book shows step-by-step instructions on how to do the katas. If you've learned the katas before, you will love it. If you've never learned them before, you may find a little difficult to do the more advanced ones. A video will help you more in those cases because of the details that even well described are hard to do without watching someone doing it in front of you. I can't think of a better way to teach katas using a book, though and because of that, I think it's still worth buying the book and if you feel that you need, buy a video to help with the harder katas. Good luck!

If nothing else, the kata should be the common factor between schools of the same type. The 25 Shotokan Kata book by Shojiro Sugiyama serves as the guideline for Shotokan karate-ka. Nishiyama sensei gives approval to the forms and explains a few nuances that articulate his concepts of body mechanics. The book is a treasure.

Have to say that this book really opened my eyes into understanding the reality of violence and how our perceptions of violence directs the methods of how we teach the martial arts. I am a third degree black belt in Shorin Ryu karate and have been involved in the martial arts for over 15 years.

I think as an instructor in the martial arts, we don't typically work hard enough in explaining to our students what to expect in a real life situation basically due to the fact that most of us have never had that experience. The information obtained in this book is a "must-have" for all students and instructors in the martial arts who wish to understand violence and how to maybe adjust our way of teaching/learning self-defense.

There are all sorts of violence in the "real world" and I highly recommend this book if you want to gain greater insights on how to survive if you should ever have the need to use the self defense you have been taught.

I have to say that without a doubt that "Meditations on Violence" is well worth the print. It is a book that has been needed to be put in the civil world to reveal the realities of violence as compared to our notions of violence that we perceive through media and martial arts "practice".

This book, written by Sgt. Rory Miller, a corrections officer, CERT team member, and rescue missions volunteer helped me to come to a better understanding of the world and myself, as well as some of the doubts that I had about both.

As a newly appointed corrections officer myself, I found some of his stories in the prison environment both affirming and comical, but seriously straight to the point and honest. I liked that.

The book is broken down into 7 chapters dealing with the complexitites of the strategic matrix in self defense and what is tries to be and what it really is, how to think in training in regards to violence, the types of violence and possible situations, description of different predators, training the "four" basic truths and for reality, some ideas on making you defense work regardless of "system", and how to deal with the aftermath of such horrendous violence.

For those with an open mind and have the experience of "being there" this is a valuable book. For others it will give you the mindset and mental skills to hopefully come out on top. The author makes no pretentions or promises. He simply offers his perception of the world and offers a piece of the pie to help make the work a bit less chaotic.

Thanks for such a wonderful book Sgt. Rory Miller!!!!!

As a 30 year veteran of three different styles of martial arts I wish this book had been written when I embarked on the journey towards my first black belt. This book is so thought out and calls BS on a lot of the conventional teachings out there that could get your killed out on the street.
When I thought back to the fights I've had (or muggings I managed to evade back when I was a kid in New York) everything that Sgt. Rory Miller talks about is spot on from the four basic truths of violent assault to what occurs to your body (and fighting skill) when the adrenaline hits your body, and much, much more.
If you're serious about self defense and your martial arts then you must own this book!

I just finished Rory Miller's book "Meditations on Violence" and found to my surprise that this book was excellent. Many of the "real world" martial arts books are not well written, not well researched, and are just plain not good books, so my expectations going into this book were not high, but this book delivers. It should be required reading for the serious martial artist. I found "Meditations on Violence" interesting and well written from start to finish. This book contains information that everyone should know, whether you are a martial artist or an ordinary person going about your business.

I highly recommend Meditations on Violence to all martial artists and to anyone concerned with their own safety in a world which is getting more and more dangerous. Many of the points which Sgt. Miller makes in his book could save your life. I cannot think of much that this book leaves out as far as dealing with physical violence goes. Highly recommended! 5 Stars!!

Having completed my second full read of Meditations on Violence, I am amazed at the depth and breadth of information provided herein. In gritty detail, the author breaks down violence into manageable chunks. Most of us will never see the same kind of combat with which Sgt. Miller deals on a regular basis, but here he provides us a look into that world, and the lessons we can learn from it. The name of the book is a slight misnomer... as Sgt. Miller points out early on, violence is huge subject. This book would be more accurately titled 'Meditations on Criminal Violence'. Nonetheless, given that criminal violence is the type most of us are likely to experience, the misnomer can be forgiven easily.

Both the martial arts practitioner and the person who has never set foot on the mat will be well served by reading this book. I have asked my wife to read through it now, as the sections on the 'predator' mindset and the patterns of 'prey' are so enlightening, I feel they should be required reading in high school health classes. As a father of 2 daughters, and as a husband, I am grateful to Sgt. Miller for laying out these patterns for me to see and help my loved ones avoid.

The work is solid from beginning to end, though there are some more philisophical leanings in the last few pages which seem a tad out of place for a book so grounded in reality. Nevertheless, they don't interfere with the overall outstanding quality of the work. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand the nature of criminal violence, whether for professional reasons, or personal ones.

(This review based on a retail copy of the book provided by the publisher.)

This book is very informative and easy to use. Best Taekwondo book I've read so far. A+

I have purchased many books from Amazon and have never left a review. I feel compelled to write on this textbook because it is an extraordinarily well written and has fleshed out in my mind the history, principles and practice of taekwondo.

All of the important fundamentals are here, with concisely rendered figures of the stances, strikes, blocks, kicks, footwork etc. What is most helpful to my children especially the poomse sections. All of the taegeuk forms are here with explanations and review sections with schematic figures of the patterns. This book is essential for any age taekwondo practitioner.

I was looking for a book that has all the forms with pictures. I also wanted an explanation of the kicks, stances and so forth so that I could practice at home in between my TKD classes.

This book contained all this and much more. Extremely comprehensive reference book if you are serious about TKD. I am 100% satisfied with this excellent book!

I also recommend "Ultimate Flexibility" by Kim if you want to learn the proper way to stretch and extend the range of your kicks. Ki-Yup!!

Being a 4th Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do, I tend to really dissect books on the subject and more than likely also tend to be more critical of the subject matter than perhaps I ought to. However, in this particular case, I feel that my very critical outlook on this book is actually a good thing, as this book far surpassed my expectations as an overall reference guide to Tae Kwon Do.

I was very impressed with the wealth of general information that was provided by the authors in this book. It was very well thought out and the organization of the material presented was exceptional. This book was so well done, that I even decided to hang onto it and keep it in my own personal library of martial arts book. It is that good!

The basic layout of the books starts with a brief but very informative look at the history and philosophy of Tae Kwon Do from ancient times to the more modern era. This is quickly followed up by a section on warming up and stretching, which brings up the one item that is usually a detractor when not used, but in this case it has been minimized by the use of well drawn human figures, and that is the lack of photographs in this book. Now I don't mean to say that there aren't enough photographs, I mean that there aren't any photographs at all in this book. Now under normal circumstances this would have been a HUGE detractor, but in this case it ends up being only a minor annoyance. At least that is how I looked at it.

The author's chose instead to provide some very well done drawings of a human figure to demonstrate the various techniques explained in this book. And though I still believe that photographs would have been helpful, the drawings themselves were done well enough that I considered them, for the most part, to be an acceptable substitute.

The next few sections cover some basic techniques in Tae Kwon Do such as; stances, footwork, blocks, strikes, and kicks. Of which, the following kicks were demonstrated:

Front Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 6)
Axe Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 3)
Crescent Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 4)
Reverse Crescent Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 5)
Roundhouse Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 9)
Side Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 10)
Back Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 1)
Hook Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 7)

Now I must add a particular note here that all of these techniques came with very good explanations to their proper execution and in some cases applications against an actual opponent. A lot of good relevant information was included in this section, as well as, the rest of the book.

The second to the last section of this book was very well done concerning the use of Tae Kwon Do techniques in a sparring type situation. Although I might add that some of it is also relevant to use in a self-defense type situation with just a bit of modification.

The final section in this book is devoted to the eight basic Taegeuk poomse or forms that are required for advancement through the gup ranks and also for the rank of black belt. Now I must admit that I am not a fan of the Taegeuk forms, but they are demonstrated rather well in this book and if you are looking for good reference material to refer to, then this section will definitely be of interest to you.

Overall this is really an outstanding book and one that I highly recommend.

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

I've found this a really good book. It covers basic techniques and stepping in enough detail to be really useful, then moves on the descibe the forms in three different ways - a text description with notes on specific moves, a description using drawings, and a quick summary of the moves involved. And it includes information on sparring. I own three or four other books dedicated to different aspects of Taekwondo, but this is the one I use 90% of the time.

The only problem I had was with a couple of pages becoming detached, but this was probably from me having it open in my hand while I practiced!

I would recommend this book to any serious martial artist, regardless of their style. I have read plenty of books that discuss interpreting kata moves, and at first glance this would appear to be "just another kata book." However, this book goes a step further and discusses determining the strategy of a particular style, and concentrating on finding kata interpretations that fit that strategy.

The only reason I did not give it a 5-star rating comes from some of the "optimized" versions of kata interpretations contained in one of the later chapters of the book. Most of them are quite good, but I was disappointed to see a "2-hand press block" being used to deflect an incoming punch. As one of my old teachers put it, "If you need two hands to block one punch, you're in the wrong fight!"

Perhaps the best book on the martial arts I have read. The authors help remind us that forms are not a dance, they are deadly techniques in a transmittable form. The book helps you achieve the right mindset for analyzing kata of any style (though the authors are based in Goju-Ryu) to uncover the practical, dangerous moves that have been hidden. A wonderful tool for those looking to develop fighting skill from their chosen art.

Rather than presenting a book worth of random applications or cool looking sequences, the authors go much deeper and present you with a methodology for actually understanding kata application.

I have found this book to be very valuable, i've owned it for something like two years and I still open it up regularly, it is defnitely a book that you will use frequently.

This is a must have for any Martial Artist. Having trained in Martial Arts for 20 years I feal that this book will help any student in any style look more deeply at the style they are studying. This is not a beginners book. This is for people who have trained for 3 or 4 years or Brown belt level and up.

Lawrence Kane lives and trains on a different continent to me, and although his style is much the same as the one that I train in, I would have expected to see differences in small particulars of dojo ettiquette, training conventions, kata interpretations and the like.

In reading his book, I felt that he had been watching our school for years and almost every fine nuance in ethos, discipline, terminology and so many other aspects reflected in his book could have been taken from where I learn.

Kane seems to have retained the traditional aspects of Goju training in a world where professional dojo's easily lose the essence of their roots in order to be more commercially acceptable and/or sport orientated. On almost every page I smiled with a mixture of incredulity (is that a word?) and satisfaction as he managed to both confirm the direction of my teachers, and at the same time, offer so much further insight that has given me material for my class planning and personal growth.

I recommend this book without hesitation.

This is an excellent reference book. It covers all the basic hand/arm and foot/leg techniques. The stop action photos are helpful in showing the complete movement of a technique. The text is written very clearly in easy to understand terms. That's one of the reasons I always recommend this book to my beginning adult (Shotokan)karate students. My students always tell me that they find it very helpful, especially when practicing at home and needing a reference to guide them. This is a "must have" book for any level karate student.

THE book on Shotokan Karate as taught by the Japan Karate Association. Besides having hundreds of pictures and explanations of techniques, it is filled with numerous action pictures of the Masters of The Japan Karate Association from the 1950's and 1960's era.

Simply put, a MUST have for all Shotokan Karate-ka!

Kicking Theory: Nakayama says, "If sufficiently mastered, kicking techniques can have a more powerful effect than attacks with the hands." "To counteract the shock of hitting with a foot strike, place the supporting foot firmly on the ground an fully tighten the ankle of the supporting leg." "Attempt to absorb the shock with ankle, knee, and hip of the supporting leg, and keep the upper body well balanced and perpendicular to the ground." "To achieve maximum effect, kick with the whole body instead of with the leg alone. Pushing the hips forward during the kick helps achieve this goal."

Punch theory: "Notice that the muscles at the front and side of the abdomen are strongly tensed, linking the chest and hipbones firmly together. When the hips are properly set and the body is correcly supportted by the thigh muscle, the standing position is firm and stable. This table foundation enables the power of the hps to flow to the chest, shoulder, and arm. Power can be concetrated only when the hips, chest, shoulders, arms, wrists, and fists are firmly linked, and all necessary muscle function fully."


1. R Punch: Step L 45, L inward block, R step forward into a horse, R chop to kidney, two hand grand to R shoulder, pivot and throw to ground, R knee ribs and R punch to face.
2. R Punch: Step R 45, into a Left cover, L knife block, R chop to neck, L bear claw to face, R upcut to solar plexus.
3. R Punch: From a L Cover, step back into a horse, Pivot to the right and lean to the R, L knife block and grab, pivot L and lean to the L, and R chop to the neck.
4. R punch: Step R 45, R chop to the temple, R knuckle down opponents lead arm, drop down into a low horse, and R hammer to groin.
5. R punch: Step back R cover, L outward block, L punch, and R reverse punch to face.
6. R punch: Step backward into a low R cover, L rise punch to chin deflect opponents R with L forearm during the lunge, R knife hand safety to your left side of head.
7. L punch: R cover, L upward block and grab, R invert knuckle punch behind L ear, and R wheel kick to ribs.
8. R punch: R cover, step L 45, R upward block and grab, R wheel kick to solar plexus.
9. L punch: R cover, R upward block, R downward backknuckle to face, R snap kick away.
10. L punch: L cover, R inward block, grab and pull, R side kick to the ribs
11. R punch: R cover, Step L 45, L inward block and R vertical finger to solar plexus or armpit.
12. R punch: R cover, upward X block, R grab, L chop to the throat
13. R punch: R cover, upward X block, L grab and pull down, R step in, R chop to the throat

I began in 1957. I obtained my first copy of Dynamic Karate in 1966. After almost 50 years of practicing karate I have not found a better book. The book explains and illustrates proper form, proper techniques, proper stances and proper torque to achive maximum impact. All Karateka should read it. It is a must for instructors. I am no great fan of Shoto-kan. However,the application of the basics is universal and timeless. This book will help any karate student attain proper form... and form is power...regardless of the type of karate studied. This is important in an age were there are so many bogus teachers that have no concept of form, body dynamics and real fighting. You'll stop falling on your front kick after you read it!

In a skillful conceived layout, Masatoshi Nakayama's book, Dynamic Karate lacks nothing in providing teachers and students with the smallest of details needed to master Karate.

The author's credentials for presenting the basics for a wide variety of Karate techniques include being a student of master Funakoshi Gichin who took the foundations of "Chinese Hand Techniques" and built Karate-do (empty hand ways), which is the style presented in this book.

The first part of this enlightening book, which deals with the fundamentals in great detail, devotes considerable text and images to assure the reader understands the importance of stance and balance. The section on using the hands and feet as weapons, which shows alternate techniques as well as the currently preferred technique, is clearly written and diagramed. The fifty chapter, which is devoted to punching techniques, provides insight on theory and practice. This is followed by a related chapter on the theory and practice of striking techniques. Chapter 7, which is devoted to kicking techniques, includes some fantastic images of kicking dynamics. Placed as almost an after thought, Chapter 8 provides great text and images of blocking techniques. In this chapter, considerable effort is made to make the reader aware of the differences between proper and improper form.

In the final part of the book, the reader is treated to the applications of the techniques describe in all the previous chapters. The book ends with chapters on basic training, calisthenics and exercises. Note that there are no chapters on forms; Nakayama presents forms in separate publications.

There are other great books on Karate (Tae Kwon Do by Richard Chun) but there are none better than this. If I could only afford to buy one book on Karate, this would be my choice.

Fred Neff wrote Lessons from the Art of Kempo, a book that is as much about a philosophy of life as it is about a martial art. According to the author, "the ultimate aim of Kempo practitioners is not only to grow in power, but to improve themselves and learn to live in harmony with others." Kempo, as explained by Fred Neff, is a beautiful method of harnessing a person's abilities to be in tune with nature. The author says, "Kempo teaches not only how to efficiently protect yourself, but also how to flexibly combine techniques in a smooth free flowing action that seems almost effortless to the viewer." The book explains Kempo as a form of continuous energy that changes as it flows. The Kempo practitioner's goal is to strive to perform in such a manner as to promote harmony. Implicit within Fred Neff's book is the message that energy can move in a linear manner, at an angle or a circular manner. While Lessons From The Art of Kempo shows linear and angular moves there is a definite underlying emphasis on softer circular movements that do not directly oppose force, but rather redirect it. The Kempo book has clear explanations and photo illustrations that make learning easier and more enjoyable. Consistent with the book's philosophic leanings that emphasize the use of the mind is the chapter on "Effective Kempo Strategy." The lessons on strategic approaches to the use of Kempo are easy to understand, practical and further solidify in the reader's mind potential uses of the fighting moves taught earlier in the book. Fred Neff's Lessons From The Art of Kempo is a thinking person's martial art book that transcends just teaching how to fight to that of a holistic approach to improving oneself through the study and practice of the Art of Kempo. The book's point that a Kempo practitioner should strive toward developing harmony with nature and other people is a positive social concept that appears consistent with the author's own approach. The author Fred Neff has done extensive community work as a teacher and lawyer, which has resulted in his receiving the city of St. Paul Citizen of the Month Award, a Commendation from the Sibley County Attorney's Office, the WCCO Good Neighbor Award, The HLS Justice Award, Lamp of Knowledge Award From The Twin Cities Lawyers Guild and the Presidential Medal of Merit. Fred Neff's Lessons from the Art of Kempo is a gem of a book that I very strongly recommend.

"Kempo is an art of philosophy, physical culture, and self-defense that develops the body, mind, and spirit. It includes meditation, punching, striking, kicking, throwing, and locking techniques. Also included are dodges, blocks, and sticking techniques for tying up an opponent with his or her own arms. Kempo moves are both linear and circular, allowing for a smooth flow of action from soft to hard movement. There is a continuity of action that make it exhilarating to practice, irresistible to watch, and difficult to defend against."

"Ultimate aim of kempo practioners is not only to grow in power, but to improve themselves and learn to live in harmony with others. Kempo teaches not only how to efficiently protect yourself, but also how to flexibly combine techniques in smooth, free-flowing action that seems almost effortless to the viewer."

Kempo principles: 1. Don't worry, instead focus on the solution. The byproduct of relaxation and comfort is the path to finding solutions. 2. You can do whatever you believe is possible. 3. Use your opponent's actions against him or her. Any action creates a weakness or an opening for counterattack. Even an opponent's strength can be manipulate and turn it to your advantage. 4. Concentrate on what you do well 5. Be flexible in your approach. Learn to use techniques that will work in a situation and discard anything that will not. A Kempo practitioner learns to expect the unexpected, and varies the self-defense to fit the situation. 6. Preserve. Fighting is not about show but perseverance to survive and win. 7. Dedicate yourself to continual self-improvement. The quality of your training determines the success of failure. Kempo philosophy teaches that knowledge is endless. Practitioners of kempo never become conceited because they know that kemp is an endless way. 8. Take advantage in adversity. Every crisis has two elements: danger and opportunity. If you do not despair, if you see the opportunity and work hard to overcome the difficulty, you will gain from every experience. You must overcome the feeling of doubt caused from self-seeking validation. A kempo practitioner stands alone in his skills. 9. Try to live in harmony with nature and its ways. Unity of action creates harmony and strength.

Stances: Natural Stance, Back Stance or Cat Stance, Front Stance (R or L Cover), Horse Stance, Reverse Cover

Hand positions: low guard, Mid guard, high guard (preferred)

Foot patterns: slide step (shuffle), step 45 degrees, side step, circle step, cross over (forward and back), and half turn (crescent step).

Blocks: Inward block, Outward block, downward block, upward block, upper and lower block, and fan block (parry and chop or parry and simultaneous backfist)

C1: L knife block, R vertical punch to solar plexus
C2: L knife block, L punch to the bridge of nose
C3: R cover, step forward R punch to groin (opponent left downward block), R backfist to face (R upward block), R grab and pull down trapping opponents L arm over R arm, finish with L punch to face.
C4 : Opponent throws a L and R punch. From a R cover, left outward block, grab, and pull and R outward block the opponents R punch, grab and cross Opponents R over L arm, finish with a L uppercut to the opponents R ribs.
C5: R cover, R rear kick plant back, L and R punch
C6: R cover, L front snap kick, R side kick thrust
C7: R cover, shuffle forward, L backfist, half step CC, R punch, R sweep kick to the legs
C8, R cover, L punch, L backfist, R punch
C9: R cover, L side kick, R round kick
C10: L cover, R backfist, left cross behind towards opponent, step behind, two hand sweep the opponent over the R knee
C11: L cover, L side kick, R round kick, L spinning backkick.
C12: R cover, L front snap kick, spinning R back kick
C13: R cover, L outward block, shuffle, R uppercut, L punch

Basic strategies:
1. Keep calm
2. Use your mind. Fight intelligently. Fight passionately. Feel the power and speed of the technique without thought. Fight with an empty mind. Fight without fighting.
3. Control the situation. Try to maneuver into a place where you can best take advantage of your skills and strengths. Close the gaps and Fight in close and decrease the chances the opponent will kick you from a distance systematically. Do fight for show or flash. Fancy techniques are abandoned as injury and risk increases. Use what works.
4. Watch the opponent's actions. Watch for the signals an attack is coming. Don't be presumptuous about the opponent's abilities or inabilities. Watch for shifts in weight that indicate the opponent is preparing to kick. Take the simple technique for protection, such as an inward block. An inward block by itself can break bones in the forearm. Less is more.
5. Consider range in select a technique. Be care not too seek demonstration of skill but think about why the technique will work and what gates it will open. The flow into the gate should be natural and predictable. Find the obvious opening.
6. Disrupt the opponent balance. The best technique is always to put the opponent on the ground on his back. This is the most vulnerable position to be in for the opponent.
7. Use movement as a defensive weapon.
8. Keep the techniques simple
9. Use the element of surprise.

Kempo is a passion of mine that has not abated in the fourteen years I have been practicing it. In my continuing quest for more knowledge I have tried to learn everything that I could on the subject. After reading numerous books on Kempo and other martial arts books with discussions of Kempo, I find that my favorite martial arts book is "Lessons from the Art of Kempo." This book in a straightforward and useable way lays out REAL Kempo--not what you see in the movies or the useless open hand waving movements that some have tried to pass off as Kempo. Lessons from the Art of Kempo shows you the fundamentals of REAL Kempo and how to apply them. Even after practicing Kempo for years, I still find this book has strong meaning and appeal for me. I enthusiatically recommend this book not only to others with a passion for learning Kempo, but for anyone who wants to learn about the REAL art of Kempo.

I am an avid student of Asian history and martial arts. For the last 12 years I have made a study of Asian fighting strategies such as described in Sun Tzu's masterpiece "Sun Tzu Bingfa" ("The Art of War"), which is the definitive work on strategy and Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of Five Rings." In "Lessons from the Art of Kempo" Neff has done an excellent job making practical use of Asian strategic fighting considerations. Chapter 12 of Neff's book on kempo strategy very favorably impresses me. This chapter includes principles from Sun Tzu, Miyamoto Musashi and others. The net effect of Neff's book kempo is that complex principles of strategy have been condensed into workable and usable ways for people to defend themselves. I applaud this book's easy to read straight forward manner. I highly recommend "Lessons from the Art of Kempo" by Fred Neff to anyone. It earns my most enthusiastic 5 star rating.

Kempo is the "fist way" as shown in Lessons From The Art Of Kempo by Fred Neff. Too many books that claim to be on kempo are nothing more than a collection of flashy movements that are impractical and have no usefulness in a real fight. Lessons From The Art Of Kempo gets down to what you need to know and need to do in order to win a fight. It shows conditioning exercises, how to position your body in a fight, how to hit, where to hit and winning strategies. I like Lessons From The Art Of Kempo because it is reality based and does not waste space on flashy movements that have no value and are a waste of time to anyone serious about self-defense. If you want to learn to fight better and--more importantly--smart, a good first step is to read this outstanding book on kempo written by Fred Neff.

Like the previous volume, Back Kick, this book will really improve your kicking ability. Imagine a whole book devoted to a single technique!! First of all, I like the analogy of this kick to the swing of a golf club. I had never thought of it that way, but it makes perfect sense. The basic description of the kick is filled with various check points at all of the steps of the technique so that you can check to make sure you are performing the kick properly.
As with the first book, my only complaint is that the section on applications has mistakes that the reader is supposed to find rather than showing correct form.
In spite of this one flaw, this book is a keeper!!

I read this book and at first glimpse I thought it was boring. Then one of the references early in the book started to make since. Shawn said that learning to kick is like learning to swing a golf club or something like that. Then it started to click. These books are to be used in conjunction with training. They are your coach and instructor away from class. They will help you to reconstruct your kicking style. You will kick better and perhaps stronger, with correct technique, than you ever have before.
I have only read two of the books in the series but they are both excellent and I hope to get the complete series. I recommend these books to all students and especially to new instructors that may not have all the technical knowledge to teach kicking techniques. I see why they refer to Shawn Kovacich as "the Professor of kicking".

Wheel Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 2) is, like the 1st volume in the series, an incredibly scholarly work.

Though some issues arise for owners of multiple books in the series (namely, a few sections which are nearly direct cut-paste jobs in each manual), nothing is so detrimental as to make it a poor purchase. On the contrary, I believe these to be incredibly important books, as this kind of scholarly approach to a specific technique is very rare, but very useful. Every practitioner could benefit from having a catalogue of this type of work available for each of the techniques in his/her art. Perhaps someday that will be a reality.

The pictures throughout the book are clear, and the diagrams of muscle/bone relationships and how they relate to the kick are very informative and helpful.

Unlike the first volume in the series, I didn't notice nearly as many editing errors in this volume, making it far easier to read.

This series is incredible in the sheer amount of technical detail it imparts, and is truly unique amongst its peers for that reason. I highly recommend Achieving Kicking Excellence to every martial artist who seeks to enrich his/her kicking skills.

(This review based on a final copy of the book provided by the publisher)

The author in writing, "Wheel Kick, Achieving Kicking Excellence", has provided the martial arts practitioner with a good resource for improving their kicking techniques. Much of the opening chapters on Anatomy, and warm ups is repeated from the Authors Back Kick book. I believe this is a good idea, as it allows a person to only purchase the books on the kicking techniques the practitioner is interested and still get this valuable information.
The author starts out with the basic principles of the kick and moves to the basic turning wheel kick. From there, the variations of the wheel kick are described in detail. The author goes on to include training methods, troubleshooting guide and applications of the wheel kick.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their wheel kick and have found the other books in the series to be very helpful in my training as well.

The technical accuracy and detail of this book is phenomenal. In my experience, most training books that detail technique are too vague to be of practical importance, but this book is the exception. Some of the movements are broken down into forty or fifty elements so that you can go right down the line to correct problems in a logical and sequential manner. There are ample progressive photographs, diagrams and illustrations to effectively guide your training and foster great improvement. I can't think of anything that is missing here from discussions of anatomy and biomechanics, all the way through troubleshooting and Q and A. The writing style is concise and quite lucid. If I could have just one training series to help me with my kicking technique, this would be it.

Sifu Starr's book is an experience suitable for any martial art practioner. His vivid descriptions of training, when a youth with W.C.Chen are very special. I await the release of his next writing.

I had the good fortune to train under Sifu Starr for a couple of years in the early 90's before time and circumstance took my life in other directions. From personal experience, I can attest both to his great skill as a martial artist and healer, and to his teaching presence in the dojo. I will always remember him with great fondness and respect, which is odd when you consider that he spent most of my time in his school kicking my butt with old school traditional kung fu training protocols. I think that is what the Zen tradition calls "grandfatherly kindness" - where a lot of martial arts diploma mills just put you through the motions and handed you your black belt, Sifu Starr assumed that you were worth the investing the time and effort to really TRAIN.

This book brings back a lot of memories from that time; it is very much written in Mr. Starr's "voice", and it showcases his wry humor, zest for life and training, and his larger than life personality. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in what really goes into the training of a real martial artist. I also hope that the book brings Sifu Starr some of the recognition and acclaim he deserves after a long, distinguished career.

Pete reminded me that it has been over 38 years we have know each other, and I stand corrected. On the third reading of the book I began to remember myself as one of Pete's students and how he taught us with the nearly same mannerisms of his teacher. I having no experience then in the arts, learned not only the physical rigors of the training but of the philosophical aspects as well. What age has taken from me, the knowledge still remains strong .

Now it has been almost 40 years later and I still can visualize the teachings, both mental, spirtual as well as physical. This book is valuable for the stylist as well as a parent wishing to know how to work with or understand their teenagers. The method and learning is the same nurturing Chen gave to Pete, and Pete sharing it with us.

I gave a copy of it to one of the people I work with and it is a copy in my classroom as well for my more difficult students to read as well.

This was an absolutely wonderful text. It really drives home what the martial arts teach. The stories are thought provoking, entertaining, humorous and motivational. Thanks Sifu Starr!

As a ShoDan-level assistant karate instructor, I'm always looking for good books to help me become a better teacher and practitioner. I've found martial arts-based memoirs to be particularly helpful and encouraging. I recently stumbled across "The Making of A Butterfly," and it was no exception.

Phillip Starr began his martial arts journey in the 1950s. His family moved a lot due to military service, so he studied at a couple of different clubs. In 1961, his parents finally settled into a more permanent living situation in McLean, Virginia. There, the author began looking for yet another dojo (they weren't easy to find back then). He finally found a karate school and resumed his training. However, Mr. Starr was fascinated by kung-fu, and so after more searching he discovered a Chinese Sifu (master) who taught out of his home.

Mr. Starr approached Sifu Chen and respectfully asked for instruction. After some initial rebuffs to test his resolve, he was taken on as Sifu Chen's only Caucasian student. Sifu Chen demanded much from his students, so the training sessions were often physically and mentally challenging. Despite some resentment from the other Asian students, Mr. Starr eventually earned their grudging respect. And more importantly, he became a surrogate son to Sifu Chen and his wife Mei. He often learned as much at their dinner table as he would during a typical class.

Mr. Starr writes well - the book is an easy and informative read. Each chapter encapsulates a principle learned from Sifu Chen, such as chi, discipline, and courtesy. Of course, these lessons were usually learned the hard way. Sifu Chen used many methods to impart both his knowledge and his character to the author. I found the inclusion of Mr. Starr's thought responses toward his teacher (denoted by italics) to be quite fascinating. It was easy to identify with his honest internal expressions of incredulity, or appreciate ah-ha! moments when a lesson hit home.

Unfortunately, Sifu Chen passed away in 1971 from a kidney ailment. But in 1982 Mr. Starr took what he learned from Sifu Chen and created another martial art called Yilichuan (One Principle Boxing), thereby continuing his teacher's legacy. "The Making of A Butterfly" lets us in on Sifu Chen's timeless martial arts principles, and provides insight into a good student's mentality. It's a recommended addition to every martial artist's library.

I'm a snd Dan Black Belt in Tae-Kwan-Do I read this book for several reasons:
1) It has very good informatio about the differnt types of students and how they learn (some by sight, some by sound etc) It was facinating to see what type of student I was and how I could have learned things quicker. That section really has helped me in my teaching.
2) I am looking to try other martial art styles but have been procrastinating for months. MOving from one Martial art to another is actually like starting from scratch again. So this book is really useful in that area. Probably more so for a Student starting out I would say.
3)Nostaglia: Looking back over my training and then reading how to go about it was facinating. If I had read this book 10 years ago I would never have choosen my Dojo or even TKD! At the ned of the book is a section describing all the Martial arts and what they are about.

With the help of this book I choose Kenpo as my next martial art and am just about to do my first belt test.

WC

It is rare indeed to read so many glowing reviews and as of this date, all reviews are five stars. I am adding to that equation. I read the reviews and thought others have said it all better; however, I would like to point our one addition that has been somewhat neglected. The title of the book suggests it is directed towards novices or inquires into karate. This is true, but the authors have written a book that can be applied by seasoned black belts as well.

This book belongs to a brown belt student and he loaned it to me for a couple of days. I was impressed on how the book is about a journey and if one reads beyond the text, these examples, suggestions, and narratives can be used beyond training toward the goal of black belt. After all, many schools promote almost everyone to black belt eventually anyway, creating paper dragons. These authors, Kane and Wilder, provide a service beyond self-help martial arts style, but real examples to follow and techniques to persevere. The book serves to yes, help one attain the goal of black belt, but more importantly, to help individuals becomes good martial artist - for the long haul. After many years of teaching and training, I highly recommend this text.

I read the book very quickly, so the more detailed reviews here on Amazon will provide much needed information in helping one decide to purchase this fine book. I hope I have added something worthwhile to help these authors sell this very well written text.

The Way to Black Belt is very comprehensive but also clearly written. What I found very informative were the sections entitled "Advice for New Students." The appendices and other end-of-book information are helpful as well. This book is a very complete reference and guide especially for current practitioners whose goal is to earn a Black Belt!

excellent- covered things that took me years to learn. Great for students of any level.I recomend it my students.

Let me begin by stating that I have been disappointed in one way or another with nearly every martial arts book I've read over the years: unclear instruction, unworkable techniques, too basic, too advanced, too much reliance upon foreign words and phrases, too much space devoted to katas, and a myriad of similar complaints -- this was not the case with THE WAY TO BLACK BELT by Kane and Wilder.

The front cover says, "A Comprehensive Guide to Rapid, Rock-Solid Results", and the back cover proclaims, "Cut to the very core of what it means to be successful in the martial arts" -- and to my surprise and pleasure this book delivers what has been promised.

There are no kata to be memorized here. No questionable responses to knife attacks. And no need to learn a bizarre vocabulary in order to understand the lessons. Indeed, atypical of most martial art books, very little time is spent addressing things like technique, terminology, or tactics. This book's focus is on training and mindset, which is far more valuable for the beginner to learn.

The authors have each spent a lifetime practicing the martial arts, and the chapters have introductions, excerpts, and commentary by over a dozen highly respected martial art instructors and authors. These folks have learned the hard way what works and what doesn't, and are willing to share these priceless insights with you the reader.

Outstanding advice on important subjects like: overcoming negative thinking, weeding out potential instructors who are not right for you, improving your technique, being a good student, dealing with injuries through common sense and pererverance, training aids, self study, and LOTS more. Best of all, this fine text does not limit itself to any particular style and can be implemented by practitioners of any martial art regardless of their age, ability, or rank.

This book NEEDS TO BE READ by all martial art students, and is quite possibly the BEST MARTIAL ART BOOK available at this time. I highly recommend purchasing this text as a gift for friends whom you know are students of any martial art . . . they will thank you for it, and refer to it for years to come. Destined to be a classic textbook for students of all styles.

This was a fine book. It tells tales from the origins of Okinawan martial arts. It reflects an extremely positive philosophy for karate specifically and martial arts in general. It's well written and entertaining.
Unfortunately, as history, it's quite weak. The almost utter lack of dates & times and something less than a linear chronology just take away from this aspect of the work.
I do recommend it, but be aware that while it tells wonderful and fascinating stories and contains a powerful and compelling point of view, it just is not a good reference book for any sort of history of Okinawan karate.

Kims book provides the reader with some very colorful tales and great historical background on Okinawan karate and its earliest fighters. The book is well written and well sourced. IT's not so deep that you get lost between the pages, although another chapter or two would have been nice. Kim provides some great insights into karate's ethics and philosophys, which many could learn from today. Although first published almost 30 years ago the information is still a reliable source for todays karate-ka.

I enjoy Sensei Kim's wiritngs. This as a matter of fact, was the first book I had ever read by him and to this day I still enjoy reading it again and again from time to time.

This is a great book if you want to hear the tales of the founders of karate. If you are looking to this book however to be a fact based history book then this is not for you.

This book is truly a great insight into the philosophy and ethics of the true karate-ka. Too bad Mr. Kim did not write this book himself. Shame on you Mr. Kim for not following the path of truth and honesty. For taking Eizo Shimabukuro Senei's journal and notes you have dishonered yourself and your family.