Kettlebells and martial arts: the best of both worlds in one book
582189
This is an extremely good book covering both kettlebells and martial arts.  The book is endorsed by kettlebell master Pavel Tsatsouline as well as martial arts legends Dan Inosanto, Chai Sirusute, and Francis Fong.  It covers both basic kettlebell exercises like the snatch and swing, along with variations.  It includes exercise sets for different applicability in martial arts development, e.g. punching, kicking, etc.  If you are in martial arts, kettlebells, or exercise in general, this would be a great purchase.
500027
I could never get myself into a regular workout routine, but kettlebells have changed that all together. The changes in your physical fitness happen so quickly you do not want to stop. I like this DVD set because it gives you a lot of variety. Sarah Lurie keeps you on task but is helpful and not annoying. The workouts are not perfect- at one point she accidently jumps ahead but quickly gets back on track- but it was never anything significant. I am a fan.
2368795
Chris Crudelli has done a beautiful job of capturing the broad spectrum of martial arts from around the world.  The book is over 350 pages long, and many of the lesser-known martial arts are highlighted among with the better known ones.

The material is organized by region:  Inida and South Asia, China and East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Japan and Okinawa, Europe, Africa Middle East and Central Asia, and the Americas.  In addition, there is an extensive index at the back of the book if you are looking for a specific system and are not sure where to find it.

Each of the articles is informative on the origins and emphasis of the subject matter, without being judgmental. There are plenty of photographs as well, drawing the eye to page after page.  These photographs have an artistic sense of lighting and composition, illustrating the practice and training of the martial arts.  Many of these photos capture training and fighting movements in the unique locals and training places without having the look of being artificially staged.

I have now bought three copies of this book - two of the copies were given as gifts to my own teachers, who have shared with me so much. Reading, and paging through this book imparts a great sense of respect for the creativity around the world in seeking high levels of achievement through mastery of own's own self and of tools in one's environment.  It's a great reference to own, as well as a great gift for those who can appreciate the beauty of the martial arts as well as the personal growth and wisdom that can be achieved.
531949
This book is a very valuable resource that any modern martial arts practitioner can appreciate.
4705665
Dumbbell training is just what the name implies. You'll find a multitude of exercises for the entire body, complete with photos and step by step instructions on executing the exercises perfectly and safely. And, if you want it all laid out for you, you'll even get a workout schedule.

You'll learn how to workout for power if that's your goal. Or strength if you're more concerned about that. And you'll learn how to workout with dumbbells in a way that's sport-specific.

Here are the contents:

Introduction

Part I Training With Dumbbells
Chapter 1 Benefits of Training With Dumbbells
Chapter 2 Designing a Program
Chapter 3 Incorporating Dumbbells Into an Existing Program

Part II Exercises
Chapter 4 Upper Body
Chapter 5 Lower Body
Chapter 6 Core
Chapter 7 Total Body

Part III Programming
Chapter 8 Training for Increased Muscle Size
Chapter 9 Training for Increased Power
Chapter 10 Training for Power Sports
Chapter 11 Training for Speed Sports
Chapter 12 Training for Agility and Balance Sports

References
About the Author

The simple instructions are numbered for your convenience. Then the author gives some common errors that many people make in doing each exercise. And there are one or more photos of each exercise being executed.

I think this is perhaps the best book on working out with dumbbells I've read. I'd prefer it if the book was spiral bound so it laid down flat when you're learning an exercise or doing a workout. I'd also like to see an index.

Highly recommended.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson
Health & Fitness Researcher/Reviewer
4854311
This book is detailed, very readable, and can prevent you from getting hurt while using kettlebells, as it explains all the major mistakes most people make while lifting them, and suggestions on how to correct these mistakes.  I thought the book was a little expensive, but it is well worth the money.
Try it, you will like it.
3487891
"Jiu Jitsu Complete", by Kiyose Nakae, is very PRACTICAL; using plenty of turn-around moves -- without clothing-grips or ground-pins -- to deal with possible multiple attackers, maybe not in Gi-uniforms. It has a modest, yet rich, array of "tricks", including striking and grappling, that cover a lot of situations without overdoing it. And the "tricks" are BALANCED; matching the actual attack-situations very well, without being too long or complex, with possible options and combinations shown appropriately. Also the line-drawings and explanations are EXCELLENT; streamlined, concise, and clear. On pages 11 and 12 is a "Classification of Tricks" to precisely organize the variety of "tricks" as presented in an interesting semi-random order in the main text. Finally, there are seven methods of resuscitation to make this "Jiu Jitsu Complete" -- SELF-DEFENSE via a compact and modern Aiki-like blend inspired by Kitoryu Jujutsu and Kodokan Judo. Kitoryu Jujutsu is a major source of Judo, Aikido, and Shorinji Kempo -- and inspires some Kenpo Arts -- especially such as my own via "Jiu Jitsu Complete" +++
2957523
Most technical karate books describe the beginning and ending positions of the various techniques. This book is so much more than a catalog of beginnings and endings. Karate Science fills in the gaps of what a student should feel throughout each technique. While it is a challenging task to describe movement and feeling in a book format, the author cleverly calls on day-to-day activities that everyone can relate to in order to transmit a clear understanding of karate dynamics.

It is important to note that while the title is Karate Science: Dynamic Movement, the concepts have wide application across the general world of martial arts and even to those sports that make use of strong body mechanics.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book makes use of tables, charts and a small amount of basic and easily understood mathematics to tie together the author's ideas.

The book is roughly divided into three sections. 1. Karate techniques are described and illustrated in detail with an emphasis on how they should feel. This is applicable to all martial arts. 2. Here the author describes how the body works. This information is applicable to all sports and to sports medicine. 3. In this section the author pulls it all together, focusing on delivering power to a target using scientific principles. This is especially useful information for karate practitioners.

This book continues in the great traditions of technical karate books like M. Nakayama's "Best Karate" Series, T. Okazaki's "Textbook of Modern Karate", H. Kanazawa's "S.K.I. Kumite Kyohan", and R. Rielly's "Secrets of Shotokan Karate" and takes the next step to systematically tie our karate traditions into the scientific concepts that give them power in the real world.

Don't miss this first edition which is sure to become the future "must-have" addition to the libraries of all serious martial artists.
4710881
Other reviewers here have compared McKee's The Book of Two Guns to Bruce Lee's classic Tao of Jeet Kune Do, and it is an appropriate comparison. Like Bruce Lee's book, too, BOTG chronicle's a warrior's journey to the heart of the most serious game of all. More focused than Lee, though, McKee has created a training manual for armed martial artists, based on his own years of direct experience as student and instructor in some of the best tactical firearms schools in the US. The Book of Two Guns (uniquely hand written and drawn) is a handbook of what works, and no higher compliment can be paid to the book than this: it takes an art that is very complex and daunting, and makes it understandable and accessible.

I have trained at McKee's Shootrite Academy, before and after reading the BOTG, and the book remains my first reference to keep the skills that I acquired there, and to try and learn new ones. When I was working on my own book on historical firearms I used the extensive Shootrite library as a primary source. It is the library of a serious student of gunfighting, just as Shootrite Academy is a serious student's resource for the most effective modern fighting techniques. The Book of Two Guns, which is deceptively simple like all the best martial arts, is the result of a lifetime's apprenticeship to the martial art of the rifle and the pistol.

Hal Herring

Author of:  Famous Firearms of the Old West: From Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers to Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns That Shaped Our History
3093046
Mantak Chia has always been very generous in sharing his learning to a wider audience, and this book is of no exception.  It contains the essential training method of Chinese internal martial art (nei jia quan)for punching, grappling and feet (body) mobility (no high-kick-training).  Its method is biased towards tai-chi with additional focus on building flexible (full body) tendon strength to maintain balance in pulling and pushing situations (in comparison, Wing Chun of Bruce Lee type will have additional focus on scapula opening to facilitate inch-punch).  Needless to say, additional combat practice will be needed for a complete martial art training program.  For the purpose of building good health, the beauty of this system is that it can build full-body strength and flexibility, plus the fact that it will be beneficial to people who are physically weak (because its method is not strenuous yet have powerful benefits).  One additional benefit is that it can help repair damaged tissues caused by previous sport-related, posture-related or age-related injuries.

My review will be incomplete if one common weakness of this practice is not mentioned.  It is that this practice (and tai-chi related practice in general) is weak on training more-or-less perfect alignment.  The best way is to supplement this training with some yoga training (or yogasana, to be precise).

Hitting (self-hitting or with the help of a partner) is part-and-parcel of every martial art practice (especially those with full contact, like boxing).  And hitting-the-meridian (by hand or with aid) is also a common curing practice of Chinese medicine.  Mantak Chia's good contribution here is his recommendation of using mung beans to fill up a cotton sock, excellent for body-building and health-related training.  Needless to say, serious martial art practitioners need to use something more power, as every boxer knows!
4877011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It summarizes many of the areas of physical fitness, differentiating them but yet explaining that they do blend together when executing a technique. For example timing is different than speed, although speed is very important to take advantage of a window of opportunity one's opponent might reveal. Power is different than speed, yet speed is part of the equation that generates power.

I thoroughly enjoyed the exercises described in this book to develop each of these traits, and the thorough explanation of their basis. I learned quite a bit from the nutrition chapter as well.

It isn't a long book, and there certainly is a lot more depth that these topics could be gone into, but this is definitely a ton of information and more than enough to get started with. I will keep this book handy to refer back to often. The English is very good, and the author writes very clearly and concisely.
3091542
Richard Marsden's book is hella fun to read and full of wonderful insights for fans and practitioners of European Martial Arts. Highly recommended.
1798236
Lily Chou is uniquely qualified to give us a guide to yoga specifically for martial arts. Her ten years of experience include cross training in Yongmudo, Taekwondo and over four years in Hatha yoga, coupled with her skills in editing numerous health and fitness books and participation in the UC Martial Arts Program is an exceptional combination for an author.  Lily has divided her book not by the typical yoga poses, but by their application to specific martial arts skills. Thus, we find chapters on grappling and throws with the poses she and her co-author Kathe Rothacher (a yoga practitioner for over 30 years) see as most appropriate. The book is well illustrated with photographs of every position (including martial arts examples) and cross-referenced to other pertinent sections so that the reader may quickly move back and forth from the benefits of yoga to the details of each pose. While hardcore yoga practitioners may find the book too elementary, this is exactly the kind of guide practicing martial artists need to get them motivated to attempt something that is both beneficial and out of our comfort zone.
4532957
Great book for women who love kettlebells or curious to try them out. Lauren explains very well everything you'll need to know about kettlebells.
3458183
Others have done a good job of reviewing this guide to the kettlebells. They can be brutal in developing your strength, cardio, and balance and stability all at the same time. These are not your mother's free weights! The author, Pavel, is self-described as "the evil Russian," but his wry and perceptive humor actually helps me to stay focused and enjoy the end results (after the pain subsides from laughing and lifting at the same time.) Some complained that the price for this book was too high, but now that Amazon is offering it for less than $25.00, you will be glad that you ordered it before your athletic friends and opponents discover kettlebells.
2609772
I'm taking Kettlebell classes, but used this at home to concentrate on form.  The best book out there and refer to often.
3169634
This is an excellent beginners guide to karate.  It outlines a program that for fitness, as well as moves for self-defense.  What I really love about this book is the two handsome brothers that have written the book and the wonderful photographs that demonstrate all of the moves.  There are wonderful shots of Weber Busen (who was a big model in NY in the 80's) and his brother Franz in mid-air with perfect form.  I also think karate wardrobe is original and interesting - as the men are wearing chic pajama bottoms and the woman demonstrating her moves is wearing pieces from the great NYC line that first introduced "athleisure" to ready-to-wear, Devereaux.  This book is a gem for 80's fashion references in addition to being a great workout / self-defense manual.