Name: The Power of Sports
Brand: Michael Serazio
Price: 28.0 USD
Availability: InStock

The Power of Sports

$28.00

A provocative, must-read investigation that both appreciates the importance of—and punctures the hype around—big-time contemporary American athletics

In an increasingly secular, fragmented, and distracted culture, nothing brings Americans together quite like sports. On Sundays in September, more families worship at the altar of the NFL than at any church. This appeal, which cuts across all demographic and ideological lines, makes sports perhaps the last unifying mass ritual of our era, with huge numbers of people all focused on the same thing at the same moment. That timeless, live quality—impervious to DVR, evoking ancient religious rites—makes sports very powerful, and very lucrative. And the media spectacle around them is only getting bigger, brighter, and noisier—from hot take journalism formats to the creeping infestation of advertising to social media celebrity schemes.

More importantly, sports are sold as an oasis of community to a nation deeply divided: They are escapist, apolitical, the only tie that binds. In fact, precisely because they appear allegedly “above politics,” sports are able to smuggle potent messages about inequality, patriotism, labor, and race to massive audiences. And as the wider culture works through shifting gender roles and masculine power, those anxieties are also found in the experiences of female sports journalists, athletes, and fans, and through the coverage of violence by and against male bodies. Sports, rather than being the one thing everyone can agree on, perfectly encapsulate the roiling tensions of modern American life.

Michael Serazio maps and critiques the cultural production of today’s lucrative, ubiquitous sports landscape. Through dozens of in-depth interviews with leaders in sports media and journalism, as well as in the business and marketing of sports, The Power of Sports goes behind the scenes and tells a story of technological disruption, commercial greed, economic disparity, military hawkishness, and ideals of manhood. In the end, despite what our myths of escapism suggest, Serazio holds up a mirror to sports and reveals the lived realities of the nation staring back at us.

Cover image for The Power of Sports, isbn: 9781479873272

Playing America's Game

$14.95

Although largely ignored by historians of both baseball in general and the Negro leagues in particular, Latinos have been a significant presence in organized baseball from the beginning. In this benchmark study on Latinos and professional baseball from the 1880s to the present, Adrian Burgos tells a compelling story of the men who negotiated the color line at every turn—passing as "Spanish" in the major leagues or seeking respect and acceptance in the Negro leagues.

Burgos draws on archival materials from the U.S., Cuba, and Puerto Rico, as well as Spanish- and English-language publications and interviews with Negro league and major league players. He demonstrates how the manipulation of racial distinctions that allowed management to recruit and sign Latino players provided a template for Brooklyn Dodgers’ general manager Branch Rickey when he initiated the dismantling of the color line by signing Jackie Robinson in 1947. Burgos's extensive examination of Latino participation before and after Robinson's debut documents the ways in which inclusion did not signify equality and shows how notions of racialized difference have persisted for darker-skinned Latinos like Orestes ("Minnie") Miñoso, Roberto Clemente, and Sammy Sosa.

Cover image for Playing America's Game, isbn: 9780520940772

King of the Court

$34.95

Bill Russell was not the first African American to play professional basketball, but he was its first black superstar. From the moment he stepped onto the court of the Boston Garden in 1956, Russell began to transform the sport in a fundamental way, making him, more than any of his contemporaries, the Jackie Robinson of basketball. In King of the Court, Aram Goudsouzian provides a vivid and engrossing chronicle of the life and career of this brilliant champion and courageous racial pioneer. Russell’s leaping, wide-ranging defense altered the game’s texture. His teams provided models of racial integration in the 1950s and 1960s, and, in 1966, he became the first black coach of any major professional team sport. Yet, like no athlete before him, Russell challenged the politics of sport. Instead of displaying appreciative deference, he decried racist institutions, embraced his African roots, and challenged the nonviolent tenets of the civil rights movement. This beautifully written book—sophisticated, nuanced, and insightful—reveals a singular individual who expressed the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. while echoing the warnings of Malcolm X.

Cover image for King of the Court, isbn: 9780520945760

Strong Curves

$12.99

This is not your run-of-the-mill fitness book. Developed by world-renowned gluteal expert Bret Contreras, Strong Curves offers an extensive fitness and nutrition guide for women seeking to improve their physique, function, strength, and mobility. Contreras spent the last eighteen years researching and field-testing the best methods for building better butts and shapelier bodies. In Strong Curves, he offers the programs that have proven effective time and time again with his clients, allowing you to develop lean muscle, rounded glutes, and greater confidence. Each page is packed with information decoding the female anatomy, providing a better understanding as to why most fitness programs fail to help women reach their goals. With a comprehensive nutritional guide and over 200 strength exercises, this book gets women off the treadmill and furnishes their drive to achieve strength, power, and sexy curves from head to toe. Although the glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle group in the human body, they often go dormant due to lifestyle choices, leading to a flat, saggy bum. Strong Curves is the cure.

Cover image for Strong Curves, isbn: 9781628602357

Power Speed Endurance

$12.99

Power, Speed, ENDURANCE is a highly effective training system that has catapulted thousands of endurance athletes to the next level. Developed by CrossFit Endurance founder Brian MacKenzie and featuring instruction from some of the world's top endurance and CrossFit coaches, Power, Speed, ENDURANCE unveils techniques, drills, and training strategies that will optimize your performance and overall work capacity while decreasing your susceptibility to injury.Through thousands of step-by-step color photographs and detailed narrative, Power, Speed, ENDURANCE breaks down proper running, cycling, and swimming mechanics like never before. MacKenzie's unique system of building strength, speed, and power is aimed at reaping continual results, without injury. In fact, he devotes an entire chapter to the "broken down" athlete, equipping you with the knowledge to prevent, repair, and treat injuries brought on by poor mechanics and tight overworked muscles. In addition, MacKenzie outlines a straightforward approach to nutrition, hydration, and electrolyte balance that will increase your energy, boost your performance, and accelerate your recovery.Whether you're a self-trained athlete looking to compete in your first endurance event, a seasoned competitor looking to reach your highest potential, or a CrossFit athlete looking to increase stamina, Power, Speed, ENDURANCE will help you reach your goal.In this book, you will learn how to: develop proper running technique using the Pose Method properly fit yourself on a bike improve cycling mechanics on a road, time-trial, and mountain bike swim effortlessly and improve freestyle-stroke mechanics through skill-based drills and exercises accelerate work capacity and minimize fatigue by building muscle, speed, and power incorporate a CrossFit Endurance strength-and-conditioning program into your training routine maximize nutrition, hydration, and electrolyte balance to improve performance and body composition prevent, repair, and treat nagging injuries associated with endurance sports and improve range of motion using Starrett's Movement and Mobility Method

Cover image for Power Speed Endurance, isbn: 9781628602272

The Voice of Reason: A VIP Pass to Enlightenment

$12.99

The book that you are considering buying is nothing short of a VIP Pass to Enlightenment, written by the UFC’s most infamous and feared destroyer of men—Chael P. Sonnen. Backwoodsmen and unlearned folk call him the Walking Thesaurus. His contemporaries have bestowed upon him the title Sir Sonnen. And those dwelling in the forgotten, forlorn jungles south of the equator reverently refer to him as filho da puta, a term Sonnen personally deciphered using his mastery of linguistics. It means, simply, “the Great and Humble Bearer of Knowledge.” In the coming pages, Sonnen's commentary and tales of heroic adventure will initiate you into the world of superhuman greatness. Allow him to carry you like a frail damsel through the world of professional mixed martial arts as he cuts weight, deals with moronic cornermen, expresses his disdain for focus mitts and punching in general, gets his face rearranged, and finds support and encouragement from fans. Permit him to cleanse your mind′s palate and teach you the truth about history, politics, endangered species, cinema, terrorists, music, particle accelerators, and his plans for creating a Chaelocracy, which translates as “a Better Earth.” Shower him with praise as he takes you into his manly mitts like a lump of clay and reshapes you in his own likeness. Like all men of myth and legend, Sonnen strives for the betterment of the human race. Prometheus brought us fire; Dana White brought us the modern-day gladiator; and Chael P. Sonnen now brings us the step-by-step guide to being a great human being and patriot. Purchase this book; learn how the world really works from the perspective of a man who has been face-to-face with presidents, wardens, dignitaries, judges, kings and queens, and athletic commissions; and find out if you have what it takes to awaken from your progressive nightmare. There is no better day to stop being you and start trying to be Chael P. Sonnen. The time has come for The Voice of Reason.

Cover image for Voice Of Reason A V.I.P. Pass To Enlightenment, isbn: 9781628602982

The Muscle Ladder

$19.99

International Bestseller! The Only Guide You Will Ever Need to Build the Ultimate Physique! The Muscle Ladder: Get Jacked Using Science is the best all-in-one science-based guide for building a strong and muscular physique. Jeff Nippard, professional natural bodybuilder and coach, has developed a clear blueprint for anyone at any level to achieve their fitness goals. Having architected tens of thousands of programs for athletes and gym-goers, Jeff possesses a mastery of the scientific mechanisms that will help you unlock your hypertrophic potential. Jeff’s 12 ladder-style fundamentals are specifically designed so that you can work your way up confidently and quickly! Using a “rail” and “rung” format to define each fundamental, his model explains where to start, how to follow through, and how to apply each principle to your unique lifting goals. The Muscle Ladder is a cut above the rest, explaining not only the how but also the why behind each fundamental. In addition to accessible-yet-comprehensive explanations, The Muscle Ladder provides sample training programs, a full section on techniques with corresponding visuals, along with a bonus chapter on nutrition and supplementation. The Muscle Ladder includes · 20 programs for all experience levels, from beginner to advanced · Time-saving programs for those looking for quick and effective workouts · Flexible workouts that can help you reach your goals in 2 days per week or up to 6 days per week based upon your schedule · A chapter on nutrition, supplements, and cardio that gives you everything you need to achieve your goal physique · Detailed photo demonstrations for more than 80 fundamental exercises · Simple and practical explanations of science-based training principles After reading The Muscle Ladder, you will · Become your own fitness expert with Jeff’s easy-to-follow explanations of the science behind achieving gains. · Discover what works best for you as Jeff guides you in prioritizing and customizing these principles to match your specific fitness goals. · Build muscle and strength quickly and effectively! · Master your diet with Jeff’s insights on nutrition, enabling you to create a flexible diet plan that enhances your workout results. · Eliminate mistakes by learning how to identify and correct common errors, ensuring steady progress without setbacks. · Access 20 complete training programs designed for various goals, experience levels, and schedules.

Cover image for The Muscle Ladder, isbn: 9781628604870

The Whiteboard Daily Book of Cues

$19.99

There is no such thing as a “golden cue” that works for everyone 100% of the time. Therefore, the more cues a coach has in their toolbox, the more likely they will be able to effectively communicate with their athletes. Coaches use cues—short, easy-to-remember phrases—to help athletes perform movements correctly as well as to convey useful sports psychology perspectives. Athletes commonly hear movement cues like “Crush the Can” and “Grip the Ground” along with motivational cues like “Consistency is King.” A passionate coach, lifelong athlete, and advanced degree holder in kinesiology, Karl Eagleman, creator of the popular Whiteboard Daily Instagram, has put together a valuable resource for coaches, athletes, and anyone who wants to improve their own movement. The Whiteboard Daily Book of Cues contains a comprehensive collection of illustrations drawn on a whiteboard—a medium that virtually all coaches are familiar with. It boasts the largest list of cues ever compiled, covering Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, kettlebell exercises, and monostructural movements (running, rowing, jumping rope, etc.). Each illustration is hand drawn in a simple, stylized way to make the cues easy to retain and to utilize during training. No two athletes are the same; we all learn in our own unique ways. By providing hundreds of cues, this book will help coaches and athletes learn a new way to understand movement for themselves and/or to communicate safe, effective movement to others.

Cover image for Whiteboard Daily Book of Cues, isbn: 9781628601466

Glute Lab

$29.99

WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER IMPROVE YOUR PHYSIQUE, BUILD LEAN MUSCLE, AND INCREASE STRENGTH For more than twenty years, Bret “the Glute Guy” Contreras has been on a quest to improve human performance, focusing his research on the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the human body. What started as an effort to improve his own weak, flat backside quickly evolved when he discovered the wide range of functional movements to which the glutes contribute. Properly trained glutes not only help you lift heavier, jump higher, sprint faster, and swing harder but also help prevent knee, hip, and lower back pain and injuries. Bret went on to earn a doctorate in sports science and is now known as one of the world’s foremost experts on strength and physique training. After helping thousands of people reach their strength goals and achieve their ideal physique in his world-renowned training facilities, Bret brings you Glute Lab, which pulls his field-tested and scientifically proven methods and techniques together into an all-in-one glute training system that will help you develop leaner, rounder, stronger, higher-performing glutes. This all-encompassing guide explains why glute training is important for health and performance, how the glutes function, what critical role they play in the body, and how to design the optimal training program to accomplish your aesthetic and performance goals. This book offers thirty-six weeks of programming and several training templates for those who want to dive right in, breaking down each technique with step-by-step photos and descriptions. Bret also reveals the most common faults people make when performing these movements and offers hundreds of tips for getting the most out of every training session. You can implement his system in your local gym or even in the comfort of your own home. Glute Lab is more than just a book on glute training. These principles and methods can help you maximize muscle growth and strength, improve body composition, overcome training and physique plateaus, train around injuries and discomfort, determine ideal training frequency and exercise selection, design periodized programs, and so much more. In short, this book gives you the tools to make strength and physique gains and design balanced programs that cater to a wide range of goals and work for your entire body. Whether you’re a regular person looking to improve your appearance, an athlete looking to boost your performance, a physique competitor or bodybuilder looking for an edge over the competition, a powerlifter looking to increase your strength, a CrossFitter inspired to gain knowledge, a personal trainer interested in offering your clients cutting-edge training techniques, or a physical therapist looking to improve your clients’ health, Glute Lab will equip you with the information you need. In this book you will learn: • The fundamentals of optimal glute training • The anatomy and function of the glutes • How to select exercises based on your physique and training goals • How to perform the most effective exercises for sculpting rounder, stronger glutes • Variations of the hip thrust, deadlift, and squat exercises • Sample training templates and splits that cater to different training goals and preferences • How to implement advanced methods into your training routine • Diet strategies to reach weight loss and body composition goals • Sample glute burnouts and templates • Twelve-week beginner, intermediate, and advanced full-body training programs with a glute emphasis • How to design your own customized training programs • How to overcome plateaus in training, strength, and physique

Cover image for Glute Lab, isbn: 9781628601848

Rebuilding Milo

$29.99

Every athlete who spends time in the weight room eventually deals with pain/injury that leaves them frustrated and unable to reach their highest potential. Every athlete ought to have the ability to take the first steps at addressing these minor injuries. They shouldn’t have to wait weeks for a doctor’s appointment, only to be prescribed pain medications and told to “take two weeks off lifting” or, even worse, to “stop lifting so heavy.” Dr. Aaron Horschig knows your pain and frustration. He’s been there. For over a decade, Dr. Horschig has been a competitive weightlifter, and he understands how discouraging it is to tweak your back three weeks out from a huge weightlifting competition, to have knee pain limit your ability to squat heavy for weeks, and to suffer from chronic shoulder issues that keep you from reaching your goals. Rebuilding Milo is the culmination of Dr. Horschig’s life’s work as a sports physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and Olympic weightlifting coach. It contains all of the knowledge he has amassed over the past decade while helping some of the best athletes in the world. Now he wants to share that knowledge with you. This book, designed by a strength athlete for anyone who spends time in the weight room, is the solution to your struggles with injury and pain. It walks you through simple tests and screens to uncover the movement problem at the root of your pain. After discovering the cause of your injury, you’ll be able to create an individualized rehab program as laid out in this book. Finally, you’ll be on the right path to eliminate your pain and return to the activities you love.

Cover image for Rebuilding Milo, isbn: 9781628602302

Becoming a Supple Leopard, 2nd Edition

$29.99

Improve your athletic performance, extend your athletic career, treat stiffness and achy joints, and prevent and rehabilitate injuries—all without having to seek out a coach, doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist, or massage therapist. In Becoming a Supple Leopard, Dr. Kelly Starrett—founder of MobilityWOD —shares his revolutionary approach to mobility and maintenance of the human body and teaches you how to hack your own movement, allowing you to live a healthier, more fulfilling life. This new edition of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller has been thoroughly revised to make it even easier to put to use. Want to truly understand the principles that guide human movement? Becoming a Supple Leopard lays out a blueprint for moving safely and effectively through life and sport. Want to learn how to apply those principles to specific movements, whether you are doing squats in the gym or picking up a bag of groceries? Hundreds of step-by-step photos show you not only how to perform a host of exercise movements, such the squat, deadlift, pushup, kettlebell swing, clean, snatch, and muscle-up, but also how to correct the common faults associated with those movements. Frustrated because you can’t perform a certain movement correctly due to range of motion restrictions? Breaking the body down into 14 distinct areas, Starrett demonstrates hundreds of mobilization techniques that will help you resolve restrictions and reclaim your mobility. Unsure how to put it all together into a program that addresses your individual needs? This updated edition lays out dozens of prescriptions that allow you to hone in on a specific limitation, a nagging injury, or an exercise fault that you just can’t seem to get right. It even offers a 14-day full-body mobility overhaul. Performance is what drives us as human beings, but dysfunctional movement patterns can bring the human body to an abrupt halt. Often, the factors that impede performance are invisible even to seasoned athletes and coaches. Becoming a Supple Leopard makes the invisible visible. Whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply someone wanting to live healthy and free from physical restrictions, this one-of-a-kind training manual will teach you how to harness your athletic potential and maintain your body. Learn how to perform basic maintenance on your body, unlock your athletic potential, live pain-free...and become a Supple Leopard. This step-by-step guide to movement and mobility will show you how to: • Move safely and efficiently in all situations • Organize your spine and joints in optimal, stable positions • Restore normal function to your joints and tissues • Accelerate recovery after training sessions and competition • Properly perform strength and conditioning movements like the squat, bench press, pushup, deadlift, clean, and snatch • Build efficient, transferable movement patterns and skill progressions from simple to more advanced exercises • Identify, diagnose, and correct inefficient movement patterns • Treat and resolve common symptoms like low back pain, carpal tunnel, shoulder pain, and tennis elbow • Prevent and rehabilitate common athletic injuries Use mobilization techniques to address short and stiff muscles, soft tissue and joint capsule restriction, motor control problems, and joint range of motion limitations • Create personalized mobility prescriptions to improve movement efficiency

Cover image for Becoming a Supple Leopard, 2nd Edition, isbn: 9781628601602

Kettlebell Rx

$12.99

In Kettlebell Rx, CrossFit certification instructor and world-renowned kettlebell coach Jeff Martone teaches you how to toughen-up your body, develop unbelievable conditioning and stamina, and acquire a chiseled physique by wielding the ball of iron known as the kettlebell. Drawing on his world-wide research and the thousands of classes he has taught to athletes around the world, he breaks down kettlebell training like never before. He offers hundreds of movements, both beginning and advanced, shows dozens of the most common errors students make while training, and offers numerous workouts for athletes of all varieties. With more than 4,000 step-by-step photographs, descriptive narrative, and detailed programming, Kettlebell Rx is the only complete kettlebell book on the market.

Cover image for Kettlebell Rx, isbn: 9781628600964

Free+Style

$12.99

After over 15 years of training as an elite gymnast and over a decade of coaching, Coach Carl Paoli offers a fresh philosophy on training by connecting movement styles to fit your specific purpose, while also giving you a simple framework for mastering the basics of any human movement. Free + Style: Maximize Your Sport and Life Performance with Four Basic Movements is an interactive way to learn how the body is designed to move through space and how to interact with our constantly changing surroundings. Using this framework and four basic movements, Paoli will help you maximize your efforts in sport and life, regardless of specialty. Despite Carl's experience as an elite gymnast and a renowned CrossFit coach, this is not a book about gymnastics, CrossFit, or any specific fitness program. Rather, it is a unique take on how Carl studies and teaches human movement and how you can better understand how to move yourself. Carl is not going to teach you the specifics of a movement or sport; instead, he gives you a template that you can use to develop any specific movement. For example, instead of teaching you how to throw a baseball, this book teaches you a universal foundation that will help you further develop your pitching skills. Human movement is intuitive, but not always perfect. This book shows you how to: • Turn on and trust your intuition about movement • Use tools that help optimize imperfect movement • Tap into the universal movement patterns and progressions underlying all disciplines • Use Carl Paoli's movement framework to create roadmaps for your physical success • Learn what being strong really means Free + Style is a practical manual to develop human movement regardless of your discipline. It is equally applicable to veteran athletes, weekend warriors, fitness enthusiasts, people trying to pick up a new sport, and people who are simply curious about improving their health. By developing your awareness and learning to see across other disciplines, you can tailor any training regimen to meet your unique goals.

Cover image for Free+Style, isbn: 9781628601817

Unplugged

$12.99

In the first quarter of 2016, Americans bought 19.7 million fitness wearables, an increase of 67 percent over the previous year. By 2020, the global market for fitness-focused apps and devices is expected to grow to $30 billion. This means that more than ever, we’re looking at our wrists not only to check the time but also to see how much we’ve moved, monitor our heart rate, and see how we’re stacking up against yesterday’s tallies. As a result of our fitness tech addiction, we’ve lost awareness of what we’re doing, how we’re feeling, and what’s going on around us. This is bad enough in the gym, but when we get outside, the constant checking of a tiny screen truly wreaks havoc, downgrading what should be a rich experience into yet another task we need to complete to meet our daily goals. And if we fall short, we feel inadequate. There’s also the issue of data inaccuracy, with many device makers now admitting that their gadgets provide only estimates. So why do we continue to obsess over data and treat it as gospel truth? It’s time to stop, take a breath, and hit the reset button in a big way. Unplugged provides a blueprint for using technology to meet your health and performance goals in a much smarter way, while reconnecting to your instincts and the natural world. In addition to sharing the performance expertise of Brian Mackenzie and the scientific insight of Dr. Andy Galpin, Unplugged features exclusive stories and advice from elite athletes and world-renowned experts like Laird Hamilton, Tim Ferriss, Kai Lenny, Kelly Starrett, Steven Kotler, Erin Cafaro, Lenny Wiersma, Dr. Frank Merritt, and Brandon Rager. Reading Unplugged will enable you to • Understand both the value and the limitations of technology in athletic performance, fitness, health, and lifestyle situations • Know how and when to utilize physical activity technologies in your everyday life—and when not to • Avoid the common mistakes that most people make with wearables and tracking apps • Understand which technologies and tests are most effective and which are a waste of money • End your addiction to fitness technology and start utilizing it as a tool for cueing, learning, and sensing instead of as a taskmaster that stresses you out • Improve self-awareness and increase self-reliance • Re-engage with nature by spending less time indoors and more time outside • Rediscover the value of coaches’ expertise, curation, and intuition, which technology can’t replace • Take back control of your health, fitness, and performance with the Unplugged training protocol

Cover image for Unplugged, isbn: 9781628602760

Jiu-Jitsu University

$12.99

Saulo Ribeiro—six-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion—is world-renowned for his functional Jiu-Jitsu knowledge and flawless technique. In Jiu-Jitsu University, Ribeiro shares with the public for the first time his revolutionary system of grappling, mapping out more than 200 techniques that carry you from white to black belt. Illuminating common Jiu-Jitsu errors and then illustrating practical remedies, this book is a must for all who train in Jiu-Jitsu. Not your run-of-the-mill technique book, Jiu-Jitsu University is a detailed training manual that will ultimately change the way Jiu-Jitsu is taught around the globe.

Cover image for Jiu-Jitsu University, isbn: 9781628601923

The Mystery of Golf

$0.99

First on the list of the Wall Street Journal's "10 Books that Every Golfer Needs," The Mystery of Golf, is a seminal text for golfers and non-golfers alike. Haultain's focus on expected outcome verses earned results not only showcases the physical and psychological difficulties of golf but also makes his method eminently applicable to anyone who desires to excel at any skill that requires dedicated practice.

Haultain centers his musings on the frailty of the human body when presented with the stress of physical and mental exertion. In a sport like golf, which Haultain describes as pitting, "yourself against the world,” body and mind become the athlete's premier competitor and are often at odds with one another. Haultain delves deep into this disconnect, leading the reader along the balancing act between assumed potential and real achievement that is central to every world-class golfer's psychology. He does not, however, get lost in the particulars, frequently explaining how his lessons from the golf course can be applied to daily life. In that way, Haultain's essays have become an evergreen source of inspiration and knowledge for golfers and anyone else who wishes to master their mindset and learn new skills.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Cover image for The Mystery of Golf, isbn: 9798888975565

Born To Sprint

$9.99

Unlock the Athlete Within—Reclaim Your Power to Move, Heal, and Sprint at Any Age

Born to Sprint is the guide to reclaiming natural athleticism through Problem Based Movement. Inside you’ll learn how this new model flips the entire approach to fitness upside down. Working through this step-by-step process, you’ll progress from wiggling your toes to sprinting without fear. More than just getting in shape, this revolutionary book and program will teach you how to master your body. Athleticism is a skill you can learn at any age… Born to Sprint will show you how.

Inside, you will learn to: 

Overcome the limiting beliefs keeping you stuck and stiff. 
Experience a better story about your how your anatomy works. 
Learn all the pieces of your body with over 100 drills and mobilizations. 
Connect these pieces by feeling the major tissue chains that tie it all together. 
Develop natural athleticism through the new Problem Based Movement system. 
Understand your pain and fix your nagging injuries with real, comprehensive solutions. 
Transform your body with a simple program that trains strength, skill, stability, and sprinting.

This book will take you on a journey in seven powerful chapters. After this you will look and feel like a new you... An athletic you. This practical, inspiring roadmap will help you move better, feel stronger, and reclaim your human abilities. Born To Sprint is your path back to sprinting… And so much more!

Cover image for Born To Sprint, isbn: 9781628606249

Duncan Park

$9.99

Duncan Park: Stories of a Classic American Ballpark recounts the history of one of our oldest wooden grandstand stadiums. Built in 1926, Duncan Park stadium has been home to a semipro Negro Leagues team that had a star left-handed pitcher known throughout the South; a 1966 Spartanburg Phillies team named one of the 100 Best Minor League Baseball Teams; an American Legion Little World Series Champion; high school, college, and wooden bat-league summer teams; and legendary promotions and special events. Players and their families, coaches, sabermetricians, and all fans of America’s pastime will find in these pages a rich storehouse of our cultural heritage.

Cover image for Duncan Park, isbn: 9798885740227

Gather at the River

$9.99

Contributors include New York Times Bestselling Authors Ace Atkins, Ron Rash, Jill McCorkle, Leigh Ann Henion, Eric Rickstad, M.O. Walsh, and #1 Bestseller C.J. Box. The Cherokee have a ceremony of going to water. Once a month on a night governed by the moon, they go to the river in an act of renewal and reverie. Much like baptism, it is the belief that there is a healing power to water, a sentiment shared by every soul that’s ever stood waist-deep in a river watching trout rise. Gather At The River isn’t a collection of big fish stories. This is PEN/Faulkner Finalist Ron Rash writing about a 50-year-old fly reel. It’s #1 New York Times Bestselling Author CJ Box explaining where he wants his ashes spread when he dies. This is an anthology about friendship, family, love and loss, and everything in between, because as Henry David Thoreau wrote, “it is not really the fish they are after.”

Cover image for Gather at the River, isbn: 9781938235535

Bushido

$12.95

Japanese Bushido has played a major role in shaping modern Japanese society as well as the various modern Japanese martial arts within Japan and internationally.

Bushido: The Classic Portrait of Samurai Martial Culture written by Inazo Nitobe, one of Japan's foremost scholars, thoroughly explores each of these values and explains how they differ from their western counterparts.

First published in 1905 as Bushido: The Soul of Japan, this samurai guide reveals the very essence of samurai warriors and Japanese culture and represents one of the most popular and authentic depictions of Japanese samurai philosophy.

Chapters include:

Bushido as an Ethical System
Sources of Bushido
Honor
The Education and Training of a Samurai
Self-Control
The Influence of Bushido
The Future of Bushido

Cover image for Bushido, isbn: 9781462900701

Wing Chun Kung-Fu

$19.95

The essential guide to Wing Chun Kung-Fu—basic forms and principles, fighting and grappling, advanced techniques and weapons.

Featuring over 300 black and white photos and step-by-step illustrations, Wing Chun Kung-Fu: A Complete Guide offers clear, straightforward, and authoritative instruction to the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun Kung-Fu. This Wing Chun book introduces and demonstrates the three empty-hand wing chun kung fu forms, the combative building blocks of the system, including sticky-hand and sticky-leg fighting, chin-na, and the theory of vital strikes to the weak points of human anatomy (dar mak). This Wing Chun guide also introduces the wooden dummy form, the six-and-a-half pole form, and the use of butterfly knives.

In addition, this kung fu book provides detailed commentary on the theory behind each move so that you can develop an in-depth understanding of both the practical application of this fighting art and the meaning behind it. Other sections include specialized fighting and grappling techniques and instructions on using weapons. An additional section is devoted to conditioning, stretching, power training and weight training exercises that will be of particular benefit for serious students of Wing Chun and practitioners of any martial art.

Cover image for Wing Chun Kung-Fu, isbn: 9781462902750

Mastering Muay Thai Kick-Boxing

$8.99

Become a champion in the Thai martial arts world with this Muay Thai training guide!

Muay Thai (or Thai boxing), the national sport of Thailand, has become one of the most prominent martial arts forms in the mixed martial arts (MMA) arena. Often called "the art of eight limbs," Muay Thai combines the use of punches, kickboxing, elbows, knees and standing grappling moves.

Mastering Muay Thai Kick-Boxing is an excellent aid to anyone training in Muay Thai or MMA—new students can learn the moves efficiently, while experienced students will refine their techniques. Author and experienced martial artist Joe Harvey presents students with over 200 color photographs and training aids, such as stepping diagrams, tables, training drills, tips, and more!

This Muay Thai book will take your practice of this intense sport to the next level.

Cover image for Mastering Muay Thai Kick-Boxing, isbn: 9781462905645

Aikido Weapons Techniques

$12.95

Master the wooden weapons used in Aikido with this comprehensive martial arts training manual.

Although aikido is often thought of as a nonviolent, noncompetitive martial art, the use of weapons was introduced by the art's founder O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. In fact, aikido techniques that use wooden weapons can enrich all aspects of your practice, helping you to understand both basic and advanced aikido technical tactics as well as conceptual strategies and skills.

Building on the authors' belief that no empty-hand system is complete without weapons training, Aikido Weapons Techniques: The Wooden Sword, Stick, and Knife of Aikido demonstrates weapon use both as a training tool to better illustrate aikido principles, and as a self-defense against weapon attacks, focusing on the three primary weapons used in aikido:

Ken—the wooden sword
Jo—the wooden staff
Tanto—the wooden knife

A complete discussion of each weapon is included, with descriptions of the stances, grips, techniques, forms, defenses, and training appropriate for each.

With over 200 step-by-step photographs and detailed instructions, this aikido book provides an in-depth exploration of weapons use in aikido—from its spiritual implications to technical theory and practical use.

Cover image for Aikido Weapons Techniques, isbn: 9781462907557

Filipino Martial Culture

$23.95

Widely practiced but not always understood, the Filipino martial arts have a rich history and distinctive character that have not fully been documented until now.

Written in the context of Philippine history and culture, Filipino Martial Culture uncovers the esoteric components of the Filipino martial arts and the life histories of the men who perpetuate them. Included are: the history of turbulence and war in the Philippines from prehistoric times to the present day; the culture of the Filipino martial arts, including warrior ethos and worldview, spirituality, folklore, and weaponry; biographical sketches of eighteen Filipino masters and descriptions of their respective fighting styles; and a comparative study of the ethos, ideology, and development of the Filipino martial arts in relation to the considerable martial traditions of India, China, and Japan.

In the course of his research, internationally renowned martial arts master and scholar Mark V. Wiley traveled the globe, interviewing top masters and recording their life histories, thoughts, and anecdotes. In addition, he collected 320 historical photographs and illustrations, including step-by-step sequences of the masters demonstrating the distinctive techniques of their particular martial styles. A classic reference for practitioners and researchers alike, this Filipino martial arts book is as much a definitive anthropological textbook as it is a practical guide to Arnis, Kali, Eskrima, and the other martial arts of the Philippines.

Cover image for Filipino Martial Culture, isbn: 9781462903474

How Not to Get Hit

$9.95

The average person isn't looking to be in a situation where fists are going to fly, but many of us have found ourselves there anyway. At that moment, it's probably too late to do anything about it. But how do we change circumstances, so those situations don't happen?

How Not to Get Hit is a book on personal safety for people who don't want to learn to fight, but do want to learn how to avoid those situations where a fight is likely to develop.

Told in a lighthearted, irreverent style, How Not to Get Hit takes you on a journey through the funny side of violence, its roots in our evolutionary past and where it fits into modern society. Self-defense isn't a series of techniques or moves; it's an attitude, a strategy and a life skill. This martial arts philosophy book will give you an understanding of why people want to use violence and how to manage situations in order to create a better outcome.

Cover image for How Not to Get Hit, isbn: 9781462907656

Way of the Modern Warrior

$12.95

Learn how to apply bushido philosophy and long-standing samurai strategies to your modern-day practice — and lifestyle — in this guide from a former soldier and martial arts expert.

A warrior is anyone who applies their energy and creativity in support of a cause or ideal through creation or conflict. Real warriors have an ethos, a guiding belief that provides him or her with a clear purpose for their actions and an understanding that the battle in which they are engaged will have results that lead to a higher good.

The Way of the Modern Warrior is an explanation of the samurai philosophy, or Bushido, of Japan's fiercest warriors, practiced for over 1,000 years. The author, Hanshi Stephen Kaufman, has been a warrior for 50 years, first as a member of the military, then as an advisor to the military, and finally as one of the world's most distinguished martial arts philosophers. In his years of experience, he has collected the wisdom that comes from lessons learned and lessons taught.

The 55 precepts in his new book are the result of those years of experience, and these samurai strategies will guide the modern day warrior as they devote energy and creativity to their practice. These principles and philosophies, drawn from samurai history, include Kaufman's insights about:

Arrogance
Ease and Grace
Wise Men and Evil
Being Genuine
Shame and the Glory

The Way of the Modern Warrior is an essential handbook for the 21st-century samurai warrior who lives by honor, duty, and service.

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Practical Karate Volume 6

$9.99

lt offers easy-to-learn karate responses in typical self-defense situations. Diligent practice at home will equip one with more than instinct in an emergency situation." Mainichi Shimbun newspaper

Practical Karate: Self-Defense in Special Situations is the final volume of the classic six-volume series by Masatoshi Nakayama and Donn Draeger.

Beginning with tactics for dealing with automobile situations, escalating to tied-hand situations, then switchblade, chain, meat cleaver, and razor attacks, and finishing with tactics for dealing with handgun attacks, the authors cover a wide range of effective responses in situations calling for advanced tactics.

This martial arts manual helps to replace false confidence with an ability to make a quick, realistic appraisal of a dangerous situation and take the correct countermeasures for personal safety.

Cover image for Practical Karate Volume 6, isbn: 9781462905140

Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Techniques

$12.95

Learn devastating mixed martial arts techniques from all over the world with this expert guide.

Superb fighting skills are essential in all sorts of situations and can save your life if you are attacked. Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Techniques is a complete how-to manual for the modern fighter, presenting a detailed overview of all the best MMA fighting techniques and the various situations in which they can be used.

Comprehensive and well laid-out, with hundreds of tips such as grappling your way into a dominant kesa-gatame position to force your adversary's submission or knowing when to fight "dirty" to attack your opponent's vulnerabilities, this manual will give you a leg-up for everything from a no-holds-barred street fight to the regimented rules of fighting in the ring. With over 700 color photos and downloadable instructional video that clearly demonstrate all the right moves, this book gives you the winning edge you need!

Use Western boxing and Muay Thai techniques to move out of harm's way as you deliver a devastating array of attacks
Use Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA techniques to escape holds and move into dominant positions
Use modern streetfighting techniques
Use Filipino knife-fighting techniques
And much more!

Cover image for Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Techniques, isbn: 9781462909865

Bushido: The Samurai Code of Japan

$14.99

**Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Winner**

Bushido: The Samurai Code of Japan is the most influential book ever written on the Japanese "Way of the Warrior." A classic study of Japanese culture, the book outlines the moral code of the Samurai way of living and the virtues every Samurai warrior holds dear. It is widely read today in Japan and around the world.

There are seven core precepts of Bushido:

Rectitude: "The power of deciding upon a certain course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering."
Courage: "Doing what is right."
Benevolence: "Love, magnanimity, affection for others, sympathy and pity."
Civility: "Courtesy and urbanity of manners."
Sincerity: "The end and the beginning of all things."
Honor: "A vivid conscious of personal dignity and worth."
Loyalty: "Homage and fealty to a superior."

Together, these seven values create a system of beliefs unique to Japanese philosophy and culture that is widely followed today. Inazo Nitobe, one of Japan's foremost scholars, thoroughly explores each of these values and explains how they differ from their Western counterparts. Until you understand the philosophy behind the ethics, you will never fully grasp what it meant to be a Samurai—what it meant to have Bushido. In Bushido, Nitobe points out similarities between Western and Japanese history and culture. He argues that "no matter how different any two cultures may appear to be on the surface, they are still created by human beings, and as such have deep similarities." Nitobe believed that connecting Bushido with greater teachings could make an important contribution to all humanity—that the way of the Samurai is not something peculiarly Japanese, but of value to the entire human race.

With an extensive new introduction and notes by Alex Bennett, a respected scholar of Japanese history, culture and martial arts with a firsthand knowledge of the Japanese warrior code, Bushido: The Samurai Code of Japan is an essential guide to the essence of Japanese culture. Bennett's views on this subject are revolutionizing our understanding of Bushido, as expressed in his Japanese bestseller The Bushido the Japanese Don't Know About.

Cover image for Bushido: The Samurai Code of Japan, isbn: 9781462920570

Kendo

$16.95

Master the art of Kendo—Japanese Swordsmanship with this illustrated and comprehensive martial arts guide.

Kendo or the "Way of the Sword" holds a special place within the martial arts as one of the few practices tracing back directly to Japan's ancient samurai heritage. Modern students flock to kendo for physically—and mentally—challenging activity that combines traditional martial arts values with strenuous physical activity.

Author Geoff Salmon has over 40 years of kendo experience gained in and outside of Japan. His goal in this kendo guide is to dispel many misconceptions about the sport and to make kendo training accessible and effective for anyone. His simple, straightforward writing style is especially helpful for beginning students and martial artists from other disciplines who wish to add kendo training to their repertoire.

The core of this kendo book is a series of detailed instructional sequences demonstrating the basic kendo techniques. The author also presents the fundamental principles and philosophy that make kendo as much an exercise of the mind as of the sword. For many adherents, the goal is to train your mind to achieve a state of mushin (no-mind). Beyond that, this book also shows you how to win competitions and integrate kendo into your personal fitness routines.

This is the first book to clearly link the philosophical and mental elements of kendo to the physical techniques, thereby enabling readers to gain a holistic understanding of the martial art. It offers a comprehensive training program similar to those given by leading kendo teachers in Japan, past and present.

Cover image for Kendo, isbn: 9781462911806

Archery for Beginners

$15.99

Archery for Beginners is the complete instructional guide for anyone interested in taking up recreational archery.

With over 150 illustrations and full-color photos, step-by-step instructions, and easy-to-follow directions, Archery for Beginners is the go-to guide for anyone interested in learning archery basics. Be the next to join more than 8 million Americans who enjoy this popular pastime!

Topics included in this book are:

Compound and Recurve bows
Archery equipment and accessories
Training preparation and safety
Advanced shooting methods
Fun archery games
How to make your own bow

This book covers all the essentials for the beginning archer—from basic skills and equipment to effective and safe training methods. There are chapters on both recurve and compound bows, the two most popular types, as well as information on how to track your progress.

Cover image for Archery for Beginners, isbn: 9781462920754

Filipino Stick Fighting Techniques

$14.99

Filipino Stick Fighting Techniques is the authoritative guide to Cabales Serrada Escrima—a stick fighting art with its roots in Escrima, the national martial art of the Philippines. The popularity of these techniques has dramatically increased since they were used extensively by Matt Damon in action-packed fight scenes in the Jason Bourne films.

Developed by Grandmaster Angel Cabales when he came to the U.S., Cabales Serrada Escrima is a distinct system emphasizing close-quarter combat using highly effective stick-fighting moves in unarmed as well as knife fighting situations. This book offers a clear presentation of the basic strikes, blocks, counters, and disarms unique to this style of martial art—as well as explaining how and why the techniques work and when to use them.

Angel Cabales was a pioneer in the Filipino Martial Arts and the first teacher of Escrima in the U.S. He trained and certified Mark V. Wiley, the author of this book. Darren G. Tibon, an Escrima Grandmaster, was also trained by Cabales and has contributed a new foreword to the book.

This new edition contains:

Personal accounts of Grandmaster Angel Cabales and how he developed his system
The dynamics of body positioning, distance control, and both single-stick and empty-hand defensive methods
A comprehensive set of training drills for practitioners at different levels

Extensively illustrated with over 300 photos and detailed step-by-step instructions, this book lays the foundation for not just learning the system of Cabales Serrada Escrima, but understanding the traditions and philosophy of the art.

Cover image for Filipino Stick Fighting Techniques, isbn: 9781462920624

Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan

$18.99

Master the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi Chuan with this informative guide.

One of the most popular Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi Chuan is also one of the most effective stress relievers available. In China, it is also used extensively for the prevention and treatment of illnesses, and its beneficial effects on health and fitness are now widely recognized in the West. The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan is a comprehensive and fascinating guide to the practical application and potential benefits of Tai Chi Chuan.

This tai chi guide is packed with step-by-step illustrations for practice at home and covers everything you would want to know about this ancient art, including its benefits for mental, spiritual and emotional development. It is both an ideal introductory guide and an invaluable reminder for those who have already taken classes.

Topics in The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan include:

Tai Chi Chuan as a Martial Art
The Concept of Yin-Yang and Tai Chi Chuan
The Historical Development of the Various Styles
Advice from the Great Masters
Techniques and Skills of Pushing Hands
Specific Techniques for Combat Situations
Taoism and Spiritual Development in Tai Chi Chuan
And much more

Cover image for Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan, isbn: 9781462923533

Five Ancestor Fist Kung Fu

$7.99

Simple, direct, and deadlyit's the art of ngo cho kun, or fists of the five ancestors.

In its approach to iron body training, its reliance on the sam chien stance, and its special emphasis on hard and soft techniques, this Fukien style of kungfu is believed to be the root of the Gojuryu and Uechiryu Okinawan karate systems.

During the declining years of the Ching dynasty, Sijo Chua Giok Beng combined the salient features of five styles from five masters into the formation of ngo cho kun, a distinct blend of both external and internal Chinese martial arts. Aside from being an effective form of selfdefense, diligent practice of Ngo Cho Kun can balance the body's metabolism, strengthen internal organs, and improve general wellbeing.

Ngo cho kun is at once historically significant and practical for modernday selfdefense needs. Five Ancestor Fist KungFu is a must for those who are interested in the historical connection between kungfu and karate, or who wish to expand their selfdefense repertoire.

Cover image for Five Ancestor Fist Kung Fu, isbn: 9781462901319

Karate Basics

$9.99

Get your karate training off to a great start—from basic footwork and strikes to training and demonstrations. This martial arts guide is a perfect introduction to karate for beginners.

Are you planning to learn Karate, but don't know where to begin? Are you looking for a teacher? Are you taking a class but confused by the technical terms used to describe the punches?

Karate Basics teaches you all the fundamentals of this ancient martial art form in a clear and easy-to-understand manner!

This karate book contains the following vital information:

The origins of Karate—its philosophy, history, and different schools
How to find a teacher and a class that are right for you
Getting ready for your first class—what actually happens in a Karate class?
The essential elements—stances, blocks, thrusts, strikes, punches, and kicks
How to complement your Karate training with sparring drills and kata
Effective ways to succeed in Karate—how to create a training program, test for belt promotion, and an overview of competitions and tournaments
Resources to help you develop your knowledge and understanding of Karate

Whether you're just getting started, or have already been training for a year or two, Karate Basics offers an easy, yet comprehensive introduction to the sport that will make you feel more confident.

Cover image for Karate Basics, isbn: 9781462903047

Diving Bali

$24.99

Welltravelled divers all acknowledge that the best diving in the world is found in the warm waters of tropical Bali.

Bali is located in the famous "coral triangle," the center of the world's tropical marine diversity, and the island is blessed with a stunning variety of dive sitesshipwrecks, quiet black sand bays, crystalline hard coral reefs over bright white sand, lava ridges draped in gorgonians and soft coral, and currentswept pinnacles, swirling with fish.

Diving Bali is a comprehensive diving guide covering all of Bali and it's surrounding reefs. It presents in great detail some of the best dive sites in the tropical western Pacific. Our seasoned diverauthors have an aggregate halfcentury of experience exploring these waters, and each site receives thorough coverage, including detailed maps, color photos, and a full description of access, conditions, and facilities.

This Bali diving guide features:

Practicalities: Detailed travel information for every budget, including accommodations, transportation, prices, seasons, and dive operators.
Information: Local history, diving lore, site conditions, and more than 50 maps.
Photography: More than 100 color photographs by top photographers.

Cover image for Diving Bali, isbn: 9781462909131

Sport of Judo

$12.95

Learn the basics of Judo with this invaluable martial arts guide.

The Sport of Judo an invaluable resource for any beginning judoka or teacher, comprises a point-by-point demonstration and explanation of over 50 essential judo techniques, as practiced as the international home of judo, the Kodokan Institute in Tokyo.

Judo, the "gentle way" based on the ancient Japanese martial art of jiujutsu (or jujutsu) and now a premier modern Olympic sport, is systematically presented in this book. This martial arts classic includes a brief history of development and spread of judo, as well as a discussion of judo competition, including Kodokan contest rules, and a complete glossary of terms.

Cover image for Sport of Judo, isbn: 9781462901579

Samurai Sword: Spirit * Strategy * Techniques

$24.95

The Samurai Sword is the essential illustrated guide to the Japanese way of the sword.

Japan's famous samurai warriors were more than just soldiers — they were adherents to a strict code of honor who respected the deeper, spiritual meaning of the way of the sword. To the samurai, battle was sacred.

This indispensable guide to theory and practice respects both the physical and spiritual aspects of martial arts practice with the katana. This sword book features:

Beautiful, step-by-step photos and easy-to-understand text
Guidance for selecting, maintaining, and using your sword
Wisdom about the practical value of meditation
Inspirational biographies of some of the greatest samurai swordsmen, men whose words and deeds embodied the true spirit of the samurai warrior
Downloadable video

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced swordsperson, this book will broaden your practical knowledge with detailed instruction on stances, cuts, guards, forms, and sparring techniques and strategy.

Cover image for Samurai Sword: Spirit * Strategy * Techniques, isbn: 9781462909902

Secrets of Shotokan Karate

$24.99

Lean the techniques, strategies and history of Japanese Shotokan Karate with this illustrated martial arts guide.

Generously illustrated with over 700 clear photos, The Secrets of Shotokan Karate offers an in-depth look at the world's most popular martial art, with strategies, techniques, and drills to guide new students to proficiency and to help established practitioners excel. Sixth-degree black belt Robin Rielly provides a comprehensive guide to the fundamentals and theory of Shotokan, interwoven with relevant philosophy and historical context. This book offers expert instruction and a greater understanding and appreciation of the art.

Topics covered include:

basic physiological-psychological principles
principles of physical movement
elements of fighting
sparring drills
strategy
kata

Cover image for Secrets of Shotokan Karate, isbn: 9781462916986

T'ai Chi Ch'uan

$18.95

Unlock the secrets and health benefits of this ancient internal Chinese martial art!

T'ai Chi Ch'uan (or taijiquan), a Chinese internal martial art, is best appreciated in the West for its health and fitness benefits, as an art of self-defense, and as a spiritual path. In classical Tai Chi, these aspects form an inseparable unity.

In this guide to the classical Yang style, Petra and Toyo Kobayashi present the foundations of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and give comprehensive insights into its methods. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the inner energy—Ch'i—and its contribution to a refined practice of T'ai Chi and its application in self-defense.

This Tai Chi book contains a clear and fully illustrated exploration of the 37 positions of the Yang style's short form and a basic partner exercise, Push Hands. Easy-to-follow photographs and diagrams with step-by-step instructions will help you to improve your practice. Ideal for practitioners at any level.

Chapters include:

The Styles
The Principles
Quotations from Old Masters
Sixty-Four Questions and Answers About T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Six Levels of Development
The Thirteen Basic Positions and Techniques
Advanced Practice
Important Questions to Ask Yourself and more!

Cover image for T'ai Chi Ch'uan, isbn: 9781462901043

Martial Virtues

$15.95

This martial arts books explores the role of martial philosophy and history in personal character development.

Martial Virtues explores the role of martial arts in character development. It focuses on the spiritual aspects of martial arts training, attempting to answer the question of what it means to be a good warrior.

In this ground-breaking analysis, Charles Hackney draws from the psychological literature on the development of positive character traits, and from the lives and experiences of admirable warriors of fact and fiction. He analyzes how the virtues of ancient and modern warriors can be developed by practicing the martial arts.

Using examples from the ancient Greeks to the samurai practitioners of bushido, from Confucius to Bruce Lee, Martial Virtues explores such qualities as courage, wisdom, justice and benevolence in turn, employing the lessons of modern psychology to understand how these virtues can be cultivated within ourselves and others.

You will learn what Bruce Lee and Sun Tzu have to say about wisdom, what Miyamoto Musashi has to say about audacity and courage, and what Yagyu Munenori has to say about justice. You will also learn the stories of many of history and literature's greatest warriors including: Aeneas and Hector of Troy; William the Marshal, called the greatest knight who ever lived; Kuo Chieh, the Chinese Robin Hood; the famous Shaolin master Tid Kiu Sam; the 300 Spartans that turned aside a Persian Army at Thermopylae; the 47 Ronin of Japan who revenged the unjust punishment of their master; Korean General Kim Yu-shin, and Toshitsugu Takamatsu, 33rd Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu.

Cover image for Martial Virtues, isbn: 9781462900541

Japan's Complete Fighting System Shin Kage Ryu

$14.99

Master the extremely effective but relatively unknown Shin Kage Ryu jiu jitsu with this illustrated martial arts book.

Shin Kage Ryu jiu jitsu has existed as a fighting system for over two hundred years, and the literal meaning of the three characters is "spirit shadow way." Originating in Japan and influenced by Okinawan fighting systems, the art has evolved into one that incorporates karate-like kicks, punches, and strikes, as well as the throwing, grappling, and joint techniques of judo. Thus, Shin Kage Ryu is a complete fighting system, one that combines the best elements of karate with those of jujutsu.

The unique mix of disciplines in Shin Kage Ryu makes it possible to fight with an opponent in an upright position and, if necessary, take him to the ground and score a victory by grappling or choking. Students are also taught extensive attack and defense techniques with both the sword and knife.

Cover image for Japan's Complete Fighting System Shin Kage Ryu, isbn: 9781462902415

Sumo a Pocket Guide

$8.99

"One of the finest compact books on sumo today."Sumo World

Completely updated by the well known sumo authority David Shapiro, Sumo: A Pocket Guide describes the history, rules, rituals and techniques of sumo, the wrestlers' training and even their diets. Covering such topics as "life in the stables," "psychological warfare," and the "spoils of victory,” this compact sumo guide brings to life this cultural pastime that is so much more than a sport. This volume also includes a list of stables and some of the best chankonabe restaurants in Tokyo.

Shapiro brings to the updated edition many years of Japanese language, sumo research, and coverage. The result is a handy, uptodate, and authoritative guide to sumo that provides everything one needs to understand, appreciate, and enjoy this fascinating sport.

Cover image for Sumo a Pocket Guide, isbn: 9781462904846

Mastering the Samurai Sword

$18.95

Memorialized in countless books and movies, the history of Japan's fearsome samurai warriors is known all over the world. Who can forget these Japanese masters' skills with the sword? Today, samurai warriors no longer exist, but their legacy of swordsmanship endures. Now, the way of the samurai sword is learned in the martial arts Iaijutsu and Kenjutsu. This book is the perfect introduction to using this beautiful and ancient weapon. In Mastering the Samurai Sword, you'll learn the sword's fascinating history, its evolution, and the philosophy behind its use. You'll also learn practical guidance for mastering the sword itself.

Full-color, step-by-step photographs detail many of the most useful and famous samurai moves, including:

drawing the samurai sword
guard positions, cutting blows, and blocking
falling and rolling techniques, and evasive strategies
standing forms and kneeling forms

All of the martial arts techniques discussed in the book are performed for readers in the downloadable material to help you perfect your form. Beginners will learn everything from proper attire and behavior in the dojo to how they might practice at home, while more experienced samurai swords people will find a new appreciation for the deeper meaning and tradition behind the graceful way of the sword.

Cover image for Mastering the Samurai Sword, isbn: 9781462916252

Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art

$12.95

Look past the legends and learn about the REAL ninjas of feudal Japan with this entertaining, illustrated ninjutsu guide.

Ninjutsu, the least understood of the Japanese martial arts, is an ancient fighting style emphasizing natural movement, responsiveness to adversaries, and absolute practicality. In feudal Japan, ninja were feared for their skill in espionage and, particularly, assassination. Masters of weaponry, stealth, and martial techniques, ninja were credited with supernatural powers because of the near-invincibility of their unique and deadly art.

In The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art, Black Belt Hall of Fame member, Stephen K. Hayes, reveals the secrets that lead to the perception of the ninja as warriors of almost sorcerous skill—the art of invisibility, special tools and weapons, and psychological training enabling the ninja to gain advantage in any situation.

Chapters include:

Perspective—Origin; Organization; Training; At the Height of Power; The Decline; Ninjutsu in the Modern World
Search for the Ninja
Unarmed Combat—The Ninja Fists; Fighting Postures; Other Factors
Weaponry—Chains and Cords; Sticks and Staffs; Canes with Concealed Weapons; The Ninja Sword; Throwing Blades
The Way of Invisibility—Sense Deception; Phantom Steps; Reconnaissance; Blending with the Night; Attacking the Eyes; The Art of Disguise
Shadow Warriors—Espionage; Commando Tactics
The Realm of the Spirit—Psychological Warfare; The Force of the Killer; The Great Harmony

Cover image for Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art, isbn: 9781462901838

36 Deadly Bubishi Points

$15.99

Learn how to target the weaknesses of an attacker and effectively exploit them in order to defend yourself!

The 36 Deadly Bubishi Points explains the pressure point techniques found in the Bubishi, the ancient "Bible of Karate," and how recognizing them allows you to defend yourself against such attacks. This book closely examines these vital points and the science behind them, and the author fills a gap in general understanding of how the 36 vital points found in the Bubishi can be targeted using pressure point fighting techniques.

While much has been written about the vital points and their medicinal importance, thanks to the popularity of practices such as acupuncture, martial research on the subject has been lacking. Cardwell discusses the vital points from the perspective of an experienced martial artist—including how the body's vital points are related to the 8 extraordinary vessels and 12 meridians which circulate energy throughout the body.

Through detailed step-by-step instructions and over 96 photographs and illustrations, The 36 Deadly Bubishi Points shows how this knowledge can be employed in self-defense.

Cover image for 36 Deadly Bubishi Points, isbn: 9781462920563

T'ai Chi

$19.95

Master the Chinese martial art of T'ai Chi with this accessible, illustrated guide.

T'ai-chi (Tai Chi) is an effortless and rhythmical art that stresses slow breathing, balanced and relaxed postures, and absolute calmness of mind. It requires no special equipment or place to practice and takes no more than ten minutes a day.

This book, from renowned Tai Chi master, Cheng Man-Ch'ing, introduces T'ai-chi as a means to a healthier life, as a sport and as a method of self-defense. It is a complete step-by-step manual for the beginner. With conscientious practice, readers will master the sequence of thirty-seven postures that will make up the T'ai-chi solo exercise. Students will learn how to progress from exercise to sport to self-defense with maximum efficiency. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and more than 275 photographs and 122 foot-weighting diagrams guarantee an understanding of the correct form.

A history of T'ai-chi, including thumbnail sketches of famous masters, and the first English translation of the basic T'ai-chi document, known as the T'ai-chi Ch'uan Classics, are also included.

Cover image for T'ai Chi, isbn: 9781462901586

Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works

$13.99

Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) is the most famous Samurai who ever lived. His magnum opus, the Go-Rin-Sho or Book of Five Rings is a classic that is still read by tens of thousands of people each year—Japanese and foreigners alike.

Alex Bennett's groundbreaking new translation of The Book of Five Rings reveals the true meaning of this text for the first time. Like Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Musashi's book offers unique insights, not just for warriors, but for anyone wanting to apply the Zen Buddhist principle of awareness to achieve success in their endeavors. This book sheds new light on Japanese history and on the philosophical meaning of Bushido—the ancient "code of the Japanese warrior."

Unlike other translations that are based on incomplete and inaccurate versions of Musashi's work, Bennett's is the first to be based on a careful reconstruction of the long-lost original manuscript. Capturing the subtle nuances of the original Japanese classic, the result is a far more accurate and meaningful English version of The Book of Five Rings text.

Richly annotated and with an extensive introduction to Musashi's life, this version includes a collection of his other writings—translated into English for the first time. A respected scholar, as well as a skilled martial artist, Bennett's understanding of Musashi's life and work is unparalleled.

This book will be widely read by students of Japanese culture, history, military strategy, and martial arts. It sets a new standard against which all other translations will be measured.

Cover image for Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works, isbn: 9781462920273

Musashi's Book of Five Rings

$13.95

This classic interpretation of Miyamoto Musashi's famous Book of Five Rings is explicitly intended for the martial artist—as Miyamoto Musashi originally intended.

It explains the underlying truths necessary for a full understanding of Musashi's message for warriors. The result is an enthralling book on military strategy that combines the instincts of the warrior with the philosophies of Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism and Taoism. It is a crucial book for every martial artist to read and understand.

Like the original, this classic book of strategy is divided into five sections. The Book of Earth lays the groundwork for anyone wishing to understand Musashi's teachings; the Book of Water explains the warrior's approach to strategy; the Book of Fire teaches fundamental fighting techniques based on the Earth and Water principles; the Book of Wind describes differences between Musashi's own martial style and the styles of other fighting schools; while the Book of No-thing describes the "way of nature" as understood through an "unthinking" existing preconception.

Famed martial artist and bestselling author Stephen Kaufman has translated this classic without the usual academic or commercial bias, driving straight into the heart of Musashi's martial teachings and interpreting them for his fellow martial artists. The result is an enthralling combination of warrior wisdom and philosophical truths that Musashi offered to other warriors who wished to master the martial way of bushido.

Cover image for Musashi's Book of Five Rings, isbn: 9781462906369

Knife & Tomahawk Throwing

$12.95

"Knife & Tomahawk Throwing helps keep alive these traditional arts of the old West. In these pages, you will learn about the fundamentals of the sport and gain insight into some of the greatest professional knife throwers-the men who paved the way for the modern day thrower." — Bobby Branton, President of the American Knife Thrower's Alliance (AKTA)

Harry McEvoy, the foremost expert in the field of tomahawk and knife throwing and best-selling author of Knife Throwing: A Practical Guide, provides us with an exciting, in-depth look at the popular sport of weapon throwing.

Meet the men who throw flaming knives at lovely ladies on a spinning target—and not scorch a hair; learn about the legendary "Skeeter" Vaughan, whose record-breaking throw saved the lives of hundreds of U.S. servicemen during World War II; and witness the courage of Tony Cascarella, who brought down a 275-pound wild boar with only three Bowie-Axe throwing knives.

In addition, this book will clearly show you the skills involved in knife and tomahawk throwing—skills all the professionals first mastered before attempting the daring feats required when performing the "impalement arts." Also presented is an interesting history of throwing-knives, from the earliest times, through the development of the European daggers, and up to the knives used during the Vietnam War. Furthermore, you'll learn about many of the other throwing weapons of the world, including the martial arts weapons used by the Japanese ninja, and the deadly boomerangs of the Australian aborigines.

Concisely written and illustrated with more than 50 photographs—including many of the "greats" in action—Knife and Tomahawk Throwing is a must for anyone interested in these fascinating sports.

Chapters include:

The Fine Points of Knife Throwing
How to Build Targets
Evolution of the Throwing Knife
The Art of the Professionals
The Saga of Skeeter Vaughn
Tomahawk Throwing
The Hunt of the "Hog Heaven" Boar
The Other Throwing Instruments

Cover image for Knife & Tomahawk Throwing, isbn: 9781462902835

Karate Technique & Spirit

$24.95

Master the techniques and warrior spirit of karate with this illustrated martial arts guide.

The true essence of karate-do is integrated training of the body, mind, and spirit to achieve human potential fully. Karate: Technique and Spirit describes in detail all the steps necessary to attain this goal. It is a book of Karate technique, a guideline for training, and a patient exposition of moral philosophy. Kaicho (grandmaster) Nakamura takes us from the basics—warmups, punches, blocks, and kicks—to the advanced practice of traditional weapons and kumite (sparring), all the while grounding the physical expression of this martial art in its rich history and philosophy.

With over 700 photos, Karate: Technique and Spirit vividly conveys the essence of karate-do and how it can bring deeper meaning to our daily lives. Chapters include: Foundations of Karate; Basics of Karate-Do; Postures and Stances; Natural Weapons; Kata (Formal Exercises); Kumite (Fighting) and more!

Cover image for Karate Technique & Spirit, isbn: 9781462917099

Modern Ninja Warfare

$14.99

Modern Ninja Warfare takes a contemporary look at the stealthy methods of the Ninja (Shinobi) and how they can be employed to counter modern security threats. This book provides an ideal overview of Ninjutsu techniques for security personnel, military, Special Forces, military history buffs and anyone serious about learning how Ninja tactics can be applied to the modern world.

Ninja historian Antony Cummins, himself a skilled martial artist, takes a detailed and realistic look at the Ninja, their methods and their role in the medieval Japanese military, as well as how they compare to today's Special Forces and covert military groups. The chapters include a detailed look at the defensive strategies, engagement against specific threats, intelligence gathering, territorial concerns, mental focus and the spiritual mind-control techniques of these invisible warriors.

With over 100 striking illustrations that vividly portray the Ninjas' secret world, this book shines new light on their shadowy methods. In the process, the mythical image of the Ninja is washed away revealing the reality of these commando-spies of medieval Japan.

Cover image for Modern Ninja Warfare, isbn: 9781462920952

Art of Life and Death

$9.95

This masterfully crafted guide to ninjitsu or budo explores in depth the history, culture and philosophy of this fascinating and enduring Japanese martial art.

Budo is one of the least understood forms of art in the world. Even more than skills or techniques, the teachings of budo require faith to learn and courage to understand. One of the fundamental teachings of budo is ninjutsu, the art of perseverance that forms the basis of the Japanese martial arts.

The lessons in this book come directly from experiencing the living vitality of the world's foremost master of the ninja arts, Masaaki Hatsumi. Through the use of stories, poetry, art, and earned wisdom, the authors move beyond the common image of the martial arts and reveal the nature of the unexpected changes in themselves as they struggled to come to terms with what being a martial artist in the ninja tradition meant.

The Art of Life and Death is a reflection of the discipline, the aesthetics, and the philosophy that lies hidden within the martial way. It is a glimpse at the hidden potential of the martial arts, one where the practitioner can embrace transcendence and transformation in order to face all the fears that litter life and also life's most fearsome opponent: Death.

Cover image for Art of Life and Death, isbn: 9781462909957

Advanced Aikido

$9.99

Master Japanese Aikido with this illustrated martial arts guide.

Aikido, while uniquely beautiful among the martial arts, is also deceptively powerful, effective, and efficient. Dedicated practitioners know that advanced training means not only striving to master techniques, but also developing a deeper understanding of the history, philosophy and concepts at the core of this martial art.

In Advanced Aikido, Phong Thong Dang and Lynn Seiser present an in-depth look at the complete art of Aikido, from the underlying theories that drive the techniques and strategies to advice on mastering the throws and locks fundamental to the art. Chapters in this Aikido book include:

An in-depth look at the origins and philosophies of Aikido
Discussion on utilizing ki to improve effectiveness
Examination of fundamental theories and concepts essential to understanding Aikido
Advanced techniques including throws and locks, counters and reversals, and combinations
Effective strategies and skills for self-defense

With over 400 illustrations and detailed instructions from one of the leading teachers in the field, even the most experienced practitioners can benefit from the lessons in this book.

Cover image for Advanced Aikido, isbn: 9781462907892

Bruce Lee Striking Thoughts

$12.95

"A teacher is never a giver of truth—he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that each student must find for himself. A good teacher is merely a catalyst."—Bruce Lee

Within the pages of Striking Thoughts, you will find the secrets of Bruce Lee's incredible success— as an actor, martial artist, and inspiration to the world. Consisting of eight sections, Striking Thoughts covers 72 topics and 825 aphorisms—from spirituality to personal liberation and from family life to filmmaking—all of which Bruce lived by.

His ideas helped energize his life and career and made it possible for him to live a happy and assured life, overcoming challenging obstacles with seeming ease. His ideas also inspired his family, friends, students, and colleagues to achieve success in their own lives and this personal collection will help you in your journey too.

Sections include:

On First Principles—including life, existence, time, and death
On Being Human—including the mind, happiness, fear, and dreams
On Matters of Existence—health, love, marriage, raising children, ethics, racism, and adversity
On Achievement—work, goals, faith, success, money, and fame
On Art and Artists—art, filmmaking, and acting
On Personal Liberation—conditioning, Zen Buddhism, meditation, and freedom
On the Process of Becoming—self-actualization, self-help, self-expression, and growth
On Ultimate (Final) Principles—Yin-yang, totality, Tao, and the truth

This Bruce Lee Book is part of the Bruce Lee Library which also features:
Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon

Bruce Lee: The Tao of Gung Fu

Bruce Lee: Artist of Life

Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon

Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body

Bruce Lee: Jeet Kune Do

Cover image for Bruce Lee Striking Thoughts, isbn: 9781462917921

Beginning T'ai Chi

$10.95

A perfect introduction to Tai Chi for beginners!

More than a martial art, T'ai Chi is a holistic method of self-healing, a form of moving meditation and a philosophical way of life. Health, relaxation, and self-defense are but a few of the many reasons cited for practicing this traditional exercise, which was created by a Taoist sage eight centuries ago. Now a recreational activity practiced by millions of people worldwide, T'ai Chi, with its physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits widely recognized and praised, is one of the fastest-growing Chinese martial arts in the world today.

In this handy tai chi book, Master Tri Thong Dang, who has been an instructor of the Chen, Yang, Zhao, and T'ai-Mantis systems of T'ai Chi Ch'uan for over three decades, describes the "Simplified Tai Chi" form, a set of movements specifically designed for beginners by China's Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports. Master Tri's concise by lucid descriptions highlight the spiritual essence of the form and at the same time display its graceful simplicity. With over 160 clear, easy-to-understand illustrations, this excellent volume is the ultimate introduction to the world of T'ai Chi.

Contents include:

Why Tai Chi?
A Glimpse into the History of Tai Chi
The Basic Movements
Tai Chi Forms; including: Part the Horses's Mane, White Crane Spreads Its Wings, Hands Strum the Lute, Wingle Whip, Kick with the Right Heel, Needle at the Bottom of the Sea, Cross Hands, and more!

Cover image for Beginning T'ai Chi, isbn: 9781462907571

Secrets of Northern Shaolin Kung-fu

$16.99

Master the northern style of Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu with this illustrated martial arts guide

The Secrets of Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu: Pek Sil Lum is a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of the traditional Chinese art known to the West as Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu. It includes a historical overview, basic positions, and authentic forms and techniques.

Pek Sil Lum is especially renowned for its repertoire of kicking techniques, ranging from simple front kicks to jumping twirling crescent kicks to the dreaded tornado kick, and includes open- and closed-hand strikes and a number of weapons forms.

Cover image for Secrets of Northern Shaolin Kung-fu, isbn: 9781462916979

Ninja

$16.95

Ninjutsu is the most renowned and misunderstood of all martial arts. The long history of ninjutsu is often murky; surrounded by mystery and legend. Here, for the first time, is an in-depth, factual look at the entire art of ninjutsu, including the emergence of the ninja warriors and philosophy in feudal Japan; detailed historical events; its context in the development of other schools of martial arts; and the philosophies and exercises of the school today.

Based on more than ten years of study and translation of authentic Japanese texts, including many that have never before been translated, this is the most comprehensive and accurate study on the art of ninjutsu ever written outside of Japan. This ninja book includes studies of ninjutsu history, philosophy, wisdom, and presents a wide range of information from authors, historians, chronicles and scrolls in order to foster a deep understanding of this "shadowy" art.

For those who train in ninjutsu, for other martial art practitioners, for historians, and for anyone with interest in Japanese feudal history or Japanese martial arts, The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan shines a light on this enigmatic subject.

Cover image for Ninja, isbn: 9781462902873

Samurai Strategies

$14.95

The Book of Five Rings by Musashi Myamoto provides valuable lessons for anyone facing challenging circumstances—from business, war, and sports to fields of art, love, and politics.

Samurai Strategies has extracted the fundamentals of Musashi's martial tactics and explains them here in a context for use in the modern world. These strategies for winning are as valid today as they were in 17th century Japan and provide valuable insights for anyone in any field to endeavor.

About his new edition:
This expanded edition of Samurai Strategies features a new introduction by the author, and additional commentary in each chapter by renowned Japanese author and samurai expert Michihiro Matsumoto.

Cover image for Samurai Strategies, isbn: 9781462900657

Classical T'ai Chi Sword

$18.95

Learn the art of T'ai Chi swordsmanship with this illustrated martial arts book.

In T'ai Chi Ch'uan, exercising with a sword has developed into an important art. In accordance with the principles of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, the sword practice is an exercise for good health and meditation in motion as well as a method of self-defense. It promotes the development and the application of the inner energy ch'i. The study of the T'ai Chi sword is regarded as its own path which does not necessarily require the knowledge of the other forms of T'ai Chi. It offers a valuable source of concepts and new ideas for students of other martial arts, too, regardless of their backgrounds or current practice.

Classical T'ai Chi Sword presents a clearly illustrated introduction into the sword practice complete with photographs, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions. This Tai Chi book is the first basic work on this subject covering all its important aspects.

Classical T'ai Chi Sword features:

A Brief History of the Chinese Sword
Aspects of T'ai Chi Sword
The History of Tai Chi Sword
The Taoist Background
Important Principles of Tai Chi Chuan
Practicing Sword as an Exercise for Good Health
Meditation; Posture; How to Move
Energy—Ch'i Development; The Movement of Energy by Practicing the Sword Form
Holding the Sword
The Techniques in the Sword Form Sequence
Remarks about Sword Fighting
Individual and Partner Exercises with the Sword
Steps to Learning—Difficulties Faced by Beginners in Practicing the Sword
Comparison of Sword Forms
List of the Positions in the Sword Form
The Presentation of the Sword Form
And more!

Cover image for Classical T'ai Chi Sword, isbn: 9781462903160

Samurai Wisdom

$14.95

The ancient warrior culture of Japan produced a sophisticated martial philosophy that we know today as Bushido—the Way of the Warrior. In Samurai Wisdom, author Thomas Clearly provides five important new translations of major Japanese works on Bushido.

The writings of the scholar Yamaga Soko and his disciples are among the clearest expositions we have of the core ideals and philosophy underlying the Samurai's disciplined way of life and outlook. Together they provide an in-depth, practical guide to character building and conduct according to the precepts of Bushido—a code for professional warriors that retains as much relevance in today's world as it had when these works were written 400 years ago.

Yamaga's writings inspired the transformation of the Samurai from a feudal class of warriors under the command of the Shogun to a group of powerful individuals with great intellectual, political and moral leadership and influence. The works translated in Samurai Wisdom for the very first time are as timeless and important today as the works of Sun Tzu, Musashi and Clausewitz.

The five Japanese works on Bushido translated in Samurai Wisdom are:

The Way of the Knight by Yamaga Soko
The Warrior's Rule by Tsugaru Kodo-shi
Essentials of Military Matters compiled by Yamaga Takatsune
The Education of Warriors by Yamaga Soko
Primer of Martial Education by Yamaga Soko

Cover image for Samurai Wisdom, isbn: 9781462900565

Bruce Lee Artist of Life

$14.99

"Bruce Lee was known as an amazing martial artist, but he was also a profound thinker. He left behind seven volumes of writing on everything from quantum physics to philosophy." — John Blake, CNN

Named one of TIME magazine's "100 Greatest Men of the Century," Bruce Lee's impact and influence has only grown since his untimely death in 1973. Part of the seven-volume Bruce Lee Library, this installment of the famed martial artist's private notebooks allows his legions of fans to learn more about the man whose groundbreaking action films and martial arts training methods sparked a worldwide interest in the Asian martial arts.

Bruce Lee Artist of Life explores the development of Lee's thoughts about Gung Fu (Kung Fu), philosophy, psychology, poetry, Jeet Kune Do, acting, and self-knowledge. Edited by John Little, a leading authority on Lee's life and work, the book includes a selection of letters that eloquently demonstrate how Lee incorporated his thought into actions and provided advice to others.

Although Lee rose to stardom through his physical prowess and practice of jeet kune do—the system of fighting he founded—Lee was also a voracious and engaged reader who wrote extensively, synthesizing Eastern and Western thought into a unique personal philosophy of self-discovery. Martial arts practitioners and fans alike eagerly anticipate each new volume of the Library and its trove of rare letters, essays, and poems for the light it sheds on this legendary figure.

This book is part of the Bruce Lee Library, which also features:
Bruce Lee: Striking Thoughts

Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon

Bruce Lee: The Tao of Gung Fu

Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon

Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body

Bruce Lee: Jeet Kune Do

Mind Power

$14.95

Learn to harness your spiritual and mental energy to acquire the tools for survival and success in martial arts.

In Mind Power: Secret Strategies for the Martial Arts, Kazumi Tabata, Grandmaster in the Shotokan and Shorinji styles of Karate, offers his personal teachings as to how martial arts students can reach the point where time seems to slow down, quick movements are seen in slow motion, and the full potential of one's inner power can be harnessed.

Chapters include:

Strategy—basic physical and mental approaches to combat
Basic Laws of the Mind and Body—How to harness and maximize the power of one's mind and body
Strategy of a Virtuous Man—How, with honorable approaches, to approach and win confrontations
How to Interpret Your Mind—Insights into our mind's workings
Words and Deeds of a Virtuous Man—Approaches and actions of a man seeking higher ground
Strategy of the Mind—Best application of our cognitive instincts
The Law of Anger and the Law of Snapping—How anger manifests and how to work with it
How to Interpret Wavelengths—Insight into understanding others
Strategy of Mu—How to build upon a very Eastern approach; the concept of emptiness
The Pinnacle of Spiritual Attainment—Translations and interpretations of ancient writings
The Heart of Sutra—Translations and interpretations of ancient writings

Cover image for Mind Power, isbn: 9781462901067

Secrets of Judo

$14.95

The Secrets of Judo is a revealing Japanese martial arts manual that focuses primarily on the scientific principles at work in judo.

It offers clear-cut explanations of the numerous techniques involved in throwing and grappling. In addition to the precise detailing of judo's physical aspects, this book provides insights into the psychological factors related to judo's underlying philosophy.

The Secrets of Judo, a fascinating and valuable work since its original publication in 1959, sets out a comprehensive course to achieve maximum efficient use of mental and physical energy that remains as vital and fresh as when first recommended by Risei Kano, president of the Kodokan, on its original publication.

This Judo guide features sections on:

The Art and Science of Judo
How Can Dynamics Be Applied to Judo?
Three Principles for Practicing Judo
Three Laws of Motion
Kinds of Force
Acting State of Force
How to Practice Throwing
How to Practice Grappling

Cover image for Secrets of Judo, isbn: 9781462902637

Bible of Karate Bubishi

$18.99

This comprehensive translation of the Bubishi—the ancient manual of karate—is the most complete available.

Karate historian and authority Patrick McCarthy spent over ten years researching and studying the Bubishi and the arts associated with it. The English translation of this remarkable tome includes numerous explanations and notes. McCarthy's work also includes groundbreaking research on Okinawan and Chinese history, as well as the fighting and healing traditions that developed in those countries, making it a goldmine for researchers and practitioners alike.

For the final word on the true origins and spirit of classic Okinawan martial arts, one need look no further. No other classic work has had as dramatic an impact on the shaping and development of karate as the Bubishi.

Cover image for Bible of Karate Bubishi, isbn: 9781462916405

Art and Science of Judo

$17.99

"There have been many books on judo—some highly competent, others well-written or well-illustrated, some fit for beginners, others for the advanced student. To have all these in a single volume is unusual."—San Francisco Chronicle

The Art and Science of Judo is a revealing Japanese martial arts manual that focuses primarily on the scientific principles at work in Judo.

In this book, highly-respected Judo instructors Jiichi Watanabe and Lindy Avakian delve deeply into the mechanics of Judo, offering clear-cut scientific explanations for the numerous techniques involved in throwing and grappling. By understanding the science behind the art, you will become prepared to perform the right moves at the right time and successfully meet the challenge of responding to your opponent.

The book has over 200 illustrations and 40 photos which show the forces that are employed when performing common Judo throwing and grappling moves such as hip throws, foot sweeps, collar holds, and many more. In addition to the precise explanations of judo's physical aspects, you'll also find detailed insights into the psychological factors related to judo's underlying philosophy.

Topics include:

How dynamics are applied to Judo
The three principles for practicing Judo
The three laws of motion and how they apply to Judo
Different kinds of force found in Judo techniques
How to effectively practice throwing and grappling

A new foreword by Judo instructor Neil Ohlenkamp offers insight on the book's importance as a resource for every Judo practitioner and instructor. The Art and Science of Judo is a fascinating and valuable work, which will help you achieve success by not only understanding what techniques to master but also why they work and when to use them.

Cover image for Art and Science of Judo, isbn: 9781462921720

Chinese Internal Boxing

$19.95

Chinese Internal Boxing: Techniques of Hsing-I and Pa-kua is an illustrated martial arts guide to two soft-style Chinese martial arts.

Chinese internal boxing and other internal martial arts do not depend on muscular strength. Instead, their power is drawn from the cultivation and practical application of internal energy, or ch'i, making them perfect for people of all ages and all levels of fitness.

With clear, easy-to-follow instructions and over 380 black-and-white photos and diagrams, this indispensable martial arts book is ideal for both wushu beginners and advanced practitioners. It describes in detail and fully illustrates the basic techniques of Hsing-I and Pa-kua, including the five fists and twelve animal styles of Hsing-I and Pa-kua's eight palm shapes and eight traditional methods of walking the circle.

Cover image for Chinese Internal Boxing, isbn: 9781462904426

Karate's Universal Codeword

$14.99

"Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned karateka, this book will deepen your appreciation and understanding of 'OSU,' enriching your practice and respect for karate." — Lyoto Machida, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

The true meaning and origins of the word "OSU" are finally revealed!

No matter where in the world you are, enter any karate dojo and the term most frequently heard is "OSU!" Karate's Universal Codeword is the first thorough examination of the origins and use of this word in the martial arts, and the fascinating story of how it has spread worldwide.

Its use has exploded far beyond karate into other martial arts like judo, aikido, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and mixed martial arts making it arguably the most frequently uttered Japanese word in the world. Yet ironically, very few martial artists (even in Japan) know the true origins and the deeper meaning behind the term. Although it is universally used, it remains a total mystery to everyone. This book promises to finally reveal the truth behind the word OSU and its fascinating origins.

Cover image for Karate's Universal Codeword, isbn: 9781462924981

Japan The Ultimate Samurai Guide

$16.99

Part Samurai history, part martial arts guide, this is THE book for anyone interested in Japan's fabled Samurai culture.

Author Alexander Bennett is the ultimate insider—holding multiple black belts in Kendo and Naginata, as well as a Ph.D. in Japanese literature and history. In this book he shares his vast personal experience and knowledge with readers seeking to undertake their own personal quest in the Japanese martial arts.

Bennett outlines the Japanese history of Bushido and the Samurai—from early times up until the present. Then, as only someone steeped in this world can, he surveys the contemporary martial arts scene and provides the essential knowledge young foreigners need to find a teacher and learn successfully. Unlike any other book on this subject, Japan The Ultimate Samurai Guide is written by a Japanese speaker who has studied and taught martial arts in Japan for many decades.

Chapters include:

The Real Samurai
The Concept of Bushido
Development of the Japanese Martial Arts
Martial Arts Masters You Should Know About
Budo in Japan Today
Key Martial Arts Concepts
Life in a Japanese Dojo
A Japan Survival Guide

Written in a down-to-earth and easy-to-read style, this book will captivate anyone interested in Japan, as well as martial arts teachers and practitioners around the world. With both history and humor, this vividly illustrated book has a more personal touch than many (for example, read up on "Fifteen Famous Japanese Cultural Indiosyncrasies" and Bennett's favorite martial arts movies).

As Bennett says, "This book is supposed to be genuinely from the heart. Without the pretense…misconceptions or romantization that often accompanies martial arts."

Cover image for Japan The Ultimate Samurai Guide, isbn: 9781462920075

Martial Arts Home Training

$9.99

In Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment, police and SWAT trainer Mike Young shows you how to make and use ingenious home training aids-from such inexpensive, easily obtainable resources as a grocery bag, an old towel, a worn-out tire, or various construction-site scraps-to enhance your martial arts practice.

Included in this martial arts book are simple instructions for a wide array of equipment for the home martial arts studio, including the shadowboxing towel; footwork, balance, and leg developer; multipurpose tire; precision blocking stick; heavy-duty striking post; grocery bag; small hanging bag; and choking dummy.

Martial Arts Home Training sets out Mike Young's patented "rock & roll" methods for getting the most out of your training equipment and your training time. With the twin maxims "correct practice makes perfect" and "KISS" (keep it simple, stupid) always in mind, Young provides a thorough grounding in the essentials of developing home training equipment and the fundamentals of maintaining the diligent yet playful attitude necessary to get the most from it.

Cover image for Martial Arts Home Training, isbn: 9781462917624

Secrets of Shaolin Temple Boxing

$9.99

Learn the secrets of Shaolin Temple boxing also known as Shaolin Kung Fu with this illustrated matrtial arts guide.

Shaolin Temple boxing is the father of all boxing forms in China and is a close ancestor of Japanese karate. Despite the widespread study of Shaolin kung fu, however, the true origins and history of this exciting martial art have been obscured by wildly fanciful myths and legends that have arisen over the centuries, leading martial-arts authority Robert W. Smith to remark, "There are no good books on Shaolin Temple boxing. There are only varying degrees of poor." In Taiwan, however, Smith had the good fortune to discover a short, anonymous work in Chinese that he believed revealed the essence of Shaolin.

This kung fu book is the English version of that text. Abundantly and attractively illustrated, it is a fascinating account of the history of an ancient martial art, as well as a concise martial arts manual explaining the fundamental philosophy and techniques of Shaolin Temple boxing.

Cover image for Secrets of Shaolin Temple Boxing, isbn: 9781462903276

Secret Fighting Arts of the World

$12.95

Here is a book crammed full of secret fighting techniques never before divulged in print: the Oriental delayed death touch, the destruction wrought on by the fingertips of an obscure Mexican; the shout of doom; the method so terrible it is practiced only in Russian torture chambers, the niceties of Thugee strangulation; and many more vicious fighting tricks.

Suppressed for generations! Twenty of the world's most secretly guarded fighting techniques vividly described in one volume.

The average reader will find this book amazing—almost unbelievable. But many thousands of rugged young men currently practicing and writing about Oriental martial arts in the United States will find it invaluable. They know that such techniques exist, but have never before had the opportunity to learn them. Even those who scoff at such amazing arts should read this book with care.

Cover image for Secret Fighting Arts of the World, isbn: 9781462901432

Practical Karate Volume 5

$4.99

The authors do not purport to turn out a legion of female karate experts. They have selected responses for the average woman andare generous with advice and warning. They have worked out terse descriptions of the action in each instance so that it can be rapidly grasped.” Mainichi Shimbun newspaper

Practical Karate: Self-Defense for Women is the fifth volume in the classic six-volume series by Masatoshi Nakayama and Donn Draeger

Written primarily for women, the karate techniques in this volume are equally useful for men and children anyone in a situation where the assailant possess a physical advantage. Included in this volume are chapters dealing with simple hand and wrist seizures, partial body seizures, and full embrace seizures.

Although the methods set out in this martial arts manual do not require an extensive background in karate training, the authors recommend that the reader consult other volumes of the Practical Karate series, as well.

Cover image for Practical Karate Volume 5, isbn: 9781462905201

Warrior Wisdom

$16.95

Martial arts legend Grandmaster Kazumi Tabata presents a brilliant analysis for modern readers of the most famous work of martial strategy, The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Warrior Wisdom also includes an analysis of the lesser-known The Tactics of Shokatsu Komei, as well as additional warrior tactics that have enabled the author to become a Grandmaster in Shotokan Karate and one of the most influential martial artists in North America.

Since he was sent to the United States by his master Isao Obata in the 1960s to promote Karate, Tabata has continually refined his teaching methods and distillations of classic Eastern knowledge to enable Westerners to understand and take to heart these valuable lessons truly. This martial arts strategy book should be read by anyone interested in learning the ancient wisdom of these timeless classics to overcome challenges and excel in everything they do—whether in the martial arts, in business, or in everyday life.

Cover image for Warrior Wisdom, isbn: 9781462911905

Karate Training

$4.99

This martial arts guide could actually be considered two books in one: a thorough history of Japanese karatedo and a profusely illustrated instruction manual for students of the martial art who have advanced beyond the beginning stages.

Part One:
Concerned about the misinterpretation of Japanese culture in general and karate in particular by many Western practitioners of karate, the author sets out in Part One of his book to trace the history of karate from its probable origins in India (or perhaps Greece) and its transmission in successively more developed forms to China, Okinawa, and then Japan.

In Part Two:
In this practical martial arts training manual the author first demonstrates important points of etiquette to be used in the karate dojo. He follows with wellillustrated instructions of kumite (sparring drills), including those involving two practitioners and those such as the doubleline drill and the circle drill which give practice in facing a number of opponents. Descriptions of many of these are not readily found in other Englishlanguage publications. He then presents nine kata, introductory the advanced kata, Sochin and Nijushiho.

Cover image for Karate Training, isbn: 9781462904006

Krav Maga Extreme Survival

$19.99

The result of extensive research, including an analysis of over 140 active shooter/killer incidents, Krav Maga Extreme Survival provides an apolitical view of personal safety—concentrating on practical methods to survive violent situations.

In his third book, Gershon Ben Keren explains how Krav Maga techniques can be used to survive some of the most relevant, extreme situations including carjackings, home invasions and attempted mass killings. The book also details predator profiling methods to aid in the prediction, prevention and avoidance of violence.

Demonstrating effective solutions that have been tried and tested in both the real world and through reconstructions of real-life events, each section of Krav Maga Extreme Survival presents detailed instructions alongside a series of photographs that show how to defend yourself and others against:

Attacks in workplaces, homes and public places
Instances of domestic violence including violent and abusive relationships
Assailants armed with knives, handguns, long barrel firearms, explosives, and improvised weapons
Attacks in cars and other confined and restricted spaces
Vehicular rammings
Unarmed attackers
One-on-one assaults and attacks targeting a group

Emphasizing a dynamic assessment of your environment, combined with a rapid response, Krav Maga Extreme Survival teaches practitioners to neutralize an assailant's advantage early, before the situation escalates.

Cover image for Krav Maga Extreme Survival, isbn: 9781462920013

Soul of the Samurai

$9.95

Soul of the Samurai contains modern translations of three classic works of Zen & Bushido.

In Soul of the Samurai, bestselling author and respected translator Thomas Cleary reveals the true essence of the Bushido code or Zen warrior teachings according to 17th-century Japanese samurai master Yagyu Munenori and his Zen teacher Takuan Soho.

The three works of Zen & Bushido translated in Soul of the Samurai are:

The Book of the Sword by Yagyu Munenori
The Inscrutable Subtlety of Immovable Wisdom by Takuan Soho
The Peerless Sword by Takuan Soho

Yagyu was a renowned swordsman and chief of the Shogun's secret police, while Takuan was the Zen spiritual mentor to the Emperor. This samurai philosophy book contains the first English translations of their seminal writings on Bushido. Cleary not only provides clear and readable translations but comprehensive notes introducing the social, political, and organizational principles that defined samurai culture—their loyalty to family, their sense of service and duty, and their political strategies for dealing with allies and enemies.

These writings introduce the reader to the authentic world of Zen culture and the secrets behind the samurai's success—being "in the moment" and freeing the mind from all distractions, allowing you to react instantaneously and instinctively without thinking. In these classic works, we learn that Zen mental control and meditational training were as important to the Samurai as swordsmanship and fighting skills.

Cover image for Soul of the Samurai, isbn: 9781462900312

Ninja Wilderness Survival Guide

$16.99

Ninja master and survival expert Hakim Isler presents modern day survival strategies based on the techniques of Japan's ancient ninja.

If you find yourself in an unexpected extreme situation—while wilderness camping, hiking or adventuring off the beaten path—a fundamental understanding of your surroundings can make the difference between life and death. By harnessing the powers of nature, the ninja built a legendary reputation as survivalists with an ability to thrive in even the most inhospitable situations. By studying their ancient philosophy and techniques, alongside modern science, you can prepare yourself to survive in any outdoor environment.

Gain real survival skills for the modern day based in the Buddhist philosophy of the five elements:

Earth - protection from the harsh elements using trees, leaves, dirt, grass, and vines to build shelter
Water - effectively cool off when overheated and avoid dehydration
Fire - properly use fire to warm the body and to purify water by boiling it
Wind - harness the power of wind to ventilate shelters, smoke meat and help build fires
Void - apply knowledge and creativity while developing a survival plan

Isler has over 20 years of experience as a martial artist, Special Forces soldier and security expert. With over 135 full-color photos and 60 illustrations detailing these time-tested methods, this book offers insights that are extremely practical.

The foreword by Ninjutsu master Stephen K. Hayes masterfully connects the past to the present by providing unique and valuable insights for surviving mentally in the outdoors.

Cover image for Ninja Wilderness Survival Guide, isbn: 9781462922376

Korean Karate

$19.99

Master Korean Karate, also called Tae-Kwon Do, with this expert martial arts guide.

This book is one of the first of its kind on Tae-Kwon Do (Korean Karate). Karate practitioners who recognize this to be the only work to cover Free Fighting techniques recognize this as a vital resource

Illustrated with nearly 1,000 photographs, the systematic and scientific approach of the application of each karate move in Free Style Fighting with WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW should help karate competitors everywhere design and master their moves to suit them best in competition matches.

In this martial arts book, the pin-point explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of each move, analyzed step by step from many different offensive, defensive, and counterattacking angles, can also guide readers to manage with it to be adjustable to the individualistic tastes and characteristics of any karate style, regardless of their differences.

Cover image for Korean Karate, isbn: 9781462904013

Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima

$9.99

Learn about the history, culture and techniques of filipino escrima with this informative martial arts guide.

The history of the Philippines and her martial arts is a history of resistance and revolt. Born into this fertile time and place, Grandmaster Leo M. Giron became a child of revolution. He grew up in a time when martial arts training was a necessity, not a luxury. His system was taught to him by five renowned masters; his experience honed in the jungle warfare of World War II.

The Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima is an engaging biography of Leo Giron, a renowned master of escrima and survivor of numerous hand-to-hand encounters in the Philippine jungles. It is also a visual and descriptive survey of Giron's fighting art—a classical weapons and empty-hand self-defense system applicable in today's modern society. Included is an overview of the twenty styles that make up the Giron system in general, and an analysis of the de fondo and cadena de mano styles in particular. Packed with over 300 historical and instructional photographs this book truly reveals the secrets of this Filipino martial art.

Cover image for Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima, isbn: 9781462916962

Secrets of the Samurai

$9.99

Secrets of the Samurai is the definitive study of the martial arts of feudal Japan, explaining in detail the weapons, techniques, strategies, and principles of combat that made the Japanese warrior a formidable foe.

The work begins with a panoramic survey of the tumultuous early struggles of warlords contending for political ascendancy and then outlines the relentless progression of the military class toward absolute power. In addition to illustrating actual methods of combat, the authors discuss in detail the crucial training necessary to develop a warrior's inner power and to concentrate all his energies into a single force.

Secrets of the Samurai is an essential text for anyone with an interest in Japanese combat techniques, weaponry, or military history. This edition also contains a new foreword by Adele Westbrook and numerous previously unpublished illustrations by Oscar Ratti. Chapters include:

The Bushi
The Heimin
The Centers of Martial Instruction
Armed Bujutsu
Unarmed Bujutsu
Control and Power
Strategic Principles
Morality of Bujutsu

Cover image for Secrets of the Samurai, isbn: 9781462902545

Practical Karate Volume 3

$4.99

"For the person who has already mastered the fundamentals, the present volume, profuse with diagrams and photographs, will serve as a handy guide to expanding [the options]." Yomiuri Shimbun

Practical Karate: Defense Against Multiple Assailants is the third volume in the classic six-volume series by Masatoshi Nakayama and Donn Draeger.

Written for those with an understanding of karate techniques, all methods described are workable, easy-to-learn karate defense responses to unarmed assailants. Divided into chapters dealing with attacks from standing, sitting, and ground-fighting positions, including grappling attacks, this karate book provides a simple approach to using fundamental karate skills for defense.

Mastery of the responses in this martial arts guide will not make the reader invincible in personal encounters, but will provide a ready repertoire of techniques to deal with a wide variety of attacks by multiple assailants.

Cover image for Practical Karate Volume 3, isbn: 9781462905188

Coaching with Heart

$16.95

Taoist Wisdom to Inspire, Empower, and Lead in Sports & Life.

In the world of athletics, an innovative breed of coaches is emerging—men and women who insist on fostering strong, healthy relationships with their players where respect and integrity are forged—and they are winning!

In Coaching with Heart, recognized sports psychologist Dr. Jerry Lynch declares that the relationship game is the single most vital aspect to successful and effective coaching in sports. By creating more intimacy between coach and team, and recognizing that both team and coach can learn from each other, everyone is able to fulfill their mutual goals.

Coaching With Heart is a provocative and practical 'game changer' in the shifting landscape of athletics and life coaching. Awaken to established techniques that empower and inspire not only yourself but also the players with whom you are building a relationship. Chapters within discuss various themes, including:

The power of caring in having love in your heart
The magic of being stronger by being softer
The positive effects of a culture of unity and cohesion
Tao Coaching, with the Taoist virtues of respect, trust, compassion, belief, and integrity.

Dr. Lynch shares wisdom he has accrued in his more than thirty years 'in the trenches', where he has had the opportunity to work with some of the most respected and effective coaches of all time, such as Phil Jackson, Pat Summit, Dean Smith, Tara Vanderveer, Bill Walsh, Anson Dorrance, Cindy Timchal, Missy Foote, and many more. Coaching with Heart will assist you in stepping outside the box with your leadership endeavors whether as a coach, teacher, CEO, military officer, or parent, and implement Zen Coaching approaches to guide others to practice, play, and live with the heart of a champion.

Cover image for Coaching with Heart, isbn: 9781462912957

Surfing Hawaii

$24.99

Surfing Hawaii is a guidebook to surfing at some of the most incredible surfing destinations in the world.

Join Periplus' team of knowledgeable authors-photographer-surfers as they take you on an action-filled tour of the remarkable island of Hawaii. Drop into stoking wave circumstanceshopping from north to south across the Hawaiian Islandsthrough the extraordinary birthplace of surfing.

This surfing guide contains:

More than 140 action-charged photographs
Insightful essays by surfers for surfers
Detailed maps of important surf spots
Up-to-date travel advisories
Surf, suft and more surf

If you like surfing or you are an inspiring surfer; this book will help guide you through the tips and tricks of the sport, including travel advisories, medical precautions, and safety hazards signs. And of course the spectacular views and places to surf in Indonesia are will be made aware to you.

Cover image for Surfing Hawaii, isbn: 9781462909360

Spiritual Dimensions of the Martial Arts

$9.99

Spiritual Dimensions of the Martial Arts is a study of the meditative and religious elements that form the core of the great martial arts traditions.

Unsurpassed in scope and detail, this martial arts book covers the spiritual beliefs and the practices of the fighting arts of India, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, and the United States.

Subjects discussed include:

Bruce Lee's unique views on spirituality and meditation
Rituals used to induce altered states of consciousness in Indonesian Pencak-Silat
The unusual relationship of Korea's Hwarang warriors to Mahayana Buddhism
The importance of Buddhist ritual in Muay Thai
Spiritual practices in the Filipino martial arts
The significance of Zen and esoteric Buddhism to the Samurai
The relationship of Indian martial arts to Yoga
The impact of Daoist concepts on the Chinese martial arts
Psychological development and martial arts training

Cover image for Spiritual Dimensions of the Martial Arts, isbn: 9781462904822

Jeet Kune Do Basics

$9.95

This useful and informative book offers a detailed overview of Jeet Kune Do practice while explaining the specific moves readers will need to perfect their techniques.

As a foundation, the book recalls the origination of Jeet Kune Do—the philosophy, history, and different styles of the martial art. This introduction gives readers an important reference point on how the practice evolved. From there, the book explains how to choose a school and takes readers through their first class, including the etiquette and dress requirements. The essential elements of the style—stances, footwork, upper body and lower body techniques, and grappling are all well represented and defined.

Building upon this solid groundwork, the book informs readers of the five ways of attack, including the single direct attack, the attack by combination, the progressive indirect attack, the attack by drawing, and the hand immobilization attack. Fighting instructions include the tactical considerations of Jeet Kune Do practice such as defenses, counterattacks, and sparring.

The book concludes with a comprehensive list of resources to help students further develop their knowledge of and training in Jeet Kune Do. Compact and easy-to-read, this book gives readers everything they'll need to start their practice of this critical fighting art made famous by Bruce Lee.

Cover image for Jeet Kune Do Basics, isbn: 9781462902675

Tai Chi Chuan Form to Fuction

$9.99

Tai Chi Chuan: Form to Function is a detailed manual for the study of the martial techniques of tai chi chuan.

It takes up where author Nigel Sutton's earlier title, Applied Tai Chi Chuan , left off, by setting out step-by-step the training exercises necessary for the mastery of tai chi chuan as a true combative art. Sutton outlines a well-defined program designed to lead to understanding and mastery of the useful self-defense techniques.

Some of the tai chi techniques explained include beginning basic execution of hand patterns, complex exercises, training with partners in predetermined push-hands routines, and freestyle push hands sparring.

Cover image for Tai Chi Chuan Form to Fuction, isbn: 9781462904648

Zen Shaolin Karate

$14.99

"Nathan Johnson has captured the essence of true karate-do." Paul Clifton, Editor, Combat and Traditional Karate

Kata, the "present movements forming the backbone of all Karate styles", have been a source of endless confusion for the vast majority of karate students. Nathan Johnson, third degree black belt in Karate and fourth degree black belt in Kung fu, gives the reader an ultimate interpretation of how Kata is applied to those Karate forms in this readable martial arts guide.

In Zen Shaolin Karate, Johnson explains and illustrates in precise detail every subtle movement of two of karate's most common Kata, and provides historical testimony for his explanations by integrating his findings with Zen philosophy. The author's unique interpretations of the Nai Fuan Chin and Saam Chin Kata will destroy the barriers separating Karate, Kung Fu, and Aikido, and will revolutionize how Kata are applied in all martial arts styles.

Cover image for Zen Shaolin Karate, isbn: 9781462904341

Bruce Lee The Tao of Gung Fu

$12.95

In the months leading up to his death, Bruce Lee was working on this definitive study of the Chinese martial arts—collectively known as Kung Fu or Gung Fu. This book has now been edited and is published here for the first time in its entirety.

Bruce Lee totally revolutionized the practice of martial arts and brought them into the modern world—by promoting the idea that students have the right to pick and choose those techniques and training regimens which suit their own personal needs and fighting styles. He developed a new style of his own called Jeet Kune Do—combining many elements from different masters and different traditions. This was considered heretical at the time within martial arts circles, where one was expected to study with only a single master—and Lee was the first martial artist to attempt this. Today he is revered as the "father" of martial arts practice around the world—including Mixed Martial Arts.

In addition to presenting the fundamental techniques, mindset and training methods of traditional Chinese martial arts, this martial art treatise explores such esoteric topics as Taoism and Zen as applied to Gung Fu, Eastern and Western fitness regimens and self-defense techniques. Also included is a Gung Fu "scrapbook" of Bruce Lee's own personal anecdotes regarding the history and traditions of the martial arts of China. After Lee's death, his manuscript was completed and edited by martial arts expert John Little in cooperation with the Bruce Lee Estate. This book features an introduction by his wife, Linda Lee Cadwell and a foreword from his close friend and student, Taky Kimura.

This Bruce Lee Book is part of the Bruce Lee Library which also features:
Bruce Lee: Striking Thoughts

Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon

Bruce Lee: Artist of Life

Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon

Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body

Bruce Lee: Jeet Kune Do

Cover image for Bruce Lee The Tao of Gung Fu, isbn: 9781462917884

Hapkido

$9.95

Hapkido, "The Way of Coordination and Internal Power," is one of the three major Korean martial arts. Founded in 1963 by Master Choi Young-Sul, it is a complete system of self-defense, encompassing striking, kicking, and grappling techniques. Conceptually, Hapkido techniques more closely parallel those of Aikido than Taekwondo. In fact, as the author describes, there is a parental link between the arts.

In Hapkido: Korean Art of Self-Defense, Scott Shaw presents a precise description of the techniques, concepts, and applications of this Korean martial art of self-defense.

Profusely illustrated with 220 clear photographs, this instructional hapkido book describes and depicts self-defense techniques against a variety of punches, holds, and kicks. Hapkido has been utilized by military and law enforcement agencies worldwide, but until now little has been written on it. This hapkido guide is one of the few in English to present the essential techniques of this fascinating Korean martial art. Chapters include:

The History and Development of Korean Martial Arts
The Evolution of Hapkido
Danjon: The Center of Ki
Hapkido Fundamentals
Hapkido Self-Defense Techniques

Cover image for Hapkido, isbn: 9781462903443

Judo Unleashed!

$19.99

This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents Philippine fairy tales and other folk stories—providing insight into a rich oral culture.

Filipino Children's Favorite Stories presents thirteen well-loved myths and tales from the Philippines. These stories will enchant six to ten-year-old readers around the world with their wit and charm. Many of the tales have been transmitted from mother to child over centuries, and cover classic childhood themes—such as the forces of good triumphing over evil, children rebelling against adults and the weak prevailing over the strong. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading.

Narrated with an international audience in mind and illustrated with whimsical watercolors by award-winning artist Joanne de Leon, this is a must-have collection of tales for anyone interested in the Philippines.

Featured Filipino stories include:

Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears
The Magic Lake
The Deer and the Snail
Why the Cock Crows
The Prince's Bride

The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.

Cover image for Judo Unleashed!, isbn: 9781462924639

Ninja Defense

$18.95

Master the Japanese martial art of ninjutsu with this illustrated, informative guide.

In The Ninja Defense, the classic art of the ninja is updated for maximum effectiveness in modern day situations. Stephen K. Hayes is a Black Belt Hall of Fame member, founder of To-Shin Do, and acknowledged "Father of American Ninjutsu." He has distilled and refined the knowledge he has built studying and teaching ninjutsu for decades into a comprehensive self-defense system that can defuse the worst situations the modern world has to offer.

The result is a realistic martial arts training system that includes instruction in techniques and strategies for dealing with:

Grappling, Throwing, Choking, and Joint-locking
Striking, Kicking, and Punching
Stick, Blade, Cord, and Projectile weapons
Handling multiple assailants and Surprise attacks
Overcoming psychological intimidation or Bullying

This ninja book, which includes a bonus DVD, focuses on Hayes' revised take on the classical martial arts styles of Japan's famed shinobi. He provides his readers with all the key ingredients—both physical and mental—to emerge safely from unexpected danger. The chapter on mental discipline will allow readers to feel more confident in whatever situation everyday life brings.

The Ninja Defense contains extremely practical techniques that the author honed while serving as a bodyguard for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and fine-tuned through years of teaching. It is the ultimate self-defense book from a true martial art master.

Cover image for Ninja Defense, isbn: 9781462909889

Kung Fu Basics

$9.99

Get your training off to a great start—from basic kicks to practice and tournaments—this book is a perfect introduction to kung fu for beginners. It's everything you need to get started in kung fu!

Whether you are considering taking up this martial art, or you've already started, Kung Fu Basics offers an easy, yet comprehensive introduction to everything you need to know to feel confident and be successful.

You'll learn about:
The origins of kung fu
—philosophy, history and different styles

What happens in a kung fu class—invaluable tips on choosing the right school, getting ready for your first class, and basic training methods

The essential elements of the style—stances, footwork, kicks, and hand techniques, with tips on common mistakes and how to get the most power out of each move

Drill and conditioning exercises—exercises to compliment your training

Practical ways to improve your kung fu technique—traditional teaching advice of Chinese masters

Resources—help further develop your knowledge and understanding of kung fu

Cover image for Kung Fu Basics, isbn: 9781462920181

Secrets of Phoenix Eye Fist Kung Fu

$14.99

Master the terrifyingly effective Phoenix Eye Fist style of Chinese Kung Fu with this illustrated martial arts guide.

The Secrets of Phoenix-Eye Fist Kung-Fu depicts an enormously potent art, also known as Chuka Shaolin, that does not depend on strength or size. Instead, it utilizes a special striking technique, the phoenix-eye fist, aimed at vital points on the opponent's body.

Phoenix-Eye Fist Kung-Fu excels at close-range fightingan area neglected in many other martial artsand employs a variety of lightning-fast strikes and kicks. Due to its deadly efficacy, there is no sparring in Chuka Shaolin, but instead complex two-person practice forms are employedboth for empty-handed fighting and for fighting with weaponsin which the practitioners fight all-out, and are protected only by a precise knowledge of the form.

With hundreds of clear photographs, The Secrets of Phoenix-Eye Fist Kung-Fu reveals:

The fundamental techniques of the empty-handed art
A complete breakdown of the two-person empty-hand practice forms
Detailed instruction in Chuka Shaolin pole fighting, including
the practice forms
An overview of the other weapons used in Chuka Shaolin, including the sai, the twin knives, the spear, and the farmer's hoe
Special forms of Chi Kung designed to increase striking power,
increase vitality, and aid in resisting and healing injuries

Cover image for Secrets of Phoenix Eye Fist Kung Fu, isbn: 9781462917013

Complete Martial Arts Training Manual

$24.99

The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual is a complete guide for anyone who has an interest in the martial arts.

Having a broad knowledge of the various techniques of the martial arts gives a martial artist an expanded ability to counteract a variety of attacks and overwhelm an opponent's defenses. Author Ashley Martin shares with the reader his years of experience as a practitioner and teacher. He provides a catalog of the various martial arts being taught worldwide and their strengths and weaknesses. He then covers the basics of hand-to-hand techniques within each of those disciplines, from strikes to ground fighting. Finally, he offers information on the overall health and well being of the martial artist, including important nutritional information and stretching techniques.

The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual is a solid foundation of martial arts for beginners and a key supplement for the veteran martial artist.

Cover image for Complete Martial Arts Training Manual, isbn: 9781462905553

Chinese Kung-Fu (Kenpo)

$4.99

Learn the ancient self-defense system of Kempo with this illustrated martial arts guide.

Kempo is one of the oldest, most dynamic martial arts. It is a derivative of Kung-Fu developed in southern China over a thousand years ago. This book proves that Kenpo, although an ancient military art, has direct application and relevance to our lives today.

This kung fu book is designed to guide not only those seriously interested in learning kempo kung fu, but also to assist men, women, and children concerned about gaining better physical fitness, better over-all body tone and general well-being as well as a firm sense of self-confidence.

Four Introductory Lessons, coupled with clear photographs, aid readers in executing with accuracy and safety all essential stances and techniques. After these have been mastered, the remaining lessons, accompanied by helpful exercises, can be practiced with ease. Rather than violence for its own sake, Kenpo offers defensive techniques for self-protection which can be mastered in about three months.

Cover image for Chinese Kung-Fu (Kenpo), isbn: 9781462912346

Arnis

$14.99

Arnis: Reflections on the History and Development of the Filipino Martial Arts is an intriguing collection of essays on Filipino martial arts.

Featured are insightful essays by Filipino martial artists:

Krishna K. Godhania
Antonio E. Somera
Abner G. Pasa
Dr. Jopet Laraya
Felipe P. beano, Jr.
Rene J. Navarro

For centuries, Filipino martial arts have played integral and often momentous roles in the history of the Philippines and in the survival of the Filipino people. But what are these arts? Where do they come from? How have they developed? Where are they headed? And what inner dimensions do they offer their practitioners? These questions, among others, form the basis of Arnis: Reflections on the History and Development of the Filipino Martial Arts.

Cover image for Arnis, isbn: 9781462907427

Tai Chi Chuan Roots & Branches

$5.99

Featuring simple but clear instructions and over 190 illustrations this Tai Chi guide is a great way to learn this ancient martial art.

Tai Chi Chuan is a philosophical and martial discipline practiced daily by millions of people worldwide. Though its benefits as a means of enhancing health and relaxation are well known, it is also a viable and effective martial art.

The postures and forms written in Tai Chi Chuan are easily understood and including nicely drawn illustrations to help guide the reader into the proper positions of Tai Chi. Author Nigel Sutton has devoted many years of his life to the study of Tai Chi's roots (its history, traditions, and basic movements) and its branches. The product of his endeavors is this introductory guide to the movements and application of Master Cheng Man Ching's Tai Chi Chuan, a style noted for its combative effectiveness. Sutton has masterfully captured the essence of this popular tradition in both its holistic and martial approaches.

Cover image for Tai Chi Chuan Roots & Branches, isbn: 9781462901449

Complete Tai-Chi

$19.99

Today people around the world are discovering the benefits of Tai-chi, an ancient Chinese system of exercise based on calm, graceful movements that condition the body from the inside out. With benefits like reduced stress and anxiety, plus improved flexibility and concentration, Tai-chi has become the ultimate form of exercise for relaxing and strengthening both body and spirit.

Master Huang's Complete Tai-chi is the definitive introduction to the Condensed Form of Wu-style Tai-chi, a form that has gained enormous popularity as a healing exercise because it stresses the development of internal energy for self-healing. The 36 postures of this style are beautiful in their simplicity and completely safe, regardless of one's age or physical condition. Included in this book are a detailed guide to the 36 postures (with more than 250 illustrative photographs), a historical overview of Tai-chi, and translations of classic works by Tai-chi masters.

The demands of Tai-chi are small, but the rewards are great. A few minutes each day and a bit of open space are all one needs to find a new path to youthfulness and longevity, and at the same time reach the peak of physical and emotional well-being.

Cover image for Complete Tai-Chi, isbn: 9781462903467

Shaolin Kung Fu

$15.99

A comprehensive guide to Shaolin Lohan Kung Fu from both ancient and contemporary masters.

With a new foreword by historian and martial artist Alexander Bennett, Shaolin Kung Fu details the oldest form of this ancient Chinese martial art. Shaolin Kung Fu is prized for its elegant style, effectiveness as a fighting system and as an exercise that benefits both body and mind.

Authors Donn F. Draeger and P'ng Chye Khim, both master martial artists and Shaolin experts, focus on the Lohan technique—believed to have developed from a form devised at the legendary Shaolin Temple some 1,500 years ago. This comprehensive book offers a practical introduction, including:
The history and fundamentals of Shaolin Kung Fu

The fundamentals of Shaolin

A complete description of the Lohan technique and how to master it

Detailed Shaolin training methods, including the use of weapons

Weapons used in Shaolin

This book is intended as a supplement to a dedicated training program and includes detailed instructions explaining both the solo and partner practice forms. Accompanied by over 400 photos and sketches, this excellent introduction to the Lohan form is a must-have for every serious student of Shaolin and Kung Fu.

Shaolin Kung Fu was intended to provide Buddhist monks in ancient China with an art that would not only act as an intense conditioning tool, but also arm them with a formidable system of self defense. Though the context for these skills has changed, modern readers can benefit from this method in much the same way as its original students.