YMAA Publication Center

Chin Na (Qin Na) is one of the four major fighting categories in all Chinese martial styles. The four categories are:

• Kicking (Ti)
• Striking (Da)
• Wrestling (Shuai)
• Seize-Controlling (Na)

Seize-Controlling Chin Na techniques can be effectively used against an opponents grabbing attacks as well as against wrestling. Pressing and striking Chin Na can be used to seal the opponents breathing, vein/artery, or Qi circulation, which can cause severe pain, numbness, and unconsciousness. Some techniques can even be fatal.

Most of Chin Na can be learned easily and be adopted into any martial style. Chin Na has been known as the root of the Japanese arts of Jujitsu and Aikido, and practitioners can use the study of Chin Na to increase their understanding of the theory and principles of their own arts.

This book is designed to make learning easier.

If you study a barehand art, likely there are Chin Na techniques you can adapt!

You will learn over 150 Chin Na techniques

• Fundamental principles that make Chin Na work.
• Speed, power, grabbing, escaping, and countering techniques.
• Finger Chin Na.
• Wrist Chin Na.
• Elbow Chin Na.
• Shoulder, neck, and waist Chin Na.
• Leg Chin Na.
• Muscle Grabbing Chin Na.
• Cavity press Chin Na.
• Using Chin Na in a fight.
• Dealing with injuries.

The ability to control an opponent through Chin Na is one of the highest measures of martial skill. You will improve your martial skills with the many training methods, attacks, and counterattack techniques detailed in this book. Your are going to increase your fighting options!

Remember, Chin Na can be integrated with any open hand martial style.

The civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists drove the largest refugee exodus in the modern history of China, across the sea to the southern island of Taiwan. Martial artists of many styles were among this diaspora.

In the 1940’s areas of Taipei, Taiwan were terrorized by local gangsters. Supported by desperate martial artists who had to flee mainland China with no other resources but their martial skills, they robbed and extorted the population. The locals trying to rebuild a new life after the Japanese occupation, often hired their own cadre of martial artists. The Hong family was one of these merchant families.

Through hard work, honesty, and perseverance, the Hong family had come from poverty to build a successful candle making business. It’s patriarch, Hong Wu-fan, not only hired martial artists but invited famous refugee masters to live and train in his family compound, thus earning their loyalty and the honor of their secrets. One of the most outstanding students was Hong’s fourth son, Hong Yi-xiang.

The author Hong Ze-han tells the true story of his father Hong Yi-xiang, and the cultural story of Taiwan in the 50-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Hong Yi-xiang was the founder of the Yizong Tangshoudao school of martial arts. He earned his renowned reputation by using the philosophy of the internal arts to outwit his opponents, relying on strategy as much as superior physical skills.

Blessed with access to his father’s life and teachings, the author Hong Ze-han conjures intimate conversations with the master and weaves a tale of success out of the struggle to survive. We, dear readers, are allowed in—to become outside students to these teachings and the cultural times in which the master’s art developed. We become part of an art and a country made stronger by the character and strength of its immigrants.

Master Richard Chun takes us on a first hand account of his life story and his dedication to the art of Taekwondo. We begin in Korea just before the Korean war and learn why Taekwondo is a noble and positive recreation for children, offering them challenges and lessons that they will reflect upon for their entire lives.

We follow as he takes Taekwondo to America not knowing how he and his art will be received. We see how Taekwondo plays a major role in this Grand Master's pursuit of a life in America and we cheer him on as he overcomes the difficulties a non-english speaking immigrant discovers in the USA. From celebrity students and their families (Donald Trump, Mayor Guliani, Gregory Hines) to everyday citizens, Master Richard Chun offers us the key to living a life of contribution to humanity through Taekwondo.

• Deepen Your Understanding of Taekwondo Traditions.
• Inspiration and Advice for a Lifetime of Practice.
• For All Styles and All Levels of Experience.

In the martial arts, kata are the prearranged and choreographed dance-like forms used to convey the intricacies of a particular style to the practitioner. In a sense they are the physical form of an oral tradition, (a form of knowledge transference that many believe extends back several thousand years), training not only the body, but the mind and spirit. Kata are the basis for which modern day karate techniques have developed and hence kata are considered the 'textbooks' of the martial arts.

Kata is often called the mother of Karate. Bunkai is a kind of analysis (meaning, 'to disassemble') - a much neglected form of study within Karate.

These self-defense applications are what give the kata their true meaning and purpose. For the old masters, those of whom may have only practiced one or two kata their entire lives, the repetitions demanded of kata never became a burden because of the meaning, the bunkai. In thousands of schools around the world today, the various kata of Karate are taught and practiced. Unfortunately, not many know, or care to teach, the bunkai, referring to them a mysterious 'secrets.' In Shihan Te: The Bunkai of Kata, these "secrets" are revealed.

• Useful for all styles of Karate.
• The key to understanding Karate...and yourself!
• Discover the rich history and deeper meaning of the Martial Arts.

The Tao of Bioenergetics is the first comprehensive study of the use of Energetics as a scientific model (paradigm) in both western and eastern thought.

This book traces the history and uses of Qi (Chi), the bioenergy of China, from the I-Ching through physics, astrology, Feng Shui and alchemy.

The author demonstrates how the findings of the ancient Chinese Qigong masters were paralleled and confirmed in the early works of Hippocrates, Parclsus and Mesmer. He then shows the confirmation of Qigong theory in the modern clinical and experimental discoveries of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen. Also included are extensive excerpts from the published works of notable eastern scholars such as Yang, Ni, and Lu.

Special attention is given to the experiments of Wilhelm Reich to show the objectivity of the energy paradigm, and his experiments are quoted at length as scientific confirmation of eastern Qigong.

Finally, a synthesis is suggested and conclusions drawn for the future use of the broader energy paradigm in global science and human development.

DISCOVER THE MARTIAL ESSENCE OF TAI CHI CHUAN

Here's your chance to take the next step in your tai chi journey.

Martial applications found within tai chi chuan are a direct link to your tai chi as a form of self-defense. When you study the martial side of tai chi, you can become proficient in a variety of high-level skills, including sensing, neutralizing, yielding, striking, chin na, and even throwing.

• If you know a tai chi form, you are going to discover the essence of your movements by becoming aware of their martial applications.
  
• If you are practicing tai chi pushing hands, you will greatly improve your skills with this understanding of martial applications.
  
• If you are ready, you are going to love the amazing tai chi fighting set. This fully choreographed set (requires a partner) will combine all your tai chi skills into one 5-minute routine.
  

This book includes :

• Martial applications for the Yang-style long form
• Martial applications for Yang-style tai chi pushing hands
• The complete Yang-style tai chi fighting set

For any style of tai chi chuan, this book will be important for practitioners who wish to develop a deeper understanding and advanced skills.

• Learn how to analyze the forms and defense applications in your tai chi, gaining higher-level knowledge of your style.
• Discover the martial applications of Yang style. These insights will give you greater understanding of your own art.
• Find inspiration. Master Yang's writing will inspire you to investigate the martial applications of your tai chi style.

This edition includes an easy-to-follow layout. Each technique is presented in four to six large photographs with detailed instructions on how to perform the movements. Motion arrows are used on the photographs to help you execute the movements correctly.

There is much more women can do to protect themselves from the rougher side of life—other than kicking and punching

Protective Offense (the focus of this book) is where self-defense meets common sense, where self-awareness, situational awareness, strategy, and problem solving coincide. Protective Offense is a new paradigm of empowerment for women who want to revel in the chess game of life, dismantle anxiety, see conflict as opportunity, and raise engaged, resilient children who won’t become victims (or criminals).

Protective Offense is the culmination of thirty years of study in the martial arts and self-defense. It is a contribution to the overall project of equality, safety, and dynamic living for women and families. Fighting is only one tenth of self-defense, but it hoards ninety percent of the spotlight. There is so much more women can do to protect themselves.


Expect to learn how to:

• Break down the process of violent crime
• Stay off the criminal radar
• Connect intimately to your intuition so you can it use without guilt
• Recognize the signs of emotionally abusive people
• Recognize some of the tells and tricks of violent criminals
• Respond as early as possible to a confrontation by multiple attackers
• Understand how weapons are used and what you can do if confronted by one
• Maintain your cool and navigate confusion and shock under duress
• Know which physical techniques to count on in a fight for your life
• Know which physical techniques NOT to count on in a fight for your life
• Grasp some of the most important legal ramifications of physically protecting yourself against violence
• Include specific considerations of parenthood in your self-defense practice
• Model an aware and proactive mindset for children
• Evaluate self-defense courses and instructors so you can make educated decisions
• Think about how to raise children who will never present themselves as unsuspecting victims, or victimize others, and who will act conscientiously if they see something happening
• Help to engage and encourage others to reshape women’s self-defense training

As a generalization we could say women are more connected to their own mortality. Women are more aware of danger in everyday life than men are. Regardless of the reasons—our biological connection to life, that we are smaller, physically weaker, generally have less social or political power than our male counterparts, or that we are often responsible for others—we just worry about safety more often than the average guy. Ask a man how often he thinks about safety or worries about going out alone. Then ask a woman the very same questions.

Self-defense for women is not and should not be taught the same as self-defense for men.

Unravel a Web of Deception in a High-Stakes Thriller of Betrayal, Survival, and Redemption

In Head of the Snake, Gary Quesenberry delivers a gripping thriller that plunges readers into a world of danger, intrigue, and relentless action. When Case Younger, a former army ranger and counter-terror operative, finds himself targeted by a shadowy network of powerful figures, he must navigate a treacherous landscape where trust is a luxury and survival is paramount.

Set against the backdrop of Pikesville, Virginia, and the sprawling estate of a corrupt billionaire, the story unfolds with heart-pounding intensity. As Case races against time to uncover the truth behind a sinister human trafficking operation, he is forced to confront his own demons and the ghosts of his past. With the help of a loyal team of allies, including the resourceful Matt and Ross, Case embarks on a mission that will test his skills, courage, and resolve to their limits.

As the stakes escalate, Case must outwit a ruthless assassin, navigate a web of political corruption, and protect those he loves from a fate worse than death. With each twist and turn, the tension mounts, leading to a climactic showdown that will leave readers breathless.

For fans of Jack Carr, Lee Child, and James Patterson, Head of the Snake offers a masterful blend of action, suspense, and complex characters. Quesenberry's storytelling prowess shines through in this electrifying tale of justice and redemption, where the line between hero and villain blurs, and the cost of truth is measured in blood.

Prepare for an adrenaline-fueled journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. Head of the Snake is a must-read for anyone who craves a thrilling adventure filled with unexpected twists, explosive action, and a hero who refuses to back down.

Adrenaline meets intrigue in a high stakes battle of good versus evil.

After tracking down and eliminating the people who threatened his hometown, Case Younger is finally ready to leave his violent past and settle into a quiet life with the only woman he’s ever loved. But a stranger has come to town—one who’s handsome, charming, and on a mission to destroy everything Case holds dear. 

JC Wilks is the last surviving member of the Dead Rebels Motorcycle Club. He’s come to Pikesville hunting for Case Younger, and Wilks didn’t come alone. JC knows that Case will be a hard target. To get close, he needs a plan, deception, leverage, and some unsuspecting victims. 

Life is finally starting to feel right for Case Younger. Love, friends, family, and even a wedding. That’s when JC Wilks strikes hard. As the noose tightens around Case and his family, allegiances are tested, secrets are revealed, and a new threat comes to light that could destroy the fragile peace Case has worked so hard to find. 

Kick fear to the curb! Learn how to keep your family safe without the stress.

Safest Family on the Block by Jason Brick, host of the popular podcast of the same name, is a practical, hopeful guide for parents who want to protect their loved ones without living in fear.

This easy-to-read book explores essential tips for supporting your family’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being—without overwhelming or scaring anyone.

Featuring 101 concise essays—each short enough to read while waiting in line, at soccer practice, or idling in a parking lot “school pickup”—each piece delivers quick tips, expert advice, and empowering insights that you can apply right away to make your home and family safer in manageable, approachable ways.

Inside Safest Family on the Block, you’ll learn how to:

• Use a simple alternative to “Situational Awareness” that’s effective and easy for all ages
• Give yourself the right “pep talk” before talking with your kids, keeping conversations calm and constructive
• Secure your front door in just five minutes for only two dollars
• Turn a family vacation into a fun and effective safety-building experience

You'll also find guidance on managing those rare but challenging days, with practical strategies to turn potential emergencies into inconveniences, helping you handle unexpected situations with confidence.

“Most soccer moms and minivan dads don’t have the background to absorb the various self-defense and safety skills offered by experts. My role as a father and safety expert is to bridge that gap and make life easier for all families”—Jason

This book brings together Jason’s experiences as a journalist, father, and martial artist, blending skills and insights for a proactive, positive approach to family safety. Discover a hopeful, empowering resource to help your family thrive!

Perfect for parents and caregivers looking for practical ways to keep their loved ones safe—without the stress.

Good kicking provides an extra layer of depth and complexity to one’s martial arts or fighting skills.

Elevate your fighting game with this essential guide to the top ten functional kicks. Good kicking can be used tactically in a wide variety of situations, such as to control range, surprise opponents or setting up further strikes. The training required for kicking provides improved strength, fitness, balance, and flexibility by utilizing the entire body in a powerful and natural way.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fighter, you’ll gain valuable insights into:

• The ten most effective kicks for real-world martial artists.
• Ways to incorporate kicks into your fighting style.
• Methods for improving strength, balance, and flexibility.
• Tactical applications in various fighting scenarios.
• Descriptors rating damage, speed, and difficulty levels for each kick.

This book has been written with functionality in mind. It features ten of the most practical and effective kicks drawn from various martial art systems. These kicks come from and can be included in:

• Karate
• Taekwondo
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
• Kickboxing
• Kung Fu
• Savate
• Jeet Kun Do (JKD)
• Sanda
• Muay Thai
• Wing Chun
• Krav Maga
• Self-defense

Whether your goals are fitness and flexibility, training for competition or real-life self-defense scenarios, the kicks presented here will serve you well.

Written primarily with beginner and intermediate fighters in mind, it can also provide variations and potentially alternative approaches for more seasoned kickers to add to their own repertoire too.

Don’t let weak kicks hold you back. Transform your fighting ability and gain a crucial edge in competition. With clear instruction and expert tips, you’ll become a more well-rounded and formidable fighter.

The transfer of a centuries-old Japanese fine arts principle into empty-hand fighting.

In this book in the Analysis of Karate series, Hermann Bayer, Ph.D. examines Shu Ha Ri and its influence on modern karate. Bayer examines why and how this centuries old Japanese fine arts concept has changed how karate is practiced in modern times.

Shu Ha Ri is a genuine Japanese fine arts principle that was later applied into Japanese martial arts in general, and into karate-do in particular—not as a factual martial arts tradition but as an invented one—during a process that also converted Okinawa’s self-protection art into something closer to a fine art of self-perfection.

Clarifying the influence of Shu Ha Ri in the Japanese approach to martial arts is particularly important since traditional Okinawan karate circles adamantly insist on keeping their Okinawan karate approach separated, unique, and not to be mixed up with Japanese ways.

Dr. Bayer's weaves historic, socio-cultural, political, philosophical, psychological, and commercial components into a complex analysis that finally gives a clear picture of the subject, and that addresses doubts and questions about ascent or alibi which inevitably arise when an Okinawan fighting art is changed into a Japanese fine art.

Contents Include

• A centuries old Japanese fine arts principle finds its way into modern karate.
• Shu Ha Ri is a Japanese cultural concept, not an Okinawan one.
• Japan converts Okinawan Karate-jutsu and inserts Japanese philosophies.
• The essence of Shu Ha Ri is its trinity of coexisting phases.

An additional component in this analysis is the inclusion of educational principles and approaches that can help instructors organize and systematize their teaching approach and to overcome traditional instructor-centered concepts by using teaching approaches that were developed to better reach westerly socialized minds.

A gripping pulse-pounding tale of danger and suspense, where every moment counts, and every decision could mean life or death.

Case Younger has a hair-trigger on his anger issues that he has kept under control by dedicating his life to serving his country. First as an Army Ranger and most recently as a Federal Air Marshal. On a fateful trans-Atlantic flight Case uses his skills to stop a hijacker but his team pays a heavy price in the ensuing violence. The media seizes the opportunity to elevate Case to hero, a role he wants no part of. Seeking to escape the spotlight, he decides it’s time to face his past and return home.

What begins as a warm welcome back is soon interrupted by a sinister gang that has infested his once quiet hometown. Assessing the situation, Case feels duty-bound to act. With time running out, he puts his anger and highly tuned abilities to use. Gathering resources and beginning a covert operation, he unravels a shocking conspiracy and finds himself face to face with a formidable and ruthless adversary.

As the action intensifies, alliances are tested, an old rivalry resumes, and loyalties are questioned. Case races against the clock with every twist and turn, determined to save those he holds dear and bring justice to those who seek to destroy everything sacred.

The best of both Eastern and Western Sword Fighting Techniques

Sword fighting is a vigorous activity that develops strength, speed, and overall physical fitness. It also promotes mental acuity and quick thinking. Once you have developed the requisite skills to the point where you no longer have to think about them to perform them properly, you can focus your attention on out-witting your opponent in an exciting game of physical chess.

The Art and Science of Sword Fighting takes an innovative, progressive approach to swordsmanship. Consisting of an eclectic collection of high-percentage sword fighting techniques borrowed from many diverse sources, these universal concepts can easily be applied to fighting with a wide variety of swords.

The Art and Science of Sword Fighting is aimed at creating a formidable general practitioner, someone who is comfortable fighting with a variety of swords. This approach provides a solid foundation in the general art of sword fighting, a necessity for beginners and experts alike. Later, once you have determined what your strengths are and where your personal interests lie, you may choose to go on to specialize in a particular brand of swordsmanship. Regardless of what that style may be, this strong foundation will serve you well.

By not focusing on the historical context of any particular style, advanced practitioners, regardless of personal style or affiliation, might transcend stylistic differences to come together as a swordsman or a swordswoman in order to discover the universal concepts that underlie all styles. Such collaborations serve to improve the collective understanding of sword fighting.

The Art and Science of Sword Fighting is divided into two main sections.

• Part One focuses on wielding a one-handed sword.
• Subsections include offense, defense, fencing, and advanced techniques.
• Part Two focuses on wielding a two-handed sword.
• Subsections include offense, defense, fencing, and advanced techniques.

This book takes a bold, progressive approach to the topic of next generation fencing. The condensed course of study is designed to teach you how to use just about any sword; an eclectic approach to the art of swordsmanship aimed at ferreting out the universal concepts common to wielding a sword. By taking this fresh, methodical approach to the topic, any student can quickly learn the Art and Science of Sword Fighting.

Winning Judo offers realistic and practical instruction for success in competitive judo. Written for beginner and experienced athletes, author Steve Scott shares the skills you need to be successful at all levels of competitive judo.

He will teach you how to train your body, enhance your competition skill set, and establish a winning mental game. You will learn how to

• Understand the three levels of training intensity
• Scout and read your opponents
• Develop tactics for regaining and keeping your lead in the scoring
• Manage tempo, pace, and positioning
• And much more

Judo is based on sound principles of movement and biomechanics. Understanding how and why a technique works or doesn’t work provides a solid advantage when under stress in competition. With over 450 photographs, Steve will explain the proper ways to exploit

• Success with throws
• Managing transitions and defenses
• Aggressive defenses that win matches
• Ground fighting and breaking down your opponent
• Defending against and initiating armlocks
• Chokes and strangles

To be successful in judo, athletes and their coaches need clear objectives and informed knowledge of what to do during the ever-changing dynamics of a judo match. Steve Scott has developed and coached many competitors to championships at World, Pan American, and Olympic judo teams. Written by popular demand, he brings his lifetime of experience in one authoritative and focused book on winning in competitive judo.

AWARDS

FINALIST—Fiction: Thriller Adventure, Best Books Awards, 2023

When does the student become the master? At what cost?

Grieving the loss of his sensei, the master swordsman Yamashita, Connor Burke struggles with the challenges of recovery from the wounds received struggling to defend Yamashita as well as the heavy burden of assuming leadership of Yamashita’s dojo. Embroiled in controversy with a wealthy donor over control of the dojo, Burke welcomes the distraction of an investigation into a noted yoga guru’s unexplained death. 

Winston Tambor is a charismatic yoga teacher who died under mysterious circumstances.

Some believe that Win’s death was caused by the unleashing of mysterious yogic power from the discipline of Kundalini, but some investigators think differently. They need someone with an insider’s knowledge of the esoteric aspects of Asian disciplines, with the research skills needed to separate mystic hype from reality, who also has had some experience with criminal investigations. Mickey Burke, watching his brother Connor struggle with rehabilitation in the aftermath of Yamashita’s death, thinks Connor will be perfect for the project.

Connor Burke welcomes the distraction of Montoya’s investigation of Tambor’s death. He soon discovers that solving this mystery is as dangerous as it is difficult.  Burke is plunged once again into the world of esoteric Asian disciplines. Where the relations between master and disciple, and the conflict of perpetuating ancient codes of honor can generate very lethal consequences. Especially when driven by money and celebrity.

MARTIAL ARTS TRANSPORT US TO THE REALMS OF LEGENDS

Every day in dojos and training halls, fantastic stories of history’s martial arts heroes are told. Tales of men and women who overpower wild beasts, walk unharmed through a barrage of swords, or single-handedly defeat scores of attackers—they all captivate our imagination and our sense of marvel.

Whether presented orally, on screen, or by written word, these legends remain a key element of our collective martial arts culture and naturally inspire wonder about where the facts end and the fiction begins.

No stories are more gripping than those surrounding the founders and great masters of modern-day martial arts.

This book looks at twelve of the greatest martial arts legends of all time, retelling their common historical lore, examining the known facts, suggesting possible reasons for their longevity, and discussing the key functions that these legends have served martial artists both historically and today.

Bodhidharma: A Zen Monk’s Journey to the East

Zhang Sanfeng: The Founding of Internal Martial Arts

Morihei Ueshiba: The Quest for Ultimate Peace

Ng Mui & Yan Yongchun: The Dual Founders of Wing Chun

Nai Khanom Tom: The Hero of Ayutthaya Fights for Freedom

Choi Hong-Hi: Leading Korea from the Ashes of War

Miyamoto Musashi: A Swordsman Meets His Greatest Foe

Helio Gracie: Grapplers from the East and West Meet

Bruce Lee: Fighting for the Freedom to Teach Kung Fu

Bui Thi Xuan: The Swordswoman and the Tiger

Gogen Yamaguchi: Returning from the Gulag

Masutatsu Oyama: Taking on the Wild

“Vivid . . . profound . . . plausible . . . be inspired.”

—Shotokan Karate Portal

AWARDS

FINALIST—Travel, American Book Fest 2023

Spotting danger before it happens while traveling alone or with your family is a skill that can be developed and may even save your life.

So, you've decided to go on vacation. Good for you! Unfortunately, when planning a getaway, you must think about more than just the fun stuff; you must also consider your personal safety and the safety of those you're traveling with. This is where situational awareness comes into play.

Domestic and international vacationers spend nearly 1.1 trillion dollars annually in the U.S. alone. Any time there's that much cash involved you can expect there will be someone nearby looking to take advantage of you. When traveling, you must acknowledge and prepare for this potential danger.

In Spotting Danger for Travelers, you will learn how to develop a solid foundation of situational awareness, preemptively spot danger, quickly implement escape plans, and take control of your own safety while traveling.

Details include:

• Conducting a threat assessment on your destination
• Properly securing your home while away
• Taking travel precautions on the road and in the air
• Securing your temporary accommodations
• Building situational awareness techniques specific for traveling
• Becoming familiar with your surrounding area
• Developing an appropriate cultural awareness
• Dealing with so called “common” encounters
• Creating contingency plans when “incidents” occur

Regardless of your location, criminals tend to stick to specific patterns of behavior. This book will teach you important skills including how predators choose their victims, how to establish behavioral baselines, the process for identifying baseline anomalies, and how to harden your personal defenses. By implementing what you learn here, you can travel confidently and be secure with the knowledge that you can spot danger before it has the chance to spot you.

 “Today more than ever, it is imperative that we pay close attention to our surroundings and learn how to interpret what’s happening around us. Tragic events can often be both predictable and preventable.” —Gary Quesenberry Federal Air Marshal (Ret.)

Profound - In Depth - Taijiquan Theory

In the last seven centuries, many songs and poems have been composed about Taijiquan. These have played a major role in preserving the knowledge and wisdom of the masters, although in many cases, the identity of the authors and the dates of origin have been lost.

As lifelong pursuit, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has translated many of these documents and according to him, believes many are incomplete for reasons relating to: forgotten oral secrets, the original authors personal understanding being too narrowly focused, and many documents that have gone missing could help unify Taijiquan theory.

In response, his book Taijiquan Theory of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is an attempt to join the various theories on Taijiquan in one complete text.

This book is structured with treaties, songs, and poems, followed by the original Chinese text and interpretations of the passages.

Contents include

• Regulating the body, breath, mind, Qi & spirit
• Analysis of Jin, pushing hands and sparring
• Taijiquan’s long range and short range fighting strategies
• The relationship of Jin and Qi
• The unification of the internal Qi and external physical manifestations of Qi

"Based upon my personal background and understanding, I have tried my best to compile the Taijiquan Theory and practice concepts in this book. I have attempted to make this effort as complete as possible”. —Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

This second edition includes

• Updated pīnyīn that includes diacritical tonal marks (for proper pronunciation of Chinese words).
• Updated Chinese text character font (providing better readability).

AWARDS

WINNER—Sports, American Legacy Book Awards, 2023

FINALIST—Sports, Best Books Awards, 2023

A rare in-depth look at the history, teachings, and wider implications of Wing Chun

Wing Chun In-Depth offers an historical overview of the art’s development, it examines how to properly approach training for fighting skills that give you an edge in street defence and it presents Wing Chun’s underlying principles and strategies as a way of life for health and happiness.

This work traces the lives and legends of the great masters of Wing Chun, it reveals their training techniques and philosophies, and shows the reader how they can be applied in all aspects of life.

Written in an enjoyable and readable way, Wing Chun In-Depth shares profound insights, training drills and martial techniques that will improve your fighting foundation; it connects you to the great masters of Wing Chun—their lives, their martial teachings, and their philosophies. In the end, it is intended to inspire and enrich readers with history, practical skills, and a winning mindset for all of life’s challenges.

Contents include

Part 1: The Lineage

• The origins of Wing Chun from its legendary past.
• Its historical development and its present evolution from Ip Man and Wong, Shun-Leung.
• Insight into Bruce Lee’s relationship with Wing Chun, Ip Man and Wong, Shun-Leung.

Part 2: The System

• Forms, training drills, and techniques that can be used to develop oneself into a skilled fighter.

Part 3: Up Close

• Master Class Training to fight without fighting
• Master Class Avoiding a stand off
• Master Class No technique as technique

Part 4: Strategies for Life

• Explores the strategic and martial fruits of Wing Chun as a practice which provides both skills for combat and strategies for life.
• Startling truths that enrich life inside and outside the training hall (kwoon).

Ip Man’s senior student, Wong Shun-Leung was the man who made Wing Chun famous in Hong Kong’s challenge matches. He was also a close friend and mentor to Bruce Lee. Sifu Loukas Kastrounis, one of the few active teachers of this lineage, is a highly respected Wing Chun teacher who has spent his life honing and developing Wing Chun.

“Written at the request, and in collaboration with Sifu Loukas Kastrounis-a third generation master of the Wong Shun-Leung lineage, it is the fruit of over 5 years of my careful observations and research into Loukas’s teachings as both his student and as a professional historian.”—Munawar Ali Karim

AWARDS

FINALIST—Sports, Best Book Awards, 2023

Genuine Okinawan Karate was developed as a fighting tool.

Non-Okinawan Karate are for other purposes.

Karate practitioners, scholars, and everyone caring about Asian martial arts and its culture will enthusiastically appreciate this eye-opening work.

Dr. Bayer substantiates further how the art Karate was used to prepare a nation (Japan) for total war, how it was deliberately industrialized into a worldwide Japanized Karate-Do inflation, and how its following transformation into athletic showmanship destroyed the art’s unity and distinctiveness.

The author endorses Karate-Jutsu as a genuine Okinawan martial art even as foreign knowledge and skills from India (speculated) and from China (proven) were integrated― and he explains the imitative social mechanism used to turn this local fighting art into a symbol of national identity.

Since martial arts were initially understood as a moral code-neutral tool, like a weapon, this happens to contradict the modern understanding of Karate being a peaceful art with inherent non-violent values. In truth, moral codes or guidelines on how to use this tool were developed separately, not within the art.

A new “back to the roots” Karate-Jutsu movement gains importance and establishes a counterculture to Karate-Do’s industrialization, helping to integrate some neglected reminiscences of Karate-Jutsu back into Karate-Do. Such a development brings Japanized Karate-Do versions closer to their martial origins, whereas pure Karate-Jutsu will be preserved as a point of reference by a group of dedicated curators.

Contents include:

• Okinawa is the birthplace of Karate-Jutsu and Japan is the birthplace of Bu-Jutsu.
• How Karate and Budo were used for Japan’s war preparations.
• Senpai seniority was the social mechanism to integrate Karate into Japan’s martial arts tradition.
• Consequences of an ancient fighting art being turned into athletic showmanship.
• In Sports-Karate there is no more Kata in Kumite, and there is no more Kumite in Kata either.
• The modern misconception of avoiding a fight by all means.
• The path toward mastery in Karate.
• Sensei correct your errors and blunders, you have to correct mistakes yourself.
• Today’s Karate-Jutsu movement is the counterculture to Karate-Do’s industrialization.
• Karate’s market structure in the 21st century.

Israeli Krav Maga is the Israel Defense Force's official self-defense system. 

The system is simple, instinctive, adaptable, and if necessary, brutally effective to thwart a life threatening assault. This book presents the most up-to-date and effective techniques to prevail against armed threats and attacks.

Many of these updated defenses have never been seen before. Grandmaster Haim Gidon has improved and evolved this material with the late krav maga founder Imi Lichtenfeld's formal approval.

Contents include

• Weapon awareness training; functionality, range, and deployment
• Dominant control holds over a stunned assailant
• Edged weapon defenses
• Impact weapon defenses
• Handgun defenses
• Rifle defenses
• Defending against weapons while on the ground
• Defending against continuous attacks
• Non-conventional weapon threats
• First-party hostage situations
• Kravist weapon defense drills

Regardless of strength, size, age, or gender, you can learn krav maga techniques to fend off an armed attacker.

How to Get the Most from Your Tai Chi Practice

The Tai Chi Book is a detailed guide for students who've learned a Tai Chi form and want to know more. It also introduces beginners to the principles behind great Tai Chi, and answers common questions that all of us have.

The Tai Chi Book shows you how to use Tai Chi to gain strength in your bones, muscles and vital organs, how to improve your balance and flexibility, and how to achieve remarkable vitality.

The author also introduces complex elements of Tai Chi, including ways to develop the relaxed strength known as sung, how to cultivate and feel Chi, how to train mindfulness, and a helpful chapter on being a student.

In addition, the author explores the debate over Tai Chi breathing patterns, explains in detail proper body alignment, and tells why Pushing Hands is more important than you might think.

The Tai Chi Book is your guide to the fullest health benefits of Tai Chi and to higher levels of skill and ability.

• Like two books in one, basic and advanced Tai Chi training.
• Find out how to choose and relate to a teacher.
• Develop remarkable vitality and longevity.
• Includes the Cheng Man-ch'ing short form.
• More than one hundred photos and illustrations.

When faced with big challenges, young adults need time to reflect, process, and think deeply about their place in their community and their future.

In today’s fast paced world, young adults are subject to chronic fears of missing out, mental health issues, anxiety, and depression unlike any generation that has come before.

The martial arts have the potential to help.

Traditional martial arts revolve around principles and core values such as honor, integrity, perseverance, patience, humility, and respect. Each manifesting in self-expression and creativity to promote individual growth and a balanced approach to living.

A complete martial artist learns how to conquer “self” through martial arts training and how to live by these traditional core values. Although there are occasions when martial arts may be used for self-defense, its primary uses are for sport, character, and spiritual fulfillment.

The author shares:

• His own childhood story of hardship and redemption
• How to adopt martial arts values as a way of living
• Important universal principles to live by
• On creating a championship attitude
• Examples about martial arts forms (kata) and sparring
• How to get started and be successful in your personal martial arts journey

This book, The Complete Martial Artist, offers kids, young adults, parents, and twenty-somethings an opportunity to see what martial arts can do for their lives.

What parents are saying about being a complete martial artist

“It gives [my child] discipline, a hard work ethic, and physical fitness”— Bell family

“It gives my son a sense of self-confidence and a better overall attitude”—Miller family

“It gives my boys the benefit of interaction with other kids, good friends, getting out of their comfort zones, and leadership skills”—Draper family

“It makes my daughter outgoing and happy”—Lopez family

“It gives my kids discipline and confidence to speak up for themselves”—Bui family

“It gives my child goals to work toward and helped him improve in school”—Brown family

Tai Chi Qigong is the essence of Tai Chi Chuan. 

Gently conditioning your body and building an abundance of Qi are the requirements for long lasting health and a solid foundation for Tai chi practice.

Tai chi chuan is an internal martial art that uses soft/round movements to redirect an opponent's incoming force.

Qigong exercises are an internal method of increasing and circulating your body's energy (qi).

This book teaches tai chi qigong exercises that are extremely useful for improving your tai chi skills and overall health.

IF YOU ALREADY KNOW A TAI CHI FORM, here are some ways that you will use tai chi qigong to reach new levels of skill and ability.

• To feel qi
• To regulate body, breathing, and intention
• To learn how to use intention to lead qi
• To learn how to circulate qi
• To learn how to expand qi
• To learn how to use qi to energize muscles
• Accelerates the health benefits of tai chi

IF YOU DON'T KNOW TAI CHI, but want to benefit from qigong exercises, here are some ways tai chi qigong can help you.

• The exercises are short and easy to learn
• They help reduces stress
• They loosens muscles and joints
• They stimulates qi flow
• They can help develop a strong immune system
• They sharpen concentration
• They build a deeper awareness of breath and body coordination

This edition includes an easy-to-follow layout. Each technique is presented in two to four large photographs and clear instructions, followed by a discussion of how the movements aid in improving Tai Chi practice.

Motion arrows are used on the photographs to help you execute the movements correctly.

You have an owner’s manual for your car, your stereo, and even your blender, so why not your body? The Fighter’s Body is exactly that—an owner’s manual for your most complex piece of equipment.

As a martial artist, you make special demands of your body. Have you ever wondered how that latest fad diet might affect your performance on the mat? Ever wanted to take off a few extra pounds? How about putting on muscle without slowing down? Making weight for a tournament? Losing five pounds fast? Eating better? Changing weight classes? Are you confused about supplements, vitamins, and protein shakes? Don’t know where to start? Start here.

This book will answer your questions about important topics including:

• Why some diets are harmful for martial artists
• How to calculate your protein needs for training
• When and how to use supplements
• How to eat at fast food places and not ruin your diet
• Why it’s OK to splurge on “dirt day”
• How to safely make weight for a tournament
• Why HIIT training is essential to weight loss
• What to eat on competition days
• How to create a plan that works and stick to it

Loren W. Christensen and personal trainer Wim Demeere combine their knowledge of martial arts, weight training, nutrition, diet, and exercise to answer your questions and put you on the road to becoming the best martial arts athlete you can be.

This is the anticipated follow-up to the author's previous work, The Mind Inside Tai Chi (YMAA, 2015). In this edition he turns his attention to Yang style, guiding you through the 22-step form with an eye for detail and a love of nuance.

“Tai chi is born from wuji, a state of emptiness,” Zhuang writes. “Empty the mind.There is no yin or yang, no you or others.”

From this state of balance and grace, the author leads you through the Yang form,one step at a time. Illustrations with motion arrows guide your physical movements, while Zhuang's “mind approach” helps you appreciate the subtleties of each posture. Rich descriptions and vivid imagery bring the art to life.

• Begin with “nothing” by stilling the body and mind.
• Channel your intent to stimulate the flow of chi.
• Learn the entire 22-step Yang form.
• Explore the “mind approach,” discovering a deeper understanding of each posture.

The author instructs you on correct physical posture, footwork, weight distribution, and tempo. He also describes subtle aspects of the form,including vision, relaxation, and the flow of chi.

This book includes:

• The history and lineage ofYang style.
• Photographs of the author performing each posture.
• Motion arrows depicting the movements of the entire form.

If you are unfamiliar with Yang style, The Mind Inside Yang Style Tai Chi is the perfect place to begin. If you are a longtime practitioner, Henry Zhuang's insight will deepen your appreciation for this art.

Qigong exercises designed to improve your health in 10 to 20 minutes a day!

This book offers beginners a smart way to learn qigong (chi kung), the ancient Chinese system of gentle breathing, stretching, and strengthening movements.

You will use The Eight Pieces of Brocade, one of the most popular qigong healing exercise sets, to boost your immune system and improve your overall health and well-being.

Choose the sitting set, the standing set, or both. Learn how to activate the qi energy and blood circulation in your body, helping to stimulate your immune system, strengthen your internal organs, and give you abundant energy.

• Clear photographs show you correct postures
• Concise instructions tell you what to do
• Details inform you how the movements help
• Qigong theory explains why the exercises work
• Translations of ancient Chinese poetry provides key concepts to help you improve

No matter your age or your physical condition, the Eight Pieces of Brocade is a wonderful way to improve your health and well-being.

Commonly known in China as the Ba Duan Jin, these exercises have been practiced for over 1,000 years!

This book is an in-depth guide for learning Tai Chi Chuan.

Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) is a both a relaxed moving meditation and a sophisticated martial arts system. Unique to any other form of exercise, it trains the body (movement), the mind (meditation) and the spirit (confidence).

Through practicing Tai Chi Chuan, you are able to calm down the mind, locate your spiritual center, and consequently find your entire being. From these relaxed moving exercise, you can bring your physical body into an ultimate level of relaxation and natural ease, resulting in smooth Qi (inner energy) and blood circulation. This is a key to maintaining health and recovering from sickness.

This book is an in-depth guide to learn Tai Chi Chuan properly. It offers a general plan for practicing, and goes into great depth, presenting enough content for many years proper learning:

You will learn:

• What Tai Chi Chuan is
• How to practice
• The history of Tai Chi Chuan
• Tai Chi Chuan postures
• About Qi, Qigong, and man
• Fundamental stances
• Categories of Qigong
• Warm-up and get loose exercises
• Tai Chi Qigong
• Qigong training theory
• Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan
• Tai Chi Chuan thirteen postures (eight doors and five stepping)
• The traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Long Form step-by-step

This edition includes an easy-to-follow layout. Each technique is presented in four to six large photographs with detailed instructions on how to perform the movements. Motion arrows are used on the photographs to help you execute the movements correctly.

This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from an evidence-based, medical perspective.

Dr. Peter Anthony Gryffin demonstrates the link between health and metarobics, his term for slow, meditative exercises that enhance blood oxygen saturation, diffusion, and oxygen-based metabolism. Metarobics—including tai chi, qigong, and yoga—focus on relaxation and deep breathing. Dr. Gryffin’s research shows that these exercises offer a wide range of benefits for treating chronic disease.

Dr. Gryffin cites numerous scientific studies as well as testimonials from patients who have experienced the natural healing benefits of metarobic exercise. Many have surmounted chronic health problems to improve their quality of life. Some even overcame grave diagnoses.

This book features:

• More than 120 scientific studies on tai chi and other metarobic exercises
• More than 50 case stories from tai chi qigong, and yoga practitioners
• Clear, straightforward language
• Tested guidelines to improve your metarobic exercise and maximize health benefits

“This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from a physiological perspective,” Dr. Gryffin says. “The links I discovered will allow everyone from novice students to veteran teachers to maximize benefits for health and chronic conditions.”

In 1968, Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s book Aerobics changed the world of health and fitness. Mindful Exercise: Metarobics , Healing, and the Power of Tai Chi is the next step in this evolution.

Cut to the very core of what it means to be successful in the martial arts.

Earning a black belt can be the most rewarding experience of a lifetime, but getting there takes considerable planning. Whether your interests are in the classical styles of Asia or in today's Mixed Martial Arts, this book prepares you to meet every challenge. Whatever your age, whatever your gender, you will benefit from the wisdom of master martial artists around the globe, who share more than 300 years of combined training experience. Benefit from their guidance during your development into a first-class black belt.

• Iain Abernethy
• Dan Anderson
• Loren Christensen
• Jeff Cooper
• Wim Demeere
• Aaron Fields
• Lawrence Kane
• Rory Miller
• Martina Sprague
• Phillip Starr
• Jeff Stevens
• Kris Wilder

...and many more.

Packed with actionable information, The Way to Black Belt will teach you how to set goals, find a good instructor, monitor your progress, overcome plateaus in your training, take advantage of learning opportunities, and work through the inevitable injuries that come with rigorous martial arts training.

Putting your skills to the test at each developmental stage of your training requires a certain mental 'clarity.' The authors examine what this means, how to find it, and how to make sure that when the time comes you are 100% prepared.

If you are serious about your martial arts training, The Way to Black Belt will arm you with the information you need to swiftly become a highly skilled, well-qualified black belt.

In the seemingly trackless waste of the desert outside Tucson, Arizona, a coyote cross border smuggler is found dead, another victim of the escalating violence on the southwest border.

At the same time, a mysterious best-selling writer's death deepens the controversy surrounding his works.

Rumors surround the late Elliot Westmann, with dark hints of mystic vendettas and a confrontation with an assassin sent to punish Westmann for violating a code of secrecy in his books.

Westmann's daughter hires Connor Burke to assist in unraveling the mystery of her father's death, which the police have labeled as accidental. He is led from the scholarly assessment of Westmann's work to the investigation of Xochi, a magnetic young student of ancient Native cultures and secret trails across the desert.

In the withered and unforgiving landscape of the Southwest, Connor Burke works to pierce the cloud of mystery surrounding Westmann, his work, and a cryptic manuscript that has captured the deadly interest of rival smuggling gangs. Borders are dangerous, and as he uncovers clues suggesting the real reasons why Westmann was killed, he places himself and those he loves in deadly peril. Burke's only hope to solve this mystery is to appeal for the aid and guidance of his teacher, Yamashita. That won't be easy this time.

Kage builds on the characters and plots of the previous Burke novels Sensei, Deshi, and Tengu. It advances the ever-deepening relationship between student and teacher while weaving in time-honored themes of the martial arts— conduct, ordeal, and courage, with events as current as today's headlines.

Use too much force and you are going to jail.
Use too little force and you're in for a world of hurt.

Conflict and violence cover a broad range of behaviors, from intimidation to murder, and they require an equally broad range of responses. A kind word will not resolve all situations, nor will wristlocks, punches or even a gun.

In Scaling Force the authors introduce you to the full range of options, from skillfully doing nothing to applying deadly force. They realistically guide you through understanding the limits of each type of force, when specific levels may be appropriate, the circumstances under which you may have to apply them, and the potential cost, legally and personally, of your decision.

• Level 1 — Presence. Staving off violence using body language alone.
• Level 2 — Voice. Verbally de-escalating conflict before physical methods become necessary.
• Level 3 — Touch. Defusing an impending threat or gaining compliance via touch.
• Level 4 — Empty-Hand Restraint. Controlling a threat through pain or forcing compliance through leverage.
• Level 5 — Less-Lethal Force. Incapacitating a threat while minimizing the likelihood of fatality or permanent injury.
• Level 6 — Lethal Force. Stopping a threat with techniques or implements likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm.

It is vital to enter this scale at the right level, and to articulate why what you did was appropriate. If you do not know how to succeed at all six levels there are situations in which you will have no appropriate options. More often than not, that will end badly.

Discover What China has Known for 1000 Years, Self Healing Works!

Wouldn't it be nice to stop common ailments before they happen? We can prevent many of them once we have the proper knowledge.

This book, Qigong for Treating Common Ailments, provides a system for maintaining overall health while addressing specific problems with exact treatments. All natural, safe, and easy to learn, these exercises provide a life-long path to wellness! This re-edited edition, originally published by a university press in China, is essential for the home health library!

Solutions to help you:

• Protect and Strengthen the Internal Organs with Qigong Exercises.
• Improve Circulation and Overall Health using Qigong Massage Methods.
• Discover a Wide Variety of Breathing and Relaxation Techniques.

Qigong for Treating Common Ailments is easy to Learn and easy to practice!

Goals—what you are fighting for changes every element of how you fight

If you fight, you fight for a goal and you fight in an environment.

In a sport environment you want to win quickly and decisively, with solid assurances that your opponent will be able to get up and compete again tomorrow.

In a combat environment you also want to win quickly and decisively, but with solid assurances that your adversary cannot get up and re-engage.

In the tricky space between sport and combat, termed "drunkle" (a commingling of the words drunk and uncle), you may be wrangling an out-of-control friend or relative, someone you need to restrain but do not want to injure. This puts the responsibility of their safety entirely on you.

Understanding these environments is vital! Appropriate use of force is codified in law and any actions that do not accommodate these rules can have severe repercussions. Your martial art techniques must be adapted to best fit the situation at hand.

The authors analyze 30 fundamental strikes, kicks and locks, and present 12 well-known sport competition forms modified for each of the three vital environments: Sport, Drunkle, and Combat.

Be Smart. Know how to adapt.

Profound - In Depth - Taijiquan Theory

In the last seven centuries, many songs and poems have been composed about Taijiquan. These have played a major role in preserving the knowledge and wisdom of the masters, although in many cases, the identity of the authors and the dates of origin have been lost.

For the last twenty years, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has translated many of these documents and according to him, he believes numerous are incomplete for reasons relating to: forgotten oral secrets, authors personal understandings narrowly focused and many documents are missing.

Taijiquan Theory of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming is an attempt to join together the various theories on Taijiquan in one complete text. "Based upon my personal background and understanding, I have tried my best to compile the Taijiquan Theory and practice concepts in this book. I have attempted to make this effort as complete as possible".

This book is structured with songs and poems, followed by the original Chinese text and any interpretation of the passage. All of the songs and poems have been written by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming.

• About regulating the Body, Breath, Mind, Qi and Spirit
• About Jin, Pushing Hands and Sparring
• Taiji long and short fighting strategies
• Relationship of Jin and Qi
• Unification of the internal Qi and external physical manifestations of the Qi

A complete training guide for beginners and advanced practitioners of Baguazhang.

This revised edition includes a complete redesign with an emphasis on reader usability and modern Chinese typography.

Packed with over nine hundred photographs, this comprehensive text offers theory, martial applications, sequences, Qigong exercises, weapon training, and is an indispensable resource for those serious about Chinese martial arts.

• Translation of ancient Baguazhang documents
• Baguazhang Qigong
• Basic Training
• Body Conditioning
• Eight Palms sequence and fighting set
• Swimming Body sequence and martial applications
• Bagua Deer Hook Sword sequence and martial applications

With over 45 years of experience in the ring, on the mat, and in the street, Loren W. Christensen understands the daily challenges martial artists face. In this book he has put together a collection of over 400 tips, drills, principles, concepts, and exercises to give you the edge, no matter what style of martial art you practice.

Discover quick and innovative ways to improve your punching, kicking, sparring, and self-defense skills—plus dozens of tips to develop speed, power, and flexibility. If you are feeling stuck or bored in your martial arts routine, Loren’s no-nonsense style will get you up and training with a fire you have not felt in years.

Highlights include:

• 10 ways to improve your speed
• 5 ways to increase your power
• 10 ways to train for self-defense
• 10 ways to improve health and fitness
• Dozens of tips for improving kicks, blocks, and hand strikes
• Guidance on psychological preparation

Fighter’s Fact Book includes hundreds of training methods drawn from the author’s vast experience, research, and interviews with top instructors from around the country. This is an essential reference for every martial arts student and instructor.

Awaken, Heal, and Strengthen Your Mind, Body and Spirit

Each day, millions of people worldwide practice Tai Chi Chuan, which has been known for centuries to promote deep relaxation and excellent health, to prevent injuries and illnesses, and to improve martial skills.

Tai Chi has steadily become a popular form of Mind/Body exercise as more and more people in the west discover the rich rewards of living in a holistic way. Tai Chi is a journey through the mind, the body, and the spirit, that can be practiced by everyone. Increasingly, you can see people practicing in the park – moving slowly in a meditative state, or even perfecting their martial arts skills.

But, what is Tai Chi really?

This book clearly introduces the history and underlying principles of Tai Chi Chuan (taijiquan) from a modern and unique perspective. For the beginner, this program is a comprehensive introduction to authentic Tai Chi, allowing you to fine-tune your Mind/Body skills and create balance among them. For the intermediate and advanced, it includes important directions and instructions, helping you improve and expand Mind/Body knowledge. In the end, you will understand and experience the ultimate goal of Tai Chi; the harmonizing of the three forces – human, earth, and heaven.

The Sunrise Tai Chi form is the protocol used at Tufts School of Medicine for the R-21 studies of healing rheumatoid osteoarthritis of the knee with tai chi.

• Develop symmetry and balance between strength and flexibility
• Loosen and strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• Improve circulation of blood and Qi energy
• Learn how to increase bone density
• Massage internal organs with gentle movement
• Boost your immune system to help heal chronic conditions, including Arthritis, Osteoperosis, Sarcopenia, and Cancer
• Improve your quality of life and daily physical performance
• Tap into the abundant energy of the universe
• Learn and improve your martial arts skills

Detective Sam Reeves is barely seated in a cab when he learns that during his two-week trip in Southeast Asia, hate crimes have rocked his city of Portland, including one very brutal lynching. As the crimes continue, thousands of fearful protestors march the streets, clashing with police and demanding more be done to put an end to the escalating violence!

Reassigned to the Intelligence Unit following his “bad shoot” several months ago, Sam is quickly consumed day and night, trying to deal with his city’s horrors. When he finally gets some leads, he realizes that there’s one big problem. While the bad guys pack bats, knives, and rifles, Sam has a crippling fear about carrying a loaded gun!

One thing is for sure: Sam is about to confront violent haters—and his personal demons—in a showdown that will shake the very foundation of his city.

Spotting danger before it happens is a skill that can be developed and may even save your life.

A mother dropping her teenager off at the mall, a young man leaving home for college, a family about to head out on their first trip overseas. What do all of these people have in common? They all have a vested interest in their personal security and the wellbeing of those they love. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, there were an estimated 1.25 million violent crimes committed in the United States in 2018.

Make no mistake; in a world filled with crime and violence, you are your own last line of defense.

Continuing on the path of The Gift of Fear (Gavin deBecker), Spotting Danger Before It Spots You, author Gary Quesenberry breaks down the basic techniques necessary to help you develop good situational awareness and increase your levels of personal safety. Gary calls upon his extensive background as a Federal Air Marshal and defensive tactics instructor to explain these methods in simple terms that will greatly improve your general understanding of how, when and where violence occurs. He will then take the next critical step—providing you with the tools you need to properly identify and evade danger before it ever has a chance to materialize.

You will learn

• The common traits of predatory behavior
• How to conduct a personal “safety check”
• How to develop strong awareness skills
• What to do when you spot potential trouble
• Staying safe and living life free of worry and fear

“Today more than ever, it is imperative that we pay close attention to our surroundings and learn how to interpret what’s happening around us. Tragic events can often be both predictable and preventable.” — Federal Air Marshal Gary Quesenberry

A typhoon brings the renowned karate master Chojun Miyagi into the life of young Kenichi Ota, who must prove himself before he can enter the master's inner circle. As once-peaceful Okinawa prepares for war, master and student venture to China in search of the deepest meaning of karate.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the tides of war turn against Japan and an American invasion fleet approaches Okinawa. Kenichi is conscripted as a runner for the Japanese general staff and finds himself in the epicenter of the Battle of Okinawa. In the aftermath, he must fight again to rebuild the shattered hopes of his people and to preserve his master's art of karate.

Build a strong foundation for health, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment with the ancient art of Qìgōng Embryonic Breathing (Internal Elixir).

Chinese Qìgōng can be categorized into External Elixir (Wai Dan) and Internal Elixir (Nei Dan). To reach the goals of longevity and spiritual enlightenment, the practitioner must learn Internal Elixir Qìgōng.

The first step, and the focus of this book, is to understand the theory and the method of Embryonic Breathing. Practicing this breathing technique will help you

• Optimize your central energy system
• Conserve your energy
• Store this energy at abundant levels 

Using ancient Buddhist and Daoist documents, Dr. Yáng analyzes and discusses meditation theory and training methods in a modern and scientific manner. This double-edged approach will enable you to quickly achieve a high level of understanding.

It is well acknowledged that without a proper foundation, the root of spiritual enlightenment will not be established and the meditative practice of Qìgōng for spiritual enlightenment, may be in vain.

Qìgōng Embryonic Breathing is organized into three parts

• Foundations: General Qìgōng concepts and meditation theory
• Translations and commentary of ancient documents related to Embryonic Breathing
• The practice of Embryonic Breathing meditation

The necessary second and third steps are to practice Qìgōng Small Circulation and Qìgōng Grand Circulation.

This second edition includes pinyin tonal marks for pronunciation, modern Chinese fonts, and illustration enhancements.

AWARDS

FINALIST—2022, Sports, Best Books Award American Bookfest

The Art and Science of Self Defense Training provides you with a condensed system of distilled self-defense skills and techniques, each carefully selected for its reliability in a high stress environment.

Topics include situational awareness, avoidance, and how to take action should you need to physically defend yourself.

Martial arts, combat sports, and self-defense are different realms; although interconnected they are not entirely the same. — This book can help bridge that gap.

This curriculum is streamlined and divided into nine logical stages of training that allows both martial artists and those with no formal fighting experience to quickly and methodically learn and develop reliable skills for self-defense.

While training in the martial arts or competitive combat sports can aid you in a self-defense situation, it does not prepare you for those aspects that are unique to actual self-defense.

The book begins with the basics, upon which everything else relies – awareness, avoidance, and anticipation skills – before moving on to building a reliable arsenal of self-defense techniques. You will progress through a series of carefully selected actions for high stress situations.

The aim of this curriculum is to improve confidence and skills in a structured and logical way.

Topics include

• Awareness skills including situational, spatial, and environmental
• Avoidance skills to deal with fear, escape, and de-escalation
• Anticipation skills for being approached, posturing, and reading body language
• Action arsenal including targeting, striking, yelling, evading, and countering
• Advanced arsenals for dealing with ground fighting, weapons, and multiple attackers

Whether you are just starting out, or have been practicing martial arts for years, there are important self-defense skills for everyone in this book.

Long considered a classic text by teachers and students, The Root of Chinese Qigong offers the principles and theories of qigong practice.

This third edition includes

• Updated pīnyīn that includes diacritical tonal marks (for proper pronunciation of Chinese words).
• Updated Chinese text character font (providing better readability).

Dr. Yang is acclaimed for helping readers understand qigong concepts deeper and more clearly by expressing them in familiar methods for the Western mind. He takes these ancient concepts and presents them in a logical way that helps practitioners stay on the right path to deepen knowledge and skill.

In this book Dr. Yang teaches sitting and standing meditation, demonstrates qi massage techniques, and examines the Qi pathways in your body. He explains correct breathing methods, shares secrets for quieting the mind, and discusses how to increase your body's qi supply. He further explains important concepts such as the Three Treasures and regulating the body, breath, and mind.

Contents include

• Qigong’s history
• Basic concepts of qigong
• Qi and the human body
• The five categories of qigong
• Regulating body, breath and mind
• Regulating your essence, qi and spirit
• Key points for improving practice
• A detailed look at qi channels and vessels in the body

Whatever style of qigong you may practice, making sense of qigong theory and principles is the best way of achieving your goals sooner, more accurately, and deeper.

Genuine karate is an Okinawan martial art for self-defense; its ongoing globalization has jeopardized its inherent effectiveness.

“The changes made to karate in mainland Japan and in America have altered karate so intrinsically that it can no longer claim to be genuine karate.”

Dr. Hermann Bayer, Ph.D., examines how Japan re-interpreted Okinawan karate to create its own unique style of karate-do, and how Japanese and American changes resulted in a modern karate-sport business.

Practitioners of karate are often confused, misguided, and even led to believe that karate is just karate—this is far from the truth. Practitioners need a clear understanding of what their training can offer them. This can only be achieved by understanding karate's true purpose and by discerning misconceptions from facts.

Contents include

• Okinawan karate’s “principle of never changing kata”.
• Karate as an Okinawan cultural heritage.
• Socio-cultural arguments to preserve Okinawa karate—as is.
• Japan—the karate reproducing country.
• Karate or Karate-do?
• The business of karate, karate-do, and karate-sport.
• Scientific proof of a peaceful karate mind.
• The laws of physics reveal weaknesses when kata are changed.

This substantially researched work makes a compelling case for the socio-cultural and historic arguments to conserve genuine Okinawan karate. Supported by historical facts, scientific analysis, and public records, Dr. Bayer reveals, for all to see, the complex evolution of karate and the unsettled claims made upon it by the various stake-holders.

Welcome To Karate offers what you need to begin successful martial arts training

Welcome To Karate is a curricular guide and sourcebook for new karate students.

We will introduce you to dojo principles, traditions, etiquette, and involvement along  with technical support for the variety of materials that you will encounter during your first months in a traditional karate dojo.

• Stances 
• Kicks
• Blocks 
• Body Shifting
• Strikes
• Sparring

All of the techniques relevant to your rank are clearly explained and accompanied by anecdotes, history, humor, and encouragement.

Inside this book discover: 

• How to prepare before your first visit to a dojo 
• Technical descriptions and drills for self-training 
• Reinforcement of experiences
• Contemplative reasoning, funny stories, and empathy for your challenges
• A fundamental karate glossary and pronunciation guide 
• And much more 

Sensei Costa will arm you with necessary insights before a class—and reinforce your training experiences after class—to drive your enthusiastic return to the dojo time and time again.

Welcome To Karate keeps you focused on your goals each step of the way.

Qìgōng Small Circulation meditation has been known for centuries to not only promote health and longevity but also to open a path toward spiritual enlightenment.

Small Circulation meditation is the practice of circulating energy within the human body through the two main pathways, the Conception, and the Governing vessels. This practice is considered a foundation of Internal Elixir Qìgōng and was a fundamental step of meditation training in ancient times.

 Practicing Small Circulation meditation will help you to

• Regulate the Qì circulating in your twelve primary Qì channels
• Make Qì abundant throughout your entire body

Building upon a foundation of Embryonic Breathing practice, Small Circulation is the second stage of meditation training for health, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment through meditation. The third step is to practice Qìgōng Grand Circulation.

Dr. Yáng presents translation and analysis of many ancient Buddhist and Daoist documents and offers modern scientific explanations for learning and training safely. This double-edged approach will enable you to quickly achieve a high level of understanding.

Qìgōng Small Circulation is organized into three parts

• Foundations: General Qìgōng concepts and meditation theory
• Meditation training procedures: Four refinements and five regulatings
• The practice of Small Circulation meditation

This second edition includes pinyin tonal marks for pronunciation, modern Chinese fonts, and illustration enhancements.

Things change, and as the world becomes more challenging, we need to take the time to prepare our children. Not in a threatening or scary way, but in a way that is fun, engaging, and will give them the best possible chance of ensuring their own wellbeing.

Spotting Danger Before It Spots Your KIDS is a book about presenting the concepts of situational awareness to children (ages 5 - 12) in a way that will keep them engaged and help them take an active role in their own personal security.

This book will show you how to use fun, interactive games to build situational awareness skills such as:

• How children can identify and understand normal environmental behaviors.
• How children can spot abnormal behaviors within their given environment.
• How to give children a plan and a means of avoidance or escape should a dangerous situation present itself.

Whether you're a parent, relative, or work in the childcare industry, the things you impart upon children will have a lasting impact on the way they live their lives. Nowhere is this more important than in the area of personal safety. As caregivers, we have a great responsibility for the security and wellbeing of our children, and to guide them along the path to independence.

Your child’s future success will depend on their ability to interact with their surroundings and make sound decisions based on what they see. That’s the foundation of situational awareness.

Author Gary Quesenberry has spent nearly two decades working as a federal air marshal. The training methods outlined in this book are based on the lessons learned not only as a counter-terror agent but also as a father of three.

BECAUSE NOT ALL KRAV MAGA IS THE SAME®

This book introduces and codifies big-picture thinking to take you to the next level of self-defense expertise. The material is designed to conform to your strengths; you need not conform to the system.

In this latest volume from David Kahn, you will find practical, battle-tested stratagems and insights that are equally applicable across the spectrum of martial arts and fighting systems. The text is supported by 180 dynamic separate photo series representing a rich krav maga gamut of self-defense strategies and tactics.

Topics include:

• The Best Use of a Training Partner
• The Difference Between Anger and Rage
• Recognizing Your Own Triggers to Avoid Violence
• Contending with Road Rage
• Conflict Avoidance and Escape
• Physiological Reactions to Threats and Violence
• Legal Use of Force Requirements
• Defensive (Dis)Engagement Mindset
• Anatomical Targeting and Self-Protection
• Preemptive Linear Strikes
• Absorbing and Moving with an Attack
• Fighting Ranges
• Combatives Power and Balance
• Self-Defense Fight Timing
• Tactical Retreating
• When and How to Counterattack
• Defending against a Skilled Fighter
• Deceptive Fighting
• Ground Survival
• Defending an Ambush
• Multiple Opponents
• Breaking Up a Fight

As good tactical minds generally think alike, whatever your martial arts or defensive tactics background, this book is designed to synergize any previous professional self-defense knowledge to enhance your personal survival blueprint.

Krav Maga Fundamental Strategies draws on ideas and techniques from nearly every level of the Israeli Krav Maga curriculum, including violence avoidance and prevention. The result is an adaptable strategy supported by tried and true defensive tactics, coupled with sound defensive principles, all of which will serve to deliver you from harm’s way.

For over one thousand years, Bodhidharma's (Da Mo) timeless qigong classics have been considered the key to enlightenment and long-lasting youth.

This third edition includes

• Updated pinyin that includes diacritical tonal marks (for proper pronunciation of Chinese words).
• Updated Chinese text character font (providing better readability).

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, acclaimed for helping readers better understand qigong concepts, has translated and written commentaries for both the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and the Xi Sui Jing (Marrow/Brain Washing Classic). Using ancient Buddhist and Taoist documents as its foundation, this book analyzes and discusses theory and training methods in a modern, scientific manner, and presents safe ways for you to begin your own practice.

Contents include

• General introduction qigong and practice
• Historical survey of Da Mo and his influence on qigong
• Buddhist and Daoist qigong
• Adjusting qi with kan and li
• Training theory of Muscle Tendon Changing
• Training theory of Marrow Brain Washing

Whatever style of these classics you may practice, making sense of qigong theory and principles is the best way of achieving your goals sooner, more accurately, and deeper.

As adults, we like to think we have a good idea of what the world may have in store for our teenagers, but the fact of the matter is there's a vast divide between what we perceive as dangerous and what our teens are actually up against.

Teenagers (ages 13 - 19) face unique challenges when it comes to situational awareness.

These challenges are only exacerbated by the constant physical and biological changes teens are subjected to. As young people learn to deal with these changes, they begin to explore the limits of their individuality.

Unfortunately, this process often involves rebellious behavior and unnecessary risk-taking. The key to keeping teens safe during this time is to keep them alert and engaged with their environment.

Teenagers have to understand that real personal safety isn't about being scared of what lies around the next corner. It requires confidence that if something bad were about to happen, that they have these skills:

• Ability to identify the problem early
• Competence to develop a plan of action
• Power to control their fear
• Aptitude to implement that plan

Spotting Danger Before It Spots Your Teens is designed around the principles of positive communication, trust, and teamwork. It’s written specifically to set parents' minds at ease and allow teens to confidently explore their independence, secure in the fact that they can spot dangerous situations before they happen and take the necessary steps to ensure their own well-being.

The first English-language book to detail the combat systems and martial culture of a land shaped by centuries of conflict.

The Martial Arts of Vietnam presents an engaging overview of the evolution of Vietnamese martial arts from 2,000 BCE until today.

We will look at the mythical origins of the Vietnamese people and the impact that invasions from neighboring countries had on the martial culture of Vietnam. We will discover how kings and governments promoted and, in some cases, crushed martial traditions; alongside how Vietnams’ unusual geography both protected and exposed martial styles and lineages.

This work offers stunning photography, era timelines, and regional maps that allow for an engaging adventure through Vietnam’s northern, central, and southern regions, all in search of events and catalysts that shaped its martial history through the ages.

When we arrive at modern Vietnams’ martial arts society, we meet with many teachers from the northern, central, and southern regions who, through courageous efforts, are attempting to codify and preserve their unique combat systems for the benefit of all martial artists. We explore the ethnic minority martial arts, Sino-Vietnamese and Chinese martial arts, as well as various imported and foreign systems and how they are positioned in relation to modern Vietnam’s martial arts practices.

The Martial Arts of Vietnam lifts the veil of secrecy long surrounding this socialist state to reveal its combat systems and their thousand years of evolution.

Push Hands is the “other” part of tai chi that makes your practice a true living art

Tai chi push hands practice is a necessary next step for tai chi practitioners who wish to make their art come alive. Push hands practice requires two people to engage in a variety of “light touch” moving and walking routines. By practicing these movements, practitioners begin to develop tai chi’s sensing, listening, and yielding skills. Combined, these skills are the first step for developing your tai chi as a martial art.

The Dao De Jing classic reminds us that knowing others (an opponent) is important for knowing ourselves. By develop tai chi push hand skills, one begins to obtain a profound sense of feeling of your own body and mind. This ability aids greatly in regulating and controlling body, balance, health, perseverance, compassion, and overall spirit.

It is no mistake that tai chi offers a lifetime of continued learning and progress; the goal is a deep understanding of yourself and your role in nature.

In this book, you will learn

• The theory of tai chi pushing hands
• Tai chi qigong foundation practice
• Tai chi jing (power) practice
• Two-person stationary push hands practice
• Two-person moving push hands practice
• Tai chi rollback and press push hands practice
• International standard push hands routine
• Two-person free style push hands
• Martial art applications in tai chi push hands practice

Dr. Yang reminds us “tai chi chuan was created based on the martial applications which were used for self-defense. Every movement of tai chi chuan has its unique martial purpose. Without this martial root, tai chi chuan practice will limited to a dance, lacking a deeper meaning or a deeper feeling.”

This book is complemented by two companion videos sold separately.

• Tai Chi Pushing Hands 1 - Yang Style Single and Double Pushing Hands
• Tai Chi Pushing Hands 2 - Yang Style Single and Double Pushing Hands

Available wherever DVD and Streaming videos are sold.

The legs are powerful tools that a grappler in any combat sport can and should use to their advantage.

The purpose of The Triangle Hold Encyclopedia is to explore and analyze what makes a successful leg-based triangle hold, along with the numerous applications and variations that make triangle holds the most effective submission techniques in any fighting sport. 

The Triangle Hold Encyclopedia presents a comprehensive analysis of triangle submission holds and the numerous applications, variations, set ups, and positions from which they are applied. Included throughout are technical tips, and discussions of how to systematically teach and study triangle holds so they become an effective part of your fighting and grappling arsenal.

Contents include

• Triangle holds starting from the bottom guard position
• Triangle holds starting from in front of an opponent
• Triangle holds starting from a top or back ride position
• Triangle holds starting from a holding or pinning position
• Prevention, defense, and escapes for triangle holds

A central characteristic of this book is that the skills presented can be used in a variety of fighting and grappling sports.

As important as the power of the legs may be, knowing how to use that power is even more important — and that’s what this book is about.

A fast and powerful style that excels in throwing and ground fighting

Sambo is considered one of the most effective, technically diverse, and dynamic modern sport fighting styles ever devised. Developed in the Soviet Union and based on Kodokan Judo and wrestling, sambo emphasizes utility over aesthetics. The end result is a fast paced and powerful system that excels in both throwing and ground fighting.

This book offers a serious, technical look at the Russian martial sport that has changed the way the martial arts world looks at grappling. Our emphasis will be a systematic approach, presenting skills based on their function and utility in actual sport fighting.

Sambo places emphasis on fast-paced, powerful and functional throwing techniques, and equally fast-paced, powerful and functional ground fighting techniques. Using fundamentally sound skills performed by a motivated and well-conditioned athlete, who has molded what he knows to work for him with a high ratio of success, is hard to beat.

Contents include

• The essentials of sambo
• Throwing techniques
• Leg, ankle, and hip locks
• Armlocks
• Holds and breakdowns
• Over 1200 instructional photographs

“The skills presented in this book have all passed the tests of time and competition. Everything presented has been used successfully at all levels of competitive sambo.”

—Steve Scott

AWARDS

FINALIST—Spirituality, American Book Fest 2022

Qigong Grand Circulation is an ancient path toward spiritual enlightenment.

Spiritual enlightenment is a uniquely human endeavor; a universal and timeless quest to understand the mysteries of our lives. Perhaps it began when humans looked at the stars and first felt the enchantment of awe.

But today, with all of our comforts and technological advancements, we are not satisfied. Our lives are noisy.

• Our bodies are under steady assault by pseudo-foods, poisons, and sedentary lifestyles.
• Our spirit is chaotic, competing with dogma and fear.
• We struggle to unplug, to disconnect, to deeply relax.
• The search for spiritual development has never been more urgent. 

Qigong helps us to consider and unify the mind, body, and spirit.

This book provides traditional and modern scientific definitions of Qi and offers qigong practices to guide you on a path toward spiritual growth. Unique to qigong's approach to spiritual enlightenment is the indivisibility of the mind-body-spirit. Training of one of these aspects is the training of all three.

Contents include

• A traditional and modern scientific analysis of Qi
• Buddhist and Daoist differences in their approach to spiritual qigong training
• Various breathing techniques
• Fundamental concepts of Small and Grand Circulation Qigong
• Muscle/Tendon Change Grand Circulation Qigong
• Brain/Marrow Washing Small and Grand Circulation Qigong

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has once again brought his unique scholarship and experience to write an insightful analysis of this ethereal and profound idea of spiritual enlightenment. His approach has always been to provide the information—a map—for the path.

Discover and Use the Wisdom of the Sages!

There's an old Chinese proverb which states, "Optimism will help you forget sorrow." It is widely believed that an optimistic, stable mood and mental balance calms the body's vital energies and spirit, aiding in the circulation of blood and Qi, thus improving health.

Throughout China's long history, ancient medical texts provided valuable advice on the subject of health: physical, emotional and spiritual. Isn't it time you made use of this wisdom of the sages in your everyday life?

Now you can with this user-friendly guide (a re-edited edition originally published by a university press in China), to maintaining your health through Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Learn to lead a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life — not only for yourself, but for your entire family. Traditional Chinese Health Secrets can show you the way.

• Includes Easy-to-Follow Remedies and Herbal Recipes for General Health, and Healing Specific Ailments and Injuries.
• Add Years to your Life and Expand your Mental and Physical Capabilities.
• Learn to Apply Yin/Yang, Five Flavors and Six Sensations Theory to your Diet.
• Simple to Practice and Easy to Learn!

Discover Nature's Secret to a Longer, Healthier Life!

For centuries, Chinese qigong masters have observed the liberating, graceful movements of the Wild Goose in flight and adopted these flowing gestures to improve their own health and well-being. Now you too can benefit from the wisdom of Man and Nature in this easy-to-follow illustrated guide. Not only is Wild Goose Qigong a superb exercise for cultivating and maintaining general health, but it is also highly effective for the cardiovascular, central nervous, and digestive systems; and even your disposition. It also has been known to have positive effects on Cancer and AIDS.

Wild Goose Qigong contains step-by-step instructions for each of the 64 movements of the form, along with an explanation of the various effects of each movement. Along with a concise and clearly written history of Qigong, you'll get the background and understanding you'll need for a lifetime of practice.

Wild Goose Qigong is a holistic mind/body exercise system you can do anytime, anywhere. Whether you are beginner or experienced, man or woman, senior citizen or child, Wild Goose Qigong is perfect for you.

• Relax and Strengthen your Body.
• Concentrate and Quiet your Mind.
• Achieve Integration of Body, Breath, and Consciousness.
• Easy to learn and practice.
• Includes over 150 instructional photo and illustrations.

Since ancient times Tai Chi Chuan has been practiced as a holistic mind/body fitness system, bringing immense benefits for practitioners in health, longevity, relaxation, and concentration. Tai Chi Chuan was also practiced as an effective and deadly martial art.

Because of this, the ancient masters rarely disclosed their secrets, guarding them as closely as they would military secrets. They preserved their profound insights in obscure songs, poems, and classics, revealing only to those they considered trustworthy and ready for such knowledge. That is, until this century.

Now, you can reap the benefits of centuries of wisdom and practical experience to deepen and refine your Tai Chi Chuan. Discover ways to reach the essence of your Form and take your Push Hands to higher levels. Dr. Yang has translated these classics from the original Chinese, and has written commentaries to make them more accessible to contemporary minds. Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu Style is an invaluable resource for students who seek true understanding of their art.

• Useful for any style of Tai Chi Chuan.
• Sound, practical advice for any martial art.
• Key points for incorporating the teachings into your practice.

The Tai Chi Concepts and Experiments book clarifies and makes accessible critical aspects of the art that only a small number of high-level practitioners currently understand and manifest.

Numerous step-by-step experiments are provided for readers to experience and perfect these critical tai chi aspects.

Contents include:

• The meaning and importance of releasing tension in movement for stability, health, and spirituality.
• The differences between contractive and expansive strength including a promising mechanism for the nature of expansive strength.
• Numerous experiments for readers to recognize and experience expansive strength and to confirm that they have achieved it.
• Elucidation of famous master’s sayings on mind, strength, and chi.
• Health and martial advantages of expansion over contraction in tai chi.
• Protocols using expansion including those for helping an excess curvature of the upper and lower spine and for relieving plantar fasciitis.
• Quotes from the classics and how they confirm the interpretations of the principles of tai chi.
• How to achieve optimal balance through an understanding of physical, anatomical, physiological, and mental factors.
• A detailed analysis of “rooting and redirecting” including physical and internal aspects.
• Understanding natural movement from physical, philosophical, health, and martial points of view.

This interdisciplinary book utilizes, elementary physics, physiology, anatomy, psychology, and spirituality. It contains detailed analyses and explanations for achieving internal, expansive strength, known as nei jin, and for attaining optimal timing and natural movement.

Juji Gatame remains the most consistently used joint lock in many grappling sports including judo, sambo, jujitsu, submission grappling, BJJ, and MMA. 

Athletes and coaches around the world use and respect this game-ending armlock.

Juji gatame was not widely popular until the 1960s, when the sambo grapplers of the former Soviet Union began their innovations with Japanese armlocks and groundfighting. With great success, they took their opponents to the mat, submitting them with never-before-seen applications of juji gatame techniques.

This comprehensive manual organizes juji gatame into four primary applications

• Spinning juji gatame
• Back roll juji gatame
• Head roll juji gatame
• Hip roll juji gatame

Steve Scott carefully breaks down the basics, analyzes the structure, and offers hundreds of variations so you can successfully win with juji gatame, even under stress.

• A logical and systematic teaching method—for easy learning
• A functional perspective showing hundreds of variations—your options
• Juji gatame unbiased—inviting all grappling styles
• Thousands of photographs—in action

This book traces the evolution of the Fighting Arts from the 'old worlds' through today's modern societies. It divides it's contents into two parts. "The Early Development of Martial Art" and "Our Modern Culture and Martial Arts".

Part one explores ancient classical fighting arts and the cultural influenced that helped to shape them. Time is spent discussing the differences between civilian and military warfare along with the myths and legends of old.

Part two focuses on the assimilation of these "ancient arts" into modern western societies. The segmentation of these arts for the western practitioner along with the role martial arts have in today's society is given prominent attention. A final section discusses the realities of terrorism yesterday and today.

• Learn why there are so many martial art styles.
• Understand why the military doesn't train "classical" martial arts.
• For all styles and all levels of experience.

Secrets of the Tai Chi Masters Revealed!

Since ancient times Tai Chi Chuan has been practiced as a holistic mind/body fitness system, bringing immense benefits for practitioners in health, longevity, relaxation, and concentration. But Tai Chi Chuan was also practiced as an effective and deadly martial art.

Because of this, the ancient masters rarely disclosed their secrets, guarding them as closely as they would military secrets. They preserved their profound insights in obscure\ songs, poems, and classics, revealing only to those they considered trustworthy and ready for such secrets. That is, until this century.

Now, you can reap the benefits of centuries of wisdom and practical experience to deepen and refine your Tai Chi Chuan. Discover ways to reach the essence of your Form and take your Push Hands to higher levels.

Dr. Yang has translated these classics from the original Chinese, and has written commentaries to make them more accessible to contemporary minds. Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu & Li Styles is an invaluable resource for students who seek true understanding of their art, and the Wu and Li Styles, focusing heavily on internal development, are perfect for advanced practitioners.

• Can be used with any style of Tai Chi Chuan.
• Sound, practical advice for any martial art.
• Includes commentaries, translation, and original chinese.
• Key points for incorporating the teachings into your practice.

Combines the best that Eastern and Western medicine can offer in the understanding, treatment, and prevention of digestive conditions, diabetes, and obesity. All the while, boosting your immune system!

True Wellness for Your Gut combines the best that Eastern and Western medicine have to offer in the understanding, treatment, and prevention of gastrointestinal disease, diabetes, and obesity. By blending modern research with ancient practices, this book will help readers stay positive and keep motivated along their journey toward better health and overall well-being.

The authors have helped thousands of people through the use of surgery, pharmaceuticals, acupuncture, herbs, qigong, tai chi, meditation, and life-style counseling. They explain how Western medicine has substantiated a long-held understanding of the gut held by Eastern medicine – that digestive health significantly impacts and is impacted by sleep, emotions, movement, food, and social support.

The authors discuss how sleep, exercise, nutritious food, stress management, acupuncture, and qigong favorably impact the gastrointestinal system. These modalities restore balance in the nerves, hormones, and neurotransmitters that improve digestion and metabolism. A special section is devoted to discussing the human gut microbiome, the bacteria we harbor in our intestines, and how the microbiome is essential to our health.

• Drs. Kuhn and Kurosu strongly recommend a collaborative approach, encouraging readers to engage with their Western healthcare providers so that serious conditions can be addressed safely.
• The authors share ideas about how the reader can create a multidisciplinary care team, involving practitioners of both Eastern and Western healing systems.
• The science behind meditation, acupuncture, and qigong are explained.
• Understand how the microbiome is essential to good health.
• Readers are offered recommendations of proven Eastern and Western therapeutic interventions that will calm the mind, decrease stress, improve sleep and nutrition, strengthen digestion, and normalize metabolism.
• True Wellness for Your Gut includes a step-by-step guide and qigong exercises designed to promote overall gastrointestinal health.

The authors recognize that digestive disease is complex and requires a multifaceted approach for successful treatment. By blending the ancient wisdom of Eastern Medicine with cutting-edge Western discoveries, True Wellness for Your Gut will help readers stay positive and achieve optimal health, whether through prevention or treatment of digestives conditions, diabetes, and obesity.

BE YOUR BEST...STAY YOUR BEST!

To attain the ultimate body, you must understand your body: how to use it, how to keep it fit, and how to repair it. Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., champion martial artist and a leading expert in Sports Physiology, knows the body inside out and will help you with yours! Develop the body you've always wanted and keep it that way!

The safest, most effective, state-of-the-art warm-ups, stretches, and workouts.

• Personal fitness level evaluations.
• Joint protection techniques.

Injured? Rehabilitate yourself and get back on track!

• The most contemporary sports medicine for lower back pain and shoulder injuries.
• What to do about sprains.
• Mind/Body stress reduction techniques for mental and emotional rehabilitation.

Already in shape? Enhance your sports performance and get even better!

• Achieve peak performance with meditation, relaxation, and breathing techniques.
• Accelerate fat loss and build muscle with up-to-the-minute nutritional guidelines.
• Control fatigue and discomfort with mental toughness tips.

The Martial Arts Athlete answers questions that today's competitors must know to succeed - should you do push-ups or lift weights? Are energy bars and sports drinks any good? Are traditional forms a waste of your time? How do you eat to win? Discover powerful mind/body training for peak performance and incredible physical conditioning.

• Imagery for better strikes, kicks, and takedowns.
• Meditations for a sharper mind.
• The power of relaxation.
• Mental skills to manage pain, improve discipline, and feel great!

Incredible physical conditioning to get you in the best shape of your life:

• Step-by-step strength training for powerful arms and shoulders.
• Killer ab-work for a lean torso and washboard stomach.
• Plyometrics for strong legs and explosive kicks.
• Three kinds of stretching for dynamic flexibility.
• Simple breathing techniques to power you up.

Discover the most effective workouts, nutrition secrets, and mind/body training for peak martial arts performance in competition and daily practice.

For the six months following his fiery showdown with South Florida's Russian mob boss, celebrated neurosurgeon and secret vigilante Dr. Xenon Pearl has kept his avenging sword sheathed and his dark secret hidden. Suspended from surgical work by a boss who won't tolerate his loner style, "Zee" spends his nights pining for the wisdom of his dead teacher, and his days caring for his crippled girlfriend, victim of a horrific attack.

When a multi-car accident occurs on the road in front of him, he finds himself with a scalpel in hand once more. With a renewed sense of purpose, he sets out to find out more about the teachings that made him what he is by seeking a new teacher. The journey brings him face-to-face with secrets of his childhood, lessons learned from lives already lived, and a grand wizard of a man whose clandestine biological research into animal venoms may be the key not only to his own redemption, but to winning back the lover who has spurned him.

As the story unfolds, deception, revenge, hidden passions and burning hatred conspire to turn Zee's world upside down. Rarely has the worldview of the martial artist been more deeply plumbed than in this novel of suspense, action, romance, and betrayal, and rarely have more high-level, real-life martial arts secrets been revealed. Quiet Teacher brings a new recurring character into the Xenon Pearl series, the man who will be the Moriarty to Zee's Holmes, and explores the meaning of love and the power of guilt in the page-turning fashion devotees of the sword-wielding brain surgeon have come to expect.

Share the Secrets of Great Tai Chi!

Over the course of several centuries the Ancient Masters practiced and pondered the mystery and purpose of Tai Chi Chuan, preserving their profound insights in songs and poems. Shrouded in secrecy, these songs and poems were closely guarded jewels and have only been revealed to the public this century.

Now, you can reap the benefits of centuries of wisdom and practical experience to deepen and refine your Tai Chi Chuan. Discover ways to reach the essence of your Form and take your Push Hands (and sparring!) to higher levels, for not only has Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming translated these poems from the original Chinese, he has written additional commentaries to make them more accessible to contemporary minds. Insights from the Masters of Tai Chi Chuan is an invaluable resource for students who seek true understanding of their art.

• Can be used with any style of Tai Chi Chuan.
• Sound, practical advice for any Martial Art.
• Includes commentaries, translation, and original Chinese.
• Key points for incorporating the teachings into your practice.
• Poems from Chang San-Feng and other great Masters!

Discover the Facts Behind a Fascinating Martial Art!

In the martial arts, facts are often a scarce commodity. Histories are often confused or inaccurate, lineages are muddled and murky, forms get changed and no one ever finds out why. These problems can present major obstacles along your path to the understanding and practice of your chosen art. Well, now some of that confusion can be cleared up with Okinawa's Complete Karate System: Isshin Ryu.

It's a "must have" for today's martial artist, whether you're an Isshin Ryu practitioner, Karate stylist or just interested in the origins and development of one of the most fascinating, effective, and fastest growing styles in martial arts.

While providing the context in which martial arts developed on Okinawa, Okinawa's Complete Karate System offers you a comprehensive history of Isshin Ryu as well as a thorough investigation of its founder's life and philosophy. Dealing in depth with the system's lineages, the internal and external aspects of the art, and multiple interpretations of all Isshin Ryu kata, this book is a unique, compelling and engaging experience.

Okinawa's Complete Karate System: Isshin Ryu is essential reading for all martial artists and historians.

• Development of the Code of Ethics and Principles of Isshin Ryu Karate.
• Analysis of the Practice of Kata, Stances and Footwork of Isshin Ryu.
• Discussion of the Function of Isshin Ryu in Today's Society.

Secrets of the Tai Chi Masters Revealed!

Since ancient times Tai Chi Chuan has been practiced as a holistic mind/body fitness system, bringing immense benefits for practitioners in health, longevity, relaxation, and concentration. But it was also practiced as an effective and deadly martial art. Because of this, the masters rarely disclosed their secrets, guarding them as closely as they would military secrets. They preserved their profound insights in obscure songs, poems, and classics, revealing only to those they considered trustworthy and ready. That is, until now. Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style contains secrets kept hidden in the Yang family for generations and only revealed to the public in the last two decades.

The majority of the secrets found in this book were written directly by Yang, Ban-Hou, second generation lineage of the Yang family, a master well known for his deep understanding of theory and for the manifestation of martial power (Jin). Now you can reap the benefits of this wisdom and practical experience to deepen and refine your own Tai Chi. Discover ways to reach the essence of your Form and take your Push Hands to higher levels. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has translated these classics from the original Chinese, and has written commentaries to make them more accessible to contemporary minds.

Immerse yourself in the secrets of the Yang Style, the world's most popular style. You'll find Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style an invaluable resource for understanding your art.

• Can be used with any style of tai chi chuan.
• Sound, practical advice for any martial art.
• Includes commentaries, translation, and original chinese.
• Key points for incorporating the teachings into your practice.

Qigong Massage, one of the oldest methods of healing, is built upon five thousand years of progress and a highly refined, solid theoretical foundation.

Used to improve health, slow down aging, and treat many types of illnesses, Qigong massage is a wide and deep healing science, and the root of many other popular forms of massage therapy.

This comprehensive text by world renowned Qigong scholar, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, presents the fundamental techniques and theory of Qigong massage that therapists can use to enhance their skills, and deepen their knowledge and application of Qi (energetic) healing.

Not only for therapists! Novices will find the instruction and techniques in this book practical and useful for recovering from fatigue, aches and pains, tension and more. A special section on Self-Massage is presented to help those in need of massage treatment benefits, but who lack a partner or therapist.

With over five hundred photographs and illustrations in this book, Dr. Yang will be your guide into the art and science of Chinese Qigong Massage.

Grandmaster Kim, Bok Man is one of the most recognized authorities of taekwondo in the world. He worked tirelessly with General Choi Hong Hi as a founder of taekwondo curricula used today by the many international taekwondo organizations.

Originally published in 1979, this book provides defense techniques taught to military, law enforcement officials, and black belts. Beginners will have a chance to see the application of their training in actual weapon defenses.

Advanced students will learn techniques and fundamental training that has been 'field' tested since the inception of the art in the 1950s.

Chapters include:

• History and the theory of power
• Defense against weapons: knife, baton, pole, sword, bayonet, and pistol
• Sparring: releases, grabs, throwing, falling, free-sparring
• Patterns: Silla pattern 1, Silla pattern 2, Silla knife pattern, and Silla pole pattern
• Training: stretching, calisthenics, action principles, hand and foot techniques, using a heavy bag
• Body parts for attack and defense, stances, vital points for striking

This book catalogs the essence of the fighting art of taekwondo as it was originally intended.

Originally published in 1976, this authoritative work has been the guide for thousands of Taekwondo practitioners as they advance in their training. Whether your training is for self-defense, forms competition, or in preparation for the Olympic games, this newly revised edition provides beginner to Black Belt level training to assist you on your journey in Taekwondo.

Contents include:

• History, Philosophy, and Principles
• Calisthenics
• Stances
• Basic Striking – Human Weapons, and Vital Points
• Movements and Footwork
• Strikes, Blocking and Kicking Techniques
• Sparring and Breaking Techniques
• Self-Defense Techniques
• Eight Palgwe Forms – recommended for promotion of all color belts and 1st dan black belt by The United States Taekwondo Association (USTA), and used in sanctioned International Taekwondo competitions.
• Eight Taegeuk Forms – required for promotion of all color belts and 1st dan black belt by The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), and used in sanctioned International Taekwondo competitions.
• Rules and regulations of the World Taekwondo Federation, including sparring and Poomse (forms) competitions

The ever-increasing popularity of Taekwondo is apparent by the dedication of the tens of millions of practitioners worldwide, and by the inclusion of Taekwondo in the summer Olympic games. With all its popularity, it is paramount that the art be handed down in a clear, knowledgeable, and sustainable way - this book does just that.

Master the Way of the Sword!

Discover the King of Short Weapons - the Lord of One Hundred Arms!

Improve your balance, strength, focus, and martial skills with this elegant and effective Chinese weapon, from America's most respected author and teacher of Shaolin Gong Fu. Mastering the Art of the Northern Shaolin Sword requires extensive physical training, which will result in a strong, finely-tuned body and mind. And as self-defense, Shaolin Sword is indispensable, improving your perception, timing, and reactions, allowing for the quickest and most appropriate response to any given situation.

Sword training is one of the highest accomplishments in Chinese martial arts. Northern Shaolin Sword is a complete book for martial artists seeking to refine their skill and spirit.

• In-Depth History, Fundamentals and Forms.
• Two-Person Routines, Applications and Fighting Strategies.
• Three Complete Sword Sequences, including the Rarely Seen or Taught Matching Set.
• Easy-to-Follow Step-by-Step Photos with Detailed Instruction.

Having a light-hearted attitude towards living is helpful in finding the truth of life" says Yanling Lee Johnson when asked how do we live a happy and healthy life? Incorporating simple qigong exercises into our daily routine can have profound effects on our health, happiness and longevity. Qigong isn't always that difficult to do, we need good information, a sincere attitude and patience to receive the wonderful results that qigong practice can reward us with.

In this book, we will explore Qigong as it realates to our soul and spirit; Qigong as it is taught and practiced in modern China; and we will learn many useful Qigong exercises that we can use today to improve our health, refine our spirit, and even increase our sexual pleasures. Learn about "immortality" in terms of Qigong practice Understand the relationship between Qigong, Soul and Spirit Explore recent Qigong experiments in modern China Learn many practical Qigong exercises for improving your health.

Discover the foundation behind the fascinating TCM system of holistic health based on several thousand years of real clinical experience.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a unique, comprehensive, and scientific system, maintaining that the root of a disease must be found, and that a patient must be treated according to their whole being as well as their surrounding natural conditions.

Viewing the human as a single, integrated entity that relates with nature, TCM maintains that the human body is affected by any changes that occur in nature, and must be treated as such.

Since its beginnings, not only has TCM been well preserved and documented but it has also been continuously developing and growing. Having remarkable curative abilities and few side effects, it is an effective means to prevent and treat diseases and to keep yourself strong and healthy. 

Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine is systematic, concise, practical and easy to read. Originally published in China, this re-edited edition (the 3rd book in our Practical TCM series) will provide you with the principles of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases.

• Discover the principles of treatment and prevention of diseases.
• Learn essential primary theories, such as Yin and Yang and the Five Elements Theory, as well as their use in clinical applications.
• Discover the foundations for diagnostic methods.

Essential for today's alternative health library.

What's the next step in your Taijiquan journey?

More and more people all over the world are studying Tai Chi. No matter what style they study, what direction they take, or what level they are at, all agree on one thing: Tai Chi is a limitless journey and there is always more to be learned. There are so many questions along the way and everyone has them, students and teachers alike, questions that are fundamental to all styles of Tai Chi, fundamental to all learning processes.

Inside Tai Chi will prepare anyone taking the journey for what to expect along the way, offering practical advice, observations, training exercises and detailed discussions on the learning process. It will help students learn—and teachers teach—more effectively, offering real life tools such as stress reduction along with invaluable Tai Chi specific tools such as advanced rooting exercises. Chock-full of insights, advice, and observations (testimonials too) from a long time teacher, Inside Tai Chi is designed to help you get the most from your practice. Explore all that Tai Chi can be, as a physical discipline, as well as a mental, emotional, and spiritual discipline. Inside Tai Chi will not only enrich your practice but your entire life.

• Deepen your understanding for great Tai Chi.
• Inspiration and advice for a lifetime of practice.
• For all styles and all levels of experience.

The origins of Liuhebafa (also called Water Boxing) can be traced back to the Daoist sage Chen Tuan (c. 871-989 A.D.). Chen is a mystical figure whose advice and perspective was sought by ancient Chinese Emperors.

Liuhebafa was the last of the internal methods to be taught outside China. Even inside China, Liuhebafa had an almost mythic quality. Among the groups of inner circle students, Liuhebafa was graduate study in the internal arts.

Liuhebafa's Five Character Secrets (of Li Dong Feng) are the original precepts of this rare internal martial art known as Huayue Xinyi Liuhebafaquan. Li Dong Feng discovered aged manuscripts of Chen Tuan, during an expedition to Chen's ancient mountain home. Realizing the importance of what he had found, Li remained on Mount Hua until he mastered the material in the manuscripts.

Li returned to his home and then recorded all he had learned on Mount Hua in one hundred and thirty-four verses now known as The Five Character Secrets of Li Dong Feng. This is the only existing treatise on the original principles of Liuhebafa.

This book contains the original Chinese treatise of Li Dong Feng, Pinyin Romanization of the Chinese characters, word for word translation, literal translation, interpretive translation and the author's commentary on the meaning of each verse.

There is more here than meets the eye. It is wise to approach the Secrets with a beginner's mind. Imagine being beckoned to sit by the fire. Lean a little closer to better hear the master as he recites the lines that will open the doors of your mind and heart.

Ultimate Fitness Begins with your Mind!

You take care of yourself. You eat the right food, exercise regularly, using all the latest information on stretching, cardiovascular training and weights. And yet, you're not in the best shape you can possibly be. What can you do, short of quitting your job and becoming a professional athlete? You can use the same techniques as the Pros and the Olympians... the Mind/Body Connection.

If you want to improve your performance in any activity, your body is only going to take you so far. You need your mind working with your body in harmony. It has been clinically proven that the mind and body working together can produce better results than previously dreamed possible. Author and medal-winning martial artist Tom Seabourne will show you how, integrating techniques from eastern disciplines such as Martial Arts and Yoga as well as western methods such as visualization and stress-reduction. Whether you're an elite competitor or an overworked, out-of-shape parent, Mind/Body Fitness will work for you!

• Easy-to-Learn Relaxation and Meditation Skills that You Can Practice Anytime and Anywhere.
• Increase Focus, Confidence and Health using Clinically Proven Mind/Body Techniques.
• Dietary Tips to Optimize Your Mental and Physical Effectiveness.
• Easy-to-Use Checklists with Strategies on Mindfulness, Goal Setting and Time Management.

GET FIT WITH CHINESE QIGONG!

Qigong (Chi Kung), the Chinese study of life energy, is an ancient fitness and healing practice. This book presents two complete sets of simple, invigorating Qigong exercises that improve the flow of Qi (Chi) in your body, tone and stretch the major muscle groups, increase your energy, and help you relax.

Unlike many Western exercises that center on mindless repetition and aggressive movements, Qigong is an effective fitness alternative that involves the mind as much as the body. You will learn to gently focus your attention on Qi, breathing, posture, and simple, revitalizing movements. This book also explains the basic concepts of Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Today, thousands of people throughout China practice Qigong every day to stay fit, and more and more Westerners are discovering the value of this timeless practice.

• Enjoy improved health and increased energy.
• Relieve mental and physical stress.
• Discover this refreshing alternative to Western exercise.
• Includes more than 250 photographs to help you practice.

The Definitive Cardio Kickboxing Program from the Man Who Created It!

Frank Thiboutot, the man who created the original Cardio Kickboxing presents it as it was intended to be — more than just an aerobic workout, but as a real sport and a real means of self-defense.

Let's be honest. You're not going to learn anything just punching and kicking the air. In fact, you could hurt yourself. You have to learn what impact resistance and hitting moving targets are all about. Learn the safe, authentic and effective way to punch, block and kick, using real equipment and real bag work. Acquire real Kickboxing and self-defense skills while getting into the cardiovascular shape of your life.

There are plenty of fine fitness classes to choose from, but if you're serious about Cardio Kickboxing, serious about getting into shape, then you need Cardio Kickboxing Elite!

• Over 500 Photos for Detailed, Easy-to-Follow Instruction.
• Cardio and Circuit Training of Professional Kickboxers.
• Real Self-Defense Techniques & Bag Work.
• Excellent Cross-Training Regimen to Enhance Any Activity, Sport or Martial Art.

THE SPINE IS THE ROOT OF ALL MOTION - QIGONG EXERCISES CAN HELP ELIMINATE BACK PAIN

Young or old, sedentary or athletic; it is likely that you will experience some sort of back pain injury in your lifetime. Since the spine is the root of all motion, a healthy back is vital to well-being.

Although Western Medicine has made great progress in treating spinal illnesses and lower back pain, it has only limited success in actually healing it.

Chinese Medicine, over the last four thousand years, has developed many of its own methods to treat spine problems, including Qigong exercises, acupuncture, massage, and herbal treatments. By doing Qigong exercises, you can effectively treat many cases of spinal illnesses and rebuild the strength of your torso, which is the root of complete healing.

This book introduces Qigong exercises that can restore the health of the spine. Some of the exercises are designed to heal a condition, others to help rebuild the strength of the joints, still others to help keep the back healthy and prevent further problems from developing.

More and more people all over the world are studying Tai Chi. No matter what style they study, what direction they take, or what level they are at, all agree on one thing: Tai Chi is a limitless journey and there is always more to be learned.

There are so many questions along the way and everyone has them, students and teachers alike, questions that are fundamental to all styles of Tai Chi, fundamental to all learning processes.

Exploring Tai Chi helps students to understand the intricacies of Tai Chi training, as well as the underlying motives and psychological processes involved in any ongoing practice of this ancient discipline.

This book focuses on 'disclosure' and 'empowerment' for the Tai Chi practitioner. What to expect of your training, how to progress in your training, and how to implement the principles of Tai Chi into your everyday life.

From the Preface:

For many practitioners. Tai Chi remains something they merely 'do', as opposed to its becoming an indelible part of who they are. Tai Chi is, on the one hand, a tool for personal development. On the other, it is a metaphor for living life in the clearest, most efficient, and most deliberate way.

Chapter 10: Are You Living Your Tai Chi?

It is one thing to discuss the myriad benefits that Tai Chi has to offer in a theoretical fashion. It is another thing entirely to actually reap those benefits in ways that facilitate your becoming a healthier, more evolved and more fully functional human being. The essence of this book has to do with the quantifiable and qualifiable benefits of Tai Chi, benefits such as rooting, stress reduction, cultivating your Chi, and living heartfully.

• Deepen your understanding for great Tai Chi.
• Inspiration and advice for a lifetime of practice.
• Exercises and training drills to help you develop your Tai Chi.
• For all styles and all levels of experience.

Conflict happens everywhere: at work, with friends and family, among strangers, and certainly in violence. Why did your boss ignore a suggestion that could save millions of dollars? Why do you have the same argument again and again with your spouse? When someone insults you, why do you get angry? Why do bad guys beat up the weak?

You have three brains. Each “brain” has a different priority and evolved to deal with different kinds of conflict. They work using different scripts and have a very clear seniority system.

• Lizard brain (survival)
• Monkey brain (emotion / social status)
• Human brain (reason)

Conflict Communication(ConCom) presents a functional taxonomy to see, understand, and manipulate the roots of life’s conflicts. You will have the background, the principles, and a collection of tricks to manage and ideally avoid dangerous conflicts.

No going back. After reading this book, you can never go back. Even if you reject everything in the program, even if you refuse to admit how often your monkey brain has controlled your life, escalations toward conflict will never again be invisible to you.

As the fortune cookie says, “Your life is about to change.”

Many martial artists, once they reach a certain level of proficiency with their barehanded fighting forms, choose to expand their knowledge to include weapons techniques. But what weapon to choose? Over the past 5,000 years, the Chinese have developed a vast array of weapons, built for a multitude of purposes. What are these purposes? What is the background of these weapons? What weapon is right for you?

Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artists Guide is an easy reference guide. Profusely illustrated, easy to navigate, and conveniently broken down into four main classifications: Long Weapons, Short Weapons, Soft Weapons, and Projectile / Thrown Weapons.

Inside you will find weapons of many types, from swords and spears, sharpened coins to flying claws! Even if you're not a martial artist, but have an interest in history and warfare, you'll find this guide an invaluable resource.

• Includes techniques and fighting strategy.
• History and evolution of weapons.
• Translations of Chinese terms.
• Over 130 illustrations.

Xingyiquan (Hsing I Chuan) is one of the best known Chinese internal martial arts.

Xingyi means "Shape Mind", and Quan means "Fist" or "Style". The name derives from the style's imitation of the movements and inner characteristics of twelve animals. The style was created by Marshal Yeuh Fei, a famous general of the Chinese Song Dynasty.

The practice of Xingyiquan, like Taijiquan, improves Qi circulation in the body and maintains health. In addition, the training builds up an abundant level of internal Qi so that both the physical body and the mental body can be strengthened.

This book presents traditional Xingyiquan training, including two sequences with many of their martial applications, and the famous fighting set "An Shen Pao". The most unique part of this book is the discussion of Xingyiquan theories and principles, drawn from many of the ancient poems and songs. Understanding these will greatly speed your training.

• Deepen your Understanding for Great Xingyi.
• Inspiration and Advice for a Lifetime of Practice.
• For All Levels of Experience.

108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan—A String of Pearls, focuses on important elements of Tai Chi: health, breathing, posture, body mechanics, visualization, Chi flow, Pushing Hands, and more. 108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan is written by Michael Gilman, who has been teaching Tai Chi for more than twenty years. He is also a national Grand Champion competitor in Pushing Hands (Taste of China tournament, 1994).

You'll discover how to get the fullest health benefits from Tai Chi, improve your Pushing Hands with simple exercises and visualizations, and learn tips to keep your body (especially the knees) in tune for a lifetime's worth of Tai Chi.

• Have more fun with your practice!
• Improve your skills!
• Discover helpful insights on teaching others!
• Enjoy the good health that Tai Chi brings!

Are you serious about your Tai Chi practice? Then 101 Reflections on Tai Chi Chuan is the book for you! Chock-full of insights, advice, and observations from a long time teacher and champion, designed to help you get the most from your practice. Discover the remarkable health and spiritual benefits that Tai Chi can offer, with this user-friendly, motivational pocket guide. This collection will not only enrich your practice but your entire life.

And it's not only for Tai Chi — whatever your Martial Art, whatever your spiritual path, 101 Reflections into Tai Chi Chuan is a wonderful guide, abundant with great ideas you can use right away!

• Deepen your Understanding for Great Tai Chi.
• Inspiration and Advice for a Lifetime of Practice.
• For All Styles and All Levels of Experience.

Bring Balance to Your Life with Qigong!

Stop... Breathe deeply...

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to relax, to focus only on yourself, to truly enjoy your body?

Although there are so many demands on your time and energy, you cannot forget to take care of yourself: physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Qigong is the simple and natural way to ensure that these needs are met. Combining gentle movements with centuries-old meditation techniques, Qigong is the perfect holistic fitness practice for the busy woman who has only a few minutes to herself in the car, at lunch, or just before falling asleep at night.

Yanling Lee Johnson, a survivor of China's Cultural Revolution and a longtime Qigong healer and practitioner, addresses the stresses that women of all stages of life face, as they negotiate modern living. Let her teach you simple techniques for maintaining balanced health.

• Practical Instruction for Specific Exercises
• HerbalRemedies & Diet
• Heal Injuries and Illnesses Within Yourself
• Special Instructions for Mothers and their Babies
• Tips for Weight Loss, Depression & Staying Young and Beautiful

Winning Fights focuses on 2,500 years of proven fighting principles originating from Eastern concepts and proceeding to the modern era. This book is for pugilists seeking an edge in competition as well as soldiers and law enforcement officers facing conflict. Like The Art of War and The Book of Five Rings, however, many of its lessons also apply to the world of business and negotiation.

Dr. Stephens looked beyond the technical to the conceptual and found that winning fights requires twelve core principles: preparation, awareness, commitment, lethality, efficiency, discipline, power, focus, fierceness, surprise, timing, and fortitude.

This book features:

• Twelve principles for winning fights
• A survey of Eastern and Western traditions
• An intelligent yet accessible discussion of these concepts

With this book you will

• Learn to see beyond fighting tactics, which change, to fighting principles, which endure
• See your training in powerful new ways

“Winning Fights is based on principles, not techniques,” Dr. Stephens writes. “Technique is important, but techniques change, adapt, and evolve. Principles are timeless.”

Herbs for bruises, sprains, strains, dislocations, breathing, adrenaline, and more!

Healing with herbs has long been a tradition in the martial arts. As ever more martial artists train in the West, interest in Western herbs grows. This book investigates sixty-four herbs that are readily available in North America and Europe. For each herb it discusses the evidence for its effectiveness, the evidence for its safety, and how specifically to use it to enhance martial arts and contact sports training. Even the beginner will be able to choose an herb to meet a specific training need, purchase a good quality portion of that herb, prepare it, and use it safely.

Stories from an age when losing your wits could mean losing your head.

Wisdom's Way is a collection of true stories from ancient China. Filled with palace intrigue, ambitious warlords, greedy swindlers, and justice-seeking wise men, each story evokes the legendary wisdom of the Far East.

These delightful tales offer both historical lessons and insight into human relationships, from the grand maneuvering of emperors to a pair of tradesmen arguing over an old coat. Test your wit in a hundred and one tales from Imperial China, and see if you can keep your head!

Popular in China, these stories have been translated and enhanced by Walton Lee. Mr. Lee, born in Taipei Taiwan, is a graduate of San Francisco State University and an enthusiast of classical Chinese literature. He lives in El Cerrito, California.

Emotional health, physical health, and sleep are intertwined, each affecting the others.

Learn how to combine the best of Western and Eastern medical traditions to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression.

True Wellness the Mind is a step-by-step guide to better mental health, blending the best of Western and Eastern medical traditions to address

• Sleep Disorders
• Anxiety
• Depression

The authors recognize that the conventional way of managing sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression may not be sustainable for many who continue to struggle with these problems. In their own practices they have discovered a path to optimal mental health by combining the best of Western and Eastern medicine.

“We have seen among our own patients how chronic stress can wear away at their well-being, often first by stealing their sleep, then dampening their mood, and finally disrupting their health.”

With this book you will:

• Discover the strengths and benefits of both Western and Eastern medicine
• Combine Western and Eastern healing methods for sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression
• Use questions, worksheets, checklists, and practical advice to prepare for and begin new, healthy behaviors
• Learn to create a multidisciplinary care team for a strong alliance between your Western health-care providers and Eastern practitioners

The authors explain how exercise, nutritious food, stress management, acupuncture, and qigong affect the body, so you can make healthier choices. To help you move forward on a new path, they provide practical advice and worksheets to start simple daily exercise routines, eat a plant-based diet, and begin qigong practice.

True Wellness the Mind encourages individual responsibility and prepares you to take the first step on your healing journey. By combining ancient wisdom, cutting-edge scientific discoveries, and practical advice, this book will lead you through a transformation to true well-being in body, mind, and spirit.

True Wellness is a step-by-step guide to optimal health, blending the best of Western and Eastern medical traditions.

The authors have realized the conventional way of managing disease is unsustainable. They recognize that even as the high-tech accomplishments of Western medicine increase, the overall health of the nation continues to decline. In their own practices, however, they have discovered a path to optimal health, even in complicated Western health-care systems.>/p>

The secret is combining the strengths of both Western and Eastern medicine to achieve the unique health goals of each patient.

With this book you will:

• Discover the strengths and benefits of both Eastern and Western medicine
• Use journaling topics, questions, worksheets, checklists, and practical advice to prepare for and begin new, healthy behaviors
• Learn to create a multidisciplinary care team for a strong alliance between your Western health-care providers and Eastern practitioners

True Wellness encourages individual responsibility and prepares you to take the first step on your healing journey. By combining ancient wisdom, cutting-edge scientific discoveries, and practical advice, this book will lead you through a transformation to true well-being in body, mind, and spirit.

The speed and brutality of a predatory attack can shock even an experienced martial artist. The sudden chaos, the cascade of stress hormones―you feel as though time slows down. In reality, the assault is over in an instant. How does anyone prepare for that?

As a former corrections sergeant and tactical team leader, Rory Miller is a proven survivor. He instructs police and corrections professionals who, in many cases, receive only eight hours of defensive tactics training each year. They need techniques that work and they need unflinching courage.

In Training for Sudden Violence Miller gives you the tools to prepare and prevail, both physically and psychologically. He shares hard-won lessons from a world most of us hope we never experience.

• Train in fundamentals,combat drills, and dynamic fighting.
• Develop situational awareness.
• Condition yourself through stress inoculation.
• Take a critical look at your training habits.

“You don't get to pick where fights go,” Miller writes. That's why he has created a series of drills to train you for the worst of it. You will defend yourself on your feet, on the ground, against weapons, in a crowd, and while blindfolded. You will reevaluate your training scenarios―keeping what works, discarding what does not, and improving your chances of survival.

Miller's “internal work,”“world work,” and “plastic mind” exercises will challenge you in ways that mere physical training does not. Sections include:

• Stalking
• Escape and evasion
• The predator mind
• Personal threat assessment

This is a fight for your life, and it won't happen on a nice soft mat. It will get, as Miller says, “all kinds of messy.” Training for Sudden Violence prepares you for that mess.

The old Kendo teachers loved to ask their new students "What is Kendo?" Then they would sit back and listen to them philosophize about the way of the sword.

The question is like a Zen question. If you find an answer, it will always be wrong for there is no answer.

Kendo is something different to each and every student who picks up a Japanese sword. Old Kenjitsu had no rules. Modern Kendo sometimes described as sport Kendo, does. This is the difference between the two.

To learn Kendo properly you must not think of it or practice it as a sport. You must think of it as a way of life. When taking up Kendo the student must keep in mind that the Japanese sword is like no other sword in the world and the skills required to master it are as ancient as time itself.

This book addresses advance level Kendo skills including equipment, exercises, wazas and the last three katas of the All Japan Kendo Federation, which uses the short sword (Wakizashi).

• Equipment of Kendo and its care
• Advanced Waza
• Fundamental Movements
• All Japan Kendo Federation Short Sword (Kodachi) Katas
• About the Samurai and his swords
• Sword Collecting
• Sword Nomenclature

If Death takes a man it is called fate, when Death leaves a man it is called destiny.

"I have heard the delirious ramblings of countless dying minds and I am amused by yours. Don't be afraid, I won't take you now. Your life sentence has just begun."

Wounded in battle, a near dead Celtic warrior is taken by Viken raiders. He is sold into a Mid-East slave market and then dragged further east, through the desert, into the 'Middle Kingdom'. Destiny brings him into the hands of a warrior priest and his daughter. Hazy images of silk, herbs, needles, potions and steel, can lead him to only one conclusion, he has been purchased by a wizard and his witch.

And Arkthar fears for his very soul.

Under death's plotting eyes, a slave-warrior, a priest and a healer quest to save a kingdom. A new root of Arthurian legend takes hold.

A Classical Vision of the Martial Arts

Through the millennia, man has been subject to aggression and violence from other men, and has pondered ways to meet such hostility. The source of man's ceaseless conflict lies in our nature. We are just not content with the simple life. We want what we do not have and lust for what others possess.

Empires wax and wane; states cleave asunder and coalesce. Thus it has ever been. – Three Kingdoms (Chinese Novel 1400 A.D.

Ironically enough, the modern civilized world promotes many alternatives for conflict resolution in place of overt violence. As a result, physical strength, mental determination and emotional endurance have lost their urgency in today's popular society. Are we a generation self-absorbed in the absence of routine discipline and sacrifice?

While the martial arts revolve around the way of personal combat, it also demands that its adherents live in accordance with a certain warrior code of conduct and honor. The Martial Way promises a long and arduous journey. It is an invitation to the subordination of self, the endurance of sustained practice, and the cultivation of the body and mind, with no tolerance for self-indulgences of any kind.

Martial arts without compassion and honor promises only violence. Stripped of its spirituality, it threatens injury and suffering to both its victims and its practitioners. In the end, this higher ideal is what separates the warrior from the predator.

What if there were a secret ingredient that could make every one of your martial arts techniques better? Not only faster and more powerful, but more likely to slam home to exactly the right target every time? Maybe there is.

Timing is the art and science of ending a confrontation as quickly and efficiently as possible. In Timing for the Fighting Arts, authors Loren W. Christensen and Wim Demeere team up to teach you exactly how to get every last ounce of speed and power out of your techniques.

Whether you want to feel safer on the street or emerge from the ring victorious, this book is packed with inside information essential to defeating your opponent.

• Why many experts say timing is more important than speed
• How to put the OODA loop and Hick’s law to work for you
• Why timing is both an offensive and a defensive asset
• Which types of verbal distraction can give you an edge
• Why controlling your opponent’s spine gives you an advantage
• Which tournament techniques really work on the street
• How to set up multiple opponents to create timing opportunities
• Which tricks law enforcement officers rely on to buy time
• How you can improve your odds against a gun or knife

You will find drills and practice scenarios to help you develop every one of these concepts. Go beyond theory and put your new knowledge to work in the ring or on the street, where you need it most.