5 comments about Best Karate 2: Fundamentals.

1. Sensei Nakayama provides readers with a no-nonsense in-depth study of what is required to develop solid fundamentals in Karate! This book is very easy to visualize and comprehend. Traditional Japanese instruction from a great master!



2. I recommend Nakayama sensei's Best Karate series as a must have for any personal library. Individually, each book is not the be all-end all of karate knowledge, but taken as a set, it offers a wide range of information and motivation for the beginning karateka. Plus...its a classic with the little men jumping and kicking all over the pages!



3. The foundations of Traditional Karate make no more sense (at least in the modern civilization). Principles and methods must be rationalized. Sensei Kenji Tokitsu, a living ledgend in Japan and France, is carrying a supberb work towards Quality. The best Karate indeed.



4. The Best Karate Series by the late Master Nakayama are fantastic manuals to help any karate student improve their techniques and understanding of karate-do. This volume covers an explanation of Karate-Do, how to use the hips correctly to deliver the most powerful blocks, punches, strikes and kicks. The importance of having a strong stance, how to change direction and how to block, punch, strike and kick correctly are covered in this text. Using this great text in combination with training in a Shotokan Karate dojo will increase your skill level to a high degree. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Shotokan Karate for Self-Defense: Combat Karate for the street official manual, Tanto-Juitsu official manual, Waki-zashi-jutsu official manual, Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Martial Art Myths, Never Trust a Politician).



5. The Best Karate Series are the definitive books for learning the art of Shotokan karate. They have been around for many years and still none have surpassed their excellence. They are very helpful for the beginner and the advanced student alike. I have read them all and have found that each book in the series is excellent. Although you can't learn a martial art from a book alone, these books are an excellent supplement to your training and are very helpful in learning the finer points of the art of Shotokan. Each book in this series sets the standard for books on Shotokan training. There are simply none better, at least none better that I have found, and I read a lot of martial arts books. I highly recommend these books for anyone who is interested in improving their karate or who is interested in Shotokan. They are simply the best! Highly recommended. 5 Stars.
   
   Bohdi Sanders, Shotokan Blackbelt and author of Warrior Wisdom: The Warrior's Path

5 comments about Japanese Swordsmanship: Technique And Practice.

1. My Sensei recommended this book and the recommendation holds true 20 years after it was published. It is now outdated as it only has the first 10 of the now 12 Seite kata of the ZNKR(All Japan Kendo Federation). These kata are used around the world as a standard for grading no matter what ryu (school) you study. But the rest of the book is timeless!

   This book is for the study of Iaido. If you want to learn what that is, buy this book. It includes chapters on tradation and history vital for an understanding of the practice of Iaido. It should be used as a supplement to study with a qualified Sensei.




2. Although a little outdated as the book now has only 10 of the 12 new Setei kata, which were added after the book was published, this is still an essential classic on the history and practice of Iaido. If you need info on the katas and practical techniques, however, there are better sources these days than a book--such as the many videos that are often available used for less than the price of this book new--so if it's that's what you're interested in, I would refer you to those. However, for an in-depth study of the history of the Japanese sword, the different styles and periods of craftsmanship and how they differ, the practical aspects of sword making, and many of the other cultural aspects surrounding the practice of the Japanese sword, and so on, Draeger's book is still the best one I know out there.
   
   I did have one other comment to make. Draeger comments that, especially since WWII, as a result of various changes in the teaching curriculum of Iaido it has become a more formalized, aesthetic art and has lost touch with the original combative, samurai aspect of the art. While I certainly respect Draeger, and his redoubtable skill, knowledge, and opinions in many arts, I would point out that this problem isn't unique to Iaido. It's a problem with all the martial and combative arts of both the east and west.
   
   For example, students of karate have the same problem. A student, even a skilled black belt, can do all the point sparring he wants, but unless he actually puts on the full-contact gear and risks getting his head bashed in, he isn't subjecting himself to the ultimate combative aspect of his art, either. So the problem isn't unique to Iaido. So although I respect Draeger and understand that his concern is genuine and arises from that fact that he's a sincere, hard-nosed traditionalist on this issue, I would point out that it's not really practical to do this anymore.
   
   The samurai of old practiced and trained in the discipline of Iaido in the dojo because their lives depended on it, and then their skills were ultimately tested and forged on the crucible of the battlefield and in individual duels and combat. As I said, this is no longer the case and is no longer practical, either. So although I might agree with Draeger that perhaps something has been lost, nevertheless, unless one is proposing to recreate much more realistic but impractical sparring practices I don't see any remedy for the situation.
   
   So overall, a fine book on learning about this fascinating art.



3. Hello, I enjoyed the book very much and I been practicing Iaido at my dojo for 3 months and I think it is a great Art. I agree with most of the reviews below and I would like to know if any of you iaido students would recomend any good tapes/dvd on the subject (being able to see in detail how is done would be a grat help) as Magellan mentioned in his review but unfortunately there was no link or name of any tapes. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated. thanks neokanobiATyahooDOTcom



4. This book gives a nice overview. It has history and practice.
   Is all illustraded with good pictures. The techniques and the katas are good to follow. This is a real must for everybody who practice and want to practice Iado.



5. There are numerous books on the market today on the Japanese swords arts of kenjutsu and iaido. However, this book is one of the best and most authentic volume of Japanese sword techniques. It covers all the basic grips, postures, movement, drawing and cutting methods. The author is a legend in the field of Japanese martial arts. The late Don F. Draeger had lived and trained in Japan and earned black belts in numerous Samurai arts, one being the use of the Japanese sword. In conclusion, if you are seeking an authentic guide to Japanese swordsmanship, you will want this book. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Wakizashi-Jutsu official manual, Samurai Aerobics official manual, Combatives Vol. 1,2, Martial Art Myths, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Season of the Warrior, Never Trust a Politician).

4 comments about Aikido: Basic and Intermediate Studies.

1. This book is designed as a textbook for PhysEd students. It is laid out in a very logical fashion, and discusses core principles and basic techniques in considerable detail. A brief history on the development of Aikido is also included. The book is profusely illustrated with line drawings.



2. This is a fantastic book to supplement your class learning. Author John Lichen has taken care to minimize the wear of hakamas in the illustrations and this really makes it easier to study the positioning and movement of the feet in the techniques described. This book is one of the better technique manuals out there and would be of interest to more than the Aikido student. If you study classical jiu-jitsu or hapkido/kuk sool/hwa-rang-do, you'll find value as well.



3. I joined my two teenage sons couple of months ago in Aikido and find it fasinating. Being a beginner to the art, the book has provided a good insight into the technique. We read it again and again and you will certainly find this a useful guide for beginner.



4. I ordered this book right before my 5th kyu test and found it a rather helpful resource when reviewing the techniques. I did have a couple of problems with the book:
   
   1. Many of the illustrations, although generally good, skip some of the important steps of the technique. For example, the illustration for some of the rolls skip the crucial point where the aikidoka is actually rolling on his back. It basically skips from him sitting down to being 3/4 done with the roll. The missing illustration is precisely the part I have the most trouble with.
   
   2. In the section that shows how to break the grip of an attacker form Gyaku Hanmi Katatetori, the author shows Gedan and Chudan techniques backward (according to my dojo anyway). This could just be that some techniques are called different things in different dojos though.
   
   Overall the book is well organized. A major plus is that it uses consistent names for techniques and usually puts the technique name in bold so it's easy to spot on the page. Other books sometimes spell techniques more than one way throughout the book, making it confusing at times.
   
   I think aikido (and therefore aikido books) suffer from this problem of inconsistent names for techniques, even within a particular school affiliation. Sometimes you see "katate-tori", other times it's capitalized and two separate words, like "Katate Tori". And other times it's just one word, "katatetori". And still other times it's "dori" instead of "tori". Some official, consistent naming would make learning the techniques easier, and would probably be welcomed by authors who write these books.

2 comments about Martial Arts Games and Activities for Children.

1. I used this manual to spice up my martial arts classes and make learning fun for my young students. I have to say, it worked wonderfully! Practice became a lot more enjoyable, as my students started to see the value of their training. Their techniques improved because suddenly there was good reason to work on them. Also, after I started using the games and activities, I didn't have any more drop-outs! Students LOVED coming to class because they knew they were going to get to do some really fun stuff and have a blast! This book helped me create a win-win situation between teaching effectively and making the classroom fun.



2. The Good - "Martial Arts: Games and Activites for Children" is a good book from which to glean ideas to keep training fun and interesting for the little ones. It incorporates many practical aspects of martial arts, which I like quite a bit. They advocate using common do jang equipment, which is great (too many books/systems, I've found, require the instructor to purchase new equipment, often conveniently sold by the author!).
   
   The Bad - Unfortunately, I found some of the ideas either too silly or too similar in nature to other ideas. There are only SO many ways you can throw/kick a focus mitt to knock down a blocker or kick shield. Also, some of the exercises don't really apply martial arts/self defense techniques. (If this sounds contradictory to what I mentioned above, it is because of my use of "most/some" vs. "all/none". In other words, some of the activities involve kicking a focus mitt across the floor to knock down a target. IMO, the kick used in this game/activity isn't a technically sound maneuver.)
   
   The Ugly - The photos and pictures are a little lacking in both visual "pop" and pedagogy.
   
   An overall decent resource, especially if you're a new instructor or a seasoned vet looking for a fresh way to teach old precepts to children while keeping them invovled

5 comments about The Fighting Tomahawk.

1. What a read! I can't wait to get my copy signed! It is refreshing to see a martial arts book illustrated such that you can understand the principles without the staged three or four side shot photos that show a perfect technique against a dubious attack at best.
   
   The teaching structure of the book is definitely European, based on the Italian and German examples from the renaissance. It bears a passing resemblance to FMA, mostly because the FMA teaching structure derives from the same source.
   
   Col. McLemore covers the basics of the system, deployment of the weapon, and the use of the companion weapon the longknife. He covers the history and explains his sources. I feel that the work is a fine example of a historical research and application of the principles of western fighting arts.
   
   It is a good read and should be added to the shelves of any western Martial artist and in fact would even benefit the eastern martial artist to understand the dynamics of one of the first American martial arts.
   
   Scott Wilson
   Professional Swordsmith



2. This is an excellent book. The techniques within are understandable to someone completely inexperienced with the weapon, yet still challenging and resourceful to someone who has worked with it a great deal. Mr. McLemore's research is admirable. I have studied various styles of historic combat as my cognate studies for my PhD, and can attest to the lack of written information with regard to these weapons.
   I have done a great deal of study in military sabre, which is referred to numerous times in this book. Mr. McLemore's references to it are spot on, and to adapt the tomahawk moulinets and angles of attack to those used in sabre seems to me to be the most plausible way to approach this weapon.
   Mr. McLemore brings forth many historical points in this book. Having done a great deal of research in these areas myself, I do not find any inconsistencies or blatant errors in his facts. He also is very clear that some points he brings up are educated guesses, as there exists no actual documentation. This is good scholarship. In historic combat, there will always be instances where there is no documentation for our theories. This is where we apply our study of combat theory, and the weapon itself to fill in the holes. So long as we acknowledge to our readers that we are hypothesizing, there is nothing wrong with this type of research. This is what Mr. McLemore does in these instances, and I could not possibly argue with his findings.
   This book is extremely valuable for the reader interested in becoming proficient in this weapon. I would encourage all students of martial arts to read it, especially those students of Filipino Martial Arts. Similarities to Kali do exist, however, the axe head alone gives a dynamic that is missing from Kali, and it is always interesting to see how two styles of fighting, such as Tomahawk and Kali, or even Katana and Longsword, can be so similar in their concepts even though there is no evidence of one influencing the other during the period of their inception.



3. The Fighting Tomahawk by Col. Dwight McLemore and published by Paladin Press gives the reader important insight into the use of this rarely studied weapon. Col. McLemore takes his concrete understanding of sound martial principles and distills the essences of the Tomahawk into clear and concise descriptions; making even complex principles easier to understand. To follow this, he adds drills for partner and solo work as well as a sample training schedule. Finally, there are a plethora of illustrations to aid the reader's comprehension of this system.
   
   McLemore has also riddled his work with historical anecdotes from the frontier and finished it with an excellent bibliography. Both of these show the extensive research Col. McLemore did for this book which makes it an invaluable resource. Col. McLemore should be applauded for creating a wonderful training tool to help the martial artist start his studies of the Tomahawk.



4. I have played around with tomahawks and fighting axes since I was a kid, but was never able to find a good reference for use of the tomahawk in combat until now. Dwight McLemore's "The Fighting Tomahawk" stands out as an essential reference for all students of Western martial arts and American blade arts.
   
   The Fighting Tomahawk teaches the basics of the tomahawk as well as both the offensive and the defensive use of this unique weapon. In addition Dwight McLemore offers the reader an excellent introduction to using the long-knife in the reverse grip and in conjunction with the tomahawk.
   
   Finally we are given a look a throwing the tomahawk. The tomahawk makes an effective throwing weapon, even if it doesn't stick. As Mr. McLemore points out "in tactical throwing the focus is on hitting the target and basically knocking the hell out of the opponent."
   
   The tomahawk is a weapon that has been carried by soldiers since the Revolutionary War, is carried by woodsmen and others even today. "The Fighting Tomahawk" will teach those who carry this weapon how to effectively use it. Detailed text and numerous illustrations throughout make this book a foundation course in tomahawk fighting.
   
   The Fighting Tomahawk is a must have reference for anyone who carries a tomahawk and for everyone who might like to add this unique weapon to his personal arsenal and martial skills set.



5. The tomahawk is one of the most effective weapons in close quarter combat. This excellent book is comprehensive in scope with large clear drawing illustrations. Part one covers a basic history of the tomahawk, the grips, stances, drawing the tomahawk and long knife. Part two shows the offensive use of the tomahawk, including the cuts, chops, punch and the rake. The third part explains the defensive use of the tomahawk. Book two of this text covers long knife techniques including the grips, stabs and other methods to use this weapon. In book three various combinations are taught, using both the tomahawk and the long knife. In conclusion, this book is for anyone who is interested in the use of the tomahawk and long knife in close quarter combat. The author has done his home-work researching this practical and unique guide. Rating: 5 stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Baton advanced techniques, Season of the warrior).

No comments about The Intuitive Body: Discovering the Wisdom of Conscious Embodiment and Aikido.

5 comments about Mastering Jujitsu (Mastering Martial Arts Series).

1. An alright book, reviews a lot of positions which is important, but not enough submisions in my opinion, however it does cover a variety of techniques for takedowns and those are very important. It does not show counter-attacks nor defense if you get in trouble.



2. When it comes to a book than explains how martial arts training can realistically fit in with a real self-defence situation and the truth about training martial arts for self-defence or competiting in tournaments, there few books out there that can do it better and more concisely than this. It has a lot of information to offer that I have not seen in any other martial arts book. I find the book to be misnamed however; the core of it is about Brazilian Jujitsu, but it is pretty much about MMA on the whole and not just Jujitsu. One reason why this book is so good is because whenever the authors make a statement, they have a tendency to qualify what they say with either historical reference or indepth explanations. If they tell you to use a certain use technique or not to use a technique, they usually tell you precisely why. In essence, the authors have a very good understanding of unarmed combat and how a fight can unfold; knowing and applying the information in this book can mean the difference between victory and defeat. An ABSOLUTE must for any martial artist, the casual practioner or pro fighter.



3. This book contains a lot of verbiage about the history of jujitsu, which unfortunately was not what I was hoping for. It is also entirely no-gi based.
   
   The book does a good job of breaking down the most common positions two fighters can get in. For example, winning from the bottom is broken down into attacks from the guard which is further broken down into attacks from the closed guard, and so on.
   
   If you are looking for a more in depth technique book, check out Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribero.



4. The condition of the book itself was excellent! The seller was prompt in sending out the order and I was pleased with the timeliness and professionalism involved in this transaction. if I ever purchase again and this seller is on the list, I will consider the seller as opposed to the price. Kudos



5. What are the three phases in most any fight?
   
   1. The Free-Standing phase in which all fights begin, unless the fight is ended quickly by some idiot sucker punching you like a wuss. But this phase covers the ability and freedom the fighters have to punch, kick and back away at will.
   
   2. The Clinch. Before a fight gets on the ground, there is a time where the fight gets in a clinch in effort to bring someone to the ground. Unless of course both or one fighter trips. Judoka's [Judo players] are quite good at getting their opponents on the ground since they spend so much time training to do that very thing. One of the primary goals in Judo is to break an opponents Kuzushi. The problem though, is this is usually a small part of any fight and even if you get in a superior position after breaking your opponents balance, you still need to understand the last and probably most important phase, and that is:
   
   3. The Ground. Here is where the BJJ shines. This is truly indeed "their" specialty. This is what they practice, this is what they do. This is why they are so successful.
   
   But don't think that all BJJ players want to bring their opponent to the ground, that is not true. In cases where they happen to know their opponents BJJ is equal but has less striking skills, the practitioner may want to keep the fight standing. Or if you are in a real fight and perhaps an opponent pulls a knife of if there is glass all over a cement ground, probably the last place you want to be is rolling around in that.
   
   Overall, a very good book, especially in the history of Jujitsu itself. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this book covers that really well and I found that extremely interesting.

3 comments about The Secret Teachings of Aikido.

1. The founder Osensei Ueshiba explains in great detail all the profound spiritual and philosophical aspects of the art. All the information in the book is from lectures that master Ueshiba did back in the past when Aikido was born. Great book for understanding the essence of this marvelous path that is Aikido. A must have for the serious practitioner.



2. I think the first thing that should be noted is this book came out twenty years after the founder died. Aikido has become an industry. Everybody and their brother is writing books about Aiki. And this work is no different. The overwhelming majority of the so called quotes of the founder are things that are poorly understood so the actual author interjected what he thought was meant. One item that comes to mind in the book it is stated that "Matter descends and sprit ascends." This is western thought of the middle ages. This is the "body is bad sprit is good" ideals that led to self-flagellation. I can see the founder saying the body sinks as the ki flows upward. This is a technique not a philosophical explanation. I suspect that the person that actually wrote this work ( translating is one thing but changing what is said is another) didn't understand what the founder was talking about so they filled in the blanks with their own biases. But this book does have some great pictures.



3. This is an extraordinary book that was recommended to me by a longtime teacher of Aikido; it's highly respected by other teachers I know who have made Aikido their life's focus for many, many years. The preface, by Moriteru Ueshiba, the son of Morihei Ueshiba, explains that this is a translation of lectures that present the inner teachings of Aikido, describing the core of the Founder's spirit and interpretation of the techniques. He says he would be very happy if those who engage in heartfelt Aikido training make this book of the Founder's lessons their daily companion and study his words often. Again - this is a translation, not an interpretation, of profound thinking. John Stevens, the translator, is a Buddhist priest, teacher of Eastern philosophy, and a high ranking Aikido teacher in Japan. He says in the book, "All serious students of Aikido must study Morihei's words and make their own interpretation of his marvelous philosophy of the Art of Peace." He added only minimal explanations in brackets, so it's quite clear that those few touches are his own - for example, the kind of thing he adds in brackets is illustrated here: "Unification of mind and body will lead to the development of fundamental techniques. Techniques that are created by the nen [single-minded concentration, direct perception of the truth] are unlimited in scope. Techniques must reflect universal principles. For this we need true nen." I would really encourage you to use the Amazon feature that lets you "look inside" and see for yourself what it's like - It's a beautiful book worth keeping out and referring to often.

5 comments about Best Judo (Illustrated Japanese Classics).

1. Excellent step-by-step pictures, and descriptions are very detailed. I really like the additional section for Pointers with almost every thow.
   The book is not a complete reference, but is very useful for what is there. Seems to be geared toward combat and less toward technique. However, it still covers technique with enough detail that anyone would pick up something.



2. This is a generally good reference. It's better in *some* ways than the extremely good "Judo in Action" pair of books.
   
   Shortcomings are:
   - that it does not go into detail on as wide a range of moves as I'd like to see.
   - For groundwork, it doesn't show escapes.
   
   Otherwise, it's really solid.



3. Great book, hundreds of clear photos (even though they are b&w), easy to read instructions, good organized layout of techniques, good clear organization of topics. Just started Judo and this is the best book I've read by far. If you are more advanced, I don't know how much it will help you other than refining your technique and moves. This would seem to be an essential reference for any Judo Entusiasists.



4. The explanation are well detailed, and pictures are crystal clear. This is however not a book to master the fundamentals or a collection of throws & holds, but rather a book that can be used to perfect some techniques which you already decently execute. There are many explanation about how to execute and the variants of the most common and efficient techniques, and what is interesting it that this book does not only focus on the execute of the technique alone, but also on how to get into a favorable situation where the technique can be applied at its maximum effectiveness. However, the less common throws (and some of the most difficult to execute effectively) and some counters such as sukui nage aren't given any explanation and are merely listen with photos.
   
   There is also a very comprehensive and interesting section about linking and chaining waza, both for throws and ground work. This section is very interesting and explained in a brilliant manner.
   
   The training part is good, however focus only on physical training, and not on exercise which would also help in the execution of escape moves or other, such as the shrimp exercise.
   
   Overall, it is great to perfect some of the most effective throws, get insight on the possible variants, improve how to turn the situation at your advantage to place a lock, choke or hold, and some great chaining work.



5. This book has helped me improve the judo portion of the jujutsu system I practice. It is an invaluable asset to any martial artist.

5 comments about Best Karate, Vol.5: Heian, Tekki (Best Karate Series).

1. This is my third copy of M. Nakayama's Best Karate Vol 5 book as it contains all the basic kata for Shotokan. My other copies are dog-earred and barely held together with tape from my constant flipping and turning of pages. Each Heian and Tekki kata is laid out and explained extremely clearly both with hand and stance positions. I particularly like the Japanese and English names for the techniques as they are the only easy way to learn the proper terminology used in the dojo. I have other kata references, but the complete Nakayama series that I own is the ultimate reference guide.



2. You need this book and all the books in this series if you are a Shotokan Karate student.
   
   Shotokan Karate is one of the most practiced styles of karate in the world, and this series of books by Sensei Nakayama will give you a fairly complete introduction to the style.
   
   These books were designed and distributed before we had dvds, and they were designed to provide a reference of correct technique in a world without enough qualified Shotokan Instructors.
   
   This volume provides the sequence and execution of six kata in correct form as taught by Sensei Nakayama before his untimely passing. The kata shown in this volume are the five Heian kata, and Tekki Shodan. They contain the core of Shotokan technique. This book will not teach you to how to perform these katas correctly; for that you need a qualified instructor. However, these volumes are an unmatched reference for Shotokan Karate students. This and all the other books in the series provide the best reference ever produced for the entire syllabus of Shotokan Karate.
   
   If there is a downside to this volume, it's that the book is light on bunkai, or the application of the kata. And the applications that are shown are fairly superficial. On the other hand, the primary goal of this series was to provide a reference that Shotokan students all over the world could address as to sequence and form. And the series is completely successful in that endeavor.



3. Nakayama Sensei's series of books have been a great addition to my twenty years of training in Shotokan. There are so many kata's in Shotokan it's easy to forget a single step that will stop you cold. This series of books explains each kata in numbered steps, each step broken down by a series of pictures showing how they should be performed including where the kiai's are. At the end of the step by step instructions are a series of pictures showing the application of the kata moves.
   
   Nakayama founded the Japan Karate Association along with Gichin Funakoshi and was the head of JKA until his death in 1987.
   
   It is extremely important to note that you cannot learn karate from a book. There are so many aspects to correct karate training you can easily develop bad habits. A qualified instructor can help you overcome those mistakes. But you will find the best instructors have a set of these books as well.



4. The book is great. I plan on buying the whole set in time. I'm a 8th kyu yellow belt in Shotokan and this book has helped me greatly with my kata. The step by step instructions are great and it makes learning the a lot simpler, it's great being able to double check that you're in the right stance, aiming at the right spot, or doing a technique correctly when practicing on your own. I'm a collegiate competitor who started karate last fall, and all ready I'm beating entire teams of orange belts in competitions. After buying this book I've taken first in all my kata competitions (there's only been one, but still, I was the lowest rank =P). You won't regret buying this book, it's great.
   ps: I can't wait to go to Master Camp this summer being a yellow belt that knows all the kata's a purple belt should have learned ;D



5. The Best Karate Series are the definitive books for learning the art of Shotokan karate. They have been around for many years and still none have surpassed their excellence. They are very helpful for the beginner and the advanced student alike. I have read them all and have found that each book in the series is excellent. Although you can't learn a martial art from a book alone, these books are an excellent supplement to your training and are very helpful in learning the finer points of the art of Shotokan. Each book in this series sets the standard for books on Shotokan training. There are simply none better, at least none better that I have found, and I read a lot of martial arts books. I highly recommend these books for anyone who is interested in improving their karate or who is interested in Shotokan. They are simply the best! Highly recommended. 5 Stars.
   
   Bohdi Sanders, Shotokan Blackbelt and author of Warrior Wisdom: The Warrior's Path