5 comments about Back Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 1).

1. Shawn Kovacich's book "Back Kick" is the first book in 20 in his achieving kicking excellence series. The book is at once a primer and an advance technical manual. It functions as a primer because he covers the basics in the back kick. It has the standard photos showing the reader how to complete the kick. The kick is shown from a variety of positions, such as stepping back kick and spinning back kick (which is shown properly, often people will label the technique a spinning back kick, but end up showing a spinning side - Shawn stays true and demonstrates a proper spinning back kick).
   
   The book, however, functions as an advance book, because it dedicates 200 pages to the back kick. This is more than a standard pictorial book. Many pages are devoted to anatomy and physiology with photos of the muscle groups and skeletal frame. One thing I really enjoyed is his "bad habit" comment reminding people not to drop the leg after executing the kick, but to recoil it. I have sat on many belt tests boards in other's dojos and have to watch this mistake again and again.
   
   There are chapters on weight training to maximize power and executing the kick in a fight. The content of the book is superb; however, the high rating is due largely to outstanding content. There are some nagging problems with photo quality, but I cannot say it in any way it compels me lowing the rating since it in no way distorts the content.



2. This is Volume One of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the back kick: simple, deceptive, but effective. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the back kick?
   I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points. The back kick is deceptive because most people are no threat when approached from behind. Employing the back kick can get you inside your enemy's OODA loop (John Boyd's Observe, Orient, Decide, Act cycle) and deliver the fight-winning initiative. Of course, if I fall to the ground or can hold onto something, my kick gains stability, height, and power--at the cost of being fixed in position for an instant. I'll need to work on my back kick more. Shawn's book has persuaded me that the back kick is worth mastering.
   I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
   I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Back kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
   This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!



3. If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.
   
   The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.
   
   The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.
   
   There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.
   
   The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.
   
   Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)



4. I've been practicing the martial arts for over 20 years and the back kick is one of my specialties so I was most eager to read what Shawn Kovacich wrote. I was impressed at the level of detail and the proper foot positioning and distribution of weight. His pictures clearly demonstrated how to execute a proper Ushiro geri as well as variations such as the jumping back kick, the step in back kick, the step back, the offset, the jump 540 (actually the jump 360), the switch back kick, etc. He also devotes quite a lot to conditioning.
   
   Now here are the draw backs of the book.
   
   -Too much repetition (he repeats the same sentences over when explaining the proper mechanics of kicking technique)
   
   - There is no mention of practicing with your back to the wall. This is a technique I've learned in order to condition myself to draw my knee in close to my body.
   
   - Only 30 - 100 squats?? That's child's play. In the dojo, we do 300 - 400.
   
   - The fighting stance he demonstrates is most suited for point fighting. In full contact tournaments and other styles like Kyokushin and Enshin, that stance makes one more susceptible to low kicks and sweeps. The stance should be lower. Even in JKA (Shotokan) style fighting, the stance is lower.
   
   The author states that the book was written for all styles, yet he fails to mention that in many styles, the practitioner is on the balls of his feet much of the time while fighting. Hence it's important to practice this way as well to get used to executing the kick under less than ideal circumstances.
   
   Over all, this was a good book.



5. I have a vast library of martial arts books and I must say that this is by far the best book that I have ever read on kicking. To start with, let me confess that at first I was more than a little skeptical about another book on kicking, especially one which covers only one specific kick. I couldn't imagine how there could be enough information on one kick to fill an entire book. Well, now I know. This is the most complete book on the back kick that I have ever seen!
   
   This book leaves nothing out. It covers everything including the anatomy of the leg, stretching, vital targets, foot positioning, timing, distancing, and the importance of correct recoil. Shawn Kovacich covers variations on the back kick which I haven't considered before, and I have been studying martial arts for 25 years. He also delves into training drills, weight training, speed training, and covers several ways to develop your kicking power.
   
   Back Kick is very well written and easy to follow. So many of the technical martial arts books are so dry and boring that is is a struggle to get through them, but Back Kick uses a lot of analogies and great photographs which make it interesting and easy to follow the author's points. I especially found the "did you notice anything wrong photographs" and the trouble shooting section to be very helpful. The pictures really helped to drive home specific points and demonstrated specific mistakes, as well has how a good back kick should look.
   
   Shawn Kovacich obviously knows his stuff! I am totally impressed with this book and plan on reading more of the series. I highly recommend this book to every martial artist who wants to improve his or her kicking skills.

5 comments about Front Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 6).

1. During my past 14 months of regularly attending karate classes, I thought that I was really good at executing the front kick. When I was deciding what other books in the series to order (I had previously ordered Back Kick, Wheel Kick and Axe Kick) I had initially not even considered ordering Front Kick as that was the first kick my instructor had taught me and even he said that it was a really simple kick to learn. After awhile, even he thought I was really good at it. However, I decided that I would go ahead and preorder the remaining eight books (including Front Kick) in Shawn's Achieving Kicking Excellence series. Boy, am I ever glad that I did.
   
   I sure had a pleasant surprise on Valentine's Day when I received an e-mail from Shawn telling me that the rest of the books were back from the printer and that he would be mailing them out to me the following day. Four days later my books arrived via USPS Priority Mail. Although Front Kick was in there, I didn't really take much of a look at it. I just thought that I already knew how to execute it and I didn't really think that there was really anything else I could learn about it. Well, although it stings my pride to say it, I was very, very wrong. Not that I'm not ever wrong, it's just that I should have known better after reading Shawn's first three books.
   
   One weekend I decided to sit down and flip through Front Kick. I didn't get too far into the books when low and behold, I realized that there were at least three things I didn't know for every one thing that I did know, or thought I knew. Several hours and about a dozen cookies later, I finished reading Front Kick for the first time. One of the first things I learned was that even though my front kicks looked good, there was very little substance to them. Because I was one of the people in class that executed the front kick so well, I thought that I was doing fine. After reading the book, I realized that although my front kicks looked good, they were very weak.
   
   I practiced off and on the rest of the weekend and when I went back to class on Monday some of my classmates noticed that I was doing my front kicks different. Even my instructor took notice and he even remarked that I must have received the other books that I had ordered.
   
   Once again, I can't begin to explain to you exactly how much detail Shawn puts into each and every one of his books. My instructor has taught entire lesson plans on the material in this series of books. Most of the times he ends up using my copies and I don't see them for weeks at a time. At least I know what to get him for Christmas, a complete set of books of his own.
   
   Now when we spar, it's harder for my opponents to determine if I am going to use the front kick or another kick. Now I am even finding it easier to go into another combination of punches and kicks or just another kick. Thanks again Shawn for fine tuning my front kick. These books should be a cornerstone for anyone who teaches kicks and for anyone who wants to learn how to kick correctly.



2. Volume 6, "Front Kick" in Kovacich's "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series, like the previous five books, covers the kick very thoroughly. Shawn if anything, is consistent, which aids this series. Format is the same throughout all books so far, which aids the instructor or the student, making information more quickly accessible. The reader knows what to expect, details about muscle groups, target areas, and proper technique are standard. This book serves its purpose well.



3. This is Volume Six of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the Front Kick. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the front kick?
   I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points.
   My two favorite kicks are the side kick and the front kick. I find them to be the most useful in real-world personal combat, though Shawn's book on the back kick did raise my appreciation for the back kick. The front kick is like a boxer's jab punch--quick in and out. A series of front kicks can be delivered rapidly with just one leg, or a flurry of front kicks from alternate legs can be delivered. The striking surface is the ball of the foot and targets are precision spots such as the face, neck, kidneys, solar plexus, arm pit, groin, knee, and nerve bundles on the thighs. Shawn lists a variety of targets much longer than my list--and has a useful target area diagram on page 29. The front kick must be precise, and because the front kick is less powerful than other kicks, you must kick THROUGH the target to deliver maximum punch.
   I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
   I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Front Kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
   This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!



4. Achieving Kicking Excellence
   
   If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.
   
   The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.
   
   The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.
   
   There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.
   
   The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.
   
   Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)



5. I just finished reading Shawn Kovacich's book Frontkick. I found it to be very complete and detailed, as were the other two books that I have read in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. I will not go into the front and back matter as I have already covered this material in my other reviews. Much of it repeats as things such as stretching, strength training, speed training, and the like apply to each of the different kicks equally. These specific parts of your training are covered in detail and are a very useful part of this book.
   
   I found that I especially liked the "notes" which are found throughout the book. Shawn's notes are filled with useful and interesting information. Both the kicking applications and the trouble shooting guide were also excellent. I find it refreshing for a martial arts author to be willing to show photos of himself making mistakes in order to point out what you should not do, instead of just showing you how your kick should look. I personally find this teaching technique very helpful.
   
   Obviously Shawn Kovacich knows what he is talking about when it comes to the art of kicking. I highly recommend this book to any martial artist, beginner or experienced, who is interested in improving his or her kicking skills. This book is technically complete and well written, and is a great addition to any martial arts library. My copy is now highlighted, pointing out tips and information that I want to go back and quickly reference. If you are looking for a great book to improve your front kick, this is it!

5 comments about Hapkido: Korean Art of Self-Defense.

1. Having practice the martial arts for over ten years, I find this book to be an excellent resource for both the Korean martial art of hapkido and self defense. The history section is great. The ki section is very interesting. The self defense section is very detailed and teaches true hapkido. This book is a necessary addition to anyone library. Recommended.



2. This is a straight to the point book on Hapkido Self Defense. No nonsense, just straight-ahead techniques. Recommended!



3. As one of the few practitioners of Hapkido in Hong Kong I have read Scott Shaw's articles on Hapkido in magazines like Black Belt and Taekwondo Times for years. So, it was no surpirse to me when I picked up this book that I found it to be well put together and a great source of information on this advanced system of self-defense. There are two things I really like about this book. The first is the presentation of the true history of Hapkdio. The second is that each self-defense technique is clearly and completely described. This book is a great source of reference on Hapkido. RECOMMENDED.



4. This very thin book covers some good variations on locks & throws as well as some interesting self-defense options. The information is a good supplement if you already have a strong foundation in these types martial arts techniques.
   A very big drawback is that the sequential pictures are not clear at all, contrary to what is stated in the editorial review. Fortunately the instructions of each technique should suffice, but only if you are familiar with the type of technique presented.



5. I think this book does a great job of presenting an overview of the self defense techniques and the overall philosophy of Hapkido. I also like the history of hapkido that is presented in this book. It does a good job of providing the reader with a deeper understanding of the art.
   
   This book is a good resource and a good addition to anyone's self defense library.

4 comments about Roundhouse Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 9).

1. This series is a fantastic reference for anyone interested in the finer points of kicking, particularly for those of us whose exposure to this aspect of the martial arts has been somewhat limited. I have been doing this stuff since 1970, for example, yet have focused exclusively on styles that have very little emphasis on kicking applications (e.g., Goju Ryu karate, Kodokan judo, and Matayoshi kobudo). Goju Ryu, for instance, utilizes roughly 70% hand techniques. Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty mean mae geri (front kick) that can rock your world, but there are many other leg techniques utilized by other arts that I am simply not at all expert with--hatchet kicks, axe kicks, and crescent kicks, to name a few.
   
   This is why I was so excited to find Shawn Kovacich's comprehensive "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. If you are familiar with Kris Wilder's outstanding tome, The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power, these books take a similarly in-depth yet approachable style. Each volume explores one type of kick in great detail, outlining some 50 or 60 technical points (depending on the type of kick), in an easy to understand and utilize manner. At first blush you might think that it would be tough to devote an entire volume to just one type of kick, yet each offering in this exceptional series runs more than 200 pages and is packed with meaningful information.
   
   No dojo darling, Kovacich really knows what he is talking about. A fourth-degree black belt in both karate and taekwondo, he has competed in full contact sparring tournaments (including the prestigious Sabaki Challenge) and is the world-record holder for both endurance- and high-kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Kovacich has been teaching martial arts since 1985 and this knowledge, skill, and ability really shine through in his writing.
   
   The text is clear and comprehensive, yet written in everyday language that just about anyone can easily grasp. No matter how good the writing, however, this sort of topic needs wide-ranging illustrations to ensure thorough comprehension. Fortunately there are tons of them. Regrettably though, the pictures are quite dark and/or grainy in most places (my only real complaint about the series). Despite the fuzziness of the photo printing, however, the pictures themselves are first rate as are the corresponding illustrations. Most of the pictures not only have captions but also reference numbers that align with the text to assure further clarity. There are separate illustrations that show the appropriate foot position and base of support for each movement too. This layout method is really slick; I like it a lot. There is a pretty good index in the back that supplements the table of contents too, so you can easily refer back to anything you will want to re-read later on (and you'll almost certainly want to refer back to much of this information later on).
   
   While the front and back matter are virtually identical amongst the various volumes (such that each one can stand alone without the rest of the series), the core content is unique for each type of kick. This front and back matter (e.g., warm up and stretching) is a bit cursory too, though that is perfectly understandable given the primary focus of the books; truly nothing to be overly concerned with in my opinion. Each volume in the series is laid-out in an identical manner and includes the following topics:
   
   -- Basic anatomy of the kick
   -- Warm up and stretching
   -- Principles of the kicking movement (e.g., stability, balance, sequence of movements, speed, accuracy, targeting, visualization, etc.)
   -- Performing the primary kick (e.g., fighting position, knee raise, coil, impact, follow-through, recoil, knee drop, return to fighting position).
   -- Performing variations from the primary kick (e.g., step, switch, jump, spin, cross-over, etc.)
   -- Training and practice methods (e.g., skill, strength, speed, and power training)
   -- Trouble shooting the kick
   -- Kicking applications against an opponent
   -- Author's awards and accomplishments
   -- Recommended reading
   
   No matter how well written, you cannot learn martial arts solely from a book, of course, but this series is a fantastic supplement for hands-on instruction. It covers important nuances that are rarely described adequately by most sensei (or sifu, etc.). I have found that, in general, books can reach a level of clarity and comprehensiveness that is simply not achievable with DVDs as well. This series is no exception to that rule. Despite a bit of redundancy amongst the various volumes, the technical merits and detailed analysis of the kicks make these books a stellar resource for any serious martial artist. I'm proud to include all ten volumes in my library.
   
   Highly recommended!
   
   
   Lawrence Kane
   Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, The Way to Black Belt, and The Way of Kata



2. Before I found my current school and instructor, I had been looking around my area for an instructor to teach me martial arts. At one of the places I tried, the instructor offered me a free class so that I could decide if I wanted to join his school or not. Since it was free I decided to try it out. I should have known better as nothing is ever really free. About half way through the class, the instructor was telling me that I would have to perform a Roundhouse Kick. I had heard of them, but never performed them. I told him that I had never had any classes before and I didn't know how to do it. He didn't really show me at all how to do the kick, he just told me to turn to the side and throw the kick from my hip. As you might well imagine I didn't do very good. After the class was over my hip started hurting badly and when I tried to get out of the car when I got home I started crying. A couple of days later I learned that I had thrown my hip out of place. Needless to say I never went back there again.
   
   A few weeks after that a friend of mine told me about my current school so I took a chance and checked it out. And I am very happy that I did. My current instructor is so nice and always has that little extra time to work with each one of us students. However, when it came time to learn the roundhouse kick, I was a bit apprehensive as you might imagine. After a few weeks I started to get the hang of it and actually felt pretty comfortable executing it, at least in practice. It was about this time that I first heard of Shawn Kovacich and his Achieving Kicking Excellence series of books.
   
   After doing some research, I went ahead and purchased Back Kick and Wheel Kick from Mr. Kovacich and then was lucky enough to get a copy of Axe Kick in PDF format before the official release of that book. Needless to say, I was literally stunned with the amount of detail that was in every book. Because of the quality of these books, I preordered the remaining books in the series. Out of all of the books in the series, Roundhouse Kick was the one that I was really anticipating. So when I finally got my copy of Roundhouse Kick, I started to devour the information. I literally learned oodles and oodles of information on what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. This book, like all the others in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series, breaks down the primary kick, which in this case is the Roundhouse Kick, to its finest details. One of the many things that I learned, was that I was not pivoting properly and that my upper body was doing all kinds of things that it shouldn't have been doing when I was executing each kick.
   
   This is a great book for anyone, from the person that is just starting to learn how to kick, to the person that has been practicing kicks for years. The details that are included in each book are truly something to behold. I have never seen any book on the martial arts that has this kind of detail. You are to be commended for writing and producing such a fantastic series of books. I look forward to reading the rest of your books in the series and I have no doubt that I will be equally impressed with each one if not more so.



3. Valuable set of volumes on kicking for the martial artist
   
   
   If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.
   
   The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.
   
   The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.
   
   There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.
   
   The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.
   
   Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)



4. 
   I took some time after reading Shawn's other books to due provide the reviewer and Shawn's books a sincere examination. Was I reading them too quickly and less critically? After all, his format is similar through the series; it would be an easy mistake to do (although this similarity is a strength for this "kicking" series).
   
   Shawn's book on the roundhouse kick is simply outstanding. I did have a couple of minor cripples, but they are so minor they do not justify a 4 star rating because ultimately, it came down to the switch roundhouse kick that I think works well in some few situations, most notably a TKD type tournament, while may at times have drawback in full contact competition. I just wished this had been discussed. The switch roundhouse can be useful there as well, but a more detailed discussion should have followed. With that said to lower the rating this time on this kick for one area would be an injustice.
   
   The roundhouse kick is probably the most widely used kick for competition and sparring purposes. Thank for a second: It is the primary kick for Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, MMA, and full contact karate fighters like Sabaki practitioners. Great resource!

5 comments about Hap Ki Do: The Korean Art of Self Defense.

1. This book is excellent for those just beginning Hapkido or are at least low ranking. Advanced Hapkido practitioners would not find it very useful. The photographs are excellent in showing proper hand position and body movements. However, the section on breaking falls is incomplete. The author fails to describe or show proper body positioning for left side, right side, back, and front falls; he only shows the rolling fall. Anyone interested in martial arts should learn in a Dojang with a competent instructor, not from a book. Use this book to supplement your study of Hapkido, not as your only source. With that in mind, I would definately recommend this book.



2. This book is straight to the point on joint locks and take downs. The book is broken down into chapters by how the joint is locked with varying grabs and attacks. One must already have good control and be familiar with stretching, striking and falling before applying this text. Master Choe's other book (Practical Hapkido Textbook) is a better introduction and includes some striking and falling techniques.



3. Excellent Hap Ki Do book. I'm a taekwondo'er and found this book very easy to understand with big clear pictures for illustration. I've purchased all three of Master Choe's HKD books and found a certain amount of redundancy in the techniques, but highly recommend all three any way. I originally found one of these in the library and realized right away that these books were the best I've found.



4. I would say if you are new to Hapkido, or looking maby to join a class then this book is a must. I just started several months I use it as a reference. The one thing you will find about Hapkido is there are slight varations fom school to school. The one thing I do recomened is if you are going at a school look at what federation your school belongs to. Just happends my school belongs to this association. I gave this a five rating for couple reasons. The pictures, directions are easy to follow,great if you want to have a reference,or you want to get a friend willing let to practice.The one negative I did find on this book was that it should went over breaking falls better. There isn't to many Hapkido books out there good as this! IT was money well spent, I am giving it ***** !



5. A complete waste of money. Way too basic to learn anything new for anyone that has even minimal experience in Hapkido. And some of the pictures were poorly taken and made it hard to see the grip applied throughout the entire technique. I looked at this book for all of MAYBE 5 minutes!

4 comments about Side Kick (Achieving Kicking Excellence, Vol. 10).

1. This series is a fantastic reference for anyone interested in the finer points of kicking, particularly for those of us whose exposure to this aspect of the martial arts has been somewhat limited. I have been doing this stuff since 1970, for example, yet have focused exclusively on styles that have very little emphasis on kicking applications (e.g., Goju Ryu karate, Kodokan judo, and Matayoshi kobudo). Goju Ryu, for instance, utilizes roughly 70% hand techniques. Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty mean mae geri (front kick) that can rock your world, but there are many other leg techniques utilized by other arts that I am simply not at all expert with--hatchet kicks, axe kicks, and crescent kicks, to name a few.
   
   This is why I was so excited to find Shawn Kovacich's comprehensive "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. If you are familiar with Kris Wilder's outstanding tome, The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power, these books take a similarly in-depth yet approachable style. Each volume explores one type of kick in great detail, outlining some 50 or 60 technical points (depending on the type of kick), in an easy to understand and utilize manner. At first blush you might think that it would be tough to devote an entire volume to just one type of kick, yet each offering in this exceptional series runs more than 200 pages and is packed with meaningful information.
   
   No dojo darling, Kovacich really knows what he is talking about. A fourth-degree black belt in both karate and taekwondo, he has competed in full contact sparring tournaments (including the prestigious Sabaki Challenge) and is the world-record holder for both endurance- and high-kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Kovacich has been teaching martial arts since 1985 and this knowledge, skill, and ability really shine through in his writing.
   
   The text is clear and comprehensive, yet written in everyday language that just about anyone can easily grasp. No matter how good the writing, however, this sort of topic needs wide-ranging illustrations to ensure thorough comprehension. Fortunately there are tons of them. Regrettably though, the pictures are quite dark and/or grainy in most places (my only real complaint about the series). Despite the fuzziness of the photo printing, however, the pictures themselves are first rate as are the corresponding illustrations. Most of the pictures not only have captions but also reference numbers that align with the text to assure further clarity. There are separate illustrations that show the appropriate foot position and base of support for each movement too. This layout method is really slick; I like it a lot. There is a pretty good index in the back that supplements the table of contents too, so you can easily refer back to anything you will want to re-read later on (and you'll almost certainly want to refer back to much of this information later on).
   
   While the front and back matter are virtually identical amongst the various volumes (such that each one can stand alone without the rest of the series), the core content is unique for each type of kick. This front and back matter (e.g., warm up and stretching) is a bit cursory too, though that is perfectly understandable given the primary focus of the books; truly nothing to be overly concerned with in my opinion. Each volume in the series is laid-out in an identical manner and includes the following topics:
   
   -- Basic anatomy of the kick
   -- Warm up and stretching
   -- Principles of the kicking movement (e.g., stability, balance, sequence of movements, speed, accuracy, targeting, visualization, etc.)
   -- Performing the primary kick (e.g., fighting position, knee raise, coil, impact, follow-through, recoil, knee drop, return to fighting position).
   -- Performing variations from the primary kick (e.g., step, switch, jump, spin, cross-over, etc.)
   -- Training and practice methods (e.g., skill, strength, speed, and power training)
   -- Trouble shooting the kick
   -- Kicking applications against an opponent
   -- Author's awards and accomplishments
   -- Recommended reading
   
   No matter how well written, you cannot learn martial arts solely from a book, of course, but this series is a fantastic supplement for hands-on instruction. It covers important nuances that are rarely described adequately by most sensei (or sifu, etc.). I have found that, in general, books can reach a level of clarity and comprehensiveness that is simply not achievable with DVDs as well. This series is no exception to that rule. Despite a bit of redundancy amongst the various volumes, the technical merits and detailed analysis of the kicks make these books a stellar resource for any serious martial artist. I'm proud to include all ten volumes in my library.
   
   Highly recommended!
   
   
   Lawrence Kane
   Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, The Way to Black Belt, and The Way of Kata



2. Side Kick was another kick that I thought I knew pretty well. But I didn't like to use it because I was always hurting my foot. I couldn't figure out what was wrong because everything looks like it is supposed to. When I read Side Kick, volume #10 in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series by Shawn Kovacich, I learned that I was using the wrong area of my foot to strike my opponent. I was using the entire side or knife edge of my foot to strike my opponent, rather than just the outside edge of my heel.
   
   That made sense to me, so I tried it the next class I had. Not surprisingly, I performed the kick a lot more efficiently and was hitting the kicking bags harder without the pain that I was used to experience in my foot and ankle. There were a whole lot more things that I learned as well, but since this is my last review for this series of books, I wanted to point out some of the great things that are relevant to each kick that are included in each book. Remember that each section in each book directly relates to that particular kick.
   
   1. Outstanding detail and approach to the principles behind the correct execution of each kick.
   
   2. The mind blowing amount of detail that is included in each book is staggering.
   
   3. The format of the each book is the same and very easy to follow.
   
   4. The "Troubleshooting" section was very informative and answered a lot of questions.
   
   5. The breakdown of each kick to its simplest level in order to enhance the learning process.
   
   6. The "Notes" sections that are found throughout the each book are little gems of wisdom in and of themselves.
   
   7. The additional sections on how to improve your kicking skills.
   
   8. The "Applications" section, although brief is very informative and wets the appetite for the next set of books in the series.
   
   9. The author's technical expertise is without question and the thought and care that he put into his books shines through in every way.
   
   10. Finally, the author's style of teaching is very easy to understand and comprehend.
   
   In closing I would like to highly recommend to everyone that reads my reviews on the books in this series to buy a complete set and see for yourself just how fantastic these books really are. You won't regret it!



3. Achieving Kicking Excellence
   
   If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.
   
   The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.
   
   The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.
   
   There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.
   
   The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.
   
   Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)



4. Shawn Kovacich's next book in the "Achieving Kicking Excellence" is on the side kick. Kovacich is outstanding at explaining precise detail on the method of his kick, which is the more traditional and probably the most taught way of executing this kick. He again writes about what muscles accomplish what, base and support, and how to turn, and most importantly, placements of the legs, knee, feet, at certain stages.
   
   While Shawn's method of performing this kick is a time honored method and works well for many people, I was disappointed, like in his hook kick series, that he did not mention the "Wallace method." Bill Wallace's method, of which Shawn is or should be familiar, is also a battle tested kick and has some advantages over the traditional method (and one may argue there are some disadvantages as well, but I would have liked to see that debate). I think he should have shown both method's or explain why he choose to disregard the Wallace method. Shawn's method takes the added step of coiling the knee at the waist level before swinging up at the midway peak. In the Wallace method, the midway peak is the coil position and therefore, a step is eliminated (and in my opinion, this is generally a benefit).
   
   Some may have suggested that I didn't fault Shawn for not dealing with Wallace's roundhouse kick in that book, since for Wallace, the side, hook, and roundhouse work off the same principle. While the Wallace roundhouse is slightly different, for sport or combat, that kick, unlike the side or hook, does not really need a Wallce method; unless, of course, one likes practicing the triple kick combination, but fo rsport or self defense, that is a poor combination. Both versions of the side kick have adavntages and disadvantages and in such an otherwise excellent book, I think Shanw should have mentioned it, since after all, it is not some unknown method; however, one does get a glimpse of this method photo wise on 164-165.
   
   Besides that criticism, I find his series to be outstanding and I still highly recommend this resource. I spent more time on the criticism, because his book and the rest of the series are really spectacular books and my criticisms have been scant. I think this book on its own still fairs extremely well and is a nice collection to any martial arts library. The photos in Black and White, while lacking a photo-finish quality, do show a quality of martial technique superiority.
   
   His trouble shooting guide is great.

5 comments about Hap Ki Do: The Korean Martian Art of Self Defence: Practical Hap Ki Do Textbook.

1. This is an excellent reference book for anyone starting in hapkido. The pictures are detailed and easy to do. I really enjoyed working through is book.



2. This is the book to start with for Hapkido. Master Choe's other book (Hap Ki Do - The Korean Art of Self Defense) focuses mainly on joint locks and takedows and how they can be varied from different grabs. This book however, shows a variety of striking techniques and counters in addition to the joint locks. Also, more realistic situations and the effective techniques are presented here. Although both books are lacking in text they are definitely worth getting as excellent references.



3. As a beginner in hapkido i would recommend this book for others that are also interested in starting hapkido. This book offers step by step pictures on how to execute kicks and basic self defense, and plus it is very short on words which makes it interesting and easy to learn techniques.



4. Looks a lot like his work. Good book. Should give credit where it is due however.



5. Excellent Hap Ki Do book. I'm a taekwondo'er and found this book very easy to understand with big clear pictures for illustration. I've purchased all three of Master Choe's HKD books and found a certain amount of redundancy in the techniques, but highly recommend all three any way. I originally found one of these in the library and realized right away that these books were the best I've found.

2 comments about Hapkido: An Introduction to the Art of Self-Defense.

1. If you have Tedeschi's first book, the big one Hapkido trad/phil/tech.
   You will be very upset when you find out that this book is a very
   condensed version of that book.
   The first book was like 1300 pages, this book was something
   like 200 pages. It has the same everything, pictures, techniques
   , information just condensed. I was hoping for something new.
   And I felt like I was jipped, because it was not listed anywhere
   that this book is useless if you already have the big one.
   
   Yes the book is probably the best intro to Hapkido that I've seen.
   For sure the big book is the best that I have ever seen on the art
   of Hapkido.



2. This is a very good book for anyone interested in learning Hapkido. It explains the basics of the art very well, but doesn't cover many details. Besides its relative lack of complexity, my only other complaint is that this book seems to be just one big ad for the larger and more complete version.

5 comments about Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique.

1. Book was delivered is great condition and ahead of schedule. Thanks!



2. I have been involved in martial arts and teaching for more than 20 years and this is one of the mast comprehensive manuals on martials arts that I have ever come across. It has some of the best technique in easy to follow daigrams and it is an excellent source of information for any and all martial artists



3. Hapkido: Traditions,Philosophy,Technique is a very good reference book. First the Good
   This book has a lot of pictures with close up and different angles to show details of specific moves. This book has a huge range of techniques from punches and kicks to submission holds to weapons. This book has an outstanding pressure point chart with not only pressure points but bone structure, organs, muscle structure, and even the nerve system.
   The Bad
   This book has tons of techniques, but there are alot of techniques that are just silly. The one on the cover for instance is a very pretty but not practical. He is performing two kicks, one with the ball of the foot and the other with his heel, and he is lifting himself up with his hands while doing them. This is not going to end a fight. The only other bad thing is that the pressure points that are referenced to in the book are accu pressure points. What does that mean? If you are not familar with that system you are constantly looking back to the accu pressure point chart and back to your technique. While this isn't horrible it can be time consuming.
   Overall a very good buy but not a five star.



4. i bought this for my husband who is studying hapkido and he absolutly loves this book. recommend it to everyone!



5. This is a wonderful book that I have enjoyed so much. It has given me so many new things to look forward to in my art.

3 comments about Re-Gifters (Minx).

1. A savvy bookseller I know said a friend of his wrote a review in the NY Times saying
   that graphic novels are fiction dumbed down(Here I go with another one of my counter reviews):
   Re-Gifters is fantastic! Especially for someone like me, 46 y.o., who wants to get a clue
   about what teenagers think about today. Don't miss this Minx series! Also, if this
   NY Times reviewer has never read Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis and/or
   Persepolis II(plus any number of other graphic novels today), she's got another thing coming
   re: the intelligence of certain graphic novels.



2. This is the second in the series I've bought for my granddaughter. She really enjoyed it.



3. A little cute, as far as graphics go, for my taste. However, I really liked the "spiky" main character and enjoyed the story. My Faith in Frankie is still my favorite Mike Carey in graphic form...but this comes in second.