"The techniques are really a vessel for carrying all the things that are budo..." Most books about martial arts (budo) focus on techniques, although some tell the history, and a few wax philosophical. It is rare indeed to discover a book that so fluently combines all this within the broader context of culture and lifestyle, and does so in such a humble, engaging, and accessible way. "Budo Bum Anthology" is a book that answers not so much "how" or "what" as it does "why?" Why call budo teac...

This book represents an international gathering of friends who happen to be highly qualified martial art scholars and practitioners. We have come together in celebration of the more than twenty years the Journal of Asian Martial Arts inspired scholarship in this field to higher academic standards while encouraging all aspects of responsible practice. Each article was written specifically for this banquet, with topics representing the rich variety found in the Asian martial traditi...

In over forty years in medicine - seven of these as Master of the National Maternity Hospital - obstetrician Peter Boylan was at the births of more than 6,000 babies. He saw women and families at their most vulnerable, their most joyous, and sometimes their most heart-broken.In the Shadow of the Eighth is the story of how a young doctor without strong views on abortion became convinced that women should be trusted to make the right decisions for their live...

"A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action."--Samurai Maximum.Under the guidance of such celebrated masters as Ed Parker and the immortal Bruce Lee, Joe Hyams vividly recounts his more than 25 years of experience in the martial arts. In his illuminating story, Hyams reveals to you how the daily application of Zen principles not only developed his physical expertise but gave him the mental discipline to control his personal problems-self-image,...

An entertaining and insightful history of martial arts and the role of the warrior, drawing on pop culture, philosophy, mythology, religion, and spiritualityThe urge to forge one’s character by fighting, in daily life as well as on the mat, appeals to something deep within us. More than a collection of fighting techniques, martial arts constitute a path to developing body, spirit, and awareness. On the Warrior’s Path connects the martial arts with this lar...

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

Master the art of Kendo—Japanese Swordsmanship with this illustrated and comprehensive martial arts guide.Kendo or the "Way of the Sword" holds a special place within the martial arts as one of the few practices tracing back directly to Japan's ancient samurai heritage. Modern students flock to kendo for physically—and mentally—challenging activity that combines traditional martial arts values with strenuous physical activity.Author Geoff Salmon ha...

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

This book is intended to aid both the experienced Karate student and those just starting up to find their way in the theoretical and historical background of Karate. The varied facets of Karate first become obvious to the Karate student after many years of intensive training and study of the roots of Okinawa's Martial Arts.

Learn the martial art that changed the world.Bruce Lee flashed like a meteor through the martial arts universe, and the gravity of his ideas continue to shape how we train and live. The Ultimate Guide to Jeet Kune Do gives you insight into the martial art’s creation and evolution with profiles of and articles by the art’s most successful students, including Dan Inosanto, Tim Tackett, Bob Bremer and Jerry Beasley.Pulling from the Black Belt archives, Th...

Taekwondo Basics teaches you all the fundamentals of this Korean martial art form in a clear and easy-to-understand manner!This basic introductory survey contains the following vital information:The origins, philosophy, and history of TaekwondoHow to find a teacher and a class that are right for youGetting ready for your first class—what actually happens in a Taekwondo class?The essential elements—stances, blocks...

A guide to the practice, history, and etiquette of budo, the study of Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation—written by an American martial arts masterThe study of budo, or the Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation, is a lifelong path toward perfection of character. Here, Dave Lowry, a sword master who has practiced and taught budo for over forty years, addresses the myriad issues, vagaries, and inconsistencies that arise for students of karate-do, judo, k...