Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts

The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Fencing Review

The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Fencing
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The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Fencing ReviewThe content of this book is fine for a general introduction to weightlifting. However, it is not focused on the fencer as the title leads one to believe. From my experience as a physician, a competitive athlete and the perspective of our physical therapist who also read the book this is a good general treatise on weight lifting, but it is not customized to the sport of fencing. Some exercises, while they will build bulk, as the model demonstrates, can actually be counterproductive to the movements of fencing.The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Fencing Overview

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Strength and Power Training for Martial Arts Review

Strength and Power Training for Martial Arts
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Strength and Power Training for Martial Arts ReviewAs one of the busiest writers in the martial arts today, Martina Sprague never fails to nail a subject like a well-placed front kick. In her latest book Strength and Power Training for Martial Arts, she tackles the subject with knowledge gained from years of training experience and practical application in the ring.
I've been training since 1965 and over the years I have learned that there are few absolutes in the martial arts. But there is one that's close: fighters who train with resistance - weights, machines and Swiss ball - are almost always superior to those who don't. It just makes sense: resistance exercises, properly done, increases your power, explosiveness, and speed. Not a bad deal for two or three 30-minute sessions a week.
Now, there are definitely wrong ways to go about resistance training, but fortunately Sprague shows you how to do it right. She discusses the various muscle groups, explains how they are used in the martial arts, and then shows you the best way to develop them. She also discusses concepts of cardiovascular training, the impact of flexibility on strength, and how to use your mind in training.
No matter what your fighting art, this books works.
Loren W. Christensen - author of Solo Training and Solo Training 2.
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Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts Review

Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts
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Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts ReviewJim Genia, editor of the bible of MMA "Full Contact Fighter", has been a fixture in the MMA scene since the beginning and has seen some of the most pivotal moments in MMA history happen right in front of his eyes from cageside. In 2003, Jim found himself pulled into a side of the sport he did not know even existed - underground fighting in New York City. Soon, Jim was hooked on Peter Storm's "Underground Combat League" shows, and has become the authority on this promotion.
"At a New York City underground show, words like motley crew, varied assortment and wretched hive of scum and villainy barely scratch the surface."
This is how the author describes the kind of people that frequent the "Underground Combat League", or UCL. The UCL has been home to many fighters who made it big, like Frankie Edgar and Bryan Vetell. It is also home to local stars like James Funaro, and more dubious competitors like Lamont Tereyton Williams, who after a nyquil binge took a power saw on a subway and attempted to carve up a poor bystander. This book documents the life and times of the many combatants who have fought in closed-doors gyms and random martial arts schools with the only purse the winner takes home being pride.
Combined with the tales of UCL promoter Peter Storm and his stable of mainstay fighters, Jim also tells us about local fighters from the tri-state area whose efforts mirror the stories from the underground. A tale about twin brothers James and Joe Funaro spins off into a story about Louis Gaudinot from TSMMA fighting in a sanctioned amateur show in New Jersey. To top this off, the history of MMA in the US is also spread purposefully through the book.
The story of the UCL itself is quite impressive. Imagine prohibition times with speakeasy's and floating games of craps, then add fisticuffs and a ground game and you could sum up this underground organization. The author tells us about the owner of the company who fits the bill for his events, even if he rarely makes a profit (let alone break even), and stories of other men coming up in the league, including the tragic tale of Kaream, and the essentials like Shawn and Kirkland. You come to know these men well by the end of the book, and in spite of the violence they engage in, the writer humanizes them and shows you that behind the machismo is the code of bushido. Some readers may be unfamiliar at first with some of the names that Jim focuses on, but there is star power as you turn the pages, including discussions on Matt Serra, Lyman Good, Tom Gallicchio, and even referee Big Dan Miragliotta, all of whom somehow connect to the UG scene and with the growth of the sport as a whole.
The author writes in a bare-knuckled, no-holds-barred style that perfectly matches the raw world of underground MMA. Jim makes the experience as intimate as spending time with the actual fighters in person, inside and outside of the cage or ring (and sometimes gym mats). Imagine reading Hunter S. Thompson writing about MMA, subtract the insane amount of drugs he did but leave in the clever wordplay, and there is the experience you will be reading for the next 200 pages.
I have read plenty of books on MMA; biographies, travel stories, encyclopedias and instructional books to name a few varieties. None of them compare to Jim Genia's "Raw Combat: The Underground world of Mixed Martial Arts", check it out today! - Matthew Kaplowitz, The Fight Nerd
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Complete Kickboxing: The Fighter's Ultimate Guide to Techniques, Concepts, and Strategy for Sparring and Competition Review

Complete Kickboxing: The Fighter's Ultimate Guide to Techniques, Concepts, and Strategy for Sparring and Competition
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Complete Kickboxing: The Fighter's Ultimate Guide to Techniques, Concepts, and Strategy for Sparring and Competition ReviewMartina Sprague's and Keith Livingston's Complete Boxing is correctly titled. First of all there are 480 pages with over 1000 photos! And the Table of Contents takes up six pages with double columns on each page. This puppy is huge but it costs only $29.95. Even if you disagreed with some of the material - not that fighters are strongly opinionated - you're still getting more than your money's worth. It's that loaded and that good.
As the title says, the book is about kickboxing, that is, full-contact fighting. Not point fighting where eight times out of 10 the technique wouldn't have had an effect. In kickboxing, the players are really hitting and trying to defeat the other fighter by hurting him so badly that he can't continue, or by knocking him out. So you're not getting foo-foo techniques here; the material in this book is designed to hurt.
The authors have been there and done that. Combining their vast experience, they have produced a tremendous book - a huge book -that will keep you reading, learning, and stealing techniques for a long time.
As a guy who has written 18 books on the martial arts and has been punching and kicking for 40 years, I highly recommend Complete Kickboxing.
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The Ultimate Boxer: Understanding the Sport and Skills of Boxing Review

The Ultimate Boxer: Understanding the Sport and Skills of Boxing
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The Ultimate Boxer: Understanding the Sport and Skills of Boxing ReviewOne Of The Best & Most Comprehensive
It's written right there on the front of the book - Understanding the Sport and Skills of Boxing - and it delivers all that and more.
This is really a great book for the person interested in boxing either as a sport, an art or fitness training. It's for the novice and the ring veteran.
The Ultimate Boxer is divided into 8 incredibly comprehensive chapters:
Fundamentals
Conditioning
Science
Strategy
Competition
Social aspects
Coaching
Supportive material
Each chapter is complete, informative and educational.
The tips, suggestions and advice are plentiful. There's a great section on how to compete against specific styles - i.e. how to box a croucher, a southpaw, a slugger etc - as well as excellent guidance for fundamentals, conditioning and training exercises
I plan to keep this by my training equipment as a reference guide and use and review over and over again.
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From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of Stitch Duran Review

From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of Stitch Duran
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From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of Stitch Duran ReviewI bought this book for my husband because he grew up with Jacob "Stitch" Duran in Merced California. My husband was truly surprised and very excited to have such a wonderful gift. He has read a good portion of it since I gave it to him and he is completely amazed at how well this book was written as well as how much of his own childhood is in this book. We are truly satisfied with this purchase and for this being the first time ever to order from Amazon we are completely satisfied.From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of Stitch Duran Overview

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Ultimate Warrior Workouts (Training for Warriors): Fitness Secrets of the Martial Arts Review

Ultimate Warrior Workouts (Training for Warriors): Fitness Secrets of the Martial Arts
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Ultimate Warrior Workouts (Training for Warriors): Fitness Secrets of the Martial Arts ReviewThis book is probably deserving of a 5 star review but for me and what I was hoping for it lacks. I'll start with the positive stuff. As you probably know Mr Rooney spent two years travelling the world to what he considered the best martial arts gyms in the world could be and have been useful in a MMA context. You have know arguments from me here. He's definitely attended most of the gyms that I dream of attending. Kodokan, Fairtex Bangplee, University of Iowa just to name a few, giving the background on each. He has photos demonstrating the conditioning exercises used at these gyms by himself and by members of the gym. All good so far. He gives information on nutrition for a fighter and information on cardio training. He also refers back to his first book a lot which I don't have problem with considering what I paid for this book I would happily buy his first. I already use his dynamic work out from the first book which i got indirectly from my old muay thai coach (who happens to have a few world titles) and highly recommend it. And to top it off he gives you a six month program to follow to get you into peak condition for MMA. Excellent stuff. Also I like the quality of the book itself. Nice glossy pages.
Now for the bad stuff. I study sport exercise so my views are based on what I was hoping for in this book. Mr Rooney does not give how the exercises he has chosen are used by the respective gyms in the context of their programs. Say for example with the muay thai section he doesn't say when yodsanklai would use the chin up variations in his program i.e. If he has separate sessions for conditioning or he does them before or after pads, reps, what a sample template for training at the gym would be etc. Another gripe he doesn't break down the science of his program. I know for someone like him he shouldn't be giving everything away but this is what I'm interested in and its highly unlikely that I'm going to be able to get his Parisi Speed School gym to do an internship with him any time soon. I live in New Zealand and can only dream. And to be honest with a bit of research I'm sure it would be possible to work this out. Also highly doubt this book is targeted at the trainer as much as the fighter. Back to supertraining for me.
All these bad point aside this an excellent resource for those interested in the fitness aspect of MMA. A six month program from Mr Rooney is worth more than the price of this book, and the extra information on the various martial arts is a bonus.Ultimate Warrior Workouts (Training for Warriors): Fitness Secrets of the Martial Arts Overview

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Championship Streetfighting: Boxing As A Martial Art Review

Championship Streetfighting: Boxing As A Martial Art
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Championship Streetfighting: Boxing As A Martial Art ReviewNed Beaumont has written a practical no-nonsense book on how to use boxing as a method of self-defense and exposes the myths surounding Hollywood fight fantasies. Some other reviewers find his critique of Asian martial arts to be too one sided and there may be some truth to that. However, as one who has studied both TKD and Jujutsu and Boxing I can say that some of the points he makes are valid. Even if boxing is not you're combat art of choice you can still learn a lot from Championship Streetfighting and the author's take no BS attitude is a breath of fresh air in the self defense literature scene.Championship Streetfighting: Boxing As A Martial Art Overview

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Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques Review

Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques
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Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques ReviewThe book "Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques" by Christoph Delp shows that the author has gained experience in fighting and training in Thailand. The techniques range from basic up to some I haven't even heard of, despite the years I have worked out in Thailand. This book is very good to use additional to the daily work out in the gym. Of course a book can't teach you how to become a good fighter, but even some "professionals" should take the chance to re-read some of the excellent descriptions regarding the shown techniques! Additional to the good text work, the photos are making it easy to follow the different movements. Reading the book and the included interviews plus viewing the photos of the thai-stars and high officials, gives you an impression on how the special atmosphere in Thailand is like. All in all for me this is the only book that was written out of the view and the experiences of someone (a farang) who lived and practiced in Thailand not somewhere else! Excellent work.Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques Overview

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MMA Travel Guide Modern Martial Arts Travel Guide Review

MMA Travel Guide Modern Martial Arts Travel Guide
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MMA Travel Guide Modern Martial Arts Travel Guide ReviewFinally! A travel guide for marital artists looking to train at the "birthplace" of their disciplines. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned expert Bill Stevens has created a concise, clearly written and comprehensive resource with this book. It's difficult to trust online "guides" to martial arts training, particularly in Brazil and Thailand - as so many of them are sponsored content or simply advertisements for particular camps and schools. Bill Stevens has done the homework and walked the roads - and he isn't afraid to give a candid and honest perspective on the "pro" and "con" of each travel option. I would highly recommend this book to any martial artist interested in traveling to the birthplace of his or her art. This book is a "must have" for your travel planning and your carry-on bag!MMA Travel Guide Modern Martial Arts Travel Guide Overview

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Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man Review

Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man
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Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man ReviewTeddy Atlas wrote the ideal book for men struggling to find the truth about fear, loyalty, friendship, honor, commitment and even forgiveness. Being a "stand-up" guy has never been easy and most have gone the easy route by acting tough, instead of honestly confronting and over coming one's fears. Atlas isn't a preachy lightweight, because every chapter smacks the reader in the head with the powerful truth that we all have our fears and look for the easy way out of difficult situations. His advice comes not from some pinhead with a psychology PhD, but from a life full of terrible irony.
This book should be required reading for every young guy embarking on life's dangerous journey.Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man Overview

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Workouts from Boxing's Greatest Champs: Get in Shape with Muhammad Ali, Fernando Vargas, Roy Jones Jr., and Other Legends Review

Workouts from Boxing's Greatest Champs: Get in Shape with Muhammad Ali, Fernando Vargas, Roy Jones Jr., and Other Legends
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Workouts from Boxing's Greatest Champs: Get in Shape with Muhammad Ali, Fernando Vargas, Roy Jones Jr., and Other Legends ReviewHere is a boxing book that needs to be a part of your collection. Even if you are not a die-hard boxing fan, I'm sure you have an awareness of how physically fit these athletes have to be in order to compete at the championship level. Gary Todd has traveled around the world and gained real insight (straight from the champion's mouths) on how they prepared themselves. This book even tells how the Great Muhammad Ali trained, and what he ate during his training camps, etc.
I found this book to be very informative and an overall "EASY" read. For a person on the go, this is one of those books that has the look and feel of a magazine vs. a book. Once I picked it up and started reading it, I didn't stop until I finished the book. At approximately 144 pages, with great photos to illustrate the training, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a boost of motivation to get their own body into better shape.
In addition to covering these great Champion's workouts such as Roy Jones Jr., Muhammad Ali, Kostya Tszyu, etc, Gary shares his own workout program as well. On page 139, Gary's statement says it all; "Work Hard, Train Hard, Be Your Best - Push Through To The End." With the New Year just coming in, this book hits the market at a great time to align with those New Year's resolutions. Hey, this book has motivated me to revisit my own workout routines.A great `reader friendly" book loaded with a ton of valuable information for getting your body in shape. It's like having these great boxing champions as your personal trainers. I give this book two thumbs up!Ron Brashear - Insideboxing.com
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Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage Review

Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage
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Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage ReviewPerhaps no one personifies the face of MMA more than Randy Couture. "The Natural," "Captain America" and "Old Man" are perhaps a few of his better known nicknames. His mixed martial arts career spans the explosive popularization of what was once a fringe sport into its mainstream position currently.
Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz have all launched their own autobiographies over the past year. Now "The Natural" adds his. Couture provides an absorbing narrative of a working class kid from the Northwest who became a teenage father, got involved in wrestling and showed a quick aptitude for it. As his Greco-Roman career wound down and his Olympic dreams receded, the UFC was just appearing on the horizon and -- almost as an afterthought -- Couture was talked into entering one of the competitions. He quickly distinguished himself as a formidable warrior in the octagon.
Most readers will know the major story lines from then on: the bouts with Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and the three matches against Chuck Liddell. Other memorable bouts are the improbable victories over Tim Sylvia and Gabriel Gonzaga.
One remarkable aspect of Couture's career has been his sheer longevity, competing on a world class level well into his 40's, often fighting guys a decade younger. No rocking chair for The Natural!! I would have been interested in hearing his "secret" for staying competitive so long.
What all these MMA guys seem to have in common is complex relationships with their fathers, often absentee fathers or fathers with (often alcoholic) baggage. No exception here.
Another feature they often seem to have in common is keeping it in their pants. Fidelity is an issue as the MMA guys often freely philander and, well, "dip their wicks" in various inviting female inkwells. Couture traces the rise and fall of Marriage #1, Marriage #2 and the rise of Marriage #3 to Kim Couture. Having hit the marital trifecta, he is well on his way to an octet! Which woman will truly be The One, since they all seem to get traded in for a newer model after a few years. (Are the 2009 models out yet?)
Guys like Couture keep divorce lawyers fully employed.
Couture has always come across though as a regular nice guy with his head screwed one and this memoir is consistent with that impression. It's impossible to dislike the guy. He gives you his side of the developing feud with the UFC brass and the ups and downs of his personal relationship with the ever polarizing Dana White.
As "Becoming the Natural" ends, the reader is left to wonder if Couture's career has had the final coda written. Legal and contractual constraints may do what few opponents have been able to do inside the octagon - defeat Randy Couture. By the time he clears away his legal dispute with Zuffa, will Father Time overtake his willingness to engage? Will the ring rust and erosion of skills allow Couture to compete, especially against the likes of Fedor Emilianko? After seeing Fedor demolish Tim Sylvia on July 19th, it's tempting to give "The Natural" no shot at winning such a match, but the old man has proven me and many others wrong before. One bets against Randy Couture at his peril.
MMA fans will relish this autobiography of an extraordinary athlete - Randy "The Natural" Couture!
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The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler's Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living Review

The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler's Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living
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The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler's Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living ReviewI first heard about Marshal Carper's "The Cauliflower Chronicles" through the internet and various discussions on MMA that I'd partaken in. Being a huge fan of BJ Penn, I was drawn to the idea of this book because of how related to my favorite fighter it was, and the fact that it might provide insight as to who he is in everyday life.
Though I remained intrigued with aspects of the book regarding BJ throughout the time I read it, I also found myself enticed by Marshal's personal story as well: Issues with his girlfriend of four years, traveling thousands of miles from home with no real sense of identity in his new surroundings, etc. Before I knew it, I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to know why he said Papo would change his life forever regarding jiu-jitsu, and if he did in fact hook up with the hot girl from Tennessee that was in one of his classes.
Once I started reading The Cauliflower Chronicles, I didn't put it down unless I had to. I brought it with me to class at night to read during our 15 minute break; I'd favor sluggishly finishing chapter after chapter instead of taking a mid-afternoon nap. The next thing I knew, I'd finished the book in two days; quicker than I finished BJ Penn's autobiography. Not only do Marshal's personal tales from back home and in Hilo, HI keep you interested, but the historical lessons he learned about Hawaii before it became a part of the United States also serve to make the reader aware of the problems we may not always encounter or see on the daily news, though that certainly does not mean they're any less serious.
I would strongly recommend The Cauliflower Chronicles to anyone; not just jiu-jitsu practitioners, or someone looking to study abroad for a semester in college, or fans of BJ Penn, but ANYONE who enjoys a great coming-of-age story. You can feel the passion in every page, and by the time you're finished, you'll feel like you know the author; hell, you might even become friends with him on Facebook like I did haha!The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler's Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living Overview

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Muay Thai Unleashed: Learn Technique and Strategy from Thailand's Warrior Elite Review

Muay Thai Unleashed: Learn Technique and Strategy from Thailand's Warrior Elite
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Muay Thai Unleashed: Learn Technique and Strategy from Thailand's Warrior Elite ReviewLike most old guys, I got interested in the martial arts when I saw the seventies and eighties action movies with the likes of Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee. Sometimes, after a few drinks, I might even admit to watching Jean Claude Van Damme's movies. It's one of the reasons I quit drinking.
Those old movies conentrated very heavily on striking arts, and that's where I got my start. Throughout my teens, I was quite a competent karateka - winning my share of medals in knockdown tournaments. Later, I was a successful amateur boxer.
But the grappling bug got me and I forgot the striking arts - figuratively and practically. Then, I started in MMA. I had to get my striking up to par. I began getting my hands and feet ready to fight again. Years out of the ring had blunted my striking senses, so I went looking for resources to help me out.
One of the better resources I've come across in my quest for better striking is 'Muay Thai Unleashed' by Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza. The book is published by McGraw-Hill and pre-dates Victory Belt - the authors' new publisher. My copy came by way of Budo Videos, who deserve a wrap for their continuing excellent service.
Now, I'm no Thai Boxer. Anyone who knows me can attest to that fact. My first MMA match was against a Muay Thai exponent (I still cringe when I think about the flogging I got there). So, any help I can get combatting the Muay Thai game is helpful. 'Muay Thai Unleashed' is the perfect book for me. It's probably also the perfect book for any beginner to the sport or a more experienced martial artist who wants to learn a little of what the Thais have to offer.
What I like about this book is the writing. Erich Krauss is obviously an experienced writer. He manages to explain the sport at a level the more experienced martial artist can appreciate without being too dry for the rank beginner.
The book doesn't dwell on Muay Thai's rich history. This is a training book, after all. Chapter one opens with a very brief synopsis of that history before beginning a description of the training methods of Muay Thai. Initially, this is done very broadly by peering into the life of a young boxer training in one of Thailand's many camps. The chapter then fleshes out the equipment of the individual and the gym, dispensing some great advice into the bargain. It then goes on to describe some of the philosophies of both physical and mental training aspects.
Chapter two covers stances and footwork. This chapter is a simple one with some great insights on movement and some good drills for improving your footwork. It leads well into chapter three, which covers the attacking weapons of Muay Thai. Let me say this. Despite having been a fringe fan of Muay Thai competition for many years, I had no idea of the of the sophistication of the twechniques. And this is a book aimed at the beginner to intermediate fighter. This chapter has helped me break down the differences between the way the Thais do things compared to where my game is. I've found a couple of great improvements right there.
Chapter four deals with the defensive techniques. Starting with the Muay Thai "patented" leg checking and progressing into counters for the attacking techniques. Chapter five deals with pad work and combinations and will help the beginner understand how the pads work (an interesting read in itself) and why the combinations work as they do.Finally, chapter six introduces the reader to the simple, yet effective strength and conditioning work of Muay Thai. It culminates with a review of a professional fighter's program that makes me feel more than a little bit lazy when I'm coming up to a fight.
The book's photos are in black and white, but that doesn't hurt the production at all. The photos are clear and feature technique demonstrated by very proficient Muay Thai stylists. I kind of wanted to see more photos to help me understand things. However, this book isn't meant to replace an instructor. To that end, the photography is spot on.
Ultimately, the book is aimed at the beginner to intermediate Muay Thai stylist. If, however, you're more like me, you might be a more experienced martial artist looking for better ways to do things and hints that will prevent you getting smacked around. If you fit into either of these groups, I highly recommend this book.
It's very informative without being dry and simple without being babyish. Most of all, the passion of the authors shows through.Muay Thai Unleashed: Learn Technique and Strategy from Thailand's Warrior Elite Overview

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Title Shot: Into the Shark Tank of Mixed Martial Arts Review

Title Shot: Into the Shark Tank of Mixed Martial Arts
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Title Shot: Into the Shark Tank of Mixed Martial Arts ReviewAuthor Kelly Crigger does a phenomenal job of depicting these athletes candidly and in their own environment. He captures the indomitable spirit it takes to compete in MMA, but also the manages to convey the various personalities of the fighters he meets. It is obvious Crigger is a fan of the sport but he doesn't get all starry-eyed and fanboyish about the MMA stars he comes across. Title Shot is funny and insightful and a must-read for any MMA fan.Title Shot: Into the Shark Tank of Mixed Martial Arts Overview

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The Boxer's Workout Review

The Boxer's Workout
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The Boxer's Workout ReviewThis book is very disorganized and very dated. The abdomen exercises are particularly old fashioned. The parts that deal with punching and blocking are accurate but not well written or very thorough. To any would be boxer out there I would say go to a gym. This book at best will be only a suplement and not a good one at that.The Boxer's Workout Overview

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Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment Review

Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment
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Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment ReviewThis book does offer some insight to training equipment that can be built/used at home. The first 22 pages are spent convincing you of the need to train; this seems out of place for this book. The next 10 pages discuss using a towel, a fairly common technique, I thought. 20 pages are spent on "blocking sticks", this should not be new to anyone who has trained with a competent instructor. These pages were not very helpful and could have been put to better use in my opinion. BUT - this book shines in the chapters that cover "Heavy Duty Striking Post", "Choking Dummy" and "Small Hanging Bag" construction and use. The directions are clear, the techniques simple, and the materials readily available and cheap! This is what makes this book worth the price. If you are disciplined enough to work out at home this book will fill a need.Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment Overview

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King of the Ring: How to Use Your Gym Equipment and Other Tricks of the Trade Review

King of the Ring: How to Use Your Gym Equipment and Other Tricks of the Trade
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King of the Ring: How to Use Your Gym Equipment and Other Tricks of the Trade ReviewThis book, written by martial arts legend Benny Urquidez, consists mainly of pictures of Benny using various boxing and martial arts equipment. But there is very little detail provided: a typical page might show, for instance, the author about to throw a side kick, and then a picture of him landing a side kick, but there is virtually no supporting text or pictures to tell a beginner what happens inbetween. In short, the book shows A and shows B, but nothing about how to get from A to B.
This would be a worthwhile book for someone who already has a firm knowledge of the basics and who is looking for some additional drills: I found that the section on using focus gloves and Thai pads was worth the price of the book.
The book ends with a longish description of Urquidez's extraordinary ring record.
A final note: the book is "blurbed" on the back page by virtually every significant American martial artist, all of whom positively gush in praise. It seems clear to me that none of them actually saw or read the book before "blurbing" it: it is very far from being "a guide to living" as one reviewer put it.King of the Ring: How to Use Your Gym Equipment and Other Tricks of the Trade Overview

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Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms Review

Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice and the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms
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Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms ReviewShadow Boxers is a miracle of a Father's Day gift. Not without a fight, however, will pop hold onto the book--not while his wife and children are around to read it and, of course, look at it.
The universal appeal of Shadow Boxers owes much to its balanced tone, primal subject, and powerful contributors. Here are writers contending in their own prize rings--Esquire, The New Yorker, National Geographic, Time Magazine, Harper's--for trophies as big as the National Book Award and The Best American Sports Writing. Katherine Dunn, especially, packs a mean punch; again and again she finds your solar plexus before you've finished her first paragraph. (A sample: "One day many years ago, I rode my press credential into a busy boxing gym and was shocked to see a hard-punching monster known as Frankie `The Preacher Man' doing push-ups in the ring with his year-old son sprawled on his back. Amid the din of ringing bells, drumming speed bags, and smacking leather, the baby slept, his long lashes fanned across the chubby cheeks, rocking in the smooth rise and fall of his father's powerful shoulders.")
The photographs alone are worth the cost of admission. Jim Lommasson approaches his subject with the hard-hitting nostalgia of Annie Leibovitz, alongside whose photos of bluesmen, rockers, and gospel singers these fighter shots necessarily belong. Indeed, Pottery Barn has yet to make the coffee table worthy of holding Lommasson and Liebovitz's rock-solid studies of two deep-dyed national passions: Shadow Boxers and American Music (Random House, 2003).
Shadow Boxers opens with a foreword by heavyweight champ Joe Frazier (sole inspiration of the beef-punching scene in Rocky) and features a brief but vivid history of boxing gyms.
The ensuing essays abound with keenly observed ironies about the noble science (e.g., "The game is brutal, but its core is strangely gentle"; "It's dawned on me over the years that there is less macho posturing in boxing gyms than in the average corporate boardroom"), and with crisp details (e.g., the memorable description of Larry Holmes' "jump jab," and the sketch of a city gym in Portland, Oregon, where "a speed bag hung several feet above a wooden pallet, which was used to help children reach the leather punching bag"). So, too, do the essays abound with sharp personal accounts (e.g., a Golden Glove champ who "never weighed more than 140 pounds" and who first entered the gym owing to his girlfriend's parting shot: "you're not man enough"), and with touching accounts of young hoods meeting the coaches who might not only change their lives but save them.
To read Shadow Boxers is to feel the strange warmth, the beckoning glow of boxing gyms, those shabby sanctuaries where individuals can still find a devoted mentor, a group of brothers and sisters, a path toward redemption.
Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms Overview

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