All the tools necessary to build a powerful defensive base for boxing -- every defence for every punch from every angle -- are included in this manual. Punching prowess has become equated with boxing, but what is done in response to that incoming flurry makes a truly good boxer: how to make an opponent miss, how to easily defend, and, most importantly, how to counterattack. Building on that defensive base, this book explores natural punching triggers, or logical counter-punching sequences, that move past the beginner's realm of being a mere puncher into the upper echelons of crafty counter boxing. With encyclopaedic boxing defensive drills bolstered by numerous illustrative photographs, this is a one-stop resource for learning the art of counter-punching.

This volume offers a wide-reaching overview of current academic research on women's participation in combat sports within a range of different national and trans-national contexts, detailing many of the struggles and opportunities experienced by women at various levels of engagement within sports such as boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts.

This is the most thoroughly researched boxing-detailed biography of James J. Corbett's career ever written. It reveals new dates, bouts, and facts, shedding fresh light on his experience, skills, and ability. It meticulously describes his bouts and provides multiple viewpoints by local next-day newspapers, giving it unparalleled authenticity and accuracy. The exhaustive research provides an encyclopedic wealth of knowledge about Corbett's boxing career. His bouts are placed into social, legal, racial, and historic contexts, including anti-prize-fight laws and the color line. Corbett's complete career record is included, as well as 53 photos, 813 footnotes, a bibliography, and an index. Adam J. Pollack is the author of boxing biographies of John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James J. Jeffries, Marvin Hart, and Tommy Burns. He is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, Cyberboxingzone.com, and is an attorney practicing in Iowa City, Iowa. Adam was a guest lecturer on the career of John L. Sullivan for the Whitehall lecture series at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida, and also an interviewee in the documentary film on James J. Corbett, The Gentleman Prizefighter.

From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross, this candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career is "a must-read for wrestling fans" (Charleston Post Courier). If you've caught a televised wrestling match anytime in the past thirty years, you've probably heard Jim Ross's throaty Oklahoma twang. The beloved longtime announcer of the WWE "has been a driving force behind a generation of wrestling fans" (Mark Cuban), and he's not slowing down, having signed on as the announcer of the starry new wrestling venture All Elite Wrestling. In this follow-up to his bestselling memoir Slobberknocker, he dishes out about not only his long career, which includes nurturing global stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena, but also about his challenges of aging and disability, his split from collaborator Vince McMahon, and the sudden death of his beloved wife, Jan. The result is a gruff, endearing, and remarkably human-scale portrait, set against the larger than life backdrop of professional wrestling. Ross's ascent in WWE mirrors the rise of professional wrestling itself from a DIY sideshow to a billion-dollar business. Under the Black Hat traces all the highs and lows of that wild ride, in which Jim served not only as on-air commentator, but talent manager, payroll master, and even occasional in-ring foil to threats like Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Undertaker. While his role brought him riches and exposure he had never dreamed of, he chafed against the strictures of a fickle corporate culture and what he saw as a narrow vision of what makes great wrestlers-and great story lines. When suddenly stricken with Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis that makes it impossible to smile, he started down his greatest fear-being cast out of the announcing booth for good. Picking up where Slobberknocker left off and ending on the cusp of a new career in a reimagined industry, Under the Black Hat is the triumphant tale of a country boy who made it to the top, took a few knocks, and stuck around-just where his fans like him. Not only being one of the greatest wrestlers of the WWE, Ross is also "a master storyteller, and this book is the perfect forum for his forty years' worth of tales" (Chris Jericho, former WWE champion).

Did you know that the internal health of the human body can be influenced and balanced by massaging acupoints, meridians, and trigger zones of the head, neck, and face? In fact, this not only helps to balance the entire body, it also has a significant cosmetic and anti-aging effect! In this definitive book, Dr. Bin Jiang Wu presents an easy-to-follow head massage program that was developed as a response to computer syndrome and other stress related illnesses that are rapidly increasing in our modern society. In less than thirty minutes, you can relieve stress and tension from your spouse, friend or patient, while promoting smooth skin, healthy organs, and overall peace and tranquility. This sixty-step sequence is based upon Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and its theory is rooted in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing). Wu's Head Massage can be performed in its entirety, or you can choose your favorite techniques for quick relief. * Great for reducing headaches* Works for shoulder and neck tension* Reduces facial wrinkles* Stimulates the 'energy channels' in the entire body* Improves facial skin complexion* Provides an instant mental boost, naturally* And more!

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an international phenomenon, with a fascinatingly diverse and complex history that stems from fighting sports around the world. In Mixed Martial Arts: A History from Ancient Fighting Sports to the UFC, L.A. Jennings explores the vast global history of martial arts-including Asian martial arts, African fighting sports, European pugilism and wrestling, and the fighting styles of North, Central, and South Americas-and how they gave rise to the modern sport of MMA. Jennings shares some of the most famous moments in fighting history alongside stories of the fighters themselves, such as the infamous 1976 fight between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki. When the Ultimate Fighting Championship premiered in 1993, it introduced the world to the controversial "cage fighting" at a scale never seen before. With the assistance of technological innovations and globalization, MMA has become the fastest growing sport on earth, the culmination of thousands of years of fighting for sport. Featuring fascinating stories and photographs of fighters from around the world, Mixed Martial Arts reveals the long and captivating history of this often-misunderstood sport.

Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is Clay Moyle's second biography and a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed tome concerning the life and career of Sam Langford. Hall of Fame boxer Billy Miske was arguably the most courageous and inspirational figure in boxing history, and his story is long overdue. During a career that was impeded and cut short as a result of his ongoing battle with a terminal illness, Billy fought a number of the greatest fighters who ever lived, including the likes of Jack Dillon, Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey. The thrilling details and stories surrounding those fights and those of many other ring legends are all here, brought back to life for the reader to enjoy. This book goes far beyond simply chronicling Miske's career, but provides the reader with an in-depth view of a number of the sport's greatest contests and one of the more remarkable periods in boxing's history. Miske's courage and perseverance in the face of his impending death, and his personal sacrifice to provide his family with one last Christmas to remember him by, will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with an indelible image of the man. The book is comprised of 206 pages, including 61 photographs, and includes Miske's record, footnotes and an index. Clay Moyle is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and the author of Sam Langford, Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion. He lives in Edgewood, Washington.

What makes a great match? For some fans, it is drama and suspense, and for others, it is tables and chairs. In My Favorite Match, the wrestlers themselves will settle the score, taking readers through some of the most extreme, unbelievable, and memorable matches in sports entertainment history. My Favorite Match is based on exclusive interviews from huge names in the sports entertainment world, including Shawn Michaels, Dusty Rhodes, Mark Henry, Roddy Piper, Rey Mysterio, and many more. Fans will re-live the pain, the emotion, and the sheer athleticism through the eyes of the wrestlers who lived to tell about it.

Reach for the highest Level of Tai Chi Practice You can achieve the highest level of tai chi practice by including Tai Chi Sword in your training regimen. Here's your chance to take the next step in your Tai Chi journey. Once you have attained proficiency in the bare hand form and have gained listening ad sensing skills from pushing hands, you are ready for Tai Chi Sword. The elegant and effective techniques of traditional Tai Chi Sword Tai Chi sword will help you control your Qi, refine your Tai Chi skills, and master yourself. You will strengthen and relax your body, calm and focus your mind, improve your balance, and develop proper Tai Chi breathing. This book provides a solid and practical approach to learning Tai Chi Sword accurately and quickly. Includes over 500 photographs with motion arrows! Historical overview of Tai Chi Sword Fundamentals including hand forms and footwork Generating power with the sword 12 Tai Chi Sword breathing exercises 30 key Tai Chi Sword techniques with applications 12 fundamental Tai Chi sword solo drills Complete 54-movement Yang Tai Chi Sword sequence 48 martial applications from the Tai Chi Sword sequence 10 Tai Chi Sword 2-person matching drills No matter your age, Tai Chi Sword is a wonderful and fun way to improve your health and well-being.

In the Ring With Tommy Burns is the sixth book in Adam J. Pollack's heavyweight boxing champion series. It thoroughly and meticulously describes Tommy Burns' boxing career, using multiple local next-day primary sources to give the book an unparalleled accuracy and authenticity that has been the hallmark of the series. As always, Pollack offers round by round descriptions, pre- and post-fight analysis, bout preparation and negotiations, and provides context for the period, discussing opponents and what other contenders were doing at the time. By reviewing and experiencing Burns' career from the perspective of those who saw him box, one obtains far greater appreciation and respect for the skills and accomplishments of this underrated champion. The book includes 378 pages, over 100 photos, Burns' record, over 650 footnotes, and an index. Adam J. Pollack is the author of John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion, In the Ring With James J. Corbett, In the Ring With Bob Fitzsimmons, In the Ring With James J. Jeffries, and In the Ring With Marvin Hart. He is a member of the Boxing Writers' Association of America, a staff writer for Cyberboxingzone.com, and an attorney living in Iowa City, Iowa.

"Simplicity is the shortest distance between two points." Bruce Lee, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do The best of both Eastern and Western stick fighting techniques The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is a unique, non-style specific, approach to fighting with the short stick. Its curriculum is streamlined and divided into nine logical stages of training that allow the reader to quickly and methodically learn and develop the skills needed for fighting with the stick. Whether you are just starting out, or have been practicing stick fighting for years, there is something for everyone in this book. Also included are systematic workouts and descriptions of how to make and use specific training equipment as you learn and master The Art and Science of Stick Fighting. The Art and Science of Stick Fighting features Nine levels of instruction, progressing from easy to expert Over 700 photos with motion arrows A "nondenominational" approach to the stick, utilizing the best of Eastern and Western arts A comprehensive, methodical approach to building stick fighting skills This book stands apart from other stick fighting training manuals because it emphasizes the dynamics of combat. Many other books focus on forms and twirling. The author draws on thirty years of martial experience, presenting the best of both Eastern and Western traditions. The Art and Science of Stick Fighting begins with the basics, upon which everything else relies. A stable stance Basic footwork An effective guard From there you learn different types of strikes and how to practice them in helpful, easy-to-learn patterns. The aim is to grow so comfortable wielding a stick that it is as though the stick has become an extension of your body. Once the basics are in place, you learn the strategies and tactics of fighting with the stick at long, middle, and close range. By controlling the distance, you control the fight! Learn important guidelines for sparring, from light contact up to full-contact training. Learn how to construct your own padded weapons. Learn effective fighting tips that will rev up your game. Also included are chapters on advanced techniques; combating short ranged weapons such as a knife to long range weapons like the staff. Even detailed techniques to use when your opponent is armed but you are not! Whether you already study the stick or are just starting out, if you want to learn how to get an edge , The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is for you!

Chin Na is the art of seizing and controlling, it is a major element of all Chinese martial arts including Tai Chi Chuan. Today, most people practice Tai Chi Chuan to maintain health or cure sickness. For the last fifty years the martial aspects of Tai Chi Chuan have been ignored, and the art is now incomplete. Most practitioners no longer understand the martial applications of Tai Chi Chuan, or even that it is a martial art. For example, the concept and training methods of Tai Chi Jin (or Tai Chi martial power), and how to apply internal Qi in the martial arts have become an unfamiliar subject in Tai Chi societies today. As a result, actual martial applications of Jin and Qi, such as Chin Na or Cavity Strikes, are currently not popularly known or studied. To preserve Tai Chi's martial aspect, this book presents numerous Tai Chi Chin Na (Qin Na), the art of controlling an opponent through joint locks and cavity strikes. Tai Chi Chin Na is one of the four main martial training categories of Tai Chi Chuan (the other three categories are striking, kicking, and wrestling/downing the opponent). Of all these four, Chin Na is the most effective, practical, powerful, and easiest to learn. Once you have mastered Tai Chi Chin Na, you will be able to apply the theory and techniques to any other martial style you practice. If you are a Tai Chi beginner, Tai Chi Chin Na could offer you a key to enter the door of martial Tai Chi. This book provides a solid and practical approach to learning Tai Chi Chin Na accurately and quickly. You will learn specific techniques that flow from each movement, the proper hand forms to use when striking or pressing cavities, and the locations for targeting cavities on the body. Includes 858 photographs with motion arrows! General concepts of Chin Na Basic Chin Na theory and training 51 Chin Na techniques for peng, lu, ji, and an 41 Chin Na techniques for cai, lei, zhou, and kao 103 Chin Na applications for the 37 primary Tai Chi postures 17 Chin Na techniques for Tai Chi Pushing Hands No matter your age or martial prowess, Tai Chi Chin Na is a necessary and enjoyable way to explore the depths of Tai Chi-a formidable martial art.

This the the first biography ever written on Marvin Hart, the forgotten heavyweight champion from the South. Hart gained popularity as a middleweight and light-heavyweight in the Louisville, Kentucky area before moving up to heavyweight and defeating the highly touted top contender Jack Johnson. Hart then won the vacant world's heavyweight championship in a fight to the finish against Jack Root. Like other books in Pollack's "In the Ring" series, this book is meticulously researched using next-day local primary source materials, and details Hart's boxing career.

Qigong (CHEE-GUNG) has swept America as the newest approach to healing and was on the rise in China until the recent Falun gong crackdowns. This 2,500-year-old form of traditional Chinese medicine claims that the human body has channels (meridians) through which flows a substance known as Qi. While internal Qigong is essentially a relaxation and meditation technique, external Qigong is an alleged form of energy radiation emitted from the fingertips of 'masters.' Practitioners of this form of Qigong claim that they can heal serious diseases such as hypertension, glaucoma, asthma, ulcers, and even cancer.This remarkable book, written by a group of Chinese scientists, discusses the nature and practice of Qigong and its various manifestations. They give special attention to the many pseudoscientific claims made for external Qigong and uncover a good deal of deception practised by charlatans in the name of medicine. Exposed are such alleged Qigong practices as: clairvoyance, telepathy, weightlessness, energy discharge, energy-impregnated language (Qigong prescriptions), and much more.

BECAUSE NOT ALL KRAV MAGA IS THE SAME (R) Hardcover format includes all photos in FULL COLOR! This book introduces and codifies big-picture thinking to take you to the next level of self-defense expertise. The material is designed to conform to your strengths; you need not conform to the system. In this latest volume from David Kahn, you will find practical, battle-tested stratagems and insights that are equally applicable across the spectrum of martial arts and fighting systems. The text is supported by 180 dynamic separate photo series representing a rich krav maga gamut of self-defense strategies and tactics. Topics include: The Best Use of a Training Partner The Difference Between Anger and Rage Recognizing Your Own Triggers to Avoid Violence Contending with Road Rage Conflict Avoidance and Escape Physiological Reactions to Threats and Violence Legal Use of Force Requirements Defensive (Dis)Engagement Mindset Anatomical Targeting and Self-Protection Preemptive Linear Strikes Absorbing and Moving with an Attack Fighting Ranges Combatives Power and Balance Self-Defense Fight Timing Tactical Retreating When and How to Counterattack Defending against a Skilled Fighter Deceptive Fighting Ground Survival Defending an Ambush Multiple Opponents Breaking Up a Fight As good tactical minds generally think alike, whatever your martial arts or defensive tactics background, this book is designed to synergize any previous professional self-defense knowledge to enhance your personal survival blueprint. Krav Maga Fundamental Strategies draws on ideas and techniques from nearly every level of the Israeli Krav Maga curriculum, including violence avoidance and prevention. The result is an adaptable strategy supported by tried and true defensive tactics, coupled with sound defensive principles, all of which will serve to deliver you from harm's way.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the best known book on military strategy ever written. Although its wisdom is ancient, its principles and advice are timeless; it remains as influential as ever in military strategy, leadership roles, business tactics, legal challenges, martial arts philosophy and more. Everyone from New England Patriots' coach Bill Belichick to Tupac Shakur have turned to this time tested treatise. This translation is by Hanshi Stephen F. Kaufman, one of America's leading martial artists, and is specifically aimed at martial practitioners to demonstrate how Sun Tzu's strategies can be applied to martial combat. The book's thirteen sections present vital information including: Planning ahead--how a solid battle plan can help lead to victory Attacking the enemy--considerations when choosing to attack or, perhaps even more importantly, when to not attack Flexibility in combat--the importance of changing tactics as the fight evolves Exploiting weakness--how understanding your enemy's shortcomings is crucial to success This edition includes 32 pages of full color images, capturing the pageantry of ancient combat. A new foreword by martial historian and decorated martial artist Alexander Bennett explains the importance of Sun Tzu's text and the value of Kaufman's interpretation for the martial artist.