The martial art of Taekwon-Do was initially developed by the Korean military in the 1950s and spread internationally with the formation of the International Taekwon-Do Federation [ITF] in 1966. Taekwon-Do has continued to develop and it is now one of the most popular martial arts, with some eight million students worldwide and perhaps best known for its spectacular kicking and power demonstrations. This unique book is specifically designed to help guide Taekwon-Do students through the first nine patterns that take them up to 1st degree black belt grade. It does this not only by describing each pattern in detail but also by explaining how sequences of moves can be applied in self-defence, a key and often neglected aspect in understanding the patterns and improving students' performance.

Aged fifty, on a whim, Marion Dunn joined a boxing gym. Training to improve fitness quickly became something of an addiction, and then a source of transformation. This is her myth-busting tale of four years of slogging in an amateur boxing gym in northern England. Marion's story is one of a developing love affair with the 'sweet science'. It's also about obsession, hard work, companionship and occasional bravery. But The Boxing Diaries is not just a story of hard graft. It's a revealing account of life in the amateur boxing gym: its idiosyncratic inhabitants, non-judgmental spirit, dedicated coaches and respect for all comers, irrespective of age or gender - provided their commitment to training is total. From the sweat and toil in draughty halls, Marion takes us through the years of preparation before she is finally ready to spar in the ring. Every micro-improvement, every emotion is laid bare, and along the way she considers the influences and events that might have ignited her passion for the sport in the first place. Warning: this is a knockout memoir that could make you want to start swinging punches, too.

One of the most charismatic showmen ever to grace a WWE ring recounts his life, his phenomenal career, and how he finally found the one thing that gave his life meaning--his faith. Reprint. 35,000 first printing.

There have been numerous books written on the subject of Karate, including many that claim to show an easy, step-by-step, way of becoming a black belt by the third chapter. In a martial art such as Karate, it is extremely rare to find a book that can help the student with the physical aspect of Karate to any great degree. However, every now and then a publication appears on the bookstands that can do just that. One such book is this one. The following pages contain a wealth of information on the Kihon, Kata, and Kumite aspects of Traditional Shotokan. Written in an easy to follow manner, and supplemented by an extremely comprehensive set of photographs, this handbook is easily one of the more superior publications available.