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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Combat sports & self-defence
Bruce Lee's daughter illuminates her father's most powerful life
philosophies, and how we can apply his teachings to our daily lives
'Empty your mind; be formless, shapeless like water' Bruce Lee is a
cultural icon, world renowned for his martial arts and film legacy.
But Lee was also a deeply philosophical thinker, believing that
martial arts are more than just an exercise in physical discipline
- they are a perfect metaphor for personal growth. In Be Water, My
Friend, Shannon Lee shares previously untold stories from her
father's life along with the concepts at the core of his teachings.
Each chapter reveals a lesson from Bruce Lee, expanding on the
foundation of his iconic 'be water' philosophy to reveal a path to
an enlightened way of being. This is an inspirational call to
action to consider our lives with new eyes and a testament to Lee's
unique power to ignite our imaginations and transform our lives.
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.
While humans have used their hands to engage in combat since the
dawn of man, boxing originated in Ancient Greece as an Olympic
event. It is one of the most popular, controversial and
misunderstood sports in the world. For its advocates, it is a
heroic expression of unfettered individualism. For its critics, it
is a depraved and ruthless physical and commercial exploitation of
mostly poor young men. This Companion offers engaging and
informative essays about the social impact and historical
importance of the sport of boxing. It includes a comprehensive
chronology of the sport, listing all the important events and
personalities. Essays examine topics such as women in boxing,
boxing and the rise of television, boxing in Africa, boxing and
literature, and boxing and Hollywood films. A unique book for
scholars and fans alike, this Companion explores the sport from its
inception in Ancient Greece to the death of its most celebrated
figure, Muhammad Ali.
A Sunday Times Book of the Year 'For anyone interested in Lee's
legacy, this is a roundhouse kick of a biography' - Sunday Times
'At last, Bruce Lee has the powerful biography he deserves... It
will thrill Lee's fans and fascinate the unfamiliar' - Jonathan
Eig, author of Ali: A Life and Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of
Lou Gehrig 'Meticulously researched' - Jimmy McDonough, author of
Shakey: Neil Young's Biography and Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al
Green 'You won't find a better match for a biographer with his
subject than Matthew Polly and Bruce Lee... A definitive biography,
told with passion and punch' - Brian Jay Jones, author George
Lucas: A Life and Jim Henson: The Biography. More than forty years
after Bruce Lee's sudden death at age 32, journalist and author
Matthew Polly has written the definitive account of Lee's life.
It's also one of the only accounts; incredibly, there has never
been an authoritative biography of Lee. Following a decade of
research that included conducting more than one hundred interviews
with Lee's family, friends, business associates and even the
mistress in whose bed Lee died, Polly has constructed a complex,
humane portrait of the icon. There are his early years as a child
star in Hong Kong cinema; his actor father's struggles with opium
addiction and how that turned Bruce into a troublemaking teenager
who was kicked out of high school and eventually sent to America to
shape up; his beginnings as a martial arts teacher, eventually
becoming personal instructor to movie stars like Steve McQueen; his
struggles as an Asian-American actor in Hollywood and frustration
seeing role after role he auditioned for go to white actors in eye
makeup; his eventual triumph as a leading man; his challenges
juggling a sky-rocketing career with his duties as a father and
husband; and his shocking end that to this day is still shrouded in
mystery. Polly breaks down the myth of Bruce Lee and argues that,
contrary to popular belief, he was an ambitious actor who was
obsessed with martial arts-not a great kung-fu master who just so
happened to make a couple of movies. The book offers an honest look
at an impressive yet flawed man whose personal story was even more
entertaining and inspiring than any fictional role he played
on-screen. Praise for Matthew Polly 'Hypnotic...Tapped Out manages
to humanize a sport once demonized as "human cockfighting" by
deconstructing the stereotype of the martial-arts tough guy.' - New
York Times 'Tapped Out is a knockout for MMA fans, who will laugh
at the intimate portraits Polly sketches of some of the sport's
most famous personalities. But it also works for those not familiar
with the sport...You won't be disappointed.' - OpposingViews.com 'A
delight to read.' - TheFightNerd.com 'Polly's self-deprecation in
the painful learning process stands out as much as the witty prose.
His delivery is Plimpton-esque.' - ESPN.com 'Smoothly written . . .
Polly has a good eye for characters.' - Publishers Weekly
BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR. SHORTLISTED FOR
THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2017. SHORTLISTED
FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR. WINNER OF THE
PEN/ESPN AWARD FOR LITERARY SPORTS WRITING. THE TIMES SPORTS BOOK
AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR. The most comprehensive and definitive
biography of Muhammad Ali that has ever been published, based on
more than 500 interviews with those who knew him best, with many
dramatic new discoveries about his life and career. When the frail,
trembling figure of Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta
in 1996, a TV audience of up to 3 billion people was once again
gripped by the story of the world's most famous sporting icon. The
man who had once been reviled for his refusal to fight for his
country and for his fast-talking denunciation of his opponents was
now almost universally adored, the true cost of his astonishing
boxing career clear to see. In Jonathan Eig's ground-breaking
biography, backed up with much detailed new research specially
commissioned for this book, we get a stunning portrait of one of
the most significant personalities of the second half of the
twentieth century. We are not only taken inside the ring for some
of the most famous bouts in boxing history, we also learn about his
personal life, his finances, his faith and the moments when the
first signs of his physical decline began to show. Ali was a symbol
of freedom and courage, a hero to many, but this is also a very
personal story of a warrior who vanquished every opponent but was
finally brought down by his own stubborn refusal to quit. An epic
tale of a fighter who became the world's most famous pacifist, Ali:
A Life does full justice to an extraordinary man. 'Ali: A Life is
the business - 640 pages of patient scholarship and intelligent
reassessment written in crackly prose' Giles Smith, The Times '[A]
richly researched, sympathetic yet unsparing portrait ... Ali: A
Life is an epic of a biography' Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times
Prepare yourself for whatever life throws your way with these
essential safety and security hacks you need to know to keep you
and your family safe, from TikTok's Mom Friend, Cathy Pedrayes.
Have you ever wished that you kept a first-aid kit in the car or
berated yourself for not keeping a pair of flip-flops in your purse
at all times? Ever wondered when it's okay to geo-tag a social
media post or when it's best to lie to strangers? Just need some
tips on how to feel safer and more prepared in today's digital
world? Well, Cathy Pedrayes has you covered. Known as the Mom
Friend of TikTok, Cathy posts practical, everyday safety and
security tips that everyone should know and incorporate into their
routine. The Mom Friend Guide to Everyday Safety and Security
offers a shortcut to a lifetime of tips and hacks Cathy has learned
from experience as well as her consultations with personal security
experts. You will find quick guides on: -Securing your home
-Building a first-aid kit -Items to take with you on the go -Things
to always pack when going on vacation -How to read the red flags in
everyday situations -How to protect yourself online -And more!
Practical and personable, The Mom Friend Guide to Everyday Safety
and Security is a quick guide to all the safety tips you wish
someone had told you sooner so you can be better prepared for
whatever life throws your way.
Immerse yourself in the world of the Samurai with this classic
text. Code of the Samurai is the 350-year-old summary of the rules
and expectations embodied in Bushido-the ancient Japanese "Way of
the Warrior." Written by Taira Shigesuke, a Samurai and prominent
teacher of military techniques, it was published posthumously in
1834. This influential book was intended as a training manual for
young Samurai, outlining personal and professional standards. This
accessible and enjoyable translation is by Thomas Cleary, the
foremost translator of Asian martial classics, accompanied by the
powerful line drawings of master illustrator Oscar Ratti. A new
foreword by Alexander Bennett, a leading expert on Samurai history,
explains the lasting importance of this classic work and its place
within the canon of Japanese literature.
"Wrestling to Rasslin'" traces the roots of one of man's oldest
competitive sports. Beginning in sporting bars in the late 1800s
and graduating to Barnum sideshow tents, wrestling has thrilled the
world over with such early athletes as William Muldoon, George
Hackenschmidt, and Tom Jenkins. After World War II and the advent
of television, wrestling took a turn toward the dramatic,
emphasizing conflicts between good and evil.
Professional wrestling is a strange beast, full of
contradictions-it's part live soap opera, part hyper-masculine
violent spectacle. It's an indelibly American pastime enjoyed by
millions and leads a select group of wrestlers to international
fame. It's also a sport that leaves many of its athletes broken and
battered, at serious risk of addiction, poverty, and early death.
Body Drop looks deeply at the nuances of professional wrestling and
its strange place within American culture from the perspective of
fandom. Brian Oliu offers deeply personal meditations on such
topics as disability, chronic pain, body image, masculinity, class,
and more, all through the lens of American professional wrestling.
Wrestling is a sport that is gleefully fake, but the people who
love it are very real. In holding up this particular part of
American culture to scrutiny, Oliu acknowledges that wrestling,
like our world, is one that has been crafted, but by showing
readers the scaffolding that holds everything up, he invites us to
figure out what holds our own realities upright.
An American gothic... In the early 1990s, Tommy Morrison, a young
roughneck from the hinterland of Jay, Oklahoma, burst onto the
scene to become one of the most controversial fighters of his era.
As an undefeated prospect with a crippling left hook, Morrison
attracted plenty of attention (and criticism) from boxing insiders,
but it was his starring role in Rocky V that propelled him to the
brink of stardom-and ultimately lead to his tragic downfall.
Handsome, eloquent, and powerful, Morrison parlayed a thrilling
ringstyle and a homespun personality into genuine celebrity status
throughout the midwest and southeast, where boxing rarely
prospered. But his brush with Hollywood fame triggered an
insatiable appetite for parties, liquor, and sex. When he was
shockingly diagnosed with HIV in 1996, Morrison saw his life spiral
out of control. His subsequent descent into drugs, prison, and
conspiracy theories made Morrison headline material long after his
glory days inside the ring had ended, and it transformed his story
of a small-town success into one of the American Dream gone
haywire. Throughout his career, Morrison had shown a rebellious
streak and a knack for excess that sabotaged his talent; those same
characteristics drove him to weave an alternative universe for
himself, one where HIV did not cause AIDs, bigamy was legal, and he
could teleport from danger at any moment. In The Duke: The Life and
Lies of Tommy Morrison, Carlos Acevedo traces the tumultuous tale
of Morrison from his days as a teenaged Toughman contestant, to his
rise in the heavyweight division after defeating George Foreman, to
his struggles with HIV and depression, to his farcical comeback in
2007, to his tragic death at forty-four, when his delusions finally
caught up to him.
The Legend is the remarkable autobiography of Steve Ward, the
world's oldest ever professional boxer. It details the astonishing
obstacles Steve has overcome to become a three-times Guinness World
Record holder after taking up the sport he loves again at the age
of 54. Steve's unstinting ambition is driven by a promise made by
his late father Bernard, who introduced him to boxing and told
allcomers his son would be a world champion. His story is an
inspiration to anyone who has hit hard times and proof of the old
adage that all things are possible. A very serious foot injury
sustained in a freak accident at work eventually led to Steve
planning to kill himself before he bounced back to confound the
medical profession and achieve his dream of winning a world title
in his very last fight, at 64 years of age.
A few miles from New Orleans, at LaSalle's Landing - in what is now
the city of Kenner - stands a life-size bronze statue of two men in
combat. One of them is the legendary Gypsy Jem Mace, the first
Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World and the last of the great
bare-knuckle fighters. This is the story of Jem Mace's life. Born
in Norfolk in 1931, between his first recorded fight, in October
1855, and his last - at the age of nearly 60 - he became the
greatest fighter the world has ever known. But "Gypsy" Jem Mace was
far more than a champion boxer: he played the fiddle in street
processions in war-wrecked New Orleans; was friends with Wyatt Earp
- survivor of the gunfight at the OK Corral (who refereed one of
his fights), the author Charles Dickens; controversial actress Adah
Mencken (he and Dickens were rivals for her affection); and the
great and the good of New York and London high society; he fathered
numerous children (the author is his great-great-grandson), and had
countless lovers, resulting in many marriages and divorces.Gypsy
Jem Mace is not simply a book about boxing, but more a narrative
quest to uncover the life of a famous but forgotten ancestor, who
died in poverty in 1910. This is a story that deserves to be told,
one that will resonate with anyone, young or old, man or woman, who
has ever sought to do something special before the light of life
starts to dim.
The legs are powerful tools that a grappler in any combat sport can
and should use to their advantage. The purpose of The Triangle Hold
Encyclopedia is to explore and analyze what makes a successful
leg-based triangle hold, along with the numerous applications and
variations that make triangle holds the most effective submission
techniques in any fighting sport. The Triangle Hold Encyclopedia
presents a comprehensive analysis of triangle submission holds and
the numerous applications, variations, set ups, and positions from
which they are applied. Included throughout are technical tips, and
discussions of how to systematically teach and study triangle holds
so they become an effective part of your fighting and grappling
arsenal. Contents include Triangle holds starting from the bottom
guard position Triangle holds starting from in front of an opponent
Triangle holds starting from a top or back ride position Triangle
holds starting from a holding or pinning position Prevention,
defense, and escapes for triangle holds A central characteristic of
this book is that the skills presented can be used in a variety of
fighting and grappling sports. As important as the power of the
legs may be, knowing how to use that power is even more important -
and that's what this book is about.
Alan Scott Haft provides the first-hand testimony of his father,
Harry Haft, a holocaust victim with a singular story of endurance,
desperation, and unrequited love. Harry Haft was a sixteen-year-old
Polish Jew when he entered a concentration camp in 1944. Forced to
fight other Jews in bare-knuckle bouts for the perverse
entertainment of SS officers, Harry quickly learned that his own
survival depended on his ability to fight and win. Haft details the
inhumanity of the "sport" in which he must perform in brutal
contests for the officers. Ultimately escaping the camp, Haft's
experience left him an embittered and pugnacious young man.
Determined to find freedom, Haft traveled to America and began a
career as a professional boxer, quickly finding success using his
sharp instincts and fierce confidence. In a historic battle, Haft
fights in a match with Rocky Marciano, the future undefeated
heavyweight champion of the world. Haft's boxing career takes him
into the world of such boxing legends as Rocky Graziano, Roland La
Starza, and Artie Levine, and he reveals new details about the
rampant corruption at all levels of the sport. In sharp contrast to
Elie Wiesel's scholarly, pious protagonist in Night, Harry Haft is
an embattled survivor, challenging the reader's capacity to
understand suffering and find compassion for an antihero whose will
to survive threatens his own humanity. Haft's account, at once
dispassionate and deeply absorbing, is an extraordinary story and
an invaluable contribution to Holocaust literature.
**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** Gypsy Queen to the Gypsy King,
Tyson Fury's wife Paris reveals the magical highs and epic lows of
life with the Heavyweight Boxing World Champion, as she shares
their life story and what keeps them strong through the good times
- and the bad. Paris Fury is Tyson's rock, the wife he thanks for
all his success. Both from Traveller families, she married him at
19 and is hands-on mother to their six children, as well as at his
side through every fight. Always glamorous, strong, grounded, and
her own woman. When Tyson's struggles with depression, OCD and
alcohol have threatened to overwhelm them, she has held them
together, and helped to see Tyson through to the greatest boxing
victories. With all her warmth, humour and honesty, she tells her
story - from her Traveller childhood, falling in love, making a
home and a family, to coming through Tyson's darkest moments. She
vividly describes the anguish of their worst times, and what it's
like to be at the ringside. And she shows what it takes to balance
the fame, the fans and all the sporting pressures alongside
everyday family life.
___________________ Ramla Ali is a triple threat - humanitarian,
model and boxer. Her life inside and outside the ring represents
her ruthless refusal to quit and passion to fight for what she
believes in. In her first book, Ramla details ten key fights - a
combination of life's constant challenges and real bouts she's
endured both in and outside of the ring - that have shaped her
remarkable rise to date. From her arrival in England as a refugee
to being drawn to the energy and spirit of her first boxercise
class; from the adrenaline of her first amateur fights to how she
often powered on alone, searching for a community of women like
her, and her biggest win of all: letting love into her life. Each
relatable lesson is packed full of honesty and urgency, powering
the reader on to become their own champion. ___________________ 'No
matter where you start off in life, hard work, dedication and an
unwillingness to give up will always see you through to your
target. I hope you can take as much out of this book as I did'
ANTHONY JOSHUA 'A gripping and essential read. She continues to
turn her own immense personal achievements into positive change for
others and make a mark not only in her sport, but also in the
world' CAMILLA THURLOW 'A force for good ... Ali is tough,
self-possessed, funny and unafraid to tell it how it is' FINANCIAL
TIMES 'Ali radiates energy ... her ruthless refusal to quit has
propelled her to the top of the sporting and fashion world'
TELEGRAPH 'Is there anything Somali-born boxing champion Ramla Ali
can't do?' VOGUE 'Here is a woman so determined and driven to meet
her goals, 'hero' doesn't seem inappropriate' STYLIST 'Ramla Ali is
an unstoppable force' ELLE
_"Dierk Hagedorn continues to solidify his reputation as one of
today's most talented authorities on German Fechtbucher with
another superlative volume Highly recommended for students of
history, historical reenactors, and today's fighting
practitioners."_ - Christian Henry Tobler Longsword instructor
Dierk Hagedorn brings the work of one of the most prolific authors
of 16th century fight books to a modern audience for the first
time. Jorg Wilhalm's teachings feature fighting techniques with the
long sword, in armour and on horseback and combines the teachings
of the famous fighting master Johannes Liechtenauer with those of
his successors. Vividly illustrated throughout, each technique is
rendered in detail that even modern practitioners will be able to
easily follow. This book will appeal to enthusiasts of historical
European martial arts, re-enactors, jousters, as well as art
historians - particularly those with an interest in the armour and
clothing of the 16th century. Comprehensive in its scope, it is a
striking and fascinating insight into the ancient art of swordplay.
Following the success of his first book, The Shotokan Karate
Handbook -- Beginner to Black Belt, the author felt there was a
need for a manual to assist the more experienced student.
Therefore, he has concentrated on more advanced techniques such as
Kihon lppon Kumite, Jiyu lppon Kumite sets 6 and 7, and all the
remaining Katas in Shotokan Karate. It is important that Karate Ka
are aware that time, effort and practice are still the main factors
in working towards perfecting not only one's skills but also one's
inner mind and attitudes towards the art. This book is meant as a
guide to Karate Ka -- it cannot take the place of your Sensei
(teacher).
A SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLER **THE PULL-NO-PUNCHES GUIDE TO LIFE**
'Tony is a champion who knows the hardest battle is always with
yourself. Everyone who reads this book will find a change to make
in their own life ' ANT MIDDLETON This book will change lives.' TOM
MARCUS, author of No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller Soldier, Spy 'When
your job is to stand in front of a very big man who wants to knock
you unconscious, you learn what's important in life. In the ring
there's nowhere to hide. I was never the biggest or the strongest
but I made the most of what I had - I had heart and I had grit and
I always put time into the mental game. Now it's time for you to
come into the ring with me.' Tony " Bomber " Bellew is one of the
most unmissable boxers Britain has ever produced. Whether you loved
him or hated him, you couldn't ignore him. His journey from chubby
kid growing up in a rough part of Liverpool to world champion is a
story of willpower, resilience and dedication. Now he's here to
take you inside the ring and help you understand that whatever your
goals, there's plenty you can learn there. Over 12 rounds, Tony
will show readers the world of boxing - the highs, the lows and the
knockout blows. From what the boxing gym can teach us all about our
strengths and weaknesses to how to hit the canvas and get back up
again, this is the closest thing to having a world champion boxer
in your corner.
LaVern Roach, a skinny kid from the small town of Plainview, Texas,
rose from obscurity to become one of boxing's most popular figures
during the 1940s. Roach's rise to prominence occurred during an era
when boxing shared the spotlight with baseball as the nation's top
two professional sports. As a result of Roach's death- which marked
the first nationally televised fight during which a boxer died from
injuries received in the ring-the sport of boxing came under closer
scrutiny by the general public than ever before. West Texas
Middleweight is the story of Roach's all too brief journey from a
West Texas amateur, to enlistment in the US Marines, where he
captained the nation's most successful military boxing team, to
becoming a Madison Square Garden main eventer. He received the
distinction of being named The Ring Magazine's "Rookie of the Year"
for 1947 and was considered a top ten contender for the
middleweight championship of the world. This book chronicles
Roach's road to his final fight-and it explains why, as noted by
legendary boxing trainer Angelo Dundee, "boxing changed because of
LaVern Roach."
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