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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Combat sports & self-defence
THE CHINESE "LORD OF THE RINGS" - NOW IN ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST
TIME. THE SERIES EVERY CHINESE READER HAS BEEN ENJOYING FOR DECADES
- 100 MILLION COPIES SOLD. "Jin Yong's work, in the
Chinese-speaking world, has a cultural currency roughly equal to
that of "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars" combined" Nick Frisch, New
Yorker "Like every fairy tale you're ever loved, imbued with jokes
and epic grandeur. Prepare to be swept along." Jamie Buxton, Daily
Mail In the Jin capital of Zhongdu, Guo Jing learns the truth of
his father's death and finds he is now betrothed, against his will,
to two women. Neither of them is his sweetheart Lotus Huang. Torn
between following his heart and fulfilling his filial duty, he
journeys through the country of his parents with Lotus,
encountering mysterious martial heroes and becoming drawn into the
struggle for the supreme martial text, the Nine Yin Manual. But his
past is catching up with him. The widow of an evil man he
accidentally killed as a child has tracked him down, intent on
revenge. Meanwhile, his true parentage at last revealed, Yang Kang,
the young prince Guo Jing must face in the Garden of the Eight
Drunken Immortals, is forced to choose his destiny. Will he
continue to enjoy the life of wealth and privilege afforded to him
by the invader of his homeland, or give up all he has known to
avenge his parents? Translated from the Chinese by Gigi Chang
With extensive, step-by-step photographs and instructions, this
jiu-jitsu guide is an efficient tool for mastering this ancient
martial art. The original Japanese martial art developed by the
elite samurai class during Japan's feudal era, Jiu-jitsu is the
forerunner of Judo and the precursor of today's ultimate fighting
styles, such as mixed martial arts (MMA). For centuries, this
method of unarmed self-defense proved so successful in combat that
it was kept secret and taught only to a select few. Based on the
author's study with instructors at the Tokyo police academy, this
martial arts book presents all the traditional techniques of
Jujitsu, also known as Jiu-jitsu. These methods teach you valuable
restraining methods that force your opponent to submit without
abuse by using pressure points. It shows you tips for search and
seizure, and the almost extinct art of Hojojutsu--how to tie people
up without using any knots. Japanese Jiu-jitsu: Secret Techniques
of Self-Defense addresses and demonstrates the full range of Kaisho
Goshin Budo Taiho Jitsu Ryu (Tokyo police self-defense). Learn
specific techniques such as:The use of hands Throwing an opponent
Attacking vital points with strikes and kicks The use of weapons
(like the staff). This fascinating Jiujitsu book was designed as a
training manual and serves as a remarkable illustrated guide to the
secret art of Japanese samurai self-defense.
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.
The Essential Karate Book is an informative, illustrated guide to
the techniques, philosophy and practice of karate. With 20 chapters
covering practically every aspect of karate, this in-depth
reference will assist students and instructors as they plot their
course through karate instruction, benefiting those at all levels.
The Essential Karate Book contains 200 diagrams mapping out moves
with 300 step-by-step photographs and companion videos, making it a
comprehensive general karate reference for Western audiences.
Readers of this karate guide will learn about: Stances, blocks,
strikes and kicks Preparing your body through warm-ups, stretching,
and conditioning through karate-specific exercises Kata grading and
fighting (kumite) techniques and competition rules Martial arts
weapons (kobudo), and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) applications The
origins and history of karate Required behavior, clothing and
etiquette, as well as the fundamentals of karate and the different
styles that share them The Essential Karate Book is a must-have for
any martial arts enthusiast, from beginners to black belts!
This collection of fascinating short reads on Daoist thought,
including Chinese medicine brings together some of the most popular
articles from the Scholar Sage online magazine, alongside new
material from Damo Mitchell. It includes: * How the teaching of the
'three worms' (Sanchong) demonstrates the way Daoism pulls together
models of the physical, energetic, spiritual and psychological * A
translation of and commentary on the Classic of Breath and Qi
Consolidation, an important Daoist classical poem that discusses
the relationship of Jing and Qi in the body * The importance of the
pineal gland in Daoist alchemical thought * The internal alchemy of
Fire, Water, Dragon and Tiger * The meaning behind the pairs of Fu
Dogs often seen guarding the entrances of Chinese temples,
government buildings and restaurants * How Fa Jin works * How
increasing your 'excitement threshold' can help you to find
contentment in states of perpetual centeredness * Understanding and
using food energetics * And much more. Helping you to think about
your practice in new ways, the book features contributions from
senior students at the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts,
including Roni Edlund, Lauren Faithfull, Tino Faithfull, Donna
Pinker and Dr Seb Smith.
This open access book is the first publication to provide a
comparative framework for the study of martial culture and
historical martial arts in Europe and Asia, in particular in Italy
and China. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of martial studies,
contributors to this volume include historians, archeologists, art
historians, scholars of fencing literature, metallurgists, as well
as contemporary master swordsmiths and masters-of-arms in
historical martial arts. Assembling researchers from these diverse
fields, this book offers a multi-perspectival and dynamic view of
martial culture across time and space. The cross-cultural and
interdisciplinary significance of this book cannot be
overemphasized. Whereas a number of contributors are
internationally recognized and, indeed, leading authorities in
their respective fields; for example, Jeffrey Shaw has been a
world-leading new media artist and scholar since the 1970s, while
Ma Mingda is a well-known historian and the contemporary founder of
Chinese martial studies; and while there are significant overlaps
in their research interests, this book brings their research within
a single volume for the first time. Equally significant, the book
is structured in such a way to reflect the various core aspects of
martial studies, particularly in relation to the study of historic
sword culture, including history, culture, philosophy, literature
and knowledge transmission, material culture, as well as the
technical aspects of historical fencing. As one of the first titles
on martial studies, this book becomes a reference not only for
scholars taking an interest in this subject, but also for
historians; scholars with interest in Chinese and/or Italian
history (particularly of the Medieval or early modern periods), the
history of international relations in Asia / Far East;
anthropologists; scholars of martial (arts) studies and researchers
in sword-making and/or historic metallurgy.
"Warrior Kids" is a pioneering programme that over the past 17
years has empowered thousands of children across New Zealand, many
of them from challenged backgrounds. Focusing on bringing out the
warrior within, the programme draws upon Maori concepts of the
warrior and Eastern martial arts in a non-aggressive way designed
to instil confidence, respect and self-control, leading children to
become masters of their lives. This book features the complete ten
sessions of the in-school programme in a format that instructors
can apply to their own work with young people.
Drink, drugs, depression, sex scandals, financial meltdowns and
serious health issues are just some of the fights British boxers
have faced once they've quit the ring. A Champion's Last Fight
examines just why and exactly how some of Britain's greatest boxers
have self-destructed in retirement. It tells the stories of former
world champions who have struggled in life away from the spotlights
and the glare that comes with boxing success; delving into the
post-boxing lives and tribulations of Benny Lynch, Randolph Turpin,
Freddie Mills, Ken Buchanan, John Conteh, Alan Minter, Charlie
Magri, Frank Bruno, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Naseem Hamed, Scott
Harrison, Herbie Hide, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. With
interviews and new revelations, A Champion's Last Fight is an
emotional journey through boxing history that examines the
struggles many former champions experience after hanging up the
gloves - and asks what, if anything, can be done to help the
nation's boxing greats adjust to life away from the ring?
At the age of eighteen, Chad Rowan left his home in rural Hawaii
for Tokyo with visions of becoming a star athlete in Japan's
national sport, sumo. Five years later, against the backdrop of
rising U.S.-Japan economic tension, Rowan became the first gaijin
(non-Japanese) to advance to sumo's top rank, yokozuna. His
historic promotion was more a cultural accomplishment than an
athletic one, since yokozuna are expected to embody highly prized
Japanese values such as hard work, patience, strength, and hinkaku,
a special kind of dignity thought to be available only to Japanese.
Perhaps the defining moment of the gaijin's unique success occurred
at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, when Rowan, chosen to personify
""Japanese"" to one of the largest television audiences in history,
performed a sacred sumo ritual at the opening ceremony. ""Gaijin
Yokozuna"" chronicles the events leading to that improbable scene
at Nagano and beyond, tracing Rowan's life from his Hawaii
upbringing to his 2001 retirement ceremony. Along the way it
briefly examines the careers of two Hawaii-born sumotori who paved
the way for Rowan, Jesse Kuhaulua (Takamiyama) and Salevaa Atisanoe
(Konishiki). The author shares stories from family members,
coaches, friends, fellow sumo competitors, and of course Rowan
himself, whom he accompanied on three Japan-wide exhibition tours.
The work is further informed by volumes of secondary source
material on sumo, Japanese culture, and local Hawaii culture.
Each year, readers, writers, and critics alike look forward to
Thomas Hauser's newest collection of articles about the
contemporary boxing scene. As Booklist has proclaimed, "Many
journalists have written fine boxing pieces, but none has written
as extensively or as memorably as Thomas Hauser. . . . Hauser
remains the current champion of boxing. . . . Hauser is a
treasure."Broken Dreams meets this high standard with its coverage
of 2020's most important fighters and fights, outside-the-ring
controversies, regulatory missteps, and other issues that defined
the year's boxing scene. Hauser explores the heavyweight trio of
Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder in depth, as well as
Canelo Alvarez and historic greats like Jack Dempsey, Carlos
Monzon, and Muhammad Ali. Hauser also tackles the larger social
challenges that imposed themselves so assertively in 2020,
including the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter
movement, runaway social media, the presidential election, and
other forces that left a deep imprint on the sport and business of
boxing.
"Darren Levine has my unqualified support and gratitude for his
contributions to Krav Maga." -Imi Lichtenfeld, founder of Krav Maga
THE TOP-SELLING GUIDE TO KRAV MAGA IN AN UPDATED AND EXPANDED
EDITION All the defense moves in Complete Krav Maga-from beginner
Yellow Belt to advanced Black Belt-are described in depth and
illustrated with step-by-step photos: * BEGINNER: Punches, kicks,
knee strikes and defense movements * INTERMEDIATE: Counterattacks
against knives, guns and sticks * ADVANCED: Advanced strikes and
ground fighting techniques Based on the principle that it is best
to move from defense to attack as quickly as possible, Complete
Krav Maga teaches fast-escape maneuvers combined with powerful
counterattacks. Whether you are big or small, male or female, young
or old, you can use Krav Maga to protect yourself by exploiting an
assailant's vulnerabilities.
Robert Childs' book seeks to bestow not just mechanical advice, but
also to provide a philosophy of fencing that shows the swordsman
not only the how, but why. There are a number of "how-to" rapier
manuals now available; both those written centuries ago and now
presented in modern English translation, or those composed by
modern maestri of the sword in emulation of those by-gone works.
But there has always been the parallel tradition of the martial
treatise. It is this category of work that 30+ year fencer and
currently top-ranked rapier fencer, Rob Childs, emulates. After
explaining the basics of his own, eclectic system of rapier combat,
he walks students through a wide variety of topics: how to choose
the proper sword for you; how to fence students of different sizes;
physical qualities and emotional temperaments; how to adapt your
approach to different contexts (casual matches, competitions and
medals matches) while maintaining martial reality; the use of
sound, body displacement to deceive the opponent, and the most
common tells fencers give and how to train them out of
yourself-while using them against your opponent. Interwoven with
personal anecdotes, you will gain both a look into the mindset and
training paradigm of a world-class competitor, the sort of advice
athletes for generations have sought from highly-skilled coaches,
and be entertained at Childs' own adventures through the evolving
world of historical swordsmanship. Although centred on the rapier,
this work is really about fencing writ large and will be of value
to anyone who has held a blade and heard the words 'en garde'!
Illustrated with colour photographs throughout.
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