Traditionally, the martial arts community believed that engaging in weight training was detrimental to the performance of the art, that it would hinder one's flexibility, speed, and agility. To be effective fighters, martial artists had to be quick and light on their feet like Bruce Lee and other slim and small, but powerful fighters. They maintained that karate was all about good techniques and proper timing and that muscle size has little to do with it. After all, the art of self-defense lies in the premise that smaller, weaker people can defend themselves effectively against larger, stronger opponents. While it's true that good technique and proper timing are essential, there's no reason to believe that muscular fitness will hinder a martial artist's effectiveness. In fact, just the opposite is true: with increased strength comes the enhanced ability to defend oneself. A well-designed weight-training routine--in addition to regular martial arts practice--will make practitioners stronger, not slower. In some cases, it can even improve their speed. Fortunately, the attitude toward weight training in the martial arts community has changed--largely due to an abundance of scientific data showing the positive effects of weight training for all kinds of sports. Today's athletes have much to gain by using weights to improve their performance. For martial artists, these gains include increased strength, increased resistance to fatigue, and even decreased risk of injury. In this book, veteran martial artist and fitness expert Mikhail Krupnik shows readers how to design a weight-training program to fit their individual needs and goals. From all-important safety issues, determining one's levelof fitness, and setting goals, to specific exercises, sample routines, and even proper nutrition--he covers everything martial artists need to know to enhance their performance with weight training.

BECAUSE NOT ALL KRAV MAGA IS THE SAME (R) Hardcover format includes all photos in FULL COLOR! This book is designed for krav maga trainees, security-conscious civilians, law enforcement officers, security professionals, and military personnel alike who wish to refine their essential krav maga combatives, improve their chances of surviving a hostile attack and prevail without serious injury. Combatives are the foundation of krav maga counter-attacks. These are the combatives of the original Israeli Krav Maga Association (Grandmaster Gidon). It is irrefutable that you need only learn a few core combatives to be an effective fighter. Simple is easy. Easy is effective. Effective is what is required to end a violent encounter quickly, decisively, and on your terms. This book stresses doing the right things and doing them in the right way. Right technique + Correct execution = Maximum Effect. Contents include: Key strategies for achieving maximum combative effects Krav maga's 12 most effective combatives Developing power and balance Combatives for the upper and lower body Combative combinations and retzev (continuous combat motion) Combatives for takedowns and throws Combatives for armbars, leglocks, and chokes Whatever your martial arts or defensive tactics background or if you have no self-defense background at all, this book can add defensive combatives and combinations to your defensive repertoire. Our aim is to build a strong self-defense foundation through the ability to optimally counter-attack.

In Quantitative Ammunition Selection, Charles Schwartz presents an accessible mathematical model that allows armed professionals and lawfully-armed citizens to evaluate the terminal ballistic preformance of self-defense ammunition using water as a valid ballistic test medium. Based upon a modified fluid dynamics equation that correlates highly (r=+0.94) to more than 700 points of manufacturer-and laboratory-test data, the quantitative model allows the armed professional to generate ballistic test results equivalent to those obtaines in calibrated 10 percent ordnance gelatin. Using data generated from water test, the quantitative model accurately predicts the permanent wound cavity volume and mass, terminal penetration depth, and exit velocity of handgun projectiles as these phenomena would occur in calibrated 10 percent ordnance gelatin and soft tissue.

A retired law enforcement professional, Schwartz provides a concise explanation of the relevant principles of mechanics, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics pertaining to the model and its derivation.

The quantitative model is clearly presented with illustrated computational examples that provide guidance to the armed professional in every aspect of the model's application.

Karate D Training for Life A compendium for mainstream karate and martial arts text books outlining the changes psychological, physical, and spiritual that may be experienced through a lifetime of rigorous physical training. Time Book This contains a brief treatise on the concept of time and how the human race introduced a worldwide schedule for one and all. This also contains theorem on how the body ages. Life Book One Includes information on beginning karate and what to expect in these early days. It also introduces the novice to the way, explains key terminology together with a section on recognition and treatment of common minor injuries and conditions. Life Book Two Concentrates on the development of the individual through the middle years. Contains a section on class operation and promotional grading examinations. Background information on kumite and kata practice is also to be found. Life Book Three Focuses on management of your wellbeing through self care, meditation, and of course continued adherence to the way. Philosophical aspects of training and teaching are also touched upon. Each Life Book opens with a loose description of physical, psychological, and spiritual conditions you may recognize at that point in your life.

WINNER - Sports, 2016 Best Books Award BECAUSE NOT ALL KRAV MAGA IS THE SAME TM Israeli krav maga is the official self-defense system of the Israel Defense Forces. Krav maga training shares the same principles for civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel alike to deliver them from harm's way. Goals however, are different for law enforcement and military personnel. This book is designed for security-conscious civilians, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and security professionals alike who want to improve their chances of not just surviving an armed attack, but increase the odds of prevailing without serious injury. Krav maga's popularity in professional law enforcement, military, and security circles is attributable to its practicality, simplicity, quick retention, easy learning curve, and brutal effectiveness. This effectiveness is built on a few core tenets and simple building blocks. General principles are applied and customized to suit the needs of a dynamic violent situation. Contents include: *Mind-sets, reactions, and tactics in response to violence*The highest-level counters against multiple armed attacks and threats*Core kick, clinch, and tackle defenses*Core ground survival tactics*Multiple-opponent strategies and tactics*Impact weapon defenses*Edged weapon defenses*Firearm disarms and retention*Includes 954 detailed photographs The most up-to-date tactics presented in this book focus on the most common violent scenarios. These techniques derive from the author's translation of the Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA) curriculum. The IKMA is the governing body for krav maga, recognized by the Israeli government and headed by Grandmaster Haim Gidon. Responsible people seek krav maga training as a shield against violence.

The surprising roots of the self-defense movement and the history of women's empowerment. At the turn of the twentieth century, women famously organized to demand greater social and political freedoms like gaining the right to vote. However, few realize that the Progressive Era also witnessed the birth of the women's self-defense movement. It is nearly impossible in today's day and age to imagine a world without the concept of women's self defense. Some women were inspired to take up boxing and jiu-jitsu for very personal reasons that ranged from protecting themselves from attacks by strangers on the street to rejecting gendered notions about feminine weakness and empowering themselves as their own protectors. Women's training in self defense was both a reflection of and a response to the broader cultural issues of the time, including the women's rights movement and the campaign for the vote. Perhaps more importantly, the discussion surrounding women's self-defense revealed powerful myths about the source of violence against women and opened up conversations about the less visible violence that many women faced in their own homes. Through self-defense training, women debunked patriarchal myths about inherent feminine weakness, creating a new image of women as powerful and self-reliant. Whether or not women consciously pursued self-defense for these reasons, their actions embodied feminist politics. Although their individual motivations may have varied, their collective action echoed through the twentieth century, demanding emancipation from the constrictions that prevented women from exercising their full rights as citizens and human beings. This book is a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to one of the most important women's issues of all time. This book will provoke good debate and offer distinct responses and solutions.

"The best book on taekwon-do since the encyclopaedia" This groundbreaking first book studies the history and development of the Ch'ang Hon (ITF) Taekwon-do patterns as devised, taught and developed by the founder of Taekwon-do; General Choi, Hong Hi. Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul is an in-depth study of the Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do patterns; their history and their roots; Taekwon-do's evolution; its genetic make-up; its differences with other martial arts; and the techniques and movements that define the system. For the first time since its inception, this book details realistic interpretations for the ITF patterns including Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun, Do-San, Won-Hyo, Yul-Gok, Joong-Gun, Toi-Gye, as well as Saju Jirugi and Sagu Makgi. Over 17 chapters covering 360] pages, with over 1,600 detailed photographs, the patterns are examined, dissected and rebuilt to help both students and instructors understand the applications that are really contained within the Ch'ang Hon patterns - many of which were previously unknown and undocumented. In step-by-step photographic detail, learn what the techniques and combinations of the Ch'ang Hon patterns actually represent and how to turn your patterns into a realistic way of training actual self defence techniques that work, and turn them into something much more than they are practiced today. Along the way, the reader is treated to a fascinating insight into the history of the Ch'ang Hon patterns as well as Taekwon-do itself, with many of its previously unknown, undocumented or understudied principles revealed. Read what helped to shape the art which became so feared on the battlefield of Vietnam that enemy soldiers were told not to engage the Korean soldiers, whether armed or not, due to their knowledge of Taekwon-do. A historical study of Taekwon-do and its patterns - as well as a training manual and an encyclopaedia of realistic applications - make this book a must-read for all those that study and practice Taekwon-do. A milestone for the development of Taekwon-do.

The Jiu Jitsu Training Journal is a training tool created for Jiu Jitsu practitioners who are ready to take their learning to the next level.The Jiu Jitsu Training Journal provides space for taking notes, drawing illustrations, and tracking critical details and indicators to enhance student retention of the techniques taught in class. It includes practical help for your journey to help you stay on track with your goals and optimize your learning experience, covering topics such as: Effectively Tracking Your Progress in Jiu Jitsu Healthy Rolling for Longevity in the Sport Efficient Progress and Learning from Beginner to Mastery How to be a Great Training Partner If you need a methodical approach to your training, the Jiu Jitsu Training Journal will help you format your training for reflection and learning.

Krav Maga is a modern and proven self-defence system. Easy to learn because it is based on natural reflexes, it is extremely efficient to use against one or more attackers. There is only one goal: to survive violent conflicts as unscathed as possible. Developed by the Israeli army and formerly an insider tip in military training, this close combat system is booming worldwide. Krav Maga is not a traditional or competitive martial art but pure self-defence. It's all about survival. Its techniques are constantly developed and adapted to current threat situations. In his book Krav Maga: Effective Techniques for Self-Defense, his second on this self-defence method, the author methodically explains more than 100 Krav Maga techniques for self-defence-including more than 300 detailed photos-by using the principles that make this system so successful. It includes information on both well-founded basics as well as advanced techniques, depending on the distance to the attacker. The effective techniques for self-defence in this book help to demonstrate what Krav Maga is all about, gives exercise tips for more successful and safe execution, and provides information to help the reader further develop the learned techniques, making this the official book about Krav Maga training.

Mixed martial arts (MMA)-unarmed fighting games permitting techniques derived from a variety of martial arts and combat sports- has exploded from the fringes of sport into a worldwide phenomenon, a sport as controversial as it is compelling. This is the first book to pay MMA the serious philosophical attention it deserves. With contributions from leading international scholars of the philosophy of sport and martial arts, the book explores topics such as whether MMA qualifies as a martial art, the differences between MMA and the traditional martial arts, the aesthetic dimensions of MMA, the limits of consent and choice in MMA and whether MMA can promote moral virtues. It also explores cutting-edge practical and ethical topics, including the role of gender in MMA, and the question of whether trans athletes should be allowed to compete in the women's divisions. The contributors to this anthology take down, ground and pound, and submit many essential questions about this fascinating recent development in the culture of sport and spectacle. This is important reading for anybody with an interest in combat sports, martial arts, or the philosophy, sociology, culture or history of sport.

Bringing the Dao to life for readers of all generations Fables entertain us, enlighten us, and guide us. We recognize ourselves in the characters, be they emperors, village children, or singing frogs. They help us see our own weaknesses, our strengths, and the many possibilities. Their lessons transcend time and culture, touching what it really means to be alive. Whoever we are, wherever we're going, these short tales help us along the path-the Way. Some offer a moral compass. Some illustrate the dangers in human folly. Others just make us laugh. In this collection of fables, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming shares the stories that have influenced him most as a teacher, a partent, martial artist and lifelong student of the Dao. These fables bring the Dao to life for readers of all generations. The Dao in Action will inspire young readers to refine their character. Older readers will smile and recognize moments of truth. This collection is for anyone who would like to explore the enduring lessons of virtue and wisdom. These lean, concise fables illustrate balance, the duality of yin and yang, always shifting, always in correction. They help us laugh at our human predicaments-and maybe even at ourselves. We can all use some reflection and inspiration from time to time.

Navigating between society's moral panics about the influence of violent videogames and philosophical texts about self-cultivation in the martial arts, The Virtual Ninja Manifesto asks whether the figure of the 'virtual ninja' can emerge as an aspirational figure in the twenty-first century. Engaging with the literature around embodied cognition, Zen philosophy and techno-Orientalism it argues that virtual martial arts can be reconstructed as vehicles for moral cultivation and self-transformation. It argues that the kind of training required to master videogames approximates the kind of training described in Zen literature on the martial arts. Arguing that shift from the actual dojo to a digital dojo represents only a change in the technological means of practice, it offers a new manifesto for gamers to signify their gaming practice. Moving beyond perennial debates about the role of violence in videogames and the manipulation of moral choices in gamic environments it explores the possibility that games promote and assess spiritual development.

Tai-chi Ch'uan is an ancient Chinese art based on the principles of physiology, psychology, and dynamics for the purpose of increasing and sustaining health. By practicing Tai-chi Chu'an, you can strengthen muscles, promote and regulate good blood circulation, refresh your whole body-and stimulate your spirit as well. Proper practice of the simple exercises clearly shown in this book can improve your digestion, adjust your weight up or down, clear your mind, allow you to think more clearly, and help you in dozens of ways you will find almost miraculous.

What if there were a secret ingredient that could make every one of your martial arts techniques better? Not only faster and more powerful, but more likely to slam home to exactly the right target every time? Maybe there is. Timing is the art and science of ending a confrontation as quickly and efficiently as possible. In Timing for the Fighting Arts, authors Loren W. Christensen and Wim Demeere team up to teach you exactly how to get every last ounce of speed and power out of your techniques. Whether you want to feel safer on the street or emerge from the ring victorious, this book is packed with inside information essential to defeating your opponent. *Why many experts say timing is more important than speed*How to put the OODA loop and Hick's law to work for you*Why timing is both an offensive and a defensive asset*Which types of verbal distraction can give you an edge*Why controlling your opponent's spine gives you an advantage*Which tournament techniques really work on the street*How to set up multiple opponents to create timing opportunities*Which tricks law enforcement officers rely on to buy time*How you can improve your odds against a gun or knife You will find drills and practice scenarios to help you develop every one of these concepts. Go beyond theory and put your new knowledge to work in the ring or on the street, where you need it most.

Whether you are a law enforcement officer seeking to improve your edge or a martial artist wanting to expand your knowledge of street-proven techniques, you will find Defensive Tactics: Street-Proven Arrest and Control Techniques is filled with invaluable information to prepare you for even the most difficult scenarios. Highlights include * Joint manipulation that works* Leverage control vs. pain control*Striking with the hands, feet, forearms, and elbows* Safely and quickly crossing the gap*Blocking an assailant's strikes*Using vulnerable points to gain compliance*Head disorientation* Safe application of carotid constriction or "sleeper" holds*Controlling a suspect on the ground*Arresting big guys*Fighting concepts to take on patrol*Weapon retention in close quarters and on the ground Loren W. Christensen is a retired cop and high-ranking martial artist who survived everything the mean streets threw at him, working patrol, gang enforcement, and dignitary protection. Defensive Tactics goes beyond what is taught in the academy, during an officer's in-service training, and what is allowed by the administration. This book also includes a chapter on proven ways to control a suspect on the ground, written by LAPD officer Mark Mireles, an MMA coach, police academy trainer, and champion wrestler.

Loren W. Christensen shows you over 300 ways you can add variety to your daily martial arts training routine. Whether you're a student looking for fun new solo drills to spice up your home training or an instructor in search of new ways to pump up your classes, this book has what you need. It is an incredible collection of drills, techniques, and exercises that will take your workouts to the next level. *Organize your solo workouts to get maximum results from even the shortest training sessions.*Improve your speed and power with dozens of inside tips and tricks.*Beat boredom and get excited about your solo training sessions.*Become a well-rounded fighter by adding essential skills your instructor may not be teaching you.*Safely experiment with new techniques to find your ideal personal style of training.*Get an edge on your opponents with training methods that will elevate your skills in the ring and on the street. Not only will you learn enough new training strategies and methods to keep you busy for years, but Loren W. Christensen's no-nonsense writing style will get you up and moving, even on the days you'd rather skip your solo workout. This book is packed with insight, technique, and motivation. It will become your favorite training partner.