Here is the original, rarely seen Tai Ji Quan developed by Yang Lu Chan's best Imperial Palace Guard student, Quan You, over 150 years ago. While other styles branched off into sport, health, and meditation, Quan You's disciples preserved the traditional ways. This book covers the principles, characteristics, and essentials of the Wu method, along with its famous masters. The entire classical form is illustrated step-by-step, and includes weapons skills.

The book features a twofold, interrelated focus. First, it looks at the unique Filipino culture; how it was greatly influenced by Spanish colonization, the oppression it suffered under foreign rule, and how the native yearning for freedom led to the development of the martial art of arnis. The book then presents the distinct technical aspects and resultant physical manifestation of the indigenous fighting art. Centering upon the Kombatan method forged by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas Sr., it describes numerous maneuvers utilizing stick, blade, and empty hand components, and offers information on their myriad practical applications.
This volume is unique in that it is one of but a few composed by a native-born and bred Filipino author, one who absorbed lesson in the Philippines, directly under the guidance of an established system's founder. The book seeks to present arnis in a proper light, as a simple and pragmatic method of self-protection, while debunking the more fanciful theories and concepts that have crept in as it makes its way into world consciousness.

This is a comprehensive guide to 'could hands', a foundational exercise found in all styles of the popular martial art t'ai chi ch'uan. The book exphasizes the healing aspects of t'ai chi, making it equally useful for practitioners of qi gong and other healing modalities.

"Aikido and the New Warrior" includes essays which illuminate Aikido concepts as they apply to many different walks of life: sports, nature, anger, martial arts training, death, and aging to name a few. Please note that this book does not include information on martial arts techniques.

Using a lively style and the languages of transpersonal psychology, meditation, esoteric magic, and kundalini, Glenn Morris recounts his amazing adventures and hair-raising close calls while training and then practicing as a master of martial arts. Following in the tradition of the legendary Togakure Ryu of Japan, whose fighting techniques and lore inspired the fascination of westerners with Ninja warriors, he offers guidelines on how to tell sham from authenticity, how to keep friends while developing power, how to voyage safely into the inner landscape, and how to deal with dark forces-incarnate and disincarnate. At the same time, he provides exercises, tests, and adventures for the courageous-as well as spiritual and ethical compass.

- Low-impact, time-efficient exercises that relieve stress, restore physical health, and rebalance the mind.
- Provides step-by-step instructions, with accompanying photos, for dozens of exercises specifically designed for women.
- 300 black-and-white photographs.
- Addresses concerns specific to women's health, including special sections on female sexuality, osteoporosis, stress, and pregnancy.
- Techniques developed and perfected over the course of 2,000 years by Taoist and Buddhist monks and doctors.
In today's high-powered world, women frequently find themselves pulled in many different directions. As they try to balance the demands of careers and family life, they are too often left with a feeling of imbalance, a feeling that can manifest in both physical and emotional stress. To reclaim their equilibrium and find relief, more and more women are turning to qigong, a low-impact, time-efficient daily practice of gentle exercises based on the ancient concept of acupuncture meridians. Developed and enriched over two thousand years by Taoist and Buddhist doctors and monks, chi kung offers techniques for improving breath control and mental concentration, releasing stress through self-administered massage and acupressure, and reaching and maintaining desired weight.
In "Qigong for Women," Dominique Ferraro gives step-by-step instructions, accompanied by photos, for dozens of exercises that address the specific concerns of women. Along with chapters on stress relief, aging, and physical toning, Ferraro includes information on female sexuality, osteoporosis, menstrual difficulties, and problems related to pregnancy. Through regular practice of chi kung, women can improve blood circulation, reinforce the immune system, and reestablish emotional equilibrium. Middle-aged and older women will enjoy the added benefits of recovering elasticity, whether in their joints or in their psyches. Valuable for all ages, "Qigong for Women "provides a system, both preventive and curative, to maintain the sense of well-being that we all deserve.

Having control over breathing is a millenary tradition belonging to traditional Chinese medicine and occupying an important place next to acupuncture, massage, and diet. The Qi Gong exercises introduced and explained in this book help to heal, enhance physical capabilities, preserve health, and restore equilibrium. Also emphasizing the spiritual and meditative dimensions of this practice, this detailed guide encourages harmonizing the body and spirit in order to attain balance and happiness. "Tener control sobre la respiracion es una tradicion milenaria perteneciente a la medicina china tradicional tal como la acupuntura, el masaje y la dieta. Los ejercicios del Qi Gong introducidos y explicados con mas detalles en este libro son una manera efectiva para reforzar las capacidades fisicas, preservar la salud y restorar el equilibrio. El libro ademas examina las dimensiones espirituales y meditativas de esta practica. Qi Gong es una filosofia que se debe practicar a diario y la cual propone la tranquilidad y la armonia entre el cuerpo y el espiritu para encontrar el balance y la felicidad."

Tai Chi is an effective and inexpensive wellness program for dealing with the stress of modern living. It can help you stay healthy and optimistic throughout your life, and some companies are even encouraging staff to practice Tai Chi on-site for stress management and sickness prevention. However, many offices, homes, and apartments don't have enough space (and many of us don't have the time) to practice the traditional Tai Chi forms. Jesse Tsao addresses these problems with his system of Compact Tai Chi, which folds and coils the traditional linear form into a circular format, taking only one-quarter to one-third the area required to practice conventional Tai Chi. It also takes much less time. If you have ten minutes, you have time to rejuvenate your body and mind using Compact Tai Chi!

Tsao combines five major styles in one compact and comprehensive form, exposing you to different Tai Chi approaches. Each posture is illustrated to demonstrate the movement in detail, and positioning is clearly indicated using clock-dial directions. Key points are added to help you better understand the instructions, and self-defense applications are included for those interested in the martial arts aspect of Tai Chi. Jesse Tsao presents four independent sequences to meet the needs of Tai Chi practitioners at all levels -- whether you've just started Tai Chi, or have been practicing for years.

Details virtually everything the judoka needs to know -- from the art's throws, chokes and grappling techniques to the mental preparation it takes to be a champion. Originally published in 1979, this seminal work is still considered one of the best and most comprehensive books written on the subject of judo, and it continues to provide readers with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the "gentle way."

Offers advice to women interested in beginning a martial arts program, including how to evaluate a school, what questions to ask a potential instructor, and how to overcome common problems

Carl Brown--attorney, author and black-belt judo instructor--describes the legal policies that can protect or indict an individual who uses martial arts techniques in self-defense. Topics include assault and battery, the law and self-defesne, martial arts weapons and the law, what's legal in your state, and a table of cases.

In "Martial Maneuvers, "Phillip Starr demonstrates that while the internal martial arts--Taijiquan, Bagua Zhang, and Xingyi Quan--might be considered ineffective for practical self-defense, they in fact have a long history of combat use. Starr argues that most teachers and practitioners of the internal arts have forgotten their rich martial heritage, focusing instead on their applicability for health or spiritual practices. Starr returns to the roots of the three major internal arts, demonstrating the combative principles upon which they were originally based.
"Martial Maneuvers "often takes a lighthearted and humorous approach to what can often be challenging material, and provides training routines in easy-to-understand language. Numerous photos demonstrate the step-by-step implementation of fighting techniques, teaching readers how to apply them to their own chosen martial disciplines. While designed primarily for the internal martial artist, the techniques demonstrated in "Martial Maneuvers "can also benefit and enrich the training of a student of any discipline, including karate and kung fu.

The empty force, the highest martial arts skill in China, is an extraordinary technique which utilizes the power of the body's vital energy or chi. This book reveals the secret of the empty force to the general reader for the very first time, and explains how martial arts masters use its power to defend themselves against opponents without making physical contact. This practical guide includes fascinating accounts and stories about the empty force as well as original information on the source and application of chi; martial arts, chi kung and tai chi; the empty force and its masters; and the healing power of the empty force.

The first in a two-volume series on capoeira, Volume One traces the origins of the popular martial art and dance form from the beginning of the slave trade in the Americas in the 1500s to the early years of the Brazilian Republic in the 20th century. Focusing on the people and events that shaped the art form in Brazil prior to the "academy" period of the last century, "Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace" explores the subject from many vantage points. Author Gerard Taylor explains how the fighting techniques of African forces laid the groundwork for capoeira movements. He shows how work songs, religion, and various percussive traditions and instruments shaped capoeira music over the years. Drawing on archival sources and historical accounts, the book paints a vivid picture of capoeira's dramatic evolution from the sugar plantations of Pernambuco through the brutal backstreets of Rio and the Minas Gerais goldmines on its way to becoming a world-class practice.

Chi Kung, Chinese for "energy mastery," is an ancient physical discipline that utilizes deliberate movement, slow breathing, mental concentration, and visualizations. The discipline is based on the same energy meridians used in Chinese acupuncture and is fully integrated into the traditional five-element wisdom of Chinese healing. Chi Kung exercises not only promote physical well-being, but transform consciousness by amplifying one's sensitivity to both the natural world and one's own personal potential. With regular practice of no more than 15 to 30 minutes a day, the author shows how we can develop a more sensitive perception of our environment, allowing us to feed our own life energy from the magnetic resonance of the world around us.
The author's simple series of exercises is well within the capability of anyone, regardless of age or physical condition.

Beyond the Barehand Form, beyond the Qigong, lies the elegant and effective Sword of Taijiquan! Learn to extend your Qi, enhance your art and refine your self. This comprehensive guide contains not only the complete Taiji Sword Form and Taiji Sword Qigong Set, but also seldom taught sword fighting applications and matching exercises.More than just a "how-to," this book also contains theory, history and a complete guide to fundamentals all essential to building a deep, understanding of this art, long considered to be the highest achievement in Taijiquan, as well as the most popular of the Taiji weapons.Strengthen and relax your body.Calm and focus your mind.Improve your balance.Develop proper Taiji breathing.Learn the complete Sword Form and Taiji Sword Qigong.Over 400 photos with detailed instruction."

Ba gua is one of the internal styles of the Chinese martial arts, a "circular" walking technique that helps train the mind and body to recognize and accept change. Characterized by its spinning movements and extremely evasive footwork, ba gua is often used as a means to protect others, much like a good mother holding her child's hand as they cross a busy street. In this combination of philosophical treatise, health manual, and self-defense text, Allen Pittman details the history, philosophy, and techniques of straight-line ba gua zhang, which means "eight trigram palm" in reference to the seminal trigrams of the "I Ching. "The book contains eight parts corresponding to the eight sections of the "I Ching," each representing a different elemental manifestation and martial arts principle. Descriptions of the symbology, cultural, anatomical, and tactical details of each set are taught as well as detailed instructions on the form practice. Illustrated throughout with step-by-step drawings and photographs, the book shows how ba gua zhang, driven by "I Ching "wisdom, helps students cultivate a sense of centeredness and spontaneity and use this "martial art" in every aspect of their lives.

One of the art's earliest and most complete training manuals, "The Method of Chinese Wrestling" explores all aspects of this ancient fighting system, including solo training, training with equipment, constructing training apparatus, application of techniques, and the rules of competition. Throwing, gripping, and falling techniques are revealed in minute detail, and, in accompanying photographs, the author and his top students illustrate the methods described. Both a fascinating historical document and a practical training guide, the book is an essential reference for anyone interested in the martial arts. Zhongyi (also known as Tong Liangchen), a Manchurian whose ancestral clan came from Shenyang in Liaoning Province, was born in 1878, the fourth year of the reign of the emperor Guangxu, in Zhili (Hebei), Cang County. Tim Cartmell began his martial arts training with the Chinese styles, including ten years of study in China. He is an Asian Full-Contact champion, a submissions grappling champion, and a two-time Pan American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champion.

Norman Left began his training in martial arts over 50 years ago. Back in the days when Asian martial arts were considered mystical and mysterious concepts, Left was already earning his first black belt. His training took a dramatic turn when, in the 1960's while living in Colombia, South America, he met a former Royal Japanese Marine who revealed to him the secret aspects of jiu-jitsu taught only to the military, but not to the public. Later, as a bouncer in New York city, Norman put his training to the test. Now, he's ready to share these secrets with you! Learn the atemi-waza strikes, takedowns, finishing hold, and Norms own patented "fight stoppers."

In Wing Chun Kung-fu Volume 3: Weapons & Advanced Techniques, the final Wing Chun book in this Chinese martial arts series, author Dr. Joseph Wayne Smith applies dynamic scientific methodology to Wing Chun training tools and weapons, providing a complete analysis of why and how each item is used. The reader is led step-by-step through the use of the Wing Chun Wooden-Dummy-a valuable training tool for developing trapping, striking, and kicking skills; the Wing Chun Butterfly Knives-deadly bladed weapons for both attack and defense; and the Six-and-a-Half Pole-a simple but devastating weapon in the hands of the Wing Chun fighter. The author encourages students to recognize the practical and physical benefits of traditional fighting weapons in the modern environment.

Learn how to apply bushido philosophy and long-standing samurai strategies to your modern-day practice - and lifestyle - in this guide from a former soldier and martial arts expert. A warrior is anyone who applies their energy and creativity in support of a cause or ideal through creation or conflict. Real warriors have an ethos, a guiding belief that provides him or her with a clear purpose for their actions and an understanding that the battle in which they are engaged will have results that lead to a higher good. The Way of the Modern Warrior is an explanation of the samurai philosophy, or Bushido, of Japan's fiercest warriors, practiced for over 1000 years. The author, Hanshi Stephen Kaufman, has been a warrior for 50 years, first as a member of the military, then as an advisor to the military and finally as one of the world's most distinguished martial arts philosophers. In his years of experience, he has collected the wisdom that comes from lessons learned and lessons taught. The 55 precepts in his new book are the result of those years of experience, and these samurai strategies will guide the modern day warrior as they devote energy and creativity to their practice. These principles and philosophies, drawn from samurai history, include Kaufman's insights about: Arrogance Ease and Grace Wise Men and Evil Being Genuine Shame and the Glory The Way of the Modern Warrior is an essential handbook for the 21st-century samurai warrior who lives by honor, duty, and service.

We've long known that changing mental or emotional focus can help change physical state. Think of doctors prescribing stress management to patients at risk for heart attack, or consider athletes who visualize performances in order to make it happen. It's mind over matter, and it's something we readily accept. Less well explored is the fact that the bodymind link is reciprocal: Change your physical state, and you can change your mental or emotional focus. Change the way you move in deliberate, carefully prescribed ways--repattern your body--and you can repattern your mind, emotions, and spirit in ways that let you live the life you know you can live, the life you've always wanted to live. Every Move You Make gives readers the practical tools for making these changes. Each chapter addresses a different aspect of life that may need modification: self-image, relationships, sexuality, career, creativity, stress, and anxieties and compulsions. The chapter then presents the author's proprietary four-action process for repatterning body movements to "fix" the problem. The process includes a specific sequence of movement exercises--based on Taiji, Qigong, and Shintaido and illustrated in photographs--plus complementary practices for intention, visualization, and vocal affirmation.

For the last century, the Order of Shaolin Ch'an has worked quietly to preserve the traditions, philosophy and arts of the Order. Since 1970 Shaolin and its martial arts have become a focal point of popular culture. Misinformation and disinformation have anchored this growing notoriety.

Karate is one of the most popular, yet misunderstood, martial arts in the world. With roots in China that led to the development of Shorin-Ryu and Shorei-Ryu in Okinawa, which eventually migrated to Japan where it transformed into Shotokan and other worldwide systems such as Shito Ryu, Wado Ryu and Goju Ryu, karate has a colorful and fascinating past. Through interviews with historical figures such as Osamu Ozawa, and current world class masters such as Hirokazu Kanazawa, Fumio Demura, Minobu Miki, Morio Higaonna, Hidetaka Nishiyama, etc., the many threads of karate learning, lore, and legend are woven together to present an integrated and complete view of the "empty hand" art of fighting and self-defense.