Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: An Illustrated Introduction provides a complete foundation in the practice of one of the most distinctive and useful Japanese martial arts. Aikido was created in Japan in the 1920's by Morihei Ueshiba, also known as Osensei. To possess the skills, techniques and attitude of the faithful practitioner of aikido, one must achieve a very high level of integration of the powers of mind and body, the harmonious combination of physical means and ethical motives. By controlling body position and learning how to harmonize important physical and mental abilities, anyone (regardless of size, strength or weight) can fend off attacks using this sophisticated martial art. Written and illustrated by husband/wife team, Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, with over 1,200 illustrations, includes many Aikido techniques in chapters such as: What is Aikido? The Foundations of Aikido The Practice of Aikido The Basic Techniques of Neutralization Advanced Practice And more!

This four-hundred-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido, the Japanese way of the warrior, is one of the primary sources on the tenets of Bushido, a way of thought that remains fascinating to the modern world, East and West. Bushido has played a major role in shaping the behavior of the modern Japanese government, corporations, society, and individuals, as well as in shaping the modern Martial Arts within Japan and internationally. Este tratado de cuatro siglos de antiguedad acerca de las reglas que encarna el bushido, el japones "camino del guerrero," es el texto primario de esta etica, que continua fascinando al mundo moderno del este y del oeste. El bushido ha jugado un papel fundamental a la hora de formar el comportamiento del gobierno, las empresas, la sociedad y los individuos del Japon actual, asi como en las artes marciales modernas, tanto en Japon como en el resto del mundo.

Secrets of the Samurai is the definitive study of the martial arts of feudal Japan, explaining in detail the weapons, techniques, strategies, and principles of combat that made the Japanese warrior a formidable foe. The work begins with a panoramic survey of the tumultuous early struggles of warlords contending for political ascendancy then outlines the relentless progression of the military class toward absolute power. In addition to illustrating actual methods of combat, the authors discuss in detail the crucial training necessary to develop a warrior's inner power and to concentrate all his energies into a single force. Secrets of the Samurai is an essential text for anyone with interest in Japanese combat techniques, weaponry, or military history. This edition also contains a new foreword by Adele Westbrook and numerous previously unpublished illustrations by Oscar Ratti. Chapters include: The Bushi The Heimin The Centers of Martial Instruction Armed Bujutsu Unarmed Bujutsu Control and Power Strategic Principles Morality of Bujutsu