Lewis, Peter

London: Multimedia Books Limited, 168 pages (1993)
ISBN: 1-85375-127-8

Recommended

This book gives a brief historical and technical overview of the oriental martial arts.

Chapter 1 deals with Karate and discusses among other things the meaning and early origins of Karate, major schools and styles, Karate training and Kiai, power breaking, mind over matter, belt rankings, law, and Karate stances. Chapter 2 talks about kung fu and its two basic schools-internal or soft and external or hard. It goes over Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune-Do, breaking energy, and Wu Shu (the martial art of China).

Chapter 3 has three martial arts. Jiu-Jitsu covers empty hand techniques, Samarai and the code of Bushido or discipline. Judo discusses the fundamentals of the sport, basics of Judo, and facts like belt colors. Aikido is the last art in this chapter. Taekwondo is the material for chapter 4. It goes through the the golden ages, when Taekwondo dies, when it emigrates, and through modern Taekwondo. Hapkido, Tang Soo Do and thought and mind control are also found here.

Chapter 5 has Sumo wrestling from Japan, Kyudo (the way of the bow), Naginata (Womens weapon of self defense), Iai-do (skill of the quick-draw sword), Kendo, and Shorinji Kempo. Chapter 6 talks about good luck charms and superstitions, religious aspects of Muay Thai, and the Burmese Art of Bando. Chapter 7 deals with weapons, such as Nunchatku, Kama, Kubotan and Chinese Swords.

There is also a glossary of definitions, and this book has very good color pictures. It is an ideal book for someone who wants a light exposure to any martial art, but the book does not go into any details, so it is not recommended for people well-versed in a particular martial art.

Annotated by: Christina House (November 1994)

Martial Arts: Aikido | Hapkido | Iaido | Jeet Kune Do | Judo | Jujitsu | Karate | Kendo | Kung Fu/Wushu | Muay Thai | Taekwondo | other martial art: bando

Topics: breaking | competition/sparring | history | philosophy | self-defense | weapons |