Read Karate The Art of Empty Hand Fighting The Groundbreaking Work on Karate Hidetaka Nishiyama Richard C Brown Ray Dalke 9780804851220 Books

Product details Paperback 256 pages Publisher Tuttle Publishing; Reprint edition (March 12, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 0804851220

Karate The Art of Empty Hand Fighting The Groundbreaking Work on Karate Hidetaka Nishiyama Richard C Brown Ray Dalke 9780804851220 Books Reviews

• Originally published in 1960 (republished in 1990) "Karate The Art of "Empty-Hand" Fighting" is an early, straightforward "how-to" book of principles of Karate. It covers a short history of Karate; lays out a weekly work-out and training schedule; explains the various punches, strikes, blocks and kicks along with their applications; shows samples of techniques in combination; various defensive moves from the floor, in a chair, and other venues; and walks the karateka through the heian number 4 kata.
  
  It becomes quickly obvious that the material was pulled together long before Karate became commercialized in the West. All of the pictures are in clear, black and white photos. Sparring only takes up one short chapter and pictures the contestants without any protective gear. The main focus of the book is on learning the proper way to perform strikes, punches, blocks and kicks, and their martial applications. The explanations that accompany each chapter and every picture are sensible and lucid.
  
  "Karate" is a basic, but useful volume. It will help the practitioner to have a sense of groundedness to one branch of the martial arts before the sports aspect took over. This would make a solid addition to any martial artists library. I highly recommend the book.
• This book has given a lot on basic techniques. This is very important for initial students as well as clearing the fundamentals in middle level students. It may not be attractive to Karateka with black belt or with advanced training but one must remember that, in life as well as Karate, basics are most important.
  
  The focus on Kata training is probably not highlighted but the details given for Kihon training are good and need to be practiced as described by the author. If, what is given in the book, is practiced sincerely even by advanced students, it may be a good refresher course especially for some who may be practising after a gap.
  
  I would therefore recommend the book for students of Kyu 9 to 4 and I think it could be prescribed as a standard textbook for the students of Karatedo
• If you can only get one book on Karate(Empty hand) this is it! I studied Shotokan Karate from 1986 and continue to practice. I really wish I would have had this book when I started, it's the very best reference book I know of for Karate. They brake down every move in clear easy to follow photographs. This book shows every move in the system and some your school has lost and or doesn't teach. Striking points, vital points, stance, hand techniques, foot techniques, sparring, and throwing techniques, they are all in here. Just remember you need to start out with a good Instructor, a book can never replace the Instructor. Without ever having an instructor somethings might not be understood or be misinterpreted. I also remember my sensai(Teacher) wouldn't like you doing anything until he taught it, as he would say "It's hard to erase bad training", "You have to work extra hard to erase bad training and habits". I think he would just give me a hard time because I studied Kodokan Judo first.... All kidding aside I highly recommend this book.
• Nishiyama sensei was 9th Dan black belt when he passed away in recent years. He is Kancho Kanazawa's senior by the way. One of my university club black belts say his sensei says it was the only time he saw Kancho bow to a sensei regarding as a senior )
  
  Aside from that, Kancho once was not greeted by the attention and Rei/bow of the students in a club in Cork. Kancho proceeded to have them all sit in seiza and lecture them for the whole two hour seminar on Rei, respect, and reasons for it. What a fun story, one my instructor is fond of from hearing from his senseis.
  
  Back to the book. Can I compare this to Nakayama sensei's book? Well, they are similar in ways, but also equally inspiring. It covers the basic foundations of karate syllabus, albeit with the energy of a metal cut lean karate-ka in his prime. The Bruce Lee-like body we sometimes associate with Kanazawa's youth is shown here in Nishiyama's equal zeal for perfecting the body. Actually a young Kanazawa features in may of the photos )
  
  Further into the book it covers various kumite techniques from basic, to freestyle, and these are a little different from what I saw in Kancho Kanazawa's "Karate Fighting Techniques" book, which is pretty much the whole SKIF syllabus bar the 25 or 26 Kata. Worth investing in for the variaion.
  Some may find it outdated for its references to women for taking karate to "improve their figures" but hey, I truly advocate that (add a little blush here and fond memories of getting own butt kicked). Or its small finishing sections in the back on self defense, knife defense, pistol defense, club defense. But hey, that was the way it may have been taught in the days when karate was first big in Japanese Universities.
  
  Any Karate-ka must have this in their collection, if not to be inspired for training, but to aspire to be like them.
• I am happy to say that my order was processed & shipped in a timely manner. This book was a hard to find item, published in 1960, and I purchased one as a gift for my friend, who was my Shotokan Karate instructor, and one for myself. Back in the early 60's, this book was considered to be the 'Bible' for anyone training in the Shotokan style of Karate in the United States, and Hidetaka Nishiyama & Richard C. Brown put together an excellent textbook on the subject. When my friend/former instructor received this gift book, he sent me an email saying how 'elated' he was. Obviously, both of us no longer had the orignal books that we purchased back in the early 60's. It was a relatively inexpensive way to give my friend a gift that he considered as being priceless. And, both books - although used - were in very good condition with no personal writing, highlighting marks, or torn/damaged pages. A five-star experience for me.