Martial arts teach the basics of self defence, build self-confidence, and can improve concentration and co-ordination. This practical introduction uses step-by-step photography to show young enthusiasts how to make a confident start. Covering 15 of the most popular martial arts, from karate and judo to kung fu and taekwondo, the photographic sequences capture basic moves and progress to more advanced techniques. Prepared in collaboration with qualified instructors and the official organizations for all the martial arts featured, this guide gives authoritative information with special emphasis on safety and fitness.

A how-to manual for children who want to learn the martial arts.

The history and philosophy of the various martial arts and how they have evolved to today's practice.

A how-to manual for children who want to learn the martial arts.

This is the first substantial academic book to lay out the philosophical terrain within the study of the martial arts and to explore the significance of this fascinating subject for contemporary philosophy. The book is divided into three sections. The first section concerns what philosophical reflection can teach us about the martial arts, and especially the nature and value of its practice. The second section deals with the other direction of the dialectical interplay between philosophy and the martial arts: how the martial arts can inform philosophical issues important in their own right. Finally, because many of the notable martial arts are of Asian origin, there are particularly close links between the arts and Asian philosophies – and Buddhism in particular – and therefore the last section is devoted to this topic. The essays in this collection deal with a wide range of philosophical issues: normative ethics, meta-ethics, aesthetics, phenomenology, the philosophy of mind, Ancient Greek and Buddhist thought. By demonstrating the very real nature of the engagement between the martial arts and philosophy, this book is essential reading for any serious student or scholar with an interest in the martial arts, Eastern philosophy, the philosophy of sport, or the study of physical culture.

In Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment, police and SWAT trainer Mike Young shows you how to make and use ingenious home training aids-from such inexpensive, easily obtainable resources as a grocery bag, an old towel, a worn-out tire, or various construction-site scraps-to enhance your martial arts practice. Included in this martial arts book are simple instructions for a wide array of equipment for the home martial arts studio, including the shadowboxing towel; footwork, balance, and leg developer; multipurpose tire; precision blocking stick; heavy-duty striking post; grocery bag; small hanging bag; and choking dummy. Martial Arts Home Training sets out Mike Young's patented "rock & roll" methods for getting the most out of your training equipment and your training time. With the twin maxims "correct practice makes perfect" and "KISS" (keep it simple, stupid) always in mind, Young provides a thorough grounding in the essentials of developing home training equipment and the fundamentals of maintaining the diligent yet playful attitude necessary to get the most from it.

Traces the history of kung fu and explains some of the various exercises, stances, kicks, hand positions, and self-defense techniques involved in its practice.