“The illustrations are clear and the instructions are simple, and a reasonably agile [practitioner] will not find it difficult to master these practical techniques… It really is a serious book.” — Mainichi Shimbun newspaper Practical Karate: Defense Against Armed Assailants is the fourth volume in the classic six-volume series by Masatoshi Nakayama and Donn Draeger. Written for those with an understanding of karate fundamentals, all methods described in this karate book are workable, easy-to-learn karate defense responses to an armed assailant. Comprising chapters on dealing with club and stick attacks, blade and sharp edged weapon attacks and multiple armed assailants, this volume presents a realistic approach to dealing with armed attackers for those with a full understanding of karate fundamentals and acquaintance with the basics of weapon usage. Mastery of the responses in this martial arts manual will not make the reader invincible in personal encounters, but will provide a ready repertoire of techniques and understanding of principles needed in dealing with a wide variety of attacks by armed assailants.

Budo, the way of the martial arts, is at heart a path of spiritual cultivation and self-realization whose aim is to develop a strategic mind that makes combat unnecessary. Kenji Tokitsu explains the philosophy of karate as budo and looks deeply at the key concepts that are essential for developing the budo mind in karate practice. These concepts are: • distance and timing, • rhythm, anticipation, and intuition, • and the cultivation of explosive but focused energy. These concepts are difficult to teach, but mastering them is the ultimate goal of any true martial artist. Tokitsu expertly guides the reader through these elusive ideas with clarity and a practical view.

The Essential Karate Book is an informative, illustrated guide to the techniques, philosophy and practice of karate. With 20 chapters covering practically every aspect of karate, this in-depth reference will assist students and instructors as they plot their course through karate instruction, benefiting those at all levels. The Essential Karate Book contains 200 diagrams mapping out moves with 300 step-by-step photographs and companion videos, making it a comprehensive general karate reference for Western audiences. Readers of this karate guide will learn about: Stances, blocks, strikes and kicks Preparing your body through warm-ups, stretching, and conditioning through karate-specific exercises Kata grading and fighting (kumite) techniques and competition rules Martial arts weapons (kobudo), and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) applications The origins and history of karate Required behavior, clothing and etiquette, as well as the fundamentals of karate and the different styles that share them The Essential Karate Book is a must-have for any martial arts enthusiast, from beginners to black belts!

Let William Beaver, a 17-year martial artist and former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, teach you how to use your hands and feet to deliver natural, reflexive strikes and holds to disarm and disable any attacker. Beaver provides step-by-step instructions and drills in such vital aspects of empty-hand combat as ground fighting, grab counters and firearm and knife defenses.

Explains and illustrates in step-by-step photographs all the self-defense movements used in the Oriental fighting arts

"Students interested in karate will be eager to check out this book. Every page contains a sharp b&w photo of a karate technique, exercise movement, or stance. The accompanying text is clear enough to be understood by readers of varying abilities...useful for booktalks or displays of high-interest, low-ability titles....The illustrations picture children and young adults of all ages, both genders, and various races modeling wearing apparel, rituals, and skills."--The Book Report. Selected for the 1996 BOOKS FOR THE TEEN AGE by The New York Public Library. 192 pages, 407 b/w illus., 8 x 10.