This book is the fifth volume in the extremely well written and fully illustrated, Achieving Kicking Excellence? series of books.
This book, like all the other books in the series, goes into intricate detail over all aspects of executing the primary kick, which in this case is the Back Leg Reverse Crescent Kick, and several of its main variations.
Starting with a basic anatomical analysis of this kick, you quickly progress to the basic principles associated with the Reverse Crescent Kick, and then you dive right into learning the proper execution of the primary kick, Back Leg Reverse Crescent Kick.
Once you have finished with this section, you are taken to the variations chapter which builds upon the primary kick, Back Leg Reverse Crescent Kick, by teaching you 10 of its main variations. From here you are taken to the "Training and Practice Methods" chapter for a look at some very simple, yet effective methods for adding speed and power to your kicks.
Your next chapter takes a "question and answer" approach to some of the most common problems people have executing these kicks and the solutions to correct them.
The next chapter in this book deals with a brief application section for each of the kicks previously detailed in this book. Please be advised that a second ten volume series of books is currently being written which deals strictly with the combat and tournament applications of each kick.
The book then gives you a sneak preview of the next volume in the series, which in this case is the Front Kick.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Reverse Crescent Kick Excellence Comment: Like all the titles in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, book 5 Reverse Crescent Kick is a comprehensive study of one of the important kicks used in modern martial arts today. The book is incredibly thorough with numerous photos demonstrating the every aspect of the kick in minute detail. Mr. Kovacich knows his stuff and it is obvious that he has spent many hours honing his technique. The book provides an in-depth study of the bones, muscles and mechanics involved in the kicking technique.
In addition, the book contains a wealth of supplemental information on strength, speed and power generating exercises to enhance the technique. There is also a section on stretching as well as the application of the technique.
This book is ideal for any martial artist who wishes to perfect their reverse crescent kicking ability. The beginner will find a wealth of information to assist in developing proper mechanics while the advanced practitioner will glean some vital knowledge from an accomplished teacher.
Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.
Aaron Hoopes
author of Zen Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment through Breathing, Movement and Meditation
Customer Rating: Summary: Kicking series teached the martial artist about kicking form Comment: Achieving Kicking Excellence
If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.
The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.
The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.
There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.
The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.
Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.) Customer Rating: Summary: Master-level technique: the reverse crescent kick Comment: This is Volume Five of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the Reverse Crescent Kick. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the reverse crescent kick?
I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points.
So, what is a reverse crescent kick and why would I use it? Shawn writes that the reverse crescent kick is like a tennis backhand swing. The striking surface is the outside edge of the heel and the targets are the same as the crescent kick in Volume Four: face, neck area, lower legs and forearms. The reverse crescent kick is difficult to execute (at least I found it difficult!) but the arc of the kick is deceptive and may confuse your opponent. Getting inside another's Observe, Orient, Decide and Act loop can win a match for you--or allow you to seize and keep the initiative in a fight.
I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Reverse Crescent Kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!
Customer Rating: Summary: Like the Reverse Crescent Kick, I thought I had a good kick then I bought this book and found out it only looked good! Comment: When I first started taking Tae Kwon Do classes, the first three kicks that I learned were the front kick, crescent kick, and the reverse crescent kick. The reason why I, and all new beginners, learned these kicks first is because they are generally speaking the easiest to learn and the simplest kicks to use, or so I thought. Once again I thought that I had this kick down pat along with its sister kick crescent kick, and front kick. Well thanks to Mr. Kovacich and his Achieving Kicking Excellence series of books I was in for a big surprise.
The whole time that I have been practicing the reverse crescent kick every one of my classmates kept telling me what a good looking kick I had, just like they kept telling me about my crescent kick. Well, they were right it was a good "looking" kick, but I soon found out that it, just like my crescent kick, only "looked" good and that there was really nothing at all to my kick. Once I started reading Reverse Crescent Kick, the 5th volume in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking excellence series, I became aware of so many small little things that I was either doing wrong, or wasn't doing at all, that was having a dramatic impact on the actual effectiveness of my crescent kick.
Mr. Kovacich covers everything about the kick from the pivoting on the ball of your base leg foot to the correct area of your kicking foot to strike with ( and its not the entire outside edge of your foot) and absolutely everything in between. This is truly a remarkable series of books and I am still dumbfounded at just how much information is packed into each book on a single solitary kick. You would think that some kicks are so simple that there is no way you could write a 200+ page book on the subject. Well you would be wrong. I have read this book several times already and I have picked up something new that I had missed each and every time I have read it. Mr. Kovacich is truly an amazing martial artist and he surely has the technical skills down when it comes to kicking.
I highly recommend that you purchase all ten volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series and you (and your instructor) will see your kicks literally improve by leaps and bounds. I'm so glad that I found these books as I know I would not have improved so well in my kicking skills without the additional insight. Thank You! Customer Rating: Summary: The Other Crescent Kick Comment: Volume 5, "Reverse Crescent Kick" (outside crescent in many styles) in Kovacich's "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series, like the previous four books, covers the kick from about every angle one could possibly imagine. Shawn if anything, is consistent, which aids this series. Format is the same throughout all books so far, which aids the instructor or the student, making information more quickly accessible. The reader knows what to expect, details about muscle groups, target areas, and proper technique are standard.
His application for the spinning crescent (step back turning reverse crescent) on page 187-188 is right on. I first, before reading martial books with photos, normally skim the photos and titles of chapters before begining to read. I saw the photos on this page and thought "Oh no, bad technique to throw with his opponent's maneuver."
Then I finally get to that page later in the day and Shawn uses the occasion to show what is wrong with the kick. Thank goodness and I wasn't disappointed. So far, Shawn Kovachich's technical knowledge about the kicks thru volume 5 have been impressive. This book is a bonus for students and instructors a like.
