Customer Rating:  
Summary: Some Good Solid Information, But...
Comment: I must admit that I had never heard of this book before about 6 weeks ago, although I do own another book by Mr. Thompson entitled, Dead or Alive (Summersdale Martial Arts). So I decided to check it out since it was on the same broad subject in which I have written several books on and have several more coming out in 2009, and that is on the subject of kicking.
Now I have to admit that I am a bit sterner in my critique of books/DVD's on the subject of kicking than I am on pretty much anything else. Now I don't know if this is necessarily a good thing or not, I will leave that decision entirely up to you, and now on with the review...
It's obvious from reading this book that the author (for the most part) knows what he is talking about concerning the subject of kicking in a self-defense situation. Although admittedly there are some areas in which I felt that the author wasn't entirely knowledgeable on or perhaps didn't expand upon enough to get his point across. I do feel that with a little bit of work on the photographs, some added illustrations, and a bit more detailed descriptions on the majority of the subjects, that this could indeed be a 5 star book.
One thing that struck me as very peculiar, not only in this particular book, but also in numerous other books dealing with the subject of self-defense and in particular kicking, is the fact that the author states basically to the effect that learning how to kick takes a lot longer and is much harder than learning how to punch. Therefore, punching is a more effective means of self-defense than kicking.
Now I have always found this statement to be just this side of retarded. Yes, I do agree wholeheartedly that learning how to punch is easier than learning how to kick, and yes, that punching is (for the most part) more effective than kicking as a general rule in self-defense. However, the way it is implied is that kicking should take a backseat to punching because it is harder to learn. How ridiculous is that!
I was very fortunate to have been trained by a fantastic instructor who was also a boxer and was very well versed in actual fighting on the street. One of the first things we were taught is that no single technique is better than any other. Although some may be used more frequently, every technique has its place and is either effective or ineffective depending upon the circumstances and the individual performing the execution and subsequent application of said technique. In other words, "There is no superior martial art or technique, only superior martial artists."
The author does state on several occasions that you should learn how to effectively fight in all ranges and utilizing a variety of techniques, and I couldn't agree more. I do feel that this book has a lot of good points in it and I wouldn't consider it a waste of money, even though a lot of the various areas in the book could be improved upon.
If you are looking for a book to teach you how to kick, then this definitely isn't the book for you. However, if you are looking for a book that will give you a very good (but brief and generalized) overview on the basic principles, benefits, and pitfalls of kicking in self-defense, then this definitely is the book you want to own.
Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.
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