CompleteMartialArts.com - Karate Fighting Techniques: The Complete Kumite
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Manufacturer: Kodansha International
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Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 796.8153 EAN: 9784770028723 ISBN: 4770028725 Label: Kodansha International Manufacturer: Kodansha International Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 192 Publication Date: 2004-04-09 Publisher: Kodansha International Studio: Kodansha International
Hirokazu Kanazawa is the renowned karate master in the world today, and a close disciple of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate and founder of the Shotokan School. Having earned his impressive reputation in Hawaii, the mainland United States, and Europe as an official trainer for the Japan Karate Association, Kanazawa founded Shotokan Karate-do International Federation in 1979. This association now has branches in more than 90 countries throughout the world. This book is Kanazawa's first complete guide to kumite, or sparring. The karate training process comprises four areas: basics, kata (forms; prearranged movements and techniques), kumite, and competition. Kumite-"the art of grappling with opponents," as it might be called-is the application of kata, and is the key to success in karate tournaments. Karate Fighting Techniques teaches all the various kumite techniques, and presents a systematic approach to applied kumite that is designed to provide essnetial information for match-style kumite and tournament kumite. The author also writes with great affection of his experiences with Master Gichin Funakoshi, and offers some insight into the true spirit and teachings of Shotokan karate. With 700 photos of the author, his students, and some rare photos of the late Gichin Funakoshi and his famous disciple Masatoshi Nakayama (author of the popular Best Karate series), Karate Fighting Techniques is the first book of its kind to provide such a comprehensive guide to kumite and its role in Shotokan karate. It will be an indispensable resource for all karate practitioners.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Definitive reference for Shotokan stylists Comment: This is the definitive book for Kanzawa ryu stylists, you should need no urging to buy it immediately.
If you have not trained with Kanazawa much of the detail will be invisible - this is a reference book for those who have been taught the details of the movements. But it may encourage other Shotokan stylists to find out more, and that is a good thing; this man has got something useful to offer; believe me, he really does. Customer Rating: Summary: A+++++ Comment: Exactly what I was looking for. Arrived in a couple of days. New condition. Customer Rating: Summary: Pretty Good book Comment: I found this to be a pretty good book for a traditionalist and a person who doesn't know much about the martial arts. The technical stuff was well-presented. Customer Rating: Summary: A mixed bag... Comment: This is a great book - if you train with SKI.
I used to train with SKI (GB), and i can happily say that this book would be a great help for young, developing Karateka, working through their kyu grades.
As the previous two reviewers noted, the book it beautifully photographed, in the traditional simple, but extremely effective style used by Nakayama in his 'Best Karate' series (by far the best karate series out there). Many of the scenarios are photographed from different angles so that you can see just what is happening to the obscured hand, or the position of a neck strike more easily.
Continuing in my positive vein, the book has some wonderful biographical information, and great accompanying photos. Also is a good section on the correct meaning of the word 'Oss' and the folding of a Dogi.
I now, however, train with JKA (NZ), which diminishes the books appeal. I understand the concept behind the SKI syllabus, the grading Kumite scenarios depicted have the objective of teaching the karateka both a variety of techniques and to teach them to move in ways that are hard to teach otherwise. It just seems a little inapplicable to JKA training, since this is not the focus of our gradings. Likewise, many of these scenario's are unlikely to occur in Jiyu (free) kumite. Who of us has seen someone counter with Mae-tobigeri?! Don't get me wrong, these techniques shown would (and do) make great training exercises in the dojo, but many of them aren't gonna make it beyond that. I guess I was looking for a book more similar to Keinosuke Enoeda's 'Free fighting techniques' although perhaps more advanced than Enoeda's text (which was written to teach the first wave of UK and european karateka to fight in the 1960's, but we've (hopefully) progressed since then!).
All in all, it's a good book, filling a gap that has required filling for a good wee while, but it ain't gonna help you win too many tournaments! Customer Rating: Summary: Tradition and Kumite ! Oss! Comment: Hirokazu Kanazawa, President of Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, has complied an outstanding book that balances history and tradition with the different forms of kumite. This book is not the normal primer. If one does not know at least the basic punches and kicks, do not get this book as a novice guide to learning karate. Kanazawa's approach assumes the person has these basic techniques down. If you are one of those people, still buy the book only if you plan on learning karate in the future when the opportunity arises.
In addition, while this book is primarily a Shotokan text, he does review the major Okinawa/Japanese karate styles, goes over terminology, and a particularly nice paragraph on p. 19 on the "verbal greeting `Oss'" The photos are of high quality, which is important in a text that demonstrates many sparring steps via pictures. The explanations are thorough enough to get the point a cross, but not unnecessarily tiresome and too detailed to loose the reader or make the book overly cumbersome.
A nice companion martial texts to a martial artist's library.
