Martial Arts History

Folk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and modern retellings. This new study approaches the martial arts from their origins in military exercises and callisthenics. It examines a rich folklore from old wuxia tales of crime-fighting heroes to modern kung fu movies.

Under the guidance of such celebrated masters as Ed Parker and the immortal Bruce Lee, Joe Hyams vividly recounts his more than twenty-five years of experience in the martial arts. In his illuminating story, Hyams reveals to listeners how the daily application of Zen principles not only developed his physical expertise but gave him the mental discipline to control his personal problems - self-image, work pressure, competition.

This form may look very different than the modern Yang Family 108 Movement form that is widely taught around the world today. Although all the standard frames or movements are in this form, the extended transitions as well as the obvious Silk Reeling clearly show the original martial application of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. This “Yang Lu Chan Old Style Tai Chi Form” is considered an advanced version of what is commonly known as “The Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan” taught all over the world today. Master Yang Cheng Fu developed his very popular form in 1928. However, the forms practiced ...

A book covering the topic of self-defense from a shocking, firsthand perspective. The subjects of criminal violence, self-defense, lethal force, mindset, firearms training, and concealment have never been introduced so comprehensively in one place.

An entertaining and insightful history of martial arts and the role of the warrior, drawing on pop culture, philosophy, mythology, religion, and spirituality The urge to forge one’s character by fighting, in daily life as well as on the mat, appeals to something deep within us. More than a...

***GET THE EBOOK VERSION FOR FREE WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE PAPERBACK*** Let's face it, the world isn't the nicest place out there. There are a lot of people out there that mean to cause us harm. That's why we train martial arts in the first place right? There is also another reason; one that lies dormant in the background until suddenly it becomes relevant when we need it. Once this happens, we are now aware that our training has changed the way we think as well! This two-part short book series I have written to help you fast track the way you see what martial arts training can do for you, not...

Code of the Samurai is a 400-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido, the Japanese Way of the Warrior. With a bright, conversational narrative by Thomas Cleary, this book is indispensable to corporate executives, students of Asian culture, martial artists, or anyone sincerely interested in Japan and its people.

The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.

Based on his acclaimed previous studies, the author here presents a synopsis of the development of Ryukyu martial arts. The events described herein are all real, that is, they are all historical. Strolling along the chronology of martial arts of Ryukyu provenance, a large number of verified events are not only detailed, but also decorated with dozens of precious illustrations. As such "A Stroll Along Ryukyu Martial Arts History" is for martial arts practitioners as much as it is for aficionados of history and Asia. It simply provides a pristine ground to stand on for the practitioner who ...

Wing Chun is the most popular form of Chinese kung fu in the world today, with more than four million practitioners. This guide will fascinate and educate anyone interested in the martial arts, from beginner to master. The art as it is presently understood has been handed down from teacher to student for more than 300 years. Until now, no one has ever stepped back and taken a critical look at why this art's techniques are presented and performed the way they are.

When a major Hollywood studio released Five Fingers of Death to thrill-seeking Times Square moviegoers on March 21, 1973, only a handful of Black and Asian American audience members knew the difference between an Iron Fist and an Eagle's Claw. That changed overnight as kung fu movies kicked off a craze that would earn millions at the box office, send TV ratings soaring, sell hundreds of thousands of video tapes, influence the birth of hip hop, reshape the style of action we see in movies today, and introduce America to some of the biggest non-White stars.

Did Buddhist monks and Daoist priests really practice martial arts? Is the practice of Chinese martial arts religious? What are the White Lotus Sect and the Heaven and Earth Society? Did martial artists really think they could resist bullets using their internal power? What is the “internal school” of martial arts? These and many more questions are addressed and potentially answered by the new volume “Chinese Martial Arts, A Historical Outline”. This is the first work of its kind in the English language. Beginning with the earliest historical records regarding the practice of ...

Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.

Obscure documents, Korean-language books, and in-depth interviews with tae kwon do pioneers tell the tale of the origin of the most popular martial art. In 1938, tae kwon do began at the end of a poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea by Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the most powerful, controversial men in sports. The story follows Choi from the 1938 poker game where he fought for his life, through high-class geisha houses where the art was named, and into the Vietnam War where the martial art evolved into a killing art. The techniques cut across all realms – from the late 1960s when tae kwon do trained Korean CIA agents kidnapped people in the United States and Europe to the 1970s when Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and other Hollywood stars mastered the art’s new kicks. Tae kwon do is also a martial art for the 21st century, one of merciless techniques, indomitable men, and justice pumped on steroids.

This piece of writing by famed samurai Musashi (1584–1645) is the single-most influential work on samurai swordsmanship, offering insights into samurai history, the Zen Buddhist state of "no-mind" that enables warriors to triumph and the philosophical meaning of Bushido — "the way of the warrior."

From legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the...

DOWNLOAD EBOOK FOR FREE WHEN YOU BUY THE PAPERBACK Martial Arts Mindset Parts 1 and 2, now together at a discounted price! Marital Arts does more than just teach you how to fight. Through persistence and a wider frame of mind we can also learn: How discipline and routine can make us more effective at our work Difficult situations in training which makes us more confident in the outside world Focus and stress management techniques that keep you a level above everyone else. Let's face it, the world isn't the nicest place out there. There are a lot of people out there that mean to cause us ...

Book 3 of the next great Fantasy LitRPG Series by Seth Ring, author of Nova Terra. Get your copy today and explore a world whose secrets have been buried under decades of war.

Introduction: Muay Thai, also known as the "Art of Eight Limbs," is a martial art and combat sport that originated in Thailand over a thousand years ago. Today, it has become a popular form of exercise, self-defense, and competitive sport around the world. Muay Thai combines strikes from the fists, elbows, knees, and shins, as well as clinching techniques and throws. It emphasizes power, speed, and technique, making it a physically and mentally challenging activity. Beyond its practical applications, Muay Thai has deep cultural roots in Thailand, where it is regarded as the national sport ...

Grindhouse Cinema History: A Complete Guide to the Rise, Fall, and Legacy of Exploitation Films takes you deep into the world of sleazy theaters, outrageous double features, and the shocking movies that changed cinema forever. From the early exploitation films of the 1930s, through the neon-soaked heyday of Times Square in the 1970s, to the grindhouse revival led by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, this book explores every corner of grindhouse culture. Discover how grindhouse theaters became the home for taboo-breaking films filled with sex, gore, and rebellion. Explore the rise of ...