Mark Cramer has not owned a car since 1995. In 2022, at 77 and just out of double hernia surgery, he set out to prove that this was liberation and not sacrifice.Over 39 bicycle day trips from his apartment just north of Paris, Cramer pedaled 1,062 kilometers through forests, river towpaths, and French towns using Thoreau's essay "Walking" as his method. No smartphone. No GPS. Paper maps only. For photographs, he depended on strangers willing to stop. For directions, he depended on ...

A concise yet comprehensive history of traditional Okinawan and Japanese karate, with biographies of the great karate mastersThis concise-yet-comprehensive history of traditional Okinawan and Japanese karate includes authoritative biographies of the great karate masters of the past and the philosophical issues they faced as karate changed and evolved. Bringing a fresh understanding to the study of the martial arts, Mark I. Cramer dispels many of the often-repeated ...

The Masters golf tournament weaves a hypnotic spell. It is the toughest ticket in sports, with black-market tickets selling for $10,000 and more. Success at Augusta National breeds legends, while failure can overshadow even the most brilliant of careers. But as Curt Sampson, author of the bestselling Hogan, reveals in The Masters, a cold heart beats behind the warm antebellum façade of this famous Augusta course. And that heart belongs to the man who killed himself on the grounds ...

The first volume in a two-part series that explores the theory of Wing Chun—a style of kung fu and self-defense—from a technical, lifestyle, and philosophical perspectiveWritten by Wayne Belonoha—a certified Ving Tsun Instructor and National Certified Coach, 7th Level, Master Degree—The Wing Chun Compendium offers hundreds of tips and techniques specifically designed to help readers advance to the next stage.The Wing Chun Compendium is div...

An entertaining and insightful history of martial arts and the role of the warrior, drawing on pop culture, philosophy, mythology, religion, and spiritualityThe 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 collection of fighting techniques, martial arts constitute a path to developing body, spirit, and awareness. On the Warrior’s Path connects the martial arts with this lar...

The shinobi, or ninja, is one of the most widely recognized figures in the world of espionage—and also one of the most misrepresented. What do we really know about the historical shinobi, his tactics, and his role in medieval Japanese society? In Secret Traditions of the Shinobi, these questions—and many more—are answered. Translated into English for the very first time, this widely sought-after collection of historical documents brings to light the secret practices, techniques, p...

In this second volume, a martial arts expert continues his study of Wing Chun, a popular system of kung fu, demonstrating how it can be used to improve your mental and physical healthWing Chun, also called Ving Tsun, is a popular system of kung fu designed centuries ago by a Buddhist nun and Shaolin master. Together, the two volumes of The Wing Chun Compendium offer a complete guide to the discipline, from theory and philosophy to drills and forms....

Developed by Wang Lang over 300 years ago, Praying Mantis Kung Fu is the only martial art based on the fighting skills of an insect. This fascinating system utilizes swift, methodical movements for defense and offense, and is well respected as an art that helps practitioners develop great strength and perseverance. The Complete Guide to Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu provides an in-depth look at the history and practice of this remarkable martial art. Author Stuart Alve Olson, a ...

Fu Zhongwen's classic guide offers the best documentation available of the Yang style of taijiquan. The superbly detailed form instructions and historic line art drawings are based on Fu’s many years as a disciple of Yang Chengfu, taijiquan’s legendary founder. Also included are concise descriptions of fixed-step, moving-step, and da lu push hands practices. Additional commentary by translator Louis Swaim provides key insight into the text’s philosophical language and imagery, further eluc...

Wing Chun is the most popular form of Chinese Kung Fu in the world today, with over four million practitioners. The art as it is presently understood has been handed down from teacher to student for more than three hundred 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. This book, by Wing Chun master Danny Xuan and martial-arts authority John Little, is the first to decipher these tec...

In Mikkyo—Japanese esoteric Buddhism—the dragon Kurikara symbolizes the internal energy developed through sword practice. Kurikara is a manifestation of the fierce bodhisattva Fudo Myo O, the patron of ascetics and warriors in Japan, who uses his sword to destroy delusions and sever attachments. Fudo’s sword represents the gaining of discriminative power and decisiveness—the ability to cut through illusion and attachment. This leads to the development of an inner energy that allow...

Enlightenment through Aikido focuses on Aikido's spiritual teachings, drawing on Sunadomari's experiences as a direct student of Morihei Ueshiba. Quotes from the founder and the author's interpretations show how Aikido can develop inner strength and tranquility. This book is an excellent companion for those practitioners who aspire to go beyond the physical in their journey along the path of Aikido.