China can easily boast of its great martial traditions, which many would say is the richest in the world. There are a variety of styles from the north to the south that encompass an extensive repertoire of open-hand and weapon techniques. The ten chapters in this anthology illustrated this wide spectrum.Mark Wiley’s interview with Hou Faxiang presents a fundamental healing modality famous in China — qigong, the nourishing and practical use of internal energy. Its theory and practic...

Many know of the legends concerning the Shaolin Temple as the font of Asian martial arts. However, this was not the only temple with deep associations with combatives. This anthology dives deep into the historic significance of the relationship between temples, monks, and martial arts.As a transporter of culture, it seems logical that the Indian monk Bodhidharma brought more than just Buddhist texts to the Shaolin Temple. India has a wonderful tradition of martial and healing arts ...

Master the terrifyingly effective Phoenix Eye Fist style of Chinese Kung Fu with this illustrated martial arts guide.The Secrets of Phoenix-Eye Fist Kung-Fu depicts an enormously potent art, also known as Chuka Shaolin, that does not depend on strength or size. Instead, it utilizes a special striking technique, the phoenix-eye fist, aimed at vital points on the opponent's body.Phoenix-Eye Fist Kung-Fu excels at close-range fighting-an area neglecte...

Arnis: Reflections on the History and Development of the Filipino Martial Arts is an intriguing collection of essays on Filipino martial arts.Featured are insightful essays by Filipino martial artists:Krishna K. GodhaniaAntonio E. SomeraAbner G. PasaDr. Jopet LarayaFelipe P. beano, Jr.Rene J. NavarroFor centuries, Filipino martial arts have played integral and often momentous ro...

Hapkido, "The Way of Coordination and Internal Power," is one of the three major Korean martial arts. Founded in 1963 by Master Choi Young-Sul, it is a complete system of self-defense, encompassing striking, kicking, and grappling techniques. Conceptually, Hapkido techniques more closely parallel those of Aikido than Taekwondo. In fact, as the author describes, there is a parental link between the arts.In Hapkido: Korean Art of Self-Defense, Scott Shaw presents a precise d...

Kobudo, the famous armed Okinawan fighting art that utilizes common farming implements in combat, and Te, the ancient Okinawan art of armed and unarmed combat, are two of the world's most widely practiced yet least-understood martial arts.This book studies the individual Kobudo and Te systems as they are practiced in Okinawa today and discusses their various histories and the lives of the masters who have most influenced them. Spiritualism in the Okinawan arts is a...

Tai Chi Chuan: Form to Function is a detailed manual for the study of the martial techniques of tai chi chuan.It takes up where author Nigel Sutton's earlier title, Applied Tai Chi Chuan , left off, by setting out step-by-step the training exercises necessary for the mastery of tai chi chuan as a true combative art. Sutton outlines a well-defined program designed to lead to understanding and mastery of the useful self-defense techniques.So...

Chinese Internal Boxing: Techniques of Hsing-I and Pa-kua is an illustrated martial arts guide to two soft-style Chinese martial arts.Chinese internal boxing and other internal martial arts do not depend on muscular strength. Instead, their power is drawn from the cultivation and practical application of internal energy, or ch'i, making them perfect for people of all ages and all levels of fitness.With clear, easy-to-follow instructions and over 38...

Complete Shotokan Karate is actually two books in one: a thorough history of Japanese karate in Asia and the United States, and an instructional manual for students of the Shotokan method.Part One outlines the history of karate from its probable origins in India (or perhaps Greece), and its transmission from China through Okinawa to Japan. Relevant aspects of Japanese history and culture, such as the samurai ethos and Zen, are emphasized.

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do presents the teachings of legendary martial arts master Shoshin Nagamine, founder of the Matsubayashi school of Shorin-ryu karate-do.Used for generations as a practical and pictorial guide, it contains over 1,000 photographs to document eighteen classic karate kata (preset forms) and seven yakusoku kumite (prearranged partner exercises), as well as basic techniques. This book is a precise and easily acces...

In ancient times, Indian rishi Patanjali highlighted the principal stages of the ascent to spiritual heights, to the Primordial Consciousness. He distinguished eight major steps of this ascent: yama — niyama — asana — pranayama — pratyahara — dharana — dhyana — samadhi.This book describes these steps.

Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: An Illustrated Introduction provides a complete foundation in the practice of one of the most distinctive and effective Japanese martial arts.Aikido was created in Japan in the 1920's by Morihei Ueshiba, also known as Osensei. To possess the skills, techniques and attitude of the true practitioner of aikido, one must achieve a very high level of integration of the powers of mind and body, the harmonious combination of physica...