Best of the Worst

[Bravissimo]

I notice that the majority of posts here are about great martial arts books that can be helpful to one's study.

But what about the other end of the spectrum? What do you think are the worst martial arts books ever put out there?

I'll offer one of my selections as "Mugei Mimei no Jitsu" by Ashida Kim. Which is to say that its a book about martial arts in the same way that Domino's is pizza.

The martialist did a review of the book (which is what prompted me to track down a copy of it in the first place). http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/mugei.htm

 

[Stac3y]

Oh, wow. I think I have to read that. It sounds hilarious, in a Plan 9 From Outer Space kind of way.

One I've read that is not at all amusing, and is just plain bad, is Martial Arts America. Can't remember the author, but it's poorly written and contains some really bad advice, as well as some sexist donkey poop.

I also really disliked this one: The Way of a Warrior: A Journey into Secret Worlds of Martial Arts by John Gilbey. Something about the author's tone just made my skin crawl.

 

[Bravissimo]

Oh, wow. I think I have to read that. It sounds hilarious, in a Plan 9 From Outer Space kind of way.

I actually feel ripped off because I didn't get my "black dragon society" membership card. But then again if there's one thing worse than not being a member of the black dragon society...its actually being a member.

I also really disliked this one: The Way of a Warrior: A Journey into Secret Worlds of Martial Arts by John Gilbey. Something about the author's tone just made my skin crawl

The cover of that book looks really familiar. I think I may have owened that once. Pretty sure I never read it though.

 

[tellner]

Three of the very worst:

"Master" O.E. Simon Rape Prevention and Total Self Defense
Yang Jwing-Ming's self defense book
Fred *spit* Storaska How to Say No to a Rapist and Survive

 

[fyn5000]

John Gilbey? That was actually Robert Smith. I believe that was written as a spoof of bad martial arts.

fyn

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

John Gilbey? That was actually Robert Smith. I believe that was written as a spoof of bad martial arts.

Yep. Read Smith's "Martial Musings" for the inside scoop on "Gilbey". A hint- Smith and crew never suspected that people would take it seriously.

Now for the Primo de Stinko. The book which has achieved such a rarefied level of lousyosity (hey- a new word!) that no other can be truly compared to it. A stand-alone in the annals of martial arts book garbagedom. Of course, I'm talking about...

Atemi Cobra-Jujitsu: Martial Arts for the Millinnium Years to Come in the New Generation
by Grandmaster Irving Soto 10th Degree Black Belt and World Champion

The title pretty much says it all.

I ordered it online when I was drowsy after just having gotten off work, and I've kept it around just so I can show people just how truly, truly bad a martial arts book can get. You know how they say that no matter how good you are, there's always someone better? Well the opposite is also true, and when they're talking about that "something worse" book, this is the one to which they refer. A slight taste? This book "teaches" (among other things) what to do if three guys simultaneously grab you by the right lapel. Yeah. Grainy photos of guys in black hakama and gi tops piling on each other. Try to figure out what's an arm, what's a leg, and to whom does it belong.

At $44, a real bargain.

 

[fyn5000]

Originally Posted by Randy Strausbaugh:
This book "teaches" (among other things) what to do if three guys simultaneously grab you by the right lapel.

Must be a big lapel.

fyn

 

[Stac3y]

John Gilbey? That was actually Robert Smith. I believe that was written as a spoof of bad martial arts.

fyn

Good to know. If it was a spoof, though, it was a poor one; I certainly didn't identify it as one, and it wasn't funny. At all.

 

[tellner]

It was a spoof with just enough True Facts to keep it interesting.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Ninja Secrets of Invisibility by Ashida Kim

There are also 2 on Taiji that are absolutly awful, I will have to see if I can find the titles and post them. One I think I still have the other I threw out.

 

[Gordon Nore]

The martialist did a review of the book (which is what prompted me to track down a copy of it in the first place). http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/mugei.htm

Elmore's review is very funny. He's got the right approach to dealing with Ashida Kim -- a sense of humour.