Good books?

[Infinite]

I'm interested in picking up some books to do a bit more research. Anyone suggest some good starting books?

Thanks,

--Will

 

[exile]

I'm interested in picking up some books to do a bit more research. Anyone suggest some good starting books?

Thanks,

--Will

Will—what is it in particular that you want to investigate further?

 

[Infinite]

Will—what is it in particular that you want to investigate further?

Basic styles and philosophies behind those styles. I was talking to a possible instructor and he told me that Budo Taijutsu tries to play down speed and agility. Which I am curious about because those happen to be my strengths.

I was looking more for instructional and example reference material so I have some idea of the concept before I go to a dojo and have it demonstraighted for me.

Thanks,

--Will

 

[exile]

Basic styles and philosophies behind those styles. I was talking to a possible instructor and he told me that Budo Taijutsu tries to play down speed and agility. Which I am curious about because those happen to be my strengths.

I was looking more for instructional and example reference material so I have some idea of the concept before I go to a dojo and have it demonstraighted for me.

Thanks,

--Will

OK, so you're looking for a kind of overview of various MA styles—for each art, the strategic agenda and the tactical implementation of that agenda, that sort of thing? There's a nice book along these lines titled The Martial Arts by Peter Lewis, a Wadu-ryu karateka (who also has experience in CMAs) from the UK with a refreshingly nondoctrinaire perspective on things, and a practical approach to the gist of each of the four MAs—kung fu, karate, TKD and ninjutsu—that he discusses. The photos are very well produced, and tie in perfectly with the description in the text—something that's a lot rarer than it should be in the MA literature. It ran me about $15.00 US a couple of years ago.

You'll get more detail, of course, in books that are dedicated to particular arts or topics within those arts. But what I like about Lewis' book is that he doesn't get into a lot of baggage that often comes with books written about a single art from the perspective of a long-time practitioner who has an agenda that you may not be aware of as you're reading. Lewis' book seems to have a kind of overall neutrality that means you can read it without the sense that you're getting subliminal indoctrination about highly charged tecnical or other issues which, at the beginning at least, you probably don't need to worry about.

 

[Infinite]

OK, so you're looking for a kind of overview of various MA styles—for each art, the strategic agenda and the tactical implementation of that agenda, that sort of thing? There's a nice book along these lines titled The Martial Arts by Peter Lewis, a Wadu-ryu karateka (who also has experience in CMAs) from the UK with a refreshingly nondoctrinaire perspective on things, and a practical approach to the gist of each of the four MAs—kung fu, karate, TKD and ninjutsu—that he discusses. The photos are very well produced, and tie in perfectly with the description in the text—something that's a lot rarer than it should be in the MA literature. It ran me about $15.00 US a couple of years ago.

You'll get more detail, of course, in books that are dedicated to particular arts or topics within those arts. But what I like about Lewis' book is that he doesn't get into a lot of baggage that often comes with books written about a single art from the perspective of a long-time practitioner who has an agenda that you may not be aware of as you're reading. Lewis' book seems to have a kind of overall neutrality that means you can read it without the sense that you're getting subliminal indoctrination about highly charged tecnical or other issues which, at the beginning at least, you probably don't need to worry about.

Great thanks!

I'll look into his books. I was more specifically think of Ninjutsu as this is the Ninjutsu forums but referenceable material about the major martial arts is very valuable!

Thanks a lot.

--Will

 

[Bigshadow]

I was talking to a possible instructor and he told me that Budo Taijutsu tries to play down speed and agility.

You must have misundestood. That being said, "It really plays up efficiency!"

Which I am curious about because those happen to be my strengths.

For now...

I was looking more for instructional and example reference material so I have some idea of the concept before I go to a dojo and have it demonstraighted for me.

I think you need to go and feel it from a good instructor. That will give you more of an idea than an entire book of words or video.

As for recommended books. There are several threads on here regarding good books to read.

 

[Infinite]

You must have misundestood. That being said, "It really plays up efficiency!"

This is an email from him: Budo Taijutsu de-empasizes speed and power so no need to worry about that.


So I am not sure how to misunderstand that. My preceeding statement was that speed and agility were the only things I felt were still on par with a regular student.

For now...




I think you need to go and feel it from a good instructor. That will give you more of an idea than an entire book of words or video.

As for recommended books. There are several threads on here regarding good books to read.

I agree completly that a qualified instructor is required to get a real feel for any particular art. How ever I know enough phisology to at least get an ideaof the basic movements. I'd also like to get some termonology down because so far I'm very confused about what means what.

I guess at heart I'm a researcher and I like to at least have some concept of what something is and then have people refine or change it as neccesarry.

 

[Bigshadow]

This is an email from him: Budo Taijutsu de-empasizes speed and power so no need to worry about that.

I am not going to speak for the instructor, but I could see that to mean that "efficiency is important". Speed has an importance, but in most of what I have seen it is often used to "catch up" because of being late, timing is an essential aspect of the art. Power on the other hand has it's importance too, but power can be produced in ways that are efficient for the body to do so and are so subtle and are hardly visible, unlike someone who is trying to use just arm/shoulder muscle alone to generate power. It is all about balanced structural alignment.

So with proper timing and distance, one does not necessarily have to be lightning fast and with proper balanced movement and structure does not have to be very strong to be powerful.

With that in mind, to the outsider, it may appear that we down play speed and strength, but it isn't as it seems.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Basic styles and philosophies behind those styles.

Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)
by Donn F. Draeger, Robert W. Smith

 

[Infinite]

Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)
by Donn F. Draeger, Robert W. Smith

Thanks!

--Will

 

[Infinite]

I am not going to speak for the instructor, but I could see that to mean that "efficiency is important". Speed has an importance, but in most of what I have seen it is often used to "catch up" because of being late, timing is an essential aspect of the art. Power on the other hand has it's importance too, but power can be produced in ways that are efficient for the body to do so and are so subtle and are hardly visible, unlike someone who is trying to use just arm/shoulder muscle alone to generate power. It is all about balanced structural alignment.

So with proper timing and distance, one does not necessarily have to be lightning fast and with proper balanced movement and structure does not have to be very strong to be powerful.

With that in mind, to the outsider, it may appear that we down play speed and strength, but it isn't as it seems.

I see Bruce Lee called this Cadence, Your timing, Your speed, Your distance vs Their Timing, Their Speed, Their Difference. This all creates a rythym and that rythym when it is learned can be anticipated and interrupted.

I'm fairly well versed on the theoretical applications of body linking or kenetic linkage. Of course forcing my body to do it will require an instructor to point out my body frame and alignment issues.

Perhaps that is what he was trying to convey that speed and agility are not focused on but develop as part of the training.

Just a different outlook from JKD where speed is something you actually focus on developing.

 

[Bigshadow]

Perhaps that is what he was trying to convey that speed and agility are not focused on but develop as part of the training.

That was my opinion.