Combat sports and self-defence Books

Book SynopsisA look at how a small town farmers' son became one of the most globally recognised fighters of his generation.

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Book SynopsisA look at how a small town farmers' son became one of the most globally recognised fighters of his generation.

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Book SynopsisDiscover gripping true crime stories and the surprising tools you need to keep you and your family safe -- from iconic legal commentator, TV journalist, and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Grace.Nancy Grace wasn't always the iconic legal commentator we know today. One moment changed her entire future forever: her fiancé Keith was murdered just before their wedding. Driven to deliver justice for other crime victims, Nancy became a felony prosecutor and for a decade, put the "bad guys" behind bars in inner-city Atlanta.Now, with a new and potentially life-saving book, Nancy puts her crime-fighting expertise to work to empower you stay safe in the face of daily dangers. Packed with practical advice and invaluable prevention tips, Don't Be a Victim shows you how to:* Fend off threats of assaults, car-jack and home invasion* Defend yourself against online stalking, computer hackers and financial fraudsters* Stay safe in your own home, at school and other public settings like parking garages, elevators and campsites* Protect yourself while shopping, driving and even on vacationWith insights on so many potential threats, you'll be empowered to protect yourself and your children at home and in the world at large by being proactive! Nancy's crime-fighting expertise helps keep you, your family, and those you love out of harm's way.

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Book SynopsisMost books on karate usually do not provide complete, detailed instructions and illustrations-the fundamentals plus the fine points-that readers hope for. This book fills the gaps left by others. The late Master Masatoshi Nakayama, chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association, left this book as a testament. It reveals his great experience as a karate competitor and teacher, describing and illustrating in detail all the correct movements involved in the particular block, punch, or kick you want to perfect, as well as instructions--on

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Book SynopsisThroughout his extraordinary life, Morihei Ueshiba mastered an array of martial arts and techniques, including jujutsu and kendo, and endlessly devoted himself to the philosophies of Japan's martial schools. This biography details the life of this remarkable man, from his early years as a youth in the turbulent Meiji era to his death in 1969. The history of Japan's martial traditions is replete with many outstanding individuals, but few ever attained the legendary status of Morihei Ueshiba. Throughout his extraordinary life, he mastered an array of martial arts and techniques, including

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Book SynopsisThe true story of one of pro wrestling's most charismatic, feared, and beloved icons

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Book SynopsisThe traditional arts of Taijiquan and Qi Gong are sophisticated expressions of Chinese martial. health and spiritual culture. Rooted in China's ancient past they are still practised by many people in China today to achieve good health, mental well-being and a long and active life; commonly called `Eternal Spring'.This book, written for a Western audience, explains the essential theories and strategies of Taijiquan and Qi Gong in an insightful and accessible way. It expounds their value in our daily lives as a most effective means of combating the stresses, strains and illnesses that are now so much a part of our modern lifestyle and positions these two disciplines as the most comprehensive strategies for health, happiness and rejuvenation currently available. Michael W. Acton guides the reader through core concepts with an insight and wisdom borne out of many years of practice, study and teaching.This book will be of use to anyone who is already on this path or who is interested in self-development, health and well-being or the fascinating philosophy and ideas that underpin these traditional Chinese disciplines.Trade ReviewAs a traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner myself, I highly recommend this book for those who want to understand the relation between Traditional Chinese Medicine and the arts of qigong and taijiquan... In conclusion, this is a book which is well worth reading for anyone seriously interested in qigong and/or taijiquan. -- Ken Morgan, Medical Qigong Education CentreAfter reading the first few chapters, I stood in the middle of my living-room for five minutes with Acton's words to guide me and suddenly, as I began to actually FEEL the subtle currents of energy move within me, I began, at long last, to understand what Qi Gong is really all about. -- GreenSpiritThe Traditional arts of Taijiquan and Qi Gong are sophisticated expressions of Chinese martial arts, health and spiritual culture. This book explains the essential theories of these disciplines. The book is useful to anyone already on this path or who is interested in self development,health and well being or the fascinating philosophy and ideas that underpin these traditional Chinese disciplines. -- Yoga Mind Body Spirit, September 2009If you've heard about the health-giving benefits of the ancient Chinese martial arts Tajiquan and Qi Gong, but did'nt know where to start, Michael Acton has provided a perfect guide for the Western reader. -- Australlian Natural HealthThis book, written for a Western audience, explains the essential theories and strategies for Taijiquan and Qi Gong in an accessible way. Michael W Acton, guides the reader through core concepts with an insight borne out of many years of practice, study and teaching. -- ICBN Institute for Complementary and Natural MedicineTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. To the Reader. Preface. Introduction. 1. Qi Gong and Taijiquan. 2. Nourishing Life and Eternal Spring. 3. Self Cultivation and the Natural State. 4. Essence, Energy and Spirit. 5. An Ordinary Life. 6. Body, Breath and Mind. 7. Stillness and Movement. 8. The Small Universe. 9. Disharmony, Thieves, Hooligans, Influences and Common Sense. 10. Cultivating Energy. 11. Mobilizing Energy. 12. Taiji Boxing. 13. So Where Are You Now? 14. Experience Qi Gong.

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Book SynopsisThe beautiful, complex movements of Bagua require a lifetime to master fully, but can be practised with significant physical and mental health benefit at any level. In this highly illustrated guide, Master He, a fifth generation practitioner, introduces the ancient Daoist principles on which Bagua is based, its place within the Chinese martial arts, and the approach to life it nurtures. Many pages of photographs illustrate a programme of sequences, showing the beauty of the movements, and the positions and transitions the practitioner is aiming for.Bagua Daoyin supports and trains the body and the mind to promote balance and harmony. The external movements are echoed in the internal body, which promotes the flow of energy that leads to greatly improved health, a tranquil and focused mind, and increased longevity. Practitioners quickly report reduced stress levels and increased enjoyment of life.This fully illustrated introduction to Bagua Daoyin will be essential reading for Bagua, Xingyi and Taiji practitioners at all levels, dancers, and indeed anyone interested in improving their physical and mental wellbeing.Trade ReviewI would recommend anyone interested in martial arts in general to take a look at the very interesting perspective that the author expresses on his art in this book. -- East-West Taoist Association NewsletterTable of ContentsForeword, Paul Alexander. Preface - The Treasure that Belongs to You. 1. Bagua, Bagua Quan and Bagua Daoyin. 2. Bagua Daoyin, the Guiding Principle of Bagua. 3. Interview with Master He Jinghan. 4. Paying for Life with Life - the Master's Apprentice Years. 5. Understanding Intuitively. 6. Things You Ought to Avoid when Exercising. 7. Give me Fast Food, Nothing Else will Do - The Contemporary Concept of Health. 8. To Love Others You Must First Love Yourself: To Love Yourself You Must Love Your Body. 9. Finding Your Centre. 10. Opening Up the Body's Unobstructed Space. 11. Don't Use Your Feet Just to Walk - Teaching You to Make Your Body as Light as a Swallow. 12. Relax, Do Not Collapse. 13. The Sexual Function is the Natural Manifestation of Bodily Health. 14. Menopause - Grasp Your Second Youth. 15. Everything Comes from the Body - Entering Tranquillity through Movement. 16. The Song of Martial Arts - the Form. 17. Shape, Potential Force and Spirit in Posture. 18. Between Yin and Yang. 19. Sixiang Quan. 20. The Melody of the Flow - Bazhang Quan. 21. A Master's Confession. 22. A Brief Account of the Life of Master Gong Baozhai 23. About the Author.

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Book SynopsisIn his unprecedented account of the way of martial arts, Master Zhongxian Wu explores WuDao through systematic instruction of select practices from the legendary Dai Family Style XinYi Martial Arts School. Traditional Chinese martial arts embody the richness and depth of Daoist philosophy, and their disciplined practice is an effective way to experience healing, internal alchemy and spiritual transformation. XinYi martial arts, as with all traditional Chinese martial arts, build strength and stamina, and involve a process of inner cultivation that can bring practitioners closer to the Dao. The author examines and interprets the connections between Daoist numerology, the spirit of classical Chinese martial arts, and internal alchemy practices. With extensive reference to the classic texts, the book provides unique and considered guidance that will inspire and empower practitioners of all levels.An authentic insight into the spiritual world of classical Chinese martial arts, this book is essential reading for practitioners of martial arts, NeiDan (internal alchemy), XinYi, Xingyi Quan, Taiji Quan, Bagua Zhang, Qigong and Chinese medicine, as well as anyone interested in traditional Chinese culture.Trade Review“'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' says LaoZi in the DaoDeJing. In this illuminating book on XinYi WuDao ('The Dao of the Martial Arts'), Master Wu guides us, step-by-step, on a journey into the heart of the ultimate martial art– the art beyond fighting. Through the inner alchemy of the Three Treasures of Life– our bodies of flesh, energy, and spirit –we learn how to martial these precious resources in a way that benefits self and other as one.Thanks to the kindness of his mentor, Grandmaster Zhao ShouRong, Master Wu shares with us, for the first time in English print, ancient secrets of the way of the martial heart handed down in China in an unbroken lineage from master to disciple. Whether your interest lies primarily in the practice or the philosophy, you will discover within these pages precious gems of wisdom and power that will enrich your life.” -- Daniel Reid, best-selling author of The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity and The Tao of Detox and a leading expert of Eastern philosophy and medicine“As an aikido practitioner, I found lineage holder Master Zhongxian Wu's latest book, XinYi WuDao, very fascinating. Providing an in depth explanation of the links between Daoism and Chinese martial arts, Master Wu shows his deep dedication and unique knowledge of these two ancient traditions. There are many similar links that can be made between aikido and its philosophy, which makes this book a fantastic source of inspiration for all aikido practitioners.” -- Jan Nevelius Shihan (6th Dan Aikikai Tokyo), Chinese medicine practitioner and author“Dai Family XinYi is a rare martial art in China. It is so hidden that many practitioners have never even seen the practice. In this book, Master Wu reveals many techniques that have never been made available to the public. He explains the Dao theories in a very easy to understand way, as well as the basic form and the movements of WuXing Quan Mu and BaGua XinJing. He also describes the principles, breath and visualization in detail for each movement. This is a very valuable book for readers to trace back the origin and hidden treasure of the powerful Xingyi Quan.” -- Master C S Tang, senior Xingyi Quan, Bagua Quan and Yi Quan expert and researcher, and author of The Mysterious Power of Xingyi Quan and The Complete Book of YiquanTable of ContentsForeword. Introduction: The Art of Peace. 1. Dao. Daoist Philosophy and DanWu. 2. WuJi HunYuan. The Essence of Daoist Alchemical Martial Arts. 3. Taiji LianYi. The Secret of Dragon Body. 4. SanCai SiXiang. The Way of Circle and Square. 5. WuXing QuanMu. The Mother Form of XinYi. 6. LiuHe XinYi. Advanced Approach. 7. BaGua XinJing. Achieve Enlightenment. Afterword.

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Book SynopsisTraditionally shrouded in mystery and taught only to the closest students, the secrets of Taijiquan push-hands and fighting technique from the Chen style are revealed in this book. Master Wang Fengming, an eleventh generation practitioner of Chen-style Taijiquan, provides detailed information about the famous internal fighting techniques and reveals inside knowledge essential to the remarkable results achieved by the Chinese masters. The book features: - effective ways of cultivating Taiji internal power - variety of joint-locking techniques and counter techniques - 13 postures of Taiji explained - leg work, including stances and kicking techniques - unique silk-reeling exercises - rarely revealed vital point striking - 7 styles of push-hands training - 20 kinds of Taiji energy explained and demonstrated.This comprehensive book is a major contribution to the literature on push-hands techniques in the West.Table of Contents1. Introduction. 2. Theory of Taijiquan Push-Hands and Fighting Technique. 3. Main Points of Taijiquan Push-Hands and Fighting Technique. 4. Silk-Reeling Exercises for All Parts of the Body. 5. Exercises of Taiji Neigong. 6. The Thirteen Postures of Taijiquan. 7. Seven Training Methods for Taiji Push-Hands and Fighting Technique. 8. Essence of Taiji Energies. 9. Seizing and Joint Locking Techniques and Counter Techniques. 10. Leg Techniques. 11. Vital Point Striking. 12. Anecdotes of Grandmasters.

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Book SynopsisUltimate Fighting Championship and the present and future of women's sports Mixed martial arts stars like Amanda Nunes, Zhang Weili, and Ronda Rousey have made female athletes top draws in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Jennifer McClearen charts how the promotion incorporates women into its far-flung media ventures and investigates the complexities surrounding female inclusion. On the one hand, the undeniable popularity of cards headlined by women add much-needed diversity to the sporting landscape. On the other, the UFC leverages an illusion of promoting differencewhether gender, racial, ethnic, or sexualto grow its empire with an inexpensive and expendable pool of female fighters. McClearen illuminates how the UFC's half-hearted efforts at representation generate profit and cultural cachet while covering up the fact it exploits women of color, lesbians, gender non-conforming women, and others. Thought provoking and timely, Fighting Visibility tells the story of how a spoTrade Review"Fighting Visibility demonstrates that female fighters are encouraged to imagine opportunities for professional success through UFC despite several significant ways in which these athletes are exploited. UFC positions the success of Ronda Rousey as something for both athletes and fans to emulate, following the notion that 'if you can see her, you can be her.' Yet McClearen's research shows that Rousey's success is exceptional and only portrayed as typical, rendering opportunity a likely facade." --Journal of Sport History"McClearen urges scholars to move beyond dichotomous notions of visibility and to consider the cultural and material consequences of being seen. . . . Centering the well-being and lived experienced of female athletes, McClearen's Fighting Visibility provides a strong foundation on which to build a sustained critique of the relationship between media visibility and exploitation." --Media Industries"The book is a fascinating read. . . . McClearen has written a compelling history of women in the UFC, along with the trials they have faced." --Sport in American History"A scathing critique of the exploitation that defines the relationship of UFC to its women fighters, Fighting Visibility fills a hole in the study of sports. Never has this subject been explored with the depth and clarity that we have here. A necessary and groundbreaking read. It makes the point with crystal clarity: visibility and equity are not the same thing."--Dave Zirin, Sports Editor, The Nation"With an extensive bibliography, this well-researched account sheds insight into the various issues that women in sport face, and the costs of their high visibility. . . . Highly recommended." --Library Journal​"A must read for anyone interested in women, sport, and the media. Written by a quickly rising star in feminist media and communication studies, this book is a highly engaging account of the politics of women's participation and visibilities in UFC. It artfully identifies and explains important new trends in social media, branding, feminism, sport, and popular culture. Highly recommended reading!"--Holly Thorpe, author of Transnational Mobilities in Action Sport Cultures

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Book SynopsisThe surprising roots of the self-defense movement and the history of women's empowerment. At the turn of the twentieth century, women famously organized to demand greater social and political freedoms like gaining the right to vote. However, few realize that the Progressive Era also witnessed the birth of the women's self-defense movement. It is nearly impossible in today's day and age to imagine a world without the concept of women's self defense. Some women were inspired to take up boxing and jiu-jitsu for very personal reasons that ranged from protecting themselves from attacks by strangers on the street to rejecting gendered notions about feminine weakness and empowering themselves as their own protectors. Women's training in self defense was both a reflection of and a response to the broader cultural issues of the time, including the women's rights movement and the campaign for the vote. Perhaps more importantly, the discussion surrounding women's self-defense revealed powerful myTrade Review"The individual triumphs described in Her Own Hero are the sort of satisfying stories that would go hugely viral today. . . . a thorough and fascinating examination of the eruption of one important insight into public American life: Women can successfully use force against those who are assumed to be more powerful." * The New Republic *"Rouses insightful history examines the nexus of these seemingly disparate yet converging moments that serve as the birthplace of the womens self-defense movement in the United States." * American Historical Review *"Wendy L. Rouse examines the self-defense movement through an intersectional feminist lens. . . .Rouse explores boxing, jujitsu, street harassment, the suffrage movement, and domestic violence to provide historical context to the 20th-century womens movement . . .a compelling read." * Bitch Magazine *"Here is a story that seems to have been hiding in plain sight, requiring an innovative historian to tease it out of the records... Rouse's work not only expands the scholarship on gender, culture, and the empowerment of women in the early twentieth century, it also offers many lessons for our own day." * Western Historical Quarterly *"There are many pleasant surprises to be found in Her Own Hero. Rouse offers both a nuanced and intersectional assessment of self-defense within the broader social and political realities of early twentieth-century America and the explicit agendas of first-wave feminism and Progressive Era reformers… Rouse’s arguments for the inherently radical challenge raised by the bodily empowerment of women remains compelling and, especially when it comes to women facing violence in their own homes, relevant." -- Pacific Historical Review"In the cultural imagination, women's self-defense training is often traced back to the second-wave feminism of the 1960s and '70s, in which self-defense classes doubled as consciousness-raising sessions. InHer Own Hero, historian and martial artist Wendy Rouse digs deeper, locating the movement's birth in the 1910s and '20s. In this era, women across the countrymostly white and urban-dwellingtook up boxing and jiu-jitsu, with the specific purpose of warding off male attackers. White men tended to be suspicious of these lessons, and sought to frame them as needed only in response to deviants andnon-white threats . . . but the training helped kick-start conversations about genuine threatshusbands, for examplethat would resurface with force decades later." * Pacific Standard *"Martial arts turn out to be a great lens for examining increasing freedoms in a time of industrialization, urbanization, and immigration, though the book also gives a clear overview of Americas prejudices and limitations.Ahighly readable study whose historical accounts of sexism and xenophobia bear repeated discussion." * Foreword Reviews *"Her Own Hero is interesting, engaging, and makes important contributions to the scholarly literatures on the history of gender, the history of feminism, and early twentieth-century U. S. history. Wendy Rouse insightfully reconstructs the strategies that proponents of womens self-defense employed to counter assertions that self-reliant women were masculine and deviant. A terrific, influential book!" -- Jeffrey S. Adler,author of First in Violence, Deepest in Dirt: Homicide in Chicago, 1875-1920"Hatpins, yes, but also boxing gloves. Who knew that around 1900 women were signing up for lessons in jiu-jitsu and taking boxing classes? Wendy Rouse catalogues a grab bag of Progressive era thought and anxieties in favor of womens self defense training from new women rhetoric about womens physical and political emancipation to fears of white slavers, menacing male strangers, and rising Japanese cultural and political power." -- Elizabeth Pleck,Professor Emerita of History, University of Illinois, Urbana

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Book SynopsisThe presence of African influence and tradition in the Americas has long been recognized in art, music, language, agriculture, and religion. T. J. Desch Obi explores another cultural continuity that is as old as eighteenth-century slave settlements in South America and as contemporary as hip-hop culture. In this thorough survey of the history of African martial arts techniques, Obi maps the translation of numerous physical combat techniques across three continents and several centuries to illustrate how these practices evolved over time and are still recognizable in American culture today. Some of these art traditions were part of African military training while others were for self-defense and spiritual discipline.Grounded in historical and cultural anthropological methodologies, Obi's investigation traces the influence of well-delineated African traditions on long-observed but misunderstood African and African American cultural activities in North America, Brazil, and the Caribbean. He links the Brazilian martial art capoeira to reports of slave activities recorded in colonial and antebellum North America. Likewise Obi connects images of the kalenda African stick-fighting techniques to the Haitian Revolution. Throughout the study Obi examines the ties between physical mastery of these arts and changing perceptions of honor.Including forty-five illustrations, this rich history of the arrival and dissemination of African martial arts in the Atlantic world offers a new vantage for furthering our understanding of the powerful influence of enslaved populations on our collective social history.

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Book SynopsisThis book is freely available in an open access edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem)—a collaboration of the Association of American Universities, the Association of University Presses, and the Association of Research Libraries—and the generous support of Duke University. A portrait of the game of capoeira and its practice across borders.Originating in the Black Atlantic world as a fusion of dance and martial art, capoeira was a marginalized practice for much of its history.Today it is globally popular. This ethnographic memoir weaves together the history of capoeira, recent transformations in the practice, and personal insights from author Katya Wesolowski’s thirty years of experience as a capoeirista.Capoeira Connections follows Wesolowski’s journey from novice to instructor while drawing on her decades of research as an anthropologist in Brazil, Angola, Europe, and the United States. In a story of local practice and global flow, Wesolowski offers an intimate portrait of the game and what it means in people’s lives. She reveals camaraderie and conviviality in the capoeira ring as well as tensions and ruptures involving race, gender, and competing claims over how this artful play should be practiced. Capoeira brings people together and yet is never free of histories of struggle, and these too play out in the game’s encounters.In her at once clear-sighted and hopeful analysis, Wesolowski ultimately argues that capoeira offers opportunities for connection, dialogue, and collaboration in a world that is increasingly fractured. In doing so, capoeira can transform lives, create social spheres, and shape mobile futures.Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Book SynopsisKnown in the West primarily through poorly subtitled films, Chinese martial arts fiction is one of the most iconic and yet the most understudied form of modern sinophone creativity. Current scholarship on the subject is characterized by three central assumptions against which this book argues: first, that martial arts fiction is the representation of a bodily spectacle that historically originated in Hong Kong cinema; second, that the genre came into being as an escapist fantasy that provided psychological comfort to people during the height of imperialism; and third, that martial arts fiction reflects a patriotic attitude that celebrates the greatness of Chinese culture, which in turn is variously described as the China-complex, colonial modernity, essentialized identity, diasporic consciousness, anxieties about globalization, or other psychological and ideological difficulties experienced by the Chinese people.Trade ReviewStateless Subjects, by Petrus Liu, is a well-researched book that offers innovative perspectives on the compelling subject of Chinese martial arts literature of the twentieth-century. Through excellent summaries of individual texts—both film and fiction—as well as contemplative consideration of selected historical events in the socio-political milieu during which they were produced, the author's research aims to challenge both early May Fourth (negative) views of martial arts fiction and to transcend canonical analysis of the genre 'as the ideological instrument of Chinese nationalism' (2-3). Liu provides excellent background analysis of the tensions between pop fiction and May Fourth literature, and in the process brings postmodern comparative literature perspectives to bear in his 'intervention' into the dominant May Fourth literary discourse. Readers interested in interconnections between diverse sociopolitical issues such as intellectual history, feminism in martial arts film, the Cultural Revolution, the Cold War in Asia, and tensions in Taiwan/Hong Kong martial arts literary discourse will find many points of departure for further research. Especially notable are the unorthodox subjects from the martial arts literary canon addressed in the five chapters that comprise this book, including Islam, gender issues, and homosexuality. Liu should be applauded for addressing such seemingly taboo subjects in early twentieth-century literary discourse and supplying interesting readings that demonstrate a creative comparative literature approach. * MCLC Resource Center August 2013 *

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Book Synopsis"Ippon Canalla" se ha convertido en el libro de Artes Marciales más polémico y transgresor que se ha escrito hasta ahora en España. Es una obra que rompe con el típico libro de Artes Marciales, no hay verdades absolutas sino diferentes verdades, tantas como lectores tenga el libro, no hay imposiciones sino que pretende entablar un diálogo entre el autor y el lector, es un libro donde el pasado de las Artes Marciales está presente pero no es el presente, el texto te arrancara más de una sonrisa pero no por ello te apartara de la senda del autoconocimiento. Cuando termines de leerlo lo menos importante serán las opiniones del autor, porque tú ya tendrás las tuyas, en algunas coincidiréis en otras estaréis muy lejos pero tampoco eso será importante porque de ese cuestionarte sus planteamientos tú ya habrás crecido, además a pesar de que tu punto de vista y el suyo no coincidan en nada, siempre tendrán algo en común... los dos elegisteis el mismo camino. Quizás algunos lo consideren un libro transgresor, molesto, pero la verdad es que está escrito desde el más absoluto respeto por las Artes Marciales y sus practicantes, además es uno de esos libros interactivos donde el final cambia según quién lo lee.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisPain Don’t Hurt is the no-holds-barred memoir from the only professional fighter in history to return to the ring after open-heart surgery, kickboxer Mark “Fightshark” Miller—an inspiring story of family, determination, and redemption.In 2007, Mark Miller was a rising star in professional kickboxing, until a routine physical uncovered a serious condition that required open-heart surgery. The crisis helped to temporarily reunite his fractured family and made Miller more determined than ever to return to the kickboxing ring. But within a year, his parents and brother were all dead, and Miller’s fragile optimism imploded, sending him into a tailspin of drugs and alcohol.Pain Don’t Hurt is a story of incredible tenacity, dedication, and hard work—how one fierce competitor overcame repeated obstacles to realize his dreams. Miller recounts stories ranging from his childhood spent in the Steelers locker room to the s

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Fascinating . . . a highly lucid, very personal meditation on selfhood.” — NPR Books “Glistens with illuminations about courage and aging. The aim was self-transformation. Win or lose, it was mission accomplished.” — Wall Street Journal “A story of perilous becoming.” — Los Angeles Times “A book worth reading not only for those who enjoy MMA and other forms of professional fighting, but for those who are baffled as to why such a bloody sport would ever be appealing. . . . Rosenblatt’s observations about being a Jewish athlete are also quite timely.” — Salon “Rosenblatt offers much food for thought in this intellectual memoir blending sports and self-transformation.” — Library Journal “A very entertaining and informative chronicle of a quixotic journey of self-examination.” — Booklist “Over the last several years I’ve read quite a few books by thoughtful men and women about the lure of various forms of fighting. Josh Rosenblatt’s Why We Fight is much the best of this mini-genre.” — David Shields, author of The Thing About Life Is That One Day You’ll Be Dead “This is a terrific story—funny and scary and moving—as well as a thoughtful meditation on bravery, violence, pain, aging, and how getting hit in the face can change your life for the better.” — Paul Bloom, Yale University, author of Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion “‘But I was tired of myself, so I said yes.’ And thus begins Rosenblatt’s journey from chicken to beast. I loved this book mostly for its gorgeous restraint. It ain’t a macho brag but rather a piece of Old Testament prophecy. A clarion call advocating the importance of physicality.” — Chas Smith, author of Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption, and the Soul of Surfing “Erudite.” — Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisFor the student who has already mastered the basic postures, this book addresses itself to the philosophy behind the system of movements and to all the variations possible.

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Book SynopsisA complete overview of all aspects of combat, from the primitive to the cutting-edge, Immortal Combat uses Bruce Lee’s life and work as a martial artist to examine the crucial differences between the soldier and the warrior. It draws an analogy between the ambitions of the competitive, ego-driven martial sportsman, typified by the career of karate champion Joe Lewis, and the spiritual aims of the martial artist, personified by the life of Morehei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido. Bruce Lee represents the man torn between his ambitions and his art, who somehow has to reconcile the two. The book argues that the path of the martial artist is that of self-mastery and self-knowledge, while the ambition of the martial sportsman is to set himself above and apart from others. This thought-provoking read moves beyond the popular image of Bruce Lee as an action hero, placing his life and legacy in a deeper context.

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Book SynopsisIn MMA Unscripted: Behind the Scenes of America's Hottest Sport, the authors, editors, and writers for MMA Worldwide delve deep into the dramatic, awe-inspiring underpinnings of the mixed martial arts universe. The result is a revealing portrait of what happens once the cage empties and the lights darken. Within these pages, the MMA Worldwide crew has canvassed the entire sport to uncover the best stories and most-telling anecdotes about MMA personalities and events. Visit the training camps of some of the best fighters in the world, including Erik Paulson's Catch Submission Wrestling, Wanderlei Silva's home gym in Las Vegas, and Cung Le's facilities in San Jose. Get a rare personal look at some of the most intriguing personalities in the MMA World, including UFC cage announcer Bruce Buffer, former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, and Tapout magazine founder Chris "Mask" Lewis. Enjoy behind-the-scenes peeks at some of the best fight promotions in the country. This is the best way to get exclusive access to the best on- and off-camera moments of the sport.

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