# Martial Arts 'theory' books



## ChingChuan (May 17, 2007)

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to find books that are rather about the 'theory' of Martial Arts than 'how to do it yourself'. I've looked in the recommendations thread but I thought it'd be better if I opened a seperate thread .

I'm particulary interested in, well, the history of different MA , what kind of techniques / weapons originated from where, differences between styles etc, the evolution of MA's etc. At the moment, I own four books on MA's but they are all the 'do it yourself kind' so there are at most ten pages with suitable information. I just want a nice fat book about martial arts that you can sit down with and read all night and then read it again and again ;-). All those pictures about movements in the books that I own are really confusing .

I'm not really interested in MA philosophy & spirituality, it's just that I want to learn more about MAs but apparently in the Netherlands they don't sell that kind of books. Yes, I'd almost forget that - I hope that you'll recommend some books that can either be ordered from Amazon.com or bought in a British bookstore (I'll go to London next week )

So, I hope you can help me .

EDIT: If someone knows a book about Pencak Silat that contains more text than pictures, it'd also be nice


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## Xue Sheng (May 17, 2007)

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


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## SFC JeffJ (May 17, 2007)

You might give "Aikio and the Dynamic Sphere a try.


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## exile (May 17, 2007)

I would definitely check out Iain Abernethy's _Bunkai Jutsu: the Practical Applications of Karate Kata_. In spite of the title, the book really is about the relationships between the way the human body moves in response to incoming movements of an attack, the way in which attack and defense are related, and other `higher-order' issuesand how a correct reading of kata, requiring a deeper understanding of the relationship between kata _movements_ and the combat _moves_ they encode, shows how kata embody these relationships in the context of a real fight (not sparring, but an unsought violent attack by an untrained but dangerous assailant) . The book is available from Amazon, but apparently the demand consistently outstrips the supply, so you have to wait a bit longer than usual to get it; but it's eminently worth the wait.


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## RyuKyuBushi (May 18, 2007)

*The Book of Martial Power (Hardcover) *
by Steven J. Pearlman (Author) 

Amazon.com

The best Martial Theory book I have ever seen...and trust me ....I have seen many!


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## stone_dragone (May 18, 2007)

RyuKyuBushi said:


> *The Book of Martial Power (Hardcover) *
> by Steven J. Pearlman (Author)
> 
> Amazon.com
> ...


 
I concur with the recommendation.  I have a review on it posted here: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43880&highlight=Book+Martial+Power 

It's in post #4.


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## kidswarrior (May 18, 2007)

exile said:


> I would definitely check out Iain Abernethy's _Bunkai Jutsu: the Practical Applications of Karate Kata_. In spite of the title, the book really is about the relationships between the way the human body moves in response to incoming movements of an attack, the way in which attack and defense are related, and other `higher-order' issuesand how a correct reading of kata, requiring a deeper understanding of the relationship between kata _movements_ and the combat _moves_ they encode, shows how kata embody these relationships in the context of a real fight (not sparring, but an unsought violent attack by an untrained but dangerous assailant) . The book is available from Amazon, but apparently the demand consistently outstrips the supply, so you have to wait a bit longer than usual to get it; but it's eminently worth the wait.



I'll second Exile on this one. Abernethy gives plenty of meat, and the photos he does use are thought provoking (or you could skip them, up to you :ultracool).

Also, _Karate, The Japanese Way_ by Mark Groenewold sounds like it matches the description of what you're looking for. Author has lived and studied in Japan a number of years, and it includes theory, general application, and his fairly interesting personal experiences. A good 'manual' for getting started and referencing over and over. He had a website at one time where you could order. Haven't checked Amazon.com.


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## exile (May 18, 2007)

kidswarrior said:


> Also, _Karate, The Japanese Way_ by Mark Groenewold sounds like it matches the description of what you're looking for. Author has lived and studied in Japan a number of years, and it includes theory, general application, and his fairly interesting personal experiences. A good 'manual' for getting started and referencing over and over. He had a website at one time where you could order. Haven't checked Amazon.com.



Thanks for that tip, KWI could be very interested in a book along those lines. Sigh... I'm beginning to get the sense that I'm keeping Amazon in business single-handed.

You knowthis is a little off-topic, but it seems relevant somehowI'd really much rather spend my $$-allotment (= `a+lot +ment', and boy, is it ever!) on MA books at my local MA store, but those places almost never seem to have a good selectionit's like, they have a few cheaply produced, decades-old things where the guys in the photos have shoulder-length hair and in some of the SD-app photos are wearing bell-bottomsthat tells you what vintage the books are). You pretty much _have_ to buy stuff from Amazon or Barnes & Noble (which latter I despisethey basically destroyed the retail bookstore scene in NYC, and then metastasized from there). It would be so truly fine if we could actually buy some of these books at the same places where we buy our breaking boards and gis and doboks and focus mitts... my understanding is, they would get the same publisher's discount that the big chain bookstores get, as long as they're in the retail trade. And I can't be the only one who feels that way. As it is, though, Amazon is gonna be racking up another $20-40 from me on the Groenewold book that I'm much rather put in the hands of Central Ohio Martial Arts, five minutes drive away down High Street...


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## CoryKS (May 18, 2007)

*RyuKyuBushi*, *Stone_Dragone*, thanks for the Pearlman recommendation.  I'd been considering picking it up, but hadn't made up my mind.


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## MarkBarlow (May 18, 2007)

JUJUTSU: LEGACY OF THE SAMURAI has quite a bit on the theory and philosophy of traditional and tradition-based Jujutsu.  It's gotten very decent reviews, even if the author is kind of annoying and his wife thinks he has a warped sense of humor.  You can order it on amazon.com or from books-a-million.


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## ChingChuan (May 18, 2007)

Thanks everyone


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## kidswarrior (May 18, 2007)

exile said:


> Thanks for that tip, KWI could be very interested in a book along those lines.


 Always glad when something I say is helpful. :asian: 





> Sigh... I'm beginning to get the sense that I'm keeping Amazon in business single-handed.


 Probably feels like it, Ex, but I'm pretty sure I'm neck 'n neck with you in supporting Amazon--they get about half my check every month.  (But they still carry my books, so I guess that's minute consolation).



> You knowthis is a little off-topic, but it seems relevant somehowI'd really much rather spend my $$-allotment (= `a+lot +ment', and boy, is it ever!) on MA books at my local MA store, but those places almost never seem to have a good selectionit's like, they have a few cheaply produced, decades-old things where the guys in the photos have shoulder-length hair and in some of the SD-app photos are wearing bell-bottomsthat tells you what vintage the books are). You pretty much _have_ to buy stuff from Amazon or Barnes & Noble (which latter I despisethey basically destroyed the retail bookstore scene in NYC, and then metastasized from there). It would be so truly fine if we could actually buy some of these books at the same places where we buy our breaking boards and gis and doboks and focus mitts... my understanding is, they would get the same publisher's discount that the big chain bookstores get, as long as they're in the retail trade. And I can't be the only one who feels that way. As it is, though, Amazon is gonna be racking up another $20-40 from me on the Groenewold book that I'm much rather put in the hands of Central Ohio Martial Arts, five minutes drive away down High Street...


 
Know what you mean. I actually just stopped fighting it a few years ago and order everything (kicking shields, focus mitts, BOB, belts--whole shebang) on line. Want to support the local community, but too many small places that I'd get attached to seemed to come and go overnight.


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