# Book spending spree



## RobinTKD (May 28, 2011)

so just bought off amazon:

Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams

Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo by Richard Chun

Keinosuke Enoeda- Tiger Of Shotokan Karate by Rod Butler

any others i should consider?


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## Doomx2001 (May 28, 2011)

Well, you seem really into the striking arts, so based on that I would recommend:

1).* Shotokan Karate- Kihon-kumite-kata: by Joachim Grupp * 
    The book is really good introduction into okinawan/shotokan karate history, it lists all of the stances, basic blocks and kicks, also, it has three or four katas. All pictures are photos, and not drawings. I don't take Karate, but I can imagine this would be a great refrence tool for karate/taekwondo people. I enjoyed the book.

2.) *Striking Thoughts- Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living*
     This handy little book is filled with nothing but the philosophical writings of Bruce Lee. As cheesy as it may sound, the book has had an impact on my life in a positive way. It will get you 'thinking', which not many martial artists these days are prone to do. And for that alone, the book is priceless. 

3). *Hwarang Do Volume 2 - Joo Bang Lee* 
        Although Hwarang Do has more in common with Hapkido than it does TaekwonDo, I think you will find this book a really good read/reference material for future use. I wasn't expecting much when I ordered it, but I was plesantly surprised. It has a really good history section on Korean martial arts that I can be verified for the most part (600AD and up), until it gets to the 1960's. The numerous photographs in the book would make a great reference/experimenting tool for Hapkido/Kuk Sool/Hwarang Do people. Good book.

Thats all I can think of right now. I hope you find some stuff worth checking out.


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## puunui (May 28, 2011)

RobinTKD said:


> any others i should consider?




Depends on what your interest is. What topics are you looking for?


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## RobinTKD (May 28, 2011)

Doomx2001 said:


> Well, you seem really into the striking arts, so based on that I would recommend:
> 
> 1).* Shotokan Karate- Kihon-kumite-kata: by Joachim Grupp *
> The book is really good introduction into okinawan/shotokan karate history, it lists all of the stances, basic blocks and kicks, also, it has three or four katas. All pictures are photos, and not drawings. I don't take Karate, but I can imagine this would be a great refrence tool for karate/taekwondo people. I enjoyed the book.
> ...



Thanks for the list, I'll definitely be checking them out! It's hard to imagine modern martial arts without Bruce Lee's influence, so the fact that i lack any books by/about him shows a glaring hole in my collection.


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## RobinTKD (May 28, 2011)

puunui said:


> Depends on what your interest is. What topics are you looking for?



Mostly about the roots of TKD, books on the Five Kwans, the influence form Japanese Martial Arts, maybe some reference books on the 'classic' forms. I've watched a few of the old Moo Duk Kwan forms on youtube, and i can see similarities between what they did and what we study in ITF TKD, it's interesting to see that when they do a front stance leading hand punch, their bodies are half facing (i assume for reach) where as we are always taught to be full facing with the shoulders square (for power).


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## rlobrecht (May 29, 2011)

The first page of this thread has a few suggestions.


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