OP
OP
Okay I received my copy of Unarmed Fighting Techniques Of The Samurai yesterday. I will be doing a comprehensive review on my Blog in the next few days.
Unarmed Fighting Techniques of The Samurai!
- Thread starter Brian R. VanCise
- Start date
Dale Seago
Black Belt
Okay I received my copy of Unarmed Fighting Techniques Of The Samurai yesterday. I will be doing a comprehensive review on my Blog in the next few days.
I think it's great. Mine came 2 days ago -- earlier than expected, and just in time to get it autocalligraphed at Hombu this weekend.
Obi Wan Shinobi
Green Belt
I have mine too and I'm not disappointed in the least.
I don't have a copy but I thumbed thru my instructor's copy this week before training, and it looks like something well worth having.
OP
OP
As promised here is my review on The Instinctive Edge:
http://brianvancise.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/unarmed-fighting-techniques-of-the-samurai/
http://brianvancise.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/unarmed-fighting-techniques-of-the-samurai/
I sat down and browsed through this at the bookstore recently. As someone who doesn't practice a JMA but who enjoyed several of Mr. Hatsumi's previous books, esp. the stickfighting ones, I found it very disappointing. It uses stock photos from many periods of his life, not to illustrate the techniques but just as images (indeed, many of the pictures show him using weapons, contrary to the title); it has interesting artwork but again it isn't directly relevant to the text; it has some philosophizing and long lists of the techniques of various ryu, followed by very brief descriptions ("Do A, then do B"). I can see where it would be a useful resource to a practitioner but the title is misleading. It's a partial Bujinkan syllabus, mixed with random thoughts and even more random photos. It's for enthusiasts only.
I could see that... the book probably isn't much use to an outsider... other than it looking pretty.
Yep, IMHO, I think that's intentional... sorta a guide for us, but not meant to TEACH the techniques/Kata listed there. Like any other training aid, some folk will find it useful, some will not...
It is indeed fun to look through! But for a book that I found in Books-A-Million in the Martial Arts section with such a generic title, I do think it's a bit misleading not to have it more clearly indicated that it's intended for BBT practitioners and isn't truly a book on "Unarmed Fighting Techniques of The Samurai" for those interested in the same. Even taken not as a technique-teaching book, it still doesn't live up to the title in my opinion.
That having been said, I'd like to have such a specific guide for my own art from our late grandmaster!
That having been said, I'd like to have such a specific guide for my own art from our late grandmaster!
Obi Wan Shinobi
Green Belt
I was pleasantly surprised with the comment Soke made on Judo in the end photo of the book. This to me will be a great reference book on the Schools featured in the book. It'll be right next to my Ten Chi Jin.
I noticed that too! It was a nice thing for him to comment so well on another art in his own book.
