Tales Of Okinawa S Great Masters

Now available for the first time in English, Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, the late Shoshin Nagamine's groundbreaking work, recounts the legacy and life histories of Okinawa's greatest martial artists. In addition to profiles of the legendary tegumi wrestlers, Nagamine-sensei features many of the world's great karate masters, including the founder of the core styles from which modern karate sprang. Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters corrects historical inaccuracies surrounding Okinawan martial arts and brings alive the greatest of the great masters. In this seminal martial arts history and biography, Nagamine-sensei presents the martial legacy of the Okinawan people and, to complement and emphasize what is of greatest importance in these tales and life histories, concludes with detailed instructions for the practice of zazen (sitting meditation). Already a classic in the Japanese edition, Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters is a must-read for all karate and tegumi enthusiasts, practitioners and researchers alike.

Reveals the origins and purpose of the art of shotokan. This book describes how karate was invented by the world's only unarmed bodyguards to protect the world's only unarmed king, the king of Okinawa, against Americans.

What would you like to obtain from your research and practice of an Okinawan martial art? For an academic, it would be to obtain historical and cultural facts and details. For a practitioner, it would be to gain expertise in the combative skills. If you’re interested in both, this three-volume anthology (paperback) is assembled for your convenience to facilitate your endeavors. These volumes assemble a wealth of material originally published during the two decades when the Journal of Asian Martial Arts was in print. Hundreds of pages and photographs present the richness of Okinawan martial traditions, from the original combatives to those influenced by Chinese and mainland Japanese martial art styles. The variety of topics shown in the table of contents indicate the depth and breath in the chapters, along with the authors who are well-known for their meticulous research and practical skills in specific arts. These three volumes dive deep into the history and culture of Okinawan martial arts. You’ll find coverage of the actual artifacts—the material culture related to weaponry and training methods. Instructions from the masters details both open-hand techniques as well as with weapons. The chapters offer insights into the lives of many masters over the past few centuries, giving the raison d’être for these unique fighting arts—their reason for being. Many streams of arts have contributed to the martial traditions found on the small island: Naha-te, Shuri-te, Fukien White Crane, Shorin, Goju, Motobu, Shotokan, Isshin, Kyokushin, Pwang Gai Noon, Shito, Uechi, and the list continues… “Along with the various styles come the associated training methods, such as conditioning exercises with weights and creatively designed apparatus, such as the punching post (makiwara), or stone lever and stone padlockshaped weights. Some become battle-hardened by active and passive breaking of objects (tameshiwari), including wooden boards, baseball bats, rocks, and ice. The extensive use of weaponry is found in many Okinawan styles, often associated with their farming and fishing occupations. Such a blend of history and culture make the Okinawan fighting traditions a fascinating field of study. Besides being such vital sources of information, these three volumes will prove enjoyable reading and permanent at-hand reference sources in your library.

When it comes to martial traditions, Dr. Robert Dohrenwend exemplifies a rare breed of scholar-warrior. You will find four chapters in this book devoted to weapons that have had enormous impact on world civilizations: the sling, sai, walking stick, and spear. With the spear and sling, we traverse millennia of human involvement with weapon innovation for hunting and warfare. These represent our primal roots. They are still with us today. The walking stick is normally seen as a practical device made to assist in walking and hiking. As a weapon, there’s much more to a cane than meets the eye. For civilian self-defense, it is convenient and effective. Many are familiar with the Okinawan sai, but may be unaware that the weapon exists in other geographic areas as well. We have some solid references for the sai, including written and oral records, plus material artifacts. In each chapter Dr. Dohrenwend utilizes his academic research and practical experience to give the most complete overview of the weapons. This includes not only their history, but other aspects such as their purpose, design, effectiveness, cost of production, and uses in military and civilian settings. There is much to absorb: scientific data and analyses, fighting techniques, stories, and some humor.

WARRIOR ORIGINS is an account of the history and legends of the world’s prominent martial arts and how they share a common heritage. It chronicles the origins of the Shaolin warrior monks, Shaolin Kung-Fu and their celebrated founder, Bodhidharma, who is also considered the first patriarch of Zen (Chan) Buddhism. The book considers Bodhidharma’s origins in the context of ancient Persia and its royal houses and continues with the rise of Karate from ancient Okinawan roots to Japan and then into a global sport. It connects the record of Ninja and Ninjutsu and the influence of some of its latter luminaries, including Seiko Fujita, whilst also revealing new evidence on renowned martial artists such as Bruce Lee.This work takes a dramatically original approach to the heart of the martial arts and their founders. Author Dr Hutan Ashrafian, who holds black belt grades in several martial art styles, including a 5th Dan in Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate and championship medals in Karate and Judo at World and European Masters level, delineates the inheritance of these arts using innovative evolutionaryapproaches to find previously unidentified links between them. Warrior Origins traces the pattern from Bodhidharma to the remarkable diversity of modern martial arts.

Throughout the ages, cunning and brave heroes have reached deep inside themselves to find the strength to triumph over long odds. Aspiring black belts will love this action-packed collection of twenty-six stories about the great heroes of the martial arts and their many paths to victory. The stories include the tales of: The legendary Bruce Lee--Kung Fu master and greatest martial artist of his time Miyamoto Musashi--the "greatest swordsman in history" and the author of the Book of Five Rings Jackie Chan--a dyslexic boy, abandoned at age seven who grew up to be a martial arts film star Mu-lan--the brave daughter who went to battle for the good of her family These exciting tales of thrilling fights and wily strategies span the wide world of martial arts--from Aikido, Karate, Kung Fu, Sumo, and Jujitsu to Brazilian Capoeira, Israeli Krav Maga, Korean Tae-kwon-do, Japanese Kyudo, and Thailand's Muay Thai, even the Zen-focused tea ceremony which teaches the discipline martial artists require to succeed. Filled with incredible action and amazing feats of daring and skill, Legends of the Martial Arts Masters will inspire readers of all ages with stories of courage, endurance and self-discovery.

Martial arts, once restricted to a few specific locations and practiced by small groups of devotees, have truly spread throughout the world. The plethora of tae kwando and karate dojos in U.S. shopping malls attests to the popularity of various kinds of martial arts in this country. Though generally perceived and advertised as means of self-defense, body sculpting, and self-discipline, martial arts are actually social tools that respond to altered physical, social, and psychological environments. This book examines how practitioners have responded to stimuli such as feminism, globalism, imperialism, militarism, nationalism, slavery, and the commercialization of sport. In a series of chapters devoted to Asian, African, and European systems of the late 19th to early 21st centuries, the authors examine the forces and philosophies that shaped fighting arts in diverse cultural settings. Because of political, social, and economic factors, this period witnessed the spread of martial arts to areas outside of their original contexts. Some of these arts flourished in their new environments, but others did not. The authors demonstrate that martial arts are not the conservative strongholds of tradition posited by conventional wisdom, but are instead responsive and mutable barometers of change. This book is essential for students of multicultural dialogues and devotees of martial arts performance and practice.