5 comments about Krav Maga for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to the World's Easiest-to-Learn, Most-Effective Fitness and Fighting Program.

1. Why can't these "experts" get even the smallest details correct?
   
   This book seems like a rehash of their previous book Complete Krav Maga, which, obviously, is not so complete. In fact, the authors say as much. What they don't say is that they try to fix the mistakes and omissions from their first book - which is clearly obvious. At least they fixed the palm heel with the dangling thumb! There are still many basic mistakes in this book such as defending a choke from the front and not plucking and securing the attacker's arms immediately.
   
   A women delivers a headbutt from the mount without bulling her neck - but, more important, she can knock herself out this way because her opponent's head is flat on the ground and there is no give. It is just one of many examples of incorrect thinking and technique. The stances are also too wide exposing the groin . . .
   
   I could go on and on, but, I just don't understand how this krav maga is so far from the most up to date and effective techniques taught in Israel. Clearly, it has lost the original effectiveness of what is taught in Israel.
   
   I read every krav maga book that comes out. What strikes me the most, is they overtly included sections and techniques taken from another very popular krav maga book. I kept waiting for Krav Maga for Beginners to come out, but the authors delayed it. I guess they wanted to analyze the IKMA guy's book and cure their deficiencies. Imitation is the highest form flattery . . . but never the original quality.



2. I had the pleasure many years ago of training with Darren Levine at the Illinois State Police academy. The officers attending this six day eight hours a day instructor program were all police defensive tactics instructors. That was my first introduction in this very effective combative system. This book is an excellent guide for beginners who may be interested in learning Krav maga; however, like any psychomotor skill text, one should take lessons from a certified instructor to get the most value out of reading this book. As a lover of self-defense and combat books and videos, I have found that they work best when combined with actual hands-on training with an instructor. This book is highly recommended. Rating: 4 stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Bushi Satori Ryu-Author: Monadnock Defensive Tactics System-MDTS)



3. It's the best description of Krav Maga I ever found. It's not only for beginners but also for professionals.
   
   A book that anyone loves Krav Maga should have. It shows a step by step techniques and it is very easy for everybody to read and understand.



4. This was a great read and gives excellent direction towards starting a fitness and/or self defense program. I have reccomended this book to all of my friends and family. I am also looking forward to moving on in this series.



5. This book presents a good basic overview of Krav Maga. It's discussion on the philosophy behind the art is very useful. The intro tactics discussed are standard self defense tactics, which means they work, but nothing groundbreaking is revealed aside from the philosophy.

5 comments about Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai.

1. I was looking around for a time for a book on ethics that directly spoke to the issues of those in the professional warrior class. Why? Well for those of us in the corporate world, those that have any depth of experience that is, that there are issues of ethics popping up quite frequently.
   
   The company that you work for likely presents you with a set of values the day that you start working for them, which is OK, that is if you do not think for yourself. While those values may suffice for many, it is important to remember that it is at the end of the day your choice to believe in those stated values and follow them, it is a part of the work contract that you have with your employer.
   
   I for one, am one of those people who do think about the ramifications and consequences of what it is that I do, and what values I do follow, I have to. I am, what some call a Corporate Samurai, and have studied the subject as deeply and thoughtfully as I can. When it comes to ethics, the values of some company's managers that say that they follow these values does not match the truth of their actions. It sometimes becomes very clear that not all follow what they say they do from a values or ethics standpoint.
   
   So what happens when you find out your beloved company's values are merely words on a piece of paper, and that your manager doesn't really believe in them? What do you do? How are you really supposed to deal with the challenges of your work life?
   
   In that case, I recommend reading up on the ethics of those who had to literally take heads as a part of their code of honor.
   
   Why? They lived in harsh times, and where conduct and honor, (professionalism would be the modern day equivalent), were the measure of a man. (Women also followed the Code of the Samurai but this is not a dissertation on supporting or denigrating feminism). It was a standard of behavior, and a code of conduct that even to this day is still revered as a standard of excellence.
   
   I took my time and measured it against every other single military code of conduct that has existed through out time, and could find no equal, except in religious and spiritual texts that spoke on matters of ethics.
   
   While some advocate religious or spiritual texts for principles and guidance for their careers, and some of those are quite good, I am not knocking them. However it was clear at least to me that works for some people but not all people in all situations.
   
   Think analogously about how ethics plays out in your life and how it is measured, are they your ethics, your code of honor, or are they borrowed from your company or from somewhere else?
   
   It is your life, you do with it, as you will.
   
   Richard Platt
   (former) Intel - Global Innovation Program Manager and Senior Instructor for Innovation Methods



2. Fast delivery & up to excellence of service I have come to expect from Amazon !



3. Great Read so far I've been busy lately so I read when I have spare time but this is definitely an interesting read and explores a wide array of what it was to be a samurai and a man in ancient Japan. Great service by Amazon as always



4. This book really gives a clear picture of the minds of the Japanese nation in the old times. It reveals the depth of pride and wisdom that they had.
   
   Simply a must read....



5. The translation may be a little enigmatic at times, but the core of the material is extraordinary. As a historical document, it reflects on the ideals that defined the Samurai spirit, and laments the loss of this selfless nature.

5 comments about Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence.

1. I'd like to start my review by first saying that the book is on the crappy side of alright, not deserving of the praise that it has gotten. Honestly, half the book is of Rory going on an ego trip of his "expertise" with unnessecary pictures included. Beyond that his writing is atrocious and the terms he comes up (Monkey Dance, Group Monkey Dance, etc) are rather insulting to the reader.
   
   You can't only draw on your own experience and interpretations of violence and write a good book. The bibliography is crap. there are no sources listed nor citations and all there is is a list of books that Rory likes. It's as if Rory read On Killing, On Combat, and Sharpening the Warriors Edge and wrote a Violence for Dummies. Regurgitating others information and does not mean you own it.



2. This is a decent book for a beginner martial artist, or someone that is going into the field of law enforcement (or both).
   But as a martial artist I have read several books with the same info I got from this one and its pretty repetitive with the common sense . Basically you could get the same realist info from a Bruce Lee book .
   Something I really disagree about in this book is when he quotes that 'overwhelming aggression always defeats skill and precision'. Well, this has proven throughout history to be wrong, and even today a skilled martial artist can overcome a sloppy aggressor with skill and precision. I suppose it depends on the person as well. but to use the word "always" is just not correct.
   Also, he says that 'the first strike always gets in' .
   It doesn't ALWAYS. Some people are not on their guard , it could happen, but someone who is on their guard would be aware of their surroundings and able to sense a hit coming and quickly react. (by moving or covering, or blocking etc..).
   Anyway, I respect Miller's experience and he does offer some good insight based on his many experiences, but , that doesn't mean he is right about everything.
   Overall an ok book.



3. Hundreds of books have been produced by so called experts on self-protection who all claim to have real life experience of extreme street violence. Claiming to have had hundreds of street fights and decades of experience as door security staff; I've often thought that perhaps they may just be stretching the truth a little or they are probably the type of people to have instigated many of their own confrontations and that they are the ones to steer clear of. I spent twenty years working as a doorman in Cardiff and I can count all my violent confrontations on one hand, actually, one finger!
   
   Sgt Rory Miller on the other hand is completely different animal. Working daily in America's high security correctional facilities (prisons to us Brits), he deals with some of the most violent men on the planet every day of his working life. To steal from the blurb on the back of the book, he "teaches and designs courses in Use Of Force Policy & Police Defensive Tactics; Confrontational Simulations; and leads and trains his agency's Corrections Tactical Team." Bluntly put, when the proverbial brown stuff hits the fan, he's the man they scream for.
   
   It shows too. Miller understands and conveys the pshycology of violence in depth as well as how to deal with potentially violent and very violent people by using pshycology as well as force on force. Making use of some quite shocking imagery, he drives home the true nature of violence and violent people clearly and succinctly and blows away any delusions martial arts experts may have that their art will protect them and others without having had any real experience or at least having trained in a realsitic way.
   
   Possibly the best self-protection book ever writen. Certainly the best I've ever read.



4. Does anyone need to read review number 79 for this book? Others have already said it all, but I want to add my "five stars." This a must-read for anyone interested in martial arts, police science, self-defense, criminal psychology, etc., but it's about a great deal more than any of those things. I would say this is a must-read for anyone who has any intellectual curiosity at all, anyone who wants to try to understand a broad swath of the human experience that many of us will never--or hope to never--encounter personally.
   
   I'll tell you how much I value this book: I read it cover to cover and then two weeks later I read it cover to cover again. Since then, I've picked it up dozens of times and read a page or two. There are so many fresh, original, striking insights in it that it is impossible to absorb it all in a single reading.
   
   I've read a lot of books in this genre, but "Meditations on Violence" is unique. It has a place in my library alongside such books as Gonzales's "Deep Survival," De Becker's "Gift of Fear," Cooper's "Principals of Personal Defense," and Thompson's "Verbal Judo."



5. This is not a book of martial arts technique but more the voice of experience explaining what happens when confronted by the "unexpected" of real violence rather than the "expected" of much of todays martial arts training. For those wishing to understand from an experienced Martial Artist, who is also a long serving American prison officer, just what happens to the mind and body when confronted by real life violence then this is informative and a surprisingly easy read.

5 comments about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series).

1. This book has a nice little history about the BJJ first family and then goes thru the basics of their game. I find the longer I train the more I come back to this book to refresh on what we do on the mat.



2. This is one of the best books I've read on BJJ. The photos and descriptions make the techniques easy enough for any student of grappling to understand, whether beginner or advanced. The only annoying flaw is Kid Peligro's constant harping on how much more deadly BJJ is than the striking arts because of some flawed competitions in the past. I have been in the martial arts since 1970 and teach both Jujitsu and Karate (also boxed, and do BJJ, etc.) and I know some Okinawan Karate practitioners who could kill a BJJ champion in a fight. But since killing opponents isn't allowed in tournaments, this can never (and should never) be proven. Therefore it's time to get off the comparison kick and understand that grappling and striking have always gone hand in hand (yes grappling is present through all karate kata.) It's the tournament training in Karate, TKD, Kung Fu, etc. that lost in those matches because the competitors were not martial artists, but martial sportsmen. Great difference! Take away the "killing" aspects of an art designed to kill, and how can you then compare? If my hand can grab a gi for a choke, it can rip through a throat or gouge out an eye. And also, statistically, most fights end in 3-15 seconds, usually from sucker or kill punches, not in a grappling session. Yet, BJJ is an awesome art and not just a sport and yes, those in the striking arts should know some grappling, just as grapplers should know about striking (Bruce Lee didn't grapple much but he could fight.) Aside from this, the actual instruction of BJJ this books offers is excellent, although there might have been a bit more at the beginning about shrimping, raising hips, off balancing, etc. Just viewing Royler and Renzo Gracie doing the techniques is enough to recommend the purchase of this book. If not for the silly diatribes, it would easily rate 5 stars.



3. I am new to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This book is great because it shows BJJ for a beginner so it is not too technical. There are many pictures along with written explanations so you can see step by step how to do what is explained. It also shows you how to apply BJJ it to real world situations, much like what you will be facing against a bully (defense against a 2 handed choke, single handed wrist grab, two handed wrist grab, headlock, rear bear hug). That is just a small sampling of what this book has, it also has much much more and it has more technical techniques for more advanced skill levels. The techniques are easy to master with a little practice so you should have no problem performing them in a real world situation. I love this book and it is money well spent.



4. I ordered the book but I was not able to by it because the shipping price was wrong!



5. great book to have to review techniques I've covered in class.
   I received book from the vendor in a decent amount of time and in great shape.

5 comments about Body by Science: A Research Based Program to Get the Results You Want in 12 Minutes a Week.

1. This is an EXCELLENT book. John Little and Dr. McGuff did a fantastic job of scientifically explaining the "do's and dont's", but an even better job of defining the "why's and why not's" of exercise and how to approach a safe, efficient and effective means of stimulating the muscular and cardiovascular systems. This book will have you re-thinking your exercise program.



2. This book is absolutely essential to really understand how the human body reacts to exercise and how to improve your health by means of physical training. Awesome and revolutionary approach. A must-have!
   The book is complemented by 'The Body By Science Question and Answer Book' by Doug McGuff MD, John R Litt... The Body By Science Question and Answer Book



3. This book is a good book, if one can stomach the theory of evolution sprinkled throughout. The author often refers to our "evolutionary biology" (as if it were science) and our unique DNA as that which has "created us" as well as other falsehoods.
   
   This book does indeed get into the HIT method of training, but the constant reference to religious faith (the religion being evolution) was discouraging from a book that promised to help build our bodies by science.



4. Most of the information on exercise and nutrition that exists in the marketplace is based on belief or the experience of genetically "gifted" individuals. When someone pulls the curtain open to reveal "the ugly facts," it provides quite a shock to those who have invested so much time, emotion, and effort practicing and espousing the conventional wisdom.
   
   This book reveals those "ugly facts" and should be read by those who want to put exercise in their lives, not be their lives.



5. OK, this book has some things going for it that help set it apart from other exercise books out there. There are some decent footnotes and the main points all have some scientific backing behind them. It also gets bonus points for pointing out that super levels of fitness, low body fat, and big muscles do not actually equal high levels of health, longevity, and well-being. There is also truth to the author's assertion that there is a quality of life issue involved in the time spent working out when you could be doing other things.
   
   There are a lot of other good points, too, but they are all pretty general and common sense. For example, "The Big Five" (or "Big Three") has been exercise 101 for over a century because of one simple reason: there are really only 5 natural movements that the human body can reasonably perform with weights: Overhead pressing, pulling/pushing down with the lats, pushing out from the chest, pulling into the chest, and standing up to extend the legs. It's also been long understood that the three pillars of weight training are training, diet, and rest: if you're struggling to make gains, you should look at all three instead of just training harder, which can be potentially counterproductive. Again, this should be common sense, but it must be said nonetheless.
   
   However, for a book that's supposed to be so predicated on "science," the science that's presented is often poorly understood or perhaps even deliberately confused to support the author's own selling points and shortcomings of their training system.
   
   Example #1: There is no scientific evidence supporting "Max Contraction," just John Little's marketing. None. The authors' emphasis on doing reps very slowly and counting the time spent under stress are also scientifically dubious with mixed support in the literature.
   
   Example #2: There is no scientific evidence that says old Nautilus machines are conclusively better for fitness than free weights or other manufacturors, but the authors own a gym that specializes in this equipment so it's cited as being the ultimate in training. There is some truth to machine-based workouts being easier on certain joints, and they get bonus points in HIT because they allow you to safely go to failure without a spotter, but the authors barely reference those key points.
   
   Example #3: The studies that are cited are often sort of thrown together. Some will involve elderly or extremely out of shape clients who would have benefited greatly from the introduction of just about any physical activity. The authors point this out when the studies in question apply to aerobic exercise as a reason not to trust those studies, but fail to keep this in mind when studies on similar parameters agree with their own conclusion.
   
   Example #4: If you look up pictures of John Little and most of his clients, you'll mostly find a group of fairly average looking men with very few impressive physical specimens. You'd be hard pressed to tell if some of them work out at all, and I think most people at least want noticable gains from their gym experience. Little asserts time and again that success in sports and bodybuilding is mostly because of genetics and that less than 2.5% of men have the "genetic potential" to build large muscles. However, if you go to just about any gym with a reasonably large clientelle, you'll see several amateur bodybuilders who show that the genetics necessary for this kind of size are not so rare, if in fact they have any "special" genetics at all. Little's "12 minutes a week of max contraction" disciples tend to look absolutely puny by comparison.
   
   That's what I found most disturbing about this book: the misrepresentation of science in the book's emphasis on "genetic potential," particularly the role of genetically determined levels of myostatin as the holy grail, when it comes to building muscle. While myostatin inhibition does help produce large muscles with little bodyfat, the science simply does not say what the authors assert it does. That section is badly written, poorly researched, and misleading.
   
   For examples, the book says that professional bodybuilders refused to be tested for myostatin levels because it may harm their endorsement deals, when in fact many (such as the FREAKISH Ron Coleman, who bags millions in endorsements) were tested for a variety of genetic differences and the results usually came back that they were, in fact, fairly average. Only a couple of examples of genetic irregularities were found and those came from lesser known bodybuilders--most famously, "Flex Wheeler," who has extra muscle fibers. The science just didn't find that bodybuilders are necessarily genetic freaks when looking for the things that it expected to find.
   
   But the myostatin discussion gets worse when discussing myostatin inhibition in racing whippets (and the rare, super muscled freaks known as "bully whippets"), the authors say that "Bully whippets" win most of the races. This is the exact OPPOSITE of reality: Bully whippets are typically euthanized by breeders as puppies because they perform very poorly in races. Their added bulk slows them down and they tend to be injury prone.
   
   That gets to another point the authors overlook: high levels of myostatin inhibition is not associated with greater athletic performance. In fact, myostatin-inhibited mice have been determined, pound for pound, to have weaker muscles than typical mice and much more prone to tendon and joint injuries. Belgian cattle have major problems dealing with stress, are more injury prone, and are also weaker, pound for pound, than typical cattle. It remains to be seen how the handful of positively identified humans with the special genetics that the authors say will make them champion bodybuilders will turn out.
   
   The authors also hint that myostatin inhibiting drugs, their perceived holy grail for supplimentation, were stopped by pharmaceutical companies "for no reason," perhaps even because it may cost them sales of other suppliments, but the truth is that all the drugs that were tested were having potentially lethal effects, such as causing enlargement of the heart. Even then, a couple of myostatin inhibitors were sold as bodybuilding suppliments for a while in the 2000s, but they never caught on because they proved worthless. I don't know if any of them are on the market today.
   
   All of this casts doubts on this book's "scientific" marketing angle. If you follow the authors' advice you may become fitter and happier, as their suggestions will help you achieve and maintain a modest level of fitness, but take the authors' discussion of genetics and unusual training techniques (like "Max Contraction") with a healthy grain of salt.
   
   If you want to get in and maintain a "normal" baseline level of practical fitness with an average body type, you could do a lot worse than to do what this book says. However, if you wish to be a bodybuilder or athlete, you should look elsewhere my friends.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding: The Complete A-Z Book on Muscle Building.

1. I have to say first that I do like this book as a reference, but unless you are a competing bodybuilder, the last half of the book is useless information. It is all about pre-contest eating, posing styles, trunks, tanning, etc. But for $26 it's not a bad value. This book covers the history of working out and bodybuilding which was interesting to me, but might not be to others. It covers nutrition and has a few good recipes. It covers muscles and joints and how to work them. The section The Body You're Building has the most information for how your body works and health. The section Ready, Set, Go is the beginner section. It is short, but it covers a lot of what you need to know for starting out.
   The book is big. I mean really big and hardback. It is broken down into several smaller books with chapters. It would be of much better use had it been several paperback books bought together. Then each "book" could be used as needed. It's tough to lug it around just to read a section on routines.
   Overall it's a good reference book to have around. It is very informative, but the last half is just for body builders.



2. This book is full of good information. Everytime I opened it I see and learn something new. I think this would be a very good book to add to your the collection of bodybuilding books.



3. I added this hardcover, and given a choice, I buy hardcover instead of softcover books, adding this excellent encyclopedia to my growing bodybuilding reference library, and I am glad I did buy it, since it has alot of informative sections on health and other issues, like the aging bodybuilder which is encouraging. Other areas are a must read, I believe information listed concerning what some have resorted to in order to build muscle, I guess for the allure of money winning contests(?), is absolutely astounding, I had no idea that there are some who would damage their health and/or risk death in minutes by "using" some commonly used prescription drugs other than sterioids, I had no idea of the scope of the extent to which some have gone, considering the deaths reported from such abuses. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read it and seen pictures of grotesque malformations caused by such abuses.
   At first I was biased for big name books like the Bill Pearl books, Arnold books, among many I have, and almost passed on this sale price buy book and I am sure others may have as well, but I say to them just get this book and you will see it has a rather excellent glossary of defined terms, shocking sections on the aformentioned abuses, along with just plain ole good information even on how to lift weights.
   As for myself, I am old school on "how to" books, and I would have preferred either diagrams or several pics of start to finish on how to do lifts, like in other books, but all is explained in detail in words and a simple picture pose of what is being talked about, like if talking about long bar barbell curls, then there is a pic of someone muscular doing that in one pic, unsure if there are some who need overly simple diagrams of simple step by step to do the particular action with like four pics each, which is why this book may actually cater to those who are really into weightlifting already even though there are beginning to advanced bodybuilding sections and meant to cater to all levels of lifting, though total beginners need this book especially, even if it is just for the references of what to avoid like dangerous actions and abuse that can cause injury of muscle or joints, or disfigure, or kill either immediately or in the short term, to long term.
   I don't believe in the "if you only had to have one book, then such and such is it", since there is no such thing on any one subject, you need this book along with several or more other big ones to get the total picture, and you can even get a few used and underpriced like I did, though I bought this book on sale under $30 new, but knowing now what is inside I know it is worth the full price of $40 for sure if it were not on sale.



4. Good book with plenty of exercises and well based. The only problem is it's volume and weight, not convenient to carry to the gym.



5. The book is published in 2008, but still some information is not up to date. For example the chapter on DOMS, the author seems to have completely missed the article "Re-evaluation of exercise-induced muscle soreness: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study" from 2003.

5 comments about Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat.

1. This is a great great book! You won't be able to put it down!!! A True Warrior heart talking on and teaching how to become a True Warrior both in life and in the ring! Not only that but funny as all hell! Forrest is a real character! This book also comes loaded with great excerpt commentaries from other fighters and characters! Man it's been a while since I've read a book, an entertaining book and an instructional/teaching book like this! The fight skills teaching and knowledge's are very informative and educational as well! Forrest I don't give a hoot if you can or can't pound me because if you don't write part 2 and 3 very soon I'm going to have to become a dog and come gnawing and biting at your ankles until you do! Many need to learn how to develop that True Warriors heart mate!! Keep being a legend!!!



2. More of a "laugh your ass off" book than a book about MMA. Check it out for a fun read.



3. This book will keeping laughing from cover to cover... At the same time you will truly learn why Forrest is such an amazing fighter and the true Heart he has... Great book... stop reading this and buy it... you wont regret!



4. This is by far the most hilarious "biography" (it's more a series of ramblings) that I've ever read. I haven't read a book "for fun" in over a year (I've read numerous text books) and forgot how great it could be. Get this book, you will not regret it.



5. This book turned out to be one of the funniest I have read. He has had enough life experiences to write a very entertaining book, kept me laughing all the way through. A very likable fighter.

5 comments about Jiu-Jitsu University.

1. Saulo has done a great job in creating a book that makes sense in how it is presented. Unlike other jiu-jitsu books that just put random moves together page after page, Saulo starts with survival positions- then moves to escapes and so on. If you are tired about reading of escapes, just flip ahead a bit in the book and read about different submission techniques. There are many different pictures depicting the moves as seen from various angles and he also goes into common mistakes that people make while in certain positions or when trying a particular technique. I have many jiu-jitsu books and this is by far my favorite, I highly recommend!



2. This book is a very comprehensive review of BJJ techniques, that I, as a beginner, have found immensely beneficial. I highly recommend it as a useful resource and quite possibly the best book on the subject.



3. I am new to this sport but this book is helping me a great deal. The pictures are excellent. The techniques that are taught are awesome. I would have liked a little more discussions about theory but what this books lacks in theory it more than makes up for in technique. Get this book and you will learn this sport like crazy.



4. Basically, what we have here is a book which is well presented, full of information and certainly useful....if you compete on the mat and/or are only interested in improving your ground game. What I mean is, as per the trend I have noticed since the UFC explosion, many "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" books and DVDs seem to mainly focus on the idea of merely supplementing ones current arsenal [generally focusing on the ground aspects...more often with emphasis on competition] vs. treating this form of Jiu-Jitsu for what it was truly meant to be: a complete, practical, "real world" self-defense system as originated by none other than Helio Gracie himself.
   
   It is interesting that Saulo Ribeiro is one of the "most talented" black belts to graduate from the Gracie Academy, yet this book seems to leave out much information critical to pure self-defense. Where are the techniques discussing "closing the gap," establishing control and then commencing with the take-down? Where are the techniques allowing one to establish standing control (via various submissions/locks)? Where are the techniques dealing with an armed opponent? Again, all of this is missing and only the ground game is detailed.
   
   I am of the mind that being able to put a larger, stronger and possibly very violent opponent (with or without a weapon) to the ground is of utmost importance. Without this, the ground game is useless. It is only when you have successfully nullified the initial attack, gained control and taken the "opponent" to the ground that you can truly begin the ground aspect of the art. Again, this very important process is not demonstrated within the pages of this particular book.
   
   After all is said and done, I can only give this book 4 stars. Yes, it is certainly a great reference for the ground aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and definitely enlightening. However, the lack of transitioning from standing to ground and the lack of any real focus on self-defense techniques is disappointing. A book labeled "Jiu-Jitsu University," authored by such a respected individual, should have much broader application. Alas, it does not.



5. I've read thru the first 3 belt levels and i have to say the most important/helpful chapter was the white belt chapter. This chapter focuses on defense. Seems like most BJJ schools focus on learning submission techniques and escaping bad situations but they don't tell you much about defense. You learn defense with bits of information told here and there. The defensive chapter in this book, however, offers some solid advice. It has helped my defensive game alot and the defensive solutions are simple. I will comment more in the future as i start more intensive rereading of the blue belt chapter.

5 comments about The Book of Five Rings.

1. The title says it all, it provides better insite on battle field tactics and focuses more on the individual than the whole.



2. Thanks for the fast shipping and perfect condition of the book. Would buy from this seller again...and again.
   
   LM



3. the book was way small and i forgot it by my boy jordan's house while on vacation in redondo beach ca.



4. Miyamoto Musashi was renowned as a self-taught, undefeated masterless Samurai (Ronin) in Japan in the early 1600s. To this day he is considered a national hero to the Japanese, a kind of Robin Hood-like figure. It's said he killed his first opponent at age 13. He fought all comers until age 29, when he turned to teaching his techniques to students. At age 60, Musashi retired to a Zen monastery where he wrote his unpolished but insightful guide to living, THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS.
   
   Like Sun Tzu's THE ART OF WAR and Machiavelli's THE PRINCE, THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS has been seized upon by the shark-eating man population as a life's little instruction book on how to get the drop on your competitors, and there is that side to it. But like Sun Tzu and Machiavelli, Mushashi's lesson really is more about how a well-prepared warrior need not engage in violent, self-injurious combat to overcome his adversaries.
   
   This edition also contains THE BOOK OF FAMILY TRADITIONS ON THE ART OF WAR written by Yagyu Munenori, a contemporary of Mushashi's. But where Mushashi was unlettered, rustic, masterless and entirely self-made, Munenori was the Shogun's tutor and head of the Imperial Secret Police, the quintessential insider.
   
   It is fascinating to compare and contrast the writing styles, lessons and conclusions of the two men, so far apart socially, who are not so far apart in thought as might be imagined.



5. The grammar and english is not that great. I'm not saying that my grammar and english is superb, but the language in this published book can be hard to follow. Perhaps, a very literal translation of The Book of Five Rings could be improved. Some of the sentences, you have to pause extra long to reflect on.
   
   The idea of this book basically describes the way to achieve success. It applies ruthlessness and advocates that in order to achieve a goal, your mind must be put in a certain mindset. You must focus all your energy to achieve the thing you are looking for. I think the samurai and his sword can be used as a metaphor for any life goal.
   
   My jujitsu instructor made me read this as part of required reading material. I think it was very interesting, despite the grammar and outlandish sentence structure.

5 comments about Drill to Win: 12 Months to Better Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu.

1. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS YET???????!!!!!!! BEEN OVER A WEEK AFTER THE DATE GIVEN BY AMAZON THAT I WAS DUE TO RECEIVE IT



2. I can't give this book a 5 star review because I haven't put in the year of drilling to give it justice to the system.
   
   There are things I like about the book and things I love about it. The introduction to the book was definatly worth the read. Reading of the struggle to championships is always something great to put things in perspective. By the way read about Yoddecha Sityodtong to hear a truly remarkable story
   
   Then came the "diet of a champion" portion of the book. The diet is ok I wasn't too crazy about it to be honest but I think it's something that really just works well for him. To say diet of champion is a big statement and for me being studying in sports nutrition and fitness for a while I don't think it was that great. However I really appreciate more about how he spoke about being disciplined about eating the right things over the wrong.
   
   Now the meat and potato's. The Drills...
   
   The drills were all great some old some new. The thing to appreciate more then the drills themselves in the book are the outline to tells you train them in. the first part of the book helps you build fundamental balance and strength that will carry on as you continue to not only use the book's program but it will definatly help anyone's game. Especially people that may have traveled alot and haven't trained at one place for long(ME). I'd have to say I agree with other people who say it should have a DVD. For me personally I don't think it needs one but I'm speaking from already having BJJ experience. Some new guys may not be able to understand the movements as well.
   
   The most important thing about this book is that you have take in all in and read EVERYTHING. The mental approach and insight he gives you is something truly invaluable. Galvao is all about hard training but he made sure to encourage resting and having fun without the use of drugs or alcohol.
   
   All in all I think it's worth having.
   
   "The man who closes his mind to knowledge is a fool"- Renzo Gracie



3. After going through the book religiously for the past 2 weeks I must agree that the drills in the book will most definitely improve your game, not just the technique aspects of it but also your level of fitness. This book is really exhaustive, I am impress with the amount of content and areas of BJJ that is covered! A MUST have for all BJJ practitioners.
   
   On the flip side, I would also have to agree with some of the reviewers in that some of the drills shown may be confusing to someone who is new to BJJ. I guess because there's just so much info in this book a lot of the drills are not explained very clearly (I'm comparing it to some of the Gracie and Penn books). And although the pictures are coloured and clear they should of used some indicators like arrows or circles to outline minor but crucial areas to focus on; or even enlarge a part of an image. With that said some of the images may also be a little too small. Yeah, a DVD (or a website to see videos of the drills) would definitely help... especially to prevent any injuries by performing the techniques wrongly.
   
   Condition of the book: I was very upset when I got my copy. First of all the alignment of the book was way off! The last letter to the right of the first 20 or so pages have been partially sliced through. Not only that, the corners of the book looked like someone threw the book against the wall. I can't believed I paid full price!
   
   So to end this review, I would say that the layout of the book receives 4 of 5 stars (amount of content = 5 stars!); but because of how bad the condition of the book was (I'm very upset with the QC of printing/binding company who put this book together) I'd have to reduce the rating to 3 stars... sorry. Nevertheless, it is an awesome book!!
   
   Thank you Andre Galvao and Kevin Howell!



4. There have been dozens of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu manuals, many by legends of the sport, but Drill to Win: 12 Months to Better Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu by Andre Galvao with Kevin Howell, is a unique and valuable addition to the canon.
   
   Where most jiu jitsu manuals focus on presenting a dizzying array of techniques, Galvao's book focuses on practical drills that will help the diligent reader master the movements involved jiu jitsu and dramatically improve their competition game.
   
   Galvao is a highly decorated grappler with multiple World Jiu-Jitsu Championships and IBJJF Pan American Championships as well as a third place prize from the ADCC World Championships.
   
   In the introduction to the book Galvao describes his effort intensive approach to jiu jitsu and the way he, an athlete of limited natural gifts, outworked and surpassed many more talented training partners.
   
   Howell is the co-author of Saulo Ribeiro's Jiu Jitsu University, which judging by its amazing sales on Amazon seems to have become THE standard jiu jitsu instructional book. Drill to Win is the perfect complement to Jiu Jitsu University with its plethora of drills for each stage of your jiu jitsu game.
   
   Galvao and Howell cover diet, balance and strength drills, breakfalls, grip fighting drills, takedown drills (both wrestling and judo), guard pulling, basic escapes, guard passes, top position drills, two chapters worth of guard drills (including exotic positions like x-guard, spider guard and de la riva guard), and a great chapter on transitioning drills that will allow the diligent student to transform themselves into a very dangerous jiu jitsu player able to string together combination attacks.
   
   Visually the book is amazing, graphic artist Kathy Howell has outdone herself as every move is illustrated with a series of photographs of Galvao and training partner Marcel Louzado moving through each sequence of events step by step. I can't describe it adequately other than to say that it looks more like animation on the page than a bunch of still photos. She's cropped out the backgrounds, leaving just the figures moving through space. The most complicated moves are illustrated by as many as two dozen photographs, yet the pages never look busy and are always clear and easy to follow.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who is seriously looking to dramatically improve their jiu jitsu game. Galvao and Howell have supplied the step by step instructions and drills, you'll have to provide the hard work.



5. This book is a treasure trove of drills for improving your BJJ! The book is divided up into months, with each month and each week within it having a theme. This makes it easy to search through the contents for drills to work on your own weaknesses, or to follow the one year schedule as intended by the author. The drills cover topics such as:
   
   1. General strength
   2. Balance
   3. Gymnastic ability
   4. Breakfalls/Sprawls
   5. Grips
   6. Throws/Takedowns
   7. Escapes
   8. Guard passing
   9. Top position control
   10.Guard control/sweeps
   
   Although there is a wealth of partner drills, there are also plenty of solo drills. This book superbly fills the gap left by so many BJJ instructional videos; namely making key movements second nature and erasing bad habits. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming better at BJJ and highly recommend it to those who are studying on their own and don't have a school where (some) of these drills would be introduced.