Book Description
THE SWORDSMANS' COMPANION is a superb introduction to a modern system of self-defense based on the Italian medieval masters Fiore dei Liberi and Filippo Vadi.
Intended for the beginner, the book approaches the art of swordsmanship from the perspective of a martial art, building the student's confidence through many drills, exercises, and explanations.
Guy Windsor, founder and director of The School For European Swordsmanship, Helsinki, brings his extensive experience to bear in creating was is surely the first modern treatise based on the medieval Italian treatises. The swordsmanship he offers is elegant and flashy, but it is also rooted in firm basics that include unarmoured wrestling techniques and throws.
Customer Reviews:
Well Written.......2007-07-29
The broadsword in s good place to start for anyone interested in learning Historic Swordsmanship. This book is well written for those who want to learn the basics. I personally found many new drills and new ways to teach my students.
Personally I have been in the martial arts for over 20 years and have been doing Western Martial Arts for about 8 and I really liked this book. It is always good to return to the basics and make sure they are solid.
I would recomend this book to anyone who is starting or thinking about getting into Historic Swordsmanship, also and well equiped sword library should have this book.
Most illuminating.......2007-03-11
Although I read this a few years ago, it remains for me the best book on the subject of swordplay that I've ever picked up. Although I may disagree with some of his interpretations (and that may simply be the result of his models handling blades too long to accurately demonstrate some of Fiore's guards), his decriptions of the fundamental principles of swordfighting are both elegant and insightful. This book was a pivotal experience in the evolution of my understanding of medieval swordplay.
Finalmente ............2006-11-14
When I saw this book advertised on Amazon, I said to myself...oh no!!! not another one of those books written by these whackos who think they can swordfight, just because they played with metal bars in their backyard !!!! Then as I looked through it I said .....Finalmente ....Finally....a well researched book written by an intelligent man who has studied the period manuals and presented his theory on the subject!! What is great about Guy Windsor is that even on his discussion forum he admits that he is learning everyday, and that he feels no shame in changing something that he might be wrong on. Great book written by a great author !!! If you want to learn to fight with the Longsword by this book !!!!!!
Excellent.......2005-03-29
As a long-time researcher and historical fencer, I can say that this is simply the best non-monographical book on the longsword out there. Guy Windsor is a first-rate teacher, and this comes across plainly in his writing and in the organization of this book.
The book provides enough historical material to demonstrate where the original concepts and techniques can be found, then expands into clearly-defined lessons from a teacher with considerable experience. Many of the common mistakes are identified and advice is given on how to avoid them or correct them. Actions are explained in terms of martial soundness and correct body-mechanics. Illustrations are numerous, clear and relevant.
Furthermore, Guy's writing style is dynamic and interesting, making the Companion a good read as well as a useful training tool.
A high-quality, informative and well-written book that I heartily recommend to all serious students of the late-Medieval sword-arts.
A great book for those who want to learn real swordsmanship.......2005-02-21
I just got my copy of this book, and I am suitably impressed. This book is mainly based on the Italian masters, notably Fiore di Liberi's work. And as such, the terms given here for the guards and cuts are in italian. Initially described in english as well, but italian after that. Now, this may be confusing for those who are beginners or non-italian speakers. More on this in a minute.
I like the fact that this book contains plenty of one and two person exercises to work through, illustrated with actual photos that are clear and easy to follow. This book also includes warm ups that should be done before practice begins, and some great exercises on body mechanics. You may wonder what being able to keep your balance on one foot has to do with swordsmanship, especially doing this with your eyes closed (Harder than it sounds!). Nothing, and yet, everything. Proper balance, footwork, and body mechanics are essential to good technique, and to avoiding injury. Many training books forget this. This one makes you think about it.
For those needing ideas for a training regimen, there are several sample class/training session outlines provided that can be borrowed or modified to suit the practicioner's needs. There's also some interesting stuff here that some of the other swordsmanship books don't get into, such as offensive use of the sword's pommel and handguard at close range, and some basic throws and grapples.
Now, about that italian language thing- It can be a bit confusing to be reading through the training exercises, and not knowing the italian terminology offhand. And constantly flipping back to the section where it's explained can be awkward. What I've found helps for those who are new to this form of swordsmanship, is to write a little cheat sheet with the italian names for the various guards and cuts, and their english translations, and keep this with the book. When you're reading the instructions, it's easier to refer to your little sheet of notes than to lose the flow of the exercise by flipping back and forth. And this little trick will help you to learn the historical italian terminology too. It's only been a few days, and it's working for me. As with anything, your milage may vary.
Overall, I highly reccomend this book to anyone looking to learn medieval swordsmanship, or to seperate real medieval fighting from hollywood fantasy.
Average customer rating:
- Spanish Swordsman Saves Self, Skewers Sexpot
- Fencing Master, NOT Zoro, for Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas
- Beautiful Ending
- Enjoyable
- Not his best but VERY good!!!
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The Fencing Master
Arturo Perez-Reverte
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
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ASIN: 0156029839 |
Amazon.com
In The Club Dumas, Arturo Pérez-Reverte explored the labyrinthine world of antiquarian book dealers, spicing his tale of mystery and murder with characters straight out of Paradise Lost and The Three Musketeers. Next came The Flanders Panel, a brilliant puzzle comprised of art, chess, and untimely death whose resolution lies in a painting by a Flemish master. In The Seville Communion, Pérez-Reverte turned his sights on the tangled politics of the Roman Catholic Church as an appropriate backdrop--for murder. In his fourth novel translated into English, the Spanish writer changes centuries (if not his focus on homicide), returning to the mid-1800s to follow the exploits of Don Jaime Astarloa, the eponymous fencing master.
The year is 1866 and revolution is brewing in Spain. The corrupt Bourbon queen, Isabella II, is slowly losing her grip on power as equally corrupt exiled politicians vie to be her successor in a new republic. Against this background of political upheaval, Don Jaime goes about his business, teaching a dying art to a dwindling number of students. This is a man who resists changing times; to a friend he explains, "I have spent my whole life trying to preserve a certain idea of myself, and that is all. You have to cling to a set of values that do not depreciate with time. Everything else is the fashion of the moment, fleeting, mutable. In a word, nonsense." But then Adela de Otero--a woman with a mysterious past and an amazing talent for swordplay--comes into his life, and Don Jaime's world is turned upside down. As always, Pérez-Reverte offers literary excellence, a thumping good mystery, and fascinating insight into an arcane practice, in this case, fencing. Though the 19th-century politics in the book may resonate more with a Spanish audience than with English readers, the moral at the heart of The Fencing Master is universal: "to be honest, or at least honorable--anything, indeed, that has its roots in the word honor." In this, Don Jaime and Arturo Pérez-Reverte both succeed. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
The unstoppable thrust is the arcane fencing technique known only by Don Jaime—and the deadly maneuver that a beautiful young woman wants him to teach her.What begins as a rather bold request leads Don Jaime into the shadowy politics and violence of mid-nineteenth-century Madrid.
Customer Reviews:
Spanish Swordsman Saves Self, Skewers Sexpot.......2007-08-23
Ascetic and as otherwordly as Zatoichi or a samurai played by Mifune Toshiro, Don Jaime Astarloa inhabits a narrow world of fencing and honor, remote from the corrupt, crumbling society of 1860s Spain around him. Nevertheless, the aging maestro, who adheres to a code of honor and behavior that seems to be totally out of date, is plunged into a world of intrigue and spies, assassins and purloined letters after a visit from a mysterious young woman. She persuades the reluctant "men only" fencing teacher to take her on as his fencing student. She turns out to be extremely competent and wins his (platonic)love. He introduces her to another of his pupils, a philandering marquis. She becomes that gad-about's lover and disappears. One day, the marquis turns up dead of a sword thrust through the jugular vein. That's when this thriller really gets into high gear. The plot takes a few twists and turns before the final denouement, which of course is a duel.
The book is populated by a set of believable characters in 19th century Madrid, living in a well-described atmosphere of plot, rumors of coups and coups as Spain tried to shrug off its age-old absolute monarchy and strong man rule to emerge into the age of democracy that was sweeping the rest of Europe. The minor characters argue the politics of the day very well. If you get confused, that's because those were confusing times ! At first, the book drags a bit. I was wondering where the "suspense" advertised on the cover had gone. But persevere, this is a well-written thriller which will keep you turning the pages right to the last one even if there are far too many unexplained fencing terms for at least one reader. As literature on the world stage, this is a three star book, though the writing style is quite stylish. That's why I've given it three. But as a thriller in the smaller world of thrillers, I'd venture to say it deserves five stars. If you're a fan of that genre--I'm not really---then you'll definitely like THE FENCING MASTER. Myself, I prefer novels that don't resemble Clint Eastwood movies or samurai films.
Fencing Master, NOT Zoro, for Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas.......2006-08-10
As I was reading the book I thought that the actors from the first Zoro movie would be a great fit for the characters in this book. Enough of that though. I have to say I am a fan of historical fiction, but am not very interested in fencing nor the time period in which this book was set. However, Perez-Reverte made it all very intriguing and entertaining for me through the characters. Do not shy away from the book if the subject matter seems foreign, the emotions, thoughts, and great writing bring it all home. I would have liked to see more interplay given between Luis De Ayala and Adela, but otherwise found little to fault. It is a good change to see the hero, Don Jaime, depicted as a loner a minority that have gotten a rough time of it lately. I would suggest readers look for small thumbnail sketches on the political figures referenced like Prim and Navarez to get a better understanding of the events described in the book. All in all a very enjoyable read, but a notch below Perez-Reverte's The Flanders Panel and Club Dumas.
Beautiful Ending.......2006-08-10
The writing and the story are very, very good -- definately better than the Flanders Panel and slightly ahead of the Seville Communion, but it's the ending of this book that shows a master's command of the story. Weeks after reading this novel, I still cannot get the final scene out of my mind; simply perfect. Frankly, if you are new to Perez-Reverte, this is probably the novel that I'd recommend first.
J. Avellanet, Co-Founder of Cerulean Associates LLC
Enjoyable.......2006-06-06
All things considered, an entertaining read. I learned a lot about classical fencing and the court intrigue in Spain in the 1860s. The titular hero is nicely imagined, as is his beautiful nemesis. The writing is a bit stylistically flat in places and the character descriptions seem too clumsy for a novelist of Perez-Reverte's credentials. The novel is hard to put down once the intrigue gets rolling; I just wish it hadn't taken nearly 2/5's of the book to happen. I think P-R's other works are better, but I still enjoyed the book.
Not his best but VERY good!!!.......2006-04-27
Fun to read story set in medieval Spain , with a strong plot and elderly fencing master who can't fit modern times as an old school honorable gentleman . No esothery here, boys and girls.
Book Description
With his first book, Christian Henry Tobler offered students of historical swordsmanship a first English-language look at the renowned German school through the translated and interpreted commentaries of Sigmund Ringeck and the verse Zettel of Johannes Liechtenauer. Since the book's release in 2002, Mr. Tobler has expanded his knowledgeof the Liechtenauer system and encapsulated its teachings through the use of the main Liechtenauer sources and through practical teaching in his Selohaar Fechtschule and in seminars around the United States.
Fighting With the German Longsword is a brilliant book, distilling the foundational concepts that underly the German system and presenting them in a logical order complete with drills and photographic support. Now, the students of German swordsmanship can build their skills in a well-organized and sensible progression of skills. As such, the book will prove useful to anyone interested in historical swordsmanship. Fighting draws from the corpus of German manuscripts, including those of Hanko Döbringer, Sigmund Ringeck, Hans Talhoffer, Paulus Kals, the von Danzig fechtbuch, Jud Lew, Hans von Speyer, and Joachim Meyer. Most of the work is based on Mr. Tobler's original translations, tempered by his experience with the system as a whole.
No look at the historical techniques would be complete without close quarters work, and Mr. Tobler is to be particularly congratulated for his distillation of the principles of the Drei Ringen or Three Wrestlings. Using this simple system, the fundamentals of the close quarters Krieg may be easily integrated. The author then extends these principles to the wrestling at the sword, in and out of armour. The sections on spear and halfswording step the combatant through an application of the principles in such a way that they can be applied to any martial system, including the study of historical swordsmanship for its own sake, for use in armoured tournaments, for stage, and for SCA/Reenactment purposes.
On its own or as a companion to Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship, this book will become an essential part of any library on historical sword techniques.
Mr. Tobler has been a student of swordsmanship for more than twenty years, developing martial skills as a part of a wider "chivalric curriculum" for the Order of Selohaar. Since 1999 he has been a structural pillar within the historical swordsmanship community, championing the German system, especially in North America. His abilities are lauded worldwide, and he is an acknowledged expert on the German system of Johannes Liechtenauer.
Customer Reviews:
Great reading for learning or brushing up.......2007-05-15
This is probably the best put together manual on longsword in the German style. If you are looking for a no nonsense approach to getting started with the German longsword, this is your book. Christian Tobler has written this book very clearly so that that someone with no prior knowledge can easily follow, yet it still sheds light on things every time I read it. I have read this book cover to cover at least ten times, and used it as a refrence countless times more. Although some of the techniques demonstrated have been changed or altered due to recent discoveries, this is a must read if you have any interest in learning the German longsword.
Now the Shelf is Getting Respectable.......2007-03-08
This book, or rather this manual makes me smile, and sigh, "at last."
Tobler, has constructed a fine tool to teach his students and a great aid to us.
The book is well laid out, with charts and corresponding photographs, it is however not a stand alone product.
I am quite sure one would think it goes with "Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship", and that would be correct. I would suggest however that it is used as a Companion to David Lindholm's "Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword", and Tobler's "Secrets" can be used as the source.
With these books most of the practicing WMA community's bookshelves are looking more Respectable, or at least one can tear them both apart and construct one's own drills and focused study.
A Manual From Liechtenauer's Living Heir.......2006-12-16
First, just like all the other reviewers, I hope to persuade you to buy this book. Buy it! I'd like to offer a bit more counsel, too, in addition. Another reviewer did make a very correct criticism about the graininess of the pictures, and hoped, he said, that the publisher would correct this solitary flaw. I don't know if it's the only flaw, but it really is a detraction from the author's phenomenal work (not to mention the contribution of his demonstration partner in uncountable hours of posing for shots). This is particularly sad in that this is quite simply the best book you'll find on the subject, and deserves perfect photo reproduction indeed. But, what do you do after you buy this book; do you just read it? Absolutely not! No, you need to buy one or preferably two swords, too, and go to work.
The Internet offers you scads of options, now, but I'd like to offer four for your consideration. I believe the highest quality swords in the world today are made by Albion Armourers, out of New Glarus, Wisconsin. If, however, as for many they are, you find these too pricey to get started, then your next and possibly, if these are your first swords, your very best bet is Craig Johnson at Arms and Armor out of Minneapolis. At a recent seminar of Mr. Tobler's (held in Annapolis, Maryland, and hosted by our local historical swordsmanship club, MASHS), Mr. Tobler and our leader Larry Tom demonstrated the majority of the contents of this book's guidance using Craig Johnson's amazing Fechterspiel swords, which they both proudly own. Craig's creation is still on the high end of practice swords, in price, but simply quite likely worth twice what he charges. If you're looking for aluminum - and there are great arguments for it over steel, by way of safety, lightness and cost, without sacrificing integrity of practice - Charles Jevons' Swordcraft Wasters of Toronto is, I believe, the best manufacturer you'll find. Mr. Jevons may be a bit hard to get a hold of at times, but it's more than worth the effort. But, what if you're interested in lowest cost, and wood instead of aluminum or steel? Carina Cirrincione of Raven Studios makes, to my recommendation, the highest quality, most realistic, best feeling and most reasonably priced wooden swords on the market. She isn't the cheapest at all, but I wouldn't want the cheapest sword, even of wood, myself. At less than $100 each, you'll be very happy with your purchase if you choose Raven.
But, why all that about swords? Because, to read Mr. Tobler's book without a sword in hand verges upon sin. I've had his book for about a year now, and there is no book in my entire adult life I've studied so much, so frequently and with so much benefit. In school, I was the kind of student who loved to try to show up the teacher by finding any error, no matter how tiny. Yes, I was often hated. And, as a reader I find I suffer the same ego-driven weaknesses. (You'll find most self-proclaimed swordsmen suffer some version of this character flaw; we're a self-enamored lot, we are. Mr. Tobler, by the way, may demonstrate less of this than the rest of us, his students do.) And so, in studying Mr. Tobler's book, I've tried and tried to find its weaknesses. My pride hates to admit I've failed. This book is solid. Its structure actually lays a foundation and then builds upon it. Mr. Tobler makes frequent reference, in later sections, to earlier passages. Through many hours of analysis, I've discovered that I simply have to turn back, every time he does this, and re-read the previous section. Not only is every page filled with carefully considered, meticulously worked out detail and technically and tactically precise guidance, the method of skill building, one leading to the next is simply strategically and yes theoretically beautiful. This is a lovely art form presented by the man who may be its greatest student and therefore master, himself.
Two other names you'll soon encounter, once you begin your studies, are Dr. Jeffrey Forgeng, of Higgins Armory, and Guy Windsor of Helsinki, Finland. Dr. Forgeng comes to the greater than 200-year history of German Longsword from the other end, its grand finale in Joachim Meyer's 1570 treatise. Mr. Tobler, here in Fighting with the German Longsword, while covering the entire body of historical guides in his studies, focuses more heavily on the early period, and most especially the von Danzig treatise of 1450. I can't speak to the Meyer guidance, as I've not studied it yet. But, I feel very comfortable building my foundation with Tobler's guide and look forward greatly, as I gain in practice, to the transition to Dr. Forgeng's work on down the road (I'm guessing, if not in 2007, then in 2008, in all likelihood, at my current pace of study.) Don't get me wrong, Mr. Tobler is surely very familiar with Meyer, and surely could teach from that perspective and does give many references in this book to Meyer's grand opus. But, you'll find, if you care at this level, that Mr. Tobler's great love is the von Danzig Fechtbuch. Again though, let me be clear, what you'll find in this book is Mr. Tobler's step-by-step analysis of the system covered by the entire greater than 200-year history of the Liechtenauer tradition. (In case you don't know, the German Longsword is built up from the teachings of one Johannes Liechtenauer, which forms the basis not only of our first such manual, the Hanko Dobringer Fechtbuch [`Fechtbuch' is simply the German term for `Fight Book'] of 1389.) When speaking, Mr. Tobler often refers to "his beloved 15th Century". I doubt many professional historians, which Mr. Tobler is not, could surpass his passion. But, getting back to swordsmanship itself, Mr. Tobler has synthesized a complete theory and method of instruction whereby each tactic he teaches builds upon the previous tactics, growing up to a strategic whole. So, although he may lean a bit toward the earlier manuals, what you'll be learning is his incredible assimilation and recreation of the entire tradition.
I'll go one more step in praise. In studying his book and attempting to implement it, day by day, and especially when I participated in his hands-on seminar, I felt as though I had a level of instruction that may have been superior to anything available to anyone other than those who studied under the Great Master Liechtenauer himself. And, it is even possible, since all those who followed benefited and many may well have advanced the art, that Mr. Tobler's instruction is even better than the original master's was. I'm certain Mr. Tobler will bristle, raging at me for saying this. His respect for the tradition is perfect; and I'm certain he'd never bless such hubris or modern era self-confidence. But, I'm his fan, not his minion, so I get to say what I feel. Take that, Mr. Tobler!
Oh, but what about Mr. Windsor? Well, I also have not studied his book yet, and so I'm not qualified to judge it. Everyone who reviews it praises it greatly. What I can share is that, as opposed to the German Tradition following Master Liechtenauer, Mr. Windsor presents work that attempts to recreate the Italian Longsword tradition, reaching back to 1409 and stemming from the Incomparable Master, Fiore Dei Liberi. When you listen to adherents of the Italian Tradition, they start sounding like they're talking about Michelangelo's Pieta or David. They compare Italian Longsword to Ferraris and German Longsword to, if not Volkswagens, then mere Porsches. I have to confess I'm not able to cooberate or disagree with such claims. There is speculation that Master Liberi may have been a student, at one point, of Master Liechtenauer's, and surely such is quite possible. For my part, I've found the totality, not only of the German Tradition, but also of Mr. Tobler's brilliant synthesis to be such a perfect foundation that I haven't felt ready to tackle the Italian approach, quite yet. I hope to, one day. But, that leads me to my final point. If you buy this book, I'll bet you'll have, like me, at least two year's worth of intense study before you can begin to claim you've plumbed its depths. When I crossed the line into this art, I realized I was making a commitment for the rest of my life. At this point in life, with a little luck, I should have a good strong several decades left to me. In that time, I hope to go past Mr. Tobler's introduction here and through the German Tradition and, when I get there, to turn to the Italian Tradition of Longsword, then. But, if I never get any further than this one book I believe I'll still be able to claim that I am, in fact, a trained swordsman. Now, that's saying something, isn't it? So, I repeat, buy this book. Now.
Get this Book.......2006-11-05
If you're at all interested in fighting with the two-handed sword this book is THE book to get. Perhaps the best thing about this book is the flow chart for each Meisterhau (master blow). These flow charts explain what to do when your Meisterhau is countered and when your counter is countered (several layers of countering can be found). Once the student has a good foundation he or she can then go back to the original manuscripts (Talhofer's excellent fechtbuch can also be purchased through Amazon, for example) and try his hand at interpreting them (the originals were intentionally murky)
How to fight with a sword.......2006-02-12
Some years ago a gentleman selling books told me that the vast majority of people who pick up a book about swordsmanship, don't particularly care about the historical detail. As long as they know it's a historically valid system, all they care about is whether the book can help them learn to swordfight.
Christian Tobler's first book, Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship is a fine book, analysing Sigmund Ringeck's 15th century combat treatise. In Fighting with the German Longsword, Christian has taken a simpler approach. Essentially he says, I have read and interpreted a whole bunch of 14th-16th century German works on swordsmanship, and based on them, this is how I teach my students. We have enough historical detail to convince us that this is a genuine historical art, used in real combat by medieval kights (and hence immeasurably superior to any modern made up system), but beyond that, we are just taught how to fight with a sword, in a series of straight forward and logical lessons. The book is presented clearly, with nice photos, well written explanatory text and a clear progression through the skills involved in mastering the art.
Anyone wanting to learn how to use a longsword, the late medieval knightly sword, used in two hands on foot, should make sure they obtain a copy of Fighting with the German Longsword.
Stephen Hand
Author, English Swordsmanship, Medieval Sword and Shield
Editor, Spada, Spada II
Book Description
Looking back almost 1,000 years, the mists of Japan's chaotic past shroud the development of a way of life, an ancient struggle waged against fierce feudal lords who ruled the island nation with swords of steel and a code of death before dishonor. The people of the mountainous regions of what is now Iga prefecture wanted to live in peace, but their lords had other plans-so the people learned the martial arts of self-defense and used their meager farm tools as weapons against the samurai blades of their oppressors. Nine traditions of the ninja arts grew out of this seemingly endless struggle, and legends were told of the supernatural abilities of the ninja fighters. The ninja never gained the kind of power that topples tyrants, but they gained a reputation that made tyrants cautious. And they gained the kind of power that makes the spirit endure and the mind the master of its fate. Told in actual stories of past grandmasters and in dojo lectures on techniques-with photographs, drawings, and paintings-the last surviving grandmaster of the ancient art of ninjutsu, Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, presents Essence of Ninjutsu: The Nine Traditions. In it, he explains why, after more than 900 years, the art of the shadow warriors continues to inspire and serve practitioners from around the world. Dr. Hatsumi's book contains historic ninja scrolls and describes techniques for self-defense, and it debunks tricks that are attributed to the ninja but actually derive more from the circus than the martial arts. Essence of Ninjutsu is a fascinating, authoritative look at the roots of ninjutsu and how it continues to enrich the lives of its practitioners today. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is a bone doctor, artist, and writer, as well as the 34th grandmaster of the nine schools of the ninja arts in Japan. He has toured the United States in recent years to help Americans better understand the ninja and their way of life. His articles have appeared in all of the major martial arts magazines.
Customer Reviews:
never really gets to the heart of the matter........2006-06-26
As someone interested in japanese history and culture, rather than in learning martial arts. From previous comments and the authors pedigree, I figured that this book provide me more illumination on the historical ninja. Unfortunately, by the end of the book I still didn't feel that I had a very good grasp of who the ninja were and where they fit into japanese society. One problem with the book is that Masaaki Hasumi's writing tends to jump around quite a bit (perhaps better translationa and editing would have helped).
On the bright side, there are quite a few hidden pearls of wisdom hidden within the text, that I found interesting and useful.
Lots of interesting background information........2006-02-27
As a relative newcomer tot Ninjutsu I wanted te read more about the history of Ninjutsu and its roots in Japanese feudal society.
I found this quitte suffeciently in Essence of Ninjutsu. It has a lot of illustrative stories and historical context. A must read for the avid nunjutsu practicioner !
An exceptional view of Ninjutsu.......2006-02-14
Massaki Hatsumi gives an exceptional view of Ninjutsu that is practically unparelled to the rest. One such interesting notion is that ninjas are not cold-blooded murderers. Hatsumi states that hundreds of years ago Togakure ninjas avoided killing anyone in the enemy's camp and only did it when there was no other choice. This I would say is a perfect example of the difference between a ninja and an assassin.
Another interesting thing about this book was the many insightful stories Hatsumi tells. The story that I enjoyed the most was the one with the egotistical warrior who's head was too hard to hit. If you think about it, this story alone expresses the true essence of Ninjutsu.
If you're into ninjas or the martial arts, and wondering what Ninjutsu is really about, I whole-heartedly recommend this book by Massaki Hatsumi. It helped me realize and understand so much about Ninjutsu that before I read this book I was only living in a child's fantasy.
Spiritual Basis for Ninpo Today..........2003-02-13
Narrated by Masaaki Hatsumi, 34th generation lineage holder of the Togakure school of ninpo (and holder of 8 other traditional Japanese martial lineages, at least 6 of which have been verified), This book is the closest thing Hatsumi sensei has written to an autobiography. Hatsumi introduces us to his teacher, Takamatsu Sensei. Chapter 2 includes an interview with Takamatsu sensei conducted by Hatsumi, and throughout he discusses his experiences training with his teacher, his love for his teacher, and how he came to understand the ideas Takamatsu imparted to him.
Numerous learning incidents are recounted by Hatsumi, both while training, and also while simply spending time with his teacher. Each chapter includes a traditional story which imparts something of the spirit of ninpo to the reader. Hatsumi Sensei's writings are rife with anecdotes, recollections, historical observations, and cautiously thought out conclusions. Most touching I found to be his visit to Takamatsu Sensei's tomb accompanied by the Sensei's daughter, and the thought she shared with him (page 68).
For those looking for an introduction to ninjutsu, I'd recommend Masaaki Hatsumi's other book, "Ninjutsu: History and Traditions". For the reader prepared to go beyond learning about ninja weapons and general history, this volume "Essence of Ninjutsu: The Nine Traditions" offers a look at the heart of a kindly man and a profound art.
Great Book!.......2001-07-08
This book is superior to many of its contemporaries on the subject of ninpo. Many areas are covered, most of which is devoted to the life and adventures of Takamatsu Sensei. The reader learns of his youth, training in the old budo tradition of the Shinden Fudo school, later learning the secrets of ninjutsu and traveling to China to further his studies. There are excellent B/W photos of woodblock prints, as well as several pages devoted to Gyokko style mutodori kata. This is a must-have for any practicioner of ninpo or koryu bujutsu.
Book Description
To become an expert swordsman, one must pay close attention to detail, be highly self-critical, and practice diligently every day under the guidance of a good teacher. Unfortunately, contact time with a worthy mentor is limited for most. Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanship fills this obvious gap in the training of the modern swordsman by providing bokuto (wooden sword) drills to supplement the formal class activity of forms practice. Both single and two-person drills are presented, some common to iaido and kenjutsu, others extracted from iaido forms by the author and used to teach his own students the proper ways of drawing, parrying, and cutting. Each drill is illustrated with step-by-step drawings to help students hone their techniques; together they provide a comprehensive system of general skills development for anyone interested in using the Japanese sword.
Customer Reviews:
Extremely Useful Guide.......2007-08-20
I have found this book to be a very useful tool in developing training drills and improving our basic techniques. The diagrams are easy to follow and textual information clear. Well worth having in the library.
Horrible.......2007-08-02
Rather pointless book. The images provided are utterly useless, being a few cm in size, badly drawn and providing no information whatsoever. I utterly regret buying this book. For kendo kata in particular I would recommend 'Looking at a Far Mountain: A Study of Kendo Kata'.
Brilliant.......2007-07-28
This book really helped my groundwork (seated and kneeling kata.) I really recommend this book for anyone who has just started any form of Iai or Ken. It really focuses on the details and core fundamentals of footwork, moving while kneeling and seated, and cutting with your entire body. It is as it's title suggests: a primer on practice drills. It answers all those questions you cant get answered in an hour and a half class. It is really aimed at the novice or someone who has been away from their art for a while. Either way, it is a good buy.
Only book of it's kind.......2007-07-26
I love the way this book was written. The descriptions of the moves reflect mastery of the author. I appreciated the easy to follow diagrams and the instructions on how to read them. This is a definite buy for anyone interested in Iaido.
Drillion Dollar Book.......2007-03-11
For Basics on the Martial arts this book is worth every penny!
Book Description
Ultimate Sparring is the most comprehensive book ever written on sparring and dueling methods around the world. It contains the rules and methods of sparring for cross-training, competition, and self-defense in dozens of Eastern and Western martial arts. Ultimate Sparring also features dozens of methods of sparring for the development of skills, or for keeping training interesting and fun.
Customer Reviews:
Encylopedia of martial arts........2007-01-12
The cover says "A very informative and well-rounded explanation of fighting." This is not a training book. It is a detailed record of various styles. I bought this book in order to see if I could learn a new move or maybe a new training tip. This book seems to be a lot like an encylopedia of martial art styles. There is a short description of every martial art imaginable and some you have never heard of. If you are experienced and looking to learn some new techniques to use in the gym then this book is not for you. This would be good to read about the different rules of different martial arts. Maybe I should have read reviews on this book. I bought this book for the wrong purpose.
A very useful book.......2006-07-12
I've never seen a book that covers more(or half as many) forms of sparring as Ultimate Sparring by Jonathan Maberry. It's front-loaded with a lot of great information on rules, first aid, history, etc., and then moves into a style-by-style guide of sparring methods that really does cover the topic. I'm impressed. Very impressed.
THE BEST BOOK OF ITS KIND.......2004-04-15
This is by far the best and most complete book on sparring methods I've ever seen, and I have quite a library of martial arts classics.
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC.......2004-04-01
What an amazing book! This is the kind of thing that needs to be in every military school and library, not to mention martial arts school, in the country. It's easy to read, packed with useful information, and has dynamic photos. Just great!
Marvelous Book!.......2004-04-01
I've been reading martial arts books for many years and this is certainly one of the finest and most thoroughly researched works I've ever come across. Bravo!
Book Description
Dave Lowry frequently travels throughout Asia to research its culture and history, and has written several books about Japan and the budo. He started writing for Black Belt magazine more than 20 years ago and has shared his traditional take on the martial arts world in a monthly column called Karate Way since 1986.
In Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword, Lowry focuses his expertise on the techniques and history of the bokken--the wooden training sword used by both ancient samurai and today's swordsmen. According to Lowry, training with the bokken is important on two levels for the modern practitioner: "On one, he builds the physical stamina, rhythms, and adroit body movements of traditional swordsmanship. On the other, he achieves something of the animating spirit of the traditional swordsman. He is, through the refinement of his practice, linked in a very real way to his past, for it is from the principles of swordsmanship that the budo of today have based their teachings, no matter what their present form."
Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword couples Lowry's concise, eloquent writing style with more than 100 hundred technique photographs to provide the reader with the traditional and modern perspectives of this vital, historically rich practice tool.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book..........2007-02-01
Famed swordsman and Black Belt magazine contributor Dave Lowry chimes in on the use of the bokken--the wooden samurai sword. Practicing with the bokken is obviously safer than practicing with a "live" katana, but it also develops stamina, technique, and an appreciation of the weapon's history. Ancient samurai warriors used the bokken (remember Tom Cruise's repeated beatings in The Last Samurai?), and so should you. Lowry also wrote The Best of Dave Lowry, which is an excellent compilation of his Black Belt articles.
A good book for fundamentals-and attitude........2006-05-11
I was prepared to be disappointed-but was pleasantly surprised. I have studied the sword for years, and yet learned something from this book. For a beginner, too, its clear, concise explanations, coupled with well thought out photographs, will prove an excellent study guide or workbook. There are minor deficiencies, occasionally, but they will provide the student an incentive to put down the book and physically explore what Lowry is trying to demonstrate.
There are few like Musashi, who need little personal instruction. This book is not a substitute for a good teacher, but an excellent adjunct to one. The Way is not a set of rules. It is only the Way.
Alright book for starters.......2005-07-25
The book starts with the history behind the bokken which I found interesting. It has nice pictures and explanations of the different types of stances and attacks. Even though the pictures are black and white, they still help quite a bit. I was some what dissapointed when it came to the chapter on practicing with a partner. I was expecting ways to block but instead I found ways to attack faster (strike first) against an opponent doing another attack. The images in that chapter seemed too far time lapsed to know exactly what he is doing. I also would have liked it more if there were phonetic spellings of each of the japanese names. I do not speak japanese and therefore I'm probably saying most of the names wrong. I'd recommend this book if you want to start suburi by yourself. Otherwise, find another book.
EXCELLENT BASICS FOR THE NEWLY INITIATED.......2004-06-28
BY THE TIME I READ LOWRY'S BOOK, I WAS A YEAR INTO MUSO SHINDEN RYU IAIDO, AND I FOUND SOME MINOR DESCREPANCIES IN THE HANDLING OF THE BOKUDO AND THE KATANA. MOST OF THE STANCES AND POSITIONS OR KAMAE VARY ONLY EVER SO SLIGHTLY. I FOUND "BOKKEN" TO BE VERY HELPFUL IN SOME AREAS AS IT IS FULL OF PHOTOGRAPHS SO THERE IS NO MISTAKING WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED AS THE PROPER WAY TO HANDLE THE BOKKEN AND MOVE ABOUT.
IT'S AN A+ BOOK FOR THE ABSOLUTE BEGINNER!
A good introduction..........2000-05-29
As an Aikido student I was looking for a reference guide for katas and exercises so that I could practise outside the dojo. This book does not provide complex single katas ( it only has two very basic ones )so I was disappointed in that respect, however I did find the various introductory articles very educational and certianly relevant to any martial art whether you are trainig with a sword, a staff, or are doing empty handed techniques. My advice is: buy the book ad keep in mind Mr. Lowry's advice at all times but don't expect a visual feast of amazing pictures ( they are just plain black and white ). If you take this book as an introduction you will like it and hopefully it will push you to train harder and find out more about Japanese swordsmanship.
Book Description
Hidden Essence of the Martial Arts and the Spirit of the Samurai
Japanese history is replete with great sword masters. Legendary figures such as Koizumi Isenokami, Tsukahara Bokuden, Yagyu Munenori, Miyamoto Musashi, and Ito Ittosai have been revered as deities for countless years, forged into the history of Japan's martial arts. But there were also many lesser
known samurai who carried the spirit of Bushido, Tirelessly devoting themselves to Japan's martial traditions and mastering their many fighting forms. Japan's rich legacy of swordsmanship has been passed on through these generations of samurai, who developed many techniques using the long sword,
short sword, and Ninja sword, among others.
In this book, Masaaki Hatsumi, the most renonwned Budo and Ninja grandmaster in the world, explores the venerable history of Japanese sword fighting, sharing with the reader his reflections on the hidden essence of this revered martial art. He covers a variety of classical techniques including Ninja
kenpo, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, as well as two-sword techniques. Drawing on his deep knowledge, the author demonstrates advenced, practical applications of the art, using the stick, spear, naginata, and kusarigama. More mysterious, secret techniques are also discussed, including those involving armor,
and the variety of renowned mutodori (no-sword) forms-the ultimate martial skill of the samurai. Works of calligraphy by famous samurai masters, such as Asari Matashichiro and Yamaoka Tesshu, accompany the descriptions, as well as important historical scrolls and an array of lavish illustrations
that help demonstrate the grace and beauty of Japanese sword fighting.
After his highly acclaimed works The Way of the Ninja and Advanced Stick Fighting, Masaaki Hatsumi continues to pursue his life's ambition of fostering and spreading Budo throughout the world, with this definitive book on the art of Japanese sword fighting. Within his technical descriptions and
musings on the history of Bushido, Hatsumi's philosophy of promoting a world of peace and tolerance is ever present, as is his firm belief in the universality of Budo, espoused in his own words: ". . . if the seed of Japan's Budo is planted anywhere in the world, it will continue to grow and
flourish."
Customer Reviews:
Japanese sword fighting book.......2007-03-08
This book is awsome!!! it not only shows you how to do difforent moves in japenes sword fighting but it also teaches you the backround or history of the sword style what the difforent swords are called and it teaches you at least 5 moves for each difforent one. All around this was a very good book and i'm glad i found it.
Rich in biographical surveys and cultural insight.......2006-04-27
Relatively little has been written covering Samurai sword fighting techniques: here ninja grandmaster provides both a history of the art of Japanese swordplay, rich in biographical surveys and cultural insight, and a survey of classical techniques used in two-sword fighting. Vintage and modern black and white photos and illustrations pack an account that blends step-by-step how-to photos with calligraphy, description, biographies, and background history. A 'must' for any serious not just about Japanese sword fighting, but Japanese culture and history as a whole.
A truly "must-have" manual for Japanese swordsmanship enthusiasts.......2006-03-03
Informatively written by renowned Budo and Ninja grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi and ably translated into English by Bruce Appleby and Doug Wilson, Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets Of The Samurai is an in-depth manual about the skill and art of traditional Japanese sword fighting. Black-and-white photographs by Minoru Hirata and Kyuzo Akashi copiously illustrate methods of drawing and resheathing swords, and sword strikes and cuts, while the skillfully translated text delves into the philosophical and spiritual aspects of swordsmanship as surely as the martial arts and physical aspects. Illustrations of traditional samurai dress and full armor, and an appendix of the original Japanese text round out Masaaki Hatsumi's Japanese Sword Fighting, a truly "must-have" manual for Japanese swordsmanship enthusiasts.
A GREAT BOOK!.......2006-03-01
I have been waiting days for this book, and it finally came today. Honestly, I expected it to have your standard sword exercises and cuts, but it contains stances and techniques that I have never even heard of, while some are familiar to me. Thanks to having a hardwood bokuto (which I also purchased off of this website), I can now incorporate new exercises into my practice. Even though Hatsumi-Sensei is a ninja, he is well-versed in the culture of the samurai and the sword as well. I recommend it to all aspiring swordsmen.
Samurai as a spiritual warrior.......2006-02-11
Acclaimed samurai of old would while away their elder years writing scrolls to impart their wisdom unto the next generation. These scrolls, a mix of martial arts technique and personal philosophy, would then be the foundation for the various fighting schools. The most famous and acclaimed of these are Musashi Miyamoto's "The Book of Five Rings" and Tsunetomo Yamamoto's "Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai."
Hatsumi Masaaki is determined to continue in this tradition, walking as much as possible in the path of the Sword Saints, the near-mythical warriors of the warring states period. This latest book, "Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets of the Samurai," is a blend of martial arts photography and technique, ancient scrolls showing the heritage of this kind of work, warrior philosophies and ruminations on the Japanese language and how one can use it to unlock the fighter's path.
One thing this book is not is a history lesson. Anyone seeking further insight into the authentic samurai would be severely disappointed. Hatsumi's interpretation is not one of facts and dates, of reference books and University lectures. He is more interested in the spiritual and allegorical warrior, one who sharpens his soul so that it is straight and upright like the sword that is his symbol. Those who have read other of Hatsumi's books will know more or less what to expect, but its probably not the best book for a new reader.
What you do get, is heavy doses of how to be a warrior with your entire life, not just in the dojo. An inheritor of shared wisdom, passed down from his master Takamatsu Sensei, Hatsumi seems to want to share this with a wider audience and continue the link. Along with this are some striking photographs, a collection of ancient scrolls and photos of Hatsumi and his partners, wearing impressive sets of full samurai armor, demonstrating fighting techniques with a variety of weaponry.
Much of Hatsumi's wisdom comes from the Japanese language itself. The use of Chinese characters, where each individual character has a different meaning, is heavily tied up with what he has to say. One instance of this is his ruminations on the word shiki, which can alternately be read as "wisdom," "to respect the manner of death," or "the importance of determination." Hatsumi brings these together to mean that a warrior finds wisdom by respecting the manner of death, and through personal determination. While not necessary, those with Japanese language skills will be able to read "Japanese Sword Fighting" with a much greater depth.
Followers of Hatsumi will definitely find some insight into their sensei in this book, as will those who see martial arts as more of a spiritual path than a fighting technique. Casual readers, or those interested in the historical samurai and their fighting arts, would do best to seek elsewhere.
Book Description
Demura, who studied under Taira Shinken, covers stances, striking, blocking, combinations, sparring, and an entire kata. Demura is considered among the finest bo experts of the modern age. Fully illustrated.
Customer Reviews:
Good book on Bo........2006-08-28
Fumio Demura's basic books on Kobudo (Nunchaku, Bo, Sai, Tonfa) are good. They include some historical data, basic stances and grips, as well as useful drills to train grips, blocks and thrusts. In this case, it includes also the Shushi-no-kon-sho Kata. Good Japanese terminology, also.
Very Helpful Book.......2006-08-23
This book is exactly what I was looking for in the way of an instructional book for the bo. It has numorous guide photos throughout the book, so that you can see what you are doing in the excercise described.
A good introduction to using the bo.......2006-05-24
This book is a very solid introduction to using a bo staff (~ 6 foot pole weapon) in martial arts. The bo is nearly universally the first weapon form that practitioners learn yet there aren't a lot of really good books out there teaching people how to use one. Even a great book is no substitute for a competent instructor, of course, yet it can be a great supplement to dojo training. This one is fairly general, hence more broadly useful than some style-specific works, and pretty well done. Despite the fact that the layout is logical and the writing is quite good it is, unfortunately, a 30-year-old work with dark, grainy pictures that are a bit challenging to read. Contents include history of the bo staff, profiles of kobudo masters, types of bo staffs, bo basics (holding the staff, warm-up exercise, fighting positions), kihon (basics), striking, thrusting, blocking, combinations, applications, and basic bo kata. The comparison and contrast between open-hand and weapon applications (e.g., stances, basic techniques) is a great tie-in for karate practitioners interested in picking up a weapons form. Overall it's a very good resource.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction
Newer isn't necessarily better.......2006-04-18
Written originally in 1976, it still is one of the very best in self-instruction of the 6-foot 1 1/4" "stick". Cold Steel sells a very affordable 4-foot wax wood stick (called a yon shaku-bo) that is a perfect selection, and is a completely legal item to carry hiking, traveling, in your car. The book is very easy to follow, comprehensive and a great source to get the fundamentals of kobu-do bo-jitsa katas.
Good explainations of the Bo Staff.......2005-11-01
This book has great explainations on the bo staff, as for as it's use, history, and types. The pictures of the kata are somewhat hard to follow, but can be figured out.
Customer Reviews:
Excelent.......2007-08-23
Outstanding book, both for advanced kendoists and begginers. Pay close attention to everything those two authors and masters kendoists have written and you'll not regret.
on my second copy.. . .......2005-03-20
nothing can replace dojo when it comes to learning kendo, however, this book provides good over view about kendo. i do have number of different kendo books in my collection at this point.. however, this was my first book in english on kendo, and i still find it endearing.
Some excellent history.......2004-02-21
This is a reprint of the book originally published in 1964, if I remember correctly, and is definitely something of a classic, since there were few books available in the U.S. on the art of kendo at that time.
I read this book mainly for the history of kendo, in order to supplement the reading I'm doing on the history of iai, as I am mainly an iaido practitioner rather than a kendo-ka. I'd recently read Karl Friday's Legacies of the Sword, a scholarly work by an American professor of Japanese history on iaido, much of it impressively written from original Japanese sources. It was quite detailed as far as the history and philosophy of Kashima-Shinryu iaido goes, but other styles get discussed too, such as Jikishin Kage-ryu and Yagyu Shinkage-ryu. However, much of the information is relevant to other styles as well. But it was primarily, as I said, on iai, so I wanted to get some background in the kendo as well. I mention it because it would be a good book to read after this one. Just be advised, if you're familiar with Dave Lowry's lively and entertaining books on iaido, this is truly a academic tome, and the style is much denser and dryer than Lowry's works, but it's worth reading for the exhaustive detail and scholarship that went into it. The author says that it was the product of 20 years of research, and it shows.
I can't comment on the technical aspects of the kendo forms and techniques, but I thought the history was excellent despite a few things I found far-fetched, such as the author's mentioning of 9-foot swords. I note one of the other reviewers commented on this too, and he also had a problem with some of the author's facts on European armor. However, baring a few problems like that, I thought this chapter was excellent as a good introductory history and it contained much good information on many of the old kendo schools and the most famous masters, and dozens of famous masters are discussed along with the styles they originated, along with their exploits and some of the philosophy too. There still aren't many books discussing the history of iaido and kendo in English in much detail, and this chapter on the history is one of the better ones I've seen so far.
THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE YET........2001-06-22
This book, along with Fundamental Kendo (of the Zen Nihon Kendo Remmei) are still the most important kendo books around. Now, as we all know, Fundamental Kendo is out of print, so you should at least own a copy of this one.
A good beginning to learning the art of Kendo.......2001-04-11
This book is a very good introduction to the art and sport of Kendo. It contains a full description of all techniques a beginner will be faced with as well as some very good suggestions for methods of practice, solo and with others. I do like the fact that the advanced competitive techniques are listed, but they are given very little description, forcing the owner of this book to put it down after about a year of use alongside work in the dojo. The glossary is excellent and useful as well as the introduction to bogu(armour), the shinai(bamboo sword) and the essentials of etiquette and competition. This book, however, completely lacks information about the kata, which are important for grading and it lacks (as I said before) adequate description of advanced techniques, and stances. I found the section on history, which takes up about a third of the book, to be colourful, interesting, and well condensed, but containing useless comparisons between samurai and knight, and misinformation about knights(i.e. crusaders wielding 9 foot longswords [implicitly in one hand!]),a comparison of stances with knights which is completely untenable(i.e. the knight moved body and sword together [how can one generalize like this, especially without any reference to European medieval fighting manuals, which show something quite different?]) and that Japanese armour was not "burdensome" like European plate. What does "burdensome" mean when one is trying to avoid death by deflecting arrows and other sharp objects with one's armour and when most soldiers wore only partial suits of plate supplementing it with other materials? These historical inaccuracies aside, the book gives the reader an excellent idea of what to expect in the dojo, and an excellent resource aid for practice during the first stages of learning. Since other more complete books on the subject are now available, I recommend this book to someone who wants a friendly, very thorough, understandable and clear introduction to the martial art which will give the reader a good grounding in all basic elements. But, if the reader wants a complete manual to last in usefulness beyond the basics and into medium and higher-level play, that reader would be advised to look elsewhere.
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