Page 152 - Pat O'Keeffe Combat Kick Boxing

Combat Kick Boxing

Chapter Fourteen
Recommended Reading

The aim of this chapter is to recommend books that have worth and relevance to
the subject of self-defence. Like a lot of long-term martial artists, over the years I
have acquired a significant library of books that have assisted my development in
one area of martial arts or another and some stand out from the pack as A-list
manuals.
I have given each of these books a mini-review and a score out of ten. The
choice is entirely subjective and of course you may disagree both with the book
choices and my rating of them. Some of the books mentioned are now out of
print, but between the library service and bookshops that carry out book searches,
I’m sure you can track down copies if you are determined enough.

The A-List

1) My Method of Self-Defence
by M. Kawaishi
Published by Foulsham. Now out of print.
The author, Mikonosuke Kawaishi, was the technical director of the French
Federation of Judo and this book, first brought out in the sixties, is a brilliant
explanation of how judo techniques can be used for self-defence.
The techniques shown in the book do not conform to modern-day sport judo,
but to the earlier methods of the kodokan that made great use of atemi waza (striking
techniques), both to set your assailant up for a devastating throw, armlock or
choke and to dispatch him immediately afterwards.
The defences shown are very practical and leave the reader in no doubt as to
their effectiveness. As an ex-judoka I have often felt that judo is the great
undiscovered fighting art and this book goes a long way to support that view.
Rightly, Kawaishi has given an entire section over to the knife. He shows a
keen awareness of the danger of knife attacks and gives clear diagrams illustrating
the places most likely to be attacked and the methods for dealing with an attacker.
The entire book is crammed full of solid advice on judo’s combat applications
and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
Rating: 7/10

2) The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
by Bruce Lee
Published by Ohara. Still in print.
This book is really a collection of Bruce Lee’s notes and sketches, but clearly
reveals Lee’s unique fighting brain. An open advocate of cross-training and full-
contact sparring, he epitomised the quest for reality in martial arts training. It is
no surprise that he angered many traditionalists, especially in the Chinese
community.

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