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ryanryu
Yellow Belt
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 37
Location: USA
Styles: Okinawan Goju-Ryu
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 Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 8:20 am Post subject: Required (or Recommended) Reading |
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Hello!
Does anyone have a required reading list for their dojo? (Such as for black belt or other advanced rank)
Are there books on karate that you would recommend to fellow practitioners? Are there any that expanded your perspective or added something new to your art? History, instruction manuals, fiction, I’d be interested in hearing about it all.
I can start with three that I’ve recommended wholeheartedly and even given as gifts before –
- Waking Dragons by Goran Powell – non-fiction narrative of training & competing in a 30-Man Kumite Challenge. Always gets me excited about training.
- Okinawan Karate: The Exquisite Art by Dragon Associates – Absolutely beautiful book, published in 2020, and I think the best introduction to karate history in a single book. It’s quickly become a useful reference for me, especially on the Okinawan masters.
- Sensei by John Donohue – this is a modern noir novel, the first in a series, about a swordsman-turned-detective in modern day New York. I love the atmospherics and the author is very skilled at writing the action and dojo scenes. I know it’s not strictly karate, but I think any martial artist would enjoy flipping through this one. |
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aurik
KF Sempai
Joined: 08 Nov 2016
Posts: 458
Location: Denver, CO
Styles: Shuri-Ryu, Uechi-Ryu
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| Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Required (or Recommended) Reading |
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| ryanryu wrote: |
Hello!
- Okinawan Karate: The Exquisite Art by Dragon Associates – Absolutely beautiful book, published in 2020, and I think the best introduction to karate history in a single book. It’s quickly become a useful reference for me, especially on the Okinawan masters.
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Does this include any of the Uechi-Ryu masters, like Kanbun Uechi, Kanei Uechi, or their students?
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My Journey (So Far)
Shuri-Ryu 1996-1997 - Gokyu
Judo 1996-1997 - Yonkyu
Uechi-Ryu 2018-Present - Nidan
ABS Bladesmith 2021-Present - Apprentice |
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Wastelander
KF Sensei
Joined: 18 Oct 2010
Posts: 2711
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Styles: Shorin-Ryu, Shuri-Ryu, Judo, KishimotoDi
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:57 am Post subject: |
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Required? No. Recommended? Yes! I have a fairely extensive list:
Karate 1.0 by Andreas Quast
Karate Uchina-Di by Itzik Cohen
The Study of China Hand Techniques by Itoman Morinobu
An Overview of Karatedo by Nakasone Genwa
Okinawa Traditional Old Martial Arts: Kobudo, Karate by Nakamoto Masahiro
Okinawa: The History of an Island People by George Kerr
The Bubishi by Patrick McCarthy
Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts: Koryu Uchinadi by Patrick McCarthy
History and Traditions of Okinawan Karate by Hokama Tetsuhiro
Okinawa’s Great Masters by Nagamine Shoshin
The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do by Nagamine Shoshin
Okinawan Karate by Mark Bishop
Zen Kobudo by Mark Bishop
Bunkai Jutsu by Iain Abernethy
The Way of Kata by Lawrence Kane and Kris WIlder
My Journey with the Grandmaster by William Hayes
The Essence of Goju-Ryu by Garry Lever and Richard Barrett
Unante by John Sells
Ryu-Te no Michi by Seiyu Oyata
The Secret Royal Martial Arts Of Ryukyu by Kanenori Sakon Matsuo
Naihanchi (Tekki) Kata: The Seed of Shuri Karate by Chris Denwood
Okinawan Kempo: Karate-Jutsu on Kumite by Motobu Choki
The Art of Hojo Undo by Mike Clarke
Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts by Donn Draeger and Robert Smith
Tales from the Western Generation by Matthew Apsokardu
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Kishimoto-Di | 2014-Present | Sensei: Ulf Karlsson
Shorin-Ryu | 2010-Present: Nidan | Sensei: Richard Poage (RIP), Jeff Allred (RIP)
Shuri-Ryu | 2006-2010: Sankyu | Sensei: Joey Johnston, Joe Walker (RIP)
Judo | 2007-2010: Gokyu | Sensei: Joe Walker (RIP), Ramon Rivera (RIP), Adrian Rivera
Arizona Practical Karate |
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Fat Cobra
Blue Belt
Joined: 14 Jul 2018
Posts: 343
Location: Watertown, NY
Styles: Ryukyu Kempo
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:32 am Post subject: |
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Required Readings:
Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate by Pat McCarthy
Ryute no Michi Kata by Taika Seiyu Oyata
Essential Anatomy for Healing & Martial Arts by Marc Tedeschi
Six Basic Principles of Tuite by Lee Richards and Tony K. Skeen
Living the Martial Way by Forrest Morgan
Code of the Samurai--Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe
The Bubishi translated by Pat McCarthy
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Yondan in Ryukyu Kempo
Head of the Shubu Kan Dojo in Carthage, NY
(United Ryukyu Kempo Alliance) |
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sensei8
KF Sensei
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16246
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent suggested readings, for sure. I'd add...
This Is Karate by Masutatsu Oyama
The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting by Hidetaka Nishiyama and Richard Brown
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu by Helio Gracie
And for those MA School Owners...
Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson
There's quite a bit of MA books that deserve to be listed, however, to save on space, I don't dare list what all that I'd suggest.
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**Proof is on the floor!!! |
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Drew
Orange Belt
Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Posts: 188
Location: My other body
Styles: Boxing, Muay Thai, Sub Wrestling, Tai Chi, MMA, Medieval, Extreme Reaction Combat Scenarios (This is not a drill) Judo, formerly Mishima Style Karate
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| Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| 'Shotokans Secret' was very speculative but very interesting to read. |
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Baka718
White Belt
Joined: 15 Jul 2020
Posts: 9
Styles: Wrestling, Judo
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| Are there any good books focusing on Sanchin Kata from an Uechi Ryu perspective? |
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KarateKen
Orange Belt
Joined: 12 Nov 2021
Posts: 196
Location: Dojo
Styles: Karate
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| A couple I recommend are Verbal Judo by George J. Thompson and Positive Thinking is for Sissies by Sensei Ron Thomas, who also played Bobby Brown in the Karate Kid movie. They are more about life than martial arts. Dealing with conflict, managing emotions under pressure, ect. Stuff that we face in and out of the dojo. |
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