Martial Arts History

Folk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and modern retellings. This new study approaches the martial arts from their origins in military exercises and callisthenics. It examines a rich folklore from old wuxia tales of crime-fighting heroes to modern kung fu movies.

From legendary Brazilian jujitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.

Wing Chun is the most popular form of Chinese kung fu in the world today, with more than four million practitioners. This guide will fascinate and educate anyone interested in the martial arts, from beginner to master. The art as it is presently understood has been handed down from teacher to student for more than 300 years. Until now, no one has ever stepped back and taken a critical look at why this art's techniques are presented and performed the way they are.

The goals of the budo - the martial arts and ways of Japan - lie in refining the body and spirit. These goals are not always the obvious ones - and are learned only through the guidance and direction of great teachers. The techniques, methods, and rituals of the sensei can serve as guides to a well-lived life - and provide invaluable lessons for today's martial artists.

"Research on Shaolin Martial Arts and Taijiquan in Relation to Internal Martial Arts" offers an in-depth examination of the origins, development, and connections between Shaolin martial arts, Taijiquan, and internal martial arts practices. This comprehensive study delves into the historical roots of martial arts, with a focus on the techniques and philosophies that bridge the Shaolin external styles and the internal traditions of Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang. Drawing from classical texts, historical accounts, and martial arts legends, this book explores key figures, lineages, and ...

Did Buddhist monks and Daoist priests really practice martial arts? Is the practice of Chinese martial arts religious? What are the White Lotus Sect and the Heaven and Earth Society? Did martial artists really think they could resist bullets using their internal power? What is the “internal school” of martial arts? These and many more questions are addressed and potentially answered by the new volume “Chinese Martial Arts, A Historical Outline”. This is the first work of its kind in the English language. Beginning with the earliest historical records regarding the practice of ...

Book 3 of the next great Fantasy LitRPG Series by Seth Ring, author of Nova Terra. Get your copy today and explore a world whose secrets have been buried under decades of war.

Combat Pressure Points: A No Nonsense Guide to Pressure Point Fighting for Self-Defense is a one-of-a-kind book designed to teach you hard-hitting pressure point fighting techniques for real-world self-defense. Pressure point fighting is a fighting skill that can be performed by just about anyone, young and old, regardless of size or strength or level of experience. Best of all, you don’t need martial arts training to apply these simple fighting techniques. Unlike other pressure point books, Combat Pressure Points is devoid of impractical and gimmicky techniques that can get you injured ...

Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art; it is a lifestyle that promotes health, confidence, self-determination, and balance. Famed jiu-jitsu instructor Rener Gracie presents the core teachings of jiu-jitsu and explains how they can apply to all of our daily lives.

This 50 page book provides an overview of Kung Fu, including some of the most important basics. A number of helpful tips and important points that are often neglected or unexplained in training are provided, as well as images.

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and to devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding, Lucrezia is thrust into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf. Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must make her way in a court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed.

This is not a picture book or how to manual for breaking away from grabs and chokes. That’s important material, but the Guerrilla knows that avoiding the enemy is the best tactic for survival. When it’s time to defend yourself, knowing what you’re capable and willing to do is key for taking advantage of the enemy’s weaknesses. A Guerrilla Guide To Self-Defense will provide you essential information you need to prepare, prevent, survive, and sort through the aftermath when violence finds you. “A great modern handbook on staying safe in the modern world. “A Guerrilla Guide To Self...