Customer Reviews

Best Karate, Vol.6: Bassai, Kanku

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Best Karate Series books are excellent and this one is no exception. The transistion from technique to technique is excellent. Most other books just show the end result of each "move", Best Karate shows YOU how to get there. I also liked the Bunkai (application) section for each kata.

Nakayama Sensei's series of books have been a great addition to my twenty years of training in Shotokan. There are so many kata's in Shotokan it's easy to forget a single step that will stop you cold. This series of books explains each kata in numbered steps, each step broken down by a series of pictures showing how they should be performed including where the kiai's are. At the end of the step by step instructions are a series of pictures showing the application of the kata moves.

Nakayama founded the Japan Karate Association along with Gichin Funakoshi and was the head of JKA until his death in 1987.

It is extremely important to note that you cannot learn karate from a book. There are so many aspects to correct karate training you can easily develop bad habits. A qualified instructor can help you overcome those mistakes. But you will find the best instructors have a set of these books as well.

The Best Karate Series are the definitive books for learning the art of Shotokan karate. They have been around for many years and still none have surpassed their excellence. They are very helpful for the beginner and the advanced student alike. I have read them all and have found that each book in the series is excellent. Although you can't learn a martial art from a book alone, these books are an excellent supplement to your training and are very helpful in learning the finer points of the art of Shotokan. Each book in this series sets the standard for books on Shotokan training. There are simply none better, at least none better that I have found, and I read a lot of martial arts books. I highly recommend these books for anyone who is interested in improving their karate or who is interested in Shotokan. They are simply the best! Highly recommended. 5 Stars.

Bohdi Sanders, Shotokan Blackbelt and author of Warrior Wisdom: The Warrior's Path

This kata is very demanding. This book lays out the kata very thoroughly (much more so than in Best Karate, Vol.5). It also gives you a front and side view which are essential to practicing at home.

Through the use of pictures, american and japanese language, Nakayama is able to explain the kata's required after the Heian kata's in Shotokan Karate-do

This is a fantastic series for any serious Karate students. Insofar as the Kata are concerned, the pictures, diagrams and descriptions are excellent and have really helped me with my Karate. Incidentally, if you are not a Karate student I would strongly recommend this as a sport for an individual of any age. The physical excercise and mental stress relief are unsurpassed by any other sport.

Sensei Nakayama's book is excellent. Its advantages are that the techniques are explained in full detail and they are all performed by top JKA instructors.

While its a great book during Nakayama's time (and probably till the late 80's), its my humble opinion that this book is a little outdated. Many JKA masters today have improvished on some of the techniques so perhaps its more advisable to get a more up to date version by either Sensei Kanazawa or Sensei Enoeda.

Having said all these, its nevertheless a book which has no equal in the world of Shotokan.