Customer Reviews

Budo Mind and Body: Training Secrets of the Japanese Martial Arts

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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This is an excellent book for all practioners of martial arts, especially those who seek to go beyond just the physical skills to a life-long study of the philosophy of budo. Based on his own training and wide reading, Suino has distilled the essence of what he describes as necessary for the proper study of budo. Be warned: he does not offer an easy or short road: real commitment is physically and mentally demanding. Suino lays out the key elements of both, including some of the pitfalls that await. The benefits, however, can be felt not just within the martial art itself, but also in one's broader approach to life.

I particularly liked Suino's criticism of those who are more talk than action in teaching or studying martial arts, and those who are focused more on badges and belts than truly studying the art in all respects. His message is not an easy one for a society focused on quick gratification, self-importance and short attention spans. In addition to the life-long commitment, his call is essentially one of modesty in all aspects: deference for teachers in learning and developing techniques over a period of time, concern for fellow students, modesty in behaviour in the dojo, understanding that learning can evolve and shift its focus but that it has no end point, and modesty in realizing that one is part of, and building upon, very ancient traditions.

Appendices include capsule summaries of the key martial arts and a useful bibliography for further reading.

This is a book to be re-read and contemplated.

I purchased this book because I learned and benefited from Suino's Arts of Strength, Arts of Serenity. I was thrilled to see he had a new book out. Unfortunately, this new book is simply the old book revised and rereleased. I'm glad to see the book back in print. But I didn't need a second copy.

Fortunately, Budo Mind and Body is an outstanding gift book. It's a quick, easy read, but it speaks of things that take a lifetime to thoroughly explore. It's written in a clear, straightforward style with the unadorned elegance that one might expect of an iaido stylist. I highly recommend it unless you already own Suino's Arts of Strength, Arts of Serenity.

A truely excellent overview of the Japanese Martial Arts including discussion of the philosophical and historical basis common to all of them. Suino provides a general description of each of the major budo styles practiced today, with comments that will help the reader to understand which art might best suit his or her needs. He also makes it clear that serious practice is very different from what is offered by most strip mall Karate/Taekwondo/Jujitsu/Ninja schools, and stresses the importance of taking the time to seek out good instructors and their programs. A must read for the serious martial artist and anyone contemplating studying the budo.

I trained under Suino Sensai, and this book is really good if your looking into Japanese martial arts. Its full of wisdom from Suino Sensai and some of his experiences in the decades that he has trained.

This book is an excellent text on thoughts of a warrior, and the proper terminology to express in Nihongo.

The book appears,at first, to be to small to have any " serious " information. Wrong. While it is a rellativly quick and easy read, the book is packed with useful insite and information for the expert and novice matial artist. The book should be read again and again to. CONGRATULATIONS PROFESSOR!---JFM JR

This book is a must for the shelves of any traditional Budo practitioner or beginner in Budo. As a teacher of Budo myself, i have recommended this book to most of my students or the ones i feel will gain most from the book. It is an easy to read full of correlations to life and Budo. The author writes in an entertaining and informative fashion that gives you a thirst for more. The examples are memorable and it is a book that can be returned to time and time again.

[...] author of powers of the sixth sense

The author is most known for his books on Japanese swordmanship; however, this book focuses primarily on how to live your life according to the principles and philosophy of budo (Martial ways). This book begins with an introduction where it emphasizes that the real secret to the martial arts is realizing that "training is a process of self-discovery." The first chapter explains how the Japanese martial arts are built on hard physical training. This training is also built upon the idea of making progress if you train consistently. The second chapter deals with training the mind. Mental discipline is required to succeed at any martial art because the mind and body must work together if you intend to follow any Japanese martial art. The very nature of Budo is covered in chapter three. The fourth chapter explains the three martial virtues, which include strength, courage and loyalty. Training the spirit is emphasized in chapter five. This book also has some very interesting and educational appendix sections. The first one covers choosing a martial art and the second one has eight essential texts that are must reading for the martial artist.

The bibliography has a list of texts the author recommends to martial arts students. In conclusion, this is a great little guide to following the way of the warrior.

Rating: 4 stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Shotokan Karate Self-Defense Techniques: Practical Combat Karate for the street)

Direct and to the point. The book gives necessary insight on what to expect.

This book is becoming a bible as I begin to read it for the third time. It's a way of life. I'm forever greatful to Mr. Suino for writing it.