Customer Reviews

Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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If you've ever been interested in learning about what karate is, why it is, what to do with it, or how it works, THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK YOU SHOULD PICK UP! Written by renowned karate historian Randall G. Hassell and Edmond Otis (a leading technical karate expert), this book is a very easy and FUN read that you'll refer back to for years to come. The authors have over 65 years of karate experience between them and it shows. No stone is left unturned, no punches are pulled (no pun intended!) and they don't talk down to you - every sentence compels you to read the next, and the next, and so on. Excellent photography and graphics help you visualize everything, from techniques to tying your belt, it's everything you need to get started in your karate training!

This book is a holistic (though somewhat Shotokan-centric) basic primer on karate. The authors wax verbose at odd times and prattle off too many bad puns (e.g., "dressed to kill" re: uniforms) yet the information really is pretty good. It covers everything from finding a school to properly wearing the uniform to basic techniques (e.g., stances, punches, kicks). Succinctly covers topics such as ranking, terminology, weapon forms, self-defense, tournaments, and sparring as well. The illustrations are excellent yet the explanations are often too brief for those who would like to understand not only what, buy why. For example, the index on safety tips contains enough gems that it probably have been expanded into a whole chapter. The "Sensei Says" summaries and "Ouch" safety tips are colorful, well done, and facilitate absorption of essential knowledge. Overall I'd recommend this book for beginners and those considering karate training. If you've been doing this for a while it's probably too elementary.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

This book not only covers what karate's history and traditions are, but how the basics are performed, and how they should be performed. The book also describes JKA shotokan requirements for each level up to shodan black belt. This book is a must for every traditonal japanese karate-do practioner.

I find this book very well written and a must read for students or parents preparing to enter a strict traditional karate school. This book is informative and educational, but also filled with the wit and humor of the authors to keep much of the reading on the lighter side.
The sidebars "Karate Minutes", "Sense Says" and "Talk the Talk", also "Ouch" push home points and various karate meanings that are important.
The downside of this book relates directly to those masters of non-traditional, or mixed martial arts, is that they are given no credit for advancing the new age styles, techniques and katas. What makes the masters of old more qualified to put together an art form than the more rounded, traveled and educated masters of today?
I really enjoyed reading this book and even though I have been involved in the martial arts since 1967, I still learned a few new things and my memory was jogged on information that I had long forgotten.
I give this book an eight rating on a scale of 1 to 10.
Soke
Professor David L. Grosscup
10th Dan
M.P.K.A.
www.MPKA.net

When it comes to Karate, I am a complete idiot. I have a white belt, which essentially means I have mastered elementary bowing. So when I saw this title, it was a natural. And I really like it. It is quite user friendly, filled with humor, written well, and fully illustrated with drawings and photos.

If you have absolutely no experience with karate, and, like me, you are simply wondering if taking up karate is right for you, this is a great start. The introductory chapters are basic introductions to this martial art - from ettiquitte at the Dojo, to what a Dojo is (the place karate is taught and practiced); from the benefits of self defense, to who can succeed at this martial art (and the answer is, you guessed it, almost anyone! ...even me...); from the history of the martial art, to the hierarchy of belts and grading; from a glossary of terms and phrases, to the basics of competitions and sparring. This book has everything for the beginner.... from kata to kumite.

Then again, this book is written by experts in the field, so even advanced belts and experts can benefit from this guide. My significant other, who has practiced karate for 23 years, also enjoys it; I have caught him reading it on several occassions. But do not worry, oh fellow white belts, it is also written so that anyone can understand it. Even me.

My favorite part of this book is the "Sensei says" sections. These are user friendly tips and tidbits - in cartoon form - that anyone and everyone should know when starting out. I have even started my own personal list of these for myself, and posted them on my fridge. They are not as good as those included in this guide, and are even more basic... such as "Sensei says do not practice karate in the bathtub..." and "Sensei says do not do karate while operating a motor vehicle..."

But then again, I am the complete idiot when it come to this stuff.

In addition to the other review here, this book is much more than what has been described. It would suit any Okinawan/Japanese style of karate not just Shotokan. It's a large book & isn't intended as an introduction (IMHO). Many hundreds of subjects are covered, some as deeply philosophical as Zanshin & Mushin etc. Although these subjects are covered very briefly, they are done so in such a concise way that you get the full meaning.
"An Idiot's Guide" is an unfortunate title as many Brown and Black Belt karate-ka would benefit from its HUGE & varied content.
As with all other "Idiot" series books, it is very well & interestingly laid out with lots of diagrams & photo's too.
Should Karate be introduced into the school curriculum, this ought to be the first reference book teachers should source. The authors are well established & highly respected in this field already.
This book puts many so-called "advanced" titles to shame - if the subjects were covered in any more depth, this book could be three times as thick.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate" is an extremely comprehensive, easy-to-read book that is valuable for both beginning and advanced students of karate alike. While the portions on the actual physical aspect of karate are highly commendable, complete with photographs of all of the basic stances and techniques involved in the art; the book really shines in that it also discusses the psychological elements of self-defense, and how to avoid violent conflict in the first place. While overflowing with information, the book is written with a style that is both humorous and easy-to-follow, so that the beginning karate student will not be lost in a mass of technical jargon and the advanced student will not be bored to death. In short, this is an excellent book on karate, and I highly recommend it.

I have been practicing karate for 28 years and I have read many books on karate and other martial arts. This book by Mr Otis and Mr Hassel is excellent. It is wonderful guide for the novice, the experienced practitioner,and teacher to the art of karate.It is a comprehensive guide from choosing a style of martial art to learn, a school to learn it in, as well as a guide to the more advanced aspects of the art: ettequette, competition, teaching, self defense and self improvement.

I am Brazilian, and for long time I am Fanatic about Karate book's. In fact I've got almost all most important titles about Traditional Japanese Karate on the market and I was very impressed with the contend of this wonderfull book. If you are a beginner or advanced Karateka you are going to love it. It covers all about Karate-do from the beginning level to Advanced Black Belt. Mr. Hassel and Mr. Otis were very happy to share theirs knowledge with us. I am sure you are going to have a very good reading and I recommend this great Karate book.

My rating is for if you are practicing Shotokan. If you do another style, like Wado Ryu, than it is not as usefull. I'd say it's worth buying if you are in the intermediate and begining stages of Wado Ryu. But if you half no money living in a impovershid country and you only have enough money and food to buy and read one book before you starve to death in your life, then it might be better to get a more style-specific one