Customer Reviews

Dynamic KARATE - Japan Karate Association

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Nakayama Sensei produced a good number of fine works and books on Shotokan Karate-Do -- in particular are the self-defense series on "Practical Karate" [with co-author Donn Draeger] -- as well as the extensive "Best Karate" series on Shotokan Karate-Do. Many such works by Nakayama are still available via Amazon, one way or another. This one, "Dynamic KARATE", is one of the best of Nakayama and the Japan Karate Association -- one of the very best works on Karate ever. Nowadays, in an era wherein new-school trends are lim-lit in splendor, some may still quietly greatly value such an old-school work on old-school Karate-Do. The clear-and-sharp precision of "Dynamic KARATE" is wonderful to review from time to time. The accurate details of the positions, movements and methods are worked-out in fine measure via visual views, words and ideas. The whole quality of this fine work remains an Ideal of Natural Law and Art of Karate-Do which links Okinawa, Japan and the World -- including the book-production via classical cloth covers, sewn binding, quality paper, clear font and photos.

I am a semi-direct follower of Shotokan, and Karate-Do in general -- but just via a small quiet cousin Hawaii Kenpo Art. Five of my Defense Arts mentors had Shotokan in common -- and cross-checking and combining their hints on the value of Shotokan causes me all-the-more to value Shotokan and Karate-Do -- and therefore "Dynamic KARATE". Semi-classical Kenpo Arts have much in common with such Karate-Do. As I learned, the classical Kata can be equally interpeted as "Kumite", "Tegumi" or "Kobudo" -- striking, grappling or weapons-usage via "fist", "grip" or "cane". Kicks can be trips, fists can be grips, blows can be throws and blocks can be locks -- or even pre-emptive "limb-destructions" -- as if ones arms were canes OR EVEN SWORDS. Also, the half-step positions are as important as the full-step positions -- such seeming transitions weaving Fluid aspects into the Solid aspects of the full-positions. Of course, the first and last practical Ideal of Defense is to deflect opposition [and opponents] away, down and out, via word, deed, fist or sword -- or just avoiding opposition [or opponents] totally. There is "Tai-Gatana" [body-sword] -- but "Tai-Sabaki" [body-shift] comes before and after +++