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79 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fun, interesting, and generally effective workout, August 1, 2005
This review is from: Forza The Samurai Sword Workout: Kick Butt and Get Buff with High-Intensity Sword Fighting Moves (Paperback)
Not for serious martial artists but an interesting and generally effective exercise routine nevertheless. Ilaria Montagnani's Forza has done for kendo what Billy Blanks' Tai Bo did for karate. It is a fun, relatively easy to learn, aerobic workout routine with a big stick (or bokken if you own one). She begins with a little background and context then jumps right into footwork, warm-up exercises, and basic techniques. You will learn how to hold the weapon and perform high, low, horizontal, and diagonal cuts as well as thrusts. There are a few "advanced" techniques as well, though they are really only variations of the basic stuff.
If you are an experience budoka who has studied kendo, iaido, or a related martial art this book is not for you. If you are a mundane individual who's got enough space to swing around a big stick and wants an interesting workout routine you ought to give this book a try. The book is a bit light on explanation but the step-by-step photos are clear and easy to follow. It might be better as a DVD but you can get sufficient information out of this format to perform the routines successfully. I recommend reading through it a couple times before getting started though.
I strongly recommend doing the warm-up drills before getting started. Even a few minutes with a lightweight stick can lead to pulled muscles or other injuries if you haven't done this kind of thing before.
If you really dig this stuff and want a serious workout, you should consider picking up a heavy ironwood bokken. It'll make you sweat fast. If you want something even heavier, you should probably consider an ironwood suburito (suburi bokken) which is thicker and heaver than a traditional bokken but has the same general shape. The balance, however, is not typically as good. Consequently they are only used for solo training and not for tandem exercises in a traditional dojo (which is exactly what you want here anyway). If you do the footwork/stances properly along with the arm movements you really can work your whole body, not just your arms/shoulders.
The editorial write-up touts that the book tells you how to get a hold of a workout sword yet the text simply suggests building your own and also refers to contacting a local martial arts store or internet site. I'm underwhelmed by that! There is also no warning against doing this with live steel in the book so I'll give one here: Don't even think of doing this stuff with a real sword without expert supervision. That's a serious accident waiting to happen.
In summary, this book is an interesting idea that is clearly communicated and very well illustrated. It's an aerobic workout not a martial art, but a lot more interesting than most fitness routines. If you've got a big enough practice area and a passing interest in swords you ought to give it a try.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Tough Workout for Shoulders, July 15, 2005
This review is from: Forza The Samurai Sword Workout: Kick Butt and Get Buff with High-Intensity Sword Fighting Moves (Paperback)
First, I am not a regular fitness buff, but I do have an interest in martial arts, and have some experience with swords. I have the natural wood hardwood daito bought from Amazon some time ago, which is a great and very well-balanced practice sword for the price.
This book is aimed at the workout crowd and not the martial artist, but I think that for anyone desiring some basic skills and forms on Japanese sword technique would like this book. The book is split up into basic exercises, more advanced exercies, and some forms, or routines which combine exercises together. The exercises are clearly explained with good pictures, although I could have wished for a little more detail on technique. There is a background explanation for swordwork at the beginning of the book, as well as workout hints and tips to begin a practice of the sword. The author clearly has training in formal martial arts, but does not go over the head of the beginner.
The day I got the book, I tried out the basic and advanced exercises. I only worked out about 10 minutes. I then had to take a few days off as my shoulders were so sore I could hardly lift them, even though I only practiced a few minutes. After having practiced the exercises as well as several of the routines, I am beginning to see a change in my shoulders. I also tend to lose track of the time when I get a hold of that sword and go through the workout.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in martial arts, swords, or simply firming up their arms and shoulders.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's a theme workout, not a martial art!, December 6, 2006
This review is from: Forza The Samurai Sword Workout: Kick Butt and Get Buff with High-Intensity Sword Fighting Moves (Paperback)
Forza is an imaginative and effective exercise system *inspired by* certain martial arts disciplines, and is not promoted as being anything more nor less than that. Anyone naive enough to look for authentic martial form or combat sport applicability in this book is a) completely missing the main point and b) much better advised to study kendo or a kenjutsu style.
Those readers for whom the book was actually written, i.e., those seeking a fun, intense and interesting workout, will not be disappointed.
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