Customer Reviews

Hidden Hands: Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Martial Arts Forms

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

 

 

Once again Phillip Starr has come out with a very informative and much needed book that explains the true meaning behind the various forms, kata, patterns, etc. practiced religiously by traditional martial artists in a variety of disciplines ranging from Karate to Taekwondo and everything in between. This book is similar to another outstanding work targeting the same subject by Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder titled, The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide for Deciphering Martial Applications, and although both books cover the same subject matter, you would do well to won both of them as together they pretty much cover all the possible material. I have owned The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide for Deciphering Martial Applications for a number of years and have read it several times, Starr's book is every bit as informative and influential as Kane's and Wilder's.

So exactly what does this book have to offer? Well for starters it goes into great detail explaining the true purpose behind the use of forms in the traditional martial arts and really give substance to the fact that most, and I do mean most, instructors and therefore their students aren't really getting out of the practice of their forms what was intended. Most practitioners simply do the forms as robots and not truly understanding that the superficial moves that they have been practicing is merely a smokescreen to what is truly being learned if one knows what to look for.

And exactly what do you or should you be learning from your forms? Well to put it simply, everything that you aren't seeing when you execute them.

I have often heard people complain that they had tried various forms of martial arts such as, (insert any style here), and although most enjoyed it, pretty much nobody enjoyed doing the forms and felt that they were a tremendous waste of time. Often times this was a major factor in why they were no longer practicing their chose martial art. Yes, I know that is a very lame excuse, but not everyone is disciplined. Every time I have somebody tell me that, the first thing I ask them is if they know why they were doing those forms. Not once has anyone ever told me that they were learning anything other than a punch, kick, or block set in a particular sequence. And, not surprisingly, most of their instructors didn't know why either other than that was what they were taught.

This trickle-down practice happens in all martial arts with other techniques, not just forms. No, it doesn't happen to everyone, and that is mostly because of the instructors themselves who not only make sure that they know what they are doing, but just as importantly make sure that their students know what they are doing. Now admittedly this is not usually the fault of the individual instructor as he/she is merely teaching what they themselves were taught. Then again, ignorance is bliss. Well, not anymore and we can think Phillip Starr, Lawrence Kane, and Kris Wilder for that. Thanks Guys!

I highly recommend this book and the following two books by Phillip Starr to help you on your path to martial enlightenment.

Martial Maneuvers: Fighting Principles and Tactics of the Internal Martial Arts

Martial Mechanics: Maximum Results with Minimum Effort in the Practice of the Martial Arts

Shawn Kovacich
Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

This book is "the book", that teaches what is really hidden in real martial art forms! Not fancy WuShu but real Kung Fu and Karate as they were meant to be practiced. What you will find is an awesome tome that compliments Sifu Starr's other books Martial Mechanics and Martial Maneuvers. This book teaches very clearly what gives life to forms and explains why forms, kata, kuen are treasures in the truest sense of the word. I am not only excited but a bit jealous as I learned how to interpret forms in this way, and now the keys to understanding forms is in your hands. I give this book my highest recommendation. If there were a 6 star I would have given it that! If your are a taditionalist GET this book. If you are not, get this book, undertand where your feeder based systems get their methods. If your are on the fence about the value of forms, GET THIS BOOK!! You will not be disappointed, you will be educated. Take this knowledge and drink deeply brothers and sisters. This is the product of a true font of masterful knowledge. Bless you Sifu Starr. And thank you. I continue to look forward to the next addition to my library.

An Outstanding And Much Needed Look At the True Purpose of Katas
Once again Phillip Starr has come out with a very informative and much needed book that explains the true meaning behind the various forms, kata, patterns, etc.

Very good Illustration as well

Phillip Starr's " Hidden Hands" opens the door and points the way to a deeper understanding of Kata and finding the true applications behind the techniques often hidden in the Kata forms. Broken down into understandable terms this book has something to offer Martial Artists of all styles and levels. Sifu Starr has been training and teaching Martial Arts since 1956 and continues to teach today. He brings a wealth of knowledge that bridges the gap between forms and fighting. His diverse background in Martial arts from Taijiquan to Kyokushin brings a new face to the old ways. Many styles have lost the ability to " read" their Katas and translate them into efficient fighting techniques. Sifu Starr pays forward the knowledge that was given to him by the teachers of old, before the time of "sports karate".
I enjoyed this book tremendously, as I have Sifu Starr's other books, and I look forward to his next book. I recommend this book to anyone interested in deepening their knowledge of the Martial Arts.

Our intrepid detective sets out to uncover the hidden movements and techniques concealed in martial arts forms. Rather than limit himself to one martial arts discipline, Mr. Starr has chosen to take a broad based comprehensive approach to the topic. He may have spread himself too thin in the process. From page 61 on, the book became interesting for me. That's out of a 235 page total. I had to slog through a lot of introductory background material.

The book begins to take on a life of its own in Chapter 8 "As the Spirit Moves". Each successive chapter becomes more intriguing until by Chapter 23 "Breaking the Code", the blindfold falls off. Assumptions evaporate into thin air. Japanese and Chinese martial arts practitioners will find some eye openers here, some big surprises.

Mr. Starr's humorous writing style comes through with comments like "If they all taste like chicken, then something is very wrong." Teachers and tournament judges can easily relate to that.

Half of the book is illustration... 50% photos and 50% text. The black and white photographic sequences flow nicely with the text. The appendix is 22 pages devoted to the photographic sequences of a single yiliquan form.

What the reader is left with is a sense of incompleteness, a yearning for what is missing, so much still remains a mystery.

As far as I know, this is Sifu Starr's fourth book and perhaps his worst. I have always been a fan of the Sifu's work and I believe his other books offer outstanding insights into the martial arts, in contrast this one offers very little.

Filled with boring photos and a multitude of unanswered "hanging" questions, this would have been better as a long magazine article or maybe three. Most chapters say something like, "ok, in the next series of photos is a hidden meaning...can you find it? If not, think harder." And thats about it.

So it might motivate a few folks out there, or shame a few instructors who don't always know the "real" answers, but for most of you, its a waste.