Judo Unleashed: Essential Throwing & Grappling Techniques for Intermediate to Advanced Martial Artists [Paperback]

Neil Ohlenkamp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2006

Hundreds of full-color throws and grabs make this the black belt of instructional judo books

In Judo Unleashed, master coach Neil Ohlenkamp brings together the form, practice, and grace of this venerable sport in an all-inclusive handbook. From philosophical and technical foundations through advanced grappling and self-defense techniques, this authoritative guide, with 350 color photos, covers all the bases you need to refine your technique and gain a deeper understanding of this increasingly popular martial art.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Harness the power of judo with guidance from one of the world's most respected senseis

Whether you're in training for competition or preparing to take your black belt test, Judo Unleashed is the definitive resource for serious judo practitioners who want to take their skills to a bold new level.

At the same time, this incredibly illustrated, step-by-step guide is ideal for anyone who wants to incorporate some of the most powerful and effective judo techniques into his or her self-defense or competitive fighting styles.

Sensei Neil Ohlenkamp, one of today's most sought-after judo coaches, covers all the bases--from philosophical and technical foundations through advanced grappling and self-defense techniques. With the help of 350 specially commissioned, full-color photographs illustrating each move in exciting detail, he draws upon his nearly 40 years of judo experience to show you how to:

• Add power and grace to your technique and improve your understanding of the fundamentals
• Execute basic and advanced hip, hand, and leg throws, sacrifice throws, pins, chokes, joint locks, and more
• Prepare yourself mentally and physically to ace your shodan test or blow away the competition

About the Author

Neil Ohlenkamp holds a sixth degree black belt in judo and is a certified USJA master coach--the highest level of certification. He has nearly four decades of experience as a judo student, competitor, head instructor, national team coach, and tournament official. Sensei Ohlenkamp holds black belt rank certificates from the Kokodan Judo Institute of Tokyo, the United States Judo Association, and the United States Judo Federation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071475346
• ISBN-13: 978-0071475341
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.5 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Martial Arts

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great New Judo Book for the 21st Century June 1, 2006

By Gary S. Goltz

Amazon Verified Purchase

I really like this as a text book for my students. It covers the basics in detail using current technology for photos and diagrams, The overview of judo history and evolution into a popular Olympic sport is explained well with a reverence for it's martial roots. Had I written a book myself it would look a lot like this one.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This Might Become the Standard July 26, 2006

By Plotinus

- beautiful pictures, all colour

- street-fighting applications of everything explained IN DETAIL

- complete techniques

- lots of interesting stuff to read

Judo is presented here as a fighting art in its entirety. Neil runs the world's biggest Judo website, and is probably the most informed judoka there is on this planet. He hasn't left anything out, and doesn't waste space explaining things either. It's all here and really fun to read and consult!

This book will do a lot of great things for promoting Judo.

WOW!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have June 12, 2006

By A. Yuzon

In addition to the comments already posted, the photo sequences of moves + the close-ups of grips AND positioning of the feet are extremely effective reminders of what the sensei/coach keep pounding in our heads back at the dojo/gym.

Neil Ohlenkamp's years as a Judo teacher shows through in the way he presents basic information and the nuances that are so important to competitive Judo.

Although the techniques are intended for intermediates and higher, the beginner Judoka or experienced grappler (BJJer or Wrestler) will be able to understand and appreciate the essential elements.

You will not be disapointed with this book and it's so cheap! Remember, Mr. Ohlenkamp runs the most popular Judo Information site in the world.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Even my instructor was impressed May 24, 2006

By S. Marsh

Amazon Verified Purchase

There are a lot of Judo books out there. Many have bad pictures (the models watching their feet when they step in, their throws when throwing, stuff I'm learning not to do), and do not cover all the basics.

This is a comprehensive book. Solid (the author also runs Judoinfo.com) and complete. Excellent illustrations. Amazon said I could expect to get it in July, my copy from Amazon arrived last Monday and I took it to class. Everyone had positive things to say about it.

Do not let the cover or the title make you think that this book is something it is not. The book is solid, complete and clear. Published in multiple language editions, it is probably the best book you can buy to start a collection of books.

I've been buying the Masterclass books as I could find them (until Neil pointed me to a site that has them all, now I'm buying them as I can afford them) and this book gave me a lot more bang for the buck.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a good book for people new to Judo October 28, 2009

By Baron of LA

I found this book to be a good introduction to Judo. It touches on a lot of topics like the history of Judo, what Judo is, how it works, self defense, sport, personal development, theory, and techniques. That's a lot to try to pack into one book but Mr. Ohlenkamp did a good job and has put together a book that he can be proud of.

Pros: The book is very well laid out in a neat, organized manner. It's printed on high quality paper which makes the book easy to read and visually appealing. It goes over the official 67 throws that are recognized by the Kodokan and some of the moves have variations to help you out when you can't get a technique to work in the traditional way. Along with each move there is a little diagram that shows the ending position for your feet which helps in the understanding how to perform each technique. The part I found the most valuable is the Appendices. This section does many things; it translates the Japanese words for easier understanding. It goes over and explains sport rules and scoring. The appendix tells you which moves are recognized by the Kodokan and Judo Federation. Last but not least is my favorite part. It has a chart that tells you which moves are good to set up other moves and a follow up attack in case you miss the technique you were going for along with the most used counters to each move. As a beginner Judoka, I'm finding the appendix section of the book very helpful.

Cons: Often the moves are described in about 3 pictures with a paragraph explaining the whole move. I felt this made it hard to tell when to apply the details within the move and sometimes it was hard to tell what was going on in the pictures. The Grappling section I found very weak.... The book only had one picture per move and that was the ending position without any explanation of how to set it up or the mechanics of the move. I felt this section could have been skipped and I wouldn't have missed anything. The only other thing that I didn't care for in this book was that at times Neil gets a little long winded but that can also be a good thing depending on who's reading it.

I'm keeping this book around as I found it to be a good reference book for my Judo needs. Overall, I felt this was a good book with a lot to offer people that are new to intermediate in Judo but it might be just the same old stuff or people that have been in the sport for a long time. Read more ›

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn the art of judo whether you're training for competition or preparing for the black belt October 15, 2006

By Midwest Book Review

Learn the art of judo whether you're training for competition or preparing for the black belt using JUDO UNLEASHED: ESSENTIAL THROWING & GRAPPLING TECHNIQUES FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED MARTIAL ARTISTS. This step-by-step guide to the art is for any who want to take judo techniques a step further, blending it with other competitive fighting styles. The author is one of the world's best judo coaches and his expertise lends to all the basics, building both a philosophical and athletic foundation of advanced self-defense moves. Color photos throughout show how.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for starting out. August 31, 2009

By jessie

Unleashed is an overrated word, nothing too technically difficult. I'm new in Judo, but not to martial arts and grappling. I found the breakdown of the basics very helpful and the fundamentals are well explained also, coupled with the excellent pictures the book is a must have for any martial artist. So even though its not "unleashed" I still give it a full 5 stars for its content.