Customer Reviews

Kata and the Transmission of Knowledge: In Traditional Martial Arts

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

 

 

This work is a thinking person's guide to martial erudition rather than a "how to" book about combat technique. Through Rosenbaum's words, we learn the power of kata (patterns of movements containing a series of logical and practical offensive and defensive techniques) to transmit proven methodologies from one generation to the next. This brilliantly researched tome provides important insight into the history and development of martial arts - both military and civilian. It is more of a textbook than a light afternoon read, yet it provides fantastic insight into the views and ethics of societies that created the fighting forms that many of us practice today. I learned a lot from it.

There is one flaw in this work which, though not significant, is pretty annoying: there are 43 illustrations, more than half of which are truly awful. It would have been better off without most of them. Now that I got that off my chest, the main theme of the book is that through understanding the evolution of an art form and how martial knowledge is transmitted via kata, practitioners build a greater appreciation of their art and what it truly means to practice it. The author leads us through a journey back in time, where we see consistent evidence of martial systems being influenced by those that came before and/or invaded. Rosenbaum demonstrates that katas in one form or another were used by ancient Greek, Egyptian, Asian, African, and European societies, and that poetry, dance, and song were also significant methods of preserving and transmitting battle-tested fighting strategies and tactics across the ages.

Michael Rosenbaum really knows his stuff. He began his martial arts training at the age of five. Along with Isshin Ryu karate, which he has been practicing for 25 years, he has studied Bando, Judo, and Boxing. Rosenbaum is former member of the elite 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, and has completed Infantry, Airborne, and Jungle Warfare Schools. I found his work extremely well researched and informative.

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

...by the way, if you do want a "how to" book to add to this one, check out 'Bunkai-Jutsu' by Iain Abernethy. It's absolutely outstanding!

As a goju practitioner with over 25 years experience, I found much of this work to be confirming of exisiting knowledge. However there are many,many clear insights which have thown new light on old topics! I found the book to be easy to read, practical, and offering a clear and detailed insight into the world of kata. This book, is a must have for any goju practitioner looking to expand their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of kata. The book is full of aggravating typographical errors...words missing and so on. The book needs revision with a view to correcting these mistakes which provide the reader with a source of real annoyance. Look past this, and the book should be on every goju teacher's desk for constant reference. Hooray! At last a classy text on goju! But martial artists of any style will find it excellent. Congratulations to the authors. Well done.

Written by a martial artist of 25 years' experience who has studied and practiced Isshin Ryu, Bando, Judo, and Boxing, Kata And The Transmission Of Knowledge teaches the reader about the deeper meaning behind ritual forms and pre-arranged fighting techniques known as katas. Chapters foster a better understanding of katas as means to transmit successful techniques from one generation to the next; the author scrutinizes katas that have been used in Greek, Egyptian, Asian, African and European societies since ancient times. Exploring the deeper meaning of katas to gain insights into the views and ethics of societies from which they originated, Kata And The Transmission Of Knowledge is especially recommended for martial artists seeking to better understand the nuances, purpose, history, and applications of the skills they pursue.

The author has put together an insightful and thought provoking review of the available literature and provided some excellent commentary on the concepts involved in kata. A useful text for the professional instructor looking for deeper meaning as to the 'why'.

The book was ok, it had a few interesting ideas on development of martial arts and martial culture, but not particularly well written.

I was Very Disappointed in this book - the title and blurb seemed to indicate some actual kata application (bunkai) information would be present ... but there is not enough to matter to me. Reads more like a Masters dissertation than a japanese applied martial arts discussion.

Mr. Rosenbaum,
I have enjoyed all your books but this is the Best One Yet. You keep getting better as a writer and the addition of the drawings adds another dimension.

I am hoping there is another one in the works.
-An Avid Reader