Kick Boxing: The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning, Sparring, Fighting and More [Paperback]

Pat O'Keeffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

With its intense action and the unbelievable skills of its athletes, kickboxing has gained worldwide popularity in a way that few international sports ever do.  It requires perfect timing, incredible speed, and relentless power, and this guide details the techniques and methods needed to win. Author Pat O’Keeffe is a coach, trainer, and champion with three decades of experience, and his book includes dozens of techniques to prepare both body and mind for this dangerous and exciting sport.  Helpful step-by-step illustrations demonstrate the techniques of defense; counter-attack; timing, distance, and mobility; sparring; speed and power; conditioning; and more. Perfect for the amateur kick boxer or the experienced fighter, Kick Boxing is a must-read resource written by one of the sport’s top experts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pat O'Keeffe is a world-renowned kick boxing trainer and champion who has competed against three World Champions in his decades-long career. He is the British Head and Team Coach for the American kick boxing association, K.I.C.K.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602390231
• ISBN-13: 978-1602390232
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,307,469 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction to Kick Boxing, September 19, 2007

By 

John J. Browne "bookaholic" (Brooklyn, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kick Boxing: The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning, Sparring, Fighting and More (Paperback)

This is a remarkably well illustrated book which provides an excellent overview of kickboxing, The book begins with a concise discussion of the history of kick boxing and then leaps right in to chapters on "the fundamentals", "secondary techniques", defense and counterattacks, "speed and power" and "conditioning" to name a few. The techniques described virtually always include sequential photos demonstrating the particular move which will be of great value to students of this combat art. Many of the conditioning techniques and as well as the training schedule detailed in the book would likely be applicable to many other martial acts as well as those readers just interested in general fitness. The book even includes a chapter on the role of the coach. This book is certainly recommended reading for all present students of kickboxing as well as those who are curious about this martial art or just interested in physical fitness

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic introduction to kick boxing. An excellent book for all martial artists., June 28, 2011

By 

Joseph J. Truncale "warriorwriter" (Vernon Hills, Il) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kick Boxing: A Framework for Success (Paperback)

My passion for the martial arts has stayed strong for more than fifty years. One of my interests was kick boxing. In the United States, Joe Lewis was one of the first karate fighters to switch to full contact kick boxing. Great Britain also became interested in the full contact aspect of kick boxing. One of the leaders in Great Britain is Pat O'Keeffe.

I recently came across three kick boxing books by Pat O'Keeffe. This is the first in the series and covers in depth the vital basic principles and techniques of kick boxing. The eleven chapters include the fundamentals, secondary techniques, defense and counter-attacks, use of combinations, timing, distance, mobility, sparring, developing speed and power, conditioning, designing a schedule, advice to the coach, and the way beyond trophies.
This book is full of clear black and white photographs showing each technique, as well as several illustrations. The author recommends that students should begin by absorbing the information in this text first before reading his other two volumes on kick boxing.

In conclusion, this is a book that will be of interest to all martial artists who desire to learn the basic principles and techniques of kick boxing.

Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Shotokan Karate Self-Defense Techniques: Combat Karate for the street ISBN: 978-0-9793293-0-2)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Packed full of info, July 13, 2008

By 

Joseph M Burtner (Kennesaw, Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kick Boxing: The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning, Sparring, Fighting and More (Paperback)

This is a book on full-contact rules kickboxing, meaning that all kicks, save foot sweeps, are aimed above the waist. O'Keeffe was a world-class competitor during the heyday of this form of kickboxing, and certainly knows what he's talking about. This book covers a variety of stances and guards, basic punching and kicking techniques and their variations, defensive techniques and counters, combinations, footwork, equipment, drills, conditioning, and fight prep routines. He basically takes the reader through a journey from their earliest learning stages to their fight career. On the downside, the text seemed occationally disorganized and unclear. I also feel that some of the combinations were too excentric to find much real use. All the same, it's a very good book, one I'd recomend to those interested in FC rules kickboxing, or maybe to add some spice to their Muay Thai or karate techniques.