Gene LeBell's Grappling World, The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds (2nd Expanded Edition) [Paperback]

Gene LeBell (Author), Steve Kim (Illustrator), Jamie Itagaki (Illustrator), Paul Power (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2000

The new expanded edition of this best-selling martial arts instructional book is a must for anyone interested in learning the techniques needed to become a successful grappler. This comprehensive encyclopedia features Gene LeBell's champion student, "The Armenian Assassin" Gokor Chivichyan, and many others. It is packed with photos and illustrations, and includes a complete glossary, index, and a list of resources and products. Some admirers have called Gene LeBell, a.k.a. "The Toughest Man Alive," the deadliest man on the planet. His wife says sarcastically, "He's just from another world." LeBell wears many hats, having grown up in boxing and wrestling gyms around the world and spending a lifetime studying many of the different martial arts. LeBell has won national judo championships, wrestled professionally for over 20 successful years, announced professional wrestling on television for 15 years, and refereed professional boxing and wrestling matches all over the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A whole lotta fun. Is there anyone on the planet who isn't grappling? Oh, we're sure you might be able to find somebody somewhere. The next time you go to the mountains look under a few rocks. You might find somebody there. Other than that, forget it. Everybody's rolling.

If you'd like to get a few more finishing holds under your belt, check out Gene LeBell's new encyclopedia. Don't let the word "encyclopedia" scare you off. This book doesn't have anything to do with the middle ages, chemistry or the geography of Peru. This is Gene LeBell's new book Grappling World: The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds. This baby has 500 + pages and more than 1,000 finishing holds. It's got everything.

Unlike some encyclopedias, this one is a whole lot of fun to read. Unless you're a real sourpuss, you'll find yourself laughing out loud at LeBell's hilarious sense of humor. -- Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated - August 1999

When you browse through Gene LeBell's new book, Grappling World; The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds, the first thing that enters your mind is pain. No, not the kind of pain that results from a bad experience. On the contrary, this is a great book. It's just that the techniques he demonstrates look like they cause pain - a whole lotta pain.

Next, you'll find yourself laughing out loud at LeBell's wonderful sense of humor. Not only are his facial expressions absolutely classic, he has also written some funny descriptions of his techniques. For Example, in the section on "Grips and Handles" LeBell writes: "The pain is much more excruciating if you grab your opponent's testicles rather than his penis." In parentheses, he writes: "(Only works on men.)"

You'll also be touched by the foreward. LeBell writes: "When a teacher dies, a world of knowledge is lost forever. That's why I have no secrets. So when I die, cast my ashes to the four winds. For as long as my students live and teach, I will live" The book which features more than 1,000 finishing holds, is excellent. Get your hands on a copy as soon as you can. -- Martial Arts Training Magazine - May 1999

From the Publisher

Gene's techniques are the most copied in all of the martial arts. This is because there is no one more qualified to teach grappling than the man proclaimed by all to be "the toughest man alive" (Most recently Black Belt Magazine, January 2000 on which he graced the cover and took martial arts into the 21st century.)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Unique Publications; 2nd Revised edition (December 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967654319
• ISBN-13: 978-0967654317
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,142,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gene LeBell's Grappling World, The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds (2nd Expanded Edition) (Paperback)

I would give this ten stars if I could. This book is by the great master Gene LeBell. His books are so detailed and easy to understand. This book covers mostly submissions, and ALOT of them. The first chapters are about foot and leg control, and slap and grab moves. Then come the submissions. There is every type of armbar,bent armlock, shoulderlock,leg locks, hip locks, chokes, ankle bends and twists, neck locks, headlocks, neck cranks, abdominal muscle stretches, groin pain, back pain, and much much more. It shows you all of these moves in every angle, in everyway, and many different variations for them all. This book has extremley silly parts in it which will keep you laughing while your learning. It is a great book. Anyone who grapples NEEDS this book to be the best. Gene Lebell has trained some of the best in the world from UFC fighters to Bruce Lee, Chuch Norris, and the undeafeted NHB fighter Gokor Chivichian who is also featured in the pictures in this book as well as UFC former champion Oleg Taktarov. This book really is a Encyclopedia!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful encyclopedia, and entertaining, April 19, 2001

By 

Ali Al Maliki (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gene LeBell's Grappling World, The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds (2nd Expanded Edition) (Paperback)

This book is a good book to get. It has a lot of useful and humorous info on finishing moves. This book I feel is not for the beginner cause it only contains finishing moves and not the positions or strategy for one to set up such finishes. I would recommend getting this book after one has had familiarity with Grappling arts instruction like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Shoot Fighting, Catch wrestling. I also recommend getting the book The Fighter's Notebook, which has positions and submissions as well as stand up fighting. Get this and the Gene LeBell book and your straight.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Is Gene LeBell's Legacy to the Grappling World, May 22, 2000

By 

Norm Leff (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gene LeBell's Grappling World, The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds (2nd Expanded Edition) (Paperback)

LeBell was probably born wearing a pair of wrestling tights and boots. He was the national AAU Judo Champion in 1954 and 1955. Gene won both the heavyweight and openweight divisions at a bodyweight of 160 pounds. Gene LeBell became a professional wrestler in 1955 and won the NWA World's Heavyweight title. Judo Gene is one of the greatest submission grapplers in the world today. He is a master of over 1,000 holds in the art of submission grappling. All of the holds that Gene knows were proven and tested on the mats, arenas and in the streets around the world. LeBell's legacy to the grappling world is in this encyclopedia. This book has over a thousand submission grappling techniques. LeBell is no ordinary mortal when it comes to grappling and fighting. I am certain that he is related in some way to the ancient Greek gods of antiquity. Probably Hercules was his Godfather and the mighty Milo of Croton - the greatest wrestler who ever lived - was his grappling mentor. For those of you who do not have the book -- buy it, it will be the best investment you will ever make and keep in mind that it is the best book on finishing holds that has ever been published. I have seen many other books on submission grappling from all over the world and none can compare with this book. Years ago I searched high and low for such a book but always came up empty handed. Submission grappling techniques have always been guarded jealously by the grapplers of the world. The art of finishing holds is a secretive and esoteric art. Judo Gene LeBell has revealed to the grappling world many of these secret and esoteric holds. LeBell is the first one to do so. Many professional wrestlers were angry with Gene for doing so, but Gene wants to share his knowledge with all the martial artists and grapplers of good will. This manual has an enormous amount of information, knowledge and techniques that one can learn from. If you own such a book then no other grappling book is necessary to buy. It is the whole nine yards. Gene once told me that if you can learn one good technique from a book then it is worth the purchase price. If that is so, then this book is equal to a hundred books (assuming you learn only 10% of the techniques it contains).