The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga: Improve Flexibility, Balance and Strength for Higher Kicks, Faster Strikes, Smoother Throws, Safer Falls, and Stronger Stances [Paperback]

Lily Chou (Author), Ph.D. Norman G. Link (Foreword), Kathe Rothacher (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2005

The perfect training supplement for martial artists, The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga shows how the ancient practice of yoga was the genesis of all martial arts. It clearly illustrates how specific yoga poses can directly improve one's martial arts abilities, with asanas that the reader can easily incorporate into a balanced workout.

Designed for those practicing any martial art including judo, karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, jujitsu, and hapkido, the book explains the training needs and challenges of the various universal techniques: kicks, strikes, blocks, throws, falls, joint locks, and grappling. Then the author identifies the underlying fundamentals necessary to advance one's skill in each area and presents a series of yoga poses specially selected to make those improvements - from increased flexibility and strength to better body control and balance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Ulysses Press (August 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569754721
• ISBN-13: 978-1569754726
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A creative blending of concepts, October 4, 2005

By 

L. A. Kane (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga: Improve Flexibility, Balance and Strength for Higher Kicks, Faster Strikes, Smoother Throws, Safer Falls, and Stronger Stances (Paperback)

While I'm not convinced by these materials that yoga was the genesis of all martial arts, the author does make a compelling case that yoga techniques can complement martial training. The routines described herein can help improve body control, balance, flexibility, and strength. Not surprising since many of these techniques are already found in most traditional martial arts training.

There's really nothing earth shattering in here, but there is some good stuff that can help you become a better martial artist if you add it to your daily routine. It's pretty well written and easy to follow, an interesting and creative blending of concepts not generally associated with each other. On the other hand, I certainly would not consider it a "must read" by any means.

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

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written by a martial artist for martial artists, November 15, 2005

By 

Michael Ashley - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga: Improve Flexibility, Balance and Strength for Higher Kicks, Faster Strikes, Smoother Throws, Safer Falls, and Stronger Stances (Paperback)

Lily Chou is uniquely qualified to give us a guide to yoga specifically for martial arts. Her ten years of experience include cross training in Yongmudo, Taekwondo and over four years in Hatha yoga, coupled with her skills in editing numerous health and fitness books and participation in the UC Martial Arts Program is an exceptional combination for an author. Lily has divided her book not by the typical yoga poses, but by their application to specific martial arts skills. Thus, we find chapters on grappling and throws with the poses she and her co-author Kathe Rothacher (a yoga practitioner for over 30 years) see as most appropriate. The book is well illustrated with photographs of every position (including martial arts examples) and cross-referenced to other pertinent sections so that the reader may quickly move back and forth from the benefits of yoga to the details of each pose. While hardcore yoga practitioners may find the book too elementary, this is exactly the kind of guide practicing martial artists need to get them motivated to attempt something that is both beneficial and out of our comfort zone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Yoga Book, June 27, 2009

By 

Joseph Cisneros "J2neros" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga: Improve Flexibility, Balance and Strength for Higher Kicks, Faster Strikes, Smoother Throws, Safer Falls, and Stronger Stances (Paperback)

The Martial Artist Book of Yoga is one of the best books on yoga that I have found. It is a great way to really learn some of the yoga terms and how to perform them without an instructor. I've used it for a couple of weeks and have noticed vast improvement in my balance and I do not feel as tight when I exercise. The book does a great job of explaining each pose, what it stands for in yoga terms, and it helps in conditioning for Martial Arts. An excellent book for anyone looking to get into yoga or trained Martial artist trying to get an edge.