Customer Reviews

In Special Situations (Practical Karate) (Bk.6)

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

 

 

I have practiced karate and jujitsu for 18 years. I bought this book more for the nostalgia I have for Master Nakayama. The layout of the book is good and the points made are even better. I do agree with a previous reviewer that some of the situations defended against are unlikely to occur, but then the title of the book does include the phrase "special situations"-so maybe we shouldn't be so surprised.

What is beneficial about the book, aside from the very valid self defence, is the thought process illustrated behind the self defence applications. It demonstrates how an individual should think when practicing these techniques. Reading books alone will not save someone...you must practice!!! And as the individual practices their own self defence, rather then acting as a robot they should change up the situations to account for the variety of things that can happen (and just plain go wrong) when defending yourself. With each change one should figure out the appropriate course of action...then practice, practice, practice! And THAT is where this book is very helpful. Demonstrating how one should think while practicing. Showing how to include variables and then how to address them.

Apply the approach Master Nakayama puts forth in this book for all your training. I believe it to be tremendously helpful, especially for the newer practictioners of the martial arts.

As a martial artist and shotokan practioner, I have found many of Master Nakayama's books very helpful, such as the Best Karate series. However, this book is NOT one of the more impressive texts. Many of the self-defense applications are helpful and effective, although many senseis with an eye for pratical application of technique to real-life situations can think of as good or better ones. Many of the situations shown in this text are unlikely in terms of oncoming attackers and the moves required from the martial artist. For example, an attacker pointing a handgun at your chest/head from beyond striking distance is not a situation where I would try to make a move against them. So, in summary, there are few helpful items in this text, and the ones that in fact are there are ones that many senseis can teach students from a very common-sense and practical approach.

I have had the pleasure of reading most of Master Nakayama and Master Draeger's numerous books. This book is actually part of a series of books on the practical application of karate techniques to various self-defense situations. In spite of the title (Practical Karate), it is strongly advised to seek out training with a competent traditional karate teacher before attempting the self-defense moves shown in this text. This is the 6th volume of a six volume series. This book covers the use of karate in special situations such as being choked from behind in a vehicle, being in a vehicle with a subject on each side of you, single assailant outside your car,double assailant outside your vehicle, self-defense techniques while your hands are tied and many other situations.

In conclusion, this a a very good text but in my opinion, without a strong foundation in basic karate techniques, it would be difficult to master many of these self-defense scenarios.

Rating 3 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Karate Combatives: Reality-Based Karate for self-defense)

This was probably the most unusual book in this six-book set. I admit to the same nostalgia for these books as the previous reviewer, despite my ageeing with him that some of the situations here are quite unusual and unlikely to occur--such as having to take on two people after your hands are tied (well, you should have reacted before then, if possible, :-))--but then as he said, the title of the book says it all. Although at this point I would not regard these defenses necessarily as the best ones (which is why the four stars), for its time this was a groundbreaking and innovative book and the only one on the subject that had been done up to this time, as far as I know, the book now being about 40 years old. One thing is that the book does show the importance of using the most basic techniques, and Nakayama shows his usual impeccable form. The six book series of which this volume was a part was definitely worth acquiring at the time and served an important purpose even if today I might choose other techniques as my primary defenses.