Customer Reviews

Training and Fighting Skills

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

 

 

Benny "The Jet" won over 50 full contact tournaments in his fighting career, undefeated. Very detailed instructions with pictures on general fighting skills, including practice and sparring.

After returning to the study of martial arts after 28 years (still a beginner)and knowing that I would soon be sparring, I found myself desparately seeking a book that would at least give me a fighting chance! Benny Urquidez provided that book and hopefully that chance! Personally, I love it! I only wish that he would write more. This book seems to be striking a nerve of some who have reviewed this book. Their negativity is an embarrasment to the art itself. A book which, hits a nerve this hard could only mean one thing, others are very jealous and resentful! Shame on all of you! You should go back to your Grand Masters and beg for forgiveness and at the very least....learn some manners! Benny....thank you for this wonderful book. I truly hope that our paths will cross someday. TO ALL OF YOU...We never rise to the occasion...we merely sink to the level of our training!

It is always amazing to read other reviews on a book. Sometimes I wonder if the writers of these reviews have actually read the same book. Benny "the jet" Urquidez is a legend in the martial arts field because he has had more than 50 full-contact fights. This book was written by not some arm chair martial arts expert, but by a man who put himself on the line in full contact fights. Indeed, his full contact record speaks for itself, and remember, he has been a kickboxing world champion. I really love the way this book is organized. The question and answer format, in my humble opinion, provides more specific informtion than other formats. For me, I really enjoy reading a question and than finding out what the author thinks about a subject. The great book covers the whole realm of basic fighting principles and techniques. Every section has a wealth of practical information on a whole range of topics such as: speed, power, timing, target areas, strategy, conditioning, techniques and a whole lot more. It is also loaded with hundreds of photographs showing the techniques.

In conclusion, this is a book for any serious martial artist who desires to learn about full contact fighting.

Rating: 5 stars. Joseph J. Truncale (author: Shotokan Karate Self-Defense Techniques: Practical Combat Karate for the street).

There are very few good books on fighting (or sparring) training and technique, but this one of them. Urquidez provides numerous training tips along with pages of step-by-step photo diagrams of winning combinations. This book does assume, however, that you already know how to perform basic techniques like a side kick or a roundhouse kick. Although this may put novices off, anyone who's had a few months of experience in TKD, karate, etc., won't even notice.

I was impressed with this book when I first bought it (1984) and still think it makes for excellent reading today. Some of the information is not "modern", but reflects the state of affairs at the time of writing (about 1980, as I recall). I was a nationally-ranked WTF taekwondo competitor in the 80s, but consider this book (despite the obvious fact that it is not about sport taekwondo) to be perhaps the most influential overall in my martial arts library. While probably not suitable as "core material" for any boxer, kickboxer or karate/tkd stylist now, the broad range of techniques covered make it a beautiful supplemental book for ANY fighter. Its a classic.

Incidentally, Benny was/is a visually spectacular fighter and notoriously hard trainer. I believe he has also earned black belts in nine different styles/arts. At the age of 42, he came out of retirement to fight and narrowly defeat the 25-year-old Japanese World Welterweight champion. No kidding.

Benny "The Jet" Urquidez is one of karate and kickboxings legends. Eventhough there are a couple controversial fights one must give "The Jet" his due. This book is an introduction into Full Contact Karate and his advise is helpful. This is when the book is at its best. The advise is done in a question & answer format and this approach works extremely well.

The still photos, however, are like any primer book. Benny is demonstrating techniques and the use of these techniques in motion. The information is useful, but not outstanding, and one must already have some knowledge to use these movements. This book is a good compliment to the superior text, "Civilized Warring" by Peter Cunningham.

(2.5 STARS) THE BOOK IS WRITTEN IN A QUESTION AND ANWSER FORMAT ON 14 TOPICS. SPEED, POWER, TIMING, TARGET AREAS, STRATEGY, NUTRITION, CONDITIONING, IMPACT, BALANCE, EVADING AND BLOCKING, HAND TECHNIQUES, FOOT TECHNIQUES, TECHNIQUES IN MOTION, AND COORDINATION WITH AN AVERAGE OF 1.5 PAGES OF TEXT ON EACH SECTION. THE REST OF THE BOOK IS PICTURES DIPICTING FIGHTING TECHNIQUES AND STREGNTHINING AND CONDITIONING EXERCISES WITH LITTLE TO NO HELPFULL (DID I SPELL THAT RIGHT) EXPLANATIONS ON HOW TO PREFORM WHAT THE PICTURES ARE SHOWING. TO A NOVICE MARTIAL ARTIST THIS BOOK MAY JUST PROVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WORTHLESS, A WASTE OF YOUR MONEY AND A WASTE OF YOUR TIME. BUT TO A SKILLED MARTIAL ARTIST LIKE MYSELF IT JUST MAY BE WHAT YOU NEED TO JOG YOUR THINK TANK AND HELP YOU COME UP WITH YOUR OWN IDEAS TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR ART OF FIGHTING.

Training and Fighting Skills....NOT!!!! A noble effort but no cigar. A defeated "kickboxer" who explains how to lose. Poor Beeny lost to not 1 but 2 Muay Thai fighters. These losses were written up as "No Contest". For the Muay Thai guys I'm sure it was no contest. His fighting skills and techniques are regurgitated information on what doen't work. This book was an insulting attempt to become some kind of pseudo-expert in the "Ally McBeal" world of kickboxing. If your looking for a great book on REAL kickboxing then do yourself a favor and buy "Thai Boxing Dynamite". Better yet get "First Strike" a top notch book on the reality of real-world fighting. Both are great books on real fighting!!