Vital Karate [Paperback]

Masutatsu Oyama (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Japan Pubns (June 1967)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870401432
• ISBN-13: 978-0870401435
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,233,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure, classic, Japanese Shotokan, January 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Vital Karate (Paperback)

Oyama was a heroic figure and arguably one of the lesser-known legends of 20th century martial arts. He personifies the classic style of Japanese karate that is hard to see in books or film today. I bought this book with my allowance money and it still maintains a prominent place on my bookshelf more than thirty years later. The photographs are excellent and convey the explosive strength of his style; he stopped many charging bulls with his bare hands. It is a slim book, but stands the test of time and my children love looking at it. If you seek to understand what karate is about, you will find Vital Karate indispensible. ...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all Karatekas!!!, January 18, 2011

By 

Gerardo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vital Karate (Paperback)

Back in 1980 (Before I was Born), my father purchase this book at a Martial Arts mini store in Connecticut when he was practicing Judo in NYC. He was recommended by a friend to purchase any book that is written by Sosai Mas Oyamas because you will learn the Importance of fundamental of striking techniques/Self-Defense, E.t.c.......Many Years Later,I never thought that I would be training in Kyokushin Karate and approximately two years ago, I found this book in my basement and every week, I study this book like it was my homework and still in prestige condition after 30 years. "Vital Karate" from Sosai Mas Oyamas is a indeed a very good introductory book for first time Karate practitioners. From Self-Defense Techniques to Basics of Thrust Punch and Kicks,Stances,Calsthenics exercise and so forth, this book is well written with step by step approach on how to make your Karate effective using mind,body and spirit as one.

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent basic guide to karate for beginning students by the late Mas Oyama., December 13, 2009

By 

Joseph J. Truncale "warriorwriter" (Vernon Hills, Il) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vital Karate (Paperback)

This small book does not hold a candle to Oyama's What is Karate and This is Karate; nevertheless, it is an excellent introductory text on the basic techniques of karate.

This little book covers the basic philosophical foundation of karate, the basic blocks, stances, punches, strikes and kicks of karate. The value of this book is that it does not get into the more complex and advanced techniques of karate, and in that respect, this is an excellent guide to those first starting out in this fighting art.

Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Shotokan Karate Self-Defense Techniques: Combat Karate for the street).