Karate Fighting Techniques: The Complete Kumite (Hardcover)

by Hirokazu Kanazawa (Author) "1. When fully extended, the tsuki-te (punching hand) is not rotated..." (more)
Key Phrases: sanbon kumite, gohon kumite, defender recovers, Karate Fighting Techniques, Middle-Level Lunge Punch (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
THE FIRST COMPLETE BOOK ON SHOTOKAN KUMITE

From the Publisher
Hirokazu Kanazawa is the most renowned karate master in the world today, and a close disciple of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate and founder of the Shotokan school. Having earned his impressive reputation in Hawaii, the mainland United States, and Europe as an official trainer for the Japan Karate Association, Kanazawa founded Shoto-kan Karate-do International Federation in 1979. This association now has branches in more than 90 countries throughout the world.

This book is Kanazawa’s first complete guide to kumite, or sparring. The karate training process comprises four areas: basics, kata (forms; prearranged movements and techniques), kumite, and competition. Kumite—"the art of grappling with opponents," as it might be called—is the application of kata, and is the key to success in karate tournaments.

Karate Fighting Techniques teaches all the various kumite techniques, and presents a systematic approach to applied kumite that is designed to provide essential information for match-style kumite and tournament kumite. The author also writes with great affection of his experiences with Master Gichin Funakoshi, and offers some insight into the true spirit and teachings of Shotokan karate.

With 700 photos of the author, his students, and some rare photos of the late Gichin Funakoshi and his famous disciple Masatoshi Nakayama (author of the popular Best Karate series), Karate Fighting Techniques is the first book of its kind to provide such a comprehensive guide to kumite and its role in Shotokan karate. It will be an indispensable resource for all karate practitioners.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha International (April 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770028725
• ISBN-13: 978-4770028723
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #356,732 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kanazawa's Complete Kumite, May 5, 2004

By	Jose E Muller (Fenton, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This book details and organizes kumite from basic to advance practice. It includes what many karate books leave out: good photos, both in terms of the techniques themselves (as demonstrated by Kanazawa) and various poses.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tradition and Kumite ! Oss!, August 26, 2004

By	K.H. - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Hirokazu Kanazawa, President of Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, has complied an outstanding book that balances history and tradition with the different forms of kumite. This book is not the normal primer. If one does not know at least the basic punches and kicks, do not get this book as a novice guide to learning karate. Kanazawa's approach assumes the person has these basic techniques down. If you are one of those people, still buy the book only if you plan on learning karate in the future when the opportunity arises.

In addition, while this book is primarily a Shotokan text, he does review the major Okinawa/Japanese karate styles, goes over terminology, and a particularly nice paragraph on p. 19 on the "verbal greeting `Oss'" The photos are of high quality, which is important in a text that demonstrates many sparring steps via pictures. The explanations are thorough enough to get the point a cross, but not unnecessarily tiresome and too detailed to loose the reader or make the book overly cumbersome.

A nice companion martial texts to a martial artist's library.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive reference for Shotokan stylists, January 10, 2007

By	Mr. M. A. Bowles (Glasgow, Scotland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the definitive book for Kanzawa ryu stylists, you should need no urging to buy it immediately.

If you have not trained with Kanazawa much of the detail will be invisible - this is a reference book for those who have been taught the details of the movements. But it may encourage other Shotokan stylists to find out more, and that is a good thing; this man has got something useful to offer; believe me, he really does.