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Savage Science Of Streetfighting: Applying The Lessons Of Championship Boxing To Serious Street Survival Paperback – January 1, 2001
- Print length256 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPaladin Pr
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2001
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-101581601239
- ISBN-13978-1581601237
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Product details
- Publisher : Paladin Pr; 2001st edition (January 1, 2001)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1581601239
- ISBN-13 : 978-1581601237
- Item Weight : 12.7 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,396,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,943 in Martial Arts (Books)
- #26,313 in Exercise & Fitness (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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"Beaumont" makes the fair point that fights start standing. He offers advanced techniques, stances suited to different body types and fighting styles, and some nasty special punches. Just as evenly, he acknowledges the limitations. For instance, the showy bolo punch and what it takes to set up. The easier-to-execute corkscrew also appears, along with a modified short ridge hand to the liver. The book is analytical, and focused on strategies that encompass training, an encyclopedic array of techniques from the masters, a fantastic bibliography for further reading, and deeper tactics for self-defense. The latter range from corralling multiple opponents in hallways to observing points of potential advantage wherever you go. In this book, the author also urges conflict avoidance along with cross-training.
Some of the author's tough-guy talk may be swagger. After all, the writer's nom-de-plume resolves to an unsavory character in hard-boiled noir detective fiction. For a self-defense book from a renegade press, his writing simply is too crisp and engaging. His lessons, and lesson plans, are clear and nuanced. I'm guessing he has more education than he lets on, or may have been some kind of teacher-instructor himself. The weight training section is excellent; the regimen is similar to one astronauts use to increase bone density: Focus on squats, rows, deadlifts as opposed to isolations, except for the emphasis on hand-forearm-grip strength.
My boxing history wasn't as good as I thought. Since I read "The Savage Science," I tracked down many of the books mentioned and read extensively on fighters I knew too little about -- for instance, I only knew broad outlines of Kid McCoy and Battling Nelson. The historiography is a great intro, and combines fighters from pugilism throughout the early to nearly current gloved era. The author doesn't have much to say about fighters after the 1970s, when he believes the rules changed for the worse. Some of the earlier fighters have footage of their bouts available on YouTube; I recommend using the slow-down feature for viewing anything filmed before the 1930s. The books written by boxers from different eras offer great techniques; for self-defense or MMA or to augment traditional martial arts training, it doesn't matter what rule-set or era they were written under if the techniques work. Particularly when older techniques applied to swarming a downed opponent before the 10-count rule, modified backfists from a stop to an opponent's nose or kidneys, or the hold holding-and-infighting methods superior to much of what passes for "dirty boxing" today.
That's the good part. Now the reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars is more to do with the author than the information. Ned Beaumont apparently has some major issues with traditional Asian martial arts and with bodybuilders. He frequently makes references to "muscle boys" not having a good punch and he also speaks frequently about the inferiority of Asian martial arts. He tries to dress it up nicely and make it sound better, but clearly he has issues with them. Well guess what? I'm both! I practice traditional Asian martial arts, Boxing, AND I am a bodybuilder! And working out with weights has had nothing but positive effects on my punching power! If you take a bodybuilder who is untrained in how to punch properly, then yes his punches will suck! But so will any other untrained person! And if you're looking to criticize any martial art, understand that it's the person AND the training methods that make all the difference.
So again, good book and good content. Just ignore his weird prejudices!
Where the book disappointed me: almost no information on mixing in non-fist techniques such as elbows, knees, palm heel, knife hand, finger tips, low kicks, etc....nothing really dirty like using car antennas or ash can lids or eye gouges or biting (he does mention Tyson's "real meal")...very little on actual street situations -- one short chapter, as opposed to weight training, which takes up a significant percentage of the book...and most disappointing was the section on gang situations, in which he advises trying to intimidate the group, or failing that, beat up the biggest or loudest to scare the rest. That don't play down here on Avenue A.
His overall approach in a nutshell: use running and weights and professional boxing instruction to enable you to knock an opponent out quickly with an explosive shot to the jaw set up through an effective combination.
Again, don't get me wrong, I like this guy. He knows what he's talking about. He doesn't brag or posture, and he pays respects to others in the field and refers readers to fellow writers with varying approaches. He explains in a clear and engaging fashion how to adapt your boxing training to street/bar fights. What he doesn't do is tell you how to integrate boxing techniques into a mixed-style, holistic approach to self-defense.
His lessons on fighting are very realistic, explained well, and applicable regardless of your fighting background or style. The section on weight training alone is worth the price of the book. In fact, that section has more useful information than most weight training books I have bought over the years.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving punching for self promotion and/or becoming stronger. This book also is very entertaining, well written, and loaded with fascinating snippets of boxing history.
Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Monadnock Defensive Tactics System,MDTS).
The book really is good on offense and defense, and has interesting historical stuff from previous boxing eras. I highly recommend it.

