Before I recommend this book, I want to put a disclaimer in. The techniques in this book are DEADLY. I highly recommend that if you have never handled a steel weapon before, or even IF you are a trained Martial Artist, that you use a WASTER to practice this art. Good wooden Wasters from Purpleheartarmory are available through Amazon.com for a reasonable price. Repeat...even if you've handled edged weapons use a WASTER. Liechtenauer's methods were not meant to win a Martial Arts match...they were meant to KILL your opponent on a battlefield. Remember that when you practice.
Now to the review.
This book is by far one of the best and most comprehensive Martial Arts Books I've ever read. What makes it even more exciting is that this book deals with the subject of Medieval Western Combat as practiced by the German School of Johannes Liechtenauer and interpreted by his disciple, Sigmund Ringeck.
Master Christian Henry Tobler's presentation of Liechtenauer provides a complete system of Defense, including combat with Longswords, Short Swords and Bucklers, Hand-to-Hand-Combat and Armored Combat either on foot or on horseback and presents it in a manner that is clear, concise and easy-to-follow. The scope of this work is simply astounding and there is literally a life-times worth of study in this work alone, should you choose to concentrate on it.
Abundant photographs with supporting documentation and a comprehensive glossary put the icing on the cake. In short, this is the book many a martial artist looks for...a complete combat system. Yes...you can buy this book and you've got all you need.
Note:Daggers are not included, but as the author points out, it appears that this section of the original manuscript was probably lost a long time ago. However, even without dagger combat, this is a complete system.
As someone who's practiced Martial Arts for over thirty years, I feel the best facit of Liechtenauer's school is it's simplicity. In combat...the simpler the technique the better. Trust me...you will forget more complex techniques under a pressure situation...so Leichtenauer's philosophy makes abundant good sense.
As an Asian Martial Artist, I found the section on using the Half-Sword to be most exciting! There are really no comparable techniques in the Oriental Arts (although Chinese Broadsword fighting has some simularities.) The Half-Sword Technique lends a devestating new arsenal of moves to your combat reperitory that is well worth studying.
There is another version of Liechtenauer/Ringeck out by David Lindhold which is also excellent. However, I believe that Master Tobler's text is slightly superior in that 1:It uses photographs and not line drawings and 2:It contains everything (Lindholms version is split into two books.) However, if you become a serious student of Liechtenauer, I'd recommend eventually getting Lindholm as well...but buy THIS BOOK by Master Tobler FIRST.
As for the criticisms by the "reviewer from Japan" I'd say that these "criticisms" stem from the fact that it is DIFFICULT to interpret ancient Martial Arts Texts, even if the tradition survived! Everybody has a slightly different take on a text. But it is a credit to BOTH Master Tobler and Master Lindholm that they are virtually in agreement to Liechtenauer's techniques...which shows very careful analysis and scholarship (contrary to what the critical reviewer claimed.)
The previous "Japanese writer's" critiques are simply groundless and a similar criticism could be made of the over-killed "Book of Five Rings" by Musashi. I've studied Musashi for twenty years and have yet to figure out what he was really trying to say. Even the fact that there are schools in Japan that claim descent from Musashi doesn't help matters much...since you'll find differences from school-to-school. Frankly, you can go to two different Kendo schools and get different intrepretations of the SAME standardized techniques. Everybody will have a slighlty different twist on a technique.
In closing, the curious Martial Artist might ask me, which technique is superior...Eastern or Western? My answer is that it depends upon the Practitioner and the circumstances and the terrain. However...I feel that the WESTERN techniques are slightly superior. Let me explain.
Contrary to common opinion, the Eastern Arts (although they retained more combat techniques than Western Olympic Fencing, Boxing, etc.) are also all SPORTIZED versions of the original arts. In Japan this resulted from the Shogun supressing all the Samurai Houses and then Meiji trying to outlaw them. In China this came from the Manchus trying to supress the Native Chinese. The upstart is that the techniques that survived became sportified...whereas the techniques being revived by Western Masters like Christian Tobler and David Lindholm are the original FIGHTING techniques. Therefore someone who's practicing sport Kendo is going to be trounced by someone who knows Liechtenauer's system.
Today, most Asian Fighting Arts are for winning tournaments (as is the vaunted Gracie Ju-Jitsu and Ultimate Fighting League.) Sure, people might get beaten up, and sometimes beaten badly...but the goal isn't to KILL someone, it's to win a tournament by scoring points. In contrast, Liechtenauer is talking about KILLING someone. As one of my teachers said, "There'a BIG difference between Karate-do (Martial arts as a way of life) and Karate-show."
In closing, I feel it's VERY exciting that the Western arts are being revived. I look forward to the day when a revitalized system of Combat Masters exists and it would be possible for me to study with a WESTERN Master without having to move half-way across the United States.
Knighthood transcends nationality, and knowledge has no boundaries. In the pursuit of Martial Excellence to defend your family, your planet and yourself and to prefect your character in the process, the more dissemination of knowledge with different approaches to the problem, the better.
Christian Henry Tobler's book should set the bar for all future Martial Arts books, be they concerned with an Eastern Art or a Western Art. It's well worth the price...but...remember...please use a WASTER and BE SAFE.
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パンチ
日本語が欲しい
Reviewed in Japan on November 13, 2014Verified Purchase
