The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
Learn all about the art of karate with The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate, including:

• Simple tips for mastering the ancient Japanese martial art of karate
• Behind-the-scenes looks at tournaments and competitions
• Down-to-earth advice on how to strike, whether it be with fists or feet

The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate is a witty, inspiring, and user-friendly book… this book is not only for beginners; it is equally useful for advanced karate students.”—Stan Schmidt, Karate Master of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), Member of the JKA Shihankai (World Council of Masters)
1100624801
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
Learn all about the art of karate with The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate, including:

• Simple tips for mastering the ancient Japanese martial art of karate
• Behind-the-scenes looks at tournaments and competitions
• Down-to-earth advice on how to strike, whether it be with fists or feet

The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate is a witty, inspiring, and user-friendly book… this book is not only for beginners; it is equally useful for advanced karate students.”—Stan Schmidt, Karate Master of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), Member of the JKA Shihankai (World Council of Masters)
8.99 In Stock
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate

eBook

$8.99 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers


Overview

Learn all about the art of karate with The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate, including:

• Simple tips for mastering the ancient Japanese martial art of karate
• Behind-the-scenes looks at tournaments and competitions
• Down-to-earth advice on how to strike, whether it be with fists or feet

The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Karate is a witty, inspiring, and user-friendly book… this book is not only for beginners; it is equally useful for advanced karate students.”—Stan Schmidt, Karate Master of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), Member of the JKA Shihankai (World Council of Masters)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781101198933
Publisher: DK
Publication date: 07/09/2000
Series: COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE Series
Sold by: Penguin Group
Format: eBook
Pages: 368
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

Randall Hassell, seventh-degree black belt, was one of the first Americans to pioneer Shotokan karate and was the chief instructor of the American Shotokan Karate Alliance. He wrote, edited, or contributed to 28 books on karate, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate, and more than 100 magazine articles. He died in 2015.

Edmond Otis, director of martial arts at Riverside and chairman of the American JKA Karate Association (AJKA), is a sixth-degree black belt and one of the permier American karate instructors of his generation.

Table of Contents

Part 1Let's Try Karate1
1Why Try Karate?3
A Thousand Good Reasons, but These Are the Main Ones8
2The Roots and Branches of Karate-Do13
The Roots and Branches13
Kick Hard or Kick Soft15
Going to Japan17
Coming to America19
Spread Throughout the World21
Styles, Styles, Styles!21
3Karate Fitness Power: The Art of Contrast25
Get Ready: Is Your Body Off-Balance?26
Be Ready: Is Your Mind Off-Balance?29
The Ki to Success: The Force Is with You33
In This Corner, Karate: How It Stacks Up35
4Kick the Cobwebs Out of Your Head41
Karate's Code: The Citizen Warrior42
What's All the Shouting About?47
Karate to the Rescue: Kids at Risk48
No Teams, No Cuts, No Limits49
Up the Academic Ladder50
Part 2Let's Get Started53
5Find the Right School55
More Than Just Kicks and Punches55
How Do I Know Which School Is Right for Me?56
Watch and Decide60
Is She a Good Instructor?61
How Long Are the Classes?62
How Much Should It Cost?63
Will I Get Hurt?65
Who Certifies Whom?65
6Welcome to the Dojo67
The Stuff on the Walls67
The Written Rules70
The Unwritten Rules71
Try Your Best73
From the Dojo to the Street--Follow the Rules73
Karate Do's74
Karate Don'ts74
Scared Stiff: Your First Class75
Mental Notes and Written Quotes78
The End78
7Dressed to Kill: The Uniform81
Looking the Part82
Wrapped and Tied84
Going to and From89
What About Size and Style?90
What, No Colors?92
Pins and Patches92
Cleanliness Is Next to Enlightenment93
Part 3Let's Get Moving95
8How to Practice Karate97
Open Eyes and Open Mind97
Bowing 10198
My Body Won't Do That!102
If Your Body Is a Temple Build a Good One!102
Getting Looser: You Need to Stretch!103
Getting Stronger105
Getting Faster105
Lasting Longer106
It Takes a Spark106
Okay, It's Time to Throw Your Weight Around107
The Main Goal: Putting It All Together110
9Stand Up for Yourself: Stances113
Stand and Deliver!113
Ready for Anything: Shizen Tai, Natural Stances116
Solid as a Rock: How Low Can You Go?117
Stick and Move: High and Quick Stances122
10The Building Blocks of Self-Defense125
In Defense of Yourself125
Why Do We Block? No, It's Not What You Think126
Incoming! Hard Blocks127
Oops! Cover Your Head!129
Hey! Protect Your Body!130
Ouch! Protect Down There!131
Smooth and Easy: Soft Blocks132
Sweep It Past!133
Guide It Around!134
Three Keys134
The Right Course134
Your Right Position135
Get It Right! Timing: The Fourth Dimension136
11Punching In137
The Heart of Karate137
A Solid Fist Is a Happy Fist139
Straight In141
Go Around144
Up Close145
12Striking Out147
Striking Forward147
Closed-Hand Strikes151
Open-Hand Strikes152
Or Just Smash It: Elbow Strikes154
13Kicking Back157
Setting Kicking Straight157
Snap It or Lock It?160
Let's Kick It Around162
Make Them Work: It's the Momentum!168
Part 4Let's Put It All Together169
14Karate's Dynamic Deadly Dances of Death: Kata171
What Is a Kata?171
Name That Kata172
Physical Kata Training174
Mental Kata Training174
Kata and Kinesthesia175
The Elements of Kata176
Do Kata Techniques Work?178
Who Makes Up the Kata?178
15Sparring: It's Different When You're Face to Face181
What Is Sparring?181
Start Simple183
Step by Step for Self-Defense184
Free for All188
In the Nick of Time: Timing191
Hey, Just Stand There for a Minute, Will Ya?192
From Kissing Range to Kicking Range193
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.--Find Out What It Means to Me193
Safety's Great, but I Gotta Hit Something193
16The Ancient Weapons of Karate: Kobudo199
History and Traditions199
Modern Uses210
Ancient Weapons and Modern Laws211
17Samurai Strategy: Defending Yourself213
Common Sense First214
Safety Tips217
Defend Your Body, Not Your Ego218
Talk Your Way out, but Stay Alert219
The Company You Keep--It Isn't Always Strangers220
Karate at Home: Domestic Violence221
Do What Works222
It's the Size of the Fight in the Dog222
Law and Order223
Part 5Let's Test Ourselves: Belts, Rank, and Competition227
18All the Colors of the Rainbow229
Why Belts?229
What the Colors Mean230
How Long Until I'm a Black Belt?231
Why Can That Brown Belt Kick Higher Than That Black Belt?232
When Can I Test?232
Who Tests Me?233
Who Tests Them?233
The Kyus to Success: Up the Rank Ladder233
The First Test234
How Much Do I Need to Know?234
Under the Microscope: Karate's Three Ks Plus the Kun235
When Will I Get the Results?236
What If I Don't Pass?236
What If I Do Pass?237
Typical Novice and Middle-Level Tests237
Setting Goals in the Novice Ranks237
Setting Goals in the Middle Ranks238
Brown Belt: The Black Belt's Apprentice238
19The Point of the Pyramid: First-Degree Black Belt243
The Real Question: What Is a Black Belt?243
Not an Expert, but an Expert Beginner247
Play the Percentages: Who Stays, Who Goes248
Grandmaster Who?249
The Upside-Down Pyramid: Advanced Dans and Mastery250
Advanced Karate-Do Is About Obligation250
What the Ranks Mean252
Recommended Ranking256
Honorary Ranking256
School to School and Style to Style257
20Duel in the Sun259
Types of Tournaments260
Karate Tournaments Are Really Pretty New261
It's Not a Free-for-All264
If Your Body Goes Where a Foot or Fist Is265
When Can I Compete?267
Who Fights Whom?267
Going Solo--or One of the Pack269
Don't Burn Out: A Tournament a Week?270
Family Feuds: Karate Politics 101270
The Bottom Line on Competition271
21Know the Score--There Are Many Ways to Compete273
Sparring: The Basics273
Sparring: Scoring Points274
Pick Your Game: Reading Between the Lines280
It's Not All Fighting: Competing with Kata281
Kobudo Competition284
22Okay, Just Point Me in the Right Direction287
How Much Is This Going to Cost?288
It's Fun to Go with a Group288
Aagghh! It's Tournament Day289
Opponents Are Easy--It's the Butterflies That Get You!290
Officials--the Toughest Job292
A Short Conclusion293
Appendixes
AAssociations and Federations295
BPublications and Resources297
CGlossary299
DElements of Technique Evaluation305
ENovice and Middle-Level Rank Examinations309
FSelf-Defense Safety Tips313
Index319
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews