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Karate Books and DVD Videos
On this page we've listed a few of our favorite martial arts and
karate books and
karate videos
along with some recommendations from our users. The links will take you
to Amazon where you can get more detailed information and usually some
more reviews. Please click the links on this page to view the products,
otherwise Amazon will not give us credit. Let us know if you have any other recommendations!
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Sections
- Physical Conditioning (MA Specific)
- Physical Conditioning (General)
- Flexibility
- Technique
- Mental Conditioning
- Best of Hong Kong Action Films
Physical Conditioning (MA Specific)
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 Another highly recommended book. Intended more for intermediate and beginner level, but advanced black-belts should find something new among all the drills, which is probably good for instructors looking to add variety in their classes. It has about 300 variations on drills, a clear writing style, and only costs about $15--you can't beat that.
Solo Training: The Martial Artist's Guide to Training Alone
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 By the same author as Solo Training. Clearly written and recommended for specific drills for gaining speed for martial arts. As one user put it, "Many of the concepts in the book shouldn't be new to experienced martial artists, but this book has a number of unique drills that are very effective, when done. Definitely a recommendation to any martial artist's library."
Speed Training: How to Develop Your Maximum Speed for Martial Arts
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 Packed with information, this DVD is guaranteed to bring variety to your workout no matter what style you practice. You get over 100 drills, exercises and training methods that have made the Ultimate Fitness Series bestsellers. Discover which exercises are the most effective, how you should execute them for maximum results, how to apply them to your martial arts training and dozens more expert workout tips from Sang H. Kim, author of Ultimate Fitness through Martial Arts, as he explains and demonstrates each exercise. Lots and lots of drills. One user said that it might have been better with fewer drills and with more detail on each, but still worthwhile.
Ultimate Fitness for Martial Arts (DVD)
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 This book will show you how to train better and more safely to jump higher and move faster. The language gets technical, but it's still understandable. For more praise, just read the reviews at Amazon. We've been recommending this book since 2000 (at Combastics) and have only heard good things from people who have bought it. If you are taking strength and conditioning advice from your martial arts instructor you NEED this book. We've seen way too many well meaning instructors give dangerous training advice that could lead to chronic back and knee problems. If you are serious about athletic training seek out a CSCS certified trainer. Beginners will benefit, but this book is really intended for intermediate to advanced practitioners.
Science of Martial Arts Training
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 This is a good, little book if you don't want to be bothered with all the science in Science of Martial Arts Training, which is the conditioning book we prefer. Keep in mind that the adjective ultimate in the title might be a little ambitious, but the book is still good enough to be recommended by our users.
It contains descriptions and photographs of over 80 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes worldwide. This book features year-round martial arts-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results.
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Martial Arts
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 Another good book on training for speed and agility, which was recommended by our sparring users. Because this book was written specifically for martial artists, we recommend it over Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness if you are training for sparring, point fighting, or kick boxing. However, if you are training for creative forms and doing lots of fast hand/kick combos and acrobatic moves we recommend Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness, since it is a more generalized manual.
Warrior Speed
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Physical Conditioning (General)
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 This book isn't specific to martial arts, but is one of the better books on training for speed. Not only did our black belts like it, but it also got good reviews from athletes and coaches in other sports. Tommy Moffitt, head strength coach at University of Miami, said, "This book is an excellent source of information for training athletes in any sport. Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness takes all the guesswork out of writing programs for your athletes. It is clearly written so that anyone, athlete or coach, can understand. If you're looking to improve performance through smart, well-planned workouts, this book is for you!"
Check out Warrior Speed for a comparison.
Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness
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 The quickness and agility books listed on this page use a lot of the principles of plyometrics. This is a good book if you want to learn those principles or if you want to make your training program more efficient by learning why certain exercises develop explosive speed and strength while others don't.
Mike Chat used plyometrics in his personal training during competition and uses it for his students today. At the same time, we know several top competitors who don't train with plyometrics, but who understand the principles and train their hand/kick combos for maximum benefit.
In a nutshell: if you do the plyometric exercises you'll make faster progress, but it takes discipline to stick to the program and push yourself. On the other hand, you can modify your current training and keep doing more of the fun stuff, but your progress won't be as dramatic. If you get this book, we really recommend you have an experienced coach or at least get the video so you can see what the movements look like.
Jumping into Plyometrics
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 The Jumping Into Plyometrics Video shows you how to perform 21 core exercises found in the book Jumping Into Plyometrics. Using slow motion, freeze frames, and graphics, the video demonstrates, in detail, how each exercise is executed. Like the book, the Jumping Into Plyometrics Video features seven categories of exercises that will improve your speed, quickness, and jumping ability while giving you greater coordination, body control, and balance. The book has more detailed explanations and we recommend that you get both if you plan on getting one or the other.
Jumping Into Plyometrics Video (VHS)
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 A recommendation from one of our users together with matching video. We were a little skeptical at first about this one, but then noticed all the raving reviews at Amazon. As soon as we can get our hands on a kettle ball, we'll give the program a try. If you're looking for something more than traditional weights for conditioning, then check out the reviews at Amazon and ask around.
We have worked out with thick handled dumb-bells, which really develops your grip because you can't lock your fingers around thick bars the way you can with normal bars. If you are into grappling or need a strong grip look into trying out a kettlebell and if you like it get this book to learn how to train with it.
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge
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 Another recommendation from a few of our users who also recommended the other Russian videos. We were a little skeptical at first about this one, but then noticed all the raving reviews at Amazon. As soon as we can get our hands on a kettle ball, we'll give the video a try. If you're looking for something more than traditional weights for conditioning check out the reviews at Amazon and ask around.
We have worked out with thick handled dumb-bells, which really develops your grip because you can't lock your fingers around thick bars the way you can with normal bars. If you are into grappling or need a strong grip look into trying out a kettlebell and if you like it get this video and/or book to learn how to train with it.
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge (VHS)
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Flexibility
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 Everything you never wanted to know Brad Appleton's Stretching FAQ is probably one of the best concise stretching manuals on the Web. The good: it's free, it explains how muscles become flexible, it explains PNF stretching. The bad: no graphics or pictures, a little too technical for most people, only one complete stretching program (for aquiring front splits, but it's a good one).
Stretching and Flexibility
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Technique
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 This is a great little book if you're into capoeira or just want to learn some moves. This is a great book to have handy while you are watching videos of tricks. The book covers the history, game, music and about 50 moves of capoeira. Moves covered include: the ginga, defensive moves, basic kicks, takedowns, and other kicks and movements. Recommended for beginner to intermediate.
The Little Capoeira Book
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 Sorry, not a lot of detail about this. We know that some of our users have bought it, because Amazon told us, but we don't know if they found it useful. We decided to list it here, because Capoeira instructional videos/dvds can be tough to find. If anyone has seen this video, please email us with your review.
Beginners Capoeria (DVD)
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 Just the fact that this book is by the Gracies (world famous MA champs) is enough to recommend it. This book, however got the best reviews of any we've seen. Here's just one comment, "It's a virtual bible of technique, clearly explained and demonstrated (hard in a book sometimes) and with a typical Gracie attention to detail." If that isn't enough, there's about 80 more reviews at Amazon.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory & Technique
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 The Self-defense Encyclopedia is a fast paced, information packed collection of self-defense skills and principles. Sang H. Kim's approach to self-protection is street-oriented, fluid and direct with an emphasis on ending a confrontation quickly using any means necessary. Discover a wealth of knowledge on self-protection. In addition to the praise from our users, there is more at Amazon.
Self Defense Encyclopedia (DVD)
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 Don't let the title fool you. With the exception of a few sections, this book is mostly for beginners and early intermediate. But a pretty good one for beginners. It has lots of good photos and starts of with correct foot position and the basic kicks (front, side, round). It does cover the basic jump and spinning kicks. It covers some advanced kicks, but only a few pages worth. I would ignore the stretching, which is way too advanced and questionable. I would also ignore the conditioning exercises. See Science of Martial Arts Training instead. For beginner to early intermediate (ignore stretching & conditioning).
Advanced Dynamic Kicks
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Mental Conditioning
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 Freeing the Mind, Focusing Chi, and Mastering the Self True martial artists train their minds as much if not more than their bodies. This is a book that was recommended by a user for people interested in Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Zen, and Taoism. It is a collection of parables and teaching stories from the martial arts traditions of Japan and China that emphasizes their spiritual foundation.
Martial Arts Teaching Tales of Power and Paradox
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 A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think Hailed by many as the best book available on the subject, Living The Martial Way is a step-by-step approach to applying the Japanese warrior's mind-set to martial training and daily life. It combines a knowledge of fighting with an exploration of the culture of the warrior. The author carefully guides the reader from The Way of Training, through The Way of Honor, to The Way of Living, constantly finding applications both inside and outside the martial arts.
We like this book, but should mention that you have to take it with a grain of salt. If you take it literally it can seem a little extreme. For example, it suggests training to always be prepared for attack. If you take that message to apply to daily mental and emotional challenges in your life, then it becomes more relevant.
Living the Martial Way
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 The Art of War - Sun Tzu's Classic in Plain English With Sun Pin's: The Art of Warfare There are a lot of translations of the Art of War, but we think this one is the easiest to read and understand. As a bonus it also includes the lesser known, but just as valuable, Sun Pin's: The Art of Warfare.
Here's what one user had to say, "If I had to sum up my lessons learned from this book it would be, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP. I needed that. It was a paradigm shift for me and I am determined to see myself successful in everything that I commit to. I believe that I also picked up the techniques to win as well as the attitude of a winner: Great book!"
The Art of War... in Plain English
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Best of Hong Kong Action Films
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 Starring Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon). Probably the greatest, most entertaining, most action packed Jackie Chan film ever. Most people consider the fight scenes and stunts in this film to be the best example of Hong Kong style martial arts films. One warning: you will not be able to look at Western action films the same way again (For example, Matrix fight scenes look amateurish in comparison).
The Legend of Drunken Master (DVD)
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 Starring Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die). Considered by many, including us, to be the greatest Hong Kong martial arts series. More serious than most of Jackie Chan's films, which tend to emphasize humor. The fight scenes are unbelievable. If you are new to Jet Li movies, or Wu Shu/Martial Arts movies in general, then this is a fantastic start. If you are already a Jet Li fan, you'll be glad you didn't see his earlier work first, because his new Hollywood movies would have been somewhat of a let down in comparison.
Once Upon a Time in China Box Set (DVD)
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 Simply wonderful! A Chinese Ghost Story is a wonderfully bizzare little gem of a movie. Part love story, part horror story, but all kung-fu. While the film shows its age and the subtitles are lacking in quality at times, this is a good-hearted, completely engrossing movie that is a lot of fun to watch alone, with friends, or with that special someone. The film spawned many sequels and copycats (including the series finale of Xena--so we hear).
Chinese Ghost Story (DVD)
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 Starring Chow Yun-Fat (Bulletproof Monk). Gritty, brutal, violent, and funny at times. Innovative in it's story, characters, editing, and camera effects. Not quite the classic that John Woo's Hard Boiled has become, but more entertaining in our opinion.
A rather mean-spirited vehicle for the normally empathetic Chow Yun-Fat, with a brass-knuckle plot that recalls the Crook's Revenge story line of Payback and its source movie, Point Blank.
Full Contact (DVD)
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 Directed by John Woo (Face/Off, MI 2), starring Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The classic that is considered by many to be Woo and Yun-Fat's crowning achievement in ultra violent and visually stunning Hong Kong action.
The following review sums up our feeling: "If you've only seen John Woo's American movies, you've seen a glimpse of the style and grace that Woo brings to film. And let me tell you, it is a small glimpse. Hard Boiled, made in Hong Kong, eclipses all of his American work by leaps and bounds."
Hard Boiled (DVD)
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