This book brings together over twenty carefully selected articles on the subjects of karate training and self defence written over a period of twelve years. Based on the study of the reactions of students to common forms of aggression and violence in high pressure scenario simulations, personal experience and the shared experiences of friends and professional colleagues, and years of research into violent crime, it examines subjects as diverse as knife defence training, the role of tradition in karate, building safe scenario training, personal kata training and ways to focus training towards self defence.
This is not a book written specifically for 'instructors', nor for 'students', rather it is designed to make the reader think about what they are training, how they are training it, and what they want to achieve from their training. The aim of the articles is to provide information suitable for everyone, regardless of style or grade.
"To say this book is a collection of articles written by John over a number of years is to do it an injustice. There are supposed, empirical works on Karate and self defence that are simply not in the same league as this work and most certainly not as thought provoking.
This is a book after my own heart and I thoroughly commend it to anyone who questions what their current karate training is geared towards, but also to those who don't need convincing about the efficacy of their karate in dealing with real life violence but need a plan to affect change. This book will answer both question and need.
Peter Consterdine