Discount Price: $10.95
Price fluctuation possible.
How soon does it ship: Normal ship time within one day
Shipping? Absolutely FREE if you qualify for Super Saver Shipping.
Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 617.1027
EAN num: 9780865680777
ISBN number: 0865680779
Label: Unique Publications
Manufacturer: Unique Publications
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 124
Printing Date: September 01, 2005
Publishing house: Unique Publications
Sale Popularity Level: 291939
Studio: Unique Publications
Other books you might be interested in perusing:
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
-
The subject of vital/vulnerable points and how to strike them is a very serious matter and one that should never be taken lightly. I personally am very leery about teaching people about them and usually only give a generalized description of them. There are two books that endeavor to tackle this subject, both of which I currently have in my own personal library. One of them is Brian Adam's, "Deadly Karate Blows."
Now before I get started on writing the actual review of this book, I am going to take this opportunity to give you a bit of insight into my reviewing process. I will rarely if ever give a bad review. This isn't meant to imply that I think that everything is good, it's just that if I don't care for a particular book or DVD that I have, I simply will not do a review on it. What I primarily look for in an instructional book or DVD is its ability to teach me solid relevant information on the particular topic being addressed, which should be the primary focus of the material being presented. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case.
Now depending upon your own personal knowledge on the subject, and your own personal perspective, you will either love this book or revile it. While I myself readily question some of the material presented in this book, I do find a lot of it to be very informative in both a positive and a negative way. Rather than dwelling on the negative aspects, I will instead focus on the positive aspects of this book.
The basic format for this book starts out with two to three photographs with captions and two subjects demonstrating a particular technique whose attack is focused on a particular vital/vulnerable point. This is followed by some pretty good illustrations and really basic descriptions of the various possible injuries that can accompany a blow to the particular vital/vulnerable point being discussed. Each section starts out with the weapon used, the target (vital/vulnerable point) attacked, and the possible medical implications of an effective attack. The only real detractor to this is that it should be updated to provide more current and relevant information.
One could easily argue that a lot of the information provided is sketchy at best and not very detailed at all. This is a legitimate point. However, and this is just my opinion, I think the author was just trying to give the reader an overview of the subject, rather than a detailed analysis.
During the introduction to this book, the author is adamant about making it clear that, "...I have just barely scratched the surface of a subject that will continue to regain its status in the martial arts." The author also makes it very clear that, "One must remember that whenever the human element is involved, there is no such thing as absolute perfection. This is why in many of the sections it is indicated that there is more than one possible result, because the blow may be slightly off target or because of other existing conditions which might be hindered by unforeseen circumstances."
Although this book is definitely not an "authoritative" piece, it still holds value especially when combined with another book called, "Gray's Anatomy."
Rated by buyers -
You need to know more about what you're doing if you seriously plan on using anything you learn down at the dojo in self-defense situations. It's also good to know what isn't true, such as the drive the nose into the brain from a well placed palm heel strick nonsense. This is a pretty good, concise, clearly written place to get that kind of information. I'm not an MD, so I can't vouch for the absolute accuracy of all information contained in the book. The things I've learned from other sources are supported here. It's a good read too.
Rated by buyers 
-
This doesn't have much deadly karate but it certainly does blow...
What a huge disappointment! This premise holds much promise but the breadth and depth of this particular rendering is very shallow indeed. It's only 117 pages and mostly pictures. The illustrations unfortunately are marginally well done and the photos have very bad contrast so between these two shortcomings the techniques are not well illuminated. Since the text is not very descriptive either, the total package is very incomplete for the few applications they actually cover. There are hundreds of traditional karate techniques that are not covered at all.
I have no idea why the practitioners in the photos have their shirts off. It is not helpful in showing what they are doing technique-wise. Neither model has much physique to speak of so I can't imagine they're trying to show off what great shape they are in. You'd think a book about karate would at least show folks wearing traditional karate uniforms yet only one of the two has gi-style pants (with no obi) while the other wears half a tracksuit. Both wear shoes. Since they are not really doing karate techniques in every case, I guess this is irrelevant but I do find it annoying.
As mentioned previoiusly, there are a huge number of techniques not discussed at all (such as locks or chokes along with several types of strikes). Furthermore, many that are discussed have significant errors. For example, when it comes to an eye strike the author shows fingertip rakes across and into the eye describing the effects as a collapsed "bulb of the eye" or a lacerated eyelid. That's okay so far as it goes, I suppose, but a "torn eyelid from the effect of a sharp finger nail piercing an eyelid that has blinked at the last instant before it has struck" is sheer nonsense and not truly a medical implication. I don't remember reading the term "bulb of the eye" in any medical textbooks either, come to think of it.
In real life, the most common eye attack is a rake. The second most common is a gouge. The gouge is almost never successfully performed with the fingers. Instead, it is performed with the thumb while the fingers contour the side of the head, which is why that version is the most common bunkai. It works best when the opponent's head is supported against the ground, a wall, or with your other hand. When you do that the eyeball is displaced and popped out rather than collapsed or crushed. The book not only does not talk about displacements at all, but it also focuses on ruptures, something that is virtually impossible to do with an unsupported finger jab as shown in the text.
I really don't know why the set-ups for the various techniques were chosen in the way they were. For example, the groin strike shows the defender caught in a two handed choke with the attacker's thumbs pressing into his throat before the counterattack. Get real! You'll never be "caught" in a two handed front choke. Unless you are completely oblivious no one is going to walk up and choke you, at least not upright when you are both standing. Perhaps you'd slap the attacker's hands aside and react with a groin kick when he tries to choke you but that's about it. I've witnessed, interceded in, stopped, or prevented more than 300 real-life fights and I've never seen anyone trying this silliness on the street let alone successfully applying it. Chokes require significant disruption before you can successfully apply them. Oh, and the author doesn't even describe the medical implications of chokes either... lame, lame, lame. Speaking of lame, the eight pages on "principles of very first aid and pain reduction" appear to be a last minute filler. I was expecting very first aid for each technique shown but it is just some general very first aid 101 stuff.
All in all I'm hugely disappointed in this book. This is a great topic and I'd really like to see someone with a medical degree do it well. The execution in this book, unfortunately, isn't at all what I was looking for. It is a pathetic, misguided endeavor to cover an important topic.
Don't waste your money.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction; co-author of The Way of Kata, and The Way to Black Belt
Rated by buyers -
Although the title says "...Karate...", this book can be used by anyone involved in any striking art. This is not a how-to book, instead it gives a brief description of a move (to make sure the reader understands what's happening) with one or two photos, then goes on to describe what is the likely outcome to the person getting hit. It's a good book because it reminds you (especially if you're relatively inexperienced) that your moves can paralyze or kill, which the law may not agree with in the realm of self-defense. It is a good book and I do recommend.
Rated by buyers 
-
The author went to great lengths to analyze the effects of common karate blows. This has implications for appreciating "soft" forms of self defense as compared with those forms most ameniable to full contact with protection gear. The book in effect documents the effects "soft" (low inertia) blows can have on vital points. The forward to the book is well written also by a professional educator, enthusiast, and instructor (Chris Town.) ;)
Find other books like this one:
