Customer Reviews (4)

Advanced Students
This book is for the advanced Judo/JiuJitsu student written by an advanced player/instructor.Well worth the effort and price of purchase.

Great overview of grips
I am currently a brown belt within Karl Geis Kodokan Judo and this book has been a tremendous help in my training.I am currently using CoC grippers to enhance my gripping strength.This book is a valuable tool in learning different ways to engage grips, breaking them (defense), and different grip positions for various throws.

outstanding
Adam gives a great overview of different grips and strategies for attaining the grip you want.It is a must for a serious judoka.

honest and thoughtful
What I like about Neil Adams books on judo is their honesty. I believe that to be the only meaningful way of approach to life, not only to writing about judo. Thanks Neil! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Great reference.
A great reference for beginners, with a great approach to teaching.The book focuses more upon tactical situations, than upon the techniques.In other words: opponent is moving forward, here are some things you can do.If s/he stiffens or pulls back, try this or this.

Most judo books take the approach: here is an osoto-gari, here are a couple of ways to use it.

I think the book's tactical focus is a great method; buy this book if you need a beginner's reference (or a teacher's manual).

Excellent book for the beginning student
This is an excellent manual for the beginning student, it does a great job of covering the beginning techniques and essential dojo knowledge and gives a very thorough overview of judo competition and beyond. The only downside is that I wished the techniques had been shown from different angles so the reader could see the little things that make even the basic techniques more effective. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn to dominate opponents with the explosive throws, sweeps and takedowns of Sambo.Coach Steve Scott teaches 75 of the most effective ways to put your opponent on the mat and keep him there. Whether you compete in sambo, judo, jujitsu, submission grappling or MMA, the techniques Takedowns and Throws for Sambo, Judo, Jujitsu and Submission Grappling will arm you with an arsenal of explosive, functional throws and takedowns.Coach Scott starts you off with a thorough overview of the concepts and principles of throws and takedowns including technical execution, grip fighting, stance, posture, balance,defense, fitness and drill training. Building on these fundamentals, he teaches 75 takedowns, throws and sweeps including lifting throws, pick-ups, leg grabs, knee drop throws, body drop throws, over body throws, leg hooks and sweeps. Each technique is extensively illustrated with photos from key angles and Coach Scott's straightforward explanations make it easy for you to put these techniques to work on the mat in your next training session.THROWS and TAKEDOWNS INCLUDED: The Buck ~ Inside Thigh Lift ~ Outer Thigh Sweep ~ Cuban Leg Grab ~ The Metz ~ Ankle Pick ~ Hand Wheel ~ 1-Arm Knee Drop ~ Cross Arm Knee Drop ~ Tight Waist Knee Drop ~ Fireman's Carry ~ Cross Body Outer Hook ~ Sweeping Hip Throw ~ Inner Thigh Throw ~ Cross Grip Major Outer Hook ~ Front Kick Throw ~ Minor Inner Hook ~ Open Chest Body Drop ~ Side Body Drop ~ Knee Body Drop ~ Back Grip Hip Throw ~ Belly-to-Belly Throw ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good resource book
Well written,although more directed toward tournament performance. Well worth the price if that's your goal.

For the Advanced Judoka
This book is written by a man who completely understands his field.But Mr. Scott has written for the advanced Judo player.Anyone can benefit from the study of this manual but those with the most experience will gain the most from it. ... Read more

Product Description
Judo is known as the gentle martial art, but when two judokas square off, the action is fast and furious. Yet the art and sport forms of judo both require great control and swiftness. Indeed, a key to greatness in the sport is the ability to use an opponent’s own strength against him rather than trying to subdue or combat it.

Competitive Judo is your guide to developing the technical skills, tactical maneuvers, and proper mind-set to achieve ultimate success in the sport. Master the use of various grips such as the sleeve lapel and double lapel, as well as popular throws such as the leg grab (te waza). The book also details how to set up throw attacks for inducing opposite reaction in the opponent, use stepping patterns, execute combination techniques, and utilize blocks and stumbles. In setting up groundwork techniques, various transitions, combination ground techniques, and reversals are also covered in depth.

Long-time elite competitor and coach Ron Angus covers every facet of being a winning judoka, from scouting your opponent to building strength and speed to recovering. Apply his advice on training and competing, and then experience the excitement of scoring ippon in your next shiai. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Coaching for the serious competitior
I'm very impressed by Mr. Angus work. There is no book like this on the market. The author explains the training strategies that will take you to the next level, but contrary to other books, he gives you specific examples and a detailed break down.

This book will be worth to bjj players as well (I'm a bjj purple belt and occasionally judo player) because it addresses basics, yet fundamental, problems of competitors:

- how should I train out of season?
- how should I train in-season?
- how to peak for competition?
- what should I think during competition?
- what should I do when the fight is restarted?

There is also actual technique content, like the setups section, but the book is obviously more oriented on coaching. All this is very well done and organized.


Let's talk about the (little) bad:
- occasional not too serious spelling errors
- occasional annoying description errors (like left in place of right)
- the book could have been longer


Why I give it 5 stars?

This book is unique, it condenses in one place topics difficult to find and very useful for the serious amateur. The little problems don't really detract from the good content. I just wish the book was longer because some topics would benefit from an expanded treatment.

Recommended to the serious competitor.

Other Sports Judo Books Tap Out to Competitive Judo
This book definitely fills a void in the literature of modern judo fighting. I say "judo fighting," because there is little in current national and international competition that resembles judo as "the gentle way." Admittedly "gentle" is a misnomer for the term "Ju".

Written for elite players, a small niche audience here in North America, the book is a worthwhile study in training methods and strategies to be successful in the rarefied world of Olympic-style judo.

The author, Mr. Angus, goes into detail on the importance of knowing the rules of the game, and then "being able to use the rules to your advantage, how to develop a match plan with the skills that are right for you and how to get the most out of training."

Attention is given to grip fighting as one of the gates to winning. In my personal opinion, as a continuing student of judo with far less competition experience than the author (but with years of experience in judo), an over-emphasis on grip fighting is ultimately harmful to the sport at any level. The author underlines the challenges of grip fighting by including a photo of his hands after 30 years of fighting for grips. It is apparent that gripfights have taken their toll on his joints.

Overall, a very educational look at elite judo. One small suggestion for improvement in any subsequent editions would be to edit the Japanese judo terms: the frequent misspellings of the techniques are slightly distracting from an otherwise fine book. Recommended reading.

The Best Fighter's Book Available
This is a book that every Judo and Grappling competitor/fighter needs.It focusses on the techniques and tactics that are most effective for winning, and most 'deadly'.The author uses his vast knowledge of and experience in Judo, Sambo and Grappling coupled with modern scientific analyses to construct a secure recipe for success.There is a vast wealth of knowledge poured into this volume, enough to more than satisfy even the most avid student of the combat arts.At the heart of the book are its winning moves: throws and submission techniques, each one categorized, analyzed, scrutinized, described and presented so as to enable the reader in the most efficient way possible to use them to defeat challengers.Every stage of combat is covered in great detail, as are strategies, combinations, fight-training, exercises, the psyche, and even how to use the referees and rules to one's own advantage.The style of the writing is very readable and interesting, so it is very much a book to be enjoyed.Besides Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Judo and Sambo stylists, Mixed-Martial-Arts competitors stand to benefit greatly from this book - to gain insight, skill and theory for their grappling game.Knowledge that took experts lifetimes to develop and test is presented here for us.For the grappler who wants to win, it is a definite must-read.Very impressive and hard to put-down! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Judo as it was . . .
A really good review of judo as it was, including many locks you just don't see in judo dojos these days.Could have used more pictures, and clearer ones. ... Read more

Product Description
In Groundfighting Pins and Breakdowns, Steve Scott teaches effective pins and breakdowns for Judo, Jujitsu, submission grappling & mixed martial arts. Although not the most glamorous groundfighting skills, pins and holddowns are the workhorse technques of all forms of grappling. And before you can pin your opponent, you need to break him down. Breakdowns, sometimes call turnovers or transitions, give you the tools to dominate your opponent by setting him up for hold, pin or submission techinque. For those new to grappling, Coach Scott begins with the basics of position, controlling your opponent and avoiding common mistakes. Then he teaches you 15 core pins and dozens of breakdowns to take your opponent from a stable position to one where you can dominate him and control the match. For fighters who prefer fighting from the guard position, Coach Scott includes an entire section on getting a pin from the guard. He wraps up with techniques for pin switching, moving from one pin to another without losing control of your opponent, and pin escapes.Groundfighting Pins and Breakdowns is a comprehensive look at an area of grappling that is often overlooked. Steve Scott not only teaches you a wide range of pins and breakdowns that have been tested in gi and no-gi combat sports, he also offers tips on drilling, techniques for neutralizing a standing opponent when you re on the ground, strategies for winning at groundfithing and a brief history of grappling as an international combat sport.Includes detailed instruction for the following pins and breakdowns: Chest Hold * Side Hold * Vertical Hold Mount * Scarf Hold * Straddle Pin * Shoulder Lock Pin * Triangle Pin * Rear Scarf Hold * Double Leg Breakdown * Sambo Switch * Bent Arm Breakdown * Power Half * Bar Arm and Shoulder Crank * Over and Under * Near Leg Roll * Judo Stack * Triangle Breakdown * Gut Wrench * Polish Whizzer * Soden Roll * Hip Wheel * Russian Roll * Outside Leg Hook * Snap Down * Double Ankle Hook and many more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great grappling book!
Don't let the fact they are wearing GIs in the book turn you off from purchasing it.The author clearly knows his stuff and details rather excellently his craft.Coming from a self-defense stand point there were many valuable tidbits of information about theory and the how-to skill builds athletes need.

How to wear out a Judo student
Mr. Scott has written another book to lead the Martial Artist into expertice in ground work.The more advanced student will gain the most from this book but any student will gain something.For weeks after I got this book my Judo students left class drenched in sweat, tired, and excited from all they had learned!

Practical Study Guide
I have been thumbing through Groundfighting Pins and Breakdowns for a few days, thinking about actual use during BJJ class.We were working a lot of escape drills in which I had found my previous days' studies of this book very useful.It is just a lot of information to take in at once.I will have to continually study it to really apply it.The cool thing was that during randori last night when I found myself in a disadvantageous position, I remembered a portion of the book.I was in the turtle position with my opponent on top from the front.He had his arms wrapped around my ribs.At that point, it was as if I saw the pages of the book open to the Soden Roll to Scarf Hold.I executed that move perfectly.I was then able to move to side control and execute a submission.This is a great book with a lot of practical application.I recommend thoughtful study of it over a period of time.

Outstanding book!
I just got my copy this week and I just finished reading through it. I have come to expect nothing but the best from Mr. Scott and his latest offering is no different. His technically meticulous yet practically worded text serves as an excellent supplement to my training. While I think it would be tough o learn exclusively from any book; I believe someone could grab a training partner and learn a great deal from Mr. Scott's books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A SUPPLEMENT TO YOUR RANDORI TRAINING
I bought a copy of this book years ago when I first began my study of judo.And I'm glad to have found a copy again on Amazon.I recommend it to anyone who is practicing judo.It's a great supplement to your actual judo training.This book is illustrated with pen and ink drawings and not photos,but you can still use them to study the various techniques.There are chapters on judo philosophy,etiquette and discipline as well as on training on and off the mat.This book teaches you how to throw and grapple.And it teaches you how to counter throws and how to escape from holds.As I said,a great supplement to your actual training on the mat.

Great Judo book!
Hoare Sensei really did a great job with this book.He covers throws, chokes, pins, conditioning, and self defense.This book has helped me immensely.Pick up a copy!

My favorite judo book
I own every judo book on this page and this one is the best. It might not have the flashy pictures of the others but it's simple, easy to understand groundwork explanations are awesome. After readingthis book no one in ourclub could hold me down and no one could escape from my hold downs. Most ofthe other books are translations from Japanese and the explanations can befairly cryptic. This one is written by a British guy who knows hisstuff(he's a seventh dan). Teach Yourself Judo is also one of the cheapestso you can't go wrong. ... Read more

Product Description
In a follow-up to his popular Championship Sambo: Submission Holds and Groundfighting, Steve Scott teaches you 85 essential armlocks for jujitsu, judo, sambo and mixed martial arts. The armlocks taught in the Armlock Encyclopedia apply to gi and no-gi combat sports, allowing you to use them in a wide variety of situations, including self-defense and street applications.Steve Scott makes it easy to learn the most effective and popular armlocks of modern grappling sports by organizing them into four broad categories: the cross-body armlock, the bent armlock, the straight armlock and the armpit lock. In addition to teaching how to set-up and apply each of the locks, he shows you how to defend against common armlocks, fight from both the mount and guard, lever your opponent’s arm free for an attack and vary your grip for maximum power.For those new to grappling, you’ll also learn the core skills of applying armlocks, controlling position, and training smart plus a glossary of grappling terms and a Rules of the Room guide to common sense rules on the mat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

An excellent guide to Jujitsu/Judo armlocks by a true master.
As a lifetime student of the martial arts (Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, Kenjutsu, Kobudo, Krav Maga, Westling, Boxing, Combatives)I found this book interesting and very informative. I thought I knew a lot of armlocks, but after reading this book, I realized there are numerous variations of this hightly effective grappling technique. For those reviewers who claim this book only covers the basics and they did not learn anything from reading this book, I keep wondering just how much experience these people actually had in the martial arts.This book does cover the basic armlocks, but one MUST learn the basic principles before moving on to the variations and advanced techniques.Steve Scott is well known in the Judo field. And no, I am not a student of the author, though I have met him at a law enforcement seminar.In conclusion, this is a book for anyone who desires to extend their knowledge of armlocks.Rating:5 Stars.Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Bushi Satori Ryu Official Jujitsu Manual, Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Martial Art Myths, Never Trust a Politician).

Armlock Encyclopedia
Very well done and comprehensive book. I found a lot of information in it. Perhaps a bigger format would have made the picture more usable
Ciao,
Andrea

Armlock Encyclopedia
A large number of books on the market cater to beginners who know a couple of basic moves and drills with little knowledge of how to go beyond that. They offer little guidance for experienced fighters or combat athletes. Armlock Encyclopedia is one of these.

The photos are OK and it's well-written. Some of the other more critical reviews probably originate in the book's inclusion of armbars that no one would or could ever use with little to distinguish them from high probability moves. It is more like a compendium of variations on different armbars than the sort of book that will help you deal with a fight - either in sport or on the street.

I use it primarily to think of different ways to position myself for an armbar. While it is reasonable for that, the truth is I haven't looked at it for a long time and find other books to be much more helpful. It may be useful for someone who is not quite a beginner, but for anyone more advanced than that, it probably won't provide much instruction.

Very basic
Not really that good.Very basic.I would say it gives a couple of good turn over attacks, but either basic or unrealistic against someone knowlegeable.I was very disappointed.

Nothing new here... Poor quality photos
I've studied BJJ and Judo for about 5 years now and was hoping this book would be a nice reference catalog of armbars - That is not the case. The title is a bit deceptive. It's realy just a handfull of armbars with several slight variations... So if you have at least 1 year of BJJ, Judo, Sambo or submission wrestling, you already know all of these. If you are new to the game, this book won't help you too much. e.g. The illustrations and descriptions are weak so you will stuggle to pick up anything out of it. It reminds me of all those crapy books from when I was a kid - the ones where you couldn't tell from the pictures what the heck you were supposed to do... ... Read more

Product Description
Master the fundamentals of the art of judo with Judo Techniques & Tactics. Written by world champion and three-time Olympian Jimmy Pedro, this book provides you with a solid background of the sport and the essential maneuvers for success.

Learn how to correctly perform

· falls

· rolls

· grips

· throws

· holds

· chokes

· joint locks

· counters

· combinations

· pins

Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced student, you will find many valuable insights on judo’s history, terminology, and customs, and special chapters on competition and conditioning.

Part of the successful Techniques & Tactics series of martial arts books published by Human Kinetics, this book is sure to be a part of every serious martial artist’s library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Judo Techniques & Tactics
The book was in good condition.It was cheap priced and well worth the wait because of the condition it was in.Thank you.

Good intro to Judo book
I am a Jiu Jitsu practitioner, but I was looking for a book to improve my take down game.Decent intro level book.Good written info.I would have liked more pictures and more info on details of the movements.

Nice Judo book, easy to follow and great pictures
This is a great book, and you're getting it right from the source, three-time Olympian Jimmy Pedro. This book provides you with a background of the sport and the essential maneuvers for success. I bought it for my son, it has most of the training guidelines to build a strong foundation for moving on to advanced judo techniques.

An okay place to start . . .
Judo Techniques and Tactics provides the beginning Judo student a decent place to start. Pedro only reviews a few basic moves and throws, chokes and joint locks, and counters. They are moderately described in text and illustrated fairly well with photographs. This gives the beginner a good subset of techniques to work with and start to master. The book has a good overview of competition and some helpful tips on conditioning. Judo Techniques and Tactics should be useful for those in the sport less than a year.

AnotherStandard Review of the Basics.
JUDO TECHNIQUES & TACTICS (c.2001) by Jimmy Pedro Jr., and William Durbin, is a fundamental book on Judo like a dozen other books covering the same basic techniques, except this has one of New England's premiere judokas demonstrating kyu techniques.

If 1999 World Judo Champion and two time Olympic bronze medal winner Jimmy Pedro jr. is through making history and fails to be elected as president of the USJI (Judo USA), then it is hoped that Godan Jimmy Pedro Jr. will become a much needed world class sensei to teach and write for future American judoka! So what we really need is for Jimmy Pedro Jr. and his father, Jimmy Pedro Sr., to collaborate on a book detailing all their best competition judo techniques and philosophy and how they were derived, and between these two active and successful competitors, that book would have the potential as the new bible on American judo!

This basic sankyu level work: JUDO TECHNIQUES & TACTICS falls well beneath the talent and scope of World Champion and Olympian (Godan) Jimmy Pedro Jr.. To read a similar mediocre book on judo by another World Champion, please read: 'OLYMPIC JUDO: Throwing Techniques' (c. 1987) by Neil Adams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very clear with excellent production quality
I enjoyed this video by an excellent technician and competitor -- Mike Swain. The filming and editing really makes it enjoyable to watch, and the explanations and demonstrations are clear and accurate. Anyone can learn new things from watching the techniques performed in this video.

Great Judo Instructional DVD...If there is sound!
I have purchased this DVD and found it 25% useful. Why 25%? Well the rest of the DVD seem to have no sound (i.e. both the replaced and original order). I have notified Black Belt as well as Amazon of this problem and hopefully they will address this issue ASAP as it is frustrating and disappointing to say the least. However, from what I have previewed so far (with sound) is quite good and very useful for the budding judoka. I am crossing my fingers to preview a working version of this DVD (2nd replacement) and provide some positive feedback.
Loven
Australia ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

No show
It was extremely disappointing to have this advertised as being available and after purchasing it be notified that it wasn't really available. I had lent my original copy to my O-sensei and I wasn't able to get it back before he passed away, so I have been looking to replace it ever since. Too bad.

A True Masterpiece on the Throws of Judo
One of two superb master-volumes by Kazuo Kudo on the techniques of Judo (the other being on grappling), I believe these original editions went through only one printing--in 1967.Later abridged editions were published under the title "judo in action: Throwing Techniques"If you're lucky enough to obtain one of these big "Dynamic Judo" volumes, it may include a red dustcover or box.In additionto including more information, the "Dynamic Judo" series is also larger than the smaller "Judo in Action" books.

All techniques are shown in sequence photography, with detailed descriptions, tips and advice from Kudo.Contents include:
Throwing Techniques: Preface, Contents, About Judo, Folio of Champions.
1.Fundamentals: the throwing techniques, positions, standing together, where to look, body movement, using your strength, forcing your opponent off balance, preparatory moves and attack, falling methods, throwing traniing
2.Hand Techniques: Tai-otoshi, seoi-nage, ippon-seoi-nage, kata-guruma, uki-otoshi, sumni-nage, soto-makikomi, morote-gari, kuchiki-taoshi
3.Hip Techniques: Harai-goshi, uki-goshi, tsuri-komi-goshi, sode-tsuri-komi-goshi, hane-goshi, hane-makikomi, uchimata, ogoshi, koshi-guruma, ushiro-goshi, utsuri-goshi, tsuri-goshi
4.Leg Techniques:Ouchi-gari, osoto-gari, sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi, harai-tsuri-komi-ashi, okuri-ashi-barai, deashi-barai, tsubame-gaeshi, kouchi-gari, kouchi-barai, kouchi-gake, kosoto-gari, kosoto-barai, kosotogake, nidan-kosoto-gari, nidan-kosoto-gake, hiza-guruma, ashi-guruma, osoto guruma, oguruma, kani-hasami
5.Rear-fall throws & Side-fall throuws:Tomoe-nage, Ura-hage, Sumi-gaeshi, Uki-Waza, Yoko-gake, Yoko-guruma, Yoko-otoshi, Tani-otoshi, No-waki
-appendix
-bibliography
-index

Kudo himself not only had ample opportunity to study under Judo's founder Jigoro Kano and many of the other first generation masters of judo, but went forth to distinguish himself in competition and later coaching and teaching.This distinguished volume is truely a masterpiece of high renown. ... Read more

Product Description
This manual for the complete study of sport judo includes a revised section on the official tournament rules and judging standards of the IJF. Nishioka has won the Pan-American Games Gold Medal and the U.S. AAU National Grand Championship, and has been a member of four U.S. international teams. West was a three-time Southern California Open Division champion. Fully illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Early Attempt to Reform Japanese Judo.
In THE JUDO TEXT BOOK: IN PRACTICAL APPLICATION (C1979) by Mr. Hayward Nishioka, and others, has managed to reduce the thirty-six throws of the Gokyu No Waza into ten techniques he has personally decided, over Kodokan wisdom, to teach to a beginner.

Starting off with such fundamentals as obi tying; Judo gi folding; rei-ing; and all the basic falls; the author proceeds to demonstrate his preferred Nage Wazas while shrewdly including photographs of the same technique being applied in shiai by a past Judo great in international tournament: such as Anton Geesink winning with Sotomaki Komi or Isao Okano winning with Ippon Seoinage.

The book also contains a copy of out-dated IJF contest rules; sections on the positive power of Judo thinking; pep talks; some basic newaza techniques; excellent historical photographs of Judo legends; some photos from past Black Belt magazines; some interesting historic photographs of Dr. Jigoro Kano; and on martial arts masters unrelated to Judo, as if the author is unaware of the deeper facets of Judo other than tournament.

While the founder of Judo and genius, Dr. Jigoro Kano, insisted for good reason, that the ratio of Judo training to be: Randori: 80%, Kata: 17%, and Shiai: 3%; Mr. Hayward Nishioka devotes his book a full 100% to Shiai neglecting the other more important aspects of Judo, such as kata training.
Since France has won several Olympic gold medals in Judo compared to America's none, and they emphasize the 'Kaeshi No Kata' (form of counters) training from beginning to end in all their Judo practice, it is amazing that Hayward Nishioka, and other US Judo instructors, haven't picked up on this correlation?

The work: THE JUDO TEXT BOOK: IN PRACTICAL APPLICATION is too basic for advanced players, and too inappropriate for the beginner. It is worth the money for the collection of historical photographs and some of the vintage photographs of legendary competitors and masters.But this is still a contribution of Western Judo trying to undermine the integrity of Japanese Judo!

Effective, clear instruction
This book clearly shows many basic techniques of judo in a useable format.I have read through other judo texts that don't give you enough info. on the techniques described, this is one of the good ones.However, a largerbook covering more techniques would be desirable.Another good book isBest Judo by Isao Inokuma. ... Read more

Product Description
In Drills for Grapplers, Coach Steve Scott teaches you his favorite drills for judo, jujitsu, sambo, submission grappling, mixed martial arts and other submission grappling sports. You get both fitness drills to improve your strength, stamina, coordination, speed and flexibility and skill drills to work specific grappling skills like footwork, position, control, gripping, throwing, locking, pinning, falling, transitions, free practice (randori) and an aggressive attitude. With group, partner and solo drills for beginners and elite athletes, kids and adults, you re sure to find new and exciting ways to practice on the mat. In addition to explaining how to do each drill, the purpose of the drill and the recommended skill and age level, Coach Scott shares tips on organizing your practice sessions, sample workouts by skill level and goal, fitness for grapplers and training rules.Take your training sessions to the next level with drills used by elite fighters. With over 50 drills specifically for grapplers, this is a great reference for both athletes and coaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great price, excellent ideas...needs a little color.
If you are looking for great ideas to help you mix up your training, for the price, this book is an excellent source.It would have gotten 4 stars if not for the black and white photos.If production quality is of little importance to you get this book.

A Guide to the Use of Scottie's Other Books
This one could be seen as the manual to using the material in Scott's other texts on the grappling arts. Good to see a reference to the Judo side of things(I'm not a current Judoka).
It is his usual to the point style where he pushes the material not himself.
I would love to meet the author and hear him talk about this stuff and demonstrate it (perferably not on me).

Not for Solo training
I purchased this book because it advertised the inclusion of solo drills.While I am certain that the drills included in the book are worthwhile, and if done properly, will cause your grappling skills to improve, there were only two solo drills.Not having a training partner outside of the dojo the book was of limited value to me and I ended up returning it.

Much Better
I thought this book was much better than Mr. Scott's previous books.I have used many of the drills in my club since reading this.Some of the drills are simple and common but that is to be expected in any type of coaching drill book.Most of these are great ideas to shake up a practice.I hope Mr. Scott writes more books for teaching or practicing Judo because there are not many out there that focus on drills and ways to practice Judo beyond what was written decades ago.These would be a valued resources for any new instructor or an instructor that wants something to keep his current grapplers awake. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn to apply 65 essential leglocks for jujitsu, judo, sambo and mixed martial arts. Coach Steve Scott teaches you the keys to successfully applying lower body submission techniques and getting your opponent to tap out. Vital leglocks is divided into the three major categories of lower body submission skills: ankle and foot locks, knee locks and hip/upper leglocks.Learn to successfully use ankle locks, toe holds, heel hooks, knee locks and bars and knee cranks in a variety of grappling situations, including as counters to common holds. In addition to learning how to set-up and apply fundamental leglocks, Coach Scott shows you how to defend against common lower body attacks, master the concept of leg wrestling, actively control the match and use leglocks strategically to get the win. Leglocks in Vital Leglocks include: Straight Ankle Lock, Gator Roll Ankle Lock, North-South Ankle Lock, Scissors Ankle Lock, Standing Heel Hook, Saylor Heel Hook, Rolling Heel Hook, Ankle Crush Toehold, Bent Knee Lock, Strraight Knee Lock, Cross-body Knee Lock, Rolling Knee Lock, Outside Knee Jam, Double Leg Knee Jam, Bent Knee Crank, Banana Split ,Boston Crab, Grapevine ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good book with detailed moves
The book is good, it has detailed moves and pictures.The pictures are black and white, I would prefer color, but you can't beat the price.Good book if you want to expand your grappling game....

Lacks depth
The book covers a variety of Leg Locks, but the book lacks one key component; the proper way to apply the locks. The subtle nuances that go into finishing any type of ankle lock are key for a high success rate. The book says it has "65 vital leg locks" but the number is irrelevant with out the proper instruction in actually applying the hold. You could have 2,000 leg attacks and you would be in the same place; some cool moves with no knowledge of how to make it work. They very briefly cover how to apply the holds, but not in any kind of detail. Actually, this is a huge flaw I find in most ankle lock books. As a BJJ competitor, I have used ankle locks, and the details can not be overlooked. I really couldn't recommend this if you were a beginner because it lacks the fundamentals you need. I also couldn't recommend it if you were advanced because you probably know all the information.

Extending JiuJitsu knowledge
This book is written by a man with extensive knowledge of several Martial Arts.It is designed to be used as a text book with an Instructor and has suceeded in this.It is a very well done manual and well worth being an addition to any Martial Artists library.
I am a fourth degree black belt in Judo and a third degree black belt in JiuJitsu.

My husband loves the Scott books!
I bought this and three other Steve Scott books for my husband and he absolutely loves them. (His personal favorite is the one about arm locks.) I'm sorry he's not writing this review, but if he's not at work, he's reading these books! LOL

There are better examples
The pictures are a dark black and white.The steps are not that clear and many of the leglocks are similar.I would not say this book is much better than the Gracie books which show the same basic leg locks and have much better color pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a handbook for verbal self-defence. BarbaraBerckhan describes techniques of protecting and defending oneselfeffectively in challenging communication situations and how to shortenhostile interchanges and to stop provocations. Berckhan explains howto prevent verbal attacks in the first place. One of the essentialfeatures of the art of self-defence is a powerful appearance, sincepreferred victims of verbal attacks are those who appear to lackpersonal power. On the verbal level, people who appear unassertiveoften tend to excessively apologise and belittle themselves and usewords like "maybe", "somehow" or "possibly", which make theirstatement sound more tentative. The author draws on two main sources:insights gained from the training she gives as a communicationsconsultant, and principles of Asian martial arts, which then appliesto verbal self-defence. The result is a "verbal judo", which aims atfending off an attack and restoring peace rather than continuingfight. The book concludes with a training programme that is designedto help the reader internalise the strategies presented. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intelligent? I think not.
I have experienced some fairly disappointing reads in my time, but this has to be the greatest let down of them all. I would describe this book as being vague, boringly repetitive, and impractical. The theoretical approach which this book assumes may well have good intentions of helping the reader, as it proposes to be a self-help instrument, but simply does not measure up to its promise. Furthermore, I would have to say that this book would only seem to be of any worth if only one lived in a simple world with simple situations, with simple solutions - such is not the case. Having said this, I believe it would be wise to avoid this book if one is searching for serious insight into serious predicaments...to learn to defend oneself verbally in a potetnially volatile situation is what I ventured out to do.Unfortunately, I regret to say that all this book has done is further frustrate my research and provide me with little else than an empty money purse and a fantastic shelf filler. ... Read more

Product Description
A witty and compelling journey into the enigmatic sport of judo—the culture, drama, history, and practice.

On his fiftieth birthday, journalist and self-described “indolent sportsman” Mark Law decided to take up judo on a whim and ended up getting hooked on the sport. Falling Hard is Law’s love letter to judo—its culture, drama, history, and practice. With journalistic zeal, he delves deeply into the sport’s history and lore, and interweaves his own judo experiences with a study of the development of judo in Japan, the life and vision of its founder Jigoro Kano, the export of judo to the West, the emergence of women in the sport, and detailed descriptions of competition on the world championship and
Olympic levels.
Law’s account is as much for the sports writing fan and armchair enthusiast as the judo practitioner. With humor and skill, he describes grueling training sessions and matches (including his own), famous Olympic bouts, and legendary rivalries between judo players and national teams, and he speculates about the future of the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Changed my life...for about three months.
Every once in awhile a book comes along that prompts the reader to take a previously unconsidered path."Falling Hard" was like that for me.I'd been looking for a throwing/grappling martial art that would augment my previous training in striking styles (karate, boxing, Krav Maga), and Judo came to mind.I found this book and checked it out to see if Judo would fit the bill."Falling Hard" was compelling enough to get me on the Judo mat, although in the end my passion for it did not match the author's.

Journalist Mark Law wasn't a particularly athletic fellow, so he didn't get into the martial arts until his early fifties.But Judo caught his eye, and once he began taking lessons it consumed him.As he trained he became fascinated with Judo's history and its stars, thus leading to the creation of this book."Falling Hard" contains a lot of Judo history, traces its evolution as a martial art and sport, and provides epic tales of its greatest champions, both male and female. I mean, who knew that the French are fanatical about Judo, or that bigger and stronger Western judoka forced the Japanese to reevaluate and innovate their Judo techniques?

I liked the Judo information, but I was hoping for a more personal, in-depth account of the author's journey from white to black belt, sort of like Robert Twigger provided in "Angry White Pyjamas" or C. W. Nicol in "Moving Zen."However, Mr. Law is a somewhat infrequent guest in his own book.He surfaces here and there, until one day towards the book's end he suddenly goes for his black belt exam.I wanted to experience more of his trials and tribulations as he went from belt to belt.Instead, the author chooses to let Judo do most of the talking, perhaps out of humility or to simply give the reader an opportunity to appreciate Judo's qualities without getting in the way.

With that in mind, I can't really fault Mr. Law for putting Judo front and center in "Falling Hard."Indeed, his prose was inspirational enough to prompt me to give Judo a try.However, the club I chose spent a lot of time on randori, and after feeling like a fish out of water and sustaining a couple of injuries I decided to bow out while I was still relatively intact.But I'm thankful to Mr. Law for crafting a tale that led me to take a risk and try a new thing, and for that reason alone I heartily recommend "Falling Hard" (along with the other books mentioned above).

What An Exciting Book!
Wow!

This book grabbed my attention fast, and then never let go of it throughout the whole book. Most definitely the best book I have read in years. In terms of Judo's history it is top notch. The author elucidates the events that you almost feel like you are there every step of the way.

This book makes me proud to be a Judoka. What an interesting history Judo has.

Excellent author!

Excellent.
The blurb on the front of the book is not lying -- the prose is shockingly good, not something I expected given the material. This book is a love song to Judo that is part history, part journalism, and part autobiography. Anyone with even a slight interest in Judo or Jujitsu (yes, that means you Gracie followers too) would do well to pick it up. Highly recommended.

Awesome Historical Look At The Art of Judo
WOW! That was my first reaction to opening up this book and reading the first few pages. WOW! What a great book detailing the early life of Judo and it's founder, Dr. Jigoro Kano. The little man who proved that size really doesn't matter, especially if you have your technique down. Okay, I know that last sentence can be applied to a lot of things, but its true and especially when it comes to the martial art of Judo and its original beginnings in the martial art of Jiu-Jitsu.

The author takes you on an amazing and very informative journey into the world of Judo and various historical and significant key points since it was first created in the 1880's. You will learn all about how its founder first started learning the martial arts and all the various trials and tribulations he went through during not only his early years, but also as he became older. You will also learn about some small yet powerhouse female judoka who will surely challenge the notion of women being the "weaker sex."

You will learn all this and a whole lot more, but you won't learn any of it if you don't pick up a copy of this book and read it for yourself, which is something that I highly recommend that you do. You won't be disappointed. However, I must warn you that this is not a "technique" book, instead it is a very informative historical look at the martial art of Judo and its founder. If you are looking for some outstanding technical books to improve your own technique, they don't get any better than the following books in the Masterclass series.

Grips (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

Pick-ups (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

Osoto-gari (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

And that is just three of many different books in the series. If you want to improve your Judo technique by leaps and bounds, purchase all of the books in the Judo Masterclass series. You won't be disappointed.

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

INSTANT REPLAY!!
I can only recommend this book to those of you who have not already purchased Mark Law's previous book on the subject of judo,THE PYJAMA GAME.You see this book and that one are in fact the same book withdifferent titles and a different cover design.And in truth, I feel totally ripped off since there was no indication that this was a revised edition.So I hope this stops anyone else from making the same mistake I made. Once again it's a great book on the subject of judo.But there is no reason to buy the same book twice.To read a review of this book simply go to my review of the PYJAMA GAME,A JOURNEY INTO JUDO since this book is no more than a revised edition.As for myself I can now send this book to some fellow judoka as a gift. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

If You Don't Own This Series Of Books, You Are Really Missing Out!
This review is being written not only on this particular book in the exceptionally well done "Masterclass Judo" series, but also on the other volumes in the series.

Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Nobuyuki Sato 's, "Ashiwaza."

Actually I guess I should revise that statement to include any and all books in the Judo Masterclass Techniques series. This series of books is absolutely amazing in its structure and presentation of the materials in each volume. Good solid information is provided in each section along with very clear and concise photographs to complement the already outstanding text.

Although the primary focus of this book is on the sporting aspect of Judo, the techniques in it can easily be modified for use in combat or self-defense situations. Although most modern schools of Judo focus on the sporting aspects, you must remember that Judo was originally derived from Jujitsu by Dr. Jigoro Kano. Therefore, with the proper knowledge and a little modification, you can easily adapt the sporting techniques of Judo back to the more self-defense oriented techniques of Jujitsu.

This book focuses on the "Ashiwaza" Judo technique.

The above mentioned "Ashiwaza" techniques are demonstrated in exquisite detail in this book not only in the written text, but also in the accompanying photographs. After a brief introduction of the technique, the author follows that up with a detailed analysis of the key elements needed to successfully execute that particular technique. This is followed by a comparison of the traditional, contest, and the author's own version of how to execute the technique. It should be noted that every variation of each technique is based upon the same key elements.

The author then goes on to describe various combinations of techniques that can be used with the particular technique that happens to be the focus of that section. He then goes into a brief yet detailed demonstration of various counters and defenses that you can use against someone who attempts to use that particular technique against you. Each section finishes with a very brief section on training for that particular technique.

As I stated earlier in this review, this and all the other books in this series are outstanding and should definitely be made an integral part of your martial arts library.

Pick-ups (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

Shimewaza (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

Ashiwaza II:: Ouchi-gari, Kouchi-gari, Kosoto-gari, Hiza-guruma (Judo Masterclass Techniques)

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by Vladimir Putin, perhaps the only world leader who is also a master of the art, Judo covers virtually every aspect of this combination sport and self-defense practice. The book includes highlights in the history and development of judo, all phases of its practice, plus a scientific analysis of techniques. Topics include judo uniforms, where matches take place, what rules fighters must follow, and how to start training. The book contains practical recommendations for judo fighters regarding diet and weight regulation as well as injury prevention. Designed for coaches, practitioners, and fans, this guided tour of Judo is packed with dynamic photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

great read!!
good book lots of info, some basic step by step techniqics that are easy to follow ,great book to add to your martial arts libary

Nothing about Putin except for his picture on the cover
Don't buy this book to learn about Putin himself or his Judo philosophy.This is a basic guide to techniques, as the other reviewers have discussed.

The book doesn't disclose anything about Putin --it doesn't even give his rank or tournament record.

Good book
Although this book does not really break new ground, and in some ways it is going backwards 30 years with its line drawings rather than color photos, it is still a solid book which deserves to be a part of any comprehensive judo library. The technical material is very good, but somewhat basic.

Putin et al.. very readable .. Excellent oveview
I was pleased to find such a useable manual by Putin et al. The Kodokan system is obviously central to their presentation. One of the things a enjoyed mostare the illustrated alternative techniques keying off of a basic throw..excellent!The illustrations are all hand drawn as a real pleasure to look at. There are some very useful SAMBO techniques shown which I enjoyed, and a good section on defense against weapons which are very cleverly illustrated. I'd recommend the book highly.

Judo:History, Theory, Practice
Very nice book for Judo learning.History is very good.Theory is very European and well explained.Practice is also European.This is an excellent instruction manual for beginners, advanced students, and instructors.Very easy to read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Reference Book
This is a good reference book if you are trying to find the names of some more common techniques.Since there are so many variations of throws in Judo and JuJitsu, I use this book refresh my memory before, during and after class.

But be warned, it does not take you step by step through each technique, but gives an overview of techniques from different schools of Judo.

If you are trying to learn step by step techniques for throws, I would recommend the Kodokan - Throwing techniques (Daigo) and the Kodokan Judo book by (Kano). If you trying to learn grappling(Katame Waza) then you can't beat most of the Gracie and Machado books.There are lots of good grappling books available now.

One of the Must Have Judo Books
One of the most complete books on Judo throws, pins, chokes and joint locks.This is one of must have books on Judo.If you want to learn Judo this is very good place to start.

The book does not go into the competition techniques.If you want competition techniques, then you want the Judo Master Techniques Series.

You can also go to www.amazon.co.uk for more reviews on this book. ... Read more