Dynamic Karate

In a skillful conceived layout, Masatoshi Nakayama's book, Dynamic Karate lacks nothing in providing teachers and students with the smallest of details needed to master Karate. The author's credentials for presenting the basics for a wide variety of Karate techniques include being a student of master Funakoshi Gichin who took the foundations of "Chinese Hand Techniques" and built Karate-do (empty hand ways), which is the style presented in this book. The first part of this enlightening book, which deals with the fundamentals in great detail, devotes considerable text and images to assure the reader understands the importance of stance and balance. The section on using the hands and feet as weapons, which shows alternate techniques as well as the currently preferred technique, is clearly written and diagramed. The fifty chapter, which is devoted to punching techniques, provides insight on theory and practice. This is followed by a related chapter on the theory and practice of striking techniques. Chapter 7, which is devoted to kicking techniques, includes some fantastic images of kicking dynamics. Placed as almost an after thought, Chapter 8 provides great text and images of blocking techniques. In this chapter, considerable effort is made to make the reader aware of the differences between proper and improper form. In the final part of the book, the reader is treated to the applications of the techniques describe in all the previous chapters. The book ends with chapters on basic training, calisthenics and exercises. Note that there are no chapters on forms; Nakayama presents forms in separate publications. There are other great books on Karate (Tae Kwon Do by Richard Chun) but there are none better than this. If I could only afford to buy one book on Karate, this would be my choice.

This book is now 35 years old and is still the best handbook you can get on Karate. Nakayama has excellent photos and detailed descriptions of all the techniques. This book and Oyama's "This is Karate" and "Advanced Karate" are the three greatest manuals ever written on the subject. The book contains no forms, so it is all techniques. But that's okay, as learning the forms from a book is just about impossible, unless you've had a lot of previous training or already know them and just need to remind yourself about a forgotten move. Nakayama's other books have the Shotokan forms, if you want them, and Oyama's books contain most of the Kyokushin Kai Goju forms.

This book includes detailed description of almost every Shotokan Hand and Foot techniques. The techniques are executed by Nakayama Sensei himself and by such great assistant as Kanazawa Sensei, Enoeda Sensei, Ochi Sensei ... So to be short, the very best JKA Karate specialists demonstrate all the techniques of Shotokan Karate-Do with great detail and explanations. One point : there's NO katas in this book, but what the helle, there arae a lot of other books dealing with them specifically (have a look at the Best Karate Series also by Nakayama Sensei). Get this book and you won't regret it, for the beginner, the advanaced student and also the instructor.

This is an excellent reference material for anyone who studies karate. It covers kicking, punching, striking, blocking, countering moves, and even some training methods. Every page is full of pictures which show the technique "frame by frame." Each technique is fully documented and tips and training methods are provided. As always, this book is not a "Learn Karate in Ten Easy Steps," nor does it contain unrealistic self-defense techniques (i.e. "What to do if you're attacked in a bathroom from behind by a female wearing a dress while the moon is full.") It is simply an extremely in-depth yet easy to understand guide to the basic moves of karate.The book is flexible, in that it does not pertain to one style of karate in particular, and is helpful to a student of any rank. I don't study Shotokan, and some of the names were different than the ones I use (Japanese names are given also), but I could easily identify the moves by the pictures.Although we call them "basics", basics often require the most practice and proper technique. I highly recommend this book to any martial artist who wants to master the fundamentals of karate.

This must be considered as a master text of traditional karate. It is a bible for any serious practicioner. The presentation and explanation of principles and techniques leads one down a quick learning path. More than just show and describe, the author provides indepth theory behind the movements. The book goes from the basics to more advanced techniques in a smooth and logical flow. For the purist, this is a work of art.