John Bishop has posted five (yep, five) Six clips on Youtube with excerpts from interviews he has done with Sijo Adriano Emperado of Kajukenbo. As Shaolin Kempo (as far as I know) and Karazenpo Goshinjutsu branch off the Kajukenbo tree, Sijo Emperado’s words are very relevant to our history as well. I’m embedding them here for convenience, but you can go to John Bishop’s Youtube page to see more Kajukenbo video goodness. Videos after the jump. Continue reading
The Library
I thought I’d start a review section, and recommend some of the books (and perhaps videos) that I’ve enjoyed over the years. I’m going to start pulling books off my shelves and reviewing them on a regular basis. Here’s the basic ground rules:
- I paid for these – no free rides.
- I actually read them – that’s why I bought them.
- I will give a fair and honest review. I might think it’s the best thing since sliced bread, I might not, but you’ll know how I feel about the book.
- Most reviews will have a link to Amazon.com in case you want to get a copy for yourself. Going to Amazon through the link (or even just the link in the header) will support the site.
- If you would like me to review anything in particular, ask!
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Book Review: Okinawan Karate
Mark Bishop’s Okinawan Karate (subtitled Teachers, styles and secret techniques) is a fairly exhaustive treatment of the history (and myth) of the Okinawan fighting arts. The sections on the early development of ti / te and karate really help one to understand the roots and spirit of the art. Although he dismantles many of the old chestnuts regarding the development of Karate by weaponless peasants, he does stray a bit into hearsay relying on scant evidence to draw conclusions based on secondhand stories. The book is a pleasant read, almost like a tour through Okinawa, spending time with a master of a style, then moving on. At times, it seems a little disjointed, as it varies between solid research, interviews, a few technical descriptions and a nice collection of geneological charts, maps and pronunciation guides. There are a few points where the author seems a bit starstruck, such as when he relays the story (seemingly apocryphal) of foreign students who underestimate the ‘deep internal power’ of the masters only to realize too late when they suffer some delayed ill effects from a strike. In all, I found it one of the best treatments on the subject for its time, and very reasonably priced for the amount of insight it granted.
