Ultimate Kempo: The Spirit and Technique of Kosho Ryu-A Study in Movement, Motion and Balance for Effective Self-Defense [DVD Included]

This book is well organized and researched and the material applies to other martial arts besides the art of Kempo. Many of the Okinawan masters borrowed from each other. What ever martial art you are studying you will benefit by reading and studying this book as well as practicing the techniques. Once that practice reaches 5,000 it can become muscle memory which is needed in a life or situation.

Some things get better with age and Jeff Driscoll's second book "Ultimate Kempo: The Spirit and Technique of Kosho Ryu" is one of them.Mr. Driscoll's first book, "Guiding Principles of Kosho Ryu" was the first work I came across that presented this style in a coherent and systematic way. While "Guiding Principles" is now out of print, "Ultimate Kempo," takes his explanation of this art to the next level. I rated his first one four stars but I've got to go with five for this one.Tuttle pulled out all the stops, lavishing this edition with sharp color photographs and an editorial quality rarely seen in martial arts books, condensing two CDs into one DVD, and streamlining the overall presentation. The DVD is a valuable inclusion for the reader, as it covers the Octagon, physical aspects of escaping, floor drills, throwing, and some of the intricacies of how to make these techniques work.The first chapter of "Ultimate Kempo" presents Kosho Ryu's history and philosophy as told by Hanshi Bruce Juchnik, a gifted martial artist who is Mr. Driscoll's instructor. In the chapters that follow, which focus primarily on waza, Mr. Driscoll explores throwing, escaping, pressure points, kata, joint locking, and blocking in a personal and conversational way.Mr. Driscoll begins this book with the idea that one should maintain a "mind like water," a classic theme of martial arts. In "Secret Tactics" Kazumi Tabata (2003, p. 33) says: "The original mind (honshin) never stops in one place but expands throughout the body. The moshin (mind of delusion) is consumed by thought and has become fixated in one place." Mr. Driscoll makes this concept clear by saying one should flow and constantly adapt to the circumstances one encounters.Personally, his fifth chapter which explores the Octagon, also known as happo-no-kuzushi, or directions of off-balance, was the most enlightening. Here Mr. Driscoll explains many of the basic fundamentals of Kosho, including the idea of mounting an offense through a perceived change in kyo and jitsu in terms of striking a void. For many Westerners, myself included, this is much easier to understand than striking between an appearance and a disappearance.Subsequent chapters cover a number of other sophisticated strategies, including immobilizations, projections, skeletal freezing, triangulation, and percussive striking. Throughout the book his use of no-nonsense language reflects his years of study and his dedication to making difficult things understandable. For example, in his explanation of striking, Mr. Driscoll (2010, p. 148) observes that "not only does a strike make impact and cause external and internal damage, but it also destroys structure and balance, creating an inability to withstand follow-up strikes."In the 40 some years I have been active in the martial arts I have rarely found a book as well written and produced. My lineage and that of my instructors is not that of James Mitose. Yet I can appreciate something that is effective when I see and feel it. Mr. Driscoll states: "In this book I have tried to challenges the readers to look deeper into their martial art, and explore the concepts and how they can relate and enhance what they already do" (p. 188). He has done that for me.Driscoll Shihan travels the world giving seminars on Kosho Ryu. After reading his first book I attended several and I can say from experience that the best way to appreciate this art is from the floor of a training hall.

THIS IS UPDATE TO MY ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THIS BOOK (WHICH IS BELOW) ~ This is an outstanding book. I have read it cover to cover many more times that I even remember anymore. This book is filled with principals and concepts that while at the forefront of Kosho ryu, are inherent in many forms/styles of martial arts, sometimes lost, sometimes buried and not understood. This is a must have book for any serious practitioner of martial arts. Learning the principals and concepts will open your eyes to similarities, movement learned but not understood previously, and the like. The principals and concepts in this book will elevate a serious practitioner of martial arts from a "fighter", to higher abilities and control. If you are looking for the next step on your martial arts journey, you must get this book... and study it! When you have marked it up, highlighted it, dog ear'ed the page corners and essentially worn it out you will then be ready to buy another copy, and start over again, with clearer understanding.. the journey never ends! The journey always returns to "zero" (the basics) in order to become more proficient than you were previously. - A foundation of understanding is the beginning and re-beginning of learning and developing! MY ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THE BOOK ~ Ultimate Kempo is simply a MUST READ book. I am currently a Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu student / practitioner, I purchased this book out of interest in studying about and understanding the kem/npo arts. The book is simply amazing. Shihan Driscoll breaks down the Kosho-Kempo art ('s) into "bite size" elements that an individual can wrap their head around. There is no touting of self in this book whatsoever, a fact I found extraordinarily refreshing. The book is filled to the brim with practical-useful information. The beauty of Kosho-Kempo art('s)is communicated in a very deep and meaningful way. The pictures in the book are simply stunning! The layout of the book adds ease to understanding and in my opinion is the best formatted book on martial arts I have ever read. The DVD's add a fantastic tool in which to comprehend what is written in the book. In my opinion, every Kempo / Kenpo, Jujutsu / Jujitsu, Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and Karate student should have this book on their shelf for reference. In fact, I think it should be required reading for all martial arts students and instructors, period!

Great book. Easy to understand and great photos. I am a kempo student and have recently attended a seminar of Bruce Juchnik. The author, Jeff Driscoll, was percent and let me tell you is as much a force of nature as I have met before. He displays a mastery of the art and his book is an excellent handbook and guide. The DVD is an added bonus. I recommend this book to any martial artist looking for a deeper delve into the arts. beginner or expert you will find answers here.

Solo le echamos un vistazo por encima. Tiene buena pinta, pero lo tuvimos que devolver debido a que venía toda la portada doblada.Un 10 por Amazon por el tramite de la devolucion.

Excellent book for the true martial artist!Peace, philosphy and fighting all well covered and explained. The work will raise your level of skill no matter your chosen art. Kempo practitioners, this is a must for us all.

Ok

Very well written (except for a few grammatical mistakes).Excellent, logical approach to the octagon and the centre pole.Inspiring phylosophical content.Very well illustrated.Helpful complementary DVD (but could have been a bit more dynamic).Congratulations for a job well done.