read any good books lately?

[StarBoy]

Here's the situation, I'm returning an xmas gift to amazon.com so I'm going to get a bunch of credit (probably somewhere from $50-75). Of course, my first instinct is to spend on anything that can help me with my wushu. As of now, I've had (some) training in Long Fist Kung Fu, Zhaobao He style Tai Chi, though in the future I hope to expand into other styles of Kung Fu, Tai Chi, as well as learn about Ba Qua.

When it comes to nutrition, I have pretty good basic knowledge. Junkfood bad, complex carbs good, and so on. The same goes with weight training. I'm not expert, but I know more than someone who works at Ballys.

When it comes to the art itself, I'm not sure what I can learn from a book. Obviously classroom instruction is much more beneficial than learning on your own from a book.

So I was wondering, what books (or anything that is sold on amazon.com) would be beneficial to a martial artist with my goals. Thanks.

[Losttrak]

get "Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa (sp?)

Great look into the Bushido mindset... full of intriguing characters...

[StarBoy]

I thought I'd bump this and hopefully get some more ideas. The only difference is that I think I could use some more knowledge on weight training so if anyone can recommend any good books for developing programs with various goals, that'll be great too. Thanks.

[Mr. Bao]

Books for martial artists. My top ten but not in order tho

1. Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee. A classic that should be in every library of any serious martial artist.

2. Book of Five Rings, a good text on the japanese mind set for warfare.

3. Sun Tzu's Art of War, classic text on warfare studied in our best military academies such as West Point. Should be read who study fighting.

4. Krishnamurti's "Think On These Things" Basically a great book on philosophy of thinking outside the box's box.

5. The Science of Martial Art Training/ www.myodynamic.com/ a great modern text on practical strength training of martial arts training. Could be better tho, but it is better than other strength training books out in the market. It is not solely a bodybuilding book, it has many types of training for martial artists.

6. Power to the People. Pavel offers simplicity back to strength training and pretty good advice here.

8. Brawl: a behind -thescenes look at Mixed Martial Arts Competition by Krauss. If you love MMA, UFC, pride, this is the best book on the subject.

9. Stability Ball Training. A great book for developing core strength, stability, and balance. A fun way of exercising.

10: Te Tao Ching by Robert G. Henricks (one of the best translation beside professor Stephen). One of my favorite book as a child and even now. One of the foundations of kung fu philosophy.

[StarBoy]

Thanks for the recommendations. It's good to get some serious answers. In one of the other forums, someone recommended star wars toys.

You mentioned being a martial artist personal trainer in another post. If you don't mind me asking, what is your background (professionally and with martial arts)? I'd just like to know a bit more about my sources.

Thanks again.

[Mr. Bao]

Starboy:

I studied exercise physiology in college. I have been a personal trainer for new york sports clubs for three years, one the leading gyms in the nyc area. I have studied martial arts since I was 13. Different arts but never founded a good teacher except Alan Lee, www.wingchunnyc.com.

Recently I have been involved in wing chun kung fu who I studied under Victor Parlati (traditional wing chun kung fu) who I had a falling out with him and went to studied with Alan Lee. You can see me (Bao) at (private student of Yip Man) Master Duncan Leung's message's board and have received good and kinds words from Master Duncan for my understanding of wing chun kung fu.

To be honest, I am no an expert of wing chun kung fu or claim to be a bad ass in it. However, I guess my unique background in martial arts and my experience in exercise physiology and my own experience of personal strength training and my professional experience of personal training many people of many different goals, ages, and limitations has taught me a thing or two about heath and fitness sciences.

I have been in contact with many wonderful, kind, educated, strong, leaders within the martial art community and in the strength conditioning field. I am always grateful for the chance to learn from these men. Currently I am studying NASM to become a level two trainer at NYSC. And mentoring a couple of newbies to the business of personal training now.

Starboy, when you read my post or anyone posts. Ask yourself does that make sense, apply the truth before accepting it, once you tried it then make your choice. I have tried to give my best answer here and always willing to learn when possible.

[Kempo Guy]

Here are a few books I recommend that are weight training oriented (in no particular order):

Power to the People - Pavel Tsatsouline
Science and Practice of Strength Training - Vladimir Zatsiorsky
The Poliquin Principles - Charles Poliquin
Weight Training: A scientific approach - Michael Stone & Harold O'Bryant
Russian Kettlebell Challenge - Pavel Tsatsouline
Ripped 1,2 & 3 - Clarence Bass
Brawn - Stuart McRobert
Modern trends in Strength Training - Charles Poliquin
Serious Strength Training - Tudor Bompa
Movement that matters - Paul Chek
Bulletproof Abs - Pavel Tsatsouline

I also would recommend an introductory book on Iyengar Yoga and Pilates.

For martial arts books, I recommend:

Tao of JKD - Bruce Lee
Effortless Combat Throws - Tim Cartmell
Xing Yi Neigong - Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell
Judo Training Methods - Don Draeger
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Theory and Technique - Renzo & Royler Gracie
Warriors of stillness 1 & 2 - Jan Diepersloot (for neijia qigong practices)

There are a ton more books I could recommend but I'll stop here. :)

Oh yeah, and I also second Bao's suggestion of the books on Krishnamurti's 'talks', although if you are interested I'd really suggest the tapes of his talks/conversations. Also I would recommend any books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Hope this helps,
KG

[MightyB]

Here's a few that I like that weren't already listed:

Chinese Fast Wrestling for Fighting: The Art of San Shou Kuai Jiao

Foot Throws: Karate, Judo and Self-Defense
by Hayward Nishioka

Urquidez, Benny "The Jet" (w/ Emil Farkas and Stuart Sobel): Training and Fighting Skills

[StarBoy]

Bao, I think I know, or at least know of, your trainer (Alan Lee). I was looking up some Wing Chun schools (I want to learn other styles along with Kung Fu), and there's one in New Haven, CT that is linked with a Wing Chun school in NYC, and I do believe I had seen Alan Lee's name mentioned as one of the trainers. Considering that there aren't too many Wing Chun schools in our area, is this the same guy?

Obviously you have a good opinion of the school, but if you don't mind me asking, what kind of falling out did you have with your old instructor?

[Mr. Bao]

StarBOY:

Alan Lee aka Lee Chee Kong is a wing chun master who studied with Lok Yiu, Yip Man, and Duncan Leung. Before meeting him, I was too looking for a wing chun gung fu and studied with Victor Parlati of traditional wing chun (william cheung's method) branch for about two years.

Victor Parlati is considered to be the black sheep of within the traditional wing chun branch and he has many personality problems well known for those who knew him. I had a falling out with him because I was always asking questions and trying things out, when his techniques didn't work I would asked why and his answers were not helpful and down right disrespectful at times. So I decided to look at other schools, Alan Lee finally opened up his school publically in flushing queens nyc. I went to see his school and he changed my view of wing chun kung fu, he deconstructed my mind and body, and gave me some practical advice. I knew that I could make it or gain something very useful with Alan Lee sifu. I went to Parlati and told him I was going to leave his school to join another school. He took it the wrong way and kicked me out his school. This wasnt very sifu like or gentlemenlike, but hey I gave him his respect as my teacher when I left.


I learned more in three months with Alan Lee than my two years with Parlati and that is the truth. I have also leaned so much of the chinese values, ideals, and kung fu philosophy from Alan Lee than Parlati. As a rule and this may sound bit racist and pls do forgive me. I will never study kung fu from a non chinese sifu unless he or she has shown that he or she understand the ideas and values of the art he teaches.

I hope I gave you want asked for, best cheers.

[Ford Prefect]

Wow. I'm surprised nobody has said this yet...

Supertraining by Mel Siff

It is the bible of athletic conditioning.

[Robinf]

Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier

With this book you can see what muscles are doing what, how they're laid out in the body and then make up your own intelligent mind as to how you want to build/use them.

[Lung Hu Pai]

Coach Davies Renegade Training for Football is a good book for weight training.

[Mr. Bao]

Supertraining is not martial arts related, but i would say it is a classic. I know it is the westside gym's bible. LoL. I just wondering Ford, it is updated by now?

[Ford Prefect]

It doesn't deal with martial arts training?

It's probably the most complete and comprehensive fitness book on the market. It covers olympic lifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, competitive sport, general fitness, flexability, periodization, plyometrics, russian training principles, nutrition, sports restoration and massage, mental preparation, disability training, and injury prevention/managment.

Like you said Westside Barbell, the premier powerlifting club, refer to it as a bible. John "Coach" Davies has a high regard for the book. Poliquin and King say Siff is the man. I remember the day when Pavel was happy just to get PTP mentioned on the Supertraining list.

Any martial artist, athlete, fitness enthusiast... anybody would benefit greatly from reading this.

[Mr. Bao]

Ford:

I have the highest regards to Mel Siff and I like way he would tear a part a dumb ass fool on his message board. I wish Mel was here to tear up some punks here too. LoL. That includes me too so pls no hate posts. LoL.

Once again I say Mr. Siff's book is a classic book which no serious student of strength training should be without!!! It must be mentions that he does not mention anything about martial art training directly. However, I guess anyone seriously studying his book can abstract his ideas into their martial arts.

Best Cheers, Ford thanks for the belated birthday.

[Lung Hu Pai]

do you guys know where i can find a copy of Supertraining? i checked amazon and barnesandnoble.com but neither of them had it. thanks.

[Mr. Bao]

You can go to www.elitefitnesssystem.com on get it there. The book is very expensive but worth every penny if you are serious about strength training. I have a used and old outdated 2nd edition of supertraining. Ford is right in saying that it is one of the bibles of strength training text. Professor Stiff is a true expert and his body of work is something everyone should study. EP, my friend, might think it is "all marketing" and "90% bs". LoL. I am kidding, EP.

I hope this helps, Lung. Best Cheers

[Cheese Dog]

I'd like to second "Chinese Fast Wrestling for Fighting" that Mighty B mentioned, it's a great book.

I also like "Jeet Kune Do-The Principles of a Complete Fighter" by Ron Balicki and "Sabaki Method" by Kancho Joko Ninomiya

[Ford Prefect]

No hate post intended. I was just shocked that you chose Mel's book to speak out against when people are posting plenty of other S&C stuff with correlation to MA.

[StarBoy]

Well, if I can paraphrase Socrates, "The wisest man I met was the man who claimed to know nothing"...

With that line of reason I'm considering looking into some diet/nutrition books as well. I'm figuring I could never know too much. Any thoughts? (Nothing too scientific, btw) Thanks.

[Mr. Bao]

Ford Prefect

Many people have used and quoted experts here such (pavel, poliquin, ian king, chek) that has trained in the martial arts or has directly trained fighters. If they used body building experts, you know how I roll with that sh*t. I do not recall Mr. Stiff training fighters or has any martial arts experience, but this is not say that he wouldn't offer any good advice for martial arts. But again he has not spoken directly towards us. So you shouldn't be so shocked and I never disrepected him and I hope you didn't get that impression.

Best Cheers.

[StarBoy]

So far, for nutrition books, I've been suggested Power Eating and The Warrior Diet.

I went to B&N to check them out. I don't think the Warrior Diet is for me. I'm not looking for an alternative diet, but rather to increase my own knowledge of meal planning for an athlete. No fad diets, no gimicks, it's all about genuine health for me.

Power Eating looked pretty good, though I didn't really have the time to go through it as much as I would have liked (pretty thick book). It did get some really horrid reviews on amazon.com. If anyone has experience with this book, would they mind commenting on it (something more than "it's good" or "it's bad")?

If anyone has any other nutrition book suggestions, I'd appreciate them. Thanks.

[Mr. Bao]

"Better to start somewhere than nowhere" I and I say. Get what you can and grow from there, friend.

[StarBoy]

I'm not so sure about that. I think the somewhere one starts is important.

I almost picked up Power Eating, but I've done some more research on the writer. She has quite a few critics. I almost feel bad for her. Well, not really. Her critics do make many valid points arguing against her methods.

Of all the aspects in MA training that I'm wary of, nutrition is the area where I am most cautious. Especially from my experiences working in pharmacy, the information that I see "nutritionists" put out is sometimes mind boggling. A perfect example is that woman who made "The Skinny Pill", and wrote the book to go with it. The Skinny Pill has been greatly criticized by medical professionals as it's formula is considered to be dangerous. This maker of the Skinny Pill even made a Skinny Pill for kids, which is even worse, according to the FDA. It turns out she has the thing produced in Mexico (no FDA there)...