Originally published on www.atemicast.com
5 Books every martial artist should have (own, not just read)
Yeah... Okay.... |
devour the subject.
5. Tao of Jeet Kun
Do byBruce Lee
The first MMA? BruceThis
is the story of Bruce’s martial studies.
He doesn’t claim them as his own, only his own collection. If you look closely you can see the genius of
Bruce Lee. He took information from
everywhere, and incorporated them into his martial arts. He watched boxing, fencing, and other martial
arts. He blended throws with strikes
into a comprehensive martial art.
Besides that, there is a nice blend of technique and philosophy. My favorite part is from the forward. Bruce Lee says read this book, and then throw
it away. Meaning, don’t dwell on
this. It is my journey/journal. Take what you can from it, and be done with
it.
This is the first book in English where someone took the study
of the history martial arts seriously.
If you have an interest in the history of any of the Asian martial arts, start here. This book is also credited with bringing many
of the more obscure Asian arts to the attention of the West.
This was actually one of the first martial arts books I’ve
read. I did so because it came
recommended by a friend and Sensei. Mr.
Morgan breaks down the ideals of warriorship and how to apply it to today’s
life. If you want to make martial arts
your life, and not just something you do on Tuesdays evenings, this book is for
you. I still go back and read it when I want inspiration.
There are many, many translations of this one, and they are
all slightly translated differently. Any
way you read it, this is the classic that is still looked at today. It breaks down conflict to its most basic
elements. Everyone involved in warfare
and combat has studied this, so should you.
There are innumerable bits of wisdom and strategy to be gained from this one.
1. The Book of Five
Rings- Miyamoto Musashi
Again, lots of translations, each one translates it a little
different. The intent is always the
same, but the nuances are what separate the translations. I'm personally fond of the William Scott Wilson's translation. The only reason Go Rin No Sho (Book of Five
Rings) was raised above The Art of War was due to the fact that Musashi was
more of what we envision a martial artist to be; a lone warrior. Sun Tzu was more of a military
strategist. This book is so influential,
that business executives are now requiring their strategists to read it. They view the negotiation table as a
battlefield. The strategy should be the
same.