Savate

Rating:
Summary: Savate: French Foot and Fist Fighting
Review: Although this book provides a nice, but brief, review of the history of Savate, the way that the techniques are presented is not, in my opinion, true to Savate. The traditional names for the techniques are often not used. This is especially true for the kicking techniques, as the way in which they are presented is more consistent with westernized "kickboxing" than traditional Savate. However, the book does offer some nice sparring drills and even some solo routines to follow. I think a "kickboxer" would find this book of greater value than someone specifically interested in Savate.

Rating:
Summary: Bad Update
Review: Bruce Tegner had an older version of this book, where he actually demonstrated the techniques, and it even had tips on defending against a knife. Although there are better books on the subject, I would try to find the out of print version, rather than waste time on this. This book was just watered down karate.

Rating:
Summary: A complement to existing students of Savate
Review: I haven't trained Savate but always been curious about this version of martial art. As a student of karate and boxing I found that many of the techniques presented in Tegner's book is similar to what I learned doing the other styles. Without having more to go on than what I learnt from this book I found this discipline to be like an upgraded version of boxing. However, I remember seeing a French championship in Savate on TV a few years ago and when watching it Savate seemed much more related to Kickboxing than regular boxing. Guess it's difficult to give an all-inclusive description/introduction about a whole discipline in a book? I'm sure it's works better as a complement to existing students of Savate than to newbies.

Rating:
Summary: Savate is Kickboxing(?)
Review: One reviewer states that Bruce Tegner's "Savate" '...is more consistant with westernized "kickboxing" than traditional Savate'-OK what IS then "traditional Savate"?-my research-thru three 'Savateurs' of three separate lineages-as well as various books-INDICATE there is no single 'traditional Savate'.They EACH have PREFERED guard-stances,footwork,kicking&boxing styles as well as scissors-takedowns.'Boxing' itself varies in various eras and areas.As an aid to teaching & learning some find Tegner very useful.Viv la Savate Chasse'-Croise' tres bien.......

Rating:
Summary: Neither of tegners savate books are real great!
Review: Perhaps for the 1960'S this might be considered good; however I think the technique leaves much to be desired. Many of the low kicks are terrible (incorrect distance,lean and/or bending of support leg). The boxing is sloppy in terms of guard and stance (looks like modified karate).
Even Tegners earlier Savate book has similar problems (especially concerning distance control and extension in kicking).
Savate is a very efficient art - assuming its performed corectly.
However a good book for the price. You can even learn from a bad book.

Rating:
Summary: First book in U.S. on the art
Review: When this book first came out in the 60's, it was the first book on Savate published in the U.S. There are still only a few that have ever been published on the subject, and although I'm aware that there are now better books on it, I credit Tegner for coming out with the first useful book on the art.

As a karate and TKD man, the most important thing I got from this book was how different the "chambering" or delivery methods are for the basic kicks vs. karate. I am pretty big and tall, and I find that several of my kicks are actually delivered more like the Savate version rather than the classical karate version, which is sort of interesting. The high back stabbing kick from a quasi-layout position is also a kick I have worked to perfect as there is nothing quite like it in either karate or tae kwon do, and it's something I have occasionally used to good effect in sparring, since they're not accustomed to seeing this sort of oddly delivered kick.

If you are interested in more reading on Savate, there is a good section in Donald Gilbey's Secret Fighting Arts of the World, where he meets the great Savate master, Baron Fegnier. Fegnier was a ferocious kicker and incredibly fast, who had been in numerous street fights and never lost. One of the interesting things I came away with from this interview was Fegnier's emphasis on precise interval, rather than focus, in a kick. This is interesting since he is correct that even being slightly off in your interval or distancing will nullify most of your focus. Although Gilbey is probably Robert W. Smith, and many of these stories are no doubt apocryphal, the "Baron's" advice is still cogent and relevant.

Anyway, Tegner's book is still a useful introduction to this fascinating and obscure martial art, which almost completely died out after World War I, as many of the Savate masters were killed in the Great War, although I understand the art is now making a long-delayed but much deserved comeback.