Cheap Shots, Ambushes, And Other Lessons : A Down And Dirty Book On Streetfighting & Survival

Rating:
Summary: If you expect to defend yourself ... go get this book!
Review: I've seen quite a lot of books about self-defence and martial arts but this one beats them all, though its more about "when-and-how-to-fight" rather than "Now take your opponents left arm and manouveur yourself behind him!". You get the idea of how to treat people. Together with a really good dojo training, it might be worth something.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable reading
Review: If you are looking for the archetype of the ultimate boisterous gascone, look no further: Marc "animal" MacYoung is your man. Most of the times he plays the "I dunno nothing" kinda type of guy, only to surprise you with his keen knowledge of formal martial arts. That's part of his game, as it is clear that he had fun writing this book as much as the reader shall have fun reading it (provided that you can get along with the Me/Myself/andI attitude). The chapters about empirical psychology show that the author did his homework before writing. If you have been around the corner, you won't find much stuff that you really don't know. However, any black belt candidate should read this book, or an equivalent one, and demonstrate an adequate understanding of it before taking his/her test. If the black belt candidate is your young daughter, you may want to read the book yourself and give her an abstract ... if you know what I mean.

Rating:
Summary: Great awareness training
Review: Let's face it, the chances of a martial artist being attacked in the dojo where he or she is warmed-up, wearing loose fitting clothing, and ready to go are about zero. Bad guys are bad because they cheat (among other things). All the martial arts training in the world is useless if you get taken down in an ambush before you have a chance to use it or even know that you might need to. Knowing where, how, and when an attacker might act is essential knowledge for survival. MacYoung's straightforward, witty style makes this an excellent read.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo

Rating:
Summary: Some good advice, too much bragging and beats around the bus
Review: Marc books make a good read if thats what you want. However if you are looking for a concise book on self defense there are better ones availible. But having said that his books tend to be better than average and offer good solid principles in most chapters(some chapters are purely for massaging his own ego). Cheap shots e.t.c is no exception

Rating:
Summary: mike j bielen
Review: spent years training kung fu have been involved in many street fights, bar room brawls . this book gives so much information and saved my live this man has experience! i wish i had this book before i spent years with different karate teachers
that would not last 5 seconds in a street fight

Rating:
Summary: mike j bielen
Review: spent years training kung fu have been involved in many street fights, bar room brawls . this book gives so much information and saved my live this man has experience! i wish i had this book before i spent years with different karate teachers
that would not last 5 seconds in a street fight

Rating:
Summary: Good information, but poorly written
Review: The author's style is very conversational or colloquial. However, I thought the tone was very distracting. Admittedly, I am an intellectual and I love to read. I expect things I read to be very well written and I don't like it when the author's persona overwhelms the information being presented. One example, the author in referring to the different types of attacks, refers to the Nighty Night Bunny Rabbit, or NNBR. And continues this reference throughout the book. Apparently, it is some sort of inside joke. Other authors might say a haymaker or an all out attack. If you don't like formal writing, or do not read very much and instead spend most of your time at the dojo or gym, this might be the book for you. But I found the style really detracted from the book's contents, which are generally thoughtful.

Rating:
Summary: Generaly good book
Review: The book presents the author's attitude and practical knowledge of fighting and combat obtained from the streets. All his arguments are sound and clear. You will find the concepts and mostly not the specific martial art techniques. In my opinion the book is for all sorts of people, for housewives, for young men, and for martial arts experts too. The writing style is from the streets, making the book more colorful and interesting.

Maybe the best side of the book is 'Martial Arts vs. Street Fighting' chapter; I think this chapter answers the childish questions which martial art is the best, what moves from dojo should not be implemented and other. This is very valuable chapter, even to martial arts experts.

There are several chapters on mental characteristics of 'bed guys'. There is also a chapter 'Alpha and Beta', which structures the problematic groups and make very good points. This is definitely an interesting text because it is the essence of acting on streets.

The other chapters are also informative, and they all convey the street concepts - and that is the most important of all. I surely recommend this book.


Rating:
Summary: TARFU emergency & prevent manual.
Review: The first time I saw MacYoung's name in books review section of one online Japan Martial Arts magazine. It was either "Koryu" or "Budo". In any case, review's author, which live in Japan and holds very high rank in Japan Martial Arts, did recommend MacYoung's books as primer source of street self defense. So, I bay his books, and let me say, they changed my view of self defense. The first of all, MakYoung teach you survival, survival and one more time survival. And you can see this through other review. You fight did not start and end in one interval of time, it starts long before it, and only sometimes you can be sure, that it finish and will not be raised again some time later. The book deals with pre- and post- fight time intervals. Fight itself also gets very down to earth advise, so you get very informative view about street fighting and street survival. The most attractive part of this book, that it teaches you not pure technique, but concept. And concept is what you need, since you are not going to remember technique all your life, concepts you do. One more word about MacYoung stile of writing: someone pointed it before, that reading MacYoung book is like to have a conversation with your close friend, his advise always very personal and very responsible. So, have a information, have a fun...

Rating:
Summary: TARFU emergency & prevent manual.
Review: The first time I saw MacYoung's name in books review section of one online Japan Martial Arts magazine. It was either "Koryu" or "Budo". In any case, review's author, which live in Japan and holds very high rank in Japan Martial Arts, did recommend MacYoung's books as primer source of street self defense. So, I bay his books, and let me say, they changed my view of self defense. The first of all, MakYoung teach you survival, survival and one more time survival. And you can see this through other review. You fight did not start and end in one interval of time, it starts long before it, and only sometimes you can be sure, that it finish and will not be raised again some time later. The book deals with pre- and post- fight time intervals. Fight itself also gets very down to earth advise, so you get very informative view about street fighting and street survival. The most attractive part of this book, that it teaches you not pure technique, but concept. And concept is what you need, since you are not going to remember technique all your life, concepts you do. One more word about MacYoung stile of writing: someone pointed it before, that reading MacYoung book is like to have a conversation with your close friend, his advise always very personal and very responsible. So, have a information, have a fun...