Rating: 
Summary: Waste of money and trees
Review: Gene LeBell makes learning fun with his humerous approach to grappling in all its forms. This volume includes techniques commonly found in Judo, wrestling, and a host of other martial arts from Asia to South America. Author LeBell commences with grips and handles, with gi (jacket) and without-after all the base of grappling is holding on to something (anything!). He moves on to slap and catch, and then a huge array of arm locks, shoulder locks, writst, hip, leg locks, chokes, strangles, cranks, counters against a boxer, and LeBell's own wide range of special tricks, many which are not commonly found anywhere else. This volume contains a wealth of information, probably easiest to assimilate for someone who already has a background in wrestling, judo, BJJ or some other art with a lot of ground practice--I had no trouble understanding most of the techniques illustrated within. You won't find much on judo-like throws here, but then this book isn't geared towards that. There are plenty of other ways to get your opponent to the ground illustrated in this tome. This is a big, heavy book--a work this complete has never been undertaken before to my knowledge (with the possible exception of the "Fighter's Notebook"). There are many practical techniques, many "forgotten" techniques, and everything from the practical to the incredibly difficult in here. For the conoisseur of grappling or martial arts in general, you will enjoy yourself!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good book
Review: I give this book four stars because it opens up one's world to whole new possabilities of submission holds. The holds are classified by what part of the body they work, and the possition of the limb (ex.- "Bent arm locks"). The sheer scope of information makes this book an invaluable one to anyone involved in MMA and submission wrestling. As a bonus, the book also has a section on grappling with a club, which may be useful to stickfighting practitioners who are trying to expand thier techniques. The books strongest points are it's clear photos, even clearer instructions, and the vast variations of a single hold that were shown. The downside was that there wasn't too much about maneuvering, possitioning, or takedowns, but that's not really what the book was about, anyway. I liked the authors sense of humor, but in my opinion, it was a little distracting. Maybe other readers will appreciate it more. But for it's subject matter (submission holds), if I had to chose one book, this would be it. When I started grappling, I knew nothing about sweeps, takedowns, controling, or positions, but thanks to my reading LeBell's earlier works, I was able to tap out experienced BJJ guys and amature wrestlers alike with ease. It's because LeBell gives the reader holds that he can use from any position he may find himself in. GET THIS BOOK!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good Techinques with Humor same thing for $7.99 @ USBJJ.COM
Review: Judo Gene LeBell knows his finishing holds. However, there is way too much humor and not enough effective holds. Alot of the holds are "pain" holds-- meaning they would cause some pain but a determined opponent will not submit to them. I fought NHB I know what I'm talking about. "Submission" holds by definition make the opponent submit or quit or you will break his arm, leg, etc. or choke him unconscious. If you want 100% submission holds with no humor and WWF pain holds go to USBJJ.COM where for $7.99 you can get hundreds of finshing holds, many of the exact same ones here, without humor and without worrying about whether this is a painful inconvenience hold or a real submission hold.
Rating:
Summary: Good Techinques with Humor same thing for $7.99 @ USBJJ.COM
Review: Judo Gene LeBell knows his finishing holds. However, there is way too much humor and not enough effective holds. Alot of the holds are "pain" holds-- meaning they would cause some pain but a determined opponent will not submit to them. I fought NHB I know what I'm talking about. "Submission" holds by definition make the opponent submit or quit or you will break his arm, leg, etc. or choke him unconscious. If you want 100% submission holds with no humor and WWF pain holds go to USBJJ.COM where for $7.99 you can get hundreds of finshing holds, many of the exact same ones here, without humor and without worrying about whether this is a painful inconvenience hold or a real submission hold.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book Is Gene LeBell's Legacy to the Grappling World
Review: LeBell was probably born wearing a pair of wrestling tights and boots. He was the national AAU Judo Champion in 1954 and 1955. Gene won both the heavyweight and openweight divisions at a bodyweight of 160 pounds. Gene LeBell became a professional wrestler in 1955 and won the NWA World's Heavyweight title. Judo Gene is one of the greatest submission grapplers in the world today. He is a master of over 1,000 holds in the art of submission grappling. All of the holds that Gene knows were proven and tested on the mats, arenas and in the streets around the world. LeBell's legacy to the grappling world is in this encyclopedia. This book has over a thousand submission grappling techniques. LeBell is no ordinary mortal when it comes to grappling and fighting. I am certain that he is related in some way to the ancient Greek gods of antiquity. Probably Hercules was his Godfather and the mighty Milo of Croton - the greatest wrestler who ever lived - was his grappling mentor. For those of you who do not have the book -- buy it, it will be the best investment you will ever make and keep in mind that it is the best book on finishing holds that has ever been published. I have seen many other books on submission grappling from all over the world and none can compare with this book. Years ago I searched high and low for such a book but always came up empty handed. Submission grappling techniques have always been guarded jealously by the grapplers of the world. The art of finishing holds is a secretive and esoteric art. Judo Gene LeBell has revealed to the grappling world many of these secret and esoteric holds. LeBell is the first one to do so. Many professional wrestlers were angry with Gene for doing so, but Gene wants to share his knowledge with all the martial artists and grapplers of good will. This manual has an enormous amount of information, knowledge and techniques that one can learn from. If you own such a book then no other grappling book is necessary to buy. It is the whole nine yards. Gene once told me that if you can learn one good technique from a book then it is worth the purchase price. If that is so, then this book is equal to a hundred books (assuming you learn only 10% of the techniques it contains).
Rating:
Summary: Cheesy, yet enjoyable to read.
Review: Let me state right out front that you should not rely on this book to teach you practical submissions. I'm sure when properly applied the submissions in this book would hurt like hell, but the chances that a living breathing human being, trained or untrained in grappling would sit back and let you do some of these things to them is rediculous. Quite a few of these submissions would require a willing opponent making these submissions more suitable for "Wrestling Entertainment", then a real Submission Grappling match. If I ever see a Grappler accomplish any of the moves that the book labels as the "Lebellian Series" in a real match, I will have to aknowlage a true master. To pull some of these moves off you'd have to bypass the obvious finish, and complicate things. That being said, there are some practical submissions in this book, more anyway than a lot of reviewers are giving credit for. The problem with those subs is not that they couldn't work, but that the steps to accomplish these subs are missing, with only pictures of the before and after with little, if anything, in between. It takes previous knowlage and experience to understand how to make these practical techniques work. Where this book really succeeds is as a fun read for those who know something about grappling and want to get a taste of the personallity of Gene Lebell, who is a legend and pioneer in American Grappling, and who is quite a character as is evident in this book. Although, this is not THE soure for grappling, you could do worse. Besides, it's amusing to read and look at people twisted into strange human pretzels.
Rating:
Summary: BEST GRAPPLING BOOK EVER WRITTEN
Review: THIS BOOK BY FAR IS INCREDIBLE. GENE LEBELL THROWS ALOT OF HUMOR INTO THIS BOOK AND SOME RATHER FUNNY LOOKING HUMOROUS TECHNIQUES TO TAKE UP SPACE BUT HE DOES INCLUDE A BIZARRE AMOUNT OF HOLDS IN THIS BOOK. FROM BASICS LIKE HOW TO GRAB TO LEG LOCKS(AWESOME SECTION BY THE WAY) TO EVEN SOME PRO WRESTLING HOLDS YOU'D SEE ON MONDAY NIGHT. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN GRAPPLING. THE FORMAT IS VERY EASY TO LEARN AND HE SHOWS SEVERAL TECHNIQUES IN VARIOUS ANGLES AND VARIATIONS. ITS OFF THE HOOK!
Rating:
Summary: BEST GRAPPLING BOOK EVER WRITTEN
Review: THIS BOOK BY FAR IS INCREDIBLE. GENE LEBELL THROWS ALOT OF HUMOR INTO THIS BOOK AND SOME RATHER FUNNY LOOKING HUMOROUS TECHNIQUES TO TAKE UP SPACE BUT HE DOES INCLUDE A BIZARRE AMOUNT OF HOLDS IN THIS BOOK. FROM BASICS LIKE HOW TO GRAB TO LEG LOCKS(AWESOME SECTION BY THE WAY) TO EVEN SOME PRO WRESTLING HOLDS YOU'D SEE ON MONDAY NIGHT. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN GRAPPLING. THE FORMAT IS VERY EASY TO LEARN AND HE SHOWS SEVERAL TECHNIQUES IN VARIOUS ANGLES AND VARIATIONS. ITS OFF THE HOOK!
Rating: 
Summary: not what you expect...
Review: this book i hate to say was a dissapiontment and would not really recommend it to anybody that was half serious about learning how to do submissions. i like gene lebell but hate to say that more than half the moves in this book could not be performed on anybody that has any idea about the grappling game. there are a FEW moves in this book that could be usefull. but i would recomend going with another title if truely wanting to learn good submissions. this book does have some hummer in it though, but aside from that and the few good moves i dont think this would be a good route to go,if agian you are serious about grappling. please dont mis-understand me, gene is the man, he just didint prove how true that is with this book. agian, im still a fan, just trying to be helpfull to others
Rating:
Summary: A useful encyclopedia, and entertaining
Review: This book is a good book to get. It has a lot of useful and humorous info on finishing moves. This book I feel is not for the beginner cause it only contains finishing moves and not the positions or strategy for one to set up such finishes. I would recommend getting this book after one has had familiarity with Grappling arts instruction like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Shoot Fighting, Catch wrestling. I also recommend getting the book The Fighter's Notebook, which has positions and submissions as well as stand up fighting. Get this and the Gene LeBell book and your straight.
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