Rating: 
Summary: Look inside the world of MMA
Review: The first section of the book, a biography of Ken Shamrock, is a very interesting read. It begins from Shamrock's humble beginnings and ends after his loss to Dan Severn. For those who follow pro-wrestling, it will be insightful as both these athletes have now entered the WWF. While it is true that the author overemphasizes some of Shamrock's victories and glosses over his losses, it still presents a good idea of how tough the sport of fighting truely is. I found the sections detailing Shamrock's evolution as a fighter and the training of his famed Lions' Den to be the most fascinating and inspirational. The second portion focuses on Shamrock's system of fighting. It goes over the basic submissions and positions. Nothing too ground-breaking. Ken goes over the diet and physical training of his fighters. 5 Stars for those who follow MMA or wrestling 4 stars for those simply looking for an interesting read
Rating: 
Summary: Very insightful book
Review: I have to admit, I was already a fan of Shamrock's before picking up the book. The first two-thirds of the book is biographical in nature. It depicts Shamrock in a very possitive light, without making him look completely untarnished. This part sort of bounces around, with every other chapter being a chronological account of his life, and the other chapters being about the biuldup to his second Superfight with Severn. Still, it's a fun read, and gives some interesting insights into the life of "The World's Most Dangerous Man". It was definitly oriented towards an American audience who was familiar with Shamrock's UFC fights, as his time in Japan and his early Toughman comptetitions were barely covered. The second part of the book was on the physical and mental conditioning of a Lion's Den fighter, or more specifically, Ken Shamrock. The technical side is a little weak, with only one real takedown being shown, and all the "armlocks" are variations of the "jujigatame"-style, between-the-legs arm bar. On the other hand, the stuff on the different mobility drills, as well on the mental preparation Shamrock does for a fight, is golden. Also of value are his tips on handling different types of opponents, and the chapter on nutrition. Going back to the techniques, I'd say that while they're not a complete arsenal, they could give someone with no grappling experience some very essential and workable holds. Certian details that can be applied to many moves are covered as well, like steping with your punches instead of leaning into them, or pinching your knees togeather for an armbar instead of scissoring your ankles for leverage. And to give credit where it's due, this is where I learned the "heel hook", a move that's beaten more folks than I can count. This is a good book for traditional martial artists who know nothing about grappling or submissions, or for any MMA/NHB fan. The stuff on conditioning and mental preparation are probably useful to any athelete, to some degree.
Rating:
Summary: Great information hidden in jumbled text
Review: So far I've only read the first half of the book on the biography of Ken Shamrock. There is priceless information about his life from childhood on up. There is great stuff on his physical and mental strength as well as his philosophy on fighting and life. However, the book jumps back and forth leaving the reader somewhat jumbled up. The grammar of Richard Hannar is by no means impressive. His sometimes fantastic descriptions leave out valuable information that lead to a not so realistic view of what took place (people who witnessed the fights will know). Shamrock, however, is without a doubt one of the most successful and influential mixed martial arts fighters of this era.
Rating:
Summary: Useful Background Piece
Review: This book is divided into two sections. The first is a biography of Ken Shamrock, focusing primarily on his fighting career. Its tone is somewhat odd; on the one hand, it frequently reads as a very hero-worshippy accounting of Shamrock's accomplishments. On the other, the book is very honest about Shamrock's personal and professional shortcomings, including his often delinquent childhood and his struggle to control a violent temper. The second section is a submission-primer. I believe this section is really only useful to those with some martial arts background already; novices will be lost as there is little information on transitions and other details needed to make the techniques work. However, it is a somewhat useful introduction. For those with the background, this section gives a glimpse at how the Lion's Den fighters train, and helps explain their success. Overall, this book is of value to anyone who is a fan of the UFC or Ken Shamrock.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I just wanted to say that I think this is a great book and a must buy for both Ken Shamrock and mixed martial arts fans. Please do not believe the hype from some of the other reviews stating that the book is unduly biased. That simply is not true. Mr. Shamrock openly reveals his mistakes in his losses and does not ridicule or down grade any opponent, ie: he speaks well of the Gracies, explains what caused the personal frictions between him and Dan Severn. Many times people confuse confidence with cockiness, as the great Muhammad Ali used to say, "It ain't braggin if you can do it!" Being the first King of Pancrase, and the first Superfight Champion, Ken Shamrock was the best mixed martial artist in the world; he has definitely proven that he can do what he says. Yes Ken Shamrock is confident, but he is not arrogant. Many interesting insights you'll learn about his personal life, the politics of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, his fighting style, and the Lion's Den. Buy it if you're a fan of Ken Shamrock!
Rating:
Summary: A very enjoyable read, but a bit disjointed
Review: I'll start off by saying I'm a big fan of Ken Shamrock, so I'd probably give 3 stars just for including him in a book. The book is split into two sections, one a biography of Ken Shamrock, the second an overview of submission fighting and training methods used at the Lions Den.The biographical section is first. It covers Shamrocks' troubled childhood, his first Toughman bouts, and eventual entry into mixed martial arts in Japan and then the UFC. Along the way, the reader gets a good idea of the troubles and controversy which plagued the early years of the UFC. The second section is a very general overview of the most basic submission techniques. If you're looking for a book chock full of grappling or striking techniques, try No Holds Barred by Mark Hatmaker instead. However, that's not what the book is about. There's also good material on the training philosophy and style of the Lions Den. Inside the Lions Den does have some faults. The biographical section is not chronological, it skips around without making reference to dates. This can be very confusing. reading it, one gets the impression that Shamrock had finished fighting in the Pancrase circuit in Japan once the UFC started up. In reality, he was doing both at the same time for about 2 years. If you wren't a fan, you'd never get that from the book. My biggest gripe is the way the author hero worships Ken Shamrock. Mind you, I'm a fan of his, but the prose in this work is God-awful. How many descriptions of Ken's "sleek, rippling muscles" do we need? He's compared to various predators dozens of times. You'd think he fights in blue-and-red tights with a big "S" and a cape. It's as if the co-author had a bit of a crush on him. If you're a fan of MMA or the UFC, I'd say spring for this book, it's a fast and fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Insight Into The Man Personally & Professionally
Review: This book will not only intrigue fans of all types of fighting styles that Ken Shamrock has competed in, it will also serve as a source of motivation and inspiration for all. The book is creatively and effectively divided into two parts. The first half is ghost written, or at least co-authored, and chronicles Ken's life. It is a brief, yet very thorough and captivating life story. The second half is a nuts and bolts introduction to all aspects of competing in mixed martial arts - from eating to strength training to technique. "Inside The Lion's Den" is more than just a book about a tough guy who won some fighting contests and became a pro wrestler. "Inside The Lion's Den" delves deep into the trials and tribulations that chronicle Ken's awkward upbringing. His childhood was far from, "The Cosby Show" yet it is explained in a way that is quite unlike most biographies of high profile stars that claim of such horrible childhood life. Too often are we subjected to a "Where Are They Now" documentary by some celebrity telling us that they were mentally abused, or how their horribly painful past forced them into a drug plagued life. Ken Shamrock doesn't mirror this all to common pattern. He simply tells about his life - and it doesn't appear to be one that most of us would have wanted at times. The second half of the book can, and will, put any reader who isn't a professional athlete or combatant into shape. One will be surprised at the amount of inside information that Shamrock shares. I've met many mixed martial artists and several of them couldn't complete the training regimen that is covered here. Some have belittled Shamrock for having the book co-authored, but that is a very unfair criticism. Ken Shamrock is a master fighter - an athlete - a competitor. He has a great story to share with us. Does any of that make him qualified to transfer that to paper and deliver it in a manner that is entertaining and interesting? No. That is no disrespect to Ken. He is a master at what he does. And he is very smart for having a co-author. I would assume that Ken, and most of you, have an accountant prepare your taxes. We all bring in experts to handle tasks for us. There is no shame in that. Professional wrestlers have amazing stories to tell and they are finally being shared with us all. I am proud to say that I have been given the opportunity to work with wrestling legend, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka on his biography and a documentary. I hope that when the book is available through Amazon.com, many of you will come and review it. And in the interim, while it is being written, let me know what you would like covered in the book that is tentatively being titled, "Tales From The Top Of The Cage."
Rating:
Summary: Invaluable book to own
Review: If you want to know about Shamrock's life, get this. If you want to know about his conditioning methods, get this. If you want fighting techniques, this is skimpy. There are a few grappling techniques and a few hitting techniques. While you probably won't be a champion fighter from reading it, the techniques are good for someone wanting simple self defense, though I am sure there are better books for that. The bio was a good, interesting, and quick read. The conditioning is the best part of this book and what makes it "Invaluable."
Rating:
Summary: In depth look at the 'World's Most Dangerous Man'
Review: This book is very very good. It explains Ken Shamrock's rough childhood, dealing with bullies and having to rely on himself, at times, for survival. He tells us a story by reliving the events of his early years, which built up the rage inside of him. Most people think of Ken Shamrock as this big, muscle-bound barbarian, but this book will help you realize that he is a human being that had a very rough childhood and has overcome so many obsticles. I have always had very much respect for Ken Shamrock as a fighter, but after reading this book I respect him both as a fighter, and a person.
Rating:
Summary: More than meets the eye...
Review: What makes this book one of kind is that it's the only book written about the inner circle of NHB-fighting, how fighters prepare for tournaments, how they train, eat and mentally prepare themselves. But the main part is about history of free-fighting and the man, who grew famous with it. The biography was a bit too glorifying than it should have been. Of course Shamrock is great, but less hype would have been better. The fighting techniques were insufficient. But they gave a good insight anyway and you can't expect a book like this to give you all you need for fighting. Of course, if you train like it says in the book, you will have some basics down. The conditioning part is what I valued the most. Good buy!
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