Rating: 
Summary: Go beyond technique
Review: Martina Sprague's book, Fighting Science, helps martial artists at all skill levels understand how the techniques work and how to make them work better. She helps fighters understand certain principles that they may have noticed but never quite identified (for example, a heavier fighter may not be as fast as a lighter fighter, but he's harder to stop once he gets going.) Sprague's book helps you understand what these principles are and how they apply. For example, she explains that a heavier fighter has more inertia to overcome to get started, but that heavier mass is harder to stop once it's moving. Then she gives tips on how to accommodate for this property. Although I thought I knew a lot about martial arts, Sprague's book gave me even more insight into how fighters can get more from their training. I would recommend it to any martial artist interested in why and how the martial arts work, and to any martial artist who wants to get better.
Rating:
Summary: Knowing 'why' a technique works makes it work better
Review: Most martial artists know that Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the greatest swordsman of all time, advocated quickness and power as superior to strength and speed. As a practitioner, I have known for years that sheer size and brute strength meant very little to accomplished martial artists, yet I never truly understood why. Having finished this excellent book, now I know.
Sprague's tome helps us reach our full potential in the fighting arts, martial sports, and even in every day conditioning by successfully explaining in straightforward terms how the laws of physics can be applied to generating maximum power from martial technique. She describes how things like balance, momentum, rotational speed, friction, direction, impulse, and conservation of energy can work for or against us in executing striking, kicking, throwing, grappling, and joint manipulating techniques. That pretty much covers all the bases, huh? There are tons of great illustrations, summaries, and even quizzes to supplement the materials. This is an easy to read, easy to implement text that can only help you become a better martial artist.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo
Rating: 
Summary: Fight with questionable physics?
Review: The book is 269 pages, with a nice readable print and many illustrates. It is separated in 8 chapters, which somehow correlate to the "10 fundamental fighting concepts" referred to on the back cover. Each chapter focuses on the application of a single physics concept, ie. momentum, conservation of energy, etc. This crude classification does not fit all of the concepts discussed in the chapter. I will give two examples. First, the chapter on direction seems more about how to use inertia than the physics of F=ma. Second, the last chapter on "ki-netic energy" is simply a hodgepodge of topics related more to mindset than the physics rule KE=1/2mv^2. I can see how having the correct mindset is a form of potential energy, but I feel that her application of physics is gross and imprecise. Physics in its most simplistic form: F=ma, KE=1/2mv^2, etc.. deals with solid objects moving in a simple space. Her analysis fails to make a true consideration of body kinematics. I bought this book with that expectation. How else can a smaller person defeat a larger opponent? The human form is the result of thousands of years of development. There is purpose to the human form. I didn't find much discussion of it in this book.
I also think the title "Fighting Science" is a misnomer. While she does have some good theory on basic fighting guidelines, her techniques are not about fighting, but more so on tournament fighting. She provides one example where a kick is used to setup a leg takedown. If you shock your opponent, why would you waste your time to then reach down and grab his legs? Why not kick him again or just hit him? Basically, she spends a good amount of each chapter focusing on throws, take- downs, grappling. As a normal individual, I am more concerned about someone pummeling me than a person who trains throws, grappling, or is flexible enough to kick my head. More simply, I would not teach my mom many of the techniques in the book. And why do have the pictures show someone wearing muay thai shorts?
She does touch on several important concepts in the eight chapters, but fails to connect these concepts to make a meaningful analysis. For instance, in one chapter she talks about how controlling an opponent's head restricts his movement, and in another chapter, she says optimal reach occurs when you punch straight from your shoulder. Usually this means you will hit someone in the chest. I'll take a punch in the chest. Now if you hit me in the head, I would be on the defensive. Compare this to other books that discuss vital points to attack. Of course, knowing the point means nothing without the means to attack it.
In summary, I think this book covers a wealth of concepts that a novice may find interesting. However, do not get blind-sighted by all the imprecise physics justifications. You have to understand human kinematics to be able to apply physics to the human body. This is true in any sport. Think about gymnastics. F=ma is important, but what is more important is how the gymnast can manipulate her body to provide the optimal application of F=ma to achieve her goal.
I read a earlier review comparing this book to the quality of other Martial Arts books on the market. I would have to agree- Most books dont provide a well organized and informative discussion of self-defense. This book is mostly the same. Remember, the author Martina Sprague has black belts in kickboxing and modern freestyle as well as a BS in Aviation.
Rating:
Summary: Good topic, not so good writing or organization
Review: The topic idea is excellent and the content is fairly good. However, like many MA books, the quality of writing, editing and organization is only so-so. In a few places, it is even worse than so-so. In fact, since the book markets itself as being written by an educator and trainer, I was rather disappointed. The book could really use a lot of editorial help from somebody who has some training in technical writing for adult education. Nonetheless, it is hard to find this topic covered in the MA field, so I'd recommend it for people who want to study for a year or more in any MA field, just don't put it top on the list of books to get and wait to get it used or discount.
Rating:
Summary: science articulated
Review: There is nothing new under the sun, but what Martina Sprague has done in Fighting Science is articulate the principles of physics as applied to martial arts. The book is educational both for the martial artist and the science interested person in general. The first chapter whets your appetite by discussing and comparing concepts and situations you may end up in both as a standup fighter and a grappler. Subsequent chapters explore physics in depth applied to martial arts, with a start in balance, followed by momentum and motion and how it translates into force. Next follows the exploration of speed and friction, which counteracts speed, and how to increase your power or decrease your opponent's power by manipulating the time during which your striking weapon impacts the target. An explanation of how to conserve energy by using your own and your opponent's movement to your advantage follows, which naturally leads to your ability to end a fight quickly. The last chapter talks about how physics helps a martial artist attain the focus he or she needs to accomplish board and brick breaking, as well as other astonishing feats. Through its simple explanations and hundreds of practical exercises, the book adds to the excitement of teaching and learning, and shows how, with some scientific knowledge and a lot of dedication, it is possible for the average Joe to perform with the precision he or she needs to defeat an adversary both in competition and on the street. Definitely a worthwhile book.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing... and sometimes wrong
Review: This book was generally disappointing. It explains in a very qualitative way why certain martial arts strategies are effective. Although the book purports to be 'The Laws of Physics for Martial Artists' (front cover), there isn't a single numerical physics example. Chapter headings such as 'Conservation of Energy' may sound very scientific, but I'd hardly call dominating the center of the ring a scientific strategy.
What is even worse is that some of the science is wrong. For example, at the bottom of p.42 (top of p.43) the author advises keeping your hands and feet far apart when doing push-ups because this will 'spread your weight over a large surface area with less force per square inch.' - thus making the push-ups easier. Anyone with a decent knowledge of high school physics knows that this is entirely spurious; the force per unit area depends upon the area in contact with the floor and not how far apart your hands or feet are kept. The fact that such a simple concept is lost on the author casts serious doubts on her credibility.
I agree that this might be a useful ideas book for the newcomer to the martial arts who has a decent knowledge of physics and who is therefore able to spot the scientific mistakes. It is also worth noting that one of the 5-star reviews is by the author. The review by 'Zuelquorneen' is worth a read too...
Rating:
Summary: You've got to add this book to your library!
Review: This is an amazing book! Very inspiring,thorough, and one of the best Martial Arts books on the market! The directions/illustrations are easy to understand and apply. The correlation between physics and martial arts is guaranteed to improve your skills. I would recommend this book, as the author has definitely stumbled onto something! I've been applying the principles in my training. It works!
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