Rating: 
Summary: The best !
Review: I have done Tae Kwon Do and jujitsu, as well as judo and boxing, and read a lot of martial arts books. This one is the best. One reason is that the author has so much experience (he was a cop and taught cops and Marines, and has REALLY FOUGHT in real life situations (unlike a lot of martial arts authors who have only "fought" - i.e. sparred - in the dojo). The author says up front what the reality on the street is, and illustrates that with real life stories from the streets of New York. He tells the reality - that fights are not "correographed" like in the dojo, but are "mahem" and "chaos". Every fight is different, and you don't have time to think which defense to use, you have to intuitively know it, and then flow into the fight. That is the problem with most martials arts like Tae Kwon Do, they teach correographed fighting. Many, many black belts have been "sucker punched" or even killed in bar fights or on the streets, while smaller, untrained people survived, because their reaction, or response was better. The author gives the example of a small woman defeating a 300-pound felon in an elevator as a good example of that. For modern "street survival" in America (or anywhere), I would recommend this book and the book "The Gift of Fear", by Gavin de Becker - for a little more on the sociological and psychological side of the criminal. I hope a lot of people read this book ("Attack Proof"), because I think it could save some lives.
Rating:
Summary: The psychology of self defense
Review: I have over twenty years of experience in the field of psychology and have been involved closely with many cases of female battering cases and situations far worse. While there are some great books out there such as THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin De Becker I have found that although these guides help in assessing the potential dangers of certain individuals they fall short in the area of what to do if you are actually suddenly attacked. I have been taught by various members of local police departments on how to defend myself and have seen many videos as well as studied the methods of authors of self defense. I found that the information found in ATTACK PROOF by John Perkins has been the most effective in helping women overcome a great amount of anxiety and has actually aided them when it came to having more courage when it came to actual legal actions. It is the one book which in reality gives the female an even playing ground when it comes to facing danger in the form of a dangerous man. If you are in trouble or know someone who is then along with getting help from professionals in the field of women's safety get this book. I can't recommend it enough.
Rating:
Summary: Reality based fighting principles
Review: I have read many martial arts books in my life and most of them had nothing to do with the blood and guts of actual mayhem as it visits you on a personal basis. After some time in my youth of getting beat up just going to school nearly every day my father realised that I needed to learn how to defend myself. After many years of classes in classical martial arts I found that I still couldn't handle the really tough street fighters that I came up against. I later found that there was a thing called Close Quarters Combat. I Learned some of the basics from an ex marine and found it to be more viscious than anything else. I then read many books and have seen many videos on CQC and stumbled across Attack Proof by Master Perkins and Major Ridenhour USMC and a whole new world of fighting ability became available to me. I can't stress enough how serious and on the mark the information in this book is for the person who is serious about protecting their life in a life and death altercation. Check out this book and their website. Good Luck
Rating:
Summary: Reality will set you free
Review: I have to tell anyone who is serious about not only basic self defense but taking it beyond the limits about ATTACK PROOF. I have worked with members of various military and police organizations over the years while I was employed as a security specialist. As a professional I have seen my share of violent situations. Most of the time my work was routine. When things went out of control they never resembled anything that I studied in the dojo or saw in the many books and videos on martial arts or self defense that I had studied. When I spoke about this to my cohorts they agreed.Last year one of the men told me about ATTACK PROOF. I read it and had to read it again. It took me a bit of time to relize what the books and videos were missing. Most of them were written by people who had mostly dojo experience or only had some military or police background without really mixing it up. These fellows who wrote this book have been where I have been and know the difference. The pages are full of great methods to help me hit harder, avoid blows and be on balance far more than before. Get real, free your mind.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT A GOOD BOOK!!! IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER STAY AWAY!!!
Review: I must honestly say that, this book, in my humble opinion is VERY DANGEROUS for the beginner and should not be used or considered as a Self Defense Book at all.
While browsing for Self Defense Books with the highest rating, I found this one and though the reviews were very good. But this book, is nothing but a set of training rules and techniques that make little or no sense. The author encourages you to attack (when in danger) and if you are tempted to follow his advice, you will get hurt badly, if not killed.
The explanations are not only inaccurate but also misleading. Pictures sequences are so vague that the untrained person will never clearly understand the techniques and in doing so the reader is bound to make a lot of mistakes that in a life or death situation will result in a fatal exercise.
The Book Sections Review:
First off, the Book is written by "MASTER" John Perkins, Founder of the Perkins Self-Defense Systems. ---This is what you will find in the first page of the book. Sounds a little like the author likes to hear his name a lot and feels he is something in the line of Bruce Lee, creating his own Martial Arts System.
Chapter 1 Awareness
In short this is the only part of the book that has some value, lets you know about awareness and gives you tips on how to avoid being mugged or robed. I would rather buy the book Safe on the City by Chris Pfouts or any other street crime awareness book. I am very sorry to say that it looks like the author copied most of his material from some books of this nature and made a summary.
Part 1 Chapters 2 -6 Guided Chaos and Mind Principles
Well here is where the Chaos starts alright. "Master" Perkins starts by teaching a stance (that I saw on a Brazilian martial arts tape by Panther Videos 10 years ago.) also your first strikes and techniques like the Hula, Swimming and the Death Fish ( I am not joking this are the names of some techniques). Really the author explains vaguely each technique and if you are not a trained person you will not understand clearly the things he writes about.
Part 2 Remaining Chapters Guided Chaos for Superior Self Defense
The author presents his views on economy of movement (something we have been hearing for years on other Martial Arts like Jet Kun Do and Wing Chun) Some Grabs and Locks ( Some of these take years to do right with the assistance of a qualified teacher). Some defenses against weapons.
In summary as a Member of the US Military and Martial Artist with 18 years of experience in different arts, with bullet wounds and knife scars on my body, I must say this book is nothing new and is far from being even "good" in the subject. I strongly advice the novice: If you are serious about self defense, seek a good Martial Arts teacher on a Time Tested and Recognized System, (Karate Styles, Judo and Jujitsu, Kung Fu) read a lot on Crime Awareness and don't follow Mr. Perkins advice.
1st Lt. M. Ross USMC
Rating:
Summary: John Perkins Has Cracked The Code!
Review: I would like to preface my remarks by saying that I have trained in styles of Karate, Kung-Fu, Aikido and derivatives of each over the past 25 years and that my wife and son are both black belts in Karate. Although I greatly enjoy watching and participating in the traditional martial arts, I have always found the systems I trained in disappointing in one way or another. The common thread being that these systems have a tendency to be dogmatic, cultish, and as a result, unrealistic. You will find that John Perkins's system is devoid of these traits. What John Perkins has done is distilled essential elements of the most combat effective systems and made them available in the methodologies presented in this book. You are shown how to utilize natural body movements and reactions to channel them effectively during a physical assault. High level concepts are presented here in a manner that can easily understand by all. Martial Artists and all those interested in self protection should add this book to their library.
Rating:
Summary: This is not your father's Karate! Get this book!
Review: I've been training and teaching Shotokan Karate for nearly 25 years and over the years I've accumulated a sizable collection of books based on various martial disciplines. Many of them talk about "real fighting", but most of them are pretty much the same, emphasizing flashy "cool looking" moves over common sense techniques and skill development. So at first glance at the book's title I was skeptical. However, after reading Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection, I enthusiastically recommend it! While I have a lot of classical training under my belt I also know that the streets of Brooklyn are anything but "classical." The book Attack Proof offers both the martial artist and lay person a bare-bones methodology to real self-defense and street survival skills. The author's base their techniques on sound principles of fighting found in most martial arts systems, and support them with examples of real world applications and experiences. I was so impressed with Attack Proof's practical approach to not only fighting, but to street awareness as well, that I bought copies for my sons, both who are trained in Shotokan and one who is a "Rookie" cop with the NYPD. Whether you're a seasoned martial artist, martial arts instructor or just someone who wants to learn enough to protect yourself. You'll find that the techniques and principles taught are understandable and easy to grasp, but most important of all, effective!
Rating:
Summary: This is not your father's Karate! Get this book!
Review: I've been training and teaching Shotokan Karate for nearly 25 years and over the years I've accumulated a sizable collection of books based on various martial disciplines. Many of them talk about "real fighting", but most of them are pretty much the same, emphasizing flashy "cool looking" moves over common sense techniques and skill development. So at first glance at the book's title I was skeptical. However, after reading Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection, I enthusiastically recommend it! While I have a lot of classical training under my belt I also know that the streets of Brooklyn are anything but "classical." The book Attack Proof offers both the martial artist and lay person a bare-bones methodology to real self-defense and street survival skills. The author's base their techniques on sound principles of fighting found in most martial arts systems, and support them with examples of real world applications and experiences. I was so impressed with Attack Proof's practical approach to not only fighting, but to street awareness as well, that I bought copies for my sons, both who are trained in Shotokan and one who is a "Rookie" cop with the NYPD. Whether you're a seasoned martial artist, martial arts instructor or just someone who wants to learn enough to protect yourself. You'll find that the techniques and principles taught are understandable and easy to grasp, but most important of all, effective!
Rating: 
Summary: Turning Physical Attacks to Your Advantage
Review: More than one million people were assaulted in the United States last year alone. While society as a whole may look for answers in better police enforcement or tougher laws, the only dependable solution for many people is to be prepared to defend themselves when an attack occurs. Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection presents a proven personal protection system for anticipating and fending off even the most brutal assaults. Unlike most martial arts systems-which teach patterned, choreographed techniques that often don't work during street fights-this system prepares people for violent situations using spontaneity and "guided chaos." People learn to create a defense during attacks using principles of movement and physics. The system is based on the insights, real-world experiences, and forensic research of John Perkins, a New York cop, who is a teacher for hand-to-hand combat instructors in the military and police forces. Attack Proof provides a wide selection of basic to advanced tactics and principles with nearly 200 accompanying photographs showing correct positioning and maneuvers. Readers learn what to do and not to do in potentially life-threatening situations, including muggings, carjackings, abductions, knife fights, and gunfights. This book is for those who prefer to be prepared and safe rather than susceptible and sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: re-thought about what I was going to say initially.
Review: Ok, I know any reviews on here that are negative apear to get shot down in the "did you find this review useful?" section. This is a truthful review. The introduction to this book is pretty fantastic, although it does seem to be VERY common sense, the writing is good and emotive. Im affraid to say from there on in the book starts to freefall without the aid of a parachute. The on guard position (pretty vital in combat) is pretty much a joke. If you got into the on guard position listed in the book, someone is definitely going to attack you becasue you look like you are making fun of them. Not what should be done to a would be assailant. Some of the strikes could be effective, although there arent enough picture to illustarte how to effectivley execute them. Anyone who has the book will know about the next part. The pictures for the exercise look like ancient egyptian illustrations (and are probably about as usful to defend yourslef). They are not the same mechanics as your body uses in a fight either. As for the quote that the guy had used these tactics in real life. The tactic I think he must be talking about is the one where you walk down "another street" (read the sample pages)because if he used the tactics in this book then he will have got a severe beating. I would have asked for a refund on this book, but I would have to pay the return shipping costs and the re stocking fee and I think I have wasted enough money on this book already. The best bit about this book is probably the few blank pages at the end. I urge you not to buy this book if you are after street defence. If you have a martial arts background then you will learn more from the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. If you are not a martial artist then Paul Vunak's video Street Safe is absolutley brilliant. (even if you are a martial artist you might like to check this out)
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