Karate School

Rating:
Summary: the typical problems with most instructional books
Review: I bought this book to see how Oyama's conditioning was done. I mean the man fought bulls with his bare hands. I don't care much for forms, and I didn't buy this for the fighting techniques. However, I can follow the techniques just fine. BUT, like any book on martial arts, the beginner will have a hard time following what is here, and someone formally trained in a traditional martial art will probably follow along fine. Also like any traditional martial arts book though, those who practice a traditional martial art probably knows most (not all) of this stuff.

Overall I like the book and recommend it to anyone who wants to supplement their training, anyone who wants to know more about Mas Oyama, and anyone who wants to follow along as they formally learn Kyukushin Karate. Before Karate School it was named Mas Oyama's Complete Karate Course, so if you have that book, you don't need this one.

Rating:
Summary: the typical problems with most instructional books
Review: I bought this book to see how Oyama's conditioning was done. I mean the man fought bulls with his bare hands. I don't care much for forms, and I didn't buy this for the fighting techniques. However, I can follow the techniques just fine. BUT, like any book on martial arts, the beginner will have a hard time following what is here, and someone formally trained in a traditional martial art will probably follow along fine. Also like any traditional martial arts book though, those who practice a traditional martial art probably knows most (not all) of this stuff.

Overall I like the book and recommend it to anyone who wants to supplement their training, anyone who wants to know more about Mas Oyama, and anyone who wants to follow along as they formally learn Kyukushin Karate. Before Karate School it was named Mas Oyama's Complete Karate Course, so if you have that book, you don't need this one.

Rating:
Summary: A great book by Sosai Mas Oyama
Review: Karate School by Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama (previously published as Mas Oyama's Complete Karate Course) is an excellent introduction to Karate. Like Hidetaka Nishiyama and Richard C. Brown's Karate: the Art of "Empty Hand" Fighting, ISBN 0-8048-1668-9, it gives the reader clear and well illustrated instruction on the execution of fundamental techniques. Also like Nishiyama and Brown's book it includes entire sections are devoted to Kumite and the application of Karate in everyday situations. But unlike Nishiyama and Brown's book which, at least, has rather thin expositions of Karate history and philosophy, Oyama simply leaves them out altogether. In place of these what we are treated to are a detailed section on breathing techniques, an entire chapter on Tameshiwari, and Oyama's suggestions for modernizing Karate competition and its scoring system.

I would, of course, recommend this book for its thoroughness in detailing the fundamentals, its section on breathing techniques, and for what really distinguishes this book from Nishiyama and Brown's book, its chapter on Kata. While this chapter is not as heavy on the significance and importance of Kata it does give step-by-step explanations for five Kata. As with Nishiyama and Brown's book I would recommend supplementing this book with one that explains the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the art such as Robin L. Rielly's Complete Shotokan Karate, ISBN 0-8048-2108-9.

Rating:
Summary: Poor and incomplete, in spite of its topic about breathing.
Review: This book has a good (although short) topic about breathing. I guess it's the best you can take from it. In this book you'll also find some interesting warm-up routines. That's all I like from this book, really.

Sure, you'll also see here several basic techniques, but blockings (uke) are barely explained and poorly illustrated. In addition, you won't find here any historical information, nor any phylosophical explanation about karate. Even, techniques are not explained very well: they're just presented. So, there's nothing (or very few) for intermediate/advanced students here. I thought to take this book as a reference for basics, but make yourself a favor and try to get something else instead of this -like "This Is Karate" from Mas Oyama, or the IFK Sylabus (kihons) from Shihan Steve Arneil. Also check the Shihan Steve Arneil's "Kyokushin Kata" book.

In few words, "Karate School" has very few to offer if you're not a beginner: it's just another karate book, like many others over there.

Rating:
Summary: A great book by Sosai Mas Oyama
Review: This book is a great text for students of Kyokushin style of Karate-do, and great for any Karate-ka interested in the traditional styles of Okinawan Karate-do. Sosai Masutatsu Oyama imigrated to Japan From South Korea to learn the Japanese Martial Arts, he had studied boxing and Judo until he found his true love, Karate. He started learning Shotokan Karate from the Great Giko Funakoshi,son of Gichin Funakoshi. Oyama excelled quickly in the art and later created what he called Kyokushin. This book contains study aids to students of the art and facts for Karate lovers. It includes pictures of him and his students showing the precise movements,techniques and descriptions by Oyama him self. The Katas are precisely detailed and demostrated, it is a must have.