Thoughtfullly conceived as a no-nonsense, step-by-step guide to mastering the art, Winning Karate is successful in linking fundamental techniques to the realities of combat experienced in advanced and competitive karate. This is done by incorporating a clear, concise text with over 425 action photographs, displaying exact body positions and perfect form.

Winning Karate offers excellent training procedures for both the body and mind, using only those techniques proven effective time and again in training and competiton.

The book begins by stressing the underlying principles of karate, including form, focus point, timing, and spirit and combines these with conditioning and weight training work-outs to give you the essential prerequisites to successfully executing karate's swift and powerful punches, devastating kicks, and effective blocks.

Special chapters discuss sparring, free fighting, and competiton fighting in detail.

The book's final sections on ring strategy, sparring tips, kata judging, preparing for tournaments, and finding the right instructor make it truly unique.

Joseph Jennings, an experienced teacher of karate and winner of numerous tournament competitons, currently holds the rank of fifth degree black belt. He owns and operates a chain of five successful karate shools in Rochester, New York.

Contents

Preface
Chapter One Basic principles
Chapter Two Flexibility training
Chapter Three Stances
Chapter Four Hands of steel
Chapter Five Devastating kicks
Chapter Six Effective blocks
Chapter Seven Environmental self-defense
Chapter Eight Sport karate: 'american style'
Chapter Nine Competitive sparring equipment
Chapter Ten Judging-pros and cons
Chapter Eleven Training to win offensive and defensive points
Chapter Twelve Winning karate
Chapter Thirteen Ancient weaponry
Chapter Fourteen Breaking and other feats
Chapter Fifteen A final kiai-finding a good karate school
Karate terms
Index