The Science of Takedowns, Throws & Grappling for Self-defense
by Martina Sprague
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Book Summary Information
Author: Martina SpragueEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-05-15
ISBN: 1880336804
Number of pages: 268
Publisher: Turtle Press
Book Reviews of The Science of Takedowns, Throws & Grappling for Self-defense
Book Review: Excellent text for a beginner, intermediate or advanced student
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the difficult problems confronting authors writing books on martial arts is how to handle the wide range of audiences. This books ignores that problem by focusing on the concepts themselves. So the sharp beginning student has all the grounding in what is going on just as well as advanced students who may already know from experience that different techniques worked but really had no understanding why or how. The slower students will be challenged by the amount of material covered and the depth it is dealt with -- but they can re-read the concepts until they understand them and work at their own pace. I am pleased the author takes time to give tips on how to fall and safety in general -- something that is sometimes missed in books that just want to get to heart of the subject without realizing some guys don't have a clue about how they can hurt themselves. In addition to the thorough treatment of takedowns, throws and grappling, again with all the background concepts and simple physics necessary to understand what is actually going on, the author has a unique perspective -- smaller guy dealing with a larger opponent. From my experience, this is unusual and extremely helpful. Many books take a one shoe fits all feet approach. Since that one size approach usually works out that the hypothetical average guy is around six feet tall and 180 pounds, both smaller guys and inexperienced guys are at a disadvantage.
Some of us smaller dogs don't want to stay on the porch since we can't run with the big dogs. Nice to know we don't have to. Also in a perfect world, all work out partners are your size, but in reality that is rarely the case and more often than not they are heavier than you. Plowing ahead into a guy who outweighs you by 20 or 30 pounds is a sure way to grind yourself down and invite injury. But recognizing that you do not have to muscle the other guy or use a technique in just one way in order to take down a bigger guy is a very helpful and powerful concept. Even big heavies can be more effective using the solid techniques explained in the book, which arebased on simple physics, rather than their size. Consequently, this underlying sensitivity to the reality of a fighting situation makes this book particularly useful.
I don't consider myself a sexist, but I seriously wondered if a female author on martial arts would deal with points I considered important. Since fighting seems such a guy thing, I think many guys might share this question. I am glad I took the risk to see for myself. This is without doubt one of the best books around. It is serious and very useful study of the fundamentals of fighting presented from rock solid foundations. So many books simply show techniques and assume you will somehow make them work when that is the last thing on your opponent's mind. This author explains the dots you need to connect in order to make a effective "book" technique work -- just learning techniques are not enough to make them work. The book is always thorough and grounded in reality that comes from obvious experience. The focus isn't simply to give you an arsenal of techniques, though it does, but rather to make sure you understand what basic concepts need to be respected in a particulas aspect of fighting. Working through the basic concepts may be less dramatic than following the pictures to learn particular techniques, but it is a surer recipe to success.
Summary of The Science of Takedowns, Throws & Grappling for Self-defense
The odds are, if you're attacked on the street you will have to defend yourself against a bigger, stronger assailant. When this happens, strength alone will not be enough to stop your attacker. The Science of Takedowns, Throws and Grappling for Self-defense addresses the concepts and, more importantly, the mindset required to survive an encounter with a larger attacker. Martina Sprague, author of the top selling book Fighting Science, does more than show you what type of throws, takedowns, locks and presses work on the street. Learn why some techniques are more likely to get you into to trouble than out of it, how to apply concepts like timing and positioning to make your techniques even more effective, how to defend against common attacks with a weapon and what you can do to use that weapon in your favor, which mistakes are the most common and how you can prevent them from weakening your defense, and much more. With over 300 photos, you won't find a more detailed, scientific look at takedowns, throws and grappling techniques specifically for self-defense.Safety & First Aid Books
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