Biographical note:

Graeme John Lund began karate fairly late in life, and was a regular participant in competitive karate. When he graduated to First Dan, he realized the fundamentals and essence were what he enjoyed most. His 20 years of experience in self-defense have been distilled into this book.

Foreword writer Morne Swanepoel is the President of CombatCoaching.com and is a Certified Instructor and Director for Jim Wagner's Reality Based Personal Protection. He has over 30 years of martial arts experience in various styles.

Main description:

From the first enthusiastic kiai in the dojo to the solemn black belt presentation ceremony, students learn that karate is all about fitness, confidence, discipline and respect. The Essential Karate Book is a guide to martial arts, the history of karate, and a wide range of karate techniques.

With 20 chapters covering practically every aspect of karate, this in-depth reference will assist students and instructors as they plot their course through karate instruction, benefiting those at all levels. The Essential Karate Book contains 200 diagrams mapping out moves, 300 color photographs, and a DVD, making it a comprehensive general karate reference for Western audiences.

Readers will learn about:

• The origins of karate
• Required behavior, clothing and etiquette, as well as the fundamentals of karate and the different styles that share them
• Stances, blocks, strikes and kicks
• Preparing your body through warm ups, stretching, and conditioning through karate-specific exercises
• Kata grading and fighting (kumite) techniques and competition rules
• Martial arts weapons (kobudo), and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) applications