The Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others [DVD Included]

by Marc De Bremaeker, Guli Cohen (Photographer), Marc De Bremaeker

A well placed kick can mean the difference between victory and defeat in a fight!

This illustrated guide to martial arts kicks provides the reader with a wealth of information on 89 different types of kicks from various styles. This martial arts book features kicks from Karate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Kempo, Capoeira, Jeet Kune Do, and more. In a self defense situation there is no room for defeat. Readers will learn how to unleash a devastating barrage of kicks to throw their opponents off guard and leave every match in victory.

The Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks has one to help readers hone their kicking proficiency so that they can readily deploy the most powerful tool in the fighter's repertoire. It contains contains thousands of photos and diagrams to show readers exactly how to perform all of the 89 kicks inside this book.

This encyclopedic reference is the first of its kind to present the entire range of basic martial arts kicks. Packed with full color photos, detailed diagrams and a companion DVD featuring 50 of the most powerful kicks, this book is required reading for every martial artist who wants to sharpen and expand their kicking skills.

With the Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks you'll learn

Genres: Martial Arts, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2010

About the author

Marc De Bremaeker has been involved in Martial Arts for over forty-five years. Once a successful competitor renowned for flashy kicking, he has since been teaching and doing research into the common roots and principles uniting all world martial arts. He holds black belts in several schools of Asian fighting arts and has practiced many others, including more exotic Krav Maga, Muay Thai and Capoeira. He is the author, together with Roy Faige, of the rave-reviewed "Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks" aiming to provide an encyclopedic overlook of basic kicking maneuvers from all arts. He has more recently penned "Plyo Flex", a book about the simple training secrets behind superior kicking and athletic performance. He is working on sequels describing the more advanced kicking styles and training drills.
His best friend and co-author of The Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks, Roy Faige, is the Head of the Shi Heun style founded by his late father. An undefeated competitor with numerous international tournament titles to his name, he was captain and later coach of the Israeli National Karate team for over ten years. Roy is also an officer in one of the most elite commando units of the Israeli Army.

Reviews

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started martial arts several years ago I couldn't figure out why the instructor paid such detail to the way I kicked, the exact placement, chambering, execution and timing. It wasn't until I entered my first sparring match that I began to recognize that sloppy kicks do little more than annoy, but well executed kicks deliver a wallop. Now as a second degree black I strive to develop better kicks. So I was delighted when I picked up a copy of Marc De Bremaeker's and Roy Faige's satisfying 256 page manual "Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks," accompanied with an instructional DVD, from the local public library. As the authors note, this "book is not a "how to" book for the neophyte, but a reference work for the experienced martial artist" (8).

This is one installment in a series of works meant to focus the karateka on specific levels of kicks. "Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks" takes six basic kicks and moves around them into various deliveries and styles. For example, the front kick is expanded from the primary, simple front kick to the heel front kick to the phantom groin kick and beyond. De Bremaeker and Faige have poured a lot of thought into the numerous variations giving the reader a total of eighty nine well developed kicks. The photographs are clear and crisp, the directional sketches are sharp and straightforward, and the explanations are intelligible and explicit. The authors have also taken great pains in describing and demonstrating the self-defense possibilities of each kick.

"Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks," and the accompanying DVD, is a must-have for any martial artist who is serious about sharpening their skills. If you are a seasoned martial artist or an instructor, this volume will help boost your delivery and enrich your training. If you run a school, this manuscript would make a great addition to your collection of books to be lent out. I was so gratified by what I saw in this handbook that I returned it to the public library and purchased my own copy. I recommend you do the same.

[Roberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, the best book of martial arts never published. A very complete,well informed book!

[Steve Platt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great breakdown of kicks and how to perform them (memo to me...must do MORE training!)

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is good

[Josh Street · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit basic with an unhealthy mix of bullshido. Stars given for the drills/practice section for each kick as those are quite good.