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Book recommendations from judo experts
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Osaekomi (Masterclass Techniques)
Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki is widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of osaekomi of the last decades of the 20th century. This is the first book ever to concentrate purely on osaekomi and as such presents a considerable challenge. The range of the classic holds is relatively small--less that a dozen--but the numbers of variations and methods of application are enormous; and they are changing and developing all the time. In this extremely clear explanation Kashiwazaki deals with the basic holds, the variations, the weaknesses and the escapes. Then--in what is perhaps the most revealing aspect of the book--he presents the applications, the turnovers that enable the judoka to apply the holds.
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Mind over muscle
In 1882 Jigoro Kano (1860-1938) founded Kodokan Judo at Eishoji Temple in Tokyo. It was the culmination of a lifelong devotion to the jujutsu of the past, which he reorganized while taking great care to retain its classical traditions. Historically, martial arts were practiced only by the elite in Japan. Kano, a renowned educator as well as a sportsman, is credited with popularizing the martial arts, and in particular, judo, among people in all levels of society.
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Fighting Spirit of Judo
This book although having some autobiographical content, is essentially a detailed analysis of Yamashita's favourite techniques as described by the great man himself, with a short biography including some of the author's thoughts on some aspects of judo and detailed description of Yamashita's favourite techniques.
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Attacking Judo: A Guide to Combinations and Counters
Positive attacking in throwing and ground work is at the heart of all the best judo. This is a fundamental attitude of world champions Katsuhihiko Kashiwazaki and Hidetoshi Nakanishi, who are now among the foremost teachers in Japan. But this boldness must be based on a sound technical understanding. Attacking Judo is a new concept in judo publishing based on simple drawings rather than long complex explanations.
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Fighting Judo
The quality of the Fighting Judo Kashiwazaki book in terms of its aesthetic beauty is unmatched. The author, a world champion demonstrates throws, holds, pins, turnovers, grabs, and entanglements, and discusses the finer points of mat work. The black and white photography of Terence Donovan makes a huge impact.
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Kodokan Judo Throwing Techniques
For many years author Toshiro Daigo has held the prestigious position of chief instructor at the Kodokan, regarded as the mecca for all judo enthusiasts, and this book is the result of painstaking research into the constantly changing forms of judo's nage-waza. It will be an invaluable resource for practitioners everywhere.
All the sixty-seven official Kodokan throwing techniques and their various forms are explained thoroughly and concisely, and over 1,800 photographs accompany the text to provide the reader with the most comprehensive guide to judo's throwing forms to date.
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This book by the creator of Kodokan judo is uniquely comprehensive and the most authoritative guide to this martial art ever published. Fully illustrated throughout, Kodokan Judo will help students and instructors everywhere to discover the principles, techniques, and spirit of this popular martial art.
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