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 Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
Unique, practical, to the point., 05 Sep 2001
Probably a book for a limited audience. No bells and whistles, or pretty pictures. This simply presents one mans ideas on exercises and drills to suppliment sword training. A usefull addition, though perhaps not a core text.
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Fencing (Know the Game)
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
Unique, practical, to the point., 05 Sep 2001
Probably a book for a limited audience. No bells and whistles, or pretty pictures. This simply presents one mans ideas on exercises and drills to suppliment sword training. A usefull addition, though perhaps not a core text.
Great Bo Book, 25 May 2004
This book is a great place to start in the study of the Bo. Trying to learn any martial art from a book alone is very difficult, but anyone who already has a background in martial arts, especially karate, will soon pick things up.
Most of the pictures are clear, unfortunately the kata pictures at the end of the book are a little dark & this sometimes makes working out exactly what is going on a little difficult.
Get yourself a Bo and have a go.
Good, but..., 25 Aug 2003
Although this book is a good introduction to the Bo staff, it could have been so much better. The explanations and excercised given here are all very well thought out and clearly designed to be used by a Bo staff novice. However, one area in which the book is not as good as it could have been is the lack of kata. Many people using kobudo weapons are interested in kata with these weapons and Demura hardly touches upon their use, both in this book and in his other books about traditional karate weapons. Another area in which the book could have been imporoved is the use of colour rather than black and white photographs. Colour photographs would enable the reader to see much more clearly the techniques and statnces; as it is, because of the black and white tones it is sometimes hard to make out hand positions etc. Overall, this book IS very good and a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in using traditional karate weapons, however it is also slightly disappointing, because one or two changes to the book could have made it excellent rather than merely very good.
"SPEECHLESS!", 01 Aug 1999
An exelent book to read and understand Bo Karartie.
An excellent primer on the Okinawan quarter-staff, 19 Oct 1998
Demura Sensei presents a well-organized primer in the use of the rokushaku bo (six-foot Okinawan quarter-staff). The book is organized into Introduction & History, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced techniques, and a final section devoted to a bo kata. All basic stances, blocks and counters used with the bo are covered in the first sections. Many of these are similar or identical to standard open-hand karate techniques. Descriptions of subtle differences are well-explained. Combinations and working with a partner are covered in the latter sections of the book. Overall, the photo sequences of this acknowledged bo master demonstrating his art are very good, with the exception of the final bo kata pictures, which are very dark. This is an excellent reference.
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
Unique, practical, to the point., 05 Sep 2001
Probably a book for a limited audience. No bells and whistles, or pretty pictures. This simply presents one mans ideas on exercises and drills to suppliment sword training. A usefull addition, though perhaps not a core text.
Great Bo Book, 25 May 2004
This book is a great place to start in the study of the Bo. Trying to learn any martial art from a book alone is very difficult, but anyone who already has a background in martial arts, especially karate, will soon pick things up.
Most of the pictures are clear, unfortunately the kata pictures at the end of the book are a little dark & this sometimes makes working out exactly what is going on a little difficult.
Get yourself a Bo and have a go.
Good, but..., 25 Aug 2003
Although this book is a good introduction to the Bo staff, it could have been so much better. The explanations and excercised given here are all very well thought out and clearly designed to be used by a Bo staff novice. However, one area in which the book is not as good as it could have been is the lack of kata. Many people using kobudo weapons are interested in kata with these weapons and Demura hardly touches upon their use, both in this book and in his other books about traditional karate weapons. Another area in which the book could have been imporoved is the use of colour rather than black and white photographs. Colour photographs would enable the reader to see much more clearly the techniques and statnces; as it is, because of the black and white tones it is sometimes hard to make out hand positions etc. Overall, this book IS very good and a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in using traditional karate weapons, however it is also slightly disappointing, because one or two changes to the book could have made it excellent rather than merely very good.
"SPEECHLESS!", 01 Aug 1999
An exelent book to read and understand Bo Karartie.
An excellent primer on the Okinawan quarter-staff, 19 Oct 1998
Demura Sensei presents a well-organized primer in the use of the rokushaku bo (six-foot Okinawan quarter-staff). The book is organized into Introduction & History, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced techniques, and a final section devoted to a bo kata. All basic stances, blocks and counters used with the bo are covered in the first sections. Many of these are similar or identical to standard open-hand karate techniques. Descriptions of subtle differences are well-explained. Combinations and working with a partner are covered in the latter sections of the book. Overall, the photo sequences of this acknowledged bo master demonstrating his art are very good, with the exception of the final bo kata pictures, which are very dark. This is an excellent reference.
A Good Start, 01 Jun 2005
This is a rather short book on the use of several medieval weapon combinations. Great if you are interested in getting a basic outline of the technique but just when you think its about to get in depth, it switches to a new weapon. What there is of this book is very good, to get all five stars it would need to be at least twice as long so as to cover the details rather than just a general over view.
Lovely book, 13 Mar 2003
This is a lovely little look into medieval swordsmanship, superbly layed out and well organised. Wonderfully ols fashioned and eccentric, with great woodcuts of fighters and a detailed look into the swordsman's vocabulary, much of which is Italian. Maybe a little confusing at first, but once you settle into the flow it reads smoothly. More interesting for the historian interested in the techniques used in medieval times, but still a quiant but enjoyable book!
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Kendo: The Definitive Guide
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
Unique, practical, to the point., 05 Sep 2001
Probably a book for a limited audience. No bells and whistles, or pretty pictures. This simply presents one mans ideas on exercises and drills to suppliment sword training. A usefull addition, though perhaps not a core text.
Great Bo Book, 25 May 2004
This book is a great place to start in the study of the Bo. Trying to learn any martial art from a book alone is very difficult, but anyone who already has a background in martial arts, especially karate, will soon pick things up.
Most of the pictures are clear, unfortunately the kata pictures at the end of the book are a little dark & this sometimes makes working out exactly what is going on a little difficult.
Get yourself a Bo and have a go.
Good, but..., 25 Aug 2003
Although this book is a good introduction to the Bo staff, it could have been so much better. The explanations and excercised given here are all very well thought out and clearly designed to be used by a Bo staff novice. However, one area in which the book is not as good as it could have been is the lack of kata. Many people using kobudo weapons are interested in kata with these weapons and Demura hardly touches upon their use, both in this book and in his other books about traditional karate weapons. Another area in which the book could have been imporoved is the use of colour rather than black and white photographs. Colour photographs would enable the reader to see much more clearly the techniques and statnces; as it is, because of the black and white tones it is sometimes hard to make out hand positions etc. Overall, this book IS very good and a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in using traditional karate weapons, however it is also slightly disappointing, because one or two changes to the book could have made it excellent rather than merely very good.
"SPEECHLESS!", 01 Aug 1999
An exelent book to read and understand Bo Karartie.
An excellent primer on the Okinawan quarter-staff, 19 Oct 1998
Demura Sensei presents a well-organized primer in the use of the rokushaku bo (six-foot Okinawan quarter-staff). The book is organized into Introduction & History, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced techniques, and a final section devoted to a bo kata. All basic stances, blocks and counters used with the bo are covered in the first sections. Many of these are similar or identical to standard open-hand karate techniques. Descriptions of subtle differences are well-explained. Combinations and working with a partner are covered in the latter sections of the book. Overall, the photo sequences of this acknowledged bo master demonstrating his art are very good, with the exception of the final bo kata pictures, which are very dark. This is an excellent reference.
A Good Start, 01 Jun 2005
This is a rather short book on the use of several medieval weapon combinations. Great if you are interested in getting a basic outline of the technique but just when you think its about to get in depth, it switches to a new weapon. What there is of this book is very good, to get all five stars it would need to be at least twice as long so as to cover the details rather than just a general over view.
Lovely book, 13 Mar 2003
This is a lovely little look into medieval swordsmanship, superbly layed out and well organised. Wonderfully ols fashioned and eccentric, with great woodcuts of fighters and a detailed look into the swordsman's vocabulary, much of which is Italian. Maybe a little confusing at first, but once you settle into the flow it reads smoothly. More interesting for the historian interested in the techniques used in medieval times, but still a quiant but enjoyable book!
Undoubtedly an essential for Beginners, 24 Sep 2004
This book cannot be too highly recommended for a beginner of Kendo.
With plain English descriptions, clear images and thorough detail throughout, Kendo: The Definitive Guide is the best Kendo book I know of.
Perhaps uses a little too much Japanese, which can become confusing when trying to learn combinations, however this quickly sinks in - especially if it is used in the Dojo.
I have no problem recommending this book to anyone learning Kendo.
You will not regret buying this book, 02 Jul 2004
Before I recently started Kendo I decided to buy this book to get more of an insight into what Kendo is all about, and whether I would enjoy it or not. Not only did it make me want to start learning Kendo straight away, but it is proving to be very useful in helping me learn the Japanese terms, etiquette, techniques, etc. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Get it!
Very useful for beginners, 28 Oct 2003
I am new to Kendo and found this book very informative and easy to follow. It breaks down all the basics into clear pictures and paragraphs. I will be using this book a lot during my time learning this demanding but ultimately rewarding martial art.
Definitive - well, close anyway, 23 Mar 2003
This is a really excellent book on kendo. As far as definitive goes, it is very good for beginners or those wishing to teach. If you are an advanced learner then you will probably find this too limited in scope, especially in the number and detail of techniques described. One of it's strengths for me was the superb description of the All Japan Kendo Federation Kata. All seven long sword and all three short sword techniques are quickly and accurately described. The main drawback is the small number of techniques explained, but enough are covered to gain a real feeling of the options available in a match. Illustrations throughout are black and white line drawings, but clear enough for the purpose. As I said, the descriptions are not very detailed, but all salient points are covered. I found this book a great help, especially in the run up to my grading tests. I would recommend this to any beginner and intermediate practicioner of kendo.
Everything the beginner needs, 07 Jan 2000
With information on many, many techniques, kata forms, armour wearing and footwork and more, this book is ESSENTIAL for the beginner! I learned a lot, and so will YOU. It cannot take the place of a proper instructor, but it holds most of the knowledge of one. Only one small complaint....some information on how armour and shinai are made wouldn't have gone amiss, just out of interest. Nevertheless, if you are just starting or EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN DOING KENDO FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUY IT!
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He covers the footwork the attacks and defences and the strategy of the game and the book is full of good advice about, not only how to get a good technique but also how to use it that technique in an efficient manner, in other words how to Fence well. My version of the book is from 1993 and some of the rules have changed (it changes almost every year) but the rest is still up to date and relevant. I have not seen a better book about Fencing so far.
very good guide for beginners, 24 Jan 2003
having recently taken up fencing, i needed a book that would help me with the theoretics of fencing. This book did just that. From essential basics like warm up exercises, to explaining the basics of the equipment used to the more advanced things we need to know, this book has everything you need to improve your fencing game. If your with this book, you will get far, if your're without it, you're only half the player you could be!
A great book by a nice guy and a fine coach, 04 Dec 2002
Brian was my coach for a few years and he was always able to communicate his ideas simply and easily. this has translated beautifully into print. The style is easy to read and, in keeping with a former British National Coach, it is technically and tactically accurate. This book is a permenant legacy from a very nice man and a fine coach.
I recommend it to both beginners and experience fencers.
A useful book although a bit tough..., 21 Jul 2008
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing, 14 May 2005
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner, 13 Mar 2004
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions.
There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing, 26 Apr 2003
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing, 05 Apr 2003
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
A great book, 10 Feb 2007
This book may be a little dated in style, but not in content. It is intended as in introduction to Jo work and shouldn't be expected to deliver more than this. It shows basic techniques, as well as a decent kata to practise. I tend to feel this is a good accompliment to actual training with a qualified instructor. I like Dave Lowry's writing style and his integrity to martial arts and recommend other books by him, especially his collected essays.
A great book., 05 Jun 2004
This is an excellent book to have if you are interested in learning to use a Jo but haven't got someone in your area to teach you. It includes a range of attacks that you can learn, it also teaches you a kata (The 31-step kata) and gives demonstrations on what effects the attacks and defence moves have on an opponant. The illustrations are superb. A must buy for all Aikido fanatics!
Smaug
A good supplement to your training, 09 Jan 1998
Mr Lowry does a very good job at conveying a great deal of Aikido's Aiki-jo. One does need to know a little about the basics of aiki-jo for some of this to make sense, however this book is a great text for the practioner who can't always get to an established instructor. I have found it to be quite helpful when I reach a stumbling block and I can't remember exactly how to do a specific move.
Unique, practical, to the point., 05 Sep 2001
Probably a book for a limited audience. No bells and whistles, or pretty pictures. This simply presents one mans ideas on exercises and drills to suppliment sword training. A usefull addition, though perhaps not a core text.
Great Bo Book, 25 May 2004
This book is a great place to start in the study of the Bo. Trying to learn any martial art from a book alone is very difficult, but anyone who already has a background in martial arts, especially karate, will soon pick things up.
Most of the pictures are clear, unfortunately the kata pictures at the end of the book are a little dark & this sometimes makes working out exactly what is going on a little difficult.
Get yourself a Bo and have a go.
Good, but..., 25 Aug 2003
Although this book is a good introduction to the Bo staff, it could have been so much better. The explanations and excercised given here are all very well thought out and clearly designed to be used by a Bo staff novice. However, one area in which the book is not as good as it could have been is the lack of kata. Many people using kobudo weapons are interested in kata with these weapons and Demura hardly touches upon their use, both in this book and in his other books about traditional karate weapons. Another area in which the book could have been imporoved is the use of colour rather than black and white photographs. Colour photographs would enable the reader to see much more clearly the techniques and statnces; as it is, because of the black and white tones it is sometimes hard to make out hand positions etc. Overall, this book IS very good and a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in using traditional karate weapons, however it is also slightly disappointing, because one or two changes to the book could have made it excellent rather than merely very good.
"SPEECHLESS!", 01 Aug 1999
An exelent book to read and understand Bo Karartie.
An excellent primer on the Okinawan quarter-staff, 19 Oct 1998
Demura Sensei presents a well-organized primer in the use of the rokushaku bo (six-foot Okinawan quarter-staff). The book is organized into Introduction & History, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced techniques, and a final section devoted to a bo kata. All basic stances, blocks and counters used with the bo are covered in the first sections. Many of these are similar or identical to standard open-hand karate techniques. Descriptions of subtle differences are well-explained. Combinations and working with a partner are covered in the latter sections of the book. Overall, the photo sequences of this acknowledged bo master demonstrating his art are very good, with the exception of the final bo kata pictures, which are very dark. This is an excellent reference.
A Good Start, 01 Jun 2005
This is a rather short book on the use of several medieval weapon combinations. Great if you are interested in getting a basic outline of the technique but just when you think its about to get in depth, it switches to a new weapon. What there is of this book is very good, to get all five stars it would need to be at least twice as long so as to cover the details rather than just a general over view.
Lovely book, 13 Mar 2003
This is a lovely little look into medieval swordsmanship, superbly layed out and well organised. Wonderfully ols fashioned and eccentric, with great woodcuts of fighters and a detailed look into the swordsman's vocabulary, much of which is Italian. Maybe a little confusing at first, but once you settle into the flow it reads smoothly. More interesting for the historian interested in the techniques used in medieval times, but still a quiant but enjoyable book!
Undoubtedly an essential for Beginners, 24 Sep 2004
This book cannot be too highly recommended for a beginner of Kendo.
With plain English descriptions, clear images and thorough detail throughout, Kendo: The Definitive Guide is the best Kendo book I know of.
Perhaps uses a little too much Japanese, which can become confusing when trying to learn combinations, however this quickly sinks in - especially if it is used in the Dojo.
I have no problem recommending this book to anyone learning Kendo.
You will not regret buying this book, 02 Jul 2004
Before I recently started Kendo I decided to buy this book to get more of an insight into what Kendo is all about, and whether I would enjoy it or not. Not only did it make me want to start learning Kendo straight away, but it is proving to be very useful in helping me learn the Japanese terms, etiquette, techniques, etc. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Get it!
Very useful for beginners, 28 Oct 2003
I am new to Kendo and found this book very informative and easy to follow. It breaks down all the basics into clear pictures and paragraphs. I will be using this book a lot during my time learning this demanding but ultimately rewarding martial art.
Definitive - well, close anyway, 23 Mar 2003
This is a really excellent book on kendo. As far as definitive goes, it is very good for beginners or those wishing to teach. If you are an advanced learner then you will probably find this too limited in scope, especially in the number and detail of techniques described. One of it's strengths for me was the superb description of the All Japan Kendo Federation Kata. All seven long sword and all three short sword techniques are quickly and accurately described. The main drawback is the small number of techniques explained, but enough are covered to gain a real feeling of the options available in a match. Illustrations throughout are black and white line drawings, but clear enough for the purpose. As I said, the descriptions are not very detailed, but all salient points are covered. I found this book a great help, especially in the run up to my grading tests. I would recommend this to any beginner and intermediate practicioner of kendo.
Everything the beginner needs, 07 Jan 2000
With information on many, many techniques, kata forms, armour wearing and footwork and more, this book is ESSENTIAL for the beginner! I learned a lot, and so will YOU. It cannot take the place of a proper instructor, but it holds most of the knowledge of one. Only one small complaint....some information on how armour and shinai are made wouldn't have gone amiss, just out of interest. Nevertheless, if you are just starting or EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN DOING KENDO FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUY IT!
Iaido, 09 Apr 2005
I agree with the other reviews, in that you cannot learn Iaido solely from a book and if you want to truly study this, or indeed any other martial art, then you must seek out a dojo. However, the benefits of having reference material for when you are practicing at home, cannot be stressed enough. This is especially true for beginners, because having been shown a number of kata or forms at the dojo, when you come to practice them at home you may find that you have forgotten a certain point. Unless you have something to read/look at to remind you how it should be done, you cannot continue to practice that form or worse, you introduce something which is not correct which you then have to 'unlearn' at the dojo the next week! Unfortunately this book falls short, mainly due to the poor 'stick man' diagrams and lack of any detailed explanation. Not neccesarily a bad book to be honest and worth buying if, like me, you want to read anything and everthing about Iaido but if you just want a single reference book then Flashing Steel (For practitioners of the Jikiden school of Iaido) or Iaido:Kamimoto Ha techniques of Muso Shinden Ryu (For practitioners of the Muso Shinden school) are far and away better books. The former has exceptional detail about the spiritual as well as the practical side of Iaido with good photography and detailed explanations and the latter book also has great photo's, a nice explanation of the spiritual/history of the art and has a particularly excellent detailed section on the Seitei kata's which will greatly benefit the beginner, regardless of what school you're studying.
Hope this helps you choose...happy training.
Excellent! I loved it!, 13 Nov 2002
This book, you must understand, was written with Iaido practitioners in mind and is inadequate for anyone wanting to learn killing techniques. To understand this book, the reader should have some understanding of Iaido's history. At the height of Samurai power and the golden age of martial arts, anything to do with the sword came under Ken-jutsu. But it was in the 16th/17th century that a Samurai named Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu who started a school called Muso Jikiden-ryu and began teaching an art called Batto-jutsu. In time, this art came to be known as Iai-jutsu, although there was no major difference in the techniques. Some schools continue, to this day, to call it Batto-jutsu or Iai-jutsu but, the Tokugawa Shogun came into power in 1603, they imposed a long reign of peace lasting 265 years. Because of this long peace, the Samurai had to calm down a bit, stop looking for techniques that would kill. Such techniques were useless in a society where peace was so absolute. So, they started lookin for a deeper meaning to their martial arts, giving Iai-jutsu, the name of Iaido. The word "do" means "Way" as in a spiritual way and so the art lost its lethal intent and turned far more into an art form instead of combat techniques. Iaido is more for spiritual people. Personally, I thought the diagrams are great! But still there are always the tiny little nagging details in Iaido that only a Sensei can instruct so if you're serious about studying Iaido, find a master; if you just want to practice it as a pass-time use a book! It costs less.
A fantastic book on the art of Iaido, 28 Mar 2000
This is an excellent handbook for anyone interested in the traditional (koryu) Japanese sword arts. The kata's are described in an acessable step by step format, and additional guidance is given on developing the mindset necessarey for focused, relaxed practice. This book is useful for people interested in developing both their physical technique and mental clarity. An initial understanding of the traditional japanese combat arts is most helpful in understanding Eshin Ryu Iaido, but a qualified instructor is necessary if one is to presue their iaido or iaijutsu further. I would not recomend this book for those 'martial artists' who are interested in quick, easy and flashy westernised forms of the fighting arts with their nunchuks and 'karate chops'
An Ideal reference fo Iaido practitioners, 25 Jul 1999
This book holds an astonashing number of Kata, all of the Eishin Ryu Iaido kata are in it. Look no further for the perfect reference book on Iaido kata. Ignore the other reviews as they are obviously not exponents of iaido, iaijutsu or ju-jitsu.
interesting book, 17 May 1999
This book was written with Iaido practioners in mind, however the illustrations could have been better.If you are interested in weapon's learn from an instructor not a book!
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Customer Reviews
Fantastic Fencing Book., 08 Sep 2007
Brian was my coach before he sadly passed away. I am now British Number 1 at Women's Epee and can attribute much of my success and motivation to his entusiastic teaching and extensive knowledge of this fascinating sport. I am now a professional coach myself, and this book is my Bible.
Jo Maynard Liked it, 01 Mar 2004
This is a good introduction to the basics of foil, epee and sabre, well set out in a clear and informative fashion. Highly recommended if you are starting out - although, as with all other fencing books, remember that you cannot learn to fence from a book and need to join a club where they give training to beginners. This nicely goes beyond the Know the Game book, and wisely avoids baffling the reader with too many advanced moves which, when learned too early, can make a fencer jack of all blows and master of none. Warmly recommended. For the advanced fencer, I would recommend Lukovich's Electric Foil Fencing, which, despite being a tough read, takes the competitive fencer a great deal further.
Clear and practical guide to Fencing., 15 Nov 2003
Brian Pitmans book is an excellent, down to earth guide to Fencing. He cover the three weapons, Foil, Epee and Saber that are used in Olympic style of fencing. Some Fencing books are to much concerned with the history of Fencing and often teach old or even outdated styles.
That may of course be interesting in itself but if you want to compete in modern Fencing you need modern, practical down to earth kind of book and this is it.
Also if you just want to Fence for fun this book is great. After all most people who want to Fence do it for the joy of it and not to be historically correct and/or beautiful.
You Fence in order to hit the opponent and prevent him from hitting you, of course good and fun Fencing can be beautiful and even though the traditionalist are always complaining about the look of modern Fencing you can see many examples of top Fencers today who are not only very good but also Fence beautifully. In his book Brian begins, in part one, with the basic history of fencing, the aim of the game the rules and conventions and some basic warm up exercices, part two is about the Foil and part three and four are about the Epee and the Sabre. He co | | |