Books published by publisher Empire Books

One Blow, One Kill! The methods of the world’s greatest karate fighters have been gathered together into this incredible volume to demonstrate the most closely-guarded secrets of sport competition, bare-knuckle fighting, and life-or-death street combat! The highly-technical and brutally effective methods of karate’s most dangerous masters are revealed for the first time in a single spectacular book! Hirokazu Kanazawa, Fumio Demura, Morio Higaonna, Tak Kubota, Seiji Nishimura, and Kyoshi Yamazaki are only a few of the karate masters who make this book a complete guide to understanding and developing a working knowledge of the world’s most feared fighting art. Their knowledge is the fruit of experience, proven in the fires of combat and tempered with the single-minded goal of devastating efficiency! In addition to presenting numerous “how-to” techniques, each master reveals fascinating hidden aspects of karate-do, going back to the combat essentials developed in Okinawa, where unarmed peasants used the art of the “open hand” to defeat heavily-armed bandits and armored invaders! In this unique book, martial artists of all styles and ranks can learn the keys to timing and strategy, the important elements of bunkai and onyo bunkai, explosive and effective self-defense principles, and many other master-level concepts that will provide a different perspective on unarmed combat than anything seen or practiced before! Combat Karate is a must-have training aid for all those who wish to return to the true roots of karate and who desire to further their understanding of the practical applications of karate-do methods and techniques. Without a doubt, Combat Karate will provide a greater understanding of karate’s combat secrets and reveal its devastating fighting methods to the world!

This introduction to sport competition teaches you in detail how to use your potential and your technical skills to defeat your opponents in Karate competition. Master Miyake shows hundred of basic, intermediate, and advanced sparring combinations used by the great karate champions in the sport. This is the perfect guide to understand offensive and defensive tactics as used in elite competition, making it the most authoritative handbook of its kind about the subject of kumite. This book is for all students attempting to bridge the gap between Karate basics and winning tournament competition. It is heavily illustrated with sequential photographs of Miyake Sensei in action.

“SPIRIT TRAINING” is the sum of essential components of karate-do that direct the intensity and implementation of all physical activity. The calm, disciplined, everyday-spirit outlined in the Dojo Kun and 20 Precepts of Master Gichin Funakoshi, is meshed with the ever-aware, split- second, explosive, subconscious-directed actions that would nullify even the most ferocious animal. There is the peaceful spirit of disposition and conviction that Funakoshi stressed as the essence and necessity true karate-do. And there is Musashi’s “void,” the highest stage of karate-do described by Masatoshi Nakayama, where accumulated training is internalized to the extent that the martial artist can react with perfection, with no prior indication of danger, at any time or place. What all have in common is the dedicated and disciplined daily study of our conscious thought streams and subconscious mind, coupled with “internalized” karate skills... Or, the sum could be described as “Spirit Training.” Webster’s defines “spirit” as the “life-giving force,” or the “animating component, or stimulant.” All of that is inseparable from karate-do. I have always encouraged my students to make karate become part of their lifestyle. The “karate lifestyle” can support a healthy, disciplined, inquisitive and well-adjusted human being. It combines the strengths of character from traditional karate-ethics updated with the preparations for the rapidly growing complexities of today’s demands and challenges. Karate Spirit-Training supports strengths and fortifies weakness, stimulates growth and motivates. It is never old fashioned. In fact, its traditional elements are more usable, valuable, and relevant than ever. Used as a character-building, health and fitness, dependable source of positive energy and attitude development, it is incredibly empowering. If you are a good karate teacher, you are a lifelong learner; always the “beginner’s mind.” Spirit training is about learning the tangible and the intangible. The top of the iceberg is obvious, but the true strength of what we see lies beneath. That is where we can always look for more to make sense of what we think we see. Our insights and studies here are rather comprehensive, very meaningful and quite powerful. Like all martial art studies, we look wide and deep. We learn from everyone, everything, and every experience. This book reflects that empowering process. It is meant to be an insightful lens of all that is easily over-looked, and to see what is too often missed.

Drawing from his personal experience with legendary Karate masters, the author presents for the first time in martial arts literature a single volume providing hundreds of quotations from the greatest Karate masters in history. Divided into eight chapters for easier comprehension, this work will give you many insightful words of help and wisdom for your martial arts journey. A classic collection of inspiring knowledge in philosophy, tradition, training, combat, kata, and weaponry as taught and developed by masters like Gichin Funakoshi, Gogen Yamaguchi, Mas Oyama, Kenwa Mabuni, Masatoshi Nakayama, and other Karate legends. Let this book inspire and guide you in your martial arts training and life.

When Sir Michael Audley sees the beautiful Lucy Graham, he instantly falls in love. He marries her although she is only a governess, and all goes well until his nephew, barrister Robert Audley, starts to suspect that Lucy is hiding a terrible secret. In a plot that unfolds around a case of “accidental bigamy,” “Lady Audley’s Secret” is one of the most successful sensation novels of all time.

With the wisdom, curiosity and sharp insights that have brought thousands of readers to his “Karate Series”, the author looks at some of the world’s greatest Shito Ryu masters and inspiring leaders going through internal struggles and own limitations to finally build a strong inner character through the practice of the art of Karate-do. This volume includes a repertoire of exclusive interviews with legendary figures of the different branches of the Shito Ryu style such as the sons of the founder, Kenei Mabuni and Kenzo Mabuni, Shigeru Sawabe, Yashunari Ishimi, Shoko Sato, Genzo Iwata, Sadaaki Sakagami, Yuishi Negishi, Fumio Demura, Kunio Mu- rayama, and legendary masters like Ryusho Sakagami, Teruo Hayashi, Yoshimine Inoue and Yoshinao Nanbu, amongst many others. The many threads of traditional Shito Ryu karate technique, philosophy and tradition are woven together in this classic work. In this definitive book about the greatest Shito Ryu masters, old and new interviews have been gathered to present an integrated and complete view of the of the system developed by the late Grandmaster Kenwa Mabuni. This book contains intriguing thoughts, fascinating personal details, hid- den histories, and inspiring philosophies, as each master reveals his true love for the art and a deep understanding of every facet associated with the practice and spirit of Shito Ryu Karate-do as a way of life.

This vivid introduction to the physical, spiritual, and educational aspects of Karate explores the many facets of the art of the “empty-hand,” from the beginning stages to the advanced practitioner, used by the masters during practice and study. This is an invaluable learning and teaching resource for all students and practitioners of the art of Karate and its philosophy. Written by one of the leaders of Japanese Karate in the U.S., this book helps to define and spread knowledge about karate without compromising its intrinsic philosophies and spirit. This great series of lessons from Karate teachers and martial artist who have devoted their lives to instruction is a fascinating book that demands to be read more than once.

Karate master Tom Muzila, a direct student of the great Tsutomu Ohshima, presents for the first time a complete series analyzing the mental aspects of combat. This book is a through study of the theory and practice of the mental elements used by the great and legendary masters in Karate-do history. The author discusses in-depth many of the different psychological elements necessary for combat as used by the legendary Samurai warriors. This book is for all practitioners of martial arts and combat sports, like Thai Boxing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, and other mainstream arts who wish to tap into their mental resources and improve their level of performance in competition and fighting. It is a retrospective step back into the warrior's psychology, rediscovering the ancient ways of combat and applying it to modern day martial arts.

This insightful volume features legendary Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Sambo, and Wrestling masters presented for the first time in a single volume, and providing references and hundreds of quotations from the greatest grappling masters in history. Laid out in a clear and comprehensive format, this work offers many inspirational words of help and wisdom for grapplers and martial artists alike. It is a classic collection of knowledge in philosophy, tradition, and training as developed and revealed by masters like Helio Gracie, Gene LeBell, Randy Couture, Rickson Gracie, Oleg Taktarov, and many other legendary grapplers. Their words of wisdom will inspire and guide you to a better understanding of the world of grappling.

Karate is not only a means of self-defense; it is also a sport and philosophy, “a way of Life.” This book examines each of these aspects and explains why educators and parents are becoming interested in karate as an educational tool. This book draws on the vast knowledge and skill of one of the foremost Karate masters in the world, Randall Hassell. The author, through a series of chapters, focuses on different philosophical themes, explaining many of the fundamental principles and telling how Karate can change the lives of those who practice it—giving them health, self-confidence, and both physical and mental discipline. This book will be one of the more sought-after works in decades to come; it adds insight for those karate practitioners interested in the philosophies of Budo and how they apply to the art of the “empty hand.” It is a quiet but powerful work that is one of the best ever written about the philosophical aspects of Karate.