Master the techniques and theory of Japanese Karate with this easy-to-follow, illustrated martial arts guide.

Karate: The Art of “Empty-Hand” Fighting has inspired hundreds of thousands of karateka, and it remains one of the finest texts available on the technique, art, and spirit of karatedo.

This definitive volume is a systematic presentation of the art of traditional Japanese karate. An easily accessible martial arts manual illustrated with more than 1,000 photographs, this comprehensive karate book gives step-by-step explanations and thorough analysis of all the basic movements and techniques of karate.

Topics of Karate the Art of “Empty-Hand” Fighting” include:

• The history of Karate
• The theories and principle of Karate
• The best training and exercise methods
• Karate techniques like stance, blocking and attacks
• Defences against weapons

Product description

Francis P Houlston
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Stars
18 April 2018
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Old book but covers the subject well

Thomas Macmillan
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well illustrated!!
22 March 2015
Format: eBook Verified Purchase
Good book!!

S J Buck
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Karate for the karateka
15 October 2012
Format: ePub Verified Purchase
Originally published in 1960, this book covers all the techniques that a serious Karateka student will need to know. From basic principles, through warm-ups and stretching, stances and posture to striking and blocking techniques. It also covers the use of Karate in self-defence, and briefly discusses equipment such as punch bags etc. The black and white photographs are superb, and are helped by having Senseis Kanazawa and Okazaki in them.

There are two points that I think potential purchasers should be made aware of. Firstly this book does not discuss Kata at all. Secondly although it has a chapter on self-defence, this is not a book to buy if that is your main area of interest.

Those two small caveats aside, this is superbly produced book, which I recommend.
3 people found this helpful

Raimondas Vilkocinskas
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very used and smelled:
4 May 2015
Format: ePub Verified Purchase
Very used and smelled:)
One person found this helpful

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Michael Philliber
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Solid
11 October 2016 – Published on books-for-everyone.com
Format: ePub Verified Purchase
Originally published in 1960 (republished in 1990) “Karate: The Art of “Empty-Hand” Fighting” is an early, straightforward “how-to” book of principles of Karate. It covers a short history of Karate; lays out a weekly work-out and training schedule; explains the various punches, strikes, blocks and kicks along with their applications; shows samples of techniques in combination; various defensive moves from the floor, in a chair, and other venues; and walks the karateka through the heian number 4 kata.

It becomes quickly obvious that the material was pulled together long before Karate became commercialized in the West. All of the pictures are in clear, black and white photos. Sparring only takes up one short chapter and pictures the contestants without any protective gear. The main focus of the book is on learning the proper way to perform strikes, punches, blocks and kicks, and their martial applications. The explanations that accompany each chapter and every picture are sensible and lucid.

Karate The Art of Empty Hand Fighting

“Karate” is a basic, but useful volume. It will help the practitioner to have a sense of groundedness to one branch of the martial arts before the sports aspect took over. This would make a solid addition to any martial artists library. I highly recommend the book.
5 people found this helpful

Mr. V. Lee
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nishiyama Sensei’s eBook – classic
5 March 2010 – Published on books-for-everyone.com
Format: ePub Verified Purchase
Nishiyama sensei was 9th Dan black belt when he passed away in recent years. He is Kancho Kanazawa’s senior by the way. One of my university club black belts say his sensei says it was the only time he saw Kancho bow to a sensei regarding as a senior 🙂

Aside from that, Kancho once was not greeted by the attention and Rei/bow of the students in a club in Cork. Kancho proceeded to have them all sit in seiza and lecture them for the whole two hour seminar on Rei, respect, and reasons for it. What a fun story, one my instructor is fond of from hearing from his senseis.

Back to the book. Can I compare this to Nakayama sensei’s book? Well, they are similar in ways, but also equally inspiring. It covers the basic foundations of karate syllabus, albeit with the energy of a metal cut lean karate-ka in his prime. The Bruce Lee-like body we sometimes associate with Kanazawa’s youth is shown here in Nishiyama’s equal zeal for perfecting the body. Actually a young Kanazawa features in may of the photos 🙂

Further into the book it covers various kumite techniques from basic, to freestyle, and these are a little different from what I saw in Kancho Kanazawa’s “Karate Fighting Techniques” book, which is pretty much the whole SKIF syllabus bar the 25 or 26 Kata. Worth investing in for the variaion.

Karate The Art of Empty Hand Fighting

Some may find it outdated for its references to women for taking karate to “improve their figures” but hey, I truly advocate that (add a little blush here and fond memories of getting own butt kicked). Or its small finishing sections in the back on self defense, knife defense, pistol defense, club defense. But hey, that was the way it may have been taught in the days when karate was first big in Japanese Universities.
Any Karate-ka must have this in their collection, if not to be inspired for training, but to aspire to be like them.
One person found this helpful

Joseph Keating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Karate the Art of “Empty-Hand Fighting
7 July 2011 – Published on books-for-everyone.com
Format: eBook Verified Purchase
If you can only get one book on Karate(Empty hand) this is it! I studied Shotokan Karate from 1986 and continue to practice. I really wish I would have had this book when I started, it’s the very best reference book I know of for Karate. They brake down every move in clear easy to follow photographs. This book shows every move in the system and some your school has lost and or doesn’t teach. Striking points, vital points, stance, hand techniques, foot techniques, sparring, and throwing techniques, they are all in here. Just remember you need to start out with a good Instructor, a book can never replace the Instructor. Without ever having an instructor somethings might not be understood or be misinterpreted. I also remember my sensai(Teacher) wouldn’t like you doing anything until he taught it, as he would say “It’s hard to erase bad training”, “You have to work extra hard to erase bad training and habits”. I think he would just give me a hard time because I studied Kodokan Judo first…. All kidding aside I highly recommend this book.
4 people found this helpful

AVINASH DAL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good book for beginners and middle level students
19 February 2014 – Published on books-for-everyone.com
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This book has given a lot on basic techniques. This is very important for initial students as well as clearing the fundamentals in middle level students. It may not be attractive to Karateka with black belt or with advanced training but one must remember that, in life as well as Karate, basics are most important.

The focus on Kata training is probably not highlighted but the details given for Kihon training are good and need to be practiced as described by the author. If, what is given in the book, is practised sincerely even by advanced students, it may be a good refresher course especially for some who may be practising after a gap.

Karate The Art of Empty Hand Fighting

I would therefore recommend the book for students of Kyu 9 to 4 and I think it could be prescribed as a standard textbook for the students of Karatedo
5 people found this helpful

JOHN M FUNG
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Karate The Art of “Empty Hand” Fighting
30 July 2012 – Published on books-for-everyone.com
ePub Verified Purchase
I am happy to say that my order was processed & shipped in a timely manner. This book was a hard to find item, published in 1960, and I purchased one as a gift for my friend, who was my Shotokan Karate instructor, and one for myself. Back in the early 60’s, this book was considered to be the ‘Bible’ for anyone training in the Shotokan style of Karate in the United States, and Hidetaka Nishiyama & Richard C. Brown put together an excellent textbook on the subject. When my friend/former instructor received this gift book, he sent me an email saying how ‘elated’ he was. Obviously, both of us no longer had the orignal books that we purchased back in the early 60’s. It was a relatively inexpensive way to give my friend a gift that he considered as being priceless. And, both books – although used – were in very good condition with no personal writing, highlighting marks, or torn/damaged pages. A five-star experience for me.