Antonio Cuevas

Martial Arts Are Not Just for Kicking Butt brings together the best of North Atlantic Books' martial arts writings with several special features, including an ode to the late aikido master, Terry Dobson, and an illustrated lesson on 'hard' and 'soft' systems. Provocative and humorous, this collection looks at a variety of martial discipliines-from the East as well as the West-and asks some intriguing questions about the fighting arts: What does it take to be an amateur female boxer? When is cowardice a martial art? Is Bruce Lee's style hype or a free form for the future? From Japan to Brazil, and from the U.S. to the Philippines, the editors navigate an odyssey that portrays the legends and systems of the warring arts, exploring the history, philosophy, music power, and techniques for kicking butt and for keeping the peace.

Among the martial arts presented are:

Capoeira, Aikido , Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Escrima, iaijutsu, T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Among the contributors featured are:

George Plimpton, editior of The Paris Review, author of Truman Capote

Bruce Thomas, bass guitarist for Elvis Costello and the Attractions, session musician for The Pretenders, Madness, and Paul McCartney

Bira Almeida, founder and first president of the World Capoeira Association

Carol A. Wiley, second degree black belt in tae kwon do and aikido, editor of Women in the Martial Arts

John F. Gilbey, aka Robert Smith, legendary historian on the martial arts of the world, author of Western Boxing and World Wrestling

Contents

Introduction
Part I
Jinseikan: Iaijutsu philosophy by Masayuki Shimabukuro and Leanard J. Pellman
...if our goal is merely to kill people, we can simply purchase a gun, rather than invest years of training.

'I had heard somewhere that Muhammad Ali...' by George Plimpton
Ali called his bus Big Red, which was one of Malcomlm X's nicknames, but the bus was more likely named for its gaudy circus-wagon color.

The Roots of Combat
Bruce Thomas
'If there were people with four arms and four legs,' said Bruce, 'then there would be another way of fighting.'

From Fatso to Breakfalls: Learning to accept my body by Carol A. Wiley
A breakfall is like a half-flip, a rool withiout any contact with themat. I never thought my body could fly through the air like that.

Joge Bonito: A brief anatomy of capoeira by Ben Downing
Many players are immaculately sculpted, a pleasure just to watch

Master of Applied Cowardice by John F. Gilbey
Most of the time, we just run. That is our art.

Intermission
External and Internal by Ron Sieh

Part II

Are Women the Weaker Sex? by Rene Denfeld
Even in the heat of battle-how curioius, that tempestuous terms for what turns out to be so quiet, almost peaceful-I noticed little tings: hiis eyelashes, the shadow b the cusp of his nose.

T'ai Chi Tales by Richard Grossinger
As I resisted, he gave a ight slap to my face, forcing me to respond upward with my ward-off.

Filipino Fighting Arts by Jeff Finder
The magnificent and efficient fighting arts of the south seas have finally been let ut of the proverbial bag to take their place on the world stage....

Jogo de capoeira: In Motion by Bira Almeida
They must learn to play capoeria from the inside out, with their hearts.

Terry Dobson Yawns in Slumber by Riki Moss
In sunny California, his dark side was standing out like a contagious disease.

The Invitation by Richard Heckler
'How would you like to teach aikido to the Green berets?' 'Yeah, sure. And how would you like to teach bowling to the Hell's Angels?'

About teh Contributors… (meer)