Showing titles in Combat Sports & Self-Defense

Lost in the annals of boxing is the sport's true Cinderella story. James J. Braddock, dubbed "Cinderella Man" by Damon Runyon, was a once promising light heavyweight for whom a string of losses in the ring and a broken right hand happened to coincide with the Great Crash of 1929.

By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting - a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

World Champion boxer, national treasure, pantomime star, sidekick to Harry Carpenter, mental health campaigner. Frank Bruno is many different things to many different people. Now, in his own words, as he turns 60, Frank delivers the full, explosive story of his remarkable life so far. At times harrowing, at times hilarious, but always 100 percent honest, Frank Bruno: 60 Years a Fighter is the sporting memoir of the year which pulls no punches. In it, Frank opens up on his journey to becoming a World Champion and the fight which has come after retirement with mental ill health.

Joining a boxing gym is intimidating for beginners. Causing most people who have the desire to start boxing, to miss out on the mental and physical benefits that you gain from boxing—I want to stop this. I was once very lazy; I lacked discipline and was generally scared to try anything that looked difficult. You most likely find yourself in that position, but enough is enough; it is time to improve yourself.

Linking the time when karate was a strictly Okinawan art of self-defense shrouded in the deepest secrecy and the present day, when it has become a martial art practiced throughout the world, is Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Karate-do."

To become recognized in the boxing world, you have to sacrifice hours of hard work and give boxing everything. The golden rule of the sweet science is: The boxer who works the hardest, wins the fight. Unfortunately, you will reach a point where your punches don’t land anymore, your opponent can read every move you make, and your defense is easily broken down—making all your hard work ineffective. When you get outboxed over and over, you feel weak and it feels like you physically cannot get any better.

In the early 1990s, Tommy Morrison, a young roughneck from Jay, Oklahoma, burst onto the boxing scene to become one of the most controversial fighters of his era. Handsome, eloquent, and dynamic, Morrison parlayed destructive knockout power and a homespun personality into celebrity status throughout middle America, where boxing rarely prospered. But it was his starring role in Rocky V alongside Sylvester Stallone that propelled him to stardom—and ultimately led to his tragic downfall.

The reason you never heard these histories is so dark that few have dared to speak about it, until now. Completely new and meticulously researched, Tai Chi, Baguazhang and the Golden Elixir erases 120 years of confusion and error to reveal the specific theatrical and religious origins of Chinese internal martial arts.

Do you want to learn how to easily and effectively protect yourself, whatever your age, size, or skill? Discover Self Defense Made Simple from best-selling self-defense author Phil Pierce. It's your blueprint for smarter, easier, and more intuitive self-protection without the years of training or complicated lessons.

With a string of punishing victories and an undefeated record, the UFC has been left reeling, wondering where this MMA superstar came from. Coming from the independent state of Dagestan, Khabib has spent his whole life training for his career in MMA. From brutal training sessions in the mountains with his father to wrestling training starting at eight-years-old, Khabib’s style has been the result of a life devoted to one thing, becoming the most dominant MMA fighter on the planet.

It may be counterintuitive, but sparring or grappling with another human being has benefits far beyond the physical. Ancient traditional practitioners intuitively knew this, and current evidence-based research proves it. Bridging martial arts and modern psychology, The Mindful Warrior offers an overview of the principal mental aspects of martial arts training and a path toward a more balanced, body-mind experience.

Lenny McLean inspired fear in many, but respect from all, as he became a bare-knuckle fighting legend. His fame became even greater in later life, appearing in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels just as his autobiography was reaching the top of the bestsellers chart. Lenny's untimely death from cancer in 1998 marked the beginning of the end of the old Cockney way of life and interest in his story has only increased since his passing, inspiring documentaries as well as a feature film, My Name is Lenny.

Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon is a fascinating glimpse of the private Bruce Lee behind the public image—a man with the patience and concern to dedicate as much effort to crafting a thoughtful personal answer to the letter of a young fan as to those from his old friends and associates; an extremely active man never too busy to make time for an old family friend in need of simple companionship; a man who never wrote without careful thought, and never thought from the head alone, but always from the head and heart together.

In this inspiring rags-to-riches memoir, UFC star Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal reveals how he went from a poor son of immigrants on the streets of Florida to one of the most successful athletes in the world, and how you can use the same principles to achieve success in your life.

Barry J. Whyte examines the dangers of boxing’s 24-hour weigh-in by looking into the far-reaching consequences of a fight between Joey Gamache and Arturo Gatti in February 2000. He shines a light on a controversial system which allows boxers to ‘boil down’ for the weigh-in the day before the fight then pile the weight back on in the time left before stepping into the ring. He exposes the extreme physiological dangers both boxers are subject to under this flawed system.

Becoming a master in a particular area is not tied solely to innate ability or talent nor to years of rote practice. As martial arts master and consciousness explorer Peter Ralston explains, the secret to mastery lies in accurate perceptive-awareness and effective interaction. In this detailed guide to what it takes to master something, Ralston examines the powerful dynamics behind the art of mastery. He explores the foundational skills and operating principles that empower mastery, including the principle of effective interaction, the mind-body alignment principle, and creative intelligence.

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is considered by many to be the most effective martial art, and its popularity has only been heightened by its dominance in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena. But one little-known aspect of this potent self-defense system is its deep spiritual roots and meditative practices. In The Essence of Muay Thai, Nuakai Aru, a Muay Thai master and longtime practitioner of various other martial arts, offers a fascinating historical and philosophical view of Muay Thai—along with his personal insights and experiences on the path.

Continuing on the path of The Gift of Fear (Gavin deBecker) Spotting Danger Before It Spots You is geared towards the average citizen who at any moment could find themselves faced with a violent encounter but may lack the training needed to detect the situation early or react to it appropriately.

It's an old story—a fighter gains fame, drives fast cars, makes piles of cash, and dates beautiful women. Then comes the fall—booze, drugs, depression, poverty, illness. This dark narrative has been playing out for a hundred years. Doctors first identified "Punch Drunk Syndrome" in 1928. It later became known as "Dementia Pugilistica." Today, we call it CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). The secret history of this disease in boxing has never been fully told—until now.

Sambo consists of different elements that range from throws, holds, and movements that you should know. This audiobook helps you learn the basics that can help improve your self-defense skills. Additionally, it provides a basic understanding of Sambo and how it differs from other disciplines in martial arts. It also outlines the benefits and everything you want to know about this kind of martial art.