Liang,
Shou-Yu and Tai D. Ngo.
Yang's Martial Arts, $19.95
This
newest book from Yang's Martial Arts surveys the recently
popular art of Shuai Jiao (Grappling). A good basic primer.
Since the popularity of Ultimate Fighting Championships grappling
arts have gotten a much needed boost in interest. Now everyone's
hopping into the ring. The great advantage of this book is
its simple organization of throws. The great disadvantage
is its lack of emphasis on the interactive aspects
of grappling.
One
might say, "Oh, it's only an introduction". But
our field is plagued by just that: too many primers and not
enough texts. Like many of the books from Yang's the information
is therebut the regret is for an opportunity lost. While it's
probably good business to produce more basic primers there
are entire aspects of strategy, theory and history that are
too often overlooked.
If
one has martial training and surveys this text the necessary
question arises, what makes this different from all other
styles of grappling? A good book more as a "sampler"
than a text.
