Combat Fitness for the Elite Female Martial Artist

by Martina Sprague

Teaches women how to toughen up and become effective martial artists and defenders of self and others. Written specifically for women, this book focuses on how women can gain respect as martial... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1930546815
• ISBN13: 9781930546813
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Wish Publishing
• Length: 222 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.4" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

A fantastic resource for female martial artists as well as males who teach them!

Despite the fact that many women participate, martial arts tend to be predominantly male oriented. To state the obvious, men and women are different. The challenge is that they are often treated identically, particularly in the dojo where martial artists are all considered practitioners regardless of gender. That can be good (e.g., consistent requirements and ranking standards), but only to a point. Since there are very real differences in the way that men and women learn, process information, and perform physical skills, it only makes sense that their training is tailored for each gender in ways that facilitate rapid progress for everyone. Unfortunately there are very few resources available that help folks understand the unique challenges that female martial artists face. This is a great one! It is only a couple hundred pages long yet it is amazingly holistic and content rich. This book is a fantastic resource for not only female martial artists but also for males, like myself, who teach them. Information is organized into 15 chapters which include muster (e.g., getting started/introduction), physical strength and stamina (e.g., exercises, fitness), hard hitting and strong grappling (e.g., technique, range, realism/physical contact), winning matters (e.g., "first" mindset, playing rough, indomitable spirit), pressing the attack (e.g., dominance, control, relentlessness), force and single strike damage (e.g., targeting, speed, power, precision), force escalation (e.g., primary and secondary techniques, plan "b"), the bodyweight challenge (e.g., body mechanics fundamentals), controlling and counterattack (e.g., distance, timing, pain compliance, takedowns/throws), failure (e.g., takedowns, defense, visualization), pain (e.g., as a motivator, psychological, physical), gross vs. fine motor skills (e.g., response time, fear, aggression), fight or flight (e.g., fighting vs. survival, how far you should go), finishing the fight (e.g., force continuum, attacking, waiting, finishing), exit strategy, and final thoughts (e.g., conclusion). This book goes beyond mere technique. It helps you both mentally and physically, ensuring that you can develop fighting skills that will stand you in good stead both on the street and in the tournament ring. Highly recommended! Lawrence Kane Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

A welcome addition to any personal, professional, or dojo Martial Arts reference collection

Martial arts training for women must take into consideration their physiological differences from men including being an average of 20% smaller than men, have less upper body strength, and often must overcome social conditioning afforded women that can have an inhibiting influence on their engaging in physical combat. A welcome addition to any personal, professional, or dojo Martial Arts reference collection, "Combat Fitness For The Elite Female Martial Artist" focuses specifically on the martial arts training needs of women needing to deal with real life situations requiring them to protect themselves and their loved ones from physical attack. Martial art expert Marrina Sprague draws upon her many years of experience and expertise (having achieved Black Belt status in Kenpo karate, kickboxing, and street freestyle fighting) to take women through a rigorous and effective step-by-step instruction process to develop their physical strength and stamina, hit hard and grip strong, acquire a winning attitude, press their attack against an opponent or adversary, and control counterattacks. Of special note are the chapters devoted to diverse kinds of failure, pain, gross vs. fine motor skills, 'fight or flight', finishing a fight, and exit strategies. Women wanting to train themselves to be able to defend themselves in all manner of situations and wherever they may arise, should give Martina Sprague's "Combat Fitness For The Elite Female Martial Artist" a careful reading.