Essentials of Wado-Ryu Karate

by Chris Thompson

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0901764965
• ISBN13: 9780901764966
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Paul Crompton
• Length: 138 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Excellent book, well thought out and easy to follow

Written by one of the original karate practioners in England. Chris Thompson was a student of Tatsuo Suzuki and even met Hironori Ohtsuka, the founder of Wado ryu on several occasions. Both Suzuki and Ohtsuka encouraged Chris Thompson to further develop karate saying, "If it doesn't work, don't use it". It was Gichin Funakoshi, "the father of modern karate" and teacher of Hironori Ohtsuka, who altered Anko Itosu's Pinans to Heians. Hironori Ohtsuka's Pinans were adjusted by Kenwa Mabuni, inheritor of Anko Itosu & known as the library of kata. In this book the author states that he has researched kata with many different masters and styles in an attempt to bring the Pinans as close as possible to the Pinans of Itosu. I have seen the kata performed by several Okinawan 10th Dans and they are very similar indeed (given their advanced years). I don't know who the reviewers are, but the author is an internationally known and respected 7th Dan and also Technical Director of English Karate so I guess he knows what he is talking about.

I trained under this man

Having trained under Chris Thompson, I can say that the book is an accurate portrayal of good traditional wado ryu Karate. Washinkia karate is almost 100% wado ryu.

Good intro to Wado style

I have been involved in martial arts since 1971.I have a copy of the author's 1988 UK edition of "Essentials ..." (which has the same ISBN:0901764965). I was a novice to Wado Ryu/Kai and I found this book to be a useful reference. It was easy to follow, good photography, etc.The author had achieved 5th Dan when he wrote the UK edition and I understand his background to be impeccable (noting that the Wado style is very strong in UK).While visiting the US a few years ago, I bought another book written by the same author - "Kata and Kumite for Karate". Again I found this book a useful reference and written to a high standard.

very good intro book for people who know nothing about wado

the book was very esay to follow except that the most used or recpgnized froms were split between the front and the back of the book. Otsuka's forms should have been shown first in their entirerty