Suggested Reading And Reference
Below contains a list of novels that the UKAI Directors and Senior Instructors have selected to help in guiding a karateka (practitioner of karate) in their training. A brief summary of the texts accompanies each book title and cover. Clicking the book title will bring you to the corresponding amazon page for each book with more detailed information about the contents. This is not a required list of novels/material that a karateka must absolutely have read in order to progress in rank. The books are listed alphabetically by title and not in order of importance or by any category.
by Masatoshi Nakayama
The Best Karate Series is the main reference book for executing correct Kata techniques. The Series includes 11 books. The fifth volume in the series covers all of the Heian and Tekki kata that a karateka will learn in the first few kyu ranks.
Vol. 1: Comprehensive
Vol.2: Fundamentals
Vol. 3: Kumite 1
Vol. 4: Kumite 2
Vol. 5: Heian, Tekki
Vol. 6: Bassai, Kanku
Vol. 7: Jitte, Hangetsu, Empi
Vol. 8: Gankaku, Jion
Vol. 9: Bassai Sho, Kanku Sho, Chinte
Vol. 10: Unsu, Sochin, Nijushiho
Vol. 11: Gojushiho Dai, Gojushiho Sho, Meikyo
by Miyamoto Musashi, Victor Harris (Translator)
"Translated by V. Harris. Japan's answer to the Harvard MBA...Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, the book has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen-or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics for outwitting the competition."
by Marc Tedeschi
"The essential text on the human body, as defined by Eastern and Western medicine. Comprehensive, easy to understand, and lavishly illustrated in full color. Specially designed for students, healing professionals, and martial artists."
by Gichin Funakoshi, Tsutomu Ohshima (Translator)
"Nineteen kata ("forms") of karate-the art of self-defense without weapons-are presented here in complete detail. They are the ones selected by the great master and teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, to give comprehensive training in Karate-do, the way of karate."
by Gichin Funakoshi
"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.""
by Gichin Funakoshi, Tsutomu Ohshima, John Teramoto (Translator), Tsutomu Oshimal
"Gichin Funakoshi is considered the father of modern karate. In the 1920s, he wrote the first of several classic karate texts, culminating his career with the publication of Karate-do Kyohan, which remains among the most important and influential works on karate today."
by Hidetaka Nishiyama, Richard C. Brown (Contributor)
"Karate: The Art of "Empty-Hand" Fighting has inspired hundreds of thousands of karateka, and it remains one of the finest texts available on the technique, art, and spirit of karatedo."
by Forrest E. Morgan
"A step-by-step approach to applying the Japanese warrior's mind set to martial training and daily life."
by Rory Miller
"Experienced martial artist and veteran correction officer Sgt. Rory Miller distills what he has learned from jailhouse brawls, tactical operations and ambushes to explore the differences between martial arts and the subject martial arts were designed to deal with: Violence."
by Bruce D. Clayton
"Beginning with a thorough historical analysis of its 19th-century origins, the lore behind the art of Shotokan karate is dissected in this revised handbook. Describing how this style was invented by the world’s only unarmed bodyguards in Okinawa, this account depicts the impossible odds these men endured in order to protect their king and avoid a costly bloodbath. Featuring five chapters of new material and a striking array of illustrations depicting the Heian katas, this overview demonstrates how each kata contains a precise lesson outlining the necessary skills to meet a specific threat."
by Norman Link & Lily Chou
"With detailed anatomical drawings, this book precisely illustrates the inner workings of your body during key martial arts moves. Its color drawings, helpful photos and clear text make it easy to identify the specific muscles you need to train for maximum speed, power and accuracy. More than just an anatomy book, each section is accompanied by exercises and stretches to strengthen muscles, prevent injury and improve form."
by Sun Tzu, Samuel B. Griffith (Introduction)
"Like Machiavelli's The Prince and the Japanese Book of Five Rings, Sun Tzu's The Art of War is as timely for business people today as it was for military strategists in ancient China. Written in China more than 2,000 years ago, Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War is the first known study of the planning and conduct of military operations. These terse, aphoristic essays are unsurpassed in comprehensiveness and depth of understanding, examining not only battlefield maneuvers, but also relevant economic, political, and psychological factors. Indeed, the precepts outlined by Sun Tzu regularly applied outside the realm of military theory."
by Gavin de Becker
"Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including...how to act when approached by a stranger...when you should fear someone close to you...what to do if you are being stalked...how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls...the biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person...and more. Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. It might just save your life."