Top Ten Martial Arts Books

See below the list for the Top Ten bestselling martial arts books. This is not an alltime greatest top ten, this is a current top ten. You will notice a lot of attention being paid to Mixed Martial Arts right now, but you will still find some classics on this list.
In descending order:

10. Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: The Complete Edition
Originally a 4-volume series, the revised edition is a 21st Century revival of the classic work with digitally enhanced photography of Bruce Lee in his prime.

9. Fighter: The Ultimate Fighters of the UFC
A unique perspective of the UFC and its fighters, this book is filled with black & white photography showing the fighters away from the crowds, the competitors and the spotlights.

8. Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Meletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC
Look through the chain-link into the world of MMA and the UFC. Book focuses on Pat Meletich, a 6-time UFC champion, who currently runs the most famous MMA school in the world.

7. Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage
The making of a fighter, this book shows the unbelievable 10 year career of Randy Couture, who didn't get into the sport until age 33, and won titles in his first and last years as a competitor.

6. Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History
The story of Matt Hughes, from his days as a high school wrestler, through personal and competetive struggles & success, through a career with 9 championship belts.

5. Fedor: The Fighting System of the World's Undisputed King of MMA
This book shows striking and grappling techniques, descriptions and more than 2500 color photos, this is the fighting style of Fedor Emelianenko, undefeated heavyweight MMA champion.

4. The Book of Five Rings
For almost 400 years, Musashi's masterpiece has been a classic on Strategy, Leadership and Warrior Philisophy.

3. Tao of Jeed Kune Do
This international bestseller has sold over 236,000 copies. Bruce Lee's philosophy of Jeed Kune Do, in his original words, drawings and expression.

2. Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running
Of the 24 million runners in the US, 65% will have to stop at least once this year do to injury, but in this book ultraarathoner Danny Dreyer teaches techniques derived from yoga, Pilates & t'ai chi to heal and prevent injury.

1. Octagon
This book showcases the work of photographer Kevin Lynch as he captures before, during and after shots of UFC athletes as they step in and out of the ring. The look on the faces of these fighters tells it all.

Kusarigama: the Flashing Art of the Sickle Weapon

Kusarigama; The Flashing Art of the Sickle Weapon, is a hard-to-find book by Takashi Yamashita.

From the Preface: "My reasons for writing this book about the kusarigama are to correct some problems I see in the purity of this art, as well as to promote the weapon through safe and logical teaching methods. My hopes are to promote this weapon in the martial arts spirit of truth, understanding and brotherhood.

This book is 143 pages of illustrations and pictures that demonstrate martial arts techniques of using the kusarigama, or sickle, as a weapon against various means of attack, including sword, spear and hand combat.

Sampai Kenpo

Sampai Kenpo (Unique literary books of the world)

Kenpo, sometimes known as Kempo, is a Japanese term which means "the way or law of the fist". As a martial arts form, it originated in China and made its way to Japan shortly before the 1600's. In the 300 years following its appearance in Japan, the circular movements taught in the Shaolin Temple were abandoned and only the linear (straight line) movements remained.

Kenpo was brought to America by William K.S. Chow, then the tradition was carried on by Ed Parker.

The form of Kenpo discussed in this book was developed by a student of Parker, evolving to a style known as Sam-Pai Kenpo, or "three shields" Kenpo.



This book is 208 pages filled with illustrations and photos that demonstrate the martial arts techniques of American Kenpo Karate.

Karate Kinematics and Dynamics by Lester Ingber

Traditional Karate is primarily a striking art using kicking, punching, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques like knife-hands or ridge-hands.

The defining book that links the study of physics with the study of Karate is Lester Ingber's Karate Kinematics and Dynamics. Ingber was both a Karate Instructor as well as a PhD in Physics. The book is a 177 page study not just of the practice of Karate, but the physics behind the proper technique.

This karate book should be used in conjunction with qualified instruction at a karate school. It makes a good supplement to traditional karate lessons, since it is packed cover to cover with illustrations, photos, drills and excercises and karate moves you can use on your own to develop traditional karate skills, while developing an understanding of the physics behind the moves, the stances and the strikes.

The book pictured in this article is for sale on Amazon.com. See bottom of post for more photos: