Hideyuki Ashihara

Contents

Preface
1 The basics
Stances
Targets and techniques: strike at vital spots-select the most effective techniques
2 Punches:Put the weight of the entire body behind the punch.
Straight: Aim from along the center line of the body.
Hook & upper: Slip around the opponent's guard and stike!!
Roundhuyse punch: Swing around wide to strike from the side.
Elbow strike: Thrust, pivot, strike down-your elbow is a weapon.
3 Kicks: Kick with both legs, use the whole body.
Roundhouse kick: Lead with the knee, strike like a whip.
Roundhouse kick: Spring and bend in the kicking leg.
Impact!
Front kick: Kick with both legs, bore straight through!
Side kick (+ back kick): Pull in, and lash out!
Back roundhuse kick: First master the roundhouse kick!
Knee-strike: Attack and defense all in one.
4 Distance
Judging distance: Read your opponent's moves!
Footwork: Step in to close distance-step out to evade attack: move your feet!
Defensive footwork: a punch can't hurt if it doesn't reach.
Offensive footwork: 'dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee'
5 Blocking: In-fighting.
Blocks: Blocks can also be attacks.
Outside block: Fending off attacks from the right.
Lower arm parry: Defending against attacks from the left.
Roundhouse block: Sweep and shatter.
High block: Aim for the follow-through.
6 Real fight techniques
Combinations: What do we mean by combination?
Stopping: Blocking in the combination.
Stopping: Stop your opponent's kick before it starts!
Leg-hook: Draw him in -and dump him!
Combined attack and defense: Use the pendulum principle.
Variations: Speed and timing can only be learned through practice.
More about combinations: Attack and defense in one.
Close combinations: Outside block against a punch into a knee-strike.
Close combinations: Low parry, then punch, low kick.
Close combinations: From a double block.
Middle combinations: From a stopping kick to a right roundhouse kick.
Middle combinations: From a leg-hook to round-house kick, elbow-stirke, or knee-strike.
Middle combinations: From a high block or low kick parry.
Middle combinations: Combnations for use in real fights.
Long combinations: From the step back.
Throws/finish-offs/coups de grace.
Ashihara's karate adages: Sure ways to overcome a slump.
7 Fight control
What is "fight control"? Don't punch it out-control!
Punch-conrol technique 1 How to handle a straight right.
Punch-control technique 2: How to handle a high lift.
Sequential punches-control technique 3: How to handle a one-two.
Right front kick-control technique 4: Stepping away from the kick-I
Right front kick-control technique 5: Stepping away from the kick-II
Right front kick-control technique 6: Side-stepping the kick.
Left front kick-control technique 7: Parrying the kick.
Roundhouse kick-control technique 8: Use footwork to evade a right high kick.
Roundhouse kick-left high kick; control technique 9: With a left high kick, use a high block.
Roundhouse kick-switch-kick: control technique 10: Against a switch-over from front kick to roundhouse kick.
Roundhouse kick-right middle kick: Control technique 11: Meeting a right middle kick; from the knee-block.
Roundhouse kick-right low kick: control technique 12: Against a right low kick (triangle or front kick).
Roundhouse kick-right low kick; control technique 13: Using a knee-block against a right low kick.
Roundhouse kick-right low kick; control technique 14: Using a stopping kick against a kright low kick.
Roundhouse kick-right low kick; control technique 15: Using a stopping kick or hook against a low left kick.
Back roundhouse kick-control techniques 16: Using footwork against a back roundhouse kick.
The southpaw stance-conrol technique 17.
Comebacks-control technique 18, 19, 20: What to do when your oppinent counters-I, II, III
Common mistakes: fighting checklist.
Ashihara's karate kata for rael fighting.
Basic kata: punches/kicks.
Kata variation: punches/kicks.
Self-protection.
Street fighting-3 opponents.
Stretching.
Power build-up.
Afterword… (altro)

Ashihara's Fighting Karate has its roots in Oyama's Kyokushin Karate. Though Kyokushin style emphasizes on power and body conditioning, Ashihara refined the technical aspects of the art tremendously. Packed with abundant step-by-step photos and clear instructions, this is the best textbook on full-contact karate for beginners and veterans alike. The same is to be said of Ashihara's subsequent book, More Fighting Karate.

There is a great Karate book. If you practice full contact Karate you should purchase that book.
Over than 1000 detailed photos and diagrams, clearly showing how to perform in the best way, effective fighting techniques.
Get your copy right way!

Don't be put off by the cover price, this book is extremely detailed and covers all aspects of real-life fighting techniques for competition or use on the street. Originally published in Japan in 1983 (6th printing 1994), it's well worth the price for its extremely comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on everything from basic stretching techniques to delivering power-packed punches and kicks and realistic lessons on distance, blocking, practical fighting techniques and effective fight control tactics. A tremendous source of realistic, practical, proven fighting lessons and tips presented in very learnable, digestible sections. A must for the personal library of any serious martial artist who trains for tournament success

More Fighting Karate
Ashihara has done a good job in marrying Japanese hard style karate with boxing. This sequel to Fighting Karate is a great reference book on the Ashihara style. Well laid out with great photographs and clean writing, it gives the reader a catalog of techniques, with a detailed explanation of each technique and its practical usage. It works well for those who want a thorough discussion of how to do a technique and why you'd want to. Although I disagree with some of the ideas from bio-mechanical and application standpoints, the book is well thought out and presents cogent reasoning for its approach. (Note: Some years ago, I visited Mr. Ashihara's school in Tokyo and found his students to have great fighting spirit and aggressive technique. His two books are the reason I took time to stop by.)-J. Conley

Contents

1 Introduction
Introduction-why anyone can learn Ashihara karate
Techniques and targets
Stepwork and the four motions
Positioning
Distance and judging
2 Ashihara karate-from basics to ral fighting
Why the practice of basics is essential
Ashihara karate training program
Stances
Pigeon-toe stance, front stance, horseback stance
Fighting stance: spring and tension
3 Punches
Middle straight punch
Upper straight punch
Straight to the chin/use of the straight punch
Footwork and punching
Backhand to the face
Backhand right and left to the face/to the spleen
Roundhouse punch
Close punch
Elbow punch
Hook/uppercut
Combination punches
4 Blocks
High block
Middle/high outside block
Inside block
Low parry
Hand blocks: common mistake
Inside low parry
Roundhouse
5 Kicks
Front high kick
Knee strike
Knee block
Groin kick
Front kick (triangle kick)
Roundhouse kick
High roundhouse kick
Low roundhouse kick
Side high kick
Side kick
Joint kick
Side kick/joint kick/back kick
Side kick/joint kick-application
Side kick/jjointkick
Leg hook
Stopping
Circular reverse-punch
Reverse punches from blocks
Front parry
Step and punch/kick
Throws
Combinations
Fight control
6 Ashihara karate control technique kata
What is 'control technique'?
Beginners' kata
Basic kata
Throwing kata
Fighting kata
7 Self-defense techniques
Protection through timing
Outside block
Inside block/low parry
Joint kick
Footwork/turning
Front parry/if attacked when sitting
Self-defense in a limited space
8 Afterword-'In pursuit of karate excellence'
List of useful addresses… (altro)