Book Review: Practical Karate 2:
Defense Against an Unarmed Assailant

The Cover of Practical Karate 2: Defense Against an Unarmed Assailant

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Authors: M. Nakayama and Donn F. Draeger

Reviewer: Mark Groenewold

The second volume in this six volume set, this is an excellent book. Divided simply into two chapters (Chapter One: Frontal Attacks and Chapter Two: Rear Attacks) this text outlines some of the basic brute-force tactics used in “real” situations. This text has brilliant examples of how to respond to physical attack. But, and this is an absolutely critical point, in order to make this information really “work” you must work with a partner. So often our karate education consists of a lot of work in isolation of others. Karate cannot be this way in its entirety. Of course we need to master fundamentals, but we also need to be able to use such knowledge against those who would do us harm.

Master Nakayama begins his text with this very advice. Use a partner. Train in different places. Frequent practice is important. Reverse the attacks and train on both sides (right and left). Excellent advice, and if your teacher is in sync with page 13 of this book, you have a winner. Please give sensei a big hug, and a bag of snacks.

Some of these attacks can be somewhat categorized into attacks on women and attacks on men. In many cases, for example, it may be unlikely for a man to grab the wrist of another man when meaning to do him harm, but will tend more to do so with a woman in the hopes of isolating her from other people, perhaps dragging her off someplace. Pages 15-38 of this book spend a lot of time and description outlining the different kinds of wrist-grabs. They need to all be practiced with the women in your dojo, as different responses are needed to different grabs. One thing that needs some caution, and that is that sometimes stepping into the assailant in order to get freed is not the best option when there is a large weight difference between assailant and defender. Look carefully at the examples and experiment with a partner. You may get some bruised wrists as you squirm and break out of these holds, but practice you should, so practice you must.

Pages 38-41 illustrate some of the most effective and vicious elbow techniques. All of these will certainly get you disqualified in a tournament, so you should pay special attention in learning how to use them for real.

Pages 48-49, however, show technique that I would not care to use should I have to defend myself against an assailant. In these pages, Master Nakayama shows how to use a spear hand to deflect an assailant trying to punch you or grab your lapels. Spear-hand techniques are extremely advanced and should be reserved for karate masters only. For the less experienced it is an excellent way to break your fingers and stop you from further defending yourself. Don't do the spear-hand. Instead, just knock his block off, punch to the throat, step in and use a high elbow, head-butt the guy, just don't break your fingers.

Elsewhere in the Frontal Attacks chapter, Master Nakayama also demonstrates defensive moves against assailants who might attack you while you are sitting on a chair. I like this. I like this a lot. In some other karate books, self defense techniques while seated usually depict one man sitting in seiza on tatami mats while another man, also sitting in seiza facing him, lunges forward. I can't imagine what situation would bring this self-defense response about. Did these two men start quarreling while arguing about the placement of stones in the zen garden? Did they have a disagreement about a haiku? Was the green tea too hot? Why I oughtta clobber you Kenji-san! This green tea is terrible! Where are my sweet bean cakes?? Sheesh! That is a far cry from two guys in a restaurant or bar starting to brawl!

The Rear Attacks Chapter of this text has many excellent demonstrations and illustrations. More scenes where elbow responses are used (My favorite! Or did I mention that already?) Attacks are used both outside, with room to move around, and seated "victims" as well. Everything is very good, with the exception of using the "middle knuckle" punch while fighting off a full-nelson attack. Yes, this fist is very hard and strong with a man who knows karate and has strong hands. But for someone who is a "typical" victim, and weighing much less than an assailant, usual fists should work just fine when combined with weight shifting and heel stomping. Keeping your responses simple is very important when trying to survive a physical attack.

If you do not have this book, please buy it. If you already have it, please blow the dust off the top and check it out again. If your teacher is not teaching you this stuff, please bring the book to class and ask him to show you how to do it, or at least be willing to learn with you. This is important stuff, and who knows, it might just save your life.

Mark Groenewold
Ishikawa-ken, Japan
March 2002

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