Rules of Combat
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| The Cover of Rules of Combat |
Vince Morris was kind enough to send me this book. When I pulled it out of the package I thought, "Great Scott! The man sent me a cookbook." But that was not quite right, not by a long shot. Although this book is not beautiful to look at, although it is not printed on mega-thick double bond paper, although some of the formatting and editing is not the strongest, although this book has a coil spine (thus the cookbook thought!), you must get this book.
I am very serious. This book is the book that should have been available years ago, and should have been made by the JKA pioneers when they were the only captains on board the good ship Shotokan. But they blew it. Whether it was the incredibly safe environment that the Japanese were able to develop after the Second World War, or the academic collegiate types of karate instructors that never had to experience the "school of hard knocks" on the street, it is hard to say exactly why so many Shotokan luminaries seemed to drop the ball when it comes to self-defense technique and instructing students in how they need to approach violent conflict that may occur outside the tournament mat.
Nakayama-Sensei developed the so called "Practical Karate Series", and we learned pretty quick that it is not really so "practical" after all. This book by Vince Morris is much more so. This book is absolutely brutal in its approach to the subject matter, and rightly so. This book is not about how to make pretty kata. This book is not about how to properly identify the exact muscles and ligaments that are used in a text-book neko-ashi-dachi. This book deals with the profoundly serious matter of what one must do to survive a life-or-death situation with people who are crazy, evil, or who simply just want to kill you.
After the terrorist attacks on New York city, people realized, horribly, just how vulnerable we really are to monsters who have absolutely zero regard for human life. These terrorists killed innocent people: mothers, fathers, old people, children. For nothing. For pleasure? For their own bizarre and grotesque version of how the world should be? It really doesn't matter. We really don't have to "understand" them. We just need to know that they are intent on killing us or other innocents, that they will never stop until they are dead.
We really need to be prepared in both body and mind to respond to these kinds of people.
Maybe the idea of a real life Jihad-wingnut-terrorist is too far for your imagination. Fair enough. How about a robber breaking into your home who is high on drugs? How about a large drunk guy that tries to rape a woman in a car park? How about a couple punk kids that want to rob you in an alley, and stab you with a knife just for kicks?
That is the stuff we read about in the newspapers all the time. And this is the very element of the world, the world we just don't really want to look square in the eye, that Vince Morris targets in this book. I have oft lamented the fact that there is little available for karate students and teachers that can be used for self-defense purposes. This is good stuff. Now I want to read more of what Vince Morris has to offer.
Vince Morris is amply qualified to write such a book. At least the hundreds and hundreds of police officers that he has personally trained seem to think so. Cops have to wrangle with bad guys all the time, and there is enough material in this book, as well as accounts from real police officers in terrifying situations, to justify the purchase price. This book is a steal anyway, so you should order it pronto.
If I have any criticism of this book it would be that the writing style needs some polish. As a language instructor, and someone who makes my way in this world teaching English, I think that it is a fair assessment to say that this book needed better editorial eyes. But then again, the rawness of the book has a certain appeal as well.
Just don't let the style of writing get in the way of you picking up this book. The subject matter, and approach to personal safety, as well as the application of karate to real self-defense is too important. Also, don't let the style of writing make you think that Vince Morris is not a clever duck. The man is tremendously well read. And the material he cites and explores, is done in a very erudite manner.
So if I have any real gripe about this book it is that it is just too short. Here is hoping that Vince Morris will do more work like this. In the meantime, I am going to check out his site to see what else he has to offer. So far, from my limited contact with the man, he seems to have quite a bit to contribute to real karate training and real self defense preparation.
This book is highly recommended.
Go here to read more!: www.kissakikarate.com
Mark Groenewold
Kanazawa, Japan
February, 2004
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