"Taekwondo Grappling Techniques" by Tony Kemerly and Steve Snyder. A Review

Taekwondo Grappling Techniques: Hone Your Competitive Edge for Mixed Martial Arts [DVD Included]Taekwondo Grappling Techniques: Hone Your Competitive Edge for Mixed Martial Arts [DVD Included] by Tony Kemerly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The upside to this book is that it draws out several combative and grappling aspects from various Taekwondo movements. The author demonstrates these maneuvers from twelve different katas, and translates them into throws, breaks, arms holds, chokes, and submission holds. The pictures and explanations are fairly easy to follow.

The downside is that the Jujitsu applications of the Taekwondo movements seems forced and artificial. There are several times when the moves translate easily from Taekwondo to Jujitsu. There are other times when the Taekwondo positions and sequences are clearly being stretched beyond their intended use. And finally a few of the throws or chokes are well outside of the initial flow.

In the end this book is about 50/50. A martial arts instructor could use it as a prompt to help make some sample applications to different steps in their kata instruction. But the instructor will have to be discerning and selective to find the ones that "feel" natural and follow simplicity.


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