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"On the surface, training to face 30 fighters, each one fresh, one after the other, in full contact combat might be viewed as a purely physical endeavour. Indeed most, if not all, who set out on this incredible journey view it this way, at least at first. It's also true that some complete the task simply on a physical level. However, the greater benefits of this unique test are readily available to those who choose to fully accept the challenge and immerse themselves totally in the task. Goran Powell is one such fighter and in this book, he has openly and skillfully articulated what others may have felt, but were unable to put into words." --Gavin Mulholland
Don't let the cartoonish cover fool you, this tome is as serious and substantative as any martial arts book that I have ever read, and I've read hundreds. It retells the author's pinnacle karate achievement, completing a 30-man kumite during which he successfully fought against 30 progressively skillful opponents in consecutive full contact bouts.
Despite the fact that this feat is rarely undertaken, let alone pulled off, by even master martial artists, I found that the accomplishment is far less important for the reader than the way in which he got there.
His martial training began as a child with judo where he learned the fundamentals of fitness, balance, timing, and attitude. As a young man he switched to Kyokushinkai karate, taking on a full contact style that demonstrated the benefits of disciplined training and a strong spirit. Later on, tae kwon do taught him to relax, conserve energy, and flow with his techniques. Switching back to Goju Ryu karate he refined his posture and balance, learned the value of kata, and developed a refined sense of awareness. The sum of these experiences helped him develop the quintessential martial virtue, an indomitable spirit necessary to take on and overcome nearly any challenge, even the brutal 30-man kumite. He compares this spirit to a pilot light. No matter how battered and beaten you may become, with the right mental attitude your pilot light can still burn brightly. No opponent can never reach in and blow it out.
The author's journey is one in which we can find great wisdom, information that all martial artists should know regardless of the length of their experience, the style they practice, or whether or not they ever intend to compete in full contact events. He makes full use of his formidable writing skills and martial knowledge, aptly demonstrating how he learned and grew through various trials and tribulations in a way that is entertaining, easy to read, and, thankfully, never self-aggrandizing or preachy. He demonstrates how he discovered the secrets of quickness and power, patience and perseverance, body mechanics and technique, in a way that anyone can truly appreciate, relate to, and learn from. Very highly recommended. --Lawrence Kane
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring and thought-provoking,
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This review is from: Waking Dragons: A Martial Artist Faces His Ultimate Test (Paperback)
Goran Powell combines insight and authority born of years of experience with a down-to-earth and humorous style. I know there have been some reviews of this book by people who have themselves performed the Thirty Man Kumite - this is from the other end of the spectrum, from someone just a couple of years into that journey. The parts of the book I appreciated most were the reflections on how we learn - how periods of struggling with an idea, or drilling something without feeling comfortable with it, are interspersed with moments of enlightenment when it suddenly makes sense - and on the nature of fear.
Goran describes the fear he encountered at various points in his training, and explains how he accepted it and harnessed it as a positive force - with some interesting thoughts on how professional fighters have dealt with the same problem. The book isn't just about the build-up to the ultimate challenge (after all, for most of his martial arts career he didn't know he would one day do the Thirty Man) but about all the challenges along the way, and that's something anyone can learn from whatever the specific nature of the challenges they face.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An "honest" martial arts book,
By
This review is from: Waking Dragons: A Martial Artist Faces His Ultimate Test (Paperback)
I have been an avid collector of martial art books for many years and there are not too many that I would recommend. However, in my opinion, Goran Powell's work should be in every martial artist's library. This is not a "how-to-do-it" book, but a how to "feel" it one. Mr. Powell has pulled no punches with his honest appraisal of what some martial artists go through. His truthful approach has shown him to possess the martial virtue of humility. Well done!
Albie O'Connor
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not just a book for Martial Artists,
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This review is from: Waking Dragons: A Martial Artist Faces His Ultimate Test (Paperback)
What I really liked about this book was the author's honesty. His journey in the Martial Artists contains universal truths that will be familiar to us all. If you have a faced any kind of adversity in your life (real or imagined) the doubts and fears the author expresses so eloquently in this book will be familiar. His choice to confront these doubts and fears head on is truly inspiring. And it was a choice, he could have just as easily hidden from them (superficially it would have been the easier option) instead he chose to put himself in the `hard path' to self discovery.
One final thing this book is extremely well written, the author is a professional writer and it shows.
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