Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Inside the Lion's Den by Ken Shamrock, Richard Hanner, Calixtro Romias ISBN: 0-8048-3151-3 Publisher: Tuttle Publishing Pub. Date: 01 March, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.28 (68 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Very insightful book
Comment: I have to admit, I was already a fan of Shamrock's before picking up the book. The first two-thirds of the book is biographical in nature. It depicts Shamrock in a very possitive light, without making him look completely untarnished. This part sort of bounces around, with every other chapter being a chronological account of his life, and the other chapters being about the biuldup to his second Superfight with Severn. Still, it's a fun read, and gives some interesting insights into the life of "The World's Most Dangerous Man". It was definitly oriented towards an American audience who was familiar with Shamrock's UFC fights, as his time in Japan and his early Toughman comptetitions were barely covered. The second part of the book was on the physical and mental conditioning of a Lion's Den fighter, or more specifically, Ken Shamrock. The technical side is a little weak, with only one real takedown being shown, and all the "armlocks" are variations of the "jujigatame"-style, between-the-legs arm bar. On the other hand, the stuff on the different mobility drills, as well on the mental preparation Shamrock does for a fight, is golden. Also of value are his tips on handling different types of opponents, and the chapter on nutrition. Going back to the techniques, I'd say that while they're not a complete arsenal, they could give someone with no grappling experience some very essential and workable holds. Certian details that can be applied to many moves are covered as well, like steping with your punches instead of leaning into them, or pinching your knees togeather for an armbar instead of scissoring your ankles for leverage. And to give credit where it's due, this is where I learned the "heel hook", a move that's beaten more folks than I can count. This is a good book for traditional martial artists who know nothing about grappling or submissions, or for any MMA/NHB fan. The stuff on conditioning and mental preparation are probably useful to any athelete, to some degree.
Rating: 4
Summary: Useful Background Piece
Comment: This book is divided into two sections. The first is a biography of Ken Shamrock, focusing primarily on his fighting career. Its tone is somewhat odd; on the one hand, it frequently reads as a very hero-worshippy accounting of Shamrock's accomplishments. On the other, the book is very honest about Shamrock's personal and professional shortcomings, including his often delinquent childhood and his struggle to control a violent temper. The second section is a submission-primer. I believe this section is really only useful to those with some martial arts background already; novices will be lost as there is little information on transitions and other details needed to make the techniques work. However, it is a somewhat useful introduction. For those with the background, this section gives a glimpse at how the Lion's Den fighters train, and helps explain their success. Overall, this book is of value to anyone who is a fan of the UFC or Ken Shamrock.
Rating: 4
Summary: A very enjoyable read, but a bit disjointed
Comment: I'll start off by saying I'm a big fan of Ken Shamrock, so I'd probably give 3 stars just for including him in a book. The book is split into two sections, one a biography of Ken Shamrock, the second an overview of submission fighting and training methods used at the Lions Den.
The biographical section is first. It covers Shamrocks' troubled childhood, his first Toughman bouts, and eventual entry into mixed martial arts in Japan and then the UFC. Along the way, the reader gets a good idea of the troubles and controversy which plagued the early years of the UFC.
The second section is a very general overview of the most basic submission techniques. If you're looking for a book chock full of grappling or striking techniques, try No Holds Barred by Mark Hatmaker instead. However, that's not what the book is about. There's also good material on the training philosophy and style of the Lions Den.
Inside the Lions Den does have some faults. The biographical section is not chronological, it skips around without making reference to dates. This can be very confusing. reading it, one gets the impression that Shamrock had finished fighting in the Pancrase circuit in Japan once the UFC started up. In reality, he was doing both at the same time for about 2 years. If you wren't a fan, you'd never get that from the book.
My biggest gripe is the way the author hero worships Ken Shamrock. Mind you, I'm a fan of his, but the prose in this work is God-awful. How many descriptions of Ken's "sleek, rippling muscles" do we need? He's compared to various predators dozens of times. You'd think he fights in blue-and-red tights with a big "S" and a cape. It's as if the co-author had a bit of a crush on him.
If you're a fan of MMA or the UFC, I'd say spring for this book, it's a fast and fun read.
 |
Title: Brawl: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Mixed Martial Arts Competition by Erich Krauss, Bret Aita, Bob Shamrock (Introduction) ISBN: 1550225170 Publisher: ECW Press Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title:Pride FC - Collision Course ASIN: B000063UQI Publisher: Bci Eclipse Company Pub. Date: 19 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $9.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $9.98 |
 |
Title: No Holds Barred Fighting: The Ultimate Guide to Submission Wrestling by Mark Hatmaker, Doug Werner ISBN: 1884654177 Publisher: Tracks Publishing Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
 |
Title:Rickson Gracie: Choke ASIN: 6305870748 Publisher: Ryko Distribution - Video Pub. Date: 30 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $24.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $22.46 |
 |
Title: More No Holds Barred Fighting: Killer Submissions by Mark Hatmaker, Doug Werner ISBN: 1884654185 Publisher: Tracks Publishing Pub. Date: 01 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
