Zen and the Art of Street Fighting: True Battles of a Modern-Day Warrior

If you are into the martial arts, especially karate-do, this is a book you may want to read. I really enjoyed reading this book, but may be it is because my own military and martial arts experience are similar to the author's background. This memoir begins with the author being in the U.S. Navy on board the aircraft carrier USS Kittyhawk. This is where he was first introduced into the demanding martial art of Karate-Do.This book is about the author's journey into the inner mysteries of the martial arts. His physical, emotional and spiritual maturity through the study of Karate-Do is the focus of this text. The twelve chapters include: The steel dojo, Battle beneath the thunder, Yokusuka Shotokan, Ring of strategy, the Makiwara, The battle in the furnace, The ordeal of Sanchin Kata, The battle of the Total Darkness, Real King-Fu, Please, west side blow out, The thousand pounds victory and the New South Wales incident.In conclusion, even though the author's ego is a bit much at times, this book was an interesting read. It will be of special interest to those who have traveled the hard and sometimes brutal world of serious hard style Karate-Do. It brought back memories of my own self-discovery through demanding Karate-Do training.Rating: 4 Stars Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Predator Hunter: A Warrior's Memoir))

First lets start off by saying that for some reading past reveiws of this book seem to kill any attempts at even checking it out ,but after some thought i bought it anyway.I must say to those whom state that they know both Zen and any form of martial arts this book is like a diamond in rough, Sabat sensei shares his own thoughts on coming into age with the arts and his own personal battels with understanding "Zen" while in palces and time when most people didn't understand asian culture or even care.I would highly recommend this book to those practicing the martail arts and to look past other reveiws and consider picking it up -this book causes you to have to "think a little"Sincerely;Herb Zen and the Art of Street Fighting: True Battles of a Modern-Day Warrior

Most of the Karate men that brought the martial arts back from asia in the 50s, 60s, had very hard "old school" methods that they were trained in so to read about the hard contact training is not unusual and I can appreciate what he went through. He's obviously a tough guy. What surprized me was his lack of respect, courtesy, and humility that you usually see develop in a martial artist. He shows little respect for other martial arts or those who practice them. The last chapter with the "wado ryu boys" was disheartening. He could have welcomed them to his dojo in the spirit of brotherhood in karate but instead chose to humiliate and injure them. He seems to spend his time using karate to "prove himself", instead of "improve himself".

The book matches the man, the story matches the truth. I have spend almost twenty years traveling to Santa Barbara to train under Sabat Sensei. He is the real deal , I wonder if he was born to late in the 2oth Century when the mid 1800's would have been a better fit for his life, his training and his art.

Excellent read

This book is being TORN UP here on Amazon.Seems like most people have a beef with Jack Sabat's character rather than the book itself.Yeah, he's kind of a macho stereotype. So?Much of his over the top macho battles ring true to my own martial arts experience. I've known many guys this aggressive and "manly" to the extreme in several dojos.An interesting read by someone VERY different from me, but I'm not going to claim it's great literature, either. It's a good story with some lessons in determination and fighting spirit.Why didn't those other reviews get it? I have to wonder if they are non-martial artists.Jack, if you read these reviews, don't take those terrible ones too hard!

Like him or not Sensei Jack Sabet and his top students are THE REAL DEAL. No kata only three years to Shodan here. I was lucky enough to spend the first year of my training (1984) in the Santa Barbara dojo and it set the standard for all my future training. This book is a must read for any Karate student, those who earn thier ranks with no pain, point sparring and kata will probaly not like it but if your old school, hard style you will re-read it five times."Embrace the Pain" Buy it, believe it!

This books takes you into true life. What budo is truly about, self knowledge. This book discribes his quest for self inlightenment, and must be understood that way. Sensei Sabat is one of my Sensei's and is truely a great human, and role model. Like his training, supurb, his teachings go far beyond. He has trained great fighters such as Sensei "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell (UFC contender), and Sensei Tony Bacerra (national champion in Karate). I cannot stress enough that when you read this book you understand the point I have made that it is about HIS quests/trials. It may seem self centerd, but remember the book is about him.BTW he would win in most all fights on the street. He is a very powerfull fighter. Also... A gun can take care of anyone so please dont say that if somebody came up to him with a gun he'd lose...

So I originally read this book back when I was in my early 20's, at the time I was doing Thai Boxing, Tai Chi and a Chinese style called Wu Shu Kwan. Now, I acknowledge that there is a boastful and sadistic nature to the way the stories are told, but they're told well, they are, up to a point, fairly entertaining. And if I'm honest, I think anyone who has been involved in, or is currently studying a martial art, then it's well worth a read.That aside, the value of the copy I received next to the amount I paid is brilliant. So what if it's shop or library soiled. To pay less than 30p for a book that I will read again in such good condition? I seriously cannot fault the seller

das ist ein buch über yang, die kraftvolle seite des lebens. jack sabat berichtet darin von seinen kampfkunsterfahrungen, erst mit kempo, später mit karate.ihm geht es darum, "echtes budo" zu vermitteln, den kriegergeist, der barrieren überwindet. den hat er durch enorme trainingseinheiten und harte kämpfe in asien und zuhause entwickelt. während viele kampfkunstbücher die technische seite darstellen, zeigt er die geistige: den unbeugsamen willen, der energie jenseits der erschöpfung findet und unerschütterlichkeit jenseits der angst.bei einer trainingseinheit schlug er - ohne jede unterbrechung - 3000 fauststösse und anschliessend 2000 handkantenschläge auf das schlagbrett (makiwara). jede einzelne technik war von einem vollen kampfschrei begleitet. auch die blutspritzer auf dem brett und auf seinem karateanzug konnten ihn nicht stoppen. bei einer anderen gelegenheit zwang ihn sein lehrer, nach intensiven atemübungen ohne vorheriges training auf ein nagelbrett zu liegen.dieser lehrer, brian frost, kann stehenden flaschen den hals abschlagen, wie einst der legendäre oyama. sabat schildert auch einen beeindruckenden bruchtest von frost: er durchschlug mit der handkante etwa 70 zentimeter betonplatten, die ohne abstandshalter aufeinandergeschichtet waren. laut sabat hat es einen derartigen bruchtest nie zuvor gegeben. das foto davon hütet er wie einen schatz.das buch ist angereichert mit historischen einblendungen über samurai-episoden, die es noch interessanter machen. für einen kampfkünstler ohne schreibkundigen ko-autor hat sabat einen geschliffenen stil. sein stolzer ton kann auch nachkriegsgeschädigten deutschen leisetretern wieder energie und selbstbewusstsein einflössen.sabat hat hier ein grosses buch vorgelegt, das es wert ist, immer wieder neu gelesen zu werden.