Journey to the Treasure Island of Body Awareness Book by Naoyuki Taira (Preowned)

Awakening from Martial Arts to Martial Way

Gems of insightful keywords abound. This is your compass to a new body philosophy.

The author, always a step ahead in the world of combat sports, naturally found his way to the world of martial arts and Eastern body philosophy. What differences did he discover between martial arts and combat sports? In this essay, filled with numerous enlightening keywords, the author shares his reflections, written with genuine passion, that offer a compelling and lasting impact. This book is filled with the essence of body awareness for the next generation.

Contents

Chapter 1: The Art of Learning

• The habit of thinking for yourself
• What lies behind words
• The unseen presence of the teacher in the dojo
• The inner and outer aspects of techniques
• Japanese culture and martial arts
• Western vs. Eastern body techniques

Chapter 2: Ease, Fun, and Paradise

• What ease (raku) truly means
• Shifting body perception
• Doing what’s enjoyable
• Other thoughts

Chapter 3: Striving, Greed, and Arrogance

• What lies behind what is taught
• What makes good effort difficult
• The range of body movement
• Relationships with training partners
• Controlled training
• Learning subtle adjustments

Chapter 4: Enjoying the Sensations

• Savoring pleasant body sensations daily
• Encountering the method of manipulative body work
• Meeting Taiki-ken
• And more

Chapter 5: In the Flow of Fascination

• Martial styles
• Inner movements of the body
• Controlling the opponent’s hand
• And more

Chapter 6: The Master Says

• Everyone other than me is my teacher
• Living without making mistakes
• Become a wise onlooker
• The way to live without breaking
• Wisdom to influence the unconscious
• Acknowledging differences
• And more

Chapter 7: The Body Switch

• The invisible switches of the body
• Feeling a strange match
• How to press the switch correctly
• Martial arts have the tricks to turn on these switches

Chapter 8: Using the Body

• Moving on Earth
• Big toe, little finger
• Only eight basic movements of the human body
• Green and red lights in the body
• 60% is enough
• The “Body Sutra”
• Daily use of the body
• Exercises to connect the body as one

Chapter 9: Strange Yet Somehow Obvious

• Began with Kyokushin Karate
• Dreaming of becoming a pro wrestler
• Transitioning to amateur fighter?
• Leading the pro combat sport era
• Martial arts training and health cultivation
• Sharing wisdom of the body

Chapter 10: Martial Arts and Combat Sports

• How something in the body wears down in battle
• Martial training restores something
• Masters in the world of sports
• Wisdom for everyone to grow stronger

Chapter 11: Treasure Island

• Things science can’t explain
• Everything is connected
• The body teaches us
• Fun expands in the direction of enjoyment
• The fundamental “life” and “death”

About the Author:
Naoyuki Taira (Born 1963 in Miyagi Prefecture) was drawn to professional wrestling, starting Karate in his third year of junior high. After entering the Daidojuku Karate school in high school, he later moved to Tokyo to train under Shooto founder Satoru Sayama. Taira became a professional in Shoot Boxing (SB), later entering the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in San Francisco under Carly Gracie. After retiring in 2002, he studied Sotai-ho (body manipulation) and Taiki-ken, and has also recently begun studying the Yagyu Shingan Ryu sword style. He currently leads the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu organization "Striple" while also running a Sotai research institute and serving as a consultant in various martial arts medical advisory roles. Taira has authored several books and videos and is famous for being a model in the popular martial arts manga Grappler Baki.

Length: 236 pages

Language: Japanese