The Fighter's Notebook

The Fighter's Notebook (Book Review)

Title: The Fighter's Notebook
Author: Kirik Jenness and David Roy
Publisher:New England Submission Fighting
Ordering information: 1-413-259-9999
Number of Pages: 600
Cost: $70
Dollars per move: .09 cents
Level: Beginner to Advanced
ISBN: 096704300X
Rating: 5 Stars
Year book was released: 1998

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Craaaack!!! We have a winner! A new champion of the book category!!! I really have to congratulate these guys for the massive amount of work they put into this book. I hope it pays off financially so they will continue their efforts. The book is the biggest grappling book on the market. At five pounds it is also the heaviest. It contains over 600 pages of submission grappling. Really, 600 pages! I spent 10 minutes just counting the pages just to keep them honest. It's huge! It comes in a large three ring binder! It covers all positions such as the mount, guard, knee on chest, etc. and even covers striking and kicking. There is even a section on drills and how to run classes. It slices, it dices and even makes Julian fries (whatever the hell they are) and if you order now we'll throw in a free turnip twaddler. Believe the hype. It was well laid out and you can tell that a lot of work and thought was placed into it.

That being said, I don't think there is any book out there that is a substitute for tapes and I don't think there is a tape set out there that is substitute for a qualified instructor. The Fighter's Notebook is not a substitute tapes or proper instruction. Duh!! It's a notebook!! Use it to take notes. Anyone that has read my attempts to describe moves in my reviews will appreciate how difficult it is to do. Words don't do the moves justice. Do not buy the Notebook to learn new moves. I look at it as a reference for someone who already knows most of these moves. The moves are described in a very Spartan fashion. What make the Fighter's Notebook so useful are the photos (all 3500 of them) and not the descriptions. You have about 800+ moves cataloged in photos for you. All of these moves exist on tape, but large portions do not exist in print.

The Fighter's Notebook is an excellent companion for anyone studying at a school or from tapes. You can add your own description of the moves and notes. I would suggest that you not write in the Notebook itself. Instead I would suggest that you photocopy moves that you have learned and start a smaller separate notebook. It is in this notebook that I would write my comments, notes, etc. As you learn new moves add then to your notebook. Take this notebook to class or have it out when you workout.

While glancing through the Notebook, I was reminded of different moves that I had long forgotten. It is great reference! It would be nice if everyone on the discussion forums had one. Then when people talked about a given technique you could point them to the page and move in the Notebook. This would facilitate meaningful discussion (although I do find it ever so fascinating to debate whether Bruce Lee could rise from the grave and beat Helio Gracie). At $70 the Notebook is definitely was worth the money. I really hope they add supplements to the notebook in the future. Until then I will spend some time paging through my Notebook. If I didn't own the Notebook already it would be near the top of my Christmas wish list.