Book of 5 Rings

[Slagar]

This book, as has been already said by better fighters than me, is an amazing work, and WILL make you a better fighter. I read it over winter break, and I'm itching to practice what I've learned. This book is not over-hyped, nor does it fail to deliver. An excellent guide to the successful mindset of a great fighter, it also offers pointers on specifics, often very helpful. Anyone who's ever fought Sir Morbian can attest to the success of "Flowing Water Stroke" (Morbian's stutter shot), and any good red fighter uses "spark hit" at every practice.

Now that I'm done plugging like a bad PR guy, here are links. The first is to the amazon page for the book. The second, and more important one, is to a free online copy of the book. If Giggles would see fit to throw it on the links sticky, I'd appreciate it. It's not the best translation, but it's a good one, and it's free and easily accessible.

Amazon page:
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Five-Rings-Miyamoto-Musashi/dp/1590302486/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232475676&sr=1-2
Free copy:
http://www.samurai.com/5rings/

[p_quick]

this is a good book, for any stick-jock to read

[Soo Ma Tai]

This book is commonly required reading for Knights, at least out west. Though it is not completely applicable to Bel fighting, many of the concepts are.

[Loptr]

I have this on my to read list.

I would like to suggest two other books:

The Art of War. By General Tso (sp)
very much a "corporate strategy" book similar reviews to 5 rings.

The Tao of Jeet Kun Do. By Bruce Lee
Many aspects of this book directly translate to boffer combat.

Anybody else have good books onthe topic?
Maybe we can rename this thread to * good books to read for your combat skillz?

[Black Cat]

The Art of War. By General Tso (sp)
very much a "corporate strategy" book similar reviews to 5 rings.

Don't you mean General Sun Tsu?

General Tso ('s Chicken) is a Chinese food dish.

[Soo Ma Tai]

Yup, but it's usually spelled with an "a", General Tsao...who some folks might like to know is the same person as the character "Cao Cao" in Dynasty Warriors.

[Slagar]

Another fun fact: Sun Tsu is the ancestor of Sun Ch'ien (Sun Jian), another character in the book (and the video game made from it). I'm actually in the middle of reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms at the moment. Great book, I highly recommend it.

[Kenneth]

Yup, but it's usually spelled with an "a", General Tsao...who some folks might like to know is the same person as the character "Cao Cao" in Dynasty Warriors.

I don't think Cao Cao (Tsao Tsao) is quite the same person as General Tsao
(or Tso)of fowl renown. That General Tso (or Tsao) is typically known as Zuo Zongtang (or Tso Tsung T'ang)

One general conquered much of China. The other general conquered much of America. Perhaps they both studied Sun Tsu.

[Loptr]

Don't you mean General Sun Tsu?

Yes.

I'm actually in the middle of reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms at the moment. Great book, I highly recommend it.

Can you expand on your recomendation? Specifially what kind of book, what are you gettingo out of it?

[Slagar]

Umm. I can sure try. It's one of the Four Novels of China. Think Iliad, or Beowulf, in terms of it's scope and style. I'm the kind of geek who's read those for fun, and this is one of the best. Next on my list is Monkey: Journey into the West. In terms of what I hope to get out of it, mostly entertainment, but also I'm furthering my philosophy that books don't stay in print for centuries or millenia without good reasons. So far all the "classics" I've read have given me something or taught me something, or at least given me some insight into another way of living. So, being a huge Sinophile, I finally bit the bullet and bought volume one of Three Kingdoms, and a copy of Monkey. So far, worth it. I'm about halfway through Volume 1 (of 2), and it's every bit as grand and meaningful as the Iliad ever was. IMHO, anyway. I'm a bigger geek than most here.

[Sir_Mel]

Wait what? Slagar can read? This is quite shocking.

[Slagar]

Dude, you have no idea.

[Soo Ma Tai]

Slagar, have you read, "Outlaws of the Marsh" if not, you should put it on your readnig list.

[Slagar]

It's already on there, right after Monkey. It's another one of the Four. The last of them is Dream of the Red Chamber (or Story of the Stone) I intend to have read all of these within the next year and a half. Stupid classes keep assigning like 250 pages a week lately, though, so it's been slow going. Meh, I've got time.

[Lizard King]

This is one of my favorite reads. Has anyone ever read Secret Tactics by Kazumi Tabata? It's a collection of exceprts from different books. It is something looking in to for sure. I have been reading mine for a few years now and I think it really helps

[Orkin]

Interesting perspective on The Book of Five Rings (Gorin no Sho):
http://www.hyoho.com/Hyoho2.html

[Loptr]

Have the book (5 rings) and have been slowly reading it.

Last night as I was drifing into sleep I was pondering from the Fire Scroll.
Preemption- specifically preempting the attack from a state of waiting.

I can see how waiting for the attack, digesting it and defeating it all as the attack starts can and will be a powerful advantage.
When I choose to be aware I can sense their attack. The challenge to me is not to be able to tell what my oponnent is going to do and giving the proper beat/counter beat to their movement.

Thoughts?

L

[illiak]

Interesting perspective on The Book of Five Rings (Gorin no Sho):
http://www.hyoho.com/Hyoho2.html

Nice. Very...enlightening.

To Loptr: I agree, I wouldn't call it preemption. I still think of it as response. It's just response from such stillness that it seems lightning-fast. It's similar to being in a centered stance, to be ready to block or strike, charge or sidestep so readily that your opponent thinks you are reading his mind. Its mentally not committing, in a sense, just being ready to flood into the negative space created by whichever technique the other guy delivers.

[Soo Ma Tai]

Be like water...if you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup, put it in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. Be like the water.

[Satanaka]

Hmmmmmm... Looks a lot like my required reading for Squires....
Although I require it for Sqires- I have a few others to that list.
Book of Five Rings, Art of War, Some 'round table' readings, and about 3 other books are on the list for Squires.


I like to have the Squire- take the Bo5R- and apply to Belegarth and their own fighting. How to get better and see styles from different perspectives.

it helps.

[HesinRaca]

I am glad people are finally reading these books, very good source of intellectual understanding to couple your hands on expierence.

Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo is a good all around book for advice, anecdotes, tactics, mindsets, etc.

If you want to study more forms and actual techniques of old fighting styles and try to apply them to belegarth there are a few good ones as well. The thing to remember is that they will not apply directly because of the weapon weights and materials, but there is a lot to gain from many of these.

I.33 and its modern explanation are good for shield and sword.

Beyond that, look up Fiore manuscripts, italian long sword, and the esperain manuals, though I don't have a link for either.

[Satanaka]

ok- you sux!!!
I thought I had that one under wraps- FOR only my Squires...
Darn! hehehehehehehehehehe

I am glad people are finally reading these books, very good source of intellectual understanding to couple your hands on expierence.

Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo is a good all around book for advice, anecdotes, tactics, mindsets, etc.

If you want to study more forms and actual techniques of old fighting styles and try to apply them to belegarth there are a few good ones as well. The thing to remember is that they will not apply directly because of the weapon weights and materials, but there is a lot to gain from many of these.

I.33 and its modern explanation are good for shield and sword.

Beyond that, look up Fiore manuscripts, italian long sword, and the esperain manuals, though I don't have a link for either.

[HesinRaca]

Just sharin' the love;)

also, The Unfettered Mind is a decent read

I'll post the rest of my useful list as soon as I get home and look them up.