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(More customer reviews)The fourth volume of Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series is Crescent Kick, and like the first three it is an excellent resource regarding this specific kick. Like other books in this series, Kovacich wrote a text with detailed explanations on the execution and application of the crescent kick and its variations. Also like the others in the series, this is the most complete written description with photographs of the crescent kick that I know of, and is an excellent addition to any martial artist's library. It will be especially beneficial to those that teach the crescent kick and variations in their curriculums.
The author, Shawn Kovacich, set two world records for endurance high kicking that were certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, and has an impressive record in the tournament circuit having competed in tournaments such as the Sabaki Challenge among others. With those credentials, I expect him to provide solid instruction on the execution and application of kicks, and he definitely delivers.
Crescent Kick includes brief chapters on basic anatomy, warm up and stretching, strength, speed, and power. Many martial artists, especially instructors, will have more complete references on these topics. However, it is nice to have these brief chapters that have the basics all in one volume, especially for those that do not have a large martial art library. I feel it is important that Kovacich includes these if for nothing more than to introduce the basics and encourage the reader to seek out more instruction on these important elements to kicking. I have said the same thing about the other volumes in the series, but include it here as well to make this review stand on its own.
The reason to include this book in your library is for the instruction on the crescent kick. Kovacich starts out with a very good description of the basic principles of movement for the crescent kick including target areas. He then delivers an excellent description with pictures of how to perform the back leg crescent kick. I don't think a person could give a better explanation with pictures in written form than Kovacich does here. I also like that he uses a clock face to help describe the motion and positioning of the kick. I thought this was a very good way to deliver his information to the reader. The next chapters teach variations of the back leg crescent kick including: Step-Back Crescent Kick, Back Spin Crescent Kick, Spin Back Crescent Kick, Hop/Slide Forward Crescent Kick, Hop/Slide Backward Crescent Kick, Front Leg Crescent Kick, Switch Crescent Kick, Off-Setting Crescent Kick, Cross-Over Crescent Kick, Butterfly Crescent Kick, and the Back Spin Crescent Kick (with the left leg).
Kovacich includes training and practice methods, a trouble shooting guide, and crescent kick applications in subsequent chapters. This rounded out the book to make it a complete stand alone volume on the crescent kick, and by far the best resource out there on this difficult technique.
One of the things I really enjoy in this series of books is the note section. Each chapter has notes and in these you find excellent gems of wisdom. Not only will they help your kicking on the described kick, but are relevant to other kicks too. I might not agree with every one of his notes, such as your first line of defense being kicks, since I believe it really depends on the situation. However, the all make you think, and some are right on, such as one in this volume that states: "For optimum results upon impact, you must use a combination of proper technique, along with an explosive combination of speed and strength." I wrote about similar issues in the kicking chapter I wrote in Fighter's Fact Book 2 with Loren Christensen when I said to kick `em hard and kick `em fast.
Like the other books in this series, a person could criticize this text regarding the repetitiveness of some of the pictures and descriptions of the wheel kick variations. If you are reading this book straight through cover to cover, yes, the repetitiveness could become boring. If you are using the text as Kovacich intended, as a learning tool, this should not be a factor. I much rather have each kick explained in its entirety, rather than be referred to a different part of the book for the elements that are similar or the same. There is a big difference in a book intended to be read from cover to cover and a book intended as a resource guide. The Achieving Kicking Excellence series are guide books, and the format is perfect for this kind of instruction.
Shawn Kovacich's Crescent Kick is the fourth book of the series and an excellent instructional text for any student or instructor of the kicking arts. Its detailed descriptions and photographs are clear and easy to understand, while his kicking notes provide quality instruction and advice to improve one's training and execution of this important kick. I am definitely looking forward to future volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of the Lock On Joint Locking series.
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Crescent Kick is the fourth volume in the extremely well written and fully illustrated, Achieving Kicking Excellence series of martial arts related books. Crescent Kick, along with the other nine volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series, goes into intricate detail over all aspects of executing the primary kick, which in this case is the Crescent Kick, and several of its main variations. Starting with a basic anatomical analysis of this kick, you quickly progress to the basic principles associated with the Crescent Kick, and then you dive right into learning the proper execution of the primary kick, Crescent Kick. Once you have finished with this section, you are taken to the variations chapter which builds upon the primary kick, Crescent Kick, by teaching you 10 of its main variations. From here you are taken to the Training and Practice Methods chapter for a look at some very simple, yet effective methods for adding speed and power to your kicks. Your next chapter takes a question and answer approach to some of the most common problems people have executing the Crescent Kick and the solutions to correct them. The next chapter in this book deals with a very brief and basic application section for the Crescent Kick and each of the variations previously detailed in this book.NOTE:The combat/self-defense applications of the Crescent Kick are discussed and demonstrated in much greater detail in the companion book to this book, Crescent Kick: Achieving Kicking Excellence; Volume 4, which is Crescent Kick: Applications in Combat: Achieving Kicking Excellence; Volume 14. This book goes into intricate detail over all aspects of applying the primary kick, which in this case is the Crescent Kick, and several of its main variations, against twelve of the most common attacks that you are most likely to face in an actual unarmed self-defense/combat situation.At the conclusion of this book you are given a sneak preview of the next volume in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series, which in this case is the Reverse Crescent Kick.
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