Bas Rutten's Big Book Of Combat (Vol. 2)

[MichaelV]

I got both of these books recently, and have found them to be excellent. I recommend them highly.

but...

I really dislike the way the book is organized. It's split into Chokes and Neck Cranks, Arm / Wrist Locks, Leg Foot and Ankle Locks, Escapes, and some other stuff. Within each chapter, the techniques seem to be randomly arranged. I prefer to study techniques from a particular position. For instance:

Side Mount (in control)
Arm Bar pg. 106
Arm Bar pg. 108
...
Arm Lock pg. 153
...
Choke pg. 78
...
Control pg. 387
...
etc.

So, I went through the book, indexed each technique by position, whether you are dominant in that position or not, what the technique is (roughly - I may add some more detail later), and what page it's on. Then I sorted the list to make an index, formatted it a little nicer, printed it out, and stuck it in the back of the book. Now, I just refer to my printed pages rather than flipping through the book more or less at random.

You can get the raw data I collected here:
http://www.vallotton.com/ma/BasRuttenBBOCIndex.xls

or, if you don't use Excel XP:
http://www.vallotton.com/ma/BasRuttenBBOCIndex.csv

:)

[SoKKlab]

I got both of these books recently, and have found them to be excellent. I recommend them highly.

but...

I really dislike the way the book is organized. It's split into Chokes and Neck Cranks, Arm / Wrist Locks, Leg Foot and Ankle Locks, Escapes, and some other stuff. Within each chapter, the techniques seem to be randomly arranged. I prefer to study techniques from a particular position. For instance:

You've touched upon a subject that is all too prevalent in Martial Arts publishing, particularly when dealing with grappling-Orientated books etc.

That of how to organise a mass of text and pictures so that they can be used for reference, training and not just look pretty.

Some are really badly organised (Some of the Gracie stuff is terrible in the 'where to put what' context).

BTW-have you ever thought about getting a job as a Book editor? particularly technical manuals, I feel you'd do great ;)

[MichaelV]

Yeah, it's difficult to organize that much material well. I don't understand why most MA books aren't indexed, though. Nearly every technical manual in any other subject is indexed, perhaps not well, but at least something.

I've never really thought about being an editor. I make more money in my current job than I could as an editor. A writer, on the other hand, would be great, but it's a difficult career to do well in.

[Freeform]

Some are really badly organised (Some of the Gracie stuff is terrible in the 'where to put what' context).


Yeah, if any of you have the Renzo and Royler book it is pretty annoying to find anything in it, although it is a really good book in all other respects!

Col

[Wesker]

Is the book purely instructional, or does the author delve into Bas Rutten's biography?

[MichaelV]

There's a couple of pages on biography - it's mostly instructional, though. Were you looking for something in particular?

[SoKKlab]

Yeah, it's difficult to organize that much material well. I don't understand why most MA books aren't indexed, though. Nearly every technical manual in any other subject is indexed, perhaps not well, but at least something.

I've never really thought about being an editor. I make more money in my current job than I could as an editor. A writer, on the other hand, would be great, but it's a difficult career to do well in.
Cost, would probably be the main reason and the fact that there isn't as much development per title in most Martial Arts publishing, as in other areas, such as Project engineeering etc.

And Trust me, being a Writer is over-rated and under-valued!

[acarpe]

the new geoff thomson book "dead or alive" looks pretty good, have any of you got it?

[SoKKlab]

the new geoff thomson book "dead or alive" looks pretty good, have any of you got it?

Is this the same 'Dead or Alive' that was originally published in 1997 by Summerdale?

If so, then IMO it's a very good book. But I did read within these very MAP pages, that he 'had changed his mind' about some of the stuff that he originally stated in 'Dead or Alive' (?).

Anybody know any more about this?

[acarpe]

i heard he re-wrote it, and also rewrote his first book "watch my back"

[hkphooey]

MichaelV,

Nice indexing. I don't have the books but I copy that index just in case.

[killer_kicks88]

i have to ask...are they worth buying?...i want them very badly but are they worth it?