Speed Training : How to Develop Your Maximum Speed for Martial Arts

by Loren W. Christensen

Speed is the most important asset a fighter can have. Sure, strenght, courage, flexibility, endurance, and grappling ability are all important, but if you are not fast enough to block your opponent's attack or you are too slow to hit him, these will be of little value.

If you weren't blessed with natural quickness, are there ways to develop hands that move as rapidly as a serpent's tongue and kicks that crack the air like a bullwhip? Can a naturally quick person become even quicker? Can you learn how Bruce Lee and other masters developed their incredible speed? Can perception be improved, reflexes sharpened, timing polished? Are there specific exercises you can do to keep quickness from being used against you? Can quickness keep you alive in a knife fight? Are there shortcuts? Are there really ways for you to double your speed immediately?

Loren Christensen, the author, answers an emphatic Y-E-S to all those questions. He will show you how to develop instantaneous reflexes and explosive speed for punching, kicking, grappling, and police defensive tactics by following the simple drills, exercises, and principles outlined in this book. Christensen has been a martial artist for 31 years and a police officer for 24. He knows first-hand that speed is often the difference between first and second in a tournament – or first and dead in real life-life battle. Learn from him how to stay a step ahead of your opponents in the dojo or on the streets.

Genres: Martial Arts

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Loren W. Christensen is a Vietnam veteran, retired police officer, a martial artist since 1965, and a prolific author of books and magazine articles.

As a writer, Loren has penned over 70 books and dozens of magazine articles on a variety of subjects. While his target audience is most often what he calls “the warrior community” – martial artists, cops, soldiers – his writing has become popular among high school and college students, parents, professionals of every kind, and people interested in a side of life outside the norm.

Loren is most thankful to his many friends, associates and fellow writers in the warrior community for their continual support and expert advice.

Biography:

Bachelors of Science - PSU
Vietnam veteran – 716th Military Police
Career police officer (ret) – Portland, Oregon
Street patrol, gang enforcement, defensive tactics instructor, bodyguard
Script advisor for the motion picture Best of the Best 3
Martial artist since 1965
Earned a total of 13 black belts in three fighting arts
Starred in 7 instructional DVDs
Author of 70 books and dozens of magazine articles
Nominated for the Frankfurt award
Co-author (with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman) of “Evolution of Weaponry” in Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, Academic Press
Wrote regularly for Black Belt, Karate Illustrated, Inside Kung fu and many others
Currently writes regularly for Black Belt and Police and Security News magazines
Book Solo Training was ranked in Amazon’s top 3 for three years in a row
Named in the 2007 - 2008 Heritage Registry of Who's Who in publishing

Reviews

[Fernando Suarezserna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It does delivers what it promises, it has lots of drills and tactics that will make you faster. Or at least, give the illusion to your opponent that you're fast.

The only problem with the book is that it lacks focus. Be aware that it offers MANY drills to be come faster, but it doesn't offer a specific methodology, just a lot of drills that you can try and implement to your own training sessions. A lot of them include a partner, and some of them even equipment.

There's a second issue, it's not for a specific type of martial art, or even for a specific form of combat. The author has a background as a police officer, so a lot of tactics are useful only on street fights, but not on tournaments. And sometimes, the other way around. Around 20% of the book is focused on grappling tactics.

Will this book make you faster? Definitely. I don't think there's another book as this one on the topic. But you will have to do a lot of the strategy by yourself, it's not a step-by-step method.

[Christopher Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good techniques, its like a smorgasbord of techniques, some which are beneficial, some which may make you sick and all should be practiced with the aid of a partner. That is my biggest knock, which is this is more instructor oriented and team oriented versus individual practice oriented.

[Miroku Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very insightful and useful book drawn from the author's many years of martial arts training and teaching as well as police work. I found the overall philosophy put forth in the book to be practical and very much in line with the ideas of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do--getting rid of useless excess to achieve maximum efficacy in combat training and performance. There are some excellent drills in the book--some of which I hope to try this weekend in the dojo.

[Darin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loren Christensen has written several books on improving martial arts performance. This one focuses on improving speed.

Note that I believe (and follow) the meanings Goodreads gives for what each number of stars means. Therefore, the majority of my ratings are 3 stars ("liked it").