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Martial Arts for Women is a one stop reference for women in the martial arts. No matter what your rank, style or ability level, you are sure to find a wealth of advice on the topics that are uniquely important to female martial artists including:

-finding the right shcool, fitting into a traditionally male dominated sport
-dealing with menstruation and pregnancy, getting in touch with women's groups, andfinding the right equipment
-learning how to get the most from yur workout, how to define your martial arts goals, and
-how to use your strengths to your best advantage

Of course, you will also find plenty of how-to information on traditional martial arts topics like conditioning, kicking and striking skills, self-defense, sparring, forms, board breaking, and injury prevention-all written by a female martial artist for women in the arts.

Bonus! If you are new to the arts or unhappy with your school, go straight to Chapter 9: Choosing a Marial Arts School where you will find dozens of tips on choosing a school that meets your goals in an atmosphere that is best for you. A questionnaire and checklist are included to help you thoroughly and fairly evalutate each school on price, services, facility and instructional quality.

Jennifer Lawler is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She trains at New Horizons Black belt Academy of Tae Kown Do in Lawerence, Kansas, under Masters Donald and Susan Booth. She also teaches Tae Kwon Do and self-defense classes. She is the author of several books, including The Martial Arts Encylcopedia. She has published numerous articles on martial arts and women. She recently earned her Ph.D. in English. She lives in Lawrence with her husband, Bret Kay, who is also a martial artist, and her daughter Jessica (plus two dogs who think they're children).

Contents

Chapter 1: What are Martial Arts?
Sport versus Art
Martial arts skills
Benefits of Martial Arts training
Martial Arts Styles
Chapter 2: Attitude
Gender Differences
Misconceptions
Balancing Martial Arts and Family Life
Intrinsic Motivation
Winning Spirit
Chapter 3: Practical Advice
Menstruation
Dressing for Class
Perseverance
Adjusting ot Contact
Chapter 4: Self-Defense
Self-Defense and your life-style
Considerning Scenarios
Weapons
Being Prepared
Self-Defense Techniques
Chapter 5: Sparring
Sparring Psychology
Sizing up your opponent
Conditioning for Sparring
Finding your sparring style
Chapter 6: Techniques
Jumping kicks
Upper Body power
Flexibility
Speed
Agility
Improving Martial Arts Techniques
Chapter 7: Physical Concerns
Injury Prevention
Warming up
Cooling Down
Rehabilation
Safety Gear
Pregnancy
Physical limitations
Chapter 8: Competition
Choosing a Tournament
Sparrring Competition
Preparing for Competition
Chapter 9: Choosing a School
Choossing a martial arts style
Determingin your martial arts goals
Determining the quality of teaching
Checking the condition of the school
Choosing the right size of school
Figuring cost