Martial Arts Manuals From The Past

[cross_trainer]

Compiled in the hope that you can find something useful for your MMA training:







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Fiore Dei Liberi (1400's)

Still the most complete and detailed manual on the art of Medieval wrestling. At this point, the prevalence of dagger fighting meant that wrestling was mostly from a standing position--designed to disarm opponents or get them onto the floor to stab them. Nonetheless, it contains a wide variety of pressure-tested unorthodox takedowns and standing jointlocks.

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Passchen's "Ring Buch" (1659)

Less sophisticated than its 17th century relative "Worstel Konst" in its illustration methods (see below), Passchen's book is nonetheless fairly complete in its description of the self-defense methods of the time. It includes everything from kicks to elbows to joint locks...and even contains instructions on how to dodge a flying ale pitcher.

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Nicholaes Petter's "Worstel Konst" (1674)

Probably the finest 17th century wrestling/self defense manual in existence, Petter's manual has the virtue of an extremely competent illustrator. Several of the techniques would be illegal in modern MMA, but with the simplicity and variety of Petter's "Wrestling", there is bound to be something useful in it.

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Thomas Parkyn's "Inn-Play, or Cornish Hugg Wrestler" (1713)

Although lacking illustrations, Parkyns' manual is one of the first in the English language, and is the source of at least a few locks, trips, and throws used in the later London Prize Ring.

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Mendoza's Boxing Manual (1789)

Created and tested in the brutal bareknuckle days of early boxing, Mendoza's style emphasized defensive tactics, deceptive footwork, and combination punching rather than the crude slugging that many incorrectly associate with this period. Reconstructionists find that Mendoza's methods adapt better to wrestling tactics than modern boxing does. You're welcome to try it out yourself.

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Charles Layton's "Norfolk Wrestling" (Early 19th Century)

An ancestor of Collar-and-Elbow wrestling and an interesting historical curiosity. You may find an unusual takedown or two in here.



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Donald Walker's "Defensive Exercises", 1840

A combination of traditional English wrestling, boxing, stickfighting, swordfighting, and streetfighting methods, Walker's manual is one of the first comprehensive self-protection manuals I can locate. The instructions are generally good, and the grappling methods sound.

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Edmund Price's "Science of Self-Defence" (1867)

Bareknuckle boxing and wrestling methods from the beginning of the modern era. Contains everything from throws to trips to refined methods of holding and hitting...and even a guillotine choke. Oh, yeah...and bareknuckle boxing too.

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Robert Fitzsimmons' "Physical Culture and Self-Defense" (1901)

Concentrates on Fitzsimmons' style of boxing rather than a true "MMA" book. Still, Fitzsimmons' style was constructed at a time when the gloves were closer to modern MMA gloves in size (and Fitzsimmons was the most feared striker of his day--like Baer, his fists were responsible for ring deaths), so you'll probably find some very useful striking concepts in here.

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[younghypnotiq]

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