Cut to the very core of what it means to be successful in the martial arts. Earning a black belt can be the most rewarding experience of a lifetime, but getting there takes considerable planning. Whether your interests are in the classical styles of Asia or in today's Mixed Martial Arts, this book prepares you to meet every challenge. Whatever your age, whatever your gender, you will benefit from the wisdom of master martial artists around the globe, who share more than 300 years of combined training experience. Benefit from their guidance during your development into a first-class black belt. The Wisdom of...* Iain Abernethy* Dan Anderson* Loren Christensen* Jeff Cooper* Wim Demeere* Aaron Fields* Lawrence Kane* Rory Miller* Martina Sprague* Phillip Starr* Jeff Stevens* Kris Wilder ...and many more. Packed with actionable information, The Way to Black Belt will teach you how to set goals, find a good instructor, monitor your progress, overcome plateaus in your training, take advantage of learning opportunities, and work through the inevitable injuries that come with rigorous martial arts training. Putting your skills to the test at each developmental stage of your training requires a certain mental 'clarity.' The authors examine what this means, how to find it, and how to make sure that when the time comes you are 100% prepared. If you are serious about your martial arts training, The Way to Black Belt will arm you with the information you need to swiftly become a highly skilled, well-qualified black belt.

This is the book I wish I'd had when I started outthe authors have forgotten more than most writers will ever know about making your training experience rich and meaningful." -- Arthur Rosenfeld, martial arts instructor and author of The Cutting Season "Kane and Wilder not only succeed in defining a functional path to attaining yudansha level they also effectively bring back meaning and lost value to this important journey. In fact, it is so good I wish I had written it myself." -- Patrick McCarthy, Hanshi 8th dan black belt, International Ryukyu Karate-jutsu Research Society "While this book targets students who are studying to achieve their black belt, it at the same time illuminates a path far beyond this limited goal.Reading this book will help anyone for whom the goal of a black belt seems nearly impossible to consider that maybe you're wrong. Not only do I feel inspired, but I now have a ton of great ideas and advice on how to make the most of my training along the way." -- Christopher Caile, 6th dan black belt, Editor of FightingArts.com

Lawrence A. Kane is the author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, and Blinded by the Night, and co-author of The Way of Kata, The Way to Black Belt, and The Little Black Book of Violence. A paid book reviewer for ForeWord magazine and Clarion Reviews, he consults with other authors from time to time to help assure realism in their novels, particularly in fight scenes. Lawrence lives in Seattle, WA. Kris Wilder began his martial arts training in 1976 in the art of Tae Kwon Do. He has earned black belt-leve ranks in three arts: Tae Kwon Do (2nd Degree), Kodokan Judo (1st Degree), and Goju-Ryu Karate (5th Degree), which he teaches at the West Seattle Karate Academy. He is a regular columnist for Tradition Karate Magazine.