First, thanks for stopping by!

Second, I’ll have to get my hot little hands on a copy of your first book!

Best,

~BCP

“What the Masters Know” is the second book, the first being “Strategy in Unarmed Combat.” I had intended them as a single book but the publisher decided otherwise.

I wrote the book in 1975-1976 when kickboxing, then called full-contact karate, was still getting started. Since I had some background in boxing, wrestling and fencing, I knew that many classical stylists did not understand the core strategic intent of their technqiue, especially vis-a-vis the ring.

Also, at the time, because of Bruce Lee’s influence (”style as no style”), blending martial arts had become very popular and resulted in some technical abominations that were often humorous, but sometimes self-destructive characatures of sound technique.

My purpose for the book was to provide a conceptual context for mixing and adapting techniques. Please! No more naive karate instructors at ringside yelling an their pigmy student to “stick and move” against a golliath. Hopefully, in a small way, the book contributed to the development of mixed martial arts. Certainly, at the very least, I know a few kickboxing world champions subscribed to the idea of positional theory.

As for me, I subsequently developed and for ten years administered the STAR System world kickboxing ratings.

I retired my black belt some years ago and have deliberately avoided updating or republishing those books. I think they did their job for their day.

Warmest regards,
Paul Maslak