There are some people that treat the practice of martial arts like any other hobby or exercise class. It is something to do a couple times a week. Then there are those of us that the study, practice, and teaching of martial arts means so much more. Regardless of the specific art or discipline, regardless of the country of origin of the art, to some of us, being a martial artist and studying our respective martial arts is not a hobby or pastime, but a part of who we are.

From reading Kevin Brett's "The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life" it is obvious that Kevin Brett falls into this category of practitioners. Brett is a martial artist, not a hobbyist. His martial study has helped shaped who he is and has provided him with a vehicle to succeed in many areas of life, not just the physical skills of punching and kicking.

I enjoyed the book and found myself agreeing with Brett on many points. In the Preface, Brett wrote that he does not know all that he would like about the topics in this book, and that they require further study by all of us. I think this is an extremely important point, especially since this book while mentioning many important topics does not go into great depth regarding them. I do believe the points he makes on these topics are good ones, but there is so much more to study and learn. I feel Brett knows this, and that's why I think his book is an excellent roadmap pointing towards things that must be studied further to improve not only one's martial abilities but one's life in general. This is a great introduction pointing toward areas to study further.

The Preface and Introduction of this book illustrate that Kevin Brett lives as a martial artist and doesn't view his training as a recreational past time, Chapter one goes into brief origins and traditions from China, Japan and Korea. This is not a history book, and as I said the chapter is very brief on the topics it covers. However, I think the book will wet the appetite for many readers who will then continue their study further by seeking out history texts and other books to broaden their knowledge on the history and traditions of not only their respective arts, but hopefully other historic warrior traditions and various martial art styles as well.

Chapter two, Skill and Training, covers many different areas that can be expanded upon. Chapter three, Strategy and Tactics does the same. These two chapters are the bulk of the roadmap I mentioned above. One should ensure they are incorporating all of the elements Brett writes about into their own training and study. Many concepts or skills that Brett briefly describes in a few paragraphs can be further studied with various instructors or entire books just on that concept. For example, Brett has about a page of text devoted to the concept of "timing." This is a very important concept when training in the fighting arts, and Brett provided a short explanation on why it is important. I would hope the reader using this book as a map would then seek out further instruction on this concept through instructors or the excellent book on the topic by my friends Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere, "Timing in the Fighting Arts: Your Guide to Winning in the Ring and Surviving on the Street." That is just one area of many where you can use this book by Kevin Brett as a catalyst toward further study.

Chapter four, Spirit and Excellence, shows that Brett's study and journey as a martial artist consists of more than just learning physical techniques and readers who also want to be complete martial artists can follow by learning from Brett, because some of the concepts he discusses in this chapter are the most important elements of warriorship and becoming a martial artist. Integrity and Honor beat technical skill as worthy goals anyday.

Chapter five, Success For Life, provides some good general advice on setting and achieving goals, both with your martial art training and other areas of your life. Brett stresses balance and I think that is extremely important as well.

Appendix A is a framework for martial arts study that could be modified and adapted to help fulfill various training goals. Appendix B provides 52 success quotes to help motivate you as you travel your own personal journey.

Overall I enjoyed this book and feel that Kevin Brett and I would get along great due to our sharing of what a martial artist is and how training in the arts can effect your entire life in a positive way. There were times while I was reading this text that I thought to myself, "I have not trained or taught that concept for quite a while, I need to work that into a lesson." I recommend you get it, read it, and incorporate the lessons and information into your training today. It is a worthy book for any martial artist to read, and I think if you incorporate everything Brett mentions in this book into your own training and life, you can't help but be a better martial artist and lead a more successful positive life.