Each style of Martial Arts has its own intended opponents and situations for which it was designed. Because of this, each style has its own strengths and weaknesses. The Ball and Tiger Style was imported to Japan from China over a thousand years ago. Much like AiKiDo and some of the Yang Tai Chi Chuan styles, it was intended to allow a small statured person to defend themselves against a committed larger attacker, as well as those carrying short (knives) or mid-length (swords or clubs) weapons, without killing the opponent. This makes it perfect for children and for women's self defense! Having an easy learning curve and relatively low impact training, it's a good martial art to start with. With five element meditations to control mood and mental preparation exercises to prepare for conflicts, even some advanced martial artists may find this style helpful to round out their practice. This third edition has been revised to be easier to read with more pictures, more notes, the original Japanese text for reference, and more reader friendly translations!
About the Author: M. P. Schaefer took an interest in old style martial arts, particularly from Japan from a dream he had around the age of five. There was no one in his area available to teach at that time, so he studied various arts and style through books and practiced on his own off in the woods at first. From Middle School through High School he joined the dojang (dojo) of a Korean military style. In college he trained in Aikido and Tai Chi Quan styles. The benefit of training in the woods with rocks and trees is that it toughens your body and mind. The benefit of studying from books is that you pick up more information on the origin and history of the style and those who practiced it. You also find out more about the culture, philosophies, and religions that influenced it's development. In this case, some of the styles he was interested in utilized gadgets and weaponry that was considered high-tech at the time and engaged primarily in espionage work. So he became interested in science, as well as codes and ciphers, and was certified as an Electronics Technician before graduating High School. They used pressure points and raw medicines to heal themselves and weaken opponents, so he studied acupressure; massage; medicinal herbs; Oriental Medicine; and acupuncture, and eventually received a master's degree and a couple of medical licenses. They had been influenced by the martial traditions; philosophies; and religious traditions not only of Japan, but those from China; and even further away from India. So he studied many of those as well. Now, over 30 years later, he's sharing what he's learned with the rest of the world.