A List of the 10 best martial arts biography books

This article features a list of the 10 best martial arts biography books that should serve to inspire and interest readers alike. These books are taken from a variety of different martial arts, so there’s a mixture of quality and quantity. One key feature of these books is that they’re not based on techniques or specific moves either.

Instead, we’ve sourced biography books that are based on personal stories, philosophies, and ideas. In other words, you’re probably more likely to learn about an individual or a theory rather than a style of fighting. So, if you’re a budding martial artist or just someone that wants to learn about philosophy or certain characters then these books are great to read.

These books have also been picked on the following criteria:

• Cost (affordability)
• Detail
• Interest of story
• Length

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi

It would be wrong to start off our list without mentioning The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. He wrote this during his last years before dying of throat cancer but it mostly reflects on his life as a Samurai warrior whilst living in Japan. Now over 500 years old, this book is still as relevant today as it was at the time of its writing.

It is mostly based on how to be a successful a warrior, both in battle and in wider areas of life. As you may expect, this is strongly philosophical and even if you’re not into martial arts then it’s still a very interesting read. Arguably, this is the most iconic martial arts book out there and sets the record that being a martial artist isn’t about being physically good, but also it’s as much about your own mental fortitude too.

Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly

When it comes to Bruce Lee, there are very few that know more about his life than Matthew Polly, who is somewhat of an expert on the man. This is why his book on Bruce Lee is so decorated as the level of research that has gone into it is very high. Here, Polly also doesn’t pull any punches and isn’t afraid to look at the less glamourous sides of Bruce Lee’s life, such as his mistress and other lesser known facts.

What’s also important about this book is due to its intricate research, it also calmly sets aside myth from reality. And as you may know, there’s a lot of speculation and mythology surrounding Bruce Lee, even today. With this said, if you want an accurate look at Bruce Lee and the life he lived, this book offers a comprehensive overview and at over 650 pages in length, it’s not shy on detail either.

The Art of Peace by Morihei Ueshiba

Morihei Ueshiba is the founder of Aikido and actually wrote a lot on the subject during his lifetime. If you’re aware of Aikido then you’ll also be aware of its spiritual side and ideas that violence should only be used as a last resort. In this sense, it’s quite different compared to most other forms of martial arts which have less liberal views towards fighting. This book is considered Ueshiba’s best when it comes to Aikido and delves deep into his philosophies and why he took this approach when creating Aikido.

In short, if you would like to learn more about Aikido then this book is ideal. Arguably, it’s up there with The Book of Five Rings in terms of its philosophy, so even if you’re not a martial artist then once again it’s still an interesting book to get into and can even serve as a light introduction into Eastern philosophy.

The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano and His Students by John Stevens

As the founder of Kodokan judo, it’s fair to say that Jigoro Kano has legendary status within the Judo and martial arts world. Written by John Stevens, this book is a biography of Kano but also about his students who also led colorful lives themselves. For instance, one became the prime minister of Japan, whilst others became revolutionaries in China and so on. As a result, you can imagine the cultural significance of Kano’s Judo and the impact it had on so many lives.

Even today, it’s widely practiced and is as popular as ever. What’s equally as important to mention about this book is that it isn’t just about the physical side of Judo. Stevens does a good job of explaining what Kano was like as a person alongside his own personal beliefs and characteristics. It’s no surprise that Kano was a pretty smart and interesting guy, considering he founded Judo which is such a beautiful and intricate fighting system.

Physical Chess by Billy Robinson

Sadly, there’s a lot of misconceptions and lost history when it comes to the art of Catch Wrestling. Thankfully, this book was written a few years before Billy Robinson’s death, who is widely considered as one of the greatest Catch Wrestlers even – often training the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba and Josh Barnett who went on to have great MMA careers. This book explores his life, as both a pro wrestler and later coaching career as well as his earlier life in Northern England.

It’s not just any standard biography either, as Robinson was known for leading a highly interesting life. As you would expect, for someone who literally helped create a martial art and was also a skilled showman, there’s a lot to digest in this book which is a must read for all Catch Wrestlers.

My Fight / Your Fight by Ronda Rousey

Whilst Ronda Rousey is known as a WWE wrestler these days, she was best known for her run in the UFC which saw her claim the Championship belt. During that time, she was known as the greatest female MMA competitor ever and used her terrific Judo skills to easily defeat high level mixed martial artists. This book details her rise to success, from her earlier days as a young Judoka, to winning a medal at the Olympics, to winning in the cage.

As you’d expect with Rousey, this book is also big on inspiration, determination, and success – and at times you can also feel this through her writing. Overall, it’s a well written biography and is captivating as well as offering an interesting insight into the minds of one of the most successful MMA fighters ever.

Breathe: A Life in Flow by Rickson Gracie

Rickson Gracie is one of the most influential Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts ever and this book’s title pays homage to his classic documentary Choke which showed his run in PRIDE during the 90s. Here, Rickson Gracie shone a light on BJJ and how it was so effective in fighting. This book expands on the many physical and mental fights of Rickson Gracie.

This book looks at his early days and how he was brought up under the legendary Gracie family in Brazil, as well as his training methods during this time. It also charts his rise to success in MMA, as well as his iconic breathing techniques – hence the name, and even goes into detail about the death of his son, Rockson. Forwarded by BJJ black belt and Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, this book is a great read for all and has a lot of interesting stories throughout.

Karate-Do: My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi

The founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi lived until an elderly age and was training Karate until his late 80s. This book details his earlier life as well as his development of Shotokan Karate. For instance, he was originally a school teacher who studied Confucius amongst others. It’s no surprise then, that his ideas led to building and growing Karate so successfully.

He was also born in Okinawa which is considered the birthplace of all Karate, so this book truly is steeped in lots of history and Japanese culture. As a result, there’s a lot written about his life, philosophies, and inspirations. The book also does a good job of clearing up a lot of misconceptions and myths that often follow Shotokan Karate.

The Way of The Fight by Georges St. Pierre

Arguably, GSP is the greatest MMA fighter ever and held the UFC Championship in two separate divisions. Importantly, if you’ve ever heard him talk then you’ll also know that he’s very intelligent and a true, humble martial artist. This book serves as a biography about his life and rise in martial arts. It charts his earlier life and how he was bullied as a kid which led him to learn martial arts, as well as his training in his older years. Lastly, it also mentions his ideas and techniques that led him to become such a legendary champion.

Although this is mostly written by GSP, it also has viewpoints from his various coaches such as John Danaher and Firas Zahabi who often cornered him in the cage. The benefit of this is that it’s not just his own opinions and is nice to see an outside perspective on what makes him tick as a martial artist and person. For any aspiring martial artists, this is a fantastic read and should serve as great inspiration.

Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee

This book is written by Shannon Lee, the daughter of Bruce and it’s universally praised by most that read it. In brief, it offers how own take on her father’s philosophies and explains why he became so successful in life and martial arts. Obviously, there are very few that are closer to the source than Bruce Lee’s own daughter. It should be noted that this book is a philosophy book as much as it is about fighting and does a really good explanation of how central the mentality of martial arts is as much as its physical side.

This means that if you’re struggling to understand the idea of spiritual progression through combat then this book does a great job of explaining it. Arguably, this concept has been lost in more modern times – where MMA has stripped down the philosophical side of martial arts which is incredibly important. Well written, Be Water, My Friend is a fantastic read from start to finish.