With martial arts champions such as Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, giving training tips in Muscle & Fitness and Men's Journal, and conducting interviews on Howard Stern's radio show, millions of people are turning to the martial arts for sport, a means of self-defense, and a form of exercise.

Many of these newcomers to the martial arts never stepped foot into a martial arts training facility, and have no plans of ever doing so. They want to learn to defend themselves without traveling to a gym or paying steep monthly dues. Some purchase martial arts guidebooks so they can prepare themselves both mentally and physically to enter a dojo a year or two down the road.

Martial Arts Unleashed: Jiu-jitsu offers readers:

* A detailed history and evolution of the discipline.

* A description of the various theories and strategies behind training and competing.

* A breakdown of the gear and training space needed to get started.

* A description of warm-up routines, footwork, and stances.

* Detailed instruction accompanied by step-by-step photographs that divulge everything from the basic kicks, punches, and blocks to the most advanced techniques.

* Instruction on how to combine various techniques into sophisticated combinations.

* Sample workouts for all levels of training.

* Weight lifting programs to improve strength.

* Cardiovascular workouts to improve stamina.

* Sample diets to improve overall health.

* Resources that show readers where to ply their trade and learn even more.

For those desiring to learn the martial arts for self-defense rather than sport, the book features a section on those techniques best suited for practical application. For the more advanced students, the book describes how to blend this particular discipline with other styles, utilize certain techniques to defeat practitioners of other disciplines, and prepare for a variety of competitions.