Eight Diagram Tiger Claw Fighting Set by Paul Koh

Paul Koh continues modernizing his teaching of traditional studies. To maintain the traditional while bringing it forward into the 21st century is a task, and not necessarily one without traps. Sifu Koh is innovative, creating vital steps toward updating without weakening martial arts. It helps that his Tiger Claw style has an inbuilt drama to its forms and a ferocious delivery when demonstrating basics.

In this new book on the Eight Diagram Tiger Claw Fist routine, the text is clear, concise and, as is typical with Sifu Koh's work, includes well-presented and -written principles and philosophy to round out the education. At the same time, Koh does not shy away from the specific training necessary for Tiger Claw, especially when the ultimate product will be the shattering attacks of the style.

The set is broken into two parts, using the dynamic, full-color layout of his previous titles. The single person set is followed by a two-person version, which proceeds to more than 100 pages of usage. What's particularly notable is that he takes the sparring out into the streets, giving it an authentic, dynamic feel. Although there is written text for the applications, they are so clear as to not require them. Sifu Koh has a sharp sense of book layout, and never miniaturizes the photos. Also, happily, there's strong interlock between the set's poses and the applications.