The following books comes highly recommended by Rayners Lane Taekwon-do Academy instructor Stuart Anslow. Only books that are part of his personal collection are listed below.
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
Karate-Do - My Way Of Life by Gichin Funakoshi
Living The Martial Way by Forest E Morgan
The Art Of War by Sun Tzu
Hagakure - The Book Of The Samurai
by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
The Book Of Five Rings
by Miyamoto Musashi
6 Books That Will Shape You As A Martial Artist
Dead Or Alive (the bible of Self protection) by Geoff Thompson
The Complete Martial Artist
Volumes 1 & 2
by Hee Il Cho
The Encyclopedia Of Taekwon-Do Patterns is a unique series of books that feature the complete works of General Choi, Hong Hi; Creator of the Ch’ang Hon system of Taekwon-Do and founder of the International Taekwon-Do Federation; as well as the patterns further devised by some of his most talented and legendary pioneers; Grandmaster Park, Jung Tae and Grandmaster Kim, Bok Man.

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for full synopsis

This ground breaking book studies the history and development of the Ch'ang Hon (ITF) Taekwon-do patterns as devised, taught and developed by the founder of Taekwon-do General Choi, Hong Hi. Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul is an in-depth study of the Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do patterns, their history, their roots, Taekwon-do's evolution, its genetic make up, its differences with other martial arts and the techniques and movements which define the system. A historical study of Taekwon-do and its patterns, a training manual and an encyclopedia of realistic applications make this book a must read for all those that study and practice Taekwon-do. Hardback Edition

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Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul by Stuart Anslow
The Taegeuk Cipher
by Simon John O'Neill

An analysis of the Taegeuk patterns of Kukki Taekwondo, discussing the context of their creation, realistic applications for practical self-defence including grappling and close-range striking, and the development of a pattern-based self-defence syllabus.
See the Rayners Lane TKD Full review
here
A Killing Art:
The Story of Tae Kwon Do

by Alex Gillis

A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do (ECW Press, 2008) is a nonfiction book by Alex Gillis that
takes readers into the lurid dynasties of two founders
of the martial art: Choi Hong-Hi, who named the art, and
his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became the most powerful man in international sports in the 1980s and 1990s. The story follows Choi from a 1938 poker game (where he fought for his life), to high-class geisha houses (where the art was named) and into the Vietnam War (where the martial art evolved into a killing art).
The Encyclopedia Of Taekwon-Do Patterns
The Complete Patterns Resource For Ch’ang Hon,
ITF & GTF  Students Of Taekwon-Do

Vols 1, 2 & 3

Scroll down the page to see recommended books on Taekwon-Do Patterns, Sparring & Applications, Pressure Points, Stretching, History and other areas of martial arts.

Although we do not sell the books below directly, they are available from this site, via Amazon. Simply click on the book cover and it will take you to the Amazon sale page for it, it will also give you a description & synopsis of the book.
Please note this is for USA, click links below for other Amazons.
Stretch To The Max
By Roy Bertrand
Stretch to the Max, a practical way to increase your flexibility with ease, is a step-by-step guide that provides you with a variety of exercises ranging from very simple maintenance stretches to far more challenging ones like the `Road Kill'. In addition each section has a time sequence so you know how much time to spend working out. Invaluable if you have a
Effective Taekwon-Do Sparring
By Jim Hogan
tIf you are a typical student of Taekwond-Do, or any other martial art that practises semi-free, continuous sparring, then this book is for you. Written specifically for club-level martial artists, "Effective Taekwon-Do Sparring" bridges the gap between the wider Taekwon-Do syllabus and the particular demands of sparring. The fundamentals of stance, movement and defence are analysed in detail and significantly adapted for the sparring arena. Core attacking techniques are reviewed and, if necessary, modified in order to improve their effectiveness in typical sparring scenarios. Finally, basic elements of sparring strategy such as assessing opponents, creating openings, effective combinations and counter-attacks are examined.
Stretching Scientifically
By Tom Kurz
The Complete Idiots Guide To Tae Kwon Do
By Karen Eden
With easy-to-understand text and 75 clear line drawings and photographs scattered throughout, this layperson's book explains in simple terms the concepts of tae kwon do-how to limber up for practices, how to defend oneself, how to practice on one's own or with a partner, where to find classes, how to rate teachers, and much more.
Teaching Martial Arts:
The Way of the Master

By Sang H. Kim

In a revolutionary approach, author Sang H. Kim has blended his extensive knowledge of martial art with modern and classical teaching methodology to create a system of teaching martial arts for the 21st century.
Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting Origins
By Bruce D. Clayton
This is the first book to dissect the lore and reveal the origins and purpose of the art of shotokan. It describes how karate was invented by the world's only unarmed bodyguards to protect the world's only unarmed king against Americans. In 1853, before the American Civil War, the king of Okinawa was caught in a confrontation between the shogun's implacable samurai and an invading force of U.S. Marines. Trapped between katana and bayonets, the king's unarmed guards faced impossible odds and narrowly avoided a costly bloodbath.
Karate's Grappling Methods
By Iain Abernethy

Topics covered in this work include: understanding kata and bunkai; the role of grappling in self defence; close range strikes; throws and takedowns; ground fighting; chokes and strangles; arm bars; leg and ankle locks; neck wrenches; finger locks; wrist locks; and fighting dirty.
Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application of Karate Kata
By Iain Abernethy

Bunkai-Jutsu is the analysis of the karate katas and their application in real combat. It is also the title of this pioneering book by Iain Abernethy. The fighting applications of the karate katas (forms) is one of the most fascinating and sadly misunderstood aspects of karate practice. Bunkai-Jutsu provides the reader with the information they need to unlock the secrets of kata and to begin practising karate as the complete and realistic combat art that it was intended to be! This groundbreaking and often controversial book provides a detailed analysis of the combative concepts and principles upon which the katas are based. This book is essential reading for all those who want to understand the real meaning of kata.
Taekwondo Grappling Techniques
By Tony Kemerly & Steve Snyder


Over the centuries, the ebb and flow of history has eroded the face of Korean martial arts, rendering modern sport Taekwondo devoid of the powerful grappling techniques of old. This title helps readers uncover the grappling techniques hidden in Taekwondo patterns, and unlock the potential of this powerful martial art. The book also comes with a free DVD
Pressure-point Fighting: A Guide to the Secret Heart of Asian Martial Arts by Rick Clark

Rick ClarkPressure-point fighting - the practice of manipulating the body's vital nerve and reflex points for self-defence - offers the ability to neutralize attackers without causing permanent harm. This intricate and temporarily devastating self-defence system has obvious advantages. What has been missing until now is a comprehensive guidebook from the Western perspective. Now, this guide explains all the fundamental pressure-point techniques, illustrated with photographs and pressure-point charts, melding the ancient Asian knowledge with modern Western medicine and science.
75 Down Blocks by Rick Clark

An analysis of one of karate's simplest, yet most subtle, techniques. Rick Clark seeks to allow the reader to learn how to evaluate variations and applications quickly and efficiently and then apply that analysis to daily martial arts practice. He describes the principles underlying the technique and explores how to seek out the information necessary to optimise all applications and strategies for an array of self-defence skills.
Complete Book Of Pressure Points by Rick Clark
Review by Paul Landreth-Smith
As a third degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do there were many moves in my patterns (Tul / Kata) which I doubted the given applications for, as they did not seem practical or realistic. George Dillman takes common moves from all systems (Taekwon-do in particular has a common ancestry from Karate) and demonstrates realsitic applications which work! It is like a veil being lifted! Some of the moves take a little bit of lateral thinking to work out and apply but the theory I believe is sound. The presentation is little too in-depth in places as it is very difficult to follow the application of pressure points from a book and pictures - but then I don't know how I would do much better! I feel that I know two sets of Tul now. The original interpretations which are the Taekwon-do adaptations to moves - effective and dynamic. There is also a second 'hidden' interpretation using effective positioning and pressure points. An excellent book. Probably best suited for advanced students (perhaps Black Belt and above) who have a good
Advanced Pressure Point Fighting of Ryukyu Kempo: Dillman Theory for All Systems
by George Dillman, Chris Thomas
Pressure Point Books
This is THE guide to pressure point striking
for the average martial artist. Sang H Kim
demystifies the lore of vital point striking and
shows you realistic applications of vital
point strikes for self-defense and combat
sports. He begins by examining the
Eastern theory of acupoints, meridians and
ki (qi) and the Western scientific concepts
of the nervous and circulatory systems, pain threshold and pain tolerance, and the relationship between pain and fear. This synthesis of accepted Eastern and Western theories helps the reader understand what makes vital point striking work and why it can be not only useful in fighting, but deadly. Based on this introduction, you will learn about 202 vital points for use in fighting including the name, point number, location, involved nerves and blood vessels, applicable techniques, sample applications, and potential results for each point.The points are illustrated in detail on an anatomically correct human model, with English, Chinese, and Korean names as well as point numbers for easy reference. In addition to identifying the vital points, Sang H.Kim gives you detailed information about the type of techniques that work for vital point striking including a discussion of fighting zones and ranges, plexus strikes, stance and footwork, bodily weapons, striking directions and angles and dozens of applications for common empty hand, grappling, groundfighting, knife and gun attacks. Based on over thirty years experience in the martial arts and in-depth research, Sang H. Kim has created one of the most complete books available on the art and science of vital point striking.
Vital Point Strikes
by Sang H Kim
Man Of Contrasts
by Hee Il Cho
The Complete Tae Kwon Do Hyung Volumes 1, 2 & 3 plus The Complete WTF Black Belt Hyungs
by Hee Il Cho
The Complete Masters Kick &
The Complete Masters Jumping Kick
by Hee Il Cho
More Taekwon-do Books
Taekwondo
by Marc Tedeschi
1 & 3 Step Sparring
by Hee Il Cho
Further Reading
Further training,
teaching and
dam well interesting books
 
More From Amazon...
Practical Taekwon-Do
by Kim, Bok Man