Breathe
A Life in Flow
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4.6 • 211 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
*An instant New York Times bestseller, USA Today bestseller, and Wall Street Journal bestseller*
From Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend Rickson Gracie, a riveting memoir weaving the story of his stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the fighting philosophy of Jiu Jitsu.
Undefeated through his final fight, Rickson Gracie belongs in the fighting pantheon with Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Mike Tyson. In Breathe, Rickson shares the full story of how his father and uncles came to develop Jiu Jitsu, what it was like to grow up among several generations of world-renowned fighters, and the principles and skills that guided him to his undefeated record. Gracie’s classic memoir offers indispensable insights into the warrior mindset, martial arts, human performance, and how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.
Inside, Rickson shares the code of a modern samurai:
The Gracie Dynasty: Learn the history of the world’s most famous fighting family, from their Scottish warrior roots to the creation of Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Brazil.Vale Tudo Champion: Go behind the scenes of Rickson’s legendary, undefeated career in the brutal, no-holds-barred world of vale tudo.The Mind-Body Connection: Discover the spiritual and psychological principles Rickson used to harness his internal energy, conquer fear, and remain in a state of flow.Birth of MMA: Witness the inside story of the Gracie family’s move to America and the creation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Martial artist Gracie fails to make his life or the sport of Brazilian jujitsu worthy of interest in his uninspiring debut. Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1958 to a family that owned a jujitsu training academy. Inevitably, Gracie started his career there, earning a black belt by the time he was 21. After defeating a "massive and terrifying" adversary by the name of "King Zulu" in 1980, he embarked on a lucrative career teaching "Gracie jiu-jitsu" and married a model with whom he had four children (and he casually mentions several affairs). In 2000, their oldest son died at age 19 of an overdose, though Gracie asserts (with no evidence) that he was murdered. That tragedy led him to realize "there is no tomorrow, because life can change forever in the blink of an eye," despite the death of his brother almost two decades earlier in a hang-gliding accident. Gracie's comfort level with the extreme violence of his profession ("I choked him unconscious and left him sleeping... in a puddle of his own blood") is likely to turn off many, as is his inflated ego. This is for devoted Gracie fans only.
Customer Reviews
Great Read!
Very happy to have read this book, and learn of a man I knew very little about. His story is inspiring & I respect this man and will remember the nuggets of brilliance found in his story.
Good stuff but very similar to the other book
You should probably purchase only comfort in darkness and skip breathe. They are almost identical. The former includes material on Ricksons Parkinson’s diagnosis but otherwise they cover the same ground. If you want to make sure there isn’t any small particle that you’ve not learned about and are a devotee,then you’ll want both, but I got little more out of breathe after I’d read Comfort in Darkness. Great stuff though.
Loved it
Amazing story