Inside the Lion's Den Reviews

• Great book

  
  By A2Z3YFK16YPD4N on 2000-01-14
  I just wanted to say that I think this is a great book and a must buy for both Ken Shamrock and mixed martial arts fans. Please do not believe the hype from some of the other reviews stating that the book is unduly biased. That simply is not true. Mr. Shamrock openly reveals his mistakes in his losses and does not ridicule or down grade any opponent, ie: he speaks well of the Gracies, explains what caused the personal frictions between him and Dan Severn. Many times people confuse confidence with cockiness, as the great Muhammad Ali used to say, "It ain't braggin if you can do it!" Being the first King of Pancrase, and the first Superfight Champion, Ken Shamrock was the best mixed martial artist in the world; he has definitely proven that he can do what he says. Yes Ken Shamrock is confident, but he is not arrogant. Many interesting insights you'll learn about his personal life, the politics of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, his fighting style, and the Lion's Den. Buy it if you're a fan of Ken Shamrock!
  
  

• This is a great book

  
  By A1A8T6RH6BPT32 on 1999-12-10
  This is a great book. It is a great and informative book, while not being boring. Anyone who reads this book can easily appreciate what he has gone through to get where he is, and it is encouraging to people who will also need to go through alot to get to somewhere better.
  
  

• Shamrocks Life is deeper than you think. This book tells all

  
  By on 1999-09-15
  If you were a fan of Ken Shamrock in any of the fighting circuits then this book should proveide an extreemly good read. If you only know Ken from WWF the this will tell you how he got to be the worlds most dangerous man. I have seen reviews people have written here saying its one sided and untrue but i have to say this is so wrong. Ken Shamrock is my rolemadel and has been for many years. The book is written about him so obviously it will contain information about his great skills and his victories. But when i read the book i found that both ken and Richard spent a fair bit talking about the amazing skills and techniques used by his opponents and how he lost his few matches and why that came about. Not biased at all in my opinion. The History part of the book is both interesting and informative where as the last section about the lions den training and the moves is extreemly good. Have a go at trying a few when someone gets on your nerves!! You will love this book. I know i do!
  
  

• Wonderful Insight Into The Man Personally & Professionally

  
  By A2DCN1GX3R5VBI on 2000-02-11
  This book will not only intrigue fans of all types of fighting styles that Ken Shamrock has competed in, it will also serve as a source of motivation and inspiration for all.

  The book is creatively and effectively divided into two parts. The first half is ghost written, or at least co-authored, and chronicles Ken's life. It is a brief, yet very thorough and captivating life story.

  The second half is a nuts and bolts introduction to all aspects of competing in mixed martial arts - from eating to strength training to technique.

  "Inside The Lion's Den" is more than just a book about a tough guy who won some fighting contests and became a pro wrestler. "Inside The Lion's Den" delves deep into the trials and tribulations that chronicle Ken's awkward upbringing. His childhood was far from, "The Cosby Show" yet it is explained in a way that is quite unlike most biographies of high profile stars that claim of such horrible childhood life.

  Too often are we subjected to a "Where Are They Now" documentary by some celebrity telling us that they were mentally abused, or how their horribly painful past forced them into a drug plagued life. Ken Shamrock doesn't mirror this all to common pattern. He simply tells about his life - and it doesn't appear to be one that most of us would have wanted at times.

  The second half of the book can, and will, put any reader who isn't a professional athlete or combatant into shape. One will be surprised at the amount of inside information that Shamrock shares. I've met many mixed martial artists and several of them couldn't complete the training regimen that is covered here.

  Some have belittled Shamrock for having the book co-authored, but that is a very unfair criticism. Ken Shamrock is a master fighter - an athlete - a competitor. He has a great story to share with us. Does any of that make him qualified to transfer that to paper and deliver it in a manner that is entertaining and interesting? No.

  That is no disrespect to Ken. He is a master at what he does. And he is very smart for having a co-author. I would assume that Ken, and most of you, have an accountant prepare your taxes. We all bring in experts to handle tasks for us. There is no shame in that.

  Professional wrestlers have amazing stories to tell and they are finally being shared with us all.

  I am proud to say that I have been given the opportunity to work with wrestling legend, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka on his biography and a documentary. I hope that when the book is available through Amazon.com, many of you will come and review it. And in the interim, while it is being written, let me know what you would like covered in the book that is tentatively being titled, "Tales From The Top Of The Cage."
  
  

• Shamrock: The Fighter, The Man, The Author

  
  By A1VS6SOCACZ9VA on 2000-03-25
  As a recent fan of the fighting world, I was not sure what I expect from this book. What I discovered was a well-written book that told a wonderful true life story. The format is delightful--one half about Shamrock's private life with his family that few seem to know existed and a second half that details and explains Shamrock's unique fighting style. A must read for the new fan or one who is learning about this style of combat and I believe one that would be highly enhoyable to anyone who has ever enjoyed a Super fight match. You gotta get it...
  
  
• This book is great
  By on 1999-10-21
  I highly recommend this book to any UFC, Pancrase, or Wrestling fans. This book gives an insightful look into Ken Shamrock's troubled past. He tells about the way he overcame adversity to become the best No-Holds-Barred fighter in the world. Well written and very interesting.
  
  
• Thisss boook ise ntoe verryy godo
  By on 1999-11-05
  Thisss boook ise ntoe verryy godo, it ise aboout a mane thate ise obvosle fakeee
  
  
• Look inside the world of MMA
  By on 1998-07-06
  The first section of the book, a biography of Ken Shamrock, is a very interesting read. It begins from Shamrock's humble beginnings and ends after his loss to Dan Severn. For those who follow pro-wrestling, it will be insightful as both these athletes have now entered the WWF. While it is true that the author overemphasizes some of Shamrock's victories and glosses over his losses, it still presents a good idea of how tough the sport of fighting truely is. I found the sections detailing Shamrock's evolution as a fighter and the training of his famed Lions' Den to be the most fascinating and inspirational. The second portion focuses on Shamrock's system of fighting. It goes over the basic submissions and positions. Nothing too ground-breaking. Ken goes over the diet and physical training of his fighters. 5 Stars for those who follow MMA or wrestling 4 stars for those simply looking for an interesting read
  
  
• Very useful
  By A24JPQ2IHYWKZR on 2001-02-17
  I found a lot of useful information in the book. He has info on training, drills and many submissions. What I found to help me was his 10 positions to launch submissions from. It helped organize some of the techniques in an understandable manner. I have been training for about 7 months and I saw some new stuff. He includes his strategies for many fights as well. It offers insight when you see him fight on the videos. I use it as a reference all the time. I will go train for a week or so, then open the book. I have many pages dogeard. Thanks Ken!
  
  
• Not a bad book.
  By on 2001-09-24
  First off, I think the first part of this book will be rather dated soon; however, if you were a fan the UFC from the very beginning, you will find Part 1 of this book interesting. Some people are critical that the book is biased and pro-Shamrock - what did they expect? Who is going to write a book in which they call themselves a bum? In any case, the first time I heard of Ken Shamrock was in an article (I think it was in "Details" magazine) where they did a profile of him and the new UFC. I was impressed in the article by his workout routine (covered in depth in his book), the guy was doing a retarded amount of physical conditioning - 500 push-ups a day, etc. After watching the UFC for the first time, like so many others I was hooked, (and promptly joined a judo club). The second part of the book, "The secrets of Submission Fighting" is basic stuff - but very practical advice. The second half of the book is the part you will find yourself re-reading and referring back to. I find many people who write these Amazon.com reviews tend to try and pass themselves off as experts - well I think it's safe to say that Shamrock has forgotten more about fighting than 99% of these guys will ever know. Sure, Ken Shamrock's best days are probably behind him and he never was "the-best-of-the-best" - so what? I recommend his book, but see if you can pick up a used copy.
  
  
• Showed the world Hindu Squats a full year before ANYONE else
  By AML1OPOTX7CH7 on 2005-05-02
  Ken Shamrock is a living legend and his book is a classic. Get it! It has submission grappling history, conditioning, nutritional advice, and holds.
  
  If I learned one thing while publishing my own book, "The Authoritative Encyclopedia of Scientific Wrestling", it was this, people should give credit where credit is due:
  
  "Inside the Lion's Den" was published one full year before any other book on Karl Gotch-style conditioning existed. It clearly and in plain language shows you how to do hindu squats, hindu push-ups, and neck bridging exercises and much much more. It is very comprehensive and talked about solid weight lifting routines too.
  
  Bottom line: if you like submission grappling Inside The Lion's Den is essential to have in your library.
  
  
• Very informative, inspiring
  By on 2001-08-24
  This is a great book about a great man. The second half of it is very informative on several submissions, and the beginning is the inspiring tale of Shamrock's rise from crime and poverty to wealth and fame. In response to the review by Joe Pelley, what have you been smoking? To try to belittle Shamrock's victories, AND the skill of an opponent like Taktarov, proves you either don't know much about fighting, or you were flying high on some drug when you wrote your review. Taktarov is a WORLD Sambo champion, and if you've ever seen a Sambo competition, you'd know it's a heck of a lot more brutal than the UFC ever thought of being. Not only that, but the rematch between Severn(who is an excellent fighter) and Shamrock did not prove that Severn was a better fighter, it only proved that he was willing to break the rules, AND the law(disobeying a judge's decision)when Shamrock wasn't. If you paid attention to Shamrock's history, you would also be aware he(shamrock) has forced Masa Funaki, a fighter with more skill than Tom Erickson will ever have, to slap the canvas. Also, Joe, you must not watch pancrase much, `cause if you did you'd know, yes, Ken DOES still fight, and yes, he DOES still win against world class opponents.All my rantings aside, this book is a very good, fast read. So, what are you waiting for? READ IT!
  
  
• Invaluable book to own
  By A3VZBSQYLPSVE9 on 2002-12-12
  If you want to know about Shamrock's life, get this. If you want to know about his conditioning methods, get this. If you want fighting techniques, this is skimpy. There are a few grappling techniques and a few hitting techniques. While you probably won't be a champion fighter from reading it, the techniques are good for someone wanting simple self defense, though I am sure there are better books for that. The bio was a good, interesting, and quick read. The conditioning is the best part of this book and what makes it "Invaluable."
  
  
• Great information hidden in jumbled text
  By on 2003-12-28
  So far I've only read the first half of the book on the biography of Ken Shamrock. There is priceless information about his life from childhood on up. There is great stuff on his physical and mental strength as well as his philosophy on fighting and life. However, the book jumps back and forth leaving the reader somewhat jumbled up. The grammar of Richard Hannar is by no means impressive. His sometimes fantastic descriptions leave out valuable information that lead to a not so realistic view of what took place (people who witnessed the fights will know). Shamrock, however, is without a doubt one of the most successful and influential mixed martial arts fighters of this era.
  
  
• A very enjoyable read, but a bit disjointed
  By A24MNL12WDFRAV on 2004-04-27
  I'll start off by saying I'm a big fan of Ken Shamrock, so I'd probably give 3 stars just for including him in a book. The book is split into two sections, one a biography of Ken Shamrock, the second an overview of submission fighting and training methods used at the Lions Den.

  The biographical section is first. It covers Shamrocks' troubled childhood, his first Toughman bouts, and eventual entry into mixed martial arts in Japan and then the UFC. Along the way, the reader gets a good idea of the troubles and controversy which plagued the early years of the UFC.

  The second section is a very general overview of the most basic submission techniques. If you're looking for a book chock full of grappling or striking techniques, try No Holds Barred by Mark Hatmaker instead. However, that's not what the book is about. There's also good material on the training philosophy and style of the Lions Den.

  Inside the Lions Den does have some faults. The biographical section is not chronological, it skips around without making reference to dates. This can be very confusing. reading it, one gets the impression that Shamrock had finished fighting in the Pancrase circuit in Japan once the UFC started up. In reality, he was doing both at the same time for about 2 years. If you wren't a fan, you'd never get that from the book.

  My biggest gripe is the way the author hero worships Ken Shamrock. Mind you, I'm a fan of his, but the prose in this work is God-awful. How many descriptions of Ken's "sleek, rippling muscles" do we need? He's compared to various predators dozens of times. You'd think he fights in blue-and-red tights with a big "S" and a cape. It's as if the co-author had a bit of a crush on him.

  If you're a fan of MMA or the UFC, I'd say spring for this book, it's a fast and fun read.
  
  

• Wonderful Insight Into The Man Personally & Professionally
  By A15P8SPI39DNMM on 2005-07-09
  
  This book will not only intrigue fans of all types of fighting styles that Ken Shamrock has competed in, it will also serve as a source of motivation and inspiration for all.
  The book is creatively and effectively divided into two parts. The first half is ghost written, or at least co-authored, and chronicles Ken's life. It is a brief, yet very thorough and captivating life story.
  
  The second half is a nuts and bolts introduction to all aspects of competing in mixed martial arts - from eating to strength training to technique.
  
  "Inside The Lion's Den" is more than just a book about a tough guy who won some fighting contests and became a pro wrestler. "Inside The Lion's Den" delves deep into the trials and tribulations that chronicle Ken's awkward upbringing. His childhood was far from, "The Cosby Show" yet it is explained in a way that is quite unlike most biographies of high profile stars that claim of such horrible childhood life.
  
  Too often are we subjected to a "Where Are They Now" documentary by some celebrity telling us that they were mentally abused, or how their horribly painful past forced them into a drug plagued life. Ken Shamrock doesn't mirror this all to common pattern. He simply tells about his life - and it doesn't appear to be one that most of us would have wanted at times.
  
  The second half of the book can, and will, put any reader who isn't a professional athlete or combatant into shape. One will be surprised at the amount of inside information that Shamrock shares. I've met many mixed martial artists and several of them couldn't complete the training regimen that is covered here.
  
  Some have belittled Shamrock for having the book co-authored, but that is a very unfair criticism. Ken Shamrock is a master fighter - an athlete - a competitor. He has a great story to share with us. Does any of that make him qualified to transfer that to paper and deliver it in a manner that is entertaining and interesting? No.
  
  That is no disrespect to Ken. He is a master at what he does. And he is very smart for having a co-author. I would assume that Ken, and most of you, have an accountant prepare your taxes. We all bring in experts to handle tasks for us. There is no shame in that.
  
  Professional wrestlers have amazing stories to tell and they are finally being shared with us all.
  
  
  
• Great read, great person
  By on 2000-04-18
  One cannot fathom exactly how horrifying it must be just before you enter the octagon, and still fewer can actually judge what goes on in the ring. Except those who were in the fight. Anyone who for a moment questions Shamrock's decision, and says he isn't qualified to make that claim, I recommend they first check their qualification. Many people tell me this book was merely for Shamrock to point out how he was cheated, I think this book is great and first hand recollection of the actual events in the UFC.

  It must be pointed out that Shamrock does tell an accurate and fair story about his opponents. Take for example Oleg Taktarov, who Ken openly compliments in his description of him. And few can say that they had Gracie even near defeat, save Kino and Shamrock. Perhaps Detroit laws did prevent Shamrock from dessimating Severn, perhaps they did not; nevertheless Shamrock is NOT a whiner, and his book is NOT a collection of Shamrock's own subjective commentaries, rather the book is an informative guide to the life of Shamrock, and the amazingly effective shootfighting tactics he explains in the latter portion of the book.
  
  

• Good Fighter / Lousy Author
  By A2BYTEDYKR5FK9 on 2000-03-11
  While I enjoy true stories and respect and admire what Ken Shamrock has accomplished in his life and career, he should have chosen a more neutral person to write his story. While there is no question Shamrock is one of the greatest fighters in the world today, the author paints an unfair picture of some of the opponents Ken has faced. Bottom line: Royce Gracie beat Shamrock once and Shamrock never defeated Royce. They did fight to a draw in their second bout, but Shamrock never won a match against Gracie. Yet the author describes Gracie as going to great lengths to avoid facing Ken. Remember, Gracie was 178 lbs and Shamrock was around 215-220. The author also unfairly badmouths Dan Severn. I saw the second superfight between the two, and anyone who says Severn unfairly won, is kidding themselves. Severn escaped the mount and reversed positions which is rarely done in a real fight. The author complains that Detroit laws prevented Shamrock from going all out, and Severn violated the laws to win. FALSE! Ken shamrock NEVER won a UFC tournament and Severn won 2. Shamrock won Superfights but never won a 3 fight tournament. I think this author is a whiner, and reading this book, one gets the impression Shamrock whines also. I hope that is not the case. Too bad such an inspiring story was written by such a louse. Get this book and ignore the authors implicit tones. Enjoy Shamrock's story as it truly is inspiring.
  
  
• An Incredibly well-done book
  By A2ZIGE5Q16OEQ1 on 2000-06-29
  I've been a long time fan of Ken Shamrock even from his first UFC apperances, and I only recently picked up this book. Being Ghost Written, I figured it would be a bit of a let-down, however I gave it a shot anyway, and all I can say..is wow. This is an incredible book. The first part, that covers Shamrock's life, from his beginnings and troubled youth, to his professional career as an Ultimate Fighting Champion, is incredibly well done. The second part, a guide to the use of several submission moves and the world of submission fighting, is a great indepth look at the fighting meathod. I am *really* suprised at this, it was much more then I expected. It's not one to pass up.
  
  
• Well, the Master of The Octagon,what can you say?
  By on 1999-09-10
  I read this book already like 3 times, and I cant tell you how many times Ive read it sitting on the bowl, traveling, or just reading it to see if someone will actually know what it is I'm reading and make a new friend. This book definately portrayed Ken Shamrock as the man I thought he was. I barely got into the UFC in March of 99' and I rented #1 through #17 in about 1 month. Ken was automatically one of my favorites when he lost so graciously to Royce in UFC#1, it showed me that "Hey, theres actually some smart people out there", you know. Anyway, good book,good pictures,and my mom only read the first opening page or something and said, "See Danny, this guy conquered his inner demons,isn't that good?" I said "Yeah , I know isn't that cool,I think I can do the same thing." So if your out there Ken, thank you, and keep it up!
  
  
• THIS BOOK IS THE BEST GUIDE TO KNOW ALL ABOUT KEN SHAMROCK.
  By on 1999-10-07
  THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK TWICE ABOUT KEN SHAMROCK. THIS MAN IS TOTALLY AMAZING,I CAN'T BELIEVE ALL THE THINGS THIS GUY WENT THROW.THIS BOOK EXPLAINS WHY THIS MAN IS MY HERO.KEN SHAMROCK IF YOUR READING THIS "I LOVE YOU MAN AND DON'T STOP WHAT YOUR DOING."
  
  
• a slobbernoker
  By on 1999-04-28
  This boook is not a vary goood becauase it has tooo muny pags i dudent lick it and will not tell pople too by it . Must by book for all reasons.
  
  
• Great book for reality fight fans.
  By on 1999-06-17
  This is quite possibly the one of the best books I've have read in a long time. If you want good info on a Ken Shamrock get the book, if you want good info on submission fighting, get the book. Its a great all around package.Kennys a much better fighter than people realize.
  
  
• Ken Shamrock; The worlds most dangers man
  By on 1999-10-10
  Inside the lions Den is the best book ever i love learning abput his life better then like rosa parks or any one els this book is about the life of ken shamrock the worlds most dangers man and the worlds most hot man this book i have to say is the graets it tells wene all of his kids were borning and about his life so if you like kens shamrock read this book
  
  
• A MUST READ!!!!
  By on 1999-02-24
  Even if you aren't an NHB or Pro Wrestling fan, I strongly encourage reading this book. Although I am, it provides a realistic look at the hardships and rewards life can bring. Not to mention great pictures from Ken's childhood to current. In part 2 it reveals tips for the success in dealing with submissions. It can be slightly confusing at times, but will eventually pay off. In conclusion, my props out to Ken Shamrock, Richard Hanner and Calixtro Romas for colaborating such a fine work.
  
  
• Useful Background Piece
  By AKI925TJ0F1I on 1998-05-15
  This book is divided into two sections. The first is a biography of Ken Shamrock, focusing primarily on his fighting career. Its tone is somewhat odd; on the one hand, it frequently reads as a very hero-worshippy accounting of Shamrock's accomplishments. On the other, the book is very honest about Shamrock's personal and professional shortcomings, including his often delinquent childhood and his struggle to control a violent temper. The second section is a submission-primer. I believe this section is really only useful to those with some martial arts background already; novices will be lost as there is little information on transitions and other details needed to make the techniques work. However, it is a somewhat useful introduction. For those with the background, this section gives a glimpse at how the Lion's Den fighters train, and helps explain their success. Overall, this book is of value to anyone who is a fan of the UFC or Ken Shamrock.
  
  
• Shamrock Fans MUST READ
  By on 1998-11-30
  If you are a Ken Shamrock fan you owe it to yourself to get this book. It will tell you everything you ever wanted to hear.
  
  
• Oh wait, I find him informative and witty...
  By A1ZQ5MR6UENUQD on 2000-08-08
  While being decidedly biased when it dealt with Ken Shamrock's MMA fights, 'Inside the Lion's Den' was a very good book over all. It was interesting to learn of the early life of one of the UFC's all-time greats. The best part was the second half, where the training and try-outs of the Lion's Den fighters is discussed. This book also includes a few techniques and submission holds. In that my grappling background is mostly judo and wrestling, I found the leg-locks helpful. Nothing you couln't find in other submission books, though, I suppose. Clean pictures and helpful instructions. No hairy backs, like Gene LeBell's...
  
  
• You're about to enter the Lion's Den - His House!
  By A1M6770YPLBECX on 2000-10-07
  A good friend of mine gave me this book for my birthday. Ken Shamrock is one of my favorite personalities in the wrestling world (and the martial arts world, too).

  This is quite a touching book. In the first half, you get to read about his life as a youth, and how Kenneth Wayne Kilkpatrick became Ken Shamrock. A nice story of hope and courage.

  The second half contains lots of training tips and things to improve on your fighting skills. I've taken up karate and kickboxing for about a year now, and he shares a few nice tips that I've used from time to time.

  I recommend this book, especially if you like to read stories about people with the drive and the urge to succeed in life.
  
  

• Surprisingly Better Than I Hoped For
  By AQH78WGM45NNG on 2001-12-17
  When I first purchased this book was from all the great reviews I was hearing from people who are in this industry telling me even though they may not be Ken Shamrock fans, they are definetly fans of this book. You get to explore his youth, family, problems that kept him down, many stories that were never told before, what he was thinking before and after each fight, how he trained for each one, and etc. Then you get into the Lion's Den training system. This is a MUST for all MMA fans or those who are intrested in fighting in the future. Ken gets you physically and mentally prepared. I recommend this book to all, even if you dont like MMA.
  
  

• Beyond the Lion's Den
• Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top
• Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History
• Iceman: My Fighting Life
• A Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of Fighting