Education is a big part of your martial art studies. As you strive for self-improvement you should also increase your overall knowledge of traditional martial arts to become a well-rounded karateka. Below are the books deemed as Required Reading for the Kyu Grades. With each Rank comes more responsibility which in turn requires more education.
| Grade | Book | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Kyu |  | Karate-Do: My Way Of Life By Gichin Funakoshi | An autobiography of The Father of Modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi. |
| 6th Kyu |  | The Weaponless Warriors By Richard Kim | Short stories of several Karate Masters of the past by Richard Kim, Sensei of Patrick McCarthy. |
| 5th Kyu |  | Oyama: The Legend, The Legacy By Michael J Lorden | A biography of the legend Mas Oyama, founder of Kyokushin Karate. |
| 4th Kyu |  | Tales Of Okinawans Great Masters By Soshin Nagamine | Stories of several Karate Masters of the past by Shoshin Nagamine. |
| 3rd Kyu |  | Shotokan’s Secret By Bruce B. Clayton, Phd | A sometimes contraversial account on the birth of Karate. |
| 2nd Kyu |  | The Island Of Karate By George Alexander | A great reference manual of the origins of Okinawan Karate, researched in depth by George Alexander of Shorin Ryu style. |
| 1st Kyu |  | Karate My Art By Choki Motobu Translated By Patrick Mccarthy | 2 Choki Motobu books translated into English by Patrick McCarthy. |