Harvey’s book has different punches

The local man’s book about Muay Thai kick-boxing uses a different kind of format.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

A former Youngstown-area man and 20-year veteran in martial arts is hoping his first published book — “Mastering Muay Thai Kick-Boxing: MMA [Mixed Martial Arts]-Proven Techniques” — proves to be a big hit with students, instructors and fans alike in the sport.

Joe Harvey, a native of Youngstown, said that his book from Tuttle Publishing about Thailand’s native sport, which is similar to boxing, is different from other martial arts book in two main ways.

“The format is different from other martial arts books that simply offer step-by-step photographs. My book is just the opposite. I tell you all details in text and only show photos in specific areas for illustration,” said Harvey, a 1991 graduate of Austintown Fitch High who attended Youngstown State.

He now lives in Woodbridge, Va., near Washington, D.C., and is a martial arts instructor, researcher and writer as well as a competitor in training.

“That [different format] was the biggest thing and that made [the book] new and innovative, but hard to get published until I was able to find Tuttle. It is more text rather then photos, like you are getting information from an instructor.”

In addition, Harvey said that he has drawn on his wealth of experience and connections in martial arts to make the book a state-of-the-art study of Muay Thai, which he said is “similar to boxing except that fighters also can use elbows, knees and shins, and can use standing grappling to get into position to make a certain type of move.”

In fact, “There is a complete set of standard grappling moves that are strikes and defense,” he pointed out.

Harvey believes that his book “is the closest thing you can get to having an actual instructor without having one because of all experience I have had and the people I have trained with, and I extract the best of my experience and put it in the book,” he said.

“I give the reader options, depending on what they want from the book and what they are looking for. They can study the techniques that interest them. It’s like a reference book consisting of the entire arsenal of Muay Thai strikes.”

His book is available at all major book stores, including Borders and Barnes and Noble, as well as most online book sites including bn.com and amazon.com.

Harvey atttended Harrison Elementary School in Youngstown, Mineral Ridge Middle school and Mineral Ridge High school before transferring to Fitch.

He began his official martial arts training at the Downtown YWCA in 1983 under Jim Evans in intramural classes for Ji Do Kwan/Taekwondo.

Since then, he has climbed the ranks of the martial arts as a versatile student, competitor, instructor and researcher, and has done extensive traveling and networking in the field to tap the best minds for the latest developments in the sport.

He has black belt ranks in different martial arts styles and from different organizations, including a black belt from training in Muay Thai, Filipino Martial Arts, and Jeet kune Do under one of the foremost martial arts authorities and instructors in the world, Patrick Tray.

He said Tray is a 20-year Navy Seal veteran [and] 10-year Navy Seal Combat trainer who is a representative for a world renown martial arts organizations near Washington D.C.”

Harvey said, “I seek out instructors because I want to learn. I have a huge network of instructor.” And, “Instructors also can use my book. My book is for beginners or advanced students.”

Harvey said he makes his living in martial arts. “I live close to the Pentagon. I am doing instruction and writing and I have my training. I can’t get enough learning. In just the last six months, I have been back in training.”

He also is planning a another book.

“Tuttle [Publishing] asked me to do another one. I may do my next one the same way I did this one, but do it with another form of martial arts.”

Most of Harvey’s family still is in the Youngstown area. His mother, Helen Rush, lives in Austintown and a brother, Richard, lives in Youngstown, and he has other famly members in the area as well.

kovach@vindy.com