Customer Reviews

No Holds Barred Fighting: Takedowns: Throws, Trips, Drops and Slams for NHB Competition and Street Defense (No Holds Barred Fighting series)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like Hatmaker and enjoy his easy writing style and ability to simplify fighting concepts. This book is a nice catalog of takedowns for someone who is used to stand up fights and wants to learn how to take his opponent to the mat. Boxer, kick boxers and karate grounded guys can see a wide range of techniques.
Wrestlers and soft martial arts guys, judo and jujitsu, may pick up a technique here and there, but most of the book really misses this group. The philosophy for a lot of the set ups for the takedown techniques seemed based on a sparring or jabbing model. The opponent's balance is disturbed by a sudden jab like push, pull or grab of some kind which is then abandoned so you can follow up with usually a double leg takedown -- though many other takedowns are considered later in the book. The problem I have with this model is that it won't work with "sticky" opponents.
Unlike boxers who spar, soft martial arts guys often welcome an opponent's push, pull or grab as an opportunity. They hold on to attacking hand/limb while they they yield to momentum of the attacker and then redirect his attack to their advantage. It feels like your hand hit glue on a swinging door. These set ups calling for a jabbing attack can end up being used to off balance the attacker. Of course, if you limit yourself to inexperienced opponents or boxer type opponents, this shouldn't be a problem.
This book would benefit from something like a strategy section. While the subject is briefly addressed in choosing a stance, vertical versus bent over and wide base versus normal base, it is not discussed in how to deal with varied opponents. The author states such a book is in the planning, and I look forward to reading it. But with this book, clearly one shoe does not fit all feet. Most soft martial arts guys are going to be more vertical than lean in boxers and wrestlers. In the same vein, different takedowns will work for wide based stances than normal shoulder width apart stances -- square versus staggered foot stances. Tailoring the takedowns to different opponents seems just as important as selecting your own stance.
Two specific weaknesses: Nothing was said about learning how to fall safely. A few pages would have gone a long way to insure guys without any background in landing on their backs from a standing position not get hurt. Most guys do something stupid like reaching back while falling and risk injuring the joints of their arms or cracking their necks (chin to chest when going down.) Second, some of the less used takedowns shown in the book are clearly not neck friendly and inexperienced guys should be very careful with them if they are going directly from the book to their backyad with a hapless buddy.
Good book for non grapplers who want to see what takedowns look like. But expect that quite a bit of fine tuning will be necessary for the techniques to actually work.

In his fourth book in the "No Holds Barred" series, Mark Hatmaker as tackled (pun intended) the subject of takedowns. He designs this book to introduce novices to takedowns and takedown counters, and also to fine-tune some principles for more experienced players.

The introduction covers the need for a strong takedown strategy in the NHB game, the principle of being a "sharpshooter", why certain techniques were chosen for this book, and the role of the clinch in relation to the shots that are shown.

Chapter one is on the proper distance from which a fighter can shoot, and ways to gage that distance specific to the NHB game. This chapter, most importantly, covers when and when not to go for a takedown. Chapter two covers the bare basics of takedowns: the stance (including a modified one for NHB players). He includes the centerline principle, and why one will be more efficient for "thinking like a sprinter" before moving on to chapter three. Three is on shooting footwork, and Mark beggins with the five essential rules for a shooter, after which he includes some drills for improving footwork from the basic stance. He also discusses and demonstrates the penetration step commonly seen in modern wrestling, as well as discussing how it contrasts with the leg dive, and which one he prefers. Chapter four demonstrates the old-school leg dive, which focuses on upper-body movement; included are examples of it's use and a drill that you can use to train your body for it. The next chapter is on various grips and handles, and why some should be avoided. After that is a chapter on various set-ups, which are normally ignored by most authors. This chapter alone has added to my understanding of the takedown game. He even shows how to combine various set-ups.

Chapter seven starts us on our takedowns; we start with the double-leg. Being the bread-and-butter takedown for most people, Mark only devotes three pages to the takedown itself, but much to my (pleased) surprise, takes up 50 PAGES with double-leg counters! Many of the counters end in a submission, which is great for both sub wrestling and MMA. Next, he goes a similar route with the single-leg, showing some very basic but essential variations of it before compiling a long list of counters, including several subs. Chapters 9 and 9.1 (low singles and counters) is a total of ten pages long, but nice, since the takedown isn't seen much in US MMA as opposed to Japan. In the last four chapters, we finish with tie ups, as Mark covers arm-drag takedowns and counters, and collar-and-elbow takedowns and counters.

This is a great book for those interested in non-gi submission wrestling or takedowns for MMA. Throughout the text, Mark offers concise advice on his takedowns, the underlying principles behind them, and how it all relates to the all-in fight game. I can't recomend this book enough, and I look forward to his book on the clinch.

Hatmaker writes some of the best MMA books out there. His explanations for movement are very good and the photos are extensive. His blend of "old school" wrestling technique and objective viewpoints on modern training techniques are exceptional.

As a note toward one of the other reviews: he clearly states that clinch-based takedowns will be covered in the next volume.

An overall excellent book, consistent with the standard set throughout this series.

Good writing style, good wit, good demonstration and explanation of technique. You can tell there is a ton of research and experience behind every book. The author has consistently given a solid quality product. Good for him!

Very good book.

In it are covered some basic and advanced wrestling and submission takedown techniques. A lot of photos which make all techniques easy to understand, there is not a lot of text but photos do the job, that reader will undersatand what is going on.
Like all Hatmakers books this is not be missed. It makes great collection on MMA books.

Why not all 5 stars: because I wanted to see more takedowns in it, specialy from Greco Roman side of wrestling. But that's just my wish and author make his call what he will cover n there.

Understanding the fundamentals of high percentage takedowns along with their subsequent counters, are essential tools for anyone desiring a complete "fighting" repertoire. That is the goal of this book, and it succeeds.

There are numerous takedowns available to the martial artist, competition and combatives practitioner. Only a handful of takedowns are high percentage movements (mostly successful as opposed to rarely successful), however. This book offers an enriched version of our most successful takedowns, regardless of our training, competitive or combative environments.

Like any skill, mastery demands that we actually engage the physical principles first hand, with an experienced coach or instructor guiding the practice. What we receive from Mark Hatmaker's NHB Takedowns is a well produced and organized teaching aid that breaks down and details double leg and single leg takedowns--and their variants--into their multiple, intricate pieces, providing visual accompaniment with its corresponding photos.

We will find information about all the basics that work in concert for successful double and single leg takedowns, with all the important nuances included, that work off of these two primary workhorse takedowns, into subsequent takedown tactics.

If one knows how to get into a good, basic double leg takedown, but stumbles a bit when it doesn't work out quite like he planned, this book will assist the practitioner into learning all the different options available. Other trips, drops and slams are readily available--just like the title affirms. One will see clearly, these options, and what actually is available to a grappler once he is able to grab onto his adversary. Hesitation will be left to the way side.

We are offered concise explanations of our stances, level change, motion, penetration, lift and finishing. These basics are all brought to a high level of flow, with nothing being left behind or in an isolated form.

We will see how to tie up and set up the adversary in specific applications utilizing collar ties, arm drags, and specific motion, along with the appropriate counters to adversarial set ups and ties.

What makes all of ,Mark's books unique is that all of the applications found in his books and in this one, is that the technical aspects on each page work with and off of each other, providing an unbreakable chain of techniques which ebb and flow one into another, in fluid transitions. We will NOT find isolated actions or techniques documented in this book, and then be left to our own devices to try and organize for ourselves how to mix and match the appropriate actions.

Mark has done all of this for the reader and practitioner who really wants to learn these very successful, high yield takedowns. The technical essence found in Takedowns is a concert of action connected in a perfect amalgamation of aggressive takedown applications.

Okay, so we won't find high and mighty aerial throws like in Judo, which are very impractical for street defense or MMA competition. What will be discovered is the in depth coverage for taking an adversary down hard and true, with less risk to us, as soon as we are able to touch our opponent.

From stance, approach, to finishing in an explosive, hard slamming, successful takedown, this book prevails and dominates over much of its competition, just like a well executed, high percentage takedown accomplishes.

Rev. Arthur Bodhi Chenevey, RM, DD
Hikaze Learning Corner
Two Pines Training Facility

This is a small, well produced book with a lot of techniques that work if you practice them with a non-compliant partner. The author is well schooled and experienced.

It's primarily designed for mixed martial arts environments, but has application to self defense environments as well.

Dealing with real fighting is, according to the literature, difficult.

And real fights generally don't start with opponents in uniforms twenty feet from each other, with referees, on mats or polished wood floors.

They generally start at very close range when somebody says "Howdy!" and somebody else says "I know what you meant by that, you bleep of a bleep!"

And then a lot of stuff happens very quickly at very close range.

This small volume provides a huge amount of information about close range grappling.

Obviously, grappling absolutely requires practice with an opponent. If you are practicing striking techniques, you can at least make some progress by hitting a bag or a makiwara.

But this is a useful and extensive laundry list of ways to take somebody off their feet starting real close.

Including several things you really don't want to do in a grappling environment.

These techniques are an eclectic grouping, and people who grapple a lot would be well advised to study them. Whether you study bjj, judo, or wrestling, there'll be a trick or two in here that may give your opponent a surprise.

And that's the primary use of this sort of survey book.

This is purely a wrestling book. All of the situations either involve an arm drag or someone else trying to wrestle with you. THERE ARE NO THROWS IN THIS BOOK*. There is 1 trip maneuver in the entire book (actually 2, but the other trip is dumb and obvious). Impractical situations that you would never be in because it's not a wrestling match and there are knees, fists, etc. This might be an okay book for some general no-gi stuff.

I'm giving this book 1 star based on the completely misleading title and description. The cover says "Throws, Trips, Drops and Slams." Drops and Slams? WTF? What the heck is a drop? Like an elbow from the top rope? I naively looked past the WWE jargon and bought the book anyway. And that's who this book is marketed to. The naive.

*There's a "standing double wrist lock" maneuver which I just considered a kimura throw, which is a pretty cool move and flips them over. Someone did it to me on the mats once...it's not the safest move that's for sure. But very sweet.

mark hatmaker did it again. another very good book on NHB. mark is a credible author who can share his knowledge easily and practical. a 5 star rating was given for a very good author and NHB practitioner. hoping for more books to come

I own several of Marks books and I've enjoyed them. He approaches the fighting science with good insight.However, Of all the books I have of he's this is the least useful to me. Mainly because most of the take downs are leg attacks;for which I am not a big fan of. Dont get me wrong I will go for the leg if it presents itself, but I like takedowns from the clinch. Mark does cover takedowns from the clinch just think he should have spent more time on it.
In any case this has expanded my leg take down arsenal so I can't complain.