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

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 impract

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.

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

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!

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.