Most Underrated Martial Artist: Mark Hatmaker

[UseoForce]

I just need to say that if you haven't read his books yet, you're really missing out. He is the most innovative, straight to the point, hardcore martial artist whose material I've ever studied, and I've studied a lot.

Here are a few things I like about him:

1. His entire system is bases on numeric efficiency. That is, high percentage techniques are trained more than low percentage techniques (He refers to this as the 80-20 rule: 20% of the efforts produce 80% of the results).

2. While his version of MMA derives from all sources, about 80% is from western martial arts like boxing, wrestling, and catch as catch can.

3. His techniques are straighforward and hardcore.

4. His written materials are brimming with content, low on fluff.

5. He doesn't market or sell his style like so many others (cough...Gracies) do. Sure, he makes money in his buisness, but he doesn't promote his style at the expense of all others.

Please consider reading his books or training with him.

[SubGrappler]

The more you fight and suceed, the more liberally you can market your product. The Gracies, for example, have a very successful record in mixed martial arts- kinda like they've earned the right to brag you know what I mean?

[niel0092]

Never heard of him before. Where does he fight? Pride, UFC, K1, somewhere else?

[UseoForce]

He's not a professional fighter per se; he's more of a trainer. Go to extremeselfprotection.com.

About the Gracies, I think I just realized something. The books I have were printed about a year or so before they started dropping like flies. They had reason to believe their style was as incredible as they portrayed it. Don't get me wrong, The Gracies have done more for martial arts than just about anybody in the past century, and BJJ is great, but there is no such thing as a perfect style the way the Gracies marketed theirs early on. I think there is some division among the Gracies these days as to whether pure BJJ is the ultimate style or not. You've probably read Mastering Jiu-jitsu, so you can see clearly that Renzo thinks BJJ includes boxing and Muay Thai techniques. Maybe it does (?). Also, Carlson Gracie Jr. is working on MY Combat Hapkido ground curriculum, so obviously he sees that BJJ is not the only worthwhile style out there.

Anyway, thats all off topic. All I'm saying is Hatmaker deserves way more props than he's getting.

[SubGrappler]

About the Gracies, I think I just realized something. The books I have were printed about a year or so before they started dropping like flies. They had reason to believe their style was as incredible as they portrayed it.

The ones who were famous initially, Royler, Rickson, Royce, and Renzo- are all getting up there in age. Rickson doesnt fight anymore, and the other 3 are approaching 40. While they are good jiu jitsu fighters and have strong work ethics, they were small in stature, giving the other people in their divisions (many of whom are natrual athletes) a better advantage.

It wasnt the Gracies that were good- it was jiu jitsu

Don't get me wrong, The Gracies have done more for martial arts than just about anybody in the past century, and BJJ is great, but there is no such thing as a perfect style the way the Gracies marketed theirs early on. I think there is some division among the Gracies these days as to whether pure BJJ is the ultimate style or not.

If you talk about individual arts, I cant think of any that are better than BJJ, but if you want to talk about fighting in general, BJJ + something else is going to be better than BJJ. As to whether or not the Gracies refuse to adapt, they've been doing pure BJJ for about the past 30 years- its hard to unlearn that from you nervous system when you try to start crosstraining.

You've probably read Mastering Jiu-jitsu, so you can see clearly that Renzo thinks BJJ includes boxing and Muay Thai techniques. Maybe it does (?). Also, Carlson Gracie Jr. is working on MY Combat Hapkido ground curriculum, so obviously he sees that BJJ is not the only worthwhile style out there.

No one ever said that BJJ was the only style thats worthwhile- as far as Renzo's book, I guess you could say he made more of an MMA book, and it does detail the phases the MMA when though (i.e. the BJJ phase, the G&P phase, the striking phases, and finally full circle). Renzo isnt as extreme as his relatives, and it probably the most open minded of the Gracies (from that generation).