Greetings all. As per Nate Dogg’s recommendation, I purchased a copy of Matt Furey’s Combat Conditioning. Read through it in about 12 minutes or so. (ok maybe it was 15) While most of the information is good, I think the price is a bit high. $35 for a book with big type and pics that look like they’ve been photocopied one too many times. Additionally most of the exercise techniques and descriptions can be found online for free. Don’t get me wrong, its still a good book and I am starting to use these exercises. But, its kind of dissappointing. Hey for $35 there could at least be some color pics or something.
Warrior, I agree that the price is a little high. I figured that the book would be all black and white and wouldn’t contain much additional information other than descriptions of the exercises. Yes, some of the exercises could be found someplace else. But that doesn’t matter to me. Why spend excess time looking for various places for the info when it’s all in one place?
When it comes to books, I’m usually not too worried about paying the price they charge. I want good information, and I want it all in one place. To me, the book is worth what I paid for it. Especially since I never would have started incorporating this type of stuff in my workout if I didn’t buy it. But it would have been nice to have a little more information along with the photos and descriptions. But it’s all good. It’s one of the best books I own. I guess it depends on what you are looking for. 
Warrior,
I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I got the book. In addition, when I bought Matt’s videos on combat conditioning, I realized how much more information should have been in the books. Through the videos, I realized that I was not doing Hindu Pushups and Hindu squats correctly. In addition the videos detailed how to do handstandpushups by themeslves an on top of chairs to increase the range of motion. Thus, the videos are worth the investment if you want to learn the proper technique of all of the exercises. However, the production is hardly professional and looks as if someone took a home video and filmed Matt working out in his garage. Nevertheless, the content is excellent and that is what I am after. Bodybuilding magazines may look great, but their content fucking sucks. Thus, I have learned to disregard the appearance of books and videos and go for the content.
What kind of exercises does he recommend Nate Dogg and Warrior Spirit? Is is your standard bodyweight exercises?
maclar, there are a variety of different pushups, which I explained in the first part of this post. Check that out, or get the new issue of combat fitness for pictures and descriptions. Also, there are really crazy things that we used to do as kids! Stuff like wheel barrel walking, duck waddling, crab walking and bear crawling (walking on hands and feet). He also recommends one legged squats (like Ian’s one-legged hack squats), handstand pushups, wrestler’s bridge, various ab exercises, jumping squats, explosive lunges, wall walking (tough but very fun), fireman’s carry with a partner and various leg lifts. In addition to these and a few others, he recommends jump roping and hill sprints (stadiums).
I did some stadiums tonight! After each sprint up, I did various push ups. It was a killer workout. I’m going to start doing them more now that the weather is nicer. And there are so many hot girls that do stadiums every evening. I love it. What motivation!
Thanks Nate Dogg…interesting story here. Lately, I’ve been ‘forced’ to work out at home instead of at the gym, and have had to do bodyweight exercises because I don’t have a weight set at home. Well, I was surprised at how weak I was in pushups, squats, chin ups, dips, etc!!! The stamina just wasn’t there, and I thought it would be easy for me, since I lift weights pretty intensely about 3 days a week. So this book looks interesting to me…I was wondering, is his website the only place you can purchase the book (I couldn’t find it at Amazon or B&Noble online)??
I agree that the content is good, although some more descriptors would be helpful. I am considering getting the videos as an addition. I don’t really care all that much about glitz and glamour either, but I just thought that it should have been a little less expensive. Maybe I’m just cheap. Anyway, Maclar I would recommend it if you are embarking on a bodyweight regime. Start off with the “Royal Court” and then progress to the supplementary exercises. I was surprised that I could still do the bridge pretty well, considering I haven’t wrestled since high school. (I graduated back in 1993) Speaking of which, anyone know where an adult can learn wrestling and/or compete outside of the olympics. I’ve always wanted to wrestle again, but unless I go back to college, I don’t know how it would happen. I’ve looked into martial art grappling. By the way, I practice Hapkido, a korean martial art that uses kicks, strikes, jointlocks, and throws. But unfortunately the only instructor in my area qualified in combat grappling is no longer offering the class due to lack of interest. Oh well, if anyone has any insight on how to go about finding a wrestling organization, let me know. Thanks!
maclar, I think the only place you can get the book is on his site. Check it out! And I know what you mean about feeling weak. I’ve been adding dips back into my routine (because bench pressing causes too much pain). I’ve lost strength on them. I used to do sets of 6-8 with an additional 45-60 pounds. Now I’m doing just bodyweight for 10 reps. And after doing some of these other exercises, I’ve realized that I have other bodyparts that need some strengthening! I’m loving it so far. Three days a week in the gym is doing well for my strength/hypertrohy training, and now I can lean out and get in better condition with all this other stuff.
Well, it’s been one week since I started doing this stuff. So far, I really enjoy it. It feels great, and I can tell I’m working many muscles that haven’t gotten much work. I’m trying to increase my handstand pushup strength. The first time I did this, I got 4 reps. Today I was able to do 6. Yahoo! And I’m doing more than 100 Hindu Squats per set, 30 Hindu pushups, and I can almost touch my nose to the floor on the wrestler’s bridge. I’ve also incorporated many of the other exercises during different days.
I remember when wheelbarrel walking was so much easier! My goodness, some of this stuff was much easier when I was a kid (crab walking, bear crawling, duck waddling). And I did a variety of pushups with my stadium workout last night. It’s great stuff! I highly recommend it. And if you’re traveling and can’t make it to the gym, these exercises will give you an incredible workout.
Nate, how are the Hindu squats on your knees? I remember you writing that you had knee probs in the past. I’m impressed that you are already doing sets of over 100 squats. Let us know when you hit 500.
GPO, yes I do have a knee problem (tendonitis). And it hurts on and off. Since I’ve started doing the Hindu squats, I actually feel stronger around the knee. I still get a little soreness, but it’s muscle soreness. I feel like the squats are helping to strengthen the area around the knee. I have noticed lots of popping during the first few reps, but after that, I don’t have any noise or pain. It’s pretty cool how the squat actually helps strengthen that area without causing or aggravating my condition.
I’ll let you know when I get to 200 first. Those suckers are not easy. Actually, I haven’t tried going much higher in reps recently because I’m trying to get the speed up. If I slow the reps down, I can easily do 150-200 in one set. But it’s when you do them quicker that you get that lactic acid buildup. And that is when you are screaming in pain and your legs feel like you just finished a killer squat workout!
I’m on the fat fast. Right now, a turd rolled with some rice would probably be pretty good. Seriously, I tried sushi (don’t know what kind) but it was pretty damned good. Problem is, I live in Indiana, so you ain’t gettin it fresh around here, and bluegill or crappie sushi just doesn’t sound good.
I finished looking at matt’s website. Can anyone tell me if the exercises (especially the hindu squat) are difficult because I have no idea how to do them. He lost me at the total hands up and down part. Anyone want to explain this, nate maybe. Thanks.
JD, most of the exercises aren’t too technical. So you can do them fairly easily. A few are a little harder. And getting the Hindu Squat and Hindu pushup down is tough. The descriptions in the book don’t fully justify how to do them. I’ve got a pretty good idea. My suggestion is to go to the first post about Combat Fitness. Mike Mahler posted a PDF link that Matt sent to people on his list. It shows the correct way to do the pushup, bridge and squat. So download it and print it out. It will be a lot easier than having me explain it in writing. But many of the exercises can be done by almost anyone. It just depends on how many you can do! As some are extremely hard!
Nate Dogg made a good point in indicating that speed is an important element in doing combat conditioning exercises. For example, the faster you do hindu squats and hindu pushups, the harder they are. I have done up to 1000 hindu squats in a row at moderate speed. However, I did 100 the other night as fast as possible with some deep breathing and man that was a workout in itself. Also, breathing is important. When you do the Hindu Squats breath out on the way down and take a deep breath on the way up. You will find that your upper body gets pumped up as well when you do this and that it is easier to keep your balance. It is the opposite of what most of us have been taught on doing weighted squats so work into it slowly. My recommendation on hindu squats is to work on form and do them at a moderate pace until you can do 200 in a row. At that point work on increasing the speed and doing 100 in about two and a half minutes. When you can do 500 in fifteen minutes you are in great shape. Also, for those of you with girlfriends out there that need to tone up, these exercises are awesome. My girlfriend started doing the squats and her legs are getting real solid! If you do these exercises in the gym, especially bridging and handstandpushups, expect to get some attention. I have people coming up to me all the time when I do wall walking, bridging and especially handstand pushups. Most people are pretty intrigued. However, you might get a lot of flack for bridging in terms of safety etc. Just brush it off and keep going.
Hey Guys,
I can’t find the previous post on this and was wondering if you could help me out. Can someone help me out with the link Mike Mahler gave, I know the forum doesn’t support direct links but a guide in the general direction would be nice as well as any other links on this type of training. Thanks
I need advise on the Mr. Furey’s wheel. In his site he claims that his wife got in shape just using it 5 minutes per day. My wife is interested in the device but I’m a little skeptic that such a short routine could put anybody in shape. Is this real? Can any of you attest his claims?
Dustin, go to Matt’s site at combatwrestling.com. Then go to the section on Products. From there go to his Fitness Tips newsletter. You can download the most recent article that contains the stuff we are talking about. You just need Adobe Reader to download it. There is a link on his page to download it if you don’t already have it. Try that!
Thanks Nate Dogg!! I found it, however Hindu push-ups are what I’ve always known as Chinese push-ups go figure and I do them 3 nights a weeks already at karate class which. I train in Shorin-Ryu KenShin Kan. Anyway I’m going to get started on handstand push-up now those are tough but very cool. Any other recommended reading guys??
Dustin, well it sounds like you’ve had some exposure to Matt’s exercises. That’s cool. That means you’ll have a headstart on the game compared to many of us who have just started doing those bad boys. As for other readings on Combat Conditioning, you may want to check out a magazine called “Combat Fitness” that is where I originally found the info on Matt’s book and exercises. I don’t know of any other good recommendations for this type of conditioning. Maybe one of the other guys who practice grappling or other martial arts will have some ideas! Good luck!