Dear Friend, Triumph over adversity. Thats the theme of things around my house this week.

It began for us on Monday at 4:15 a.m.., when the alarm clock rang in the room my parents have used since they came for an eight-day visit on December 20. Not long after arriving, my father began having health problems. It was determined that his carotid arteries were clogged and if he didnt have surgery, he was in danger of suffering a stroke. He had the left carotid cleaned first, and because the other was just as clogged, and he still was at a risk for stroke, the doctor agreed to do the second surgery two or more weeks later. My father recovered from the first surgery quite well. As my mother has always been a staunch advocate of walking, she had the old man out for a jaunt each day. Thing is that many of these jaunts were six and ninemiles long. I dont know what it is, she said. It must be something about the air here. When I walk I feel like I can go on forever. Well, Florida is kind of surrounded by water on both sides, I murmured. So there better be more oxygen in the air. Stress Test Part of the reason my mom had the old man walking so much is because my sister and her husband, both of whom are medical doctors (psychiatrists), requested that dad have a stress test to make sure that his heart wasnt clogged as well. Figuring that they were going to give the 77-year old a Cooper Clinic-like run on a treadmill, she was really pushing him. When my dad finally went to see the doctor for the stress test, he lucked out. No treadmill for him. They injected a little die here and there and took a look. A few days later, when the results came in, he was cleared for surgery on the right carotid artery and told that his heart was fine. What a relief that was. One thing that the tests revealed though, said the doctor, is that you had a heart attack some time ago. Theres scar tissue that shows the damage.

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February 2001 Vol. 1 - No. 3

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My mom figured it may have been when dad was in a car accident many years ago and was knocked unconscious. I offered some other ideas, most of which centered around having to put up with me. At 4:15 my mom woke me. It was time to take the old man to the hospital. He was due to report at 5:30. I got up and checked my e-mail and started working on some ideas. The hospital is 30 minutes away at 5 a.m. and 60 minutes away at 5 PM. Mom had told the old man that we would leave at 4:45 ... and being I sometimes live by the Nietzschean quip regarding time (What time does Munich stop at this train?) I hadnt even scoured by then. I looked over the balcony and saw my dad pacing back and forth in the living room. The only reason I looked over the balcony though, was because I could hear some loud breathing going on. He was inhaling and exhaling so forcefully that I thought he might be turning into a wolf. I hopped in the shower, toweled off and got dressed. When I got downstairs it was 4:55. I looked at mom. Whats up with the old man? Whys he breathing so loud? Hes practicing deep breathing, she said. And ... I think hes a little frustrated. Over what? He thinks were going to be late. Late-schmate. I know my way around these here neck of the woods. Well be there with time to spare. Thats good, she smiled. Psyching Up We hopped in the car a minute later . The old man kept breathing like a wild animal and it was all I could do to refrain from saying, Look, whoever told you to do deep breathing that way is an idiot. Thats how you breathe to psyche up for an event. Deep, fast and heavy breathing with no pause causes an adrenaline rush. Right now, you need slow, steady breathing with a pause at the end of each inhale and exhale. Thats a breathing technique thatll calm you down. At 5:25 we were at the Emergency entrance. It took 29 minutes to get there. Let me go park, I said. Where should I meet you? You can meet us right inside, mom said. You dont have to wait around, said dad. Youre tired. This is no big deal. Go home and get some rest.

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Okay, I will, I said, and drove off. On the way home I was glad I didnt say anything about my dads breathing method. Maybe, just maybe he needed to psyche up for this thing. And any smart-ass comment from me may have caused even more stress. At 10:10 a.m. the phone rang, waking me from a log-sawing slumber. My wife answered. The surgery was over and it went well. She handed me the phone. Dr. Kerr said this artery was just as bad as the first, mom said. Hes in ICU right now and hopefully will come home tomorrow. It didnt work out that way. Being that the doctors didnt spike him with the catheter prior to this surgery, as they had for the first, the old mans bladder swelled and they wanted an extra day to make sure he was okay. On the following day, we had to take my wifes parents to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for an interview regarding their permanent residency status. Actually, it was their second interview. Turns out they had a file of extra questions to ask Zhannies dad because he was in the Chinese army and at one time was a member of the communist party. The interview took an hour. After sweating a few pellets, both of them were approved. Sigh. We then drove straight to the hospital as my dad was now ready to be wheeled out. Not kidding either. The hospital wont let you get up and walk out under your own power, even though you can and will from then on. Nooooo. They have to have someone treat you like an invalid one last time. Once the old man was inside the car he asked about the interview for Zhannies parents. When I told him they questioned him about his past, he said, Well, its nice to know that this country still cares about whether or not a communist comes here. But if youre still a communist living in China, and you havent already figured out a way to steal from the U.S. well, then well roll out the red carpet and give it to you for nothing. With this comment, I knew the old man had already regained his form. His bladder had not only returned to normal, but so had the flow to his brain. So it was a good week. Two triumphs over adversity. The Alligator When it comes to adversity, though, theres no better example in this state than the alligator. First off, the gator is basically a prehistoric reptile. He should have gone out of business around the same time as the dinosaurs. Yet, he keeps hanging on. And in Florida, you never know when you might see one. When my parents first arrived in December, I told them that they should never get too close to the water, as alligators may be around.
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Well, theres not really any water where we are for them, my dad said. Oh, yeah, I said. What do you think all those ponds are that youre walking by each day? A few days later my mom came home and said, I saw a man sized alligator sitting on the bank near the pond (about a half-mile from our house). We got in the car and drove to the pond, and sure enough, there he was. Not a care in the world. Hoping some stray dog or cat comes running by. Tough Bastard I dont just bring up the alligator because he has found a way to stay alive for so long. No. I bring him up because hes a tough bastard. Hell live through a rainstorm, a hurricane and a drought. He doesnt mind. If a pond or lake dries up, hell find food somewhere else. And you know what? You never see dead alligators in the middle of the road. Down here youll see a lot of dead critters in the middle or side of the road. Youll see raccoons, deer, possums, armadillos and feral cats. Lots of different animals end up as road kill. But gators? Naaaah. Why Animals End Up As Road Kill There are two main reasons why an animal becomes road kill. The first is because the animal blindly runs into oncoming traffic without realizing the repercussions of a collision. This is the scenario we see most often. The second reason, though, happens a lot, too. The critter sits at the side of the road, waiting for his turn to run across. He finally decides to go ... but when hes halfway across, he looks at the traffic, doubts himself, changes his mind and retreats. SMAAAAAAACK. Hes dead. Road kill. If he would have continued across without paying attention to traffic, he would have made it. When it comes to health, fitness and conditioning, the same type of ideas apply. Like animals in the wild, we are always going to face adversity. Its our approach to adversity, though, that will determine whether we succeed or not. We can be like the alligator. We can be tough as nails with an attitude of Im going to make it no matter what. Or, we can be like the bunny rabbit or possum who wants to make it, but gets scared and becomes road kill. One of the things I LOVE to hear from readers is how they went into a gym or health club to work out. Instead of using weights, though, they opted for the Combat Conditioning exercises. When this happens, some of the people in the gym think they are watching a lunatic. When it comes to training, so many people are unnatural in their approach, and they know

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of no other method. So when they see the real deal, they dont recognize it as valid. They get scared. Oh, what youre doing looks like it would kill me, they say. The fact of the matter is that it wont kill them. It will make them fit, however, and itll do so in an enjoyable, fun and rewarding manner. Even if its hard. What makes this story appealing to me, though, is that the person doing the calisthenics LOVES it when people think hes nuts. When hes doing his Hindu squats, handstand push-ups and bridges, he LOVES it when someone says, You know, those squats are gonna wreck your knees. Those pushups are dangerous. Youre gonna compress the cervical vertebrae with that bridging and end up breaking your neck. When someone comes around and makes comments like the above, the alligator personality just keeps right on doing what hes doing. He could care less if anyone approves or not. He knows that the exercises work and this gives him what Mark Twain called, the quiet confidence of a Christian with four aces. Our harmless little possum handles adversity a different way. When he does his Hindu squats and someone comes over to warn him about kneeshearing, he curls up in a ball and plays dead. If someone tells him bridging is bad, he lets this opinion destroy his spirit. He gets scared. He starts to worry. He doubts himself ... and he tries to turn back and go the other way. Guess where he ends up? You got it: Road Kill. Instead of sticking with the program, he simply gives up. But the main reason he gives up is because he wants to be 100% sure that he is following the RIGHT program. But there is no RIGHT program. There is only the program you have right now, and the attitude you bring to it. I dont care if all you do is push-ups. Or rope skipping. Or pull-ups. Or weight lifting. If you bust your ass and give it all you have on a consistent basis, youre going to get results. And as you get results, you can add other things to the mix, picking and choosing what works for you and what doesnt. If, however, youre waiting for the perfect program before you act ... you might as well go sit in the middle of the road and let someone run you over ... because youre never going to make it anyway. The bottom line is that you have to have guts. You gotta be tough. You gotta be able to concentrate and train when naysayers try to plant doubts in your mind. And you gotta know that there are a lot of other alligators training just like you, even if youre the only one in your pond. Some lakes are filled with gators. Some only have one or two.

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Sure, you might feel a bit out of place at a gym where no one else is doing Hindu squats, Hindu push-ups and bridging, but youll never feel out of place in a gymnastics studio, where body weight exercises are the norm. Believe me, where I train, no one comes through the doors hauling a weight machine or a set of dumbbells. You know why? Because where I train, natural training is the norm. And Now for this Months Workout After reading the January issue of Fitness & Conditioning Tips, many of you called to order the Power Wheel. I am happy to report that my recommendation didnt fall on deaf ears and I greatly appreciate the calls and e-mails from all of you who are ecstatic about getting one. One super ultra fanatically ecstatic customer is two-time Brazilian JiuJitsu world champion Steve Maxwell. At least once per week Steve calls to give me a Power Wheel update, telling me what hes doing with the device. This past Sunday, however, he touched upon something that is fantastic. When I was resting after my workout, the kids in the gym took the wheel and starting running up and down the mat with it. Theyd put their hands on the pedals and run from one end of the room to the other ... and as I watched, I noticed that they were out of breath. So I got up and tried it, too. I zoomed around the room, like I was bear crawling without having to move my hands, and man, is that a great workout. Never able to resist a good idea, I took the wheel to the gym and spun around the mats for a minute straight. When I came to a stop the ole lungs were working. I had my students do a minute as well, and as I watched them move, I realized how valuable this seemingly EASY exercise is, especially for grapplers and football players. And those of you who just want to get into great shape, this is an exercise you can add to your existing routine to make it a lot more fun. Heres what I did in a brief workout this evening at the tennis courts: I began with rope skipping. I did 500 continuous repetitions, using the running in place method. Then I ran three laps around the outside of the court. After that I grabbed the rope for 250 more repetitions, this time, doing 25 jumps on one foot, then switching to the other. This was followed by three more laps. To make an even 1,000, I grabbed the rope once more and cracked off 200 regular jumps, followed by 50 crossover jumps (the crossover jumps are done with arms crossed like an X in front of you). As soon as I finished the 50 crossovers, I walked a lap, psyching myself up for some Power Wheel torture. I put my hands on the pedals and starting rolling my way around the court in the bear crawl position. I made up my mind that I would do three laps, then switch to walking on hands. Normally, when I havent done anything else, I can really zoom from the bear
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crawl position, but tonight it was all I could do to plod ungracefully along. When I finally finished three laps, I was puffing. I walked a lap and got control of myself, then I strapped my feet onto the pedals, looked at my watch and wondered, How long is this gonna take. I walked the entire length of the first line without stopping, then fell to my knees. At that point I had the conflicting thoughts of God, what am I doing to myself, hehe ... isnt this great? Strange how the mind works, huh? After about 30 seconds I began again. Compared to walking the first long line, I figured Id have it easy just getting to the next corner. Wrong. I got there, but it was work. I rested a minute and began again. I made it to the net and took another breather. Then I made it to the next corner. When youve made it that far, theres no turning back. Theres no second-guessing. Im a gator. Im not gonna be road kill. I psyched up with my dads pre-surgery breathing method and began again. And when I made it to the finish, I KNEW it was time to go home. Give this workout a go. I think youll dig it.

Matt

Until next month, kick ass ... take names.

Matt Furey

P.S. I almost forgot. If youre interested in getting the Power Pushup 2 and/or the Power Wheel, give me a call at (813) 994 8267 and Ill have it shipped to you.
P.P.S. My new book, Combat Abs is finally out, too. It has over 50 different exercises thatll make you tough as a gator. It also features several exercises with the Power Wheel. Only $29.95 plus $5 S&H (U.S.) Power Wheel one lap around the court on my hands

The Im-Not-Roadkill Workout

Running 3 laps around the court

Power Wheel 3 laps around the court in bear crawl position

Rope skipping 250 reps, the last 50 are crossovers*

February Program:

Rope skipping 500 reps straight

Rope skipping 250 reps

Run three laps

Walk one lap

Copy & clip this workout so you wont become ROADKILL

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Walk one lap

Matt Furey, 2001

CONDITIONING MAILBAG

Hey Matt: I went downhill skiing for the first time this season on Sunday. As you might imagine, if practiced with a bit of aggressiveness, it's a sport which relies quite substantially on leg endurance. In fact, the turns are not all that dissimilar to a slow-motion Hindu squat with a bit more down force. All I can say is that after four hours of solid skiing, my legs were still functioning with more power and 'snap' than others in the group who have been skiing all season so far. Furthermore, I felt quite natural in the 'balance' on the skis, which is undoubtedly a result of doing the squats. So, you can add yet another sport to the long list of those for which Hindu squats (and combat conditioning exercises in general) provide an excellent foundation of conditioning. Jason Crawford Vancouver, B.C.
M.F.: This is great Jason, and goes to show that Combat Conditioning is good for anyone who wants to improve his/her level of fitness.

Matt, I just wanted to thank you for putting together such an extremely effective and cost-efficient training manual. I'm gaining a lot of dynamic strength and healing up old injuries in less than a month of use. I injured my back doing heavy squats back in 1992. I built it back up to where I could work out with 315lb stiff-legged dlifts w/ no belt or wraps, but I still wasn't back mentally. I tried doing a back bridge when I first got my manual...nowhere close and I could do 3 table makers. 3 weeks later, I can almost hit the bridge (I need about 2 1/2 more inches) and can do 18-20 table makers. I really felt like I had a new back this week at work when I had to move a pallet. The far half was stacked with weights, but I didn't know how much. With no belt and without much struggle I upended the thing. I went back and counted how much was on the floor...it was @ 640lbs of dumbbells. You can't put a price on that feeling of confidence, and I know I'm only going to get stronger as I dedicate myself to the training. I love this stuff...I feel the spirit of the animal flowing through me! I even set a picture of a black jaguar as the wallpaper for my computer screen. I'll keep you posted on my results. Thanks so much, Brett Cox
M.F.: Superb job Brett. And the good news is that things are going to getbetter and better for you.

Matt, I e-mailed you about a month ago telling you that I, once an avid weightlifter for years, injured my back two years ago and had dealt with pain on a daily basis to some degree. I bought your book (Combat Conditioning) and started "The Royal Court". Matt, I must tell you that I am truly and utterly amazed at the fact that I am pain free. I cannot believe it. I really like to roller blade with my kids but would pay dearly the following few days with lower back pain.

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To my further amazement, I, for the first time, played roller hockey last weekend and thought that this would bring again my old back pain due to the constant bending at the waist in, for lack of proper nomenclature, the hockey player stance. The next day I had NO PAIN! One last thing to tell you Matt and that is that since my injury, every time that I would lay on my back, my left leg would go numb. I have been to doctor after doctor and was told that was the way it was going to be. In just one month I have gone to where my entire left quad would go numb to just a little tingle in one very small spot. In other words Matt, I am a miraculous success story thanks to The Royal Court. I am now beginning to start on some other exercises and can tell that my functional strength will grow. Like you said, I am doing things now that I couldn't do when I was younger. I do have one question. How many days a week do you hit The Royal Court? Everyday, every other day? Thank you Thank you Thank you. I may sound a little "mushy" but to wake up every morning and be able to jump out of bed is a dream come true. I bow down to The Royal Court Jim Hirt
M.F.: Hi Jim. Good news on your results. The Royal Court can be done everyday. If you're overly tired from the previous day, simply do enough to wake up and then go about your business. Each workout doesn't have to be a MAXIMUM effort. As you can see from my writings, I'm not trying to break records all the time. Be consistent and the results will come.

Dear Mr. Matt Furey, Today I received the first two issues of the above mentioned newsletter. What should I say. I personally cannot find words for it. I think it is really GREAT. The using of calisthenics I like as I have not the space for equipment and gyms. I do not like with those pill chewing beach bubbles. I always used calisthenics as read by books like Navy seal workout etc. It will be time for me to order your book also soon. I read a lot about the Hindu push up. Is this the same pushup as is called "dive bomber push ups" as seen by the seals? But once again I am glad I subscribed to your newsletter. Every letter is worth reading. Sad a month takes so long. Best wishes, Gnther Netherlands
M.F.: Gunther, the dive-bomber pushup is not the same as the Hindu pushup. It doesn't have the same level of back bend and the motion is repeated twice. With the Hindu pushup you do NOT follow the same path going backward as you do when you bend your arms and go forward.

Hi Matt, One night I was sitting on my couch and channel surfing when I came across the WCW. What caught my attention is they said "Hindu squat". I did a search on the net for the phrase. Then I happened to stumble upon your website and ordered a couple of books from you, Combat Conditioning and Farmer Burns course. They have

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greatly exceeded all of my highest expectations. My upper body has always been under developed in proportion to my lower body. NOT ANY MORE! It didn't take long to achieve balance between the two. I have never experienced such "rapid and explosive growth" in my life. The muscle feels like pools of water instead of strings of burning fiber. The recovery phase seems quick too. A few of my friends bought those ab rollers. You should see the look on their face when I tell them they can do the same thing with a towel. And if that towel is wet and soapy, then clean the kitchen floor and kill two birds with one stone. If you don't mind, Could you please give me your opinion about some nutritional questions? Do you think that about 1 gram of protein per pound is adequate or too much? I drink a soymilk/whey protein shake to supplement my diet, Am I wasting my money? I take a multivitamin called the bridge by isp, flax seed oil(barleans), ginseng(make a tea out of the root) and fo-ti, the herbs seem to work well but how what do you think of vitamin supplements? Thank You, Jeff M Fitzgerald
M.F.: Hi Jeff. Vitamin/mineral supplements are fine, and some herbs such as ginseng, but the protein powders are more for someone who doesn't have time to eat or who needs to gain a lot of weight. You can gain weight by simply slugging down a lot of milk, even without the extra protein. I don't think you need the extra protein supplement. Save your money and spend it on all of my products instead, hehe.

Dear Matt, I received your Combat Conditioning book and video tapes 2-3 weeks ago. Just wanted you to know that I am 46 and have remained dedicated to fitness since I was young. Because of my work schedule, I have always gravitated towards calisthenics-type routines so that my workouts can be done anywhere. Also I have periodically had painful knee and back problems throughout my adult life due to previous injuries. If I do not consistently stretch and exercise, pain develops. I am telling you this because I was eager to incorporate your exercises into my workouts. I was initially worried about the how my body would react to Hindu squats and neck bridges. True, there was a short adjustment period. However, the results of doing both properly have really surprised me. My knees now feel great and my body feels much better doing squats this way than it did when performing the traditional calisthenics squat. Further, the neck bridge, done properly, has really invigorated my whole system. I am mostly doing wall walking and can now put my nose on the ground with feet flat (after warming up into it, of course.) I can not hold this position for too long yet, but I am slowly working on it. It seems to me that the only way to really hurt yourself is to use improper form, to go faster than proper form will allow, or if I try to push too hard too fast. The neck bridge is certainly invigorating my whole nervous system. I work it every morning and the effects stay with me throughout the whole day! Thanks alot. I look forward to receiving my current order for Combat Abs and the Farmer Burns course. Best wishes, Paul Kilman

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M.F.: Good deal Paul. I expect to hear even more good things from you.

Dear Matt, I can't tell you how valuable and helpful your websites have been to me. The exercises you have taught me have changed and even saved my life as far as I'm concerned. I have a job where I travel extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East. The constant travel and the stress of a job that carries me into areas like the Gaza strip places a lot of physical and mental stress on the body. Having these exercises has strengthened me and enabled me to handle this stress. I used to lift weights, when I could, but I don't think I'd give up these exercises (my portable gym) for anything. I do have a request, since I am on a three month trip, but able to check my e-mail regularly. Could you please tell me how to do the Farmer Burns Stomach Flatteners? This would mean a lot to me and I would be very grateful to you. Once again, Matt, you are the greatest!! Sincerely, Shaul Hawkins
M.F.: Shaul, the instructions for the Farmer Burns' Stomach Flattener are in the Combat Abs book. I can't in good conscience just give it to ya when the other folks have paid for it. Sorry. But keep kicking ass and taking names down there on the gulf.

Hi Matt - thought I'd share a mini discovery I stumbled across. If you recall from Combat Conditioning - the exercise entitled Grasshoppers , where one is on ones' hands and thereafter you swing left leg to the right and right leg to the left quickly . Well, thats a great one to begin with and one of my favorites from your book - but...... I took it up a notch after your writings re: fingertip push- ups - you guessed it ... fingertip grasshoppers - my forearms and triceps ( not to mention fingers) feel like pumped - up steel rebar after a few sets of 30 or 40 of these - and there's a good bit o' cardio involved to boot . They're just another derivative, but I'll tell you the work the fingers get from the lateral movements and inherent "swaying" involved in this drill is pretty darn impressive. Just thought I'd throw this into the mix. Your Feb issue of Conditioning Tips was HUGE. Doubtless I'll order a wheel and the Giant Killer tape . Thanks Matt !! Scott Williams
M.F.: Scott, this is a great exercise. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that Steve Maxwell is going to do that one as soon as he finishes reading this issue. I will, too, hehe.

Mr. Furey, I recently received your video on neck cranks. You comments at the end shocked and appalled me. I will therefore be conducting a sit-in protest outside your place of

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business starting next week. (Just kidding) Excellent video. Anymore videos on techniques coming out soon? Yours are the best, and I've seen quite a few. Ari Mendelson, Esq.
M.F.: Ari, just think about how that one technique could eliminate the scum in Berekely and Santa Cruz. Believe it or don't, the bums have hung out in front of businesses, just like rats, pan-handling, supposedly for a bite to eat. Uh-huh. But offer to take the critter into a deli and get him a morsel, and it's "uh, nononoooo." What most of them really want is a nip or a needle ... that's the shocking no-holds-barred truth. Yet, it was illegal for the businesses, who were losing money in droves because of the varmints, to do anything to get rid of them ... and when they tried, hordes of other low-lifes from all over California bombarded the area and sat around. Some statement they made. The cops should know the neck crank you referred to as well as the Heimlich maneuver.

Matt, I continue to make progress in the bridge. I am able to get up and on my nose without the aid of the wall. Am aiming next to hold it without the use of arms. In a previous email I told you that I had foot problems, plantar fascitis. The doctor told me that I would probably have to do my foot exercises forever. Well I haven't been doing them but my pain in my feet has gone away. I think I found out why. One of the exercises he had me doing was toe raises. Since I am doing 250 Hindu squats a day, with heels coming off the floor as directed, I think this has strengthened the necessary muscles, tendons, and ligaments. No pain. As a matter of fact I played basketball with a bunch of young guys the other day, full court for two hours, and had no negative repercussions. Matt McCormick Dayton, Ohio
M.F.: Matt, this is fabulous. The list of ailments healed or cured from bridging never ceases to amaze me.

Hi Matt, I tried an experiment to see if what you claimed about bodyweight exercises was true. I've been into weight lifting for about 15 years. The last couple of years I've focused on added "strongman" lifts to my routines to get functional strength. About a month ago I pulled a muscle in my bicep for about the umpteenth time doing a one arm deadlift. At that point I decided I needed to try something else. I was strong but my joints always hurt, my back had no flexibility, and like I said I was always pulling a muscle somewhere. I came across Combat Conditioning and decided to give it a try, but couldn't believe that I wouldn't loose all of my strength which I have worked so hard to build. For the last month I day and twice a week got out of a book by could already tell I have performed the Royal Court in one form or another everya workout using just a 55 gallon barrel full of water that I Steve Justa. After about a week my joints quit hurting and I had gained flexibility in my back and shoulders.

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Last night I went back to the gym to see what had happened to my strength. It had to have dropped right? I hadn't lifted anything heavier than my body for a month. Guess what I hit my max in the squat, bench press, and power clean and press all in the same workout. So my strength level hadn't changed (wow), but there was a bonus. When I finished my workout my joints didn't hurt and I wasn't tired. I could have worked out for a couple of more hours. So I am now convinced that Combat Conditioning works. I'm such a gym junkie that I'll probably still go a few times a week, but I'll definitely continue my daily regime of Hindu squats, pushups, and bridges. Thanks, Kevin Richard
M.F.: Pretty friggin good Kevin. Pretty friggin good.

Matt, Please file this letter into your large collection of testimonies from Combat Conditioning practitioners. I am a 42 yr old man who believed that I would be fighting and struggling the rest of my life, to get into and maintain an "average physical condition." I thought that my only options were lifting weights, machines, going to a health club, etc..As a personal example of my condition 90 days ago, I provide the following experience. My condo complex has five floors of stairs, in my attempt at stair running I made it up once, pretty much out of gas, tried a second rep and gave out almost completely before the top, exhausted, I had to call this unsuccessful attempt at a workout over. After practicing Combat Conditioning exercises for 90 days, 20 minutes per day, I stood in front of these stairs again, and not very hopeful either. My memory of failure and exhaustion from the last time was still etched in my memory. Well imagine my surprise at doing 10 reps up those same stairs, stopping not because of failure or exhaustion, but because I wanted to work on some other exercises!!! This was without the benefit of any other training besides the Combat Conditioning basic exercises during this time period! I am looking forward over the next year to expanding my CC training. I most definitely have added muscle, functional strength, and lung power since starting the conditioning. I may be including some stair sprint training in future workouts, but the variety and creativity available to me in creating and modifying my conditioning program with CC techniques appears boundless at this point! I feel fortunate to have knowledge of these exercises and techniques, and if my illustration of the improved athletic performance that I experienced, is helpful to anyone considering starting the program, so much the better. I have found your bodyweight training methodology to be a sound, safe, and effective route to attaining a superior fitness level. Needless to say, my fitness goals now go beyond "average." Sincerely, Peter Vatkevich

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Escape Artist
If Houdini figured out how to escape from straight jackets, handcuffs and almost everything else, dont you think there is a lesson in this for submission grapplers? by Matt Furey
be a bit more like the weapons specialist or the pilot flying in stormy weather. Im telling you that you will improve a great deal in your skills if you explore the danger and truly find out WHEN and WHERE the danger lies. Your body is pliable and flexible. Even when someone has you in a straight arm bar, you still have one free arm, two free legs and the rest of your body free. With over 90% of your body free ... YOU NEED TO FREE YOUR MIND ENOUGH TO WORK ON YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE. Heres a little ditty that you should carve into your mind: The wise man sees an opportunity when others see a crisis. He sees freedom when others see locks and chains. He sees heaven when hes stuck in hell. And if he has no map for where hes going, hell crawl around and feel his way there. I know, I know. This one aint much of a poem, or even a ditty, but the message is true. If no one has ever showed you how to escape from various submission holds and locks, or if the escapes you know dont work to well, then youve got to crawl around on the mat and feel your way to freedom. This is exactly what I have done. And in my video, How To Escape Any Submission Hold - Volume One - I promise to get your mind churning with new escapes like never before. Heres why: The escapes I teach are so damn simple and easy, youll conk yourself on the head and say to, Now why didnt I think of that?
Even better than that, though, Have you ever found yourself caught in a

submission that you believed had no escape? If youre like most people, the answer is yes. When it happens, the fear of getting injured, crippled or having something torn is so great that most people tap right away. But more often than not, the person could have escaped from the hold if he learned and practiced various escapes and wasnt afraid. If he had a ready arsenal of submission counters at his ever-ready beck and call, hed be a lot better off. Now, this is not to say that if you just hang in there that no danger exists. Im not saying that. There is always an element of danger any time you wrestle around with someone. But there is also danger when a weapons specialist is called in to deactivate a bomb. There is danger when a pilot flies a plane in stormy turbulent weather. There is danger when you pass a car on a two-lane highway. There is danger when a woman delivers her baby. Each day, many of us are engaged in what other people would consider dangerous acts. But do you know what? We dont think of these things as quite so dangerous. And in spite of the fact that we know there is an element of danger and risk, we keep on going.
And so, when I say that most people tap out on a submission hold because of fear,

face down on your belly. If someone throws the hooks in and is going for the rear naked choke, youll get out lickety split. If someone is going for a short-arm scissors - you will be able to thwart his entire movement and make him fall off you .... and youll do it with ONLY ONE FINGER. And Im not lying. ONE FINGER. Whats more, youll also learn how to counter guillotine chokes in such a way that you immediately free your head. Youll learn to stymie various leg locks before they even get on ... and if they do, youll stop them as well. Ill even show you one method that will get you out of the triangle choke with ease.
One more thing: In this tape Im going to show you a counter that will make your opponent go flying. In one instance I teach David Hicks, the guy I used for demonstration purposes, the counter five seconds before we filmed it. He had never seen it before and I figured it would look better to have a student kicking me across the room instead of the other way around. Each time I moved to apply the mystery hold, he made me sail. He gave me the counter and yes, I flew eight feet back.

what Im really doing is letting you know that you need to

Knowing the counters on this tape will be like having a magic charm around your neck. As you escape from each hold, youll frustrate and anger your opponent so much it is going to bring one of those big Cheshire cat grins to your face. How To Escape Any Submission Hold Volume One is only $49 plus $5 S&H (U.S.). It is packed with the counters to more than fifteen holds and runs 55 minutes in length. Call (813) 994-8267 to order by Visa or MC. Or if youd prefer to send a check or money order, send it to:

Matt Furey begins a guard escape

youll be able to actually use these escapes the next time you wrestle with someone. If hes going for a straight arm bar, youll know how to stop him cold, even if he has you

Matt Furey Enterprises 10339 Birdwatch Drive Tampa, Florida 33647 www.combatwrestling.com mattfurey@aol.com
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