This past weekend I conducted a joint-coaching session with Eric Guttmann, a naval officer and fitness expert I’ll be introducing to you in the coming months.

Anyway, over a course of two days, Eric and I worked with several people who are 50+ years of age. These people come to us for a variety of reasons.

One of which is to get out of pain by increasing flexibility, mobility, balance, strength and so on, with our unusual but incredibly effective exercises.

As a naval officer, former collegiate javelin thrower, powerlifter, strongman, etcetera – Eric has experienced a good helping of injuries. The good news he’s learned how to heal them naturally.

In fact, per my suggestion, he’s putting together a course on the nitty-gritty details of how he did it.

I’ll let you know when the course is done – but in the meantime, I thought you might want to know this….

Eric figured out the secret to eliminating the pain from his old injuries by reading Gama Fitness – an advanced course in bodyweight exercises I put together a few years after Combat Conditioning created a tsunami of truth in the marketplace.

I tell you this because there are dozens of secrets in Gama Fitness (and NO, they are not “just hard work”).  The people who tell you it all boils down to “hard work” are hiding the truth from you just as much as the people who say you have a “mental block.”

Yes, hard work plays a role – but so does being a lazy sonofabitch. You gotta know when to turn it on and… off.

Same goes for “mind power.”

Mind power plays a role in maximizing your abilities and skills. That is something I know for a fact. But your physical structure and the way you move also plays a HUGE role. Without the basics (much less the more advanced methods) in physical structure, mind power has a really tough time getting launched.

Here endeth today’s rant.

Matt Furey

Note: Gama Fitness is currently available for 50% off the original amount. Get your copy while they are still in stock.

I broke the guy.

He questioned me about the one-rep squat in Wednesday’s email, without even doing it.

“Bad for the knees,” he says.

A typical know-it-all.

I smiled and asked if he thinks slow-motion squats are bad for you. He says “no.”

I demonstrate one for him. Taking 30 seconds on the downward motion – and another 30 to come back up.

He figures this is no big deal and begins. His legs shake uncontrollably. He can’t slow himself down and bottoms out.

On the way back up, he is only good for about eight seconds. In total, he was only good for 18 seconds. Sad.

I told him you can take as long as you want on this squat, meaning, you can make the repetition longer than one minute. I showed him another rep that was two minutes long. One minute down – one minute up. With a smile on my face, no less.

The next time someone tells you that “after 25 reps all you’re doing is building endurance” – see if he or she can do ONE REP of the above.

Kick ass – take names,

Matt Furey

By the way: If you want to be a published fitness author or email copywriter, following in my footsteps, then click here.

Great question came in from Robert about using weight in the deep squat hold position. My response will follow:

Hi Matt,

I work out in NYC, but I am a 65 year old Red Sox fan from Boston as well as the guy mentioned below (yesterday’s email).

I have lately been doing the deep squat holds with a 45 lb. plate on my back and go at least 3 minutes. Then I did a few Hindu pushups, wrestler’s bridges, and wall walks and a guy comes up to me and asks if I follow Matt Furey. I said of course. 

Question. Should I do those squats with or without added weights?

Robert H

el Furecat: Robert, it’s a shame you don’t live in Tampa, because we have far too many Yankees fans down here.

Anyway, to answer your pregunta, the answer is yes and yes.

Holding for long periods without weight is tremendous. Holding with a weight on your back is also fine.

My answer may surprise some as they think I am opposed to all weights, all the time.

Not the case. I swing the mace from time to time, as well as Indian clubs. They aren’t empty.

In martial arts, you need to be able to lift another human being.

The key to me, as I wrote in Combat Conditioning, is always about functionality.

Do people sit in fields with weight on their backs as part of their job? Yes.

Do animals carry their young on their backs? Yes. Do animals climb trees with their next feast in their mouths? Yes.

What you are doing is natural, and effective. It is also functional.

Yesterday I put a video up on Instagram – @mattfureysays – of me training backwards, pulling a weighted sled. Some thought this as wrong. Ah, Furecat is using weights.

Pulling a sled is not weight training for “the look.” Pulling a sled is functional; it’s something that used to be a job.

This should be enough of an answer your question, ya think?

Kick ass – take names,

Matt Furey

By the way: If you dig the way el Furecat writes these emails, and if you want to follow in his footsteps, go to knockoutmarketing.com and take a gander at the special offer that only has about six hours left. It’s huge. So huge you’ll kick yourself in the head if you miss out on it.

If I were only allowed to do one squat per day, which one would I choose?

And by one squat I mean only one rep of one squat.

Would it be Hindu Squats, barbell squats, dumbbell squats or hack squats?

Would it be sissy squats, split-snatch squats or what I call butt-back squats (now being taught to women who want a big ass)?

The answer may surprise you.

If I only got one rep – I would get into a deep squat with my buttocks on my calves and my knees over my toes. And I would hold that position for a long time.

I’m talking five minutes, minimum.

Why would I do such a thing?

Because I’m building strength and flexibility and endurance in my lower body. I’m also dramatically increasing blood flow and Nitric Oxide to the lower organs, making Mr. Happy carry his own weight.

One long-time Furey Faithful, Joe D., who now calls himself El D – thinks of himself as a Boston Red Sox fan. He told me he held this deep squat for two minutes or so and had a goal to hold for five minutes by the end of the month.

I told him that a “true” Red Sox fan would be able to hold for five minutes well before the end of the month.

Guess what El D did?

The very next day he held for five minutes – grunting and groaning and breathing raspy through the entire ordeal.

’twas painful to watch, I must admit – but the ole man got it done and I’m mighty proud of him.

Challenge yourself.

Five minutes in a deep squat can be rough. You can watch how I do it in the videos on my YouTube Channel

As well as by following me on Instagram – @mattfureysays

Of course, you’d also be wise to purchase what el Furecat has been writing about for the past couple decades by clicking here.

All for now, my friend.

Kick ass – take names,

Matt Furey

By the way: If you dig the way el Furecat writes these emails, and if you want to follow in his footsteps, go to knockoutmarketing.com and take a gander at the special offer that only has about six hours left. It’s huge. So huge you’ll kick yourself in the head if you miss out on it.

The testimonials continue to come in. Here’s today’s grand prize winner:

Matt,

I’m a Marine veteran and physical fitness has always been a top priority for me.  About 15 years ago, a friend pointed me in the direction of Combat Conditioning.

The first time I did 50 Hindu Squats, I was humbled, embarrassed and limping for a week. But 50 quickly became 500 and then 1,000 and I didn’t even feel sore at all afterwards.

I’m now 50 and still training ferociously. Usually a couple days per week I come home from work and want a workout that I don’t have to think about and can do while decompressing with a TV show. I just squat for 45-60 minutes. I know my pace is 30-35 per minute, so no need to count or think. When done, I underestimate with 30 per minute and end up between 1,350 and 1,800. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never had knee problems.

Really glad you exist!

Thank you!

Kevin M.

el Furecat: Now, that is what I call kicking ass and taking names. Way to go, Kevin. And thank you for your service.

Matt Furey

P.S. Are you following me on Instagram? – @mattfureysays

And YouTube – Matt Furey – Zen Master Says

Here’s a message I received from Hank in the U.K.

Matt

Hank W.

El Furecat: Thank you for the note, Hank. It’s great to see you’re still whomping butt. Keep moving. It’s hard to take down a moving target.

Kick Ass – Take Names,

Matt Furey

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed this email and have an interest in acquiring this highly useful business skill, click here.

A hearty thank you to all the readers who sent me a message about their experiences with Hindu squats, as well as their “research” on squatting with your knees over your toes.

Today you get to view three of the emails I received. And damnit, all of them are positive. el Furecat’s comments will follow each:

Mr. Furey,

I’m 86 years old. I have a copy of Combat Conditioning and do 100 Hindu squats every morning.  I feel great.  I tried to reach 500, but at 270 my knees started to bother me.  So, I backed off.

Albert O.

el Furecat: Excelente, Albert O. I’m impressed and want you to know you’re an inspiration to others who can barely get out of a chair. Or who could, but are too lazy to do so. No need for you to do 500 consecutive reps. You probably pushed yourself too hard when you felt pain. This is why I implore people to make haste slowly. Even when you do an exercise properly, even when it’s your friend, if you over-do it, the friend can become a frenemy. 100 a day is fantastic. Keep it flowing. 

Matt,

I’ve been doing Hindu squats for decades, as well as other exercises…….45 minute workout every other day. It took a while to get back at it after valve replacing open heart surgery (genetic issue), but 18 months later I’m up to 200 now and will be at 300 by years end. By the way, I’m 70 years young and the critics can go F themselves.

Jack B.

el Furecat: Jack, way to go, my man. Happy to hear you’re of sound mind and sound body once again. Keep me posted on your progress. 

Hi Mr. Furey,

I’m a big fan of your work. We’ve chatted over Instagram, my handle there is @richard_barrett_95. Your program of Hindu Squats has changed the game for me, and I’d like to do what I can to repay the favor.

To that end, attached here is the majority of the academic and medical literature I have found that supports squatting full ROM over the toes and even onto the heels. 

I studied this for a very long time; I wanted to confirm for myself if what you have always claimed about knees-over-the-toes/Hindu Squats is true. It turns out, indeed it is.

I hope this helps. It was the defining factor for me that caused me to embrace your doctrine and to reject the current dogma. When you read the academic medical literature for yourself, it becomes clear that the “squat police” don’t have a leg to stand on (or squat on…pun very much intended).

Good luck, and keep preaching the good word!

Richard Barrett

el Furecat: Thank you so much for this information, Richard. I’ve enclosed your full name and Instagram handle so people can reach out to you personally for the research. I appreciate you taking the time to write. Keep kicking ass. 

Well, my friend, that was a fun way to sound off on Sunday.

Much more forthcoming.

Matt Furey
Instagram: @mattfureysays

’twas just thinking.

What if all the fitness professionals telling you to avoid squatting in the “knees over toes” position were totally wrong?

Imagine this: the very people who have you wear belts and wraps to squat with weights, somehow have it all figured out when it comes to ANY type of squat.

I do a variety of squats with my knees over my toes. Not just Hindu squats, either.

I sit in a squat for minutes at a time with my knees over my toes.

I also do jump squats with my knees over my toes and my heels off the ground.

And guess what? My knees keep getting stronger – and healthier.

Yesterday I put up a short video on Instagram – @mattfureysays – where you can see me doing a double-leg sweep (part of my tai chi practice) – and wouldn’t you know it, my damn knees are about a mile over my toes. In fact, you cannot do this movement UNLESS your knees go over your toes.

Yes, there are people who have “tai chi knee.” I ain’t one of them. And the reason is because I have a daily regimen wherein I train the tendons of my lower body.

Hindu squats, as I teach in Combat Conditioning, are excellent for engaging the tendons. But if you cannot currently do them because of knee pain, there are other exercises you can begin with, and these may lead to you having the best knees of your life.

I’m going to shoot some videos today and put them up in the Matt Furey Inner Circle by early next week. You’re going to be blown away by what you see.

Kick Ass – Take Names,

Matt Furey

P.S. Keep in mind I am not advising you to do heavy and/or deep barbell squats with your knees over your toes. I am specifically writing about exercises with your own bodyweight. Mastering your own bodyweight is a lifelong journey. There is always something you cannot do yet, making this type of training a continuous challenge.