How much of your brain is connected to your body?

Well, let’s see. Take your shoes and socks off and see if you can wiggle your big toe, and only your big toe.

No, I didn’t say grab your big toe with your fingers and wiggle it. That’s too easy.

Instead, I want to see if you can wiggle your big toe via the use of psychic strength – or, if you prefer, the power of intention.

Focus on your big toe and see if you can make it move.

You’d be surprised how many people think this is a monumentally difficult task requiring superhuman powers. Yet, quite the opposite is true.

Being able to wiggle your big toe, independently, is a sign that you’re more connected to your I-body than your eye-phone. It’s also a sign that your tendons and ligaments and fascia are still firing.

Wiggling your toes is not something you’ll be able to do because you go to a gym and sit on ridiculous contraptions to pump away. Meanwhile, the most elaborate, intricate, high-tech piece of equipment, i.e. your own body, is ignored to the point that you cannot do something any child can easily do.

There’s a Chinese saying, “Ren lao, Xian lao tui. 人老先老腿.” Translation: “When you get old, the legs go first.”

This is true, yet I will make one adjustment…

“When you get old, your feet get old first.” – el Furecat

Keeping your feet strong, functional, flexible and at your command, is what separates the young from the old. And no one I have ever met looks forward to getting older.

As far as I’m concerned, when you keep your feet in great condition, you are not getting older. And if you reverse the decline of your aching, weak feet, you will feel as though you are turning back the hands/feet of time.

Hindu squats and pushups help keep your feet strong and healthy because the muscles and ligaments in the foot (you have 19 and 107 of them, respectively) are stretched and strengthened. The same holds true with bridging, especially when you rise off your heels.

The absolute genius of the Royal Court I teach in Combat Conditioning cannot be outdone, as far as your feet are concerned. Make sure you are on it.

And if you are on it, and you’re NOW ready for an upgrade to a more advanced level, then latch onto Gama Fitness or Primate Power. They will give you the kick you are looking for – and probably need.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

Nearly 20 years ago, I wrote about a gorilla who scaled the wall of its habitat at Animal Kingdom in Kissimmee, Florida.

The foreman in charge of constructing the habitat looked over the walls of the enclosure, making sure there weren’t any small cracks. The reason was simple. A gorilla’s hands (and body) are so strong, if it can place a single finger-tip inside a crack within the wall, that’s all the leverage the primate needs to pull himself up and over the wall.

Yes, this foreman knew a gorilla could do scale a wall this way, in part because it happened before.

Amazing, eh?

Imagine having the grip strength of a 400-pound silverback gorilla as you train. If you do this, I’m betting you’ll not only enjoy your workout more, but you’ll get stronger as a result.

Positive mental imagery positively affects how we perform.

And when you combine gorilla imagery with sensory specific exercises, such as those shown in Primate Power and Gama Fitness, you’ll start going ape over your newly-acquired strength.

Do what gorillas do.

Do what animalistic athletes and martial artists do.

Stun your friends and family with the changes taking place inside of you.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

Back in 1999, when I first learned the proper way to do Hindu squats, I discovered there is far more to the exercise than the obvious external mechanics of bending and straightening your legs.

First, your manner of breathing is the opposite of what is taught in weight training. Your breathing should mimic an accordion. When you lower your body, this imaginary accordion compresses and you exhale. As you ascend, you inhale.

Second, you adjust the position of your heels on the descent. Although you can do body weight squats with flat heels, Hindu squats are not done this way. The heels remain up and the ankle joint remains locked. This strengthens the tendons and ligaments in the feet, and the strength gained from doing this moves up the kinetic chain.

Third, your knees go over your ankles and toes. Again, this runs contrary to weight training. The purpose of your knees going over your ankles and toes, once again, is rooted in training the tendons and ligaments.

Fourth, you do not stick your butt out when you do Hindu squats. Your back remains fairly straight but not perfectly straight.

Fifth, once your body is conditioned, Hindu squats are done at a quicker pace than most bodyweight squats. If anyone watching you knock out 500 in a row ever asks, “What do you do for cardio?” roll your eyes and shake your head from side to side.

20 years ago, when I started the Combat Conditioning bodyweight exercises revolution, I recall someone writing to tell me that he just did 500 Hindu squats in a row, without stopping.

“Greatness,” I replied. “How long did it take you?”

“35 minutes.”

“THIRTY FIVE minutes? Are you sure you were doing Hindu squats?”

My friend, I teach slow motion bodyweight squats and static posture holds. I teach coiling and spiraling squats. I teach various types of jumping squats and one-legged squats.

And I will tell you this: If it takes you 35 minutes to do 500-consecutive Hindu squats, you are not really doing them.

The challenge is being able to knock out 500 reps in 15 minutes or less. Not 35.

Better yet, 500 reps in 13 minutes is a pace wherein you can truly see you are kicking rumpus. That’s what I can unequivocally tell you.

Want to learn the proper way to do Hindu squats, straight from the man who popularized it? And at the proper pace?

Then attach yourself to my Combat Conditioning book and videos.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

Is there a way to grow younger, faster and stronger?

I believe there is.

And 50-somethings such as Mike Tyson and elite internal martial artists are proving it.

Most people stop improving as they age because they are stuck in muscle-mode – or because they never learned how to move efficiently – and now their bodies are paying a heavy price.

When these people do an exercise, the only thing they think about is what muscles they are working. This is the Neanderthal approach to fitness. Me do biceps curls. Me work biceps. Me beat myself over head with club. Me tough guy, huh huh. 

Meanwhile, the exercises that do you the most good often come disguised as overly simplistic.

Yet, these seemingly simple exercises not only increase your strength as you age, they also lead to a neurological transformation.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about the exercises you’ll find in Gama Fitness, Primate Power and Combat Conditioning.

These exercises do far more than work the muscles. They work the tendons, ligaments and fascia. They relax, loosen and open your joints so you can move your entire body as one unit rather than robotically.

Make no mistake about it. Most weight training is robotic. It turns you away from your animalistic nature, your tiger nature.

A tiger always moves the way it is supposed to move. It can segment its body if it needs to, but most of the time, the whole body moves as one unit.

Humans move in an animalistic way as toddlers, then they lose touch with this natural method of moving as soon as the jackets of the school system are placed upon them.

The good news is this animalistic way of moving and strength development can be recaptured, and today is a great day to become stronger again.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

P.S. We have an all-new look to our products page. Take a gander by going to MattFurey.com

Every day I receive emails from followers who want to know what routine they should follow.

The answer depends upon who you are and what condition you are in. It also depends upon your goals.

If you’re a rugged individual who plays sports or practices martial arts, or someone who loves challenges, then Combat Conditioning is the way to go. 

If you want more, more, more – then my advanced program, Gama Fitness will serve you well.

Many 60+ former high school and college athletes (often with bad knees and hips) write me with questions about how much they should do, or what I would recommend.

I usually ask, “Can you still hang from a bar?”

“YES.”

“Then begin with Primate Power.”

And if you’re the type of person who exercises to clear your mind, to get rid of inner stress and angst, then I strongly suggest a “less is more” approach with Dao Zou.

Regardless of which program you choose, make haste slowly.

I have a client in his 40’s who began doing a combination bodyweight exercise everyday. And he only does five sets of five.

Since last fall, he’s dropped 70 pounds. For the first time in his life, he has shredded muscles.

This proves that my training philosophy is correct.

You don’t need 500 exercises.

You need a few, and sometimes just one, that you use consistently.

The exercise you utilize can have variations galore, but at the end of the night, it’s not complicated.

Do the math.

One exercise, everyday, for 365 days.

Track your results and amaze yourself.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

Have you seen someone driving in a car alone – with a mask on?

Or someone outdoors, all alone, walking, running or cycling – with a mask on?

My goodness, how deeply did these people swallow the fear hook?

Even when these people are 6,000 feet away from someone else, they’re still wearing a mask.

So sad.

I guess no one ever told these people to put on an invisible mask or bodysuit, what many people call “the armor of God.”

Wearing this invisible mask or armor protects you from the emotional viruses being projected at you day and night.

When you practice Dao Zou, you are, in a very real sense, putting on the armor. You are putting on an invisible mask. You are giving yourself thick skin.

Most importantly, as you get into your practice, your brain and body are flooded with positive endorphins. You feel as though your mind got a healthy rewind. You move into “the zone.” You go into an altered state of consciousness and awareness, and you do this without trying.

When you finish, you stand still for a minute and feel a surge of positivity percolating within you. It’s an amazing experience – and it happens the very first time you practice, and each time thereafter.

As you go about your day, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say you’re wearing an invisible mask. With daily practice you’ll be warding off the emotional viruses with ease.

If you want to feel this way – make sure you order Dao Zou NOW. It will make a believer out of you.

Matt Furey

Imagine being 80 or 90 years of age.

Who do you see in your future? A weak, frail person or one who is robust, vigorous and strong.

Instead of seeing a weak, frail, inflexible and wheel-chair bound person, envision someone who has a crazy and uncommon kind of “old man strength.”

No, I’m not talking about “dad strength” – the kind you pursue in your 40’s, to prevent having a severe mid-life crisis.

When I say “old man strength,” I’m referring to a concealed type of energy, one that is undetectable through observation alone.

With this type of strength, if you’re in a park, wrestling room or MMA-style dojo, young martial artists and fighters who are training take note. You’re the 70, 80 or 90-year old guy who gladly tosses people around, and does so with ease.

What you do doesn’t seem physically possible to them. Yet, with a light touch, they are bounced away.

Despite the young athletes big muscles, ripped and chiseled physiques, they can’t do anything to you because they don’t have the secret strength that you embody.

Unbeknownst to these youngsters, they spent all their time working on the wrong system – the muscular system. Meanwhile, you invested your time in the training of your tendons, ligaments and fascia, something they were never taught.

As a result, despite your chronological age, internally, you are full of vitality and power.

The younger crowd studies videos of you in action. They watch you in slow motion, forwards and backwards. They take still shots of what they believe to be your secret. They draw diagrams and begin to instruct others in the “proper” way to move. They even create products that will help others move the correct way.

Yet, in spite of all their analysis, they still cannot duplicate what you do because they cannot observe what you are doing internally.

And what you are doing internally makes all the difference.

One of the secrets to training yourself internally are the timed-holds demonstrated in Gama Fitness and Primate Power.

Good news: You can NOW get both of these courses immediately via digital download (or we can ship the product to you). Either way is fine by us.

Both courses are currently available at a substantial discount, which means you’ll not only save big, you’ll be in a much better position to…

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

P.S. Yes, I’ve met old men in their 70’s and 80’s with the old-man internal strength I’ve written about in this email. What they can do is downright frightening. That’s why I think having a vision of being the one in the park with similar strength, is a worthy ideal. It sure beats letting yourself deteriorate or beating yourself into submission with the wrong way of training.

You ever see a monkey suffering from shoulder pain or elbow tendonitis?

You ever see a monkey who isn’t incredibly athletic, agile, flexible and strong?

Never. Not once.

Every single monkey is physically fit and strong as hell. Despite having tiny hands, a monkey has incredible grip strength, as well as speed.

So do all other primates.

10 years ago, I watched a Discovery episode on apes. A man who worked specifically with them said that a single ape has the strength of 10 Olympic weightlifters. If that’s the case, how much stronger is a gorilla?

Holy handshakes.

Without a doubt, primates have some genetic advantages over humans, but when we incorporate primate-like methods into our training, we begin to develop a sense of might and power that we’ve never had before.

Several years ago, Ed Baran and I came out with a program called Primate Power. We only made it available for a limited time. Those who got the program raved about their results.

Recently, we decided to release the program again, in digital format, and at a dramatically reduced cost.

Look, if you want greater strength, might, power and athleticism, latch onto a copy NOW.

And if you’ve had any nagging shoulder pain, assuming you’re not in need of surgery, this program may be the fix you’ve been looking for. The first couple exercises alone are well worth the entire amount of this program.

Primate Power – it’s your backstage pass to explore the world of strength and fitness from an entirely different perspective.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

It’s quite an experience to live through.

In February of 2000, when I came out with Combat Conditioning, two things happened:

1. People surprised the hell out of me when they bought the book. I never expected to sell so many copies, so fast.

2. Naysayers scoffed at me, the book and bodyweight calisthenics in general.

Within five years, though, a good many scoffers came out with their own version of Combat Conditioning – many of them using the same exercises.

Imagine that.

Some gave me credit. Others did not.

Five years after that, even more bodyweight exercise programs hit the market.

Now here we are, 20+ years afterward and bodyweight experts are everywhere.

Even when you go to a commercial gym with thousands of square feet devoted to weight training, you’ll find a couple thousand square feet carved out for trainers who teach bodyweight exercises.

There’s so much out there now on the subject of bodyweight fitness that where to start or what to do can be confusing.

Sadly, much of the information has moved toward the extreme, which does almost no one any good whatsoever, save the person who feels the need to showcase his advanced skills.

In today’s world some would have you believe that extreme is the only way to go. It’s not.

Pushups with two arms are still the primary way to go. Squats using both legs are still ideal.

Yes, I can do one-arm pushups and one-legged squats, but so what? What’s that going to do for YOU if you can barely do one pushup or one squat using both of your limbs? What’s that mean to you if you have a big, fat gut and are 100 pounds overweight?

And no, I’m not exaggerating by using the number 100. Seeing someone who is 100, 150 or 200 pounds overweight is becoming more of the norm than the exception.

The whole world is turning into a bunch of fatties. Many of the fitness instructors who were at home during the “lockdown” got fat as hell.

Ever wonder why that is?

It’s not just because they sat around eating excessively while watching the fear-mongers. It’s also because these instructors don’t know how to train unless they have ridiculous machines to sit on or lie on as they move a makeshift stack of weights.

That’s fine and dandy when the gyms are open, but what can you do with your own bodyweight when the gyms are closed?

Last week I watched a video of a former powerlifter who has done nothing but bodyweight exercises for the past several months. He was very fit looking as a powerlifter – but now, after doing bodyweight exercises, he is shredded. Not only that, he’s healthier and fitter looking than ever.

Did he do EXTREME pushups to get so ripped?

No. He did at least 100 pushups per day.

Some days 300. Some days 500.

But at least 100 a day.

Imagine if he added Hindu pushups or the Tablemakers I teach in Combat Conditioning.

Or Hindu squats, jumper squats and bridging.

The key, my friend, is a consistent approach that always works, day-by-day, year-by-year.

An approach that consistently kicks butt.

That’s what I put out 20+ years ago – and it still works today.

Follow me and you, too, will…

Kick ass and take names!

Matt Furey