A couple days ago I received an email from long-time customer, Don Cummings, an old-time strongman, who recently bent 176 horseshoes, at an ALS charity event.

Here’s what he wrote:

Hi Matt,

I bought Power Postures a while back and really enjoyed it. I got away from the program for whatever reason. I was recently injured. I am an old time strongman. I was setting a world record for bending the most horseshoes ever at a charity event. I ended up tearing my pec and having pec repair surgery. I just started using the power postures program again. My training is really limited. I still have one arm in the immobilizer. I am really enjoying the power postures right now. I am concentrating on the warm up exercises and the first two postures. I can do them with my one arm immobilized. I am also trying to do as much training with the rest of my body as I can. I would like to know what your recommendation is for where to fit the power postures in with the rest of your training. Do you do it separate, for example power postures in the morning and the rest of your training in the afternoon? Do you do the power postures and then the rest of your training afterwards? I am really enjoying the postures and feel like I am getting a great deal of benefit from the program. I also brought back out your book the Martial Art of Wrestling and I’m doing the internal strength exercises in that book. Thank you for your help.

Don Cummings

Don,
Damn! I’m torn between congratulating you on your record-setting performance and feeling sorry about the injury you sustained. As you know, sometimes when you “go where no man has gone before,” there are unintended consequences that ride along with the achievement.

I’m happy to see that you are getting back on the Power Postures and find them so valuable. They will help you recover from this injury much faster.

As for my own training with them, I usually do the loosening exercises first thing in the morning as they increase mobility and activate the spiraling energy that is part of every posture. Then I do the postures. After this I do my martial arts practice and what a difference they make. Everything flows so much better. Everything is so much easier.

Later in the day I practice other postures that are not in the first level program, along with a variety of calisthenics and isometrics. Some of them are variations of what I taught in Combat Conditioning.

I suggest we do a Zoom call where I give you more details (no charge as this will be a thank you for what you’ve done for the ALS charity).

Matt

WOW! A tip of the cap to Don for what he accomplished. Truly amazing. Hope to get him back to full throttle soon.

Matt Furey

P.S. If you want greater mobility, faster recovery, more internal strength and power, and improved athleticism or martial skill – go to PowerPostures.com

The secret of internal strength is NOT go, go, go… more, more, more… faster, faster, faster.

The above has its place – but that is hardly a secret, as you will find this from almost every fake and real fitness professional on the planet.

Internal strength comes when you understand the secrets of rejuvenation and recovery, the polar opposite of more, more, more.

There’s no one who ‘splains this better than I do and the proof took place in Montana a few weeks back, where I got everyone in the room to do what I was teaching.

In contrast, I have been in seminars with top-level guh-roos, who after teaching an advanced concept, walked around the room to observe if anyone “got it.” Usually, I was the only one.

What did the guh-roo do when he noticed that 99 percent of the others were unable to do what he showed?

Nothing.

He just moved on to the next item on his agenda.

That’s how it works in the internal martial arts whirld. If you don’t get it, the instructor doesn’t care. In fact, he might even be glad because he gets to keep the knowledge to himself.

When I instruct, I’m the opposite. I want you to get the feeling of what I am doing, and I go out of my way to break it down so you can eventually master the principles as well.

I bring this same spirit of instruction onto the screen in my Power Postures course as well. I give you information and know-how that took me a long time to learn because it took me a while to decipher the codes.

I don’t make you do the same. I hand it to you on a platter.

Earlier today a man in his late 70’s looked at my webpage for the course and saw a picture of me sitting in a deep squat. He’s currently unable to get into this position due to knee injuries, so he figured he couldn’t do the course.

I told him that he can skip that posture and focus on the others, none of which go that low. In fact, all you need to do in the other exercises is bend your knees a little bit… not all the way.

So I’m telling you this, just in case you got the impression of “can’t do that” from the one picture I have on the webpage.

All for now… except to give you the link to the Power Postures course. You can get there by clicking the link you just read.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

The following is not something I pursued, but the result was the same as if I did.

I’m speaking about EUPHORIA, or the HIGH you can get from various types of exercise.

There’s runner’s high. Walker’s high. And swimmer’s high – which I found goes waaaaay beyond the other two.

[As an aside: In my short foray into swimming at the collegiate level, after the morning practice I would go back to my apartment and stare at the wall until the afternoon practice. It made me wonder why so many swimmer’s feel the need for dope when they ought to be getting more than enough, naturally, without it. Thank goodness I abandoned swimming and went back to wrestling after a few weeks because I would have flunked out of all my classes through non-attendance.] 

There is also the high you get from practicing martial arts as well as the postures from them. The seemingly simple act of holding a martial posture for significant periods of time, can astound you in terms of what happens to you physically as well as neurologically.

Your brain and nervous system light up. You can feel heat being generated in your hands and feet. You may even feel warmth in your lower belly. These are indicators that your circulation is dramatically increasing, even though you’re “just standing there.”

Can you generate a euphoric state of being from standing or sitting still? YES!

Even so, euphoria is not the goal of the training, at least for me. But I do take note of the fact that I experience it automatically, without thinking, every time I get involved. This feeling is there for me whenever I want it. All I have to do is organize my physical structure in a specific way… and there it is.

A few minutes ago I stood in a posture while silently counting to 300. Before I got to 100, the bottoms of my feet were cooking. In my whirld, when your feet are hot, it means you are generating a healing effect throughout your entire body.

When I moved out of this posture, I noted how much better I felt physically and mentally.

I didn’t have to go for a 40-minute run, walk or swim (that’s usually how long it takes for me to experience a high) to feel the euphoria. All I had to do was “be still and listen”for a few minutes.

Hmmm.

Anyway… if you want some of what I’m rapping about here, and if perhaps more importantly, you’ve been feeling blah and you definitely don’t want to feel that way anymore, then I suggest you investigate further by going to PowerPostures.com

Matt Furey

P.S. The response to my small, highly-personalized seminar in Tampa Bay, Florida, from December 8-10, has been awesome. If you’re interested in attending a LIVE training with me that covers much of what I mentioned in this email (and a whole lot more), then send me an email by clicking here.

People often wonder why my current approach to fitness now incorporates so much stillness training.

First of all, my current approach is not current. I have been practicing and teaching Power Postures to my private students for almost 20 years.

Second, I first learned of this incredible type of training in the fall of 1981, from a tai chi chuan instructor at the University of Iowa. It took me many years to figure out why, over the course of six weeks, my wrestling skills exploded. Regrettably, after the course ended, I stopped doing this type of training because I failed to connect the dots.

Third, one of my first martial arts instructors taught me, on Day One, that those who don’t hold the postures of a technique, never get any good because they lack a fundamental foundation of power. His words still ring true to me today.

Fourth, when I practice the loosening exercises and the standing postures, my body doesn’t have typical aches and pains that others suffer from with other types of training.

Fifth, my martial and athletic skills expand when I do this type of training.

Sixth, when I am finished with a session, I am higher than a kite. I feel fantastic and how this feeling comes about is almost impossible to explain, other than to say, you’re giving your brain and nervous system a rest, putting you into the parasympathetic nervous system, where all is well.

Seventh, after a session, instead of being exhausted, I am energized, almost beyond belief, and this energy goes into my work, making me more productive.

I could go on and on, but these seven reasons suffice for now.

If you want the above, if you’re tired of feeling depleted, exhausted and/or not recovered from the other ways you are training (or the lack thereof), then don’t you owe it to yourself to turn the tides in your favor?

Fact is, if you keep doing what you have always done, you’ll never get the high I’m rapping about here.

Power Postures – the link you can click to expand your life in a blink.

Matt Furey

P.S. For those of you who want to experience the strength and health benefits in person at my next small group seminar, December 8-10, in Tampa Bay, Florida, email me here.

Hi Matt. I’ve read all about your energy levels driving cross country and stuff but that doesn’t do nothing for me. I want to know what I can do to get my ass outta my chair. Somedays I don’t feel up to even doing that. I feel lethargic and blah all the time and I know this is at least part of the reason my joints hurt me so much. I know I’m just feeling sorry for my self but how do I overcome this and start to get some of that energy you keep writing about.

Leigh. Z. Arse

Dear Leigh .Z.
You get your rumpus out of your chair by seeing yourself standing. You get yourself exercising by seeing yourself exercising. And you keep your butt glued to your chair by picturing that as where you are going to stay. Everything, including every movement you make, begins with a mental picture. That’s what gets the ball rolling.

Now, once you’re out of your chair, you increase your energy levels dramatically by doing spiraling and circular movements for the major joints of your body. You start with your hips, then move to your knees, then your shoulders, waist and neck. With zero exaggeration, after doing a dozen rotations for your hips alone – each side – you will begin to immediately feel your energy levels rise.

I spend a significant period of time covering these spiraling exercises in my Power Postures course. If all you do is follow along with me with these exercises, a monumental shift will begin taking place inside of you, and you’ll want to do them everyday. Unless, of course, you prefer feeling blah all the time.

After doing the spiraling exercises, you could also begin with the first of the Power Postures I teach. Start with an easily achievable goal such as five minutes. Follow my instructions and you’ll be amazed. If you do this every day for a week, you’ll want more.

Why? Because in addition to your energy levels rising, you will also begin to notice that your joint pain is going bye-bye.

Now the question remains as to whether you’re content to remain in your chair or get up off your duff. If you choose to stay in your chair, what are the consequences of doing so? How are you going to feel a year from now if you don’t make a choice to get up and move?

That’s the question for YOU to answer.

If you choose to “rise up and move,” then go to PowerPostures.com and get started NOW.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

P.S. For those of you who missed out on my training in Kalispell, Montana, I’m holding another small-group event in Tampa Bay, Florida, December 8-10. If you’re interested in attending, send me an email by clicking here.

I received the following question the other day, and it’s a great one.

“Matt, hope you’re doing well. Been following your work for a while and have a similar story with regards to transitioning from weight lifting to body weight exercises to yoga to less yoga to increased strength.  

I purchased Combat Conditioning a while back which was key to my body weight exercise journey. I also have a rebounder which I am starting to use more frequently.  Experiencing some good results, but also noticing some taxing to the central nervous system.

I see that you also have a rebounder, but that appears to be before your Power Postures approach with low and slow and less is more.

Are you still recommending rebounding exercise or have you tabled that with more focus on the slow circular body weight movements?

Thanks for your work.”

– Matt

Hi Matt. Great question. I have two rebounders. One has handlebars, which I use to activate my hands as I pulse, bounce or jump. The rebounder is fantastic for circulation of the blood and lymph as well as strengthening the legs and core. Keep in mind that with each bounce your abdominals involuntarily contract, which is a good thing.

As for the nervous system, you can overdo it on the rebounder. Too much bouncing or jumping too soon can result in dizziness and a sense of being off balance, even while lying down. I know this from overdoing it myself.

I still use my rebounder as a wakeup and warmup – and to keep my “jumping muscles and tendons” youthful, but I don’t use it for long periods of time.

I also do some of my Power Postures training on the rebounder to increase the feel internally (proprioception) and to improve balance.

As valuable as the rebounder is, if I had to choose ONE method of training… well, you probably already know what I would say.

Power Postures gives you the greatest benefits provided you follow the instructions I lay out for you. There’s no trauma to the joints and you learn to spiral your joints and connective tissues in such a way that you relieve the pain and inflammation that so many suffer from. Plus, when you assume these postures I teach, you instantly upgrade and recharge your energy levels which lead to you feeling fantastic and whole at a level you may not have experienced before.

Thank you for asking.

For those of you who want to experience the strength and health benefits of exercise outlined above, visit PowerPostures.com

Matt Furey

P.S. If you’d rather get started with my original butt-kicking best-selling course, click here.

So we’re on the road again. Doing lots of sitting as we drive. 

What do we eat for fuel? 

I can assure you that it’s not donuts. 

In fact, one of the secrets of being able to drive for long distances is NOT eating anything. It’s this thing called FASTING. 

Years ago, long before “science” caught up, I advocated fasting. Today, many people still poo-pooh the benefits of fasting in favor of counting calories, eating five small meals per day, giving up meat, and so on. 

One of the biggest erroneous arguments against fasting is that you’ll lose muscle mass. The opposite is true. 

You maintain muscle mass as you fast – and you burn off fat. 

It takes discipline. It requires mental toughness. But the benefits are huge.

Increased flexibility. Improved cognition. Added strength and vitality. Elimination of aches and pains. And much more. 

I’ll write more about this later.

Kick ass – take names.

Matt Furey

Hard to believe it’s been almost two weeks since my last message.

Time flies when you’re on the run, having fun.

Last week, my first-ever Power Postures seminar in Kalispell, Montana, was a great success. Attendees were blown away with the content, the insights, and of course, the afternoon voyages to Glacier National Park and some other phat spots.

And they sure didn’t mind eating at steakhouses and locally raised beef burger joints with me. Good times.

I’m pretty sure that everyone who attended is already itching to go back. So chances are excellent I’ll be holding another seminar in Montana sometime next year.

One of many highlights of the training was the tendon exercises I taught for the lower half, especially the knees. One former marine, Mark, who had a hip replacement some years ago, was moving better at age 53 than he has moved in years.

Then there was Kyle Newell, a former bodybuilder who blew out both patellar tendons and his ligaments some years ago. He’s loving the knee exercises that go along with the Power Postures.

Another attendee, Scott, 73, drove down from the Yukon Territories. He has a background in tai chi and loved the explanation and the exercises for developing internal power – no matter your age.

It’s so awesome to train in an area with an elevated vibration.

You raise your vibration on your own, no matter where you live, then you take it up a few notches by training in an area where you cannot help but go higher.

Want to increase the positive vibes in your life?

Then run on over to Power Powers and stake your claim.

Matt Furey

We left Sioux City, Iowa, yesterday morning at 9:20 and headed into South Dakota, another state I haven’t been to since 1983.

I remember driving to Rapid City with the “Great One,” Randy Lewis, on the way back from a wrestling camp we worked in Ashland, Oregon. Randy was an Olympic Gold Medalist in 1984, and one of the most exciting wrestlers I have ever had the privilege to watch. 

Randy’s dad took us out on a lake where I waterskied for the first and only time. And no, I didn’t get hurt.

Our mission yesterday was to visit Custer State Park, just outside of Rapid City, and watch the buffalo roam.

As we headed toward Sioux Center, South Dakota, we had serious doubts about going to Custer as it appeared to be a dismal, dreary day. The clouds were almost on the ground, it appeared, as the fog was dense. It was also a freezing cold 62 degrees (hehe).

Well, whatdyaknow, as we got closer to Sioux Center, the fog lifted and it began to warm up. En route we saw a hundred Wall Drug signs, telling us we could get a famous 5 cent cup of coffee, as well as numerous souvenirs.

Before getting to Wall, we saw a sign for the Badlands, so we drove through them, stopping a few times for photo-ops I can use in my newsletters. The Badlands trailed looped around, taking us into Wall, where we stopped to examine the chain saw art, including a Sasquatch statue that I couldn’t resist posing alongside.

Then we walked into a restaurant and had ourselves some grass-fed ribeye steaks, before heading over to Custer.

Upon entering Custer we stopped at the Visitor’s Center to get the details on where the buffalo would be roaming, as well as which directions to Needles. We headed toward Needles first, but as it was getting dark, I turned around and took the wildlife scenic loop.

We drove that loop, thinking we would see buffalo immediately, but not a one was in sight. We figured we had missed out and were debating whether to stay the night, get up early and try again.

But I would not be deterred. I kept on driving, thinking they got to be here somewhere. A few minutes later I spotted a solo buffalo eating grass. I stopped to take a photo, thinking this bull might be IT. My wife was laughing at how we’d seen numerous deer and ONE buffalo.

A few minutes later she spotted several walking up a hill. We then assumed the buffalo were retiring for the night, heading for the space behind the hills.

And then, just when all hope appeared to have vanished, there those sumbitches were, on both sides of the road, as well as ON the road.

A number of cars were pulled over, and no one was a stupid as the people you can see in Yellowstone, who get out to take close-up selfies, only to get gored or impaled by these “cute” beasts. How anyone can think a buffalo won’t do you harm is beyond me. Yes, they are stunning to look at, but never forget, they are WILD and temperamental, and unpredictable.

Anyway, we got plenty of footage of the buffalo, roaming, eating grass, and loitering in the middle of the road. And thank goodness none of them went coo-coo as we SLOWLY, respectfully passed them by.

The drive back to Rapid City was beyond dark. No reflectors, no lights, no paint dividing the road. But we made it, found ourselves a hotel, and camped inside for the night.

We’re off to Wyoming soon, where I’ll have myself another ribeye, grass-fed.

In the interim, TODAY is Zhannie and my 30th Wedding Anniversary. How cool is that?

She’s done one whaleuva job looking out for me.

And to celebrate, we want to include YOU.

So we’re having a $30 discount on many of my products.

Be sure to click here and take advantage of this special offer.

I haven’t had a sale in a LONG time, so NOW is the TIME to jump on this.

All the best!

Matt Furey

We were on the road a bit after 10 AM, driving through Florida as far a Marianna, then veered north through Alabama, then upper Mississippi, straight through Memphis, Tennessee into Arkansas.

After driving for 16.5 hours and logging 900+ miles,  we pulled into Little Rock, Arkansas, at 1:20 AM, and got some sleep, only to begin again bright and early Tuesday morning. With Arkansas now checked off my list, I only have four more states in the U.S. to visit.

While I was driving, Zhannie called her brother and told him how long I had been behind the wheel. “Waaaah,” he said. “What kind of energy does he have. If I drive for a few hours I’m exhausted.”

I laughed and gave him my stock answer, “I used to be that way, too. But when you train the way I do, you can accomplish anything.”

On Day 2, we drove 602 miles from Little Rock to Omaha, had steaks at Sullivan’s Steakhouse with my longtime hometown friend, Mike Fay, and his girl friend.

After pounding a Wagyu muscle from Idaho, we walked back to our cars as I contemplated whether or not to stay the night. It didn’t take long for me to say, “I think we’ll drive to Sioux City and spend the night there.”

It’s been 42 years since I set foot in Sioux City, Iowa, and it feels good to be back. I have many memories here, visiting our cousins as well as competing against some of the best athletes and teams in the state.

Tomorrow we are headed into the Badlands of South Dakota. Never been through them before, so this will be fascinating.

It’s an amazing journey to see the country this way.

The peak of our travels be in Kalispell, Montana, where I’m having a three-day training with a group of mighty fine people, who want more details from me on the energy-enhancing methods contained within my Power Postures course.

They are definitely going to witness the energy, the strength, the flexibility and the power. They will be astounded.

Now let me tell you, driving cross country is one of the many ways I can prove the benefits of the Power Postures training. I don’t know many people, regardless of their age, who can drive so many hours, then get up and do it again, with energy to spare.

It’s now 12:59 AM CST. Time for a little bit of rest, then we’re off to the Badlands.

More updates to follow.

In the interim, if you want to enhance and upgrade your energy, go here.

Matt Furey