How Much Can You Get Done?

My new article - "Get More Done in Less Time" was just published at MMA Weekly.com.



CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Date - 22-Sept-09

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

Christopher Reeve

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Sean Sherk's Workout SUCKS!?!

Ok, time for a little bitch session...

A while back, former UFC LW Champ Sean Sherk detailed his workouts in a bodybuilding rag. It was pretty much bodybuilding - 4 sets of 10 reps, bodypart splits, supersets, using machines, etc.

This is the complete opposite of what many coaches say MMAists should do. There were no full body workouts, no olympic lifts, no complexes, no "sport specific"
exercises,etc.

Just plain old bodybuilding.

When this came out, all the keyboard warriors were blown away. Yeah - I know - nobody ever argues on the intrawebs, right? LOL.

"Just how good could Sean be if he used Program X, Program Y, or Program Whatever..."

*sigh*

Let me tell you something that might have slipped past a few people...

Sean Sherk fights for the UFC and is a former Champ.

He's fought all over the world. Though he lost, he was the first fighter ever to take Matt Hughes a full five rounds...back when Hughes could do no wrong in the cage.

Put simply - there's a darn good chance that Sean is a better fighter and athlete than you are, and has accomplished more than you have. After all, YOU are the one watching HIM on TV and PPV, right?

Sean isn't plunking down $50 to watch you is he?

Didn't think so.

Right now is when the internet quasi-gurus will say, "Well, this is a perfect case of somebody succeeding in spite of his training - not because of it."

*rolls eyes*

Listen, I've heard the whole "in spite of" quote, and many times, I highly agree. However, before you can pull that card, you might wanna take a look at what they're doing, and see what kind of success they're having.

EVERYBODY can improve, so don't go down that route with me. But, if something is working - and working well - should a fighter want to be so quick to change it?

It's "cool" to not like bodybuilding. As MMAists, all we care about is becoming better fighters, so the idea of training just for looks is a little "foo-foo."

But you know what, I'd bet that most bodybuilders think that rolling around on a mat between another guy's legs is a little...

...well, you know.

MMA and bodybuilding aren't alone. Most "cliques" in the S&C world - powerlifters, Olympic lifters, strongman competitors, kettlebell'ers, crossfitt'ers, S&C coaches, etc. all have somebody (and some training method) that they don't like and/or don't agree with. And most of the time, it's everybody besides their own little clique.

And that sucks.

I'm not a fan of the sport of professional bodybuilding. I'm not going to get into why, because this is not the time or place. However, this doesn't mean that bodybuilding training is not useful.

When I say bodybuilding training, know that I mean training programs/methods that can be employed by natural trainees for the sake of looking better. The programs that the pros use are pretty much useless to the "regular joe" because one would have to be on insane amounts of drugs for them to work effectively.

Do I think bodybuilding training is optimum for MMA?

No - I think there are plenty of ways to train that are better.

(=> Check out my "Working Class MMA Workout Program" - at 40% off no less - for an example of how I like to train fighters.)

But that doesn't mean it can't work. Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman, Frank Shamrock, and several other fighters used it at one point or another in their career...and it just so happened to be when they were WINNING BIG...

...as in when they were CHAMPIONS.

In the end, this is what I want you to take away from this little rant:

Before you start dogging somebody because of their training program, take a look at not only what they do, but why they do it. Are they winning? Why? And if not, why not?

Only then can you begin to ponder ways to improve training methods.

Try to learn something before you start telling somebody they're automatically wrong.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

PS - Don't forget to check out that MMA Workout I mentioned above...

Quote of the Date - 20-Sept-09

"I'm ready mentally and physically. Anything can happen...can never get overconfident. Just always truly believe in yourself. Believe in your skills. Believe you was put in that certain position for a reason."

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (from "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7")

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Date - 15-Sept-09

"Dedication; Hard Work. Dedication; Hard Work. I'm a one-man army...a one-man army. The world can go against me...I'm still gonna come out on top. I got God on my side."

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (from Mayweather/Marquez 24/7)

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Are You Prepared?

Would you be willing to put your life on the line if you had to?

It's been a very somber few days. First, last Friday was the 8th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. Then, this weekend, a guy I used to work with in Iraq was shot and killed.

(In case you didn't know, I did govt. contract work in Iraq for the better part of 2.5 years. If you haven't seen the news articles, you can see info on the wall of my Facebook page.)

But, in both of these tragic instances, there is true cause to draw inspiration.

While so many people died on Sept. 11, 2001, 40 people were heroes, in bringing down Flight 43 so that it couldn't be used as a weapon. Similarly, my friend died trying to subdue and disarm a soldier who meant to cause harm to other innocent people.

In both cases, 'ordinary' people were faced with impossible situations, and had to do 'extraordinary' things...and ultimately paid the ultimate price.

What would you do if you were thrust into this kind of literal 'do or die' scenario? Would you be ready? Would you be prepared?

You can honestly never say what you would or wouldn't do, because unless you've been in that sort of situation before, you couldn't know how you might react. You just don't know. I know I don't.

However, what you can do is make sure you're ready...just in case.

Are you ready physically? Are you strong, conditioned, flexible, in good shape, etc?

Are you ready mentally? Do keep yourself acute? Do you get enough rest? Are you aware of your surroundings? Is your mind quick?

Are you ready emotionally? If you were to die in a tragic incident today, would you have things left unsaid in your life? Are there relationships you have not yet mended? Are there people you need to tell things to? Do those close to you know how you really feel about them?

Are you ready spiritually? I won't turn this into a religious discussion, but I'm not ashamed to say I'm a Christian. If you believe like I do, then there are certain things you have to do to make sure you're ready for life after death. Are you ready to meet God?

I don't know what I'd do if I were ever put in such a situation. I'd like to think that I'd do the right thing. Hopefully, I'll never have to find out.

And hopefully, you'll never have to find out, either.

But, if that tragic, crazed, insane, impossible situation was ever dropped at your feet, would you be ready?

I hope so.

Take a look in the mirror. Are you ready right now? If not, then you'd better think about getting yourself ready.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Date - 08-Sept-09

"It's all about 'Mind Over Matter'. If *you* don't mind, *it* don't matter!" - about a zillion people over the years

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Why I Run in the Rain

This has been one of my most popular articles over the years, and every now and then, I like to bring it back out, as the message never gets old.

Enjoy.
*****************
(original version published at MMA Weekly.com)

When I was in college, I used to do a fair bit of running in my workouts. Normally, I did my strength work Mon-Fri in the mid-morning between classes. On Sun-Thurs nights - say 9:00 or 10:00 - I'd go run.

I was no marathoner, but I averaged 2.5-6 miles per day.

I enjoyed running. Usually just past the one-mile mark, I get that "tingly" feeling. This meant that endorphins had kicked in, and I was no longer feeling any kind of "pain" from the work. Plugged into my Walkman (now an mp3 player), I had a good "groove"going by this point, and the rest of the effort was just doing it.

I enjoy running in the rain. The water cools me, the air is thick with moisture and easy to take in, and as it's not "ideal" weather, most people are inside...I can go out, start running, and almost "lose" myself in the effort. My runs were usually longer in the rain, and more intense.

(In other words, I always ran harder in the rain.)

Now, I live and went to college in North Carolina. If you know anything about the southeast, you know that there are times during the spring and fall where it rains
virtually nonstop for weeks on end.

I loved this time of year.

I used to catch a lot of crap from women for running in the rain.

My mom used to pester me, "You're going to catch a cold!" A girl I was pretty good friends with used to shake her head at me, "I'm telling you, you're going to catch pneumonia!"

Now, if I do any running in the rain, my wife hounds me, "You're going to get sick and give it to everybody in the house!"

It's harder to put up with all this crap than it is to actually do the running!!

One fateful afternoon, it began raining, and I decided to get my run in early. I had gone a couple miles, and the endorphins were running wild. I was "lost" in the run,
and had let go mentally - I was just worried about the physical effort.

As I rounded a corner on campus, a car drove by and honked. I threw up a hand to wave, but, keeping my head down, I could care less who it was.

I just worried about putting one foot in front of the other. Later that day, I was at the university cafeteria having dinner with a couple buddies when a few girls joined us.

These girls were "friends" of ours in that we all knew and were cordial with each other, but we didn't really like one another.

They were "rich kids" - the kind that had been given everything they ever wanted, never had a job, and never had to work for anything.

I think that by now, most of you who follow my work know what I'm like - just a "regular guy." These girls were the exact opposite of a "regular guy."

As they sat down, one of them began to chide me, "Hey Wiggy, why are you out running in the rain?"

Turns out that they were the ones who had honked at me earlier.

"Don't you know you'll get sick?"



I rolled my eyes.

"Besides, there are Stairmasters over at the gym - why not just use those?"

"Because poor guys run," I replied.

She looked at me like I was nuts. I knew she didn't get it.

And she never would.

When I went back to my dorm room, I got one of my workout shirts and a felt-tip marker. I wrote "Poor Guys Run" on the back across the shoulders. I wore that shirt on almost every run I went on for two years.

Some people - the "regular guys" - got it. Everybody else was clueless.

But that was Ok. It's sort of like what the Westside Barbell T-shirts say: "If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand."

The next time you're out doing your conditioning, making your way to the boxing gym, or even though you're sore and dead tired, you still go to grappling class anyway, and somebody looks at you like you're crazy and wants to know "Why?" just tell them,

"Because poor guys run."

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Date - 08-Sept-09

"You don't get tired when you're HUNGRY!!" - Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (from "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7")

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

MMA Weekly Article - "Why Fans Hate Brock Reason #657"

My new article, "Why Fans Hate Brock Reason #657" is up at MMA Weekly.com.



CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://wwww.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Date - 04-Sept-09

"How do you build up your bank account? By putting something in it everyday.Your health account is no different. What I do today, I am wearing tomorrow. If I put inferior foods in my body today, I'm going to be inferior tomorrow, it's that simple." - Jack Lalanne (thanks to coach Billy Beck III for the quote!)

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Quote of the Day - 03-Sept-09

"Play Like a Champion Today" - Notre Dame football mantra

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Facebook & Quote of the Day - 02-Sept-09

Hey gang,

If we're 'friends' on Facebook, you might've noticed that I've been trying to post an inspirational/motivational type quote every other day or so. I'll even toss in a video from time to time.

(And if we're not 'friends' on Facebook, then hit me up with a 'friend request' and let's be friends! ;-)

Anyway, I thought I'd start posting some of these quotes here, as well.

Here is the quote for today:

"You've got to want to win the game so bad, you'd rather die than lose it." - Joshua Lambert (from "The Incredible Hulk Returns")

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com