Last-Minute MMA Fight Training

Recently in this forum thread, somebody asked a question that I see somewhat regularly from fighters that are getting ready for their next MMA fight. And that question is (more or less):

"I only have 2-4 weeks left before my next fight. What sort of workout should I do to help prepare?"

Oh man.

The answer is one that they usually don't want to hear - by this point, what workout you do isn't going to matter that much.

You see, when you're only 2-4 weeks out from a fight, you pretty much waited until the last-minute to address your strength and conditioning needs, and now it's about too late.

You see, at this stage of the game, if you were doing a full MMA Workout leading into your fight, you really wouldn't be still developing your strength, cardio, endurance, etc.

Rather, you'd be adapting it.

You see, this close to a fight, it's virtually too late to develop more strength or conditioning. (Well, that's not entirely true, but I'll get into that in a minute.) By this point, you want to be taking the S&C you have, and 'molding' it toward the specific needs of MMA.

Instead of just being strong, having good cardio and endurance, etc., you need to be a good fighter. That means doing more and more skills training, sparring, hitting the bag, drilling, etc.

All this skills training does two things:

1 - It makes you a better fighter. Duh.

2 - It gets you in better shape. Sure, you might have good wind, and think you're in shape. But can you throw punches non-stop for minutes on end? Can you keep scrambling on the ground? Can you still shoot in for the takedown when you're tired?

And more importantly, can do any of these things intensely? Or, after your first hard minute or two of activity, are you just flailing around like a big rag doll?

That's what skills training can do - help take you from being in 'good' shape to being in 'fighting' shape.

Remember when I said 2-4 weeks wasn't really enough time to get any stronger, improve your cardio, etc?

Well, that's not completely true.

You can make S&C improvements in 2-4 weeks - people do it all the time. But as a fighter, it's not necessarily a good idea.

To make those kinds of S&C improvements, you're going to have to do some intense S&C training. (Makes sense, right?) Well, that's not what you want to be doing this close to a fight.

First of all, it should go without saying that skills training comes first. That means that everything else comes second or less. That also means that your skills training should be the most important. If it's the most important, then that means that your recovery abilities should be reserved as much as possible for your skills work. Doing intense S&C work will take away from that.

(Again, remember that had you been doing S&C workout for your MMA Training all along, though you'd be doing intense S&C work, you wouldn't really be trying to develop new levels of S&C. You'd be making the S&C capabilities you had developed by this point more MMA-specific.)

Next, because intense S&C work is what would be needed, it can set you up to be overtraining or worse yet, get injured.

Intense S&C training is not only tough on your physically because it breaks your body down, but it can also be very demanding on your CNS, which is already likely getting taxed pretty heavily from all your skills work.

Then there is the idea that while you might build more S&C capabilities, you still won't have time to adapt them to being MMA-specific. Now, that's not to say that being stronger or having better wind won't still be helpful, but you'd have been much better off had you started early on, and been able to prepare properly.

Ultimately, it's the "skills that pay the bills". This close to the fight, you're best off by trying to be the best fighter you can technically, be that being a better striker, improving your ground game and submissions, learning how to stuff takedowns, or whatever. All these will help you win a fight much more than adding 20-30 lbs. to your bench press 1RM.

That isn't to say that a good MMA Workout Program isn't important. It just means that you have to start far enough out from the fight for it to be done right.

In the end, you need to focus on what gives you the best chance of having your hand raised at the end of the fight.

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

PS - If you haven't waited too long, and still need a good MMA Workout, then, being the self-promoting shill I can't help but recommend the "Working Class MMA Workout Program"...and if you get the "Championship Edition", you even get a month of "Power Trip" workouts and all the extras...FREE!

Goin' Fishin'

I don't necessarily watch a whole lot of TV, but there are a few shows that I have to keep up with. One of those is "Deadliest Catch".



In case you don't know, "Deadliest Catch" is a show on the Discovery Channel that documents Alaskan crab fishing boats, and everything they go through in a 'season' of crab fishing.

(Oh, by the way - according to this site, fishing at sea is one of the very deadliest jobs in the world. It takes a certain kind of guts to do this sort of work...esp Alaskan crab fishing, which is done in the Bering Sea, so now massive cold weather is also an issue fishermen have to contend with.)

ANYWAY...as fans of the show will know, the newest season recently started back on the Discovery Channel.

I'm actually a little bit behind, and was watching the 1st episode of the season last night. (Thank goodness for DVR!)

The shows follows a few different crab boats, and one of them is the Northwestern. It's captain is the Norwegian, Sig Hansen.

Prior to the beginning of this season, the captains of many of these boats all gathered together to share some last-minute camaraderie and wish each other good luck. While talking, the guys eventually began discussing how they were brought up, and things they experienced in their early, formative years of fishing.

Sig Hansen talked about how a family member used to run the boat, and was always really super hard on everybody. But, he was quick to point out that it (and I'm paraphrasing here) "made a man out of you" and how it "built character."

(By the way - Sig is known for working the hell out of his guys.)

Sig said something that was just cool as all hell, and I wanted to share with y'all - it's something that I hope y'all take to heart:

"He was hard on us, but it built character. And if you don't like my character, you can kiss my ass."

Said by a true hard-ass.

The next time you get tired, and want to give up early, or worse yet - quit, take a look in the mirror, and ask yourself what kind of character YOU have.

Could you tell other people to kiss your ass if they didn't like how hard you worked?

It just might help you keep yourself in line.



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

PS - Have you taken advantage of this kickass sale yet? If not, get on your horse, b/c it's comin' down next week.

Save tons of moolah here - http://tinyurl.com/d67noo

The "One True Way"

This post is gonna be short one - I just wanna take a second to make a point.

In the fitness industry (especially anybody trying to sell MMA Workouts), almost everybody is trying to sell the "one true way". They are all trying to tell you how their workout better than everything else out there, and how their system is the only real way to make gains and get better.

It's almost as if using their system is the way to untold fortunes, true happiness, and a gateway to the heavens.

Uh....no.

Listen up, 'cause I'm gonna only say this once...

THERE IS NO 'ONE TRUE WAY' TO EXERCISE.

Yeah, I said it. There is no 'one true way' to train for strength, power, conditioning, cardio, work capacity, fitness, or whatever. Truth be told...lots of things work.

Do you hear that? Yep - that's the sound of your mind being blown.

You mean that there isn't a "best" way to work out? Am I crazy? I've got to be. After all, isn't there a "best" way to do almost everything?

Not this time, there buddy. Sorry.

Now, it might not make a whole lot of sense for me to be saying something like this...at least not good business sense, anyway. Because I know there is at least one of you out there in internet-dom saying something like, "But Wiggy, if there isn't a 'best' way to train, then why do you sell workout programs? Even better yet, why should I buy your workout programs? What makes them better than anything else if everything works?"

Yeah, you're right - I sell workout programs. And they're pretty damn good ones, too - especially for MMA training.

(If you don't believe me, just check out the testimonials on my site - everything from UFC/MMA stars and camps like Joe Rogan, Leigh Remedios, and American Top Team - to celebrity trainers - like Scott Sonnon and Scooter Honig, LL Cool J's trainer - to regular folks like you and me.)

But go back and look at the products I offer. "Working Class Fitness - The Programs" is actually 6 different programs (each 8 weeks long). The "Working Class MMA Workout" is completely customizable. Even my old "Singles & Doubles" stuff that went from sandbags to barbells. Each are completely different in their own way.

This is because there is no "one true way" to work out. Different things work for different people, in different situations.

Look at it this way - do you remember being in school, and being told that different people learn in different ways? That some people learn from reading, others listening, others reading, etc.?

Well, exercise is the same way. Different methods are needed for different goals at different times.

Does that mean that certain methods aren't any better than others? Of course not. If you're trying to build upper body strength, a good 5x5 or pyramid type of workout with heavy pressing movements will work much better than just cranking out endless sets of pushups. But, at the same time, that 5x5 or pyramid program won't (potentially) work as well for muscular-endurance as cranking out a couple sets of high-rep pushups will.

And neither one will do much for your cardio.

See what I mean?

There is gonna be at least some hype behind pretty much every fitness program. Whether we like it or not, it's a necessary evil in the business - it's what gets the bills paid. (And past experience tells me that paying bills on time is a good thing.)

But watch out when the hype gets too big...when it claims too much. When you've got one program (and I see this all the time with dudes trying to sell the latest MMA workout "flavor of the month") that claims to be better than everything else for everything, then you might wanna watch out.

After all, you know what they say about "If it's too good to be true, it probably is."



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

Crutchmaster's Documentary

Remember my post a couple weeks ago about my good buddy, Duane "Crutchmaster" Stevenson?

In case you don't, here's the quick rundown - this guy had tumors in his spine at the age of 3, and he lost nearly all use of his legs, and has been on crutches almost his entire life.

But, that has not stopped him from grappling, competing, training fighters, or even training law enforcement. He also designs MMA workouts for fighters, and runs conditioning classes.

A documentary has been made about my buddy Duane's life. Check out the trailer below.



I know I said it before, but we could all learn something from Duane.

"...and I suggest you give me 100%, or you're gonna get knocked out or gonna get hurt."

Keep kickin' ass, Duane!

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

How To Get Good

Everybody is always looking for 'magic' workout programs.

I hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as 'magic'. (Heck, they even have those shows on TV to show you how guys like Criss Angel and David Copperfield pull off their 'tricks'.)

Now, this isn't to say that you don't need awesome workout plans - esp for your MMA training. But an awesome workout isn't all you need.

To become a great MMAist (or, to really achieve any of your fitness goals), you need three things:

-hard work

-consistency

-a kick-ass workout plan.

(Yeah, I know I talked about this not all that ago in this post. Get over it - I'm talking about it again.)

I was fortunate enough to spend a couple days this week with my good buddy, Andy. Andy runs his own sports performance gym in Thomasville, NC.

By the way, if you're ever in North Carolina around Asheboro, High Point, Greensboro, or the surrounding area, you OWE it to yourself to contact Andy about coming by for a workout...trust me when I say you won't regret it. In fact, tell him Wiggy sent you... ;-)

ANYWAY....

While up there at Andy's gym, I was able to meet one of his 'superstars' (as he puts it) - a kid named Zach.

Now, Zach has been training with Andy for roughly two years. Andy has put him through a ton of TOUGH training sessions over those two years, and spent a bunch of time training Zach on proper technique, training, recovery, etc.

Zach has been there every step of the way, busting his tail, and absorbing everything Andy has been trying to teach him....like a brand new sponge soaking up water.

Zach has been a true example of what can be done when you work hard, are consistent, and have a great workout program.

Zach is a sophomore in high school - only 16 years old. At roughly 6'1", he's roughly 175 lbs. - and solid as a freakin' rock. Because his limbs are fairly long, his upper body stats aren't necessarily anything to write home about. He benches 205-215 (which is still more than his bodyweight), and the other day when I was up there, he cranked out 3 sets of chins, averaging 8-12/set. Again, not too shabby, but not earth shattering.

But then you get to his lower body, his power, and his jumping ability. Oh. My.

(Remember - this kid is only 16, a sophomore in high school, and only weighs about 175 or so.)

He squats 455 (and that's ass to grass type squats). He deadlifts 450+. The kid has power cleaned 245...and that was at the end of a workout....and after having done heavy lower body training at school earlier that day.

He also jumps up higher than most people have a right to. Here is a video of him jumping up onto a 42-inch box...while wearing a 40 lbs. weighted vest:



Now as impressive as all this might be, consider this - at the risk of repeating myself, the kid is only 16! What's he gonna be like when his body really starts to mature when he graduates at 18, or even into his early 20s? What if he gains another 20-30 lbs.? What kind of numbers will he moving then? Barring injury or the like, the sky seems to be the limit for this kid.

It should also be noted that Zach is a good student, going to school full-time, plays sports (he is a virtual lock to 'start' as a running back on his high school's football team next year), and works a part-time job. It's not like all this kid does is train.

As impressive as all this is, though, Zach isn't really anything special.

Zach and I chatted some the other day, and he started to tell me how what he's been able to accomplish has been because of his training with my buddy, Andy.

I told him he was only part-right.

"There are three things you need to get strong, fast, powerful, in shape, and all that - you need consistency, hard work, and a great program.

Any two without the other won't get you where you need to go.

Working hard on a great program won't do you any good if you just show up every now and again. (You think the Orioles would've even let Cal Ripken have the chance to start over 2600 games in a row had he not worked his tail off day in, and day out?)

You can have the best program in the world, and do it every single day, but if you half-ass it, all you're getting better at is wasting your time.

And you can consistently work your tail off, but if you have no idea what you're doing, and are just working in circles because your program sucks, well, you'll get a little better (simply because you're putting in some work), but you won't be getting the best bang for your buck with all that effort.

It takes all three."

And it does.

Are you putting in all three? Hard work, consistency, and a kickass program?

If not, you might wanna re-think what you're doing.

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

PS - re that kickass workout program...not everybody knows enough to put together their own program. And that sucks...mainly because they'll be like that 3rd scenario I just posted...working their butt off for minimal rewards.

If this is you, head to http://tinyurl.com/d67noo and get some kickass workout programs that will make sure your consistent, hard work doesn't go to waste.

YES...You Need Strength

I can't stand cliques. Or groupies. Or fads. Or trends. Or popularity contests. Or any of that kind of junk.

Especially in the fitness and strength & conditioning world.

Why?

Because too many people end up being concerned with what's "cool" than with what works. And that's just stupid.

Me, I could care less what anybody thinks. I'd rather look good when I'm bigger, stronger, and faster. I think it looks much more cool to win and have my hand raised in victory, than to be the guy standing in the shadows (or sitting behind the keyboard) saying how the winner could even be better if he did XYZ Program instead.

You'd think that with as many people in the world that don't train, don't work out, don't try and be healthy, that the fitness community as a whole would try to band together and be one solid unit. Join forces, go out, find the undertrained, weak, fat, and lazy, and whip them into shape.

You'd think so. But, you'd also think wrong.

Instead, you've got every faction in the fitness world pointing the finger at each other, trying their darndest to convince everybody why what they do is "right" and what everybody else is doing is "wrong".

And I'm not kidding. Powerlifters don't like Olympic lifters, and vice versa. Both can be kinda "iffy" when it comes to strongman. Throwers can be all over the place. Nobody likes bodybuilding. HIT trainers don't like Arnold Schwazenegger's books. "Athletic" trainers don't like isolation moves.

Ugh. All these people need are a letterman jacket, and a locker combination, and they'll be ready to fight over who gets to take Betsy-Sue to the dance on Friday night.

I see this a TON in MMA.

Now, MMA is a sport that has A TON of physical needs. It is very likely the most physical demanding sport there, if for no other reason, that it has such a wide array of physical needs. It needs strength, power, cardiovascular endurance, muscular-endurance, strength and power-endurance, work capacity, flexibility, etc.

But, some people seem not to think so.

In fact, I can't tell you how many times I've seen supposed "experts" on the internet (you knew that everybody on the internet was an "expert", right?) say that strength is vastly over-rated for MMA, and needn't be targeted.

You're kidding me...right?

Now, to think that the strength needs of MMA are moreso than the various conditioning and endurance needs of MMA would be wrong. I know that. You should know that. (If you didn't, now you do.) But to think that strength isn't needed to the point that it really doesn't have to be trained? C'mon, man.

Let me give you a few reasons why strength is vitally important in MMA.

1 - Power. You need power in MMA - power is what will give you (as long as your technique is up to snuff) powerful punches and kicks, quick takedowns, the ability to slam your opponent, etc.

All power is, is strength applied quickly. In fact, strength is the ultimate capability of power.

If squatting 500 lbs. is strong, and squatting 500 lbs. in less than a second is powerful, then ain't no way you're gonna be powerful without building the strength. You can't squat 500 lbs. in less than a second if you can't squat 500 lbs. in the first place.

2 - Speed. This is kind of an offshoot of power. Speed can be looked at in various ways - in a straight line (who can run 100m the fastest) or who can move the quickest? As in who has faster hands - Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Tim Sylvia?

It takes a lot of control over your body to have this kind of speed. While coordination and natural athleticism play key roles, so does something called "relative strength". All this means is how strong you are for your size/weight.

The stronger you are (especially with increased skill training), the better control you're gonna have over your body. The better control you have over your body, the better speed you're likely gonna have.

3 - Confidence. I don't care who you are, or what situation you're in. If you're getting into a physical confrontation with somebody (which is kinda the point with MMA), then knowing you're stronger than the other guy gives you a confidence you just won't have when you're the weaker dude.

4 - Endurance. Everybody thinks MMA is all about endurance, endurance, endurance. While on some levels it is, if you don't have any strength to back it up, then what good is it? You can teach a guy to shadow-box all day long, so he has the endurance and conditioning to throw punches like a Joe Calzaghe. But if he never hits the heavy bag, how do you know if he can hit hard? More importantly, how do you know his zillion punches he can throw will have any effect on his opponent?

Now, sometimes, you can get to the point that you can build enough strength that you can work on maintenance and conditioning more, because strength isn't as big of a priority for you. Guys like this might be Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Brock Lesnar, or other such dudes.

Hate to break it to you, but you aren't Sean, Matt, or Brock. Sorry.

That means you still have to work your strength.

And when the skinny dude that looks like he just jumped off a MMA message board shows up and tells you you're doing it all wrong, take him down, and hold him down...and tell him that strength you don't need is about to make him tap out.

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

PS - If you know you need to have strength in your program, but aren't quite sure how to fit it in with everything else, then this can help you - and eliminate all the guesswork in the meantime: http://tinyurl.com/d67noo

New MMA Weekly Article

My new article, "Use Your Head" is up at MMA Weekly. Check it out:

http://tinyurl.com/czcyex

Let me know what you think.

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

Even More Crap...

Remember my blog post, "What a Load of Crap" from last week?

Well, it's time for "Part Deux"...or "Part Two"...or "II"...or whatever...

I'm sure by this point in your life (unless you've been living under a rock), that you've heard the old adage, "Everything in Moderation". Some people really need to learn this.

Just because something is "good", doesn't mean you can run wild with it. You've read a thousand times that when doing your workouts, "more" isn't always "better", right? Well, just because something is "good", doesn't mean too much of it can't be "bad."

I see this all the time with people's diet, eating habits, and especially their training workout plans.

I guess the fitness world is no different than any other culture, but there seems to be this odd disconnect between knowledge, research, helpful hints and tips, and plain old common sense.

Too many times I see people who read or hear about how "XYZ" food is good for you, or that eating at "XYZ" time has great benefits to your training, or that "XYZ" type of training can be so much more beneficial, etc.

(I kinda touched on that last one lately - remember my articles and video on not screwing up your interval training? That's a perfect example - just because interval training is such a great method to use, doesn't mean you can half-ass it and still expect to see results.)

Diet is another biggie I see this happen all the time in.

The other day, I was talking with a buddy. We hadn't seen each other in a while and were more or less just catching up.

Now, this guy is a great guy and all, but he's honestly probably 150 lbs. overweight. I mean, he needs to lose A LOT of weight, and he needs to get on his horse about doing it. If not, he's really putting himself in a position for health risks or worse yet, a premature heart attack (he's only in his early 30s).

Anyway, as we kept on BSing, he told me that he was going on a diet, and was cutting out all the excess crap out of his diet - sugar, starches, chips, etc.

He went on to tell me that he was gonna start eating nuts instead of chips and the like. They had protein, good fats, and seemed to be a part of all these good "paleo" type diets that were just meat, leaves, berries, and such (i.e. - no processed foods).

He was really excited, but he had never really eaten nuts that much before, and didn't realize how much he liked them. In fact, he had found that he LOVED almonds. (So do I!!) He liked them so much, that he went out and got a couple cans of them to keep at work, and he just snacks on them throughout the day.

He was so happy that he felt happy and good about eating - he'd found a food that he liked, he enjoyed, that was "good" for him, and most importantly of all, he could eat on his diet, and still lose weight.

I got worried.

I asked you before about the saying "everything in moderation". Well, ever hear of the one that says "if it's too good to be true, it probably is"?

Well, here was case in point.

I asked him just how many almonds he ate in a day. He said he didn't know - that he'd just grab a few here and there throughout the day.

I told him to cup his hands together...as if he were making a snowball. I then asked him if all the almonds he ate in a day would fill up the space in his hands. He said, yeah - maybe 1.5 or even 2.

Uh-oh.

I told him I had bad news. He looked worried.

(I really hated to tell him this, as this guy has struggled with his weight for years, and it was great to see him excited about his diet, but I couldn't let him sabotage himself.)

I told him that everything he had said about nuts before was completely true. BUT, they are still very, very high in calories. In fact, if we estimate the amount he could hold in his hands as a cup, then according to this site, he was eating some 1000+ calories per day...in just almonds.

I told him that at that rate, he'd actually be better off having bought one of those snack-sized bags of Doritos (like they make for kids' lunches) and eating that. It wouldn't have been healthy, it it'd have been a fraction of the calories.

Here's the take home point in all of this - you can be eating the most healthy foods in the world, but you still can't ignore the basics of nutrition. And one of the most basic of the basics of nutrition (and in turn, weight loss) is calories in vs. calories out.

You could be eating nothing but grilled chicken breast, fruits, nuts, and veggies all day. But, if you had a desk job, didn't work out, and got little physical activity in, and your diet (even made up of all good stuff) was 6000 calories per day, you know what?

You're still gonna be a fatty. And on the healthiest diet, to boot.

Use your head folks - sometimes, it's the most common sense things that do us the most good.

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

PS - If you haven't check out the sale I've got going yet, then hit up http://tinyurl.com/d67noo and Save 40%.

PS #2 - I want to wish all of you a very Happy Easter, and I hope that you can spend some good, quality time with your family, friends, and loved ones.

I'm getting rid of your EXCUSES

Hey y'all,

Sorry about the rant last time - didn't mean to "go off" like I ended up doing.

But, I must've hit a chord with y'all - b/c I think I received more feedback on that one email than I have on anything I've EVER sent out.

(Guess I'm not the only one who is sick of people bitching and moaning while they sit on their ass and eat twinkies.)

Some of y'all might not have like the rant...and maybe that's b/c it all sounded a little too familiar. Maybe it sounded like I was talking about you? Maybe you're
one of the guys who can "talk the talk" but never even tries to "walk the walk". But, it's Ok (at least YOU think it is), b/c you have 'a really good reason'. Right?

Uhhhhhh....NO.

I'm about to take any and all excuses you think you can come up with away from you. By the time you're done reading this, if you don't feel like a cad for making excuses
for not working out, then you might as well as quit reading my emails - b/c I can't help you.

I wanna tell you about a buddy of mine - Duane Stevenson. Duane is from Houston, TX, and coaches not only MMA, but submission grappling, and also puts together his own cross-training workouts for fighters. Duane has competed in submission grappling himself, has his own gym, and is putting together his own fight team.

So what makes Duane so special? What makes his case any different than anybody coach who does the same thing?

Maybe you've seen Duane posting around some of the MMA message boards - he goes by the screen-name "CrutchMaster".

You see, Duane is disabled. When he was only 3 years old, he had tumor in his spine. This affected his lower body, and now only has 70% use of his legs. He has to use crutches full-time...hence his nickname of CrutchMaster.

Most guys in Duane's situation would just accept defeat, and concede the fact that there are some things that they just won't be able to do.

Not Duane.

I remember when I first met Duane - it was some 5 years ago or more. Duane was looking for some workout advice, and he hit me up.

The thing that I always admired about Duane was that he never thought he couldn't get better. Nothing was off-limits for him.

In the past, other trainers had told him to stay away from trying to train his legs due to his condition. That wasn't good enough for Duane.

Together, we put together a program where he was not only working his legs, but was doing whatever it took to do it.

For you and I, hill sprints means great conditioning. For Duane, it was just about climbing the stairs in his house. He couldn't do much at a time, but by the end of the day, it was 20+ trips.

For your and I, dragging a weighted sled or pushing a car is something we see in strongman events or we do for metabolic conditioning. For Duane, it was about just trying to build some semblance of strength. And unlike you and I, he couldn't
walk with his sled. For him, he was literally crawling on his hands and knees like a baby. He didn't care how it looked or that nobody else was doing it - he just cared about getting stronger, and getting in better shape.

For Duane, it was about being better at the end of the day than you were when it began.

And little by little, my buddy the CrutchMaster gets better - each and every day.

How much better? Well, his story has been featured in fitness magazines, TapouT magazine, and Duane is even having a documentary made about him and what he's been able to accomplish.

And this guy can't even walk without help.

Tell me - what's YOUR reason for not getting anything done today?

If you don't have one (and you probably don't...and even if you do, it's probably not a very good one), but need a shove in the right direction for what workouts to do, then check out the deal I've got going here - http://tinyurl.com/d67noo

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

Look in the F@CKING MIRROR

Hey y'all,

Fair warning - I'm kinda fired up today. I'm feelin'
a monster rant coming on. If you don't like rants, or
a little bit of harsh language, then maybe you'd better
just go ahead and close this email.

Don't say I didn't tell you.

I don't know about you, but I am getting SICK AND
TIRED of 'deflectors'.

What's a 'deflector'?

A deflector is somebody who spends all his time bitching
and moaning about all his problems, pointing the finger
at everybody and everything else as the reason why he
can't get ahead...but won't get off his lazy ass to do it
himself.

I got a clue for you, here people - the world can really
suck. It will beat you down, hold you down, kick you
while you're down, spit on you, and laugh at you while
it does it. And when you try to get back up, it runs back
at you and does it again.

Know what? That's life. That's fact. Ain't nothin' gonna
change it.

Sure some people have it easy. So the hell what. They're
the exception - not the rule.

And know what else? More than likely, you're part of the
rule - not an exception.

Get over it.

Here's the thing - you have to deal with it. So do I. So
does almost everybody.

The question is whether or not you can find a way to win
in spite of everything....b/c we all have to do it.

What pisses me off is instead of finding a way to win, too
many people spend their time looking at every reason why
it's not their fault they fail.

And that sucks.

Recently, I had a guy email me looking for workout advice.
We traded a couple emails back and forth, and he finally got
to the point where he was ready to put a program together,
which he asked me to do.

I told him I couldn't put him a program together, as I sold
programs on my site. Not only would it be shooting myself in
the foot from a business sense, but it wouldn't be fair to all the
good people (like many of y'all) who've plunked down their
hard-earned cash to buy my products.

(And to those of you reading this who have bought my stuff
in the past, let me again say "thank you" - as I really appreciate
it.)

How did the guy respond? He starts to go off on me, saying
I'm just out to 'line my own pockets' and am 'screwing people'
and that my stuff 'isn't that good anyway'.

Yeah, sure buddy - that's why I've gotten the 'thumbs up' in
recent weeks from Scooter Honig (LL Cool J's celebrity
trainer) as well as fighters from one of the best MMA gyms
in the United States (American Top Team Boca).

(And incidentally, the programs they're raving about are as
cheap or cheaper than anything else you're gonna find like
it on the market - see more at http://tinyurl.com/d67noo)

What this guy's real problem is, is that he's really looking for
somebody to point the finger at. He's not in shape, and me
not giving him a program is just another in a long line of excuses
why.

I've seen this sooooo many times - people griping b/c they
don't have money, or don't have time, or don't have equipment,
or don't have good genetics, or what-the-f@ck-ever.

But here's the thing - if you wanted to get in shape bad enough,
you'd figure out a way to f@cking do it.

I know b/c I hear from and see people every damn day that do it.

You know the old kids' saying "For every finger you point at somebody
else, there are three more pointing back at yourself"?

That is oh-so-true.

The next time you're gonna complain about why you can't get the job
done, take a second and look in the mirror - maybe the real reason
you're not going anywhere is...you.

Have a good weekend, folks.

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

What a Load of Crap

You know, there sure is a whole lotta CRAP in
the fitness bizness.

And the crazy thing, is that there is all kinds of
different crap. Some of it is just outright lies,
some it is wild generalizations, and some of it...
well, I don't know what the hell it is.

Some of the crap out there, though, is only
kinda crap. See, what a lot of people in the
fitness world do is take something that's on the
up-and-up, and over-exaggerate it and over-
hype it so freakin' bad, that it sounds like the
best thing since sliced bread.

And it's just not the case.

Over the next few weeks, I wanna talk about
some of the stuff that is more crap than real.

Might as well start right now, huh?

I've been talking a lot about cardio training -
esp intervals - as of late. Well, there is
a something that a lot of trainers use as a
'selling point' for interval training that is
crap.

You always hear that for intense exercise
(like interval training, hard weight training,
intense calisthenics, etc.), that one of the main
reasons why it's so great is that your body's
metabolism stays revved up after your workout.

Supposedly, this is one of the reasons why
intense exercise is so good for fat loss - b/c
while you might not burn as many calories
during the workout itself, you'll burn more
calories in the hours after the workout.

(NOTE - if you're a science or exercise nerd,
and want to learn more about this kind of
thing - google the term 'EPOC')

Now, this is where the 'kinda crap' factor
kicks in.

Nothing I've said above is false. It's all true.

But see, here's the thing - the calories that your
body burns after the workout isn't nearly as
much as the 'gurus' would like you to believe.
In fact, it's not even close.

Like I said, you'll indeed burn some extra
calories, but it's likely to only be a couple
hundred or so...if that much.

Now, is that to say that intense exercise isn't
beneficial? Does that mean that the other things
about intense exercise aren't true? Does that
mean I shouldn't even worry about intense
exercise at all?

No, no, and hell no.

All it means, is that there might be a lot more
hype to it than you think.

More next time. Have a good week.

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

PS - If you haven't seen it yet, I've got a cool
sale going on - I call it the 'Bundle Deal'. Be
one of the 'cool kids' and check it out:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/theprogramsorder.shtml

Got a sale going...

In case you've been 'hemming and hawing' about getting 'Working Class Fitness - The Programs' or the 'Working Class Fitness MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition', you're done deliberating.

Click on this link, save a bunch of money, and get to work getting kickass results:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/theprogramsorder.shtml

You'll thank me later. ;-)

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

Stay True to Yourself...

Hey y'all,

This is gonna be little different than the stuff I
generally post. But, it will be one of the most
helpful and beneficial emails I've ever sent.

I used to really be into chopper-styled motorcycles...
especially the custom ones.

Like most other guys, I had particular types/styles of
bikes I liked, and there were certain guys who built
bikes I really liked.

One of those guys was "Indian Larry".

Indian Larry was a bike builder, stuntman, and overall
showman. He was 'old-school' - performing in the
days of traveling sideshows and such. A 'carnie' if
you will.

Larry was one of those guys that lived his life truly one
day at a time - each day being to its fullest. And though
I'm sure he made mistakes - just like we all do - he seemed
to always be at peace, and was always in a good mood...
the kind that always found passion in life.

You know the kind of guy that when you meet him, you
walk away saying to yourself, "Man, I wish I was a little
more like that guy..."? Well, Indian Larry was 'that guy'.

A few years ago, mechanics in general became very
popular - esp on TV. Shows about building bikes, cars,
and such became commonplace on several TV channels.

Though many guys hit it 'big' with this, Indian Larry being
one of them, it never really seemed to go to his head.

I remember watching an interview with him, and he was
asked that if he could give one piece of advice to a young
builder, just trying to get into the bike business, what would
he tell him? Indian Larry's advice was (to paraphrase) to
follow your heart and do what you love to do. If stay true
to yourself, the money will eventually follow.

In 2004, Indian Larry died doing what he loved to do - performing
stunts on his bike. He was at a show here in North Carolina,
and while standing on his bike, he crashed. Not wearing a
helmet, Larry suffered fatal injuries.

Shortly before this, Indian Larry had filmed yet another TV
show, and during it he gave the last interview of his life.

There was part of that interview where he said something that,
while he might not have intended so, was one of the most
profound things I've ever heard. I know I'm not alone in saying
these words changed my life.

He said:

"I feel you should be doing exactly what you want to do in life,
how you want to do it, when you want to do it. Otherwise you
are wasting your life and wasting the talents that were given to you.
Life is like a real precious short gift."

Now, this doesn't mean you can shirk your responsibilities or
anything like that. But, I know that's not what Larry meant.

For Larry, it was staying true to yourself...

At some point today, do some of what you want to do...not because
you're lazy, don't want to work, or don't want to tend to responsibilities...

...but because it's who you are...what you are...what you stand for...

...because you're staying true to yourself.

RIP Larry - you'll always be remembered.

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

Take Big George Foreman's Advice

Hey folks,

Ever watch the first season of boxing reality show
"The Contender"?

George Foreman was a guest on the show, and gave
the dudes some awesome advice for their life in and
out of the ring.

It was "Plan your work, and work your plan".

This advice is just as important - if not moreso - when
you're talking training.

To find out why it's such a big deal - and how it can
keep you from getting hurt - check out my new article:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/workyourplan.shtml

Let me know what y'all think.

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

PS - Oh yeah...if you're looking for an MMA Workout Program
that will plan your work for you, check out the 'Working Class
MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition'...it'll do all the
planning for you...or teach you to do it for yourself...for less than
you probably spent on booze on St. Patty's Day...

More on cardio...

Got a ton of great feedback on the cardio video
I posted last week. Glad y'all liked it.

I mentioned the vid on an MMA forum, and a pretty
big discussion ensued. An bunch of awesome questions
and topics came up, so I figured I'd pass one of them
onto y'all.

(NOTE - if you have watched this video yet, then get
your keister to http://www.workingclassfitness.com/intervaltraining.shtml
and watch it.)

The basic question was this - if your interval is longer
(say 60+ secs), should you go as hard as possible out
of the gate, and risk slowing down, or pick a desired
"pace" that will let be hard, but maybe not *quite*
100%?

Here is what I answered:

...let's say I'm looking to work up to a 6RM. This is the
most amount of weight I can lift for 6 reps...

Now, when am I reaching failure? On the 6th rep. Does
that mean that the first 5 were useless? Of course not - they
are what set the precursor for the 6th rep...

...If you know you're doing a 90 sec interval, there is a pace
that you will be able to keep up for that entire interval, so that
you can get the maximum out of it. If you go balls to the wall
right away, you'll peter out pretty quick and the rest of the
interval is useless.

Look at 400m sprinters. They generally have a pace they keep,
and a point in which they go as hard as they can. Whereas if they
went all out at the very beginning, they, too, might very well peter
out too quickly, and not be able to finish strong. It's about what
will let them cover the same amount of ground in the quickest time.

So here, we would want to do the opposite. As the intervals times
stay the same, what pace for a given interval will allow you to cover
the most ground? If you go balls to the wall then peter out, can you
cover as much ground as you could if you took it a *tad* slower at
first, but was able to keep that pace throughout? Which one will let
you cover the most ground in that same time period?

Hope that provides a little more insight, and helps out some.

There were several other great things discussed - all will be included
in this month's Power Trip newsletter.

Are you getting on the Power Trip yet? If not, then you'd better get on the
ball...the freebies alone...like the Power Trip newsletter...are worth
the price of admission! Find out more at http://www.workingclassfitness.com

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

PS - Been meaning to tell y'all - kind of a long story, but I ended up
talking to Dave "Scooter" Honig last week, when he joined Power Trip.

Who is Scooter Honig? He's the kickass celebrity trainer that's been
behind rapper/actor LL Cool J's amazing physical transformation,
making LL Cool J the only person to be on the cover of Men's Fitness
magazine twice.

Scooter's opinion? "Wiggy is one trainer who knows how to combine
complex training for the average person as well as elite athletes..."

Not to mention he joined Power Trip for a full year - paid up front.

'nuff said.

Don't Screw Up Your Interval Training

Just put up a new video on how to not screw up your interval training - check it out here:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/intervaltraining.shtml

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

Get on the "Power Trip"

Hey y'all,

Know I haven't been around as much lately...
been puttin' the finishing touches on
"Power Trip" - my new monthly MMA workout
system.

It's all there for you - workouts designed
to the letter, printable workout logs, monthly
'Power Trip' newsletter, monthly 'Power Trip'
audio seminar...

Not to mention the crazy amounts of free
stuff...diet info, 100+ pages of food charts,
training FAQs, rep max charts, fight prep program,
and a helluva lot more.

Check it out - http://www.workingclassfitness.com

You WON'T be sorry.

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

wamin' up...

Hey y'all,

Wanted to tell you about something I've
been doing in my workouts for a while now,
and thought y'all could use, too.

At the beginning of each workout (it doesn't
matter what kind of workout - strength
training, conditioning, skills work, whatever),
do the following little GPP warm-up routine:

-Jumping Jacks x 30 secs
-Skiers x 30 secs
-Rest x 30 secs
*Repeat x 10

(FYI - 'Skiers' are an exercise almost identical
to Jumping Jacks, only instead of your arms
and legs moving side to side, the move front
to back...imagine the motions a cross-country
skier would go through...and do that in place.)

If it seems easy, that's because it is. It's not
designed to be a tough workout. Rather, it's
a great way to some extra work in, get your body
warmed up, and maybe even start breaking a
sweat.

By the time you're ready to jump into your
workout, you're good to go!

The great thing about this is it's simplicity - no
equipment needed, no large area needed. All
you need is a few feet of open space. Set your
workout timer, and go.

(By the way - if you don't have a good workout
timer, let me suggest the Gymboss. It's a kickass
little unit, it's easy to carry around, it's functional,
and best of all, it's cheap. See more here:

http://interneka.com/affiliate/AIDLink.php?BID=11452&AID=35289

This little GPP warmup will probably be pretty easy
for you, but will get even easier after doing it for
a week or two.

When it does, up the ante some - do two rounds before
resting for 30 secs. Then do three. Then four. Then five.

By that point, drop back down to two rounds, but toss in
a couple harder exercises. An example might look this:

-Burpees x 30 secs
-Jumping Jacks x 30 secs
-Mountain Climbers x 30 secs
-Skiers x 30 secs
-Rest x 30 secs
*Repeat x 5

If you have a day where you're not scheduled to get a
workout in, go ahead and do this little routine, anyway. It
won't be hard, shouldn't drain your recovery, and will be a
good way to get a little extra work in. And you can even
go to bed that night knowing you got something accomplished
for the day! ;-)

Try out this little program for a couple-three weeks, and let
me know how it goes!

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

PS - As good as this little warmup is, it's not going to be enough
for a full workout. If this is all you'll be doing b/c you don't
have a workout program you're sticking to right now, then
do yourself a favor and run - don't walk - to
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

Are you a wannabe?

Hey y'all,

Got an email this weekend from another
satisfied customer - Jacob.

Jacob had a problem, though.

More or less, Jacob was...well....not quite
sure how to put this....

Jacob was a wannabe.

See, Jacob isn't actually a fighter. He's a
big fan of MMA, and has watched for
years.

Unlike some of the 'armchair quarterbacks'
that think they know MMA, Jacob has a
great understanding of the sport, and has
a real appreciation for what pro MMAists
do. Jacob has been an athlete most of his
life, he just isn't in a position to train right
now.

Since Jacob is pretty well-versed in the needs
of MMA, and has an athlete's background,
he naturally knew the awesome physical
needs of MMA. That's why he was so
pumped to find a specific workout that
covered the so many different physical
needs of MMA.

I loved getting Jacob's email.

Not everybody can be a fighter, or is in a
position to do a lot of MMA training. But
that should never stop ANYBODY from wanting
awesome strength, conditioning, endurance, cardio,
and work capacity.

Jacob did. And he knew that a great MMA Workout
Program was the way to get there.

And, well, I'm proud to say that Jacob - a regular
guy like me and you - is using the Working Class MMA
Workout Program - Championship Edition to do it.

Most of the time, it's an insult to be considered a
wannabe.

Picking this kind of training is not one of those times.

If you're a wannabe too, then head to http://www.workingclassfitness.com
and get in on the workout that's, for once, making the
'real thing' jealous of the wannabes...not the other way
around!

And it's freakin' CHEAP, man...http://www.workingclassfitness.com

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

Doin't It, Doin' It, and Doin' It

Hey y'all,

Figured I'd let y'all know about my new
article - "Work Capacity: Do It Stronger,
Faster, Harder, and Longer" - is up at
EliteFTS.com.

Check it out:

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/workcapacity.htm

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

PUMPED for the Super.....Bike?

Hey y'all,

Well, it's Super Bowl weekend, and like
every other red-blooded American, I should
be jacked up for the big game.

And I'm.....eh.

I mean, I'm looking forward to it and all - really
hoping Curt Warner gets the win - but I'm not
as amped for it as in years past.

Why?

B/c recently - as in just the past few days - I've
gotten back into another sport that is near and
dear to my heart.

BMX.

Ok, I'll give you a minute to pick your jaw up off
the floor.

Got it? Ok, then. ;-)

Yeah, you read that right - BMX. Those (as my
old man used to call them) "kiddie bikes".

Like (probably) a lot of you, I used to ride when I
was younger. Used to LOVE it. Never did any
competing or racing. Just used to ride b/c I loved
to ride.

Homemade jumps, hopping off curbs, trails - loved
doing it all. It was just so much FUN.

Well, I ended up on a BMX forum a couple days ago,
leafed through a magazine, and I'm back to being
hooked again.

It's cool to see how much racers are getting into
training, now. Some of these guys are really taking
things seriously!

(Speaking of which, I hooked up with Ryan Magin
of ryanmagin.com out of FL. Super cool guy - we
just talked for a good couple hours. There is a guy
who does PLENTY of serious training for BMX!)

It dawned on me that all the strength & conditioning
work I've been doing for so long should have some
awesome carryover to BMX. Speed, explosiveness,
strength, endurance - all will help you come across
the line first.

So, I'm getting a bike and am gonna try my hand at
it. I'm not making any guarantees, though. Sure, I'm
in good shape and all, but hell - I haven't ridden in
some 17+ years.

But it sure will be a helluva lot of fun.

I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes.

Do you have some long, lost sport, game or activity that
you used to do, and might like to give a shot again?
Then you oughta pick up the "Working Class MMA
Workout Program - Championship Edition". Yeah, it's
for MMA, but trust me when I tell you that it'll get you
in kickass shape for ANYTHING you want to do.

Even riding a "kiddie bike"... ;-)

Check it out at http://www.workingclassfitness.com

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

Core Workout Info

At least 2-3 times/week, I get questions
on how or when to do core work.

Well, after answering this for the 3789th
time, I finally wised up and figured it'd
be a heckuva lot easier to just write an
article about and post it at my site.

So I did. ;-)

Check it out: http://www.workingclassfitness.com/corestrength.shtml

Let me know if you have any other questions...
only this time, I won't wait so long to
write an article about it...

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

"Train Like Randy, Be Like Brock"

Hey y'all,

Hope you had a good weekend.

Got a zillion things to do, but
I wanted to drop a quick line and
let y'all know that my new article,
"Train Like Randy, Be Like Brock"
is up at MMA Weekly.

Check it out:

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=7940&zoneid=13

More soon.

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

Wanna Save 40%??

If you're not on my newsletter
list, then you'd better do it...
PRONTO.

Just send a blank email to:
newsletter@workingclassfitness.com

I'll send out a newsletter Wednesday
evening with how to save big $$$$ on the
"Working Class MMA Workout Program"
and the "Championship Edition".

Not to mention, you get in on some
great tips, stories, motivation, and
all kinds of other great stuff.

Do it - and do it NOW!

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

Don't Screw Up Your Cardio

My new article, "Don't Screw Up Your Cardio" is up over at MMA Training.com. Check it out:

LINK

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

PS - Need a program that will walk you through your cardio so that you don't screw it up? Then check out the "Working Class MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition". Available now over at http://www.workingclassfitness.com

"Frying Another Turkey"

Hey folks,

Hope y'all had a great holiday - I
know I did.

Got a quick story I gotta tell y'all
about - it still makes me laugh.

So, it's Christmas Day, and we're
over at the in-laws' place. My wife
has a lot of family, and, like all big
family shindigs, there are a few people
there I don't really know.

This year, some distant cousin of my
wife showed up with her new boyfriend
(they both in their early 20s).

This guy shows up with wearing a
Tapout hat and Affliction t-shirt, and it
took him all of about 90 seconds to start
telling everybody what a badass he was.

I rolled my eyes and went outside to do
my holiday tradition of deep frying a turkey.

(Yeah, frying a turkey isn't great for the diet,
but HOLY COW it sure tastes good! ;-)

After a while, this tough-guy wannabe comes
outside and starts in with more of his crap - how
he "trains MMA" and "is going to get a tryout
w/the UFC in a the spring". Oh boy.

He ends up saying that he's heard that I put
together fighter workouts. I tell him a
little of what I do and give him my website
addy. He asks if I've "trained anybody 'good' -
anybody in the UFC"..."because all the guys
he trains with are former UFC."

I tell him that UFC and Cage Rage vet Leigh
Remedios has used my stuff to help prepare
for fights, and that a contestant on the latest
season of The Ultimate Fighter just picked
up my "Working Class MMA Workout Program".

He doesn't seem impressed, and tells me that
he "might" look over my site, but that he was
probably in too good of shape for my workouts
to help him.

At this point, it was freakin' on.

I look at my watch, and tell him my turkey has
another 14 minutes until it's done, and bet him
$50 that I can put him through a workout that
will fry HIM before the turkey is done being fried.

He agrees. I grin. ;-)

First, I hop on his back (like a piggy-back
ride) and have him do 8 squats. Immediately
after that, I have him go to the stairs next to
the deck and jump to the 3rd stair 20 times.
Rest for a minute.

Then I grab his feet and hold them at my
shoulders, and make him do 8 pushups.
Right after that, he has to walk up and down
the 3 deck steps 3x. Another minute rest.

Then I have him grab this big, cast-iron
flower pot full of soil (prob. weighed ~50
lbs.) and pull it from the ground to his chin
8 times, followed up with 15 full burpees
(inc. a pushup and a jump).

By this time, this guy is sweating profusely,
cussing and groaning loudly, and sucking
wind like you wouldn't believe. He is literally
lying on his back in my in-laws' driveway....
on Christmas Day.

I look at my watch, and say "got 6 minutes
left - want more?" He rolls his head back
and forth, and mumbles something about
checking out my website.

My wife sees all this going on, comes out
and asks me, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I smile and reply, "just frying another
turkey."

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

PS - Want to "fry" your own "turkey"? Head
to http://www.workingclassfitness.com right
now and get started. Maybe you can be like
the guy who just emailed me to say that he'd
put 85 lbs. on his squat in two months using
my programs...

It's all about priorities

It seems that my little "rants" in
my last couple of newsletters have
been striking a nerve with many
of you.

I'm glad.

It's good to get y'all moving and
thinking. There's nothing with
getting 'riled up' every now and
again. haha

Well, let's let one last one fly. So
far, most of y'all have seemed to
agree with what I've been saying,
but this one I'm not so sure about.

It's the Christmas shopping season
(or whatever holiday your celebrate),
and money is tight for some folks. Add
that to an uncertain economy, and you've
got folks a little more tight w/their money
than usual.

I get that. Trust me, I've been there - more
than once.

(In fact, this is the reason I just started up
my new payment plan - get started with
the "Working Class MM Workout Program -
Championship Edition" for a measly $7!

Click here to find out how - http://www.workingclassfitness.com/mmaworkoutorder.shtml)

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and
sometimes you can't always get what you
want.

But here is the thing - I've actually had several
people email me asking for my books/programs...
FOR FREE.

Now, maybe I'm different than most folks, but
in my book, that takes some balls.

If I couldn't afford something I really wanted,
I sure as hell wouldn't ask for a handout - I just
don't operate like that.

Needless to say, I haven't given anybody
anything.

Might sound cold and heartless - esp in the
season that is supposed to be about "giving".

Here's the deal - I've had literally tens of
thousands of great, loyal, PAYING customers
over the years. It would be a spit in the face to
every single one of them who have ponied up
the dough for my books (and in many cases, it's
been done multiple times for different
products). They were good enough to pay
for it - you should be, too.

Second, I give away A TON of free stuff already.
There are 85+ FREE articles on my site, I post
FOR FREE on several forums, and I answer
questions via email FOR FREE every single day.
Yet, some folks want more.

Nope. Not gonna happen.

People work hard for their money, and I'm not
going to undermine those that see fit to send
some of their hard-earned cash my way by letting
others just freeload.

See, here's the thing. There is NOBODY out there
that doesn't have enough money to buy any
one of my products. (Hell my stuff is better
priced than a whole helluva lot of what you'll
find on the internet.) EVERYBODY has enough
money...it's just a matter of where you have your
priorities.

Now, I'm not saying that you should be
trying to decide whether to buy my books or
pay your light bill - that's not it.

What I'm saying is that if it's important enough
to you, you'll figure out a way to get it.

Now, other fitness "gurus" like to try to guilt-
trip you about buying products. "How much
does your health mean to you?" and "Can you
put a price on your body?" are common
questions by these a-holes.

I'm not trying to do that. I don't want to guilt-
trip anybod into anything.

But, if getting in shape is really that important
to you, preparing for your next fight is really
that high on your priority list, and knowing that
my books and programs will get you there, then
you'd figure out a way to make it happen - not
ask for a handout.

I took my wife in to see a oral surgeon today.
She's got a wisdom tooth that is SERIOUSLY
messed-up, and needs to be pulled. A dentist
can't do it - it requires surgery.

She is very skittish of dentists. About a year
or so ago, she went to a dentist that turned out
to be a total quack - guy took almost TWO
HOURS to pull a tooth. My wife is one tough
broad, and I've seen her go through some
serious stuff. This outright traumatized her.

Well, as the surgeon was describing the
procedure today, she started to well up in
tears. It's that bad.

The surgeon said she could be "put under"
for the extraction, but it was going to cost
3x as much (and we don't have dental
insurance right now).

We knew that going in, and we thought
weren't going to be able to go that route, as
with Christmas shopping, and several other
things I won't get into, money is kinda
tight right now - like it is for everybody.

When the surgeon described the process
they were going to have to go through to
get this tooth out, I could see the panic and
fear in my poor wife's eyes.

I looked at the surgeon and told him that
my wife would be "put under." My wife
looked at me quickly, as if to say, "What
are you doing? We can't afford that!"

Before she could even speak, I calmly
told her, "We'll figure it out. This is
what you need. We'll make it happen."

Right now, getting my wife taken care of
is top #1 priority - whatever it takes to
get it done is what I'm going to do.

Now, I'm not trying to put somebody
wanting to buy my "Working Class MMA
Workout Program" on the same level as
somebody needing surgery - b/c surely
it's not.

But the principle is the exact same.

Don't go through life asking for handouts,
favors, freebies, or freeloading, when the
reality is that you could come up with the
resources on your own. It just has to be
a high enough priority.

Somebody else shouldn't take the hit for
something just b/c you don't think it's that
important.

Besides, if you can't come up with as little
as $7, then chances are you wouldn't take
my workouts that seriously, and probably
wouldn't even do them, anyway.

I'm always here to do whatever I can to
help others, but I'm sure as hell not
gonna waste my time and energy on
somebody that doesn't even want to help
themselves.

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

PS - You'll hear from me again before Christmas,
but in case you're busy and don't get the
email, I want to wish every one of y'all a
very Merry Christmas, and say "thank you"
for being a part of my newsletter list.

I hope that y'all get to spend some
quality time with people close to you, and
that you stay safe in your holiday travels.

PS #2 - Christmas shopping days are pretty
much gone. If you've got somebody that you
still need a gift for - you perhaps? - then the
"Working Class MMA Workout Program"
would be a great choice.

There are no crowds to hassle, no worrying
about shipping time, or getting an exchange
receipt in case it doesn't fit. ;-)

And you can start for $7 - next to nothing! Click
here to order: http://www.workingclassfitness.com/mmaworkoutorder.shtml

Money is no object

Just wanted to let you know that
you can get in on my awesome
"Working Class MMA Workout -
Championship Edition" starting out
for only $7.

This is a brand new deal, and might
not last long. If you've been 'hemming
and hawing' about getting the
"Championship Edition", then that time
should be over.

Click here NOW for the details:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/mmaworkoutorder.shtml

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

PS - Been getting A TON of great feedback
on my rants the past week or so. Got
another one coming up in a day or two...
keep your eyes peeled.

PS #2 - What are you going to blow seven bucks
on this week? Renting a DVD? Seeing a movie?
A couple drinks at 'happy hour'?

Click here to put that $7 to some good use:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/mmaworkoutorder.shtml

I'm just like you

Better be up front w/y'all - got
more rants in me today. Just so
you know...

My last newsletter triggered a nerve
w/many of you. I got more emails
and response on this than I have
just about any of my previous work.

Most of it was 100% behind what I
said. I got all kinds of great feedback:

"Amen, bro!"

"Hell yeah, Wiggs! It pisses me off
too when folks talk about genes being
responsible for their failings..."

"Well stated and I concur!"

"...it's about time someone speaks the
truth..."

But it pissed a few of you off - not that
I was surprised.

One email I got was from a guy that
was pretty upset. I won't reprint it here
(it'd be tough to get the gist of it if I
took out all the cursing - LOL), but the
basic idea was this:

Who the hell was I to talk like that? Who
the hell was I to make assumptions
about people? Who the hell was I to
assume that people are lazy?

It was "easy" for me to say these
things - I'm a strength coach. It was
"easy" for me to say these things - I'm
already strong. It was "easy" for me to
say these things - I was in good shape.

I don't know all the burdens that y'all
have to go through. I don't know what
you're dealing with. I don't know how
hard your life is.

Pardon my "french", but are you f@cking
kidding me?

Listen up - I'm just like you. I've got a wife.
Three kids. Three dogs. A mortgage. Car
payments. I put my pants on one leg at a
time - just like everybody else.

Nothing I've ever done has come "easy"
for me...especially training.

Think back to elementary school. Remember
the fat kid in the class? The one that everybody
made fun of? The one that was always
sweaty and red-faced in PE? The one that
had to wear "husky" pants b/c regular jeans
wouldn't fit him?

Guess what, bucko - that was yours truly. I
was the fat kid.

You know the people who say that they can
just look at a cheeseburger and gain five pounds?

Well, that's me. Always has been. Hell, my
metabolism is so slow, that sometimes I think
it actually goes in reverse.

I've had to work, scratch, bite, and claw my
way for all the gains I've ever had. I've gotten
up at 4:30 in the morning to train, worked out 3x/day,
gotten in 20 mins of hard training during lunch
breaks in Iraq, worked out between classes in
college, ran in the middle of the night,and
everything else in between.

I've lifted weights, ran, done calisthenics. I've
rowed, done pyramiding, Power Complexes,
bodybuilding, and more.

I don't have great genetics, a natural physique, or
God-given strength or speed. I've had to WORK
MY ASS OFF to achieve everything I've ever
accomplished.

Know the difference between me and you?

Not a damn thing.

You can accomplish anything you want to - you
just have to want it bad enough.

Do you want it bad enough?

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

PS - If you "want it bad enough", but aren't sure
how to get there, then head tohttp://www.workingclassfitness.com
and check out my "Working Class MMA Workout
Program" and the "Championship Edition".

Even if you're not a fighter, these workout programs
will put you on the 'fast track' to achieving the goals
that will make everybody else say it's "easy" for you,
too.

"Genetics" - the ultimate cop-out

Just so y'all know up front - I'm in
one of my moods today, and am gonna
rant a little. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I don't know about you, but I am fed
the hell up with people talking about
how "genetics" are responsible for
one's state in life.

If somebody is fat, it's b/c of genetics.
If somebody is trim, it's b/c of genetics.
If somebody is strong, it's b/c of
genetics. If somebody is slow it's b/c
of genetics.

Maybe I missed the bulletin on this, but
I always thought that these sort of things
were determined more by your own frickin'
habits and actions than what your DNA
says.

Now, I'm not saying that genetics don't play
a role, b/c they do. They ultimately determine
what you can or can't do. But that doesn't mean
that you don't, can't, or shouldn't put the work in.

This is absolutely true - late last week, I saw a
commercial for the late local news, and one of
their lead stories was that scientists may have
discovered a gene that leads to obesity.

Really guys? A gene, huh? Let me guess - it's
the gene that makes you always shove cupcakes
into your big mouth, right?

I remember when somebody was fat, slow, and
out of shape, it was b/c they were just lazy
and wouldn't get their ass off the couch. Now,
we're supposed to believe that it's b/c it's in their
genes.

On the flip side, I remember when, though you'd
see 'natural athletes' now and then, most of the
folks that were strong, fast, or elite athletes were
the ones who got up early, stuck to their strict diets,
stayed in when their friends partied on Saturday
nights, and just plain worked their ass off.

But now, many want you to believe that it's
b/c these people were almost "destined"
to be this way b/c of their genes.

Well, you know what I say?

I say "f@ck the genes".

Your genes are ultimately going to decide what
you can or can't do - we know that.

For instance, a guy my size (I'm 5'6", have a
natural big bone structure and slow metabolism)
ain't ever gonna play in the NBA. As much as I
might want to, I just don't have a snowballs' chance
in hell.

But does that mean I should sit on the couch, pissed
at my parents for giving me lousy DNA, and eat
cheez doodles all day?

Hell. Freakin'. No.

Sure, I might never be that seven-foot tall dude
dunking the basketball on national TV, but that
doesn't mean I can't find something that I *would*
be good at.

I can get big and muscular. I can get strong.
I can get powerful. I can get fast. I can get
athletic.

(Hell, I bet a bunch of those NBA guys would
have a might tough time keeping up with me
in a workout full of "Power Complexes".)

All it takes is discipline, work ethic, and effort.

You can do the same thing.

In fact, let me take that back...You SHOULD do
the same thing.

Don't let society tell you that you physical success
is only for those with superior genes. Give 'em the
finger and show 'em that you're gonna get it
done anyway.

And if you're one of the few that do have good
genetics, don't sit on your natural gifts. Work
your ass off, too. In fact, you should even more,
b/c there are probably 10 people that would KILL
to have the gifts that you do. So don't take them
for granted.

Create your goal. Create a plan to achieve it. And
go kick some ass.

Genes be damned.

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

PS - If you're ready to achieve your goals - regardless
of what people tell you your genes are - but need help
with a plan, then head over to http://www.workingclassfitness.com
and check out my "Working Class MMA Workout
Program" right now.

Working your ass off won't do you any good if
you're not working smart. Let me help you give
your genes and those that underestimate you "the
bird", and help you get into the best shape of your
freakin' life.

It's all good now...

Got to run out for the day in
a minute, but wanted to drop
a line real quick.

Last week I sent out an email
with instructions on how to
download my new FREE REPORT,
"The Physical Needs of MMA".

Well, the link got goofed up for
a bit, and some had a hard
time getting it downloaded.

Just wanted to let everybody know that
everything is fixed and hunky dory.
If you haven't downloaded yet, you
can - and should - now.

(I gave first dibs to my newsletter
list - it "pays" to be a member!)

When you do, pay attention to the
section on conditioning. There is a
couple lines in there that you might
gloss over if you're not careful - and
they're probably some of the most
important lines I've written about
conditioning.

(hint - it's the reason why much
bally-hoo'ed interval training is
so ineffective for many people.)

Download your copy ahora:

http://www.workingclassfitness.com/needsofmma.pdf

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

PS - Got another kickass testimonial the
other day for my new "Working Class
MMA Workout Program":

“I just had to fire you an e-mail saying
that this workout you put together is
absolutely solid. I..have been having
great training sessions...look forward
to definitely being in the best shape
of my life.”

Get in the best shape of *your* life here:
http://www.workingclassfitness.com

*cough, cough, cough*

Sometimes, you gotta take your own
advice.

A while back, I sent out a newsletter
that talked about "always find a way
to win." Today, I was getting more
first-hand experience in that very
thing.

I'm sick as a freakin' dog. I mean
I feel like crap.

Throat is killing me. Haven't
slept well. Whole body aches.

Heck, I almost felt like I was gonna
pass out earlier today.

Ugh.

I probably should've gone ahead and
taken the day off from training, but I
was super-motivated from last week.
I'd been getting some great workouts in,
and after eating all that Thanksgiving
turkey, got another one on Friday, and
wanted to keep the ball rolling.

The plan for today was to do "Power
Complexes" in "rounds" format.

(To read more about "rounds" format,
be sure to check out the "Working Class
MMA Workout - Championship Edition"
at http://www.workingclassfitnes.com)

But I knew that motivated or not, "Power
Complexes" weren't gonna happen...at
least not today.

Me feeling like toasted ass + "Power
Complexes" = something I don't wanna
experience anytime soon. So, it was time
to figure something out.

I looked through the "Championship
Edition" again to guide me, and hit up some
old workout notes.

I ended up doing some rounds of light
BWE calisthenics as GPP, and 5 rounds of
another basic complex involving burpees,
snatches, and swings.

It kicked my tail, and I sure wasn't 100%,
but I still got in a great workout. More
importantly, I still found a way to win.

You can - and will eventually have to - do
the same thing. The (arguably) busiest time
of the year is here. Don't let everything else
get in the way of your training.

If you don't have the "Working Class MMA
Workout Program - Championship Edition",
head to http://www.workingclassfitness.com
right now and pick it up.

Just like it helped guide me through finding
my way to win today, it'll do the same for you
when you get into that roadblock.

And if you ever need a shove in the right
direction, be sure to drop me a line.

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

PS - Like I said, the busiest time of the year
is here. Is your shopping done yet? Probably
not. Save yourself some time and effort and
cash in on the most kick-ass MMA workout
available - the "Working Class MMA Workout -
Championship Edition".

Download it now over at http://www.workingclassfitness.com

PS #2 - Got a freebie coming your
way in a few days. Only for members
of my newsletter list. Not a member yet?
Then send a blank email to: newsletter@workingclassfitness.com

New Books For Sale Now!!

My new products, the "Working Class MMA Workout Program" and the expanded "Working Class MMA Workout Program: Championship Edition" are finally done and up for sale!

Check out Working Class Fitness.com for all the info!

They've already been described as "genius"...

Wiggy