Had a great workout outside on Sunday morning - before it got too hot out. Thought I'd share it with y'all so you could try it, too.
Basic Warmup:
1A-Jumping Jack/Seal Jacks x 30 sec
1B-Skiers x 30 secs
1C-Jumping Jack/Seal Jacks x 30 sec
1D-Skiers x 30 secs
*Repeat 3x, resting 30 secs between circuits
Lower Body Warmup:
2A-Squats x 10
2B-Jumping Jacks x 15
2C-Seal Jacks x 15
2D-Skips x 20 yards
2E-Side Lunges x 8 each side
2F-Side Shuffles x 20 yards
2G-Jump Squats x 5
*rest 1 mins
Anaerobic BlackJack (a workout I got from John Hackleman):
3A-Burpees - pyramid 12-1
3B-Dive Bomber PushUps - pyramid 1-12
*rest 30-45 secs between sets (78 reps total each exercise)
Finisher:
4-Kettlestack Swings x 8/8/8 (left/right/both)
*Repeat 3x, resting 45 secs between sets
Whole workout took roughly 32-33 minutes. Good stuff!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
New FREE Article at MMA Weekly.com
Just wanted to let y'all know that my new article, "Who Is Stronger?", is up at MMA Weekly.com.
Check it out HERE.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Check it out HERE.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Friday, June 26, 2009
Good Words From a Good Friend
Just recently, a good friend of mine – Tommy Board – posted this “note” on his Facebook page. It really was flattering, and I thought I'd share it.
As some background – Tommy is a professional BMX racer in the NBL Vet Pro class. Tommy and I hooked up some time back, and it wasn't long before I was helping him completely re-design his workouts.
Due to location (we live in totally different parts of the country), we weren't able to train together in person, but Tommy is a hard worker, dedicated to his sport, and knows that you've got to put in the time if you want to succeed. So, truth be told, helping him out wasn't that tough – it was more of just giving old “Tommy 2x4” (his nickname) a the proverbial shove in the right direction...
Tommy came to me really in pretty darn good shape already. He's a fairly short guy like myself at only aroung 5'5”-5'6” or so (I might be an inch or two off on that measurement....)
*waits for fans of “The Office” to say “THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!”*
Tommy is also fairly light – only 155 lbs or so. But he was still one strong dude. Tommy could crank out squats with 315 lbs. for 8+ reps, and bodyweight exercises like chins and dips were nothing for Tommy.
After going back and forth about how his races went physically, I determined that strength wasn't what he needed, and he also really didn't need any sort of long-term endurance (musclar, strength, or cardiovascular). What Tommy needed was to convert that strength to power, increase his maximum muscular-endurance output at any one time (i.e. - specifically the ability to pedal at a faster rate for the entire duration of the race...roughly 40-45 seconds), and to increase his overall work capacity so that he wasn't getting tired after a day of races.
So, I set Tommy up on a program that would address all these issues. He was doing high pulls, cleans, jumps, swings, bodyweight calisthenics circuits, etc. As Tommy was the pro BMX racer, I let him design the racing-specific part of his overall program – I just was sure to find out specifically what he was doing and when, so we could design the rest of his S&C work around it.
Tommy was coming back to me after just the first workout saying how much different he felt at the end of it, and he couldn't wait to see how it affected his racing.
It didn't take long.
After just a few weeks, Tommy was commenting on how much faster he felt at the track, how much more power he had in his start out of the gate, that he could come back time after time around the track, and wasn't tired out by the end of a weekend full of racing – something he'd never felt before.
He was placing better, and was starting to get some great comments from others about how much faster he seemed at the track.
It should also be noted that though Tommy is a professional BMX racer, that unlike many other sports, there is little money if professional racing unless you're one of a select few. Tommy does all this in, more or less, his spare time, while working, going to school, and having awife and kids. In other words, the dude is pressed for time, but still figured out a way to get the job done!
(I still wonder how he convinced his wife to go racing on Valentine's Day!)
Unfortunately, Tommy has recently suffered a broken hand in training, and is going to be out for a couple months. However, when he comes back, we're going to have him getting more powerful, getting faster, and doing better than ever!
Here is Tommy's note:
late december, i hooked up with a personal trainer name Matt Wiggins. he's a mma trainer out of north carolina and he took time out of his schedule to dial me in for the winter months and guided me to stepping my game up to the next level.
i attended some elite open races with success! i won the elite open at the indianapolis regional and had it not been for a crash into turn one, i would have been in the main at the columbus national. i continued Wiggy's program throughout spring and was preparing for the big elite series races for south park and nashville. i went to the warsaw indiana elite open race and made day 1's main.
for 3 months people had been commenting that i looked even faster this year than last. i attribute Matt's knowledge and ability to dial in workouts to meet the need of the client. if you are looking for help in your workout, get intouch with Matt at
http://www.workingclassfitness.com/
just wanted to say thank you to Matt and i will be back in 8 weeks!!!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
As some background – Tommy is a professional BMX racer in the NBL Vet Pro class. Tommy and I hooked up some time back, and it wasn't long before I was helping him completely re-design his workouts. Due to location (we live in totally different parts of the country), we weren't able to train together in person, but Tommy is a hard worker, dedicated to his sport, and knows that you've got to put in the time if you want to succeed. So, truth be told, helping him out wasn't that tough – it was more of just giving old “Tommy 2x4” (his nickname) a the proverbial shove in the right direction...
Tommy came to me really in pretty darn good shape already. He's a fairly short guy like myself at only aroung 5'5”-5'6” or so (I might be an inch or two off on that measurement....)
*waits for fans of “The Office” to say “THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!”*
Tommy is also fairly light – only 155 lbs or so. But he was still one strong dude. Tommy could crank out squats with 315 lbs. for 8+ reps, and bodyweight exercises like chins and dips were nothing for Tommy.
After going back and forth about how his races went physically, I determined that strength wasn't what he needed, and he also really didn't need any sort of long-term endurance (musclar, strength, or cardiovascular). What Tommy needed was to convert that strength to power, increase his maximum muscular-endurance output at any one time (i.e. - specifically the ability to pedal at a faster rate for the entire duration of the race...roughly 40-45 seconds), and to increase his overall work capacity so that he wasn't getting tired after a day of races.
So, I set Tommy up on a program that would address all these issues. He was doing high pulls, cleans, jumps, swings, bodyweight calisthenics circuits, etc. As Tommy was the pro BMX racer, I let him design the racing-specific part of his overall program – I just was sure to find out specifically what he was doing and when, so we could design the rest of his S&C work around it.Tommy was coming back to me after just the first workout saying how much different he felt at the end of it, and he couldn't wait to see how it affected his racing.
It didn't take long.
After just a few weeks, Tommy was commenting on how much faster he felt at the track, how much more power he had in his start out of the gate, that he could come back time after time around the track, and wasn't tired out by the end of a weekend full of racing – something he'd never felt before.
He was placing better, and was starting to get some great comments from others about how much faster he seemed at the track.
It should also be noted that though Tommy is a professional BMX racer, that unlike many other sports, there is little money if professional racing unless you're one of a select few. Tommy does all this in, more or less, his spare time, while working, going to school, and having awife and kids. In other words, the dude is pressed for time, but still figured out a way to get the job done!
(I still wonder how he convinced his wife to go racing on Valentine's Day!)
Unfortunately, Tommy has recently suffered a broken hand in training, and is going to be out for a couple months. However, when he comes back, we're going to have him getting more powerful, getting faster, and doing better than ever!
Here is Tommy's note:
late december, i hooked up with a personal trainer name Matt Wiggins. he's a mma trainer out of north carolina and he took time out of his schedule to dial me in for the winter months and guided me to stepping my game up to the next level.
i attended some elite open races with success! i won the elite open at the indianapolis regional and had it not been for a crash into turn one, i would have been in the main at the columbus national. i continued Wiggy's program throughout spring and was preparing for the big elite series races for south park and nashville. i went to the warsaw indiana elite open race and made day 1's main. for 3 months people had been commenting that i looked even faster this year than last. i attribute Matt's knowledge and ability to dial in workouts to meet the need of the client. if you are looking for help in your workout, get intouch with Matt at
http://www.workingclassfitness.com/
just wanted to say thank you to Matt and i will be back in 8 weeks!!!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I'm an "Expert"
It is with great pride that I make the following announcement...
The good folks at HybridFitness.tv have asked me to join their "Advisory Board" and be on their panel of experts.
In addition to two of the main dudes behind HybidFitness.tv - Jason Klofstad and Liam Bauer (creator of the famed "Taku's Intervals"), I have the honor to join such great folks as training and nutrition guru Coach Jaime Hale, and President of the IART, Brian Johnston.
There is a ton of knowledge that goes into Hybrid Fitness, and I'm pleased, proud, honored, and just plain stoked that they've asked me to contribute to their awesome site and company.
Hybrid's "official announcement" of me joining their cast can be found HERE.
Again, I want to thank Jason and Taku, and I can't wait to work with you guys. There will be some real kickass stuff to come!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - A blog post wouldn't be a blog post w/o a sales pitch, right? ;-) Well, if you haven't got the "Working Class MMA Workout Program" and "Working Class Fitness - The Programs"...and SAVED 40% while doing it...what are you waiting for? CLICK HERE and (as my dad used to say) "get to gettin'..."
The good folks at HybridFitness.tv have asked me to join their "Advisory Board" and be on their panel of experts.
In addition to two of the main dudes behind HybidFitness.tv - Jason Klofstad and Liam Bauer (creator of the famed "Taku's Intervals"), I have the honor to join such great folks as training and nutrition guru Coach Jaime Hale, and President of the IART, Brian Johnston.
There is a ton of knowledge that goes into Hybrid Fitness, and I'm pleased, proud, honored, and just plain stoked that they've asked me to contribute to their awesome site and company.
Hybrid's "official announcement" of me joining their cast can be found HERE.
Again, I want to thank Jason and Taku, and I can't wait to work with you guys. There will be some real kickass stuff to come!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - A blog post wouldn't be a blog post w/o a sales pitch, right? ;-) Well, if you haven't got the "Working Class MMA Workout Program" and "Working Class Fitness - The Programs"...and SAVED 40% while doing it...what are you waiting for? CLICK HERE and (as my dad used to say) "get to gettin'..."
Monday, June 15, 2009
Interview - "Next Level Performance & Fitness"
Did an interview with Rahsaan Kimbrow over at www.nlpf.net last week. What a cool cat Rahsaan is. Dude really knows his stuff and has been 'around'. Hell, we spent as much time on the phone after the interview was over (talking training, the fitness industry, etc) as we did during the interview.
Rahsaan is an all-around good dude, and y'all should check him out.
Anyway, Rahsaan broke the interview up into 'nuggets', and posted it at youtube. The link to his blog post with the first part of the interview is HERE. I highly suggest you go check it out.
In the meantime, here are the vids.
"Intro":
"MMA Talk":
"Sandbag Training":
"Skills vs S&C Training":
Rahsaan has more to come, so keep an eye out. Again, be sure to check out www.nlpf.net.
And, if for some crazy reason you haven't yet, be sure to go HERE and buy my stuff (and save yourself some greenbacks while you're at it). ;-)
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Rahsaan is an all-around good dude, and y'all should check him out.
Anyway, Rahsaan broke the interview up into 'nuggets', and posted it at youtube. The link to his blog post with the first part of the interview is HERE. I highly suggest you go check it out.
In the meantime, here are the vids.
"Intro":
"MMA Talk":
"Sandbag Training":
"Skills vs S&C Training":
Rahsaan has more to come, so keep an eye out. Again, be sure to check out www.nlpf.net.
And, if for some crazy reason you haven't yet, be sure to go HERE and buy my stuff (and save yourself some greenbacks while you're at it). ;-)
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
My Boy Gabriel Kickin' Ass
You remember my last blog post about my buddy Gabriel? He was the national kickboxing champ from Puerto Rico.
Well, he sent me some youtube vids of him doing his thing, so I thought I'd pass them on.
Oh - by the way, remember how I said Gabriel was no chump? Well guess what - he holds down a full-time job being a supervisor in a window and door factory, has a wife, two kids, AND finds time to train...many times TWICE PER DAY! (The first workout of which he gets up at 5:00 am to do.)
I think we could all learn something from Gabriel's dedication.
I can't wait for his next fight! If he can implement the principles from the 'Working Class MMA Workout Program' (which you can SAVE 40% on HERE), he's gonna be even more badass!
Keep kickin' ass Gabriel!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Well, he sent me some youtube vids of him doing his thing, so I thought I'd pass them on.
Oh - by the way, remember how I said Gabriel was no chump? Well guess what - he holds down a full-time job being a supervisor in a window and door factory, has a wife, two kids, AND finds time to train...many times TWICE PER DAY! (The first workout of which he gets up at 5:00 am to do.)
I think we could all learn something from Gabriel's dedication.
I can't wait for his next fight! If he can implement the principles from the 'Working Class MMA Workout Program' (which you can SAVE 40% on HERE), he's gonna be even more badass!
Keep kickin' ass Gabriel!
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Monday, June 08, 2009
Are you a CHUMP?
Been trading a few emails with a new reader - Gabriel - since last week. And I gotta say, these emails have been super cool.
Why?
Well, first of all, Gabriel is from Puerto Rico. And to my knowledge, this is the first time I've ever traded emails with anybody located in Puerto Rico. And it'd never have happened had him and I not been online.
God bless the intrawebs.
Second, what Gabriel was telling me was something I love to hear. (And NO, it wasn't about how awesome or good looking I am...hahaha.)
Gabriel had tried to order some of my books in the past, but unfortunately, paypal had given him trouble and the order wouldn't go through.
Damn intrawebs. ;-)
Right about here is where most people give up. As soon as they run into an obstacle...no matter how slight...they throw their hands in the air and just freakin' give the f@ck up.
Most people do that not because they can't succeed. Not because the task before them is too daunting. Not because they don't know what to do. Not because they have no idea how to go forward.
They do it because they're just damn lazy.
And that, my dear readers, JUST. PLAIN. SUCKS.
Got any idea just how further along we'd be as a race, a nation, a civilization, as plain old PEOPLE if we didn't give up so damn easy? A lot further ahead than we are now.
Most great people in the world weren't great because they had extraordinary brains or extraordinary brawn. They were great because they had extraordinary willpower.
In fact, just yesterday I was watching a documentary on the World's Strongest Man contest. (Thanks SILK - I owe you one! ;-)
It was being discussed that if guys who had won several contests (Bill Kazmaier - won 3x, the late Jon Pall Sigmarsson - won 4x, Magnus Ver Magnusson - won 4x, and Mariusz Pudzianowski - record holding 5x winner) could all compete against each other in their primes, who would be the best.
Kazmaier said something that was pretty awesome about Magnus (and I'm paraphrasing here):
"Magnus was never really the strongest guy in the contest. But he had a willpower that just wouldn't let him lose. That was why he always found a way to win."
Can you imagine competing with the strongest men in the world...and NOT being the strongest guy there? Yet, Magnus not only won the contest, but won it FOUR TIMES. Only two other people in the 30+ year history of the WSM contest have equaled or bettered that mark.
Pretty inspirational stuff, if you ask me. Especially coming from a guy like Kaz.
Let's get back to my new buddy, Gabriel.
Gabriel couldn't get his hands on my products. But he didn't let that stop him. He went to my articles page, and devoured all the info there. He started doing sample workouts and working his ass off. He wasn't quite sure how to do some stuff, but he just went with it anyway. And got great results.
Why did he get such great results? (Listen up folks - this is key, here.)
Because he did the work.
Gabriel didn't sit around, doing the whole 'woulda, shoulda, coulda'. He didn't feel sorry for himself because paypal didn't work in his native Puerto Rico. He didn't just quit, because he wasn't sure exactly what to do. (After all, hasn't the fitness industry all but convinced you that you have to be spoon fed everything?)
Instead, Gabriel just got down to business and got the job done.
And his workouts isn't the area Gabriel does this. Did I mention he's a Puerto Rico national kickboxing champion in the FPK (Federacion Puertorriqueña de Kickboxing)?
That means Gabriel is no chump. Which is why he busts his tail day in and day out. Doing one leads to the other.
What about you? Are you a chump? What have you gotten done today?
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - If you're no chump, but aren't quite sure what direction to go with your workouts, go HERE and get all the info you'll ever need. And for CHEAP.
Why?
Well, first of all, Gabriel is from Puerto Rico. And to my knowledge, this is the first time I've ever traded emails with anybody located in Puerto Rico. And it'd never have happened had him and I not been online.
God bless the intrawebs.
Second, what Gabriel was telling me was something I love to hear. (And NO, it wasn't about how awesome or good looking I am...hahaha.)
Gabriel had tried to order some of my books in the past, but unfortunately, paypal had given him trouble and the order wouldn't go through.
Damn intrawebs. ;-)
Right about here is where most people give up. As soon as they run into an obstacle...no matter how slight...they throw their hands in the air and just freakin' give the f@ck up.
Most people do that not because they can't succeed. Not because the task before them is too daunting. Not because they don't know what to do. Not because they have no idea how to go forward.
They do it because they're just damn lazy.
And that, my dear readers, JUST. PLAIN. SUCKS.
Got any idea just how further along we'd be as a race, a nation, a civilization, as plain old PEOPLE if we didn't give up so damn easy? A lot further ahead than we are now.
Most great people in the world weren't great because they had extraordinary brains or extraordinary brawn. They were great because they had extraordinary willpower.
In fact, just yesterday I was watching a documentary on the World's Strongest Man contest. (Thanks SILK - I owe you one! ;-)
It was being discussed that if guys who had won several contests (Bill Kazmaier - won 3x, the late Jon Pall Sigmarsson - won 4x, Magnus Ver Magnusson - won 4x, and Mariusz Pudzianowski - record holding 5x winner) could all compete against each other in their primes, who would be the best.
Kazmaier said something that was pretty awesome about Magnus (and I'm paraphrasing here):
"Magnus was never really the strongest guy in the contest. But he had a willpower that just wouldn't let him lose. That was why he always found a way to win."
Can you imagine competing with the strongest men in the world...and NOT being the strongest guy there? Yet, Magnus not only won the contest, but won it FOUR TIMES. Only two other people in the 30+ year history of the WSM contest have equaled or bettered that mark.
Pretty inspirational stuff, if you ask me. Especially coming from a guy like Kaz.
Let's get back to my new buddy, Gabriel.
Gabriel couldn't get his hands on my products. But he didn't let that stop him. He went to my articles page, and devoured all the info there. He started doing sample workouts and working his ass off. He wasn't quite sure how to do some stuff, but he just went with it anyway. And got great results.
Why did he get such great results? (Listen up folks - this is key, here.)
Because he did the work.
Gabriel didn't sit around, doing the whole 'woulda, shoulda, coulda'. He didn't feel sorry for himself because paypal didn't work in his native Puerto Rico. He didn't just quit, because he wasn't sure exactly what to do. (After all, hasn't the fitness industry all but convinced you that you have to be spoon fed everything?)
Instead, Gabriel just got down to business and got the job done.And his workouts isn't the area Gabriel does this. Did I mention he's a Puerto Rico national kickboxing champion in the FPK (Federacion Puertorriqueña de Kickboxing)?
That means Gabriel is no chump. Which is why he busts his tail day in and day out. Doing one leads to the other.
What about you? Are you a chump? What have you gotten done today?
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - If you're no chump, but aren't quite sure what direction to go with your workouts, go HERE and get all the info you'll ever need. And for CHEAP.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Is it real...or is it Memorex?
HA - remember those commercials way back when?
In case you're too young to know, Memorex was an electronics company. They used to make video tapes (VHS), audio cassettes, and stuff like that. Their claim was that the products could reproduce visuals and sounds so clearly, that you couldn't tell if you were watching/listening to a tape or the real thing.
Hence the line, "Is it real...or is it Memorex?"
Believe it or not, training can be the same way.
Back in my teens, I did mostly bodybuilding-styled training. I've made no secret of that. I always wanted to be as strong as I could be, but I still used mainly bodybuilding principles, and I still cared quite a bit how my physique looked.
One day, my dad and I were talking training, as we used to do quite often. (My dad is where I got all my early training knowledge from.) We were talking about how to build that all-important (and sometimes ultra-elusive) "V-taper" on the upper body.
He asked me how I thought the best way to build a "V-taper" would be. I went on a diatribe about how to build wide shoulders, flaring lats, etc. He just shook his head.
"Nope. Go lose 15 lbs."
Huh? Go lose 15 lbs. What the hell was he thinking? I proceeded to give my old man my best "What you talkin' about Willis?" look.
He then told me to name off guys that had that great "V-taper" look. I named several bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves, Frank Zane, Serge Nubret, etc.
"What do they all have in common?" he asked me. "A small waist."
I started to get it.
"It's easier - and quicker - to lose 2 inches of fluff off your waist, then it is to gain 2 inches of muscle on your shoulders," he told me. "So, if you want that 'V-taper', go lose 15 lbs."
Made a lot of sense.
In training, sometimes the answer to the question we're looking for...the benefit we desire...is in a place that it seems like it shouldn't be.
Who has seen the movie Caddyshack? Everybody has seen the movie - that's who. (At least, anybody that's got any semblance of a sense of humor has.)
Remember when Chevy Chase's character, Ty, is out golfing with Danny Noonan as his caddy? Do you remember what Ty told Danny?
"The shortest distance between two points, is a straight line...
...in the opposite direction."
That's how training can be.
In my "Working Class MMA Workout Program" (which, by the way, you can save 40% on HERE), the very end of the 4-phases is designed to be right before a MMA fight. You are to be at your very best...you're the strongest, the fastest, in the best condition...you're ready to take on any opponent.
Yet, at the end of the 4-phases, you're actually the least amount of overall work than you are in the entire darn program.
Doesn't make much sense, does it?
Sure it does - you're doing the most intense work, you're doing it with the least amount of rest, and you're doing more skills work than ever, so, when doing your conditioning, you need to get 'in and out' as quick as you can, so you can save your time and energy for actual fight training.
But conventional wisdom would tell you that to be in the best shape, you have to do the most work, right?
Nope.
Sometimes that's the case. But not always.
And this is many times what training is all about - doing the opposite of what might make sense. Not because what 'makes sense' is a bad idea, but because there can be quicker ways to go about getting your goals achieved.
If you're not sure when to do what 'makes sense' and when not to, then I highly suggest you CLICK HERE and eliminate all the guesswork out of your workouts.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
In case you're too young to know, Memorex was an electronics company. They used to make video tapes (VHS), audio cassettes, and stuff like that. Their claim was that the products could reproduce visuals and sounds so clearly, that you couldn't tell if you were watching/listening to a tape or the real thing.Hence the line, "Is it real...or is it Memorex?"
Believe it or not, training can be the same way.
Back in my teens, I did mostly bodybuilding-styled training. I've made no secret of that. I always wanted to be as strong as I could be, but I still used mainly bodybuilding principles, and I still cared quite a bit how my physique looked.
One day, my dad and I were talking training, as we used to do quite often. (My dad is where I got all my early training knowledge from.) We were talking about how to build that all-important (and sometimes ultra-elusive) "V-taper" on the upper body.
He asked me how I thought the best way to build a "V-taper" would be. I went on a diatribe about how to build wide shoulders, flaring lats, etc. He just shook his head.
"Nope. Go lose 15 lbs."
Huh? Go lose 15 lbs. What the hell was he thinking? I proceeded to give my old man my best "What you talkin' about Willis?" look.
He then told me to name off guys that had that great "V-taper" look. I named several bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves, Frank Zane, Serge Nubret, etc.
"What do they all have in common?" he asked me. "A small waist."
I started to get it.
"It's easier - and quicker - to lose 2 inches of fluff off your waist, then it is to gain 2 inches of muscle on your shoulders," he told me. "So, if you want that 'V-taper', go lose 15 lbs."
Made a lot of sense.
In training, sometimes the answer to the question we're looking for...the benefit we desire...is in a place that it seems like it shouldn't be.
Who has seen the movie Caddyshack? Everybody has seen the movie - that's who. (At least, anybody that's got any semblance of a sense of humor has.)
Remember when Chevy Chase's character, Ty, is out golfing with Danny Noonan as his caddy? Do you remember what Ty told Danny?"The shortest distance between two points, is a straight line...
...in the opposite direction."
That's how training can be.
In my "Working Class MMA Workout Program" (which, by the way, you can save 40% on HERE), the very end of the 4-phases is designed to be right before a MMA fight. You are to be at your very best...you're the strongest, the fastest, in the best condition...you're ready to take on any opponent.
Yet, at the end of the 4-phases, you're actually the least amount of overall work than you are in the entire darn program.
Doesn't make much sense, does it?
Sure it does - you're doing the most intense work, you're doing it with the least amount of rest, and you're doing more skills work than ever, so, when doing your conditioning, you need to get 'in and out' as quick as you can, so you can save your time and energy for actual fight training.
But conventional wisdom would tell you that to be in the best shape, you have to do the most work, right?
Nope.
Sometimes that's the case. But not always.
And this is many times what training is all about - doing the opposite of what might make sense. Not because what 'makes sense' is a bad idea, but because there can be quicker ways to go about getting your goals achieved.
If you're not sure when to do what 'makes sense' and when not to, then I highly suggest you CLICK HERE and eliminate all the guesswork out of your workouts.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Chicks Dig Scars
Yeah, as guys, we've all heard the old saying that "chicks dig scars".
Ever wonder why? I always thought it was kinda dumb. I mean, scars are ugly and funky to look at, right? Why would girls find them attractive?
Some say it's b/c it gives a dude a certain persona - makes him seem dangerous, 'naughty', a 'bad boy' or something like that.
Personally, I think it's something a little more primal.
I think it shows a girl that you're not afraid to bleed or get hurt. Regardless of what you were doing when you got the scar (unless it was a complete accident, b/c scars are only cool if you were doing something cool or heroic when you got them), it shows...at a basic level...that when you really want something, that you're willing to sacrifice even your own well-being to get it.
And girls are gonna think that's hot...especially if they think you'll have that same feeling (that you'd bleed) for them.
But here's the kicker - it doesn't really mean anything. It's all opinion of personality.
Kinda like why a girl will like a muscular dude. Sure, she'll find him attractive ('cause nobody likes a fat slob). But there's also that feeling that if the sh!t ever hits the fan, the dude with the good build will be able to take care of her.
But here's the kicker (again) - a muscular build doesn't necessarily mean anything anymore.
Now, I'm not talking about how 'tough' a guy is, whether he can fight, or any of that other stuff.
I mean whether or not a guy who has a nice looking body can actually do anything with it. I bet there are a ton of underwear models out there that the girls would drool all over...but I sure as hell hope that ain't the guy you're depending on to save you from a burning building or chase down that crook who just snatched your purse.
Back in the days of 'physical culture' - up until say around the 1940s or so - the idea of good looks and great performance went hand in hand. Along with a sound mind and spirit (which were all a part of physical culture), the idea was to train one's body so that it not only looked good, but was strong, conditioned, vibrant, healthy, etc.
But along the way, a line was drawn, and somebody thought you could only train one way or the other - for looks for for performance.
And that notion has just been furthered over the years...so much so that strength athletes (powerlifters, Olympic lifters, strongman contestants, etc.) and bodybuilders don't like each other...much less respect each other.
Then you've got fighters who don't like either one, but that's another story.
Why does it have to be that way, though? Personally, I don't think it does.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a good looking body that performs well. Many pro-athletes have physiques like this. And it's not just b/c of genetics, either.
And it doesn't take much. Just take a good, athletic, performance-based program, and add a little 'extra' to it (as long as it won't cause you to overtrain). A few sets of curls. Maybe some lateral raises. Even calf work.
Whatever.
I know that's how I design a lot of my workout programs.
(Quick plug - I've got a kickass sale going on. CLICK HERE to find out how to save 40%!)
I reminded of quick football story.
I used to be a big Notre Dame football fan back in the late '80s and early '90s. Before a big game, fullback Jerome Bettis wanted to tape up his shoes. Problem was that then coach Lou Holtz didn't allow it. Bettis asked Coach Holtz, and he wanted to know why guys wanted to tape their shoes.
Some guys said it kept shoe laces from coming untied, and others tried to say it gave them more support, but old Lou wasn't buying any of that crap.
Finally, Bettis piped up and said that taping his shoes just made him 'feel good'. And when he felt good, he played good.
Made sense to Lou. All Notre Dame football players were then allowed to tape their shoes.
There isn't anything wrong with wanting to look good - especially if it helps you perform good.
And then there is what that little cutie you've had your eye on will think the next time she sees you with your shirt off, or just a short-sleeved shirt stretched around a big set of 'guns'.
(HINT - it will likely impress her more than telling her your new squat 1RM).
And when that sh!t does hit the fan, and you can back up everything it looks like you can do...and more...well...
You look just that much better.
And you don't even need to bleed to do it.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - that link again to Save 40% is HERE.
Ever wonder why? I always thought it was kinda dumb. I mean, scars are ugly and funky to look at, right? Why would girls find them attractive?
Some say it's b/c it gives a dude a certain persona - makes him seem dangerous, 'naughty', a 'bad boy' or something like that.
Personally, I think it's something a little more primal.
I think it shows a girl that you're not afraid to bleed or get hurt. Regardless of what you were doing when you got the scar (unless it was a complete accident, b/c scars are only cool if you were doing something cool or heroic when you got them), it shows...at a basic level...that when you really want something, that you're willing to sacrifice even your own well-being to get it.
And girls are gonna think that's hot...especially if they think you'll have that same feeling (that you'd bleed) for them.
But here's the kicker - it doesn't really mean anything. It's all opinion of personality.
Kinda like why a girl will like a muscular dude. Sure, she'll find him attractive ('cause nobody likes a fat slob). But there's also that feeling that if the sh!t ever hits the fan, the dude with the good build will be able to take care of her.But here's the kicker (again) - a muscular build doesn't necessarily mean anything anymore.
Now, I'm not talking about how 'tough' a guy is, whether he can fight, or any of that other stuff.
I mean whether or not a guy who has a nice looking body can actually do anything with it. I bet there are a ton of underwear models out there that the girls would drool all over...but I sure as hell hope that ain't the guy you're depending on to save you from a burning building or chase down that crook who just snatched your purse.
Back in the days of 'physical culture' - up until say around the 1940s or so - the idea of good looks and great performance went hand in hand. Along with a sound mind and spirit (which were all a part of physical culture), the idea was to train one's body so that it not only looked good, but was strong, conditioned, vibrant, healthy, etc.
But along the way, a line was drawn, and somebody thought you could only train one way or the other - for looks for for performance.
And that notion has just been furthered over the years...so much so that strength athletes (powerlifters, Olympic lifters, strongman contestants, etc.) and bodybuilders don't like each other...much less respect each other.
Then you've got fighters who don't like either one, but that's another story.
Why does it have to be that way, though? Personally, I don't think it does.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a good looking body that performs well. Many pro-athletes have physiques like this. And it's not just b/c of genetics, either.
And it doesn't take much. Just take a good, athletic, performance-based program, and add a little 'extra' to it (as long as it won't cause you to overtrain). A few sets of curls. Maybe some lateral raises. Even calf work.
Whatever.
I know that's how I design a lot of my workout programs.
(Quick plug - I've got a kickass sale going on. CLICK HERE to find out how to save 40%!)
I reminded of quick football story.
I used to be a big Notre Dame football fan back in the late '80s and early '90s. Before a big game, fullback Jerome Bettis wanted to tape up his shoes. Problem was that then coach Lou Holtz didn't allow it. Bettis asked Coach Holtz, and he wanted to know why guys wanted to tape their shoes.
Some guys said it kept shoe laces from coming untied, and others tried to say it gave them more support, but old Lou wasn't buying any of that crap.
Finally, Bettis piped up and said that taping his shoes just made him 'feel good'. And when he felt good, he played good.
Made sense to Lou. All Notre Dame football players were then allowed to tape their shoes.
There isn't anything wrong with wanting to look good - especially if it helps you perform good.
And then there is what that little cutie you've had your eye on will think the next time she sees you with your shirt off, or just a short-sleeved shirt stretched around a big set of 'guns'.
(HINT - it will likely impress her more than telling her your new squat 1RM).
And when that sh!t does hit the fan, and you can back up everything it looks like you can do...and more...well...
You look just that much better.
And you don't even need to bleed to do it.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
PS - that link again to Save 40% is HERE.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Who Do You Ask For Advice?
Hey gang,
Wanna get into a little something that might offend a few of you. Hope not, but if so, then oh well.
When you were a kid, and you needed advice, you likely went to your folks (your dad if you're a dude, and your mom if you're a girl). Or maybe you went to an older brother or sister. Or maybe even a good friend.
Whoever it was, you went to that person for one reason - not b/c you could count on them to listen, or b/c they wouldn't make fun of you, or b/c they were supportive. None of that B.S. Sure, all that stuff is great and all, but you went to who you did for one main reason:
To get an answer.
If somebody couldn't provide an answer...well...they ain't gonna do you a whole lotta good, now, are they?
Same goes for your training.
Yesterday, I answered an email from a customer who got my workout programs. In his email, he mentioned that he had done a bodybuilding type of program for a long time, even though his Muay Thai (kickboxing) coach had advised him to drop the weights and just do pushups and pullups for a number of years.
I told him that while a complete bodybuilding program wasn't ideal for what he was trying to do, that bodybuilding was *all* bad, either. The program has to be put together the right way. But that's a whole other topic.
The thing I mentioned to him, though, was that though his Muay Thai coach is one of the best in the country, his advice on a workout program wasn't exactly 'spot on' (as Gordon Ramsay might say).
The coach was right to say that a dedicated bodybuilding program wouldn't be correct, but to say that the trainee shouldn't lift weights at all was not only thinking that is fairly old an antiquated...it's just plain wrong. I could give you example after example of athletes - including fighters - who lift weights, and it makes them all that much better.
Sometimes it can seem a little strange - not taking advice from somebody that you trust. But if that person doesn't have the knowledge, then as well-meaning as that advice is, it's still not gonna do you any good.
Think of it like this - how many of you have taken a high school weight training type of class? More often than not, at least one of the teachers or coaches for one of these classes was probably a football coach, right?
Then lemme ask you something - did that football coach know how to put together a good workout? More than likely, the answer is...
Listen, just b/c the guy is a good football coach, doesn't mean he knows jack about putting together workouts...regardless of what most football coaches think they know.
So, if you need workout advice, then it makes sense to go to an authority, coach, trainer, etc...or at least somebody with some damn experience.
They say you can't get the right answers if you don't ask the right questions. Well, your answers will suck even more if you ask the wrong person.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Wanna get into a little something that might offend a few of you. Hope not, but if so, then oh well.When you were a kid, and you needed advice, you likely went to your folks (your dad if you're a dude, and your mom if you're a girl). Or maybe you went to an older brother or sister. Or maybe even a good friend.
Whoever it was, you went to that person for one reason - not b/c you could count on them to listen, or b/c they wouldn't make fun of you, or b/c they were supportive. None of that B.S. Sure, all that stuff is great and all, but you went to who you did for one main reason:
To get an answer.
If somebody couldn't provide an answer...well...they ain't gonna do you a whole lotta good, now, are they?
Same goes for your training.
Yesterday, I answered an email from a customer who got my workout programs. In his email, he mentioned that he had done a bodybuilding type of program for a long time, even though his Muay Thai (kickboxing) coach had advised him to drop the weights and just do pushups and pullups for a number of years.
I told him that while a complete bodybuilding program wasn't ideal for what he was trying to do, that bodybuilding was *all* bad, either. The program has to be put together the right way. But that's a whole other topic.
The thing I mentioned to him, though, was that though his Muay Thai coach is one of the best in the country, his advice on a workout program wasn't exactly 'spot on' (as Gordon Ramsay might say).The coach was right to say that a dedicated bodybuilding program wouldn't be correct, but to say that the trainee shouldn't lift weights at all was not only thinking that is fairly old an antiquated...it's just plain wrong. I could give you example after example of athletes - including fighters - who lift weights, and it makes them all that much better.
Sometimes it can seem a little strange - not taking advice from somebody that you trust. But if that person doesn't have the knowledge, then as well-meaning as that advice is, it's still not gonna do you any good.
Think of it like this - how many of you have taken a high school weight training type of class? More often than not, at least one of the teachers or coaches for one of these classes was probably a football coach, right?
Then lemme ask you something - did that football coach know how to put together a good workout? More than likely, the answer is...
Listen, just b/c the guy is a good football coach, doesn't mean he knows jack about putting together workouts...regardless of what most football coaches think they know.So, if you need workout advice, then it makes sense to go to an authority, coach, trainer, etc...or at least somebody with some damn experience.
They say you can't get the right answers if you don't ask the right questions. Well, your answers will suck even more if you ask the wrong person.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Friday, May 15, 2009
"No, 'Less' Isn't Always 'More'"
Hey gang,
My latest article, "No, Less Isn't More" is up at MMA Weekly.com.
Know how a lot of the fitness gurus always tell you that "less is more" when it comes to working out? That's not always the case.
Click on the link and find out why - http://tinyurl.com/ptr7vp
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
My latest article, "No, Less Isn't More" is up at MMA Weekly.com.
Know how a lot of the fitness gurus always tell you that "less is more" when it comes to working out? That's not always the case.
Click on the link and find out why - http://tinyurl.com/ptr7vp
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Monday, May 11, 2009
Moving into a New House
Yeah, that's right. I recently moved. I spent all last Thursday moving into a new house.
Which sucked.
Thank goodness it wasn't me who moved, though. My bro-in-law just landed himself a sweet new job, and a new pad was part of the deal. So, like good family, I helped him move.
Too bad I absolutely hate moving. I've done so much of it in my life.
It wasn't bad as a kid (I only remember moving twice growing up, and the first time I was really too little to have to do anything...the second time was a beast, though). However, in college, I moved all the damn time. Being that I grew up in central Oregon, then went to college in North Carolina, there was a ton of moving involved...moving into the dorms in the Fall, out of the dorms in the Spring...into and out of storage garages and friend's houses during the summer, into my own place my senior year...
Then there's all the times I've helped various family members and friends move.
Ugh.
Needless to say, I freakin' hate moving. It almost disgusts me.
But, I was happy for the bro-in-law, and he didn't have a whole lot of help, and being that it's not just him (he's married and has two very little girls to look after), I didn't mind helping him out.
There's one thing I have to say...if you're somewhat big, and are a strong dude, I don't care who you are or what you've done...
You're the most popular guy in town on moving day.
And rightly so. After all, who else is gonna move that couch? Or bed? Or washer? Or dryer? Or bookshelf? Or...
Helping my bro-in-law move in, there were basically three of us doing all the 'heavy lifting'. There was me, my bro-in-law, and a guy from his church. And there was a ton of 'heavy lifting' to do.
Which I did the great majority of.
Now, in their defense, they had packed everything up the day before. Loaded up one of those giant U-hauls, a truck, a trailer, and a bunch of other stuff. I just helped them unpack it all at the new place.
But I still worked circles around them.
Which is cool. I work out a ton, and am in pretty good shape. I'm strong, am conditioned, and have pretty darn good endurance. And my work capacity puts a lot of folks to shame.
(All of these qualities, are developed like a mofo in the "Working Class MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition". By the way - had you heard? When you pick up the "Championship Edition", now you get a ton of FREE STUFF. Check it out HERE for the scoop.)
This is all a perfect example of being able to apply everything you do in the gym in real life.
We've all heard (said?) the old adage about "it doesn't matter how strong you are in the gym if you aren't strong on the mat". Well, this is another example.
Only instead of taking a guy down, or trying to sink in that submission, I was moving furniture, boxes, appliances, and a ton of other stuff.
Ever been in a situation where a big dude should've been able to really hold his own, but he gets just whipped by some little dude...or at least somebody smaller than him?
I dunno about you, but out of the two, I'd always be a lot stronger than I looked...instead of looking stronger than I was.
But sometimes, you can have both.
(*begin shameless plug here*)
Which is why you should check out the "Working Class MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition"...and get FREE STUFF while you're at it.
(*end shameless plug here*)
All kidding aside, don't ever let yourself get in a situation where you're not as strong, fast, conditioned, or whatever than you look. It's ultra-embarrassing. Not to mention whatever you're doing is a lot more effort. While being made fun of.
No thanks.
I'll just be strong, thanks.
Just watch yourself - you never know when somebody is gonna ask you to prove yourself. Hell, I just might call you to come help me move...
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Which sucked.
Thank goodness it wasn't me who moved, though. My bro-in-law just landed himself a sweet new job, and a new pad was part of the deal. So, like good family, I helped him move.
Too bad I absolutely hate moving. I've done so much of it in my life.
It wasn't bad as a kid (I only remember moving twice growing up, and the first time I was really too little to have to do anything...the second time was a beast, though). However, in college, I moved all the damn time. Being that I grew up in central Oregon, then went to college in North Carolina, there was a ton of moving involved...moving into the dorms in the Fall, out of the dorms in the Spring...into and out of storage garages and friend's houses during the summer, into my own place my senior year...
Then there's all the times I've helped various family members and friends move.
Ugh.Needless to say, I freakin' hate moving. It almost disgusts me.
But, I was happy for the bro-in-law, and he didn't have a whole lot of help, and being that it's not just him (he's married and has two very little girls to look after), I didn't mind helping him out.
There's one thing I have to say...if you're somewhat big, and are a strong dude, I don't care who you are or what you've done...
You're the most popular guy in town on moving day.
And rightly so. After all, who else is gonna move that couch? Or bed? Or washer? Or dryer? Or bookshelf? Or...
Helping my bro-in-law move in, there were basically three of us doing all the 'heavy lifting'. There was me, my bro-in-law, and a guy from his church. And there was a ton of 'heavy lifting' to do.
Which I did the great majority of.
Now, in their defense, they had packed everything up the day before. Loaded up one of those giant U-hauls, a truck, a trailer, and a bunch of other stuff. I just helped them unpack it all at the new place.
But I still worked circles around them.
Which is cool. I work out a ton, and am in pretty good shape. I'm strong, am conditioned, and have pretty darn good endurance. And my work capacity puts a lot of folks to shame.
(All of these qualities, are developed like a mofo in the "Working Class MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition". By the way - had you heard? When you pick up the "Championship Edition", now you get a ton of FREE STUFF. Check it out HERE for the scoop.)
This is all a perfect example of being able to apply everything you do in the gym in real life.
We've all heard (said?) the old adage about "it doesn't matter how strong you are in the gym if you aren't strong on the mat". Well, this is another example.Only instead of taking a guy down, or trying to sink in that submission, I was moving furniture, boxes, appliances, and a ton of other stuff.
Ever been in a situation where a big dude should've been able to really hold his own, but he gets just whipped by some little dude...or at least somebody smaller than him?
I dunno about you, but out of the two, I'd always be a lot stronger than I looked...instead of looking stronger than I was.
But sometimes, you can have both.
(*begin shameless plug here*)
Which is why you should check out the "Working Class MMA Workout Program - Championship Edition"...and get FREE STUFF while you're at it.
(*end shameless plug here*)
All kidding aside, don't ever let yourself get in a situation where you're not as strong, fast, conditioned, or whatever than you look. It's ultra-embarrassing. Not to mention whatever you're doing is a lot more effort. While being made fun of.
No thanks.
I'll just be strong, thanks.
Just watch yourself - you never know when somebody is gonna ask you to prove yourself. Hell, I just might call you to come help me move...
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Lance Armstrong, Bikes, & MMA?
Yeah, it might sound crazy, but you could learn a lot about how to setup your MMA Workouts from Lance Armstrong - best Tour de France cyclist ever.
Sound crazy? It's not.
My new article at MMA Weekly tells you all about it - http://tinyurl.com/cnvtr5
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Monday, May 04, 2009
Hero Worship Doesn't Always = Great Workouts (explicit video)
(**WARNING** - there is some explicit behavior in this post. If you don't like that kinda thing, then you probably ought to just close this now and come back next time. Thanks.)
Well, unless you've been avoiding all the major sports news outlets as of late, you've already heard the results of the Hatton/Pacquiao fight this past Saturday night. And in case you haven't seen, oh, I don't know, a newspaper, TV, radio, internet, etc. - the Pac-Man won in convincing fashion via 2nd round TKO.
While I like Hatton - I'm a big fan of the "Hitman" - I didn't think he had a chance against the "Pac-Man". Manny is just too fast, hits too hard, and the somewhat intangible factor - Manny has (I believe) the best trainer in the game today in Freddy Roach.
Leading up to the fight, if you're any kind of fan, you probably watched at least an episode or two (if not all four) of HBO's critically acclaimed 24/7 series that they now do before every major boxing match.
One of the things I enjoy about 24/7 is seeing the training footage. (Guess that's no surprise, huh?)
I had to laugh during the 2nd episode. Ricky Hatton was shown working out, and at one point was cranking out reps on a pair of "perfect pushup" handles. I had to laugh because I was knew it wouldn't be long before I was seeing somebody, somewhere, think that if one of the best 140 lbs. boxers in the world was using these things, that they probably should, too.
Sure enough, the next day, I saw a thread on an internet forum I visit talking about how Ricky Hatton uses the "perfect pushup".
(Now, to the thread creator's credit, he wasn't asking if he should go out and buy a pair right away like many folks would - he was just pointing it out for conversation's sake. But still, Pacquiao was shown going for a jog...and nobody was posting about that.)
How did the "perfect pushup" fair for Ricky? Well, I guess you could say that Ricky...
(play below video)
Now, does that mean the "perfect pushup" was responsible for the outcome of the fight? Of course not - that would be a pretty stupid assumption to make.
Right?
Then why in the ever-living hell would you care in the first place? If the "perfect pushup" wasn't responsible for Hatton getting his clock cleaned, then would you say it could have been responsible had he beaten Manny?
Uhhhh....NO.
Too many people seem to have a complex about freakin' hero worship. In all my years of training, I can't tell you how many dudes I've seen or talked to that spent a ton of time trying to find the workout program of their favorite bodybuilder, strongman, fighter, football player, athlete, etc.
What a waste.
Now, it's not a waste to take find somebody successful, study what they're doing, and try to figure out how you can apply some of what they're doing to your own life. That just make sense. Studying what makes successful people that way (be
they athletes, fighters, parents, managers, or whatever) is just plain smart.
But, just mimicking what other people do is kinda stupid. You're not a parrot. A parrot might repeat what you say, but it won't sound like you. It won't look like you. It won't have the meaning you do. In other words - it won't be you.
Well, workouts are the same way.
Knowing the workouts of Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, Fedor, Floyd Mayweather, Wladimir Klitschko, Lyoto Machida, Brock Lesnar, or anybody else won't make you those guys. All of those guys have found great workouts that work, and work well...for them.
Not for you. For them.
Does that mean that you couldn't learn anything by studying habit of great people? Again, of course not. But that doesn't mean you should just go out and copy what they do, just because they're winning.
I remember some 10+ years ago, when Ken Shamrock's book Inside the Lion's Den first came out. Quite a few people I knew (including me) were anxious to get the book. Personally, while I was interested in the stories can had to tell, and the biographical information in the book, I was pumped to read all the training info in the second half of the book.
And I wasn't alone - I knew a lot of dudes that were amped to try out the MMA workout of the "World's Most Dangerous Man". After all, Ken was a UFC Superfight winner, former King of Pancrase, and had just signed a big money contract with the WWE (then WWF). Ken was arguably one of the most popular guys in the fledgling sport that was MMA.
Fast forward to 2009. Ken Shamrock lost three fights to Tito Ortiz, hasn't won a fight against a decent opponent in a lot of years, and was just busted for steroids.
I could be wrong, but I don't see anybody lining up to find out Shammy's workout anymore.
So, does that mean what he did then was great, and what he does now sucks?
Not necessarily. Something has obviously changed over the years (aside from Ken getting old), but I don't think Ken's workout had anything to do with it.
See what I mean?
There is nothing wrong with wanting more "tools" in your "toolbox"...but copying somebody else just for the sake of copying them is unoriginal, lackluster, and in the end...you'll only be short-changing yourself.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Well, unless you've been avoiding all the major sports news outlets as of late, you've already heard the results of the Hatton/Pacquiao fight this past Saturday night. And in case you haven't seen, oh, I don't know, a newspaper, TV, radio, internet, etc. - the Pac-Man won in convincing fashion via 2nd round TKO.
While I like Hatton - I'm a big fan of the "Hitman" - I didn't think he had a chance against the "Pac-Man". Manny is just too fast, hits too hard, and the somewhat intangible factor - Manny has (I believe) the best trainer in the game today in Freddy Roach.
Leading up to the fight, if you're any kind of fan, you probably watched at least an episode or two (if not all four) of HBO's critically acclaimed 24/7 series that they now do before every major boxing match.
One of the things I enjoy about 24/7 is seeing the training footage. (Guess that's no surprise, huh?)
I had to laugh during the 2nd episode. Ricky Hatton was shown working out, and at one point was cranking out reps on a pair of "perfect pushup" handles. I had to laugh because I was knew it wouldn't be long before I was seeing somebody, somewhere, think that if one of the best 140 lbs. boxers in the world was using these things, that they probably should, too.Sure enough, the next day, I saw a thread on an internet forum I visit talking about how Ricky Hatton uses the "perfect pushup".
(Now, to the thread creator's credit, he wasn't asking if he should go out and buy a pair right away like many folks would - he was just pointing it out for conversation's sake. But still, Pacquiao was shown going for a jog...and nobody was posting about that.)
How did the "perfect pushup" fair for Ricky? Well, I guess you could say that Ricky...
(play below video)
Now, does that mean the "perfect pushup" was responsible for the outcome of the fight? Of course not - that would be a pretty stupid assumption to make.
Right?
Then why in the ever-living hell would you care in the first place? If the "perfect pushup" wasn't responsible for Hatton getting his clock cleaned, then would you say it could have been responsible had he beaten Manny?
Uhhhh....NO.
Too many people seem to have a complex about freakin' hero worship. In all my years of training, I can't tell you how many dudes I've seen or talked to that spent a ton of time trying to find the workout program of their favorite bodybuilder, strongman, fighter, football player, athlete, etc.
What a waste.
Now, it's not a waste to take find somebody successful, study what they're doing, and try to figure out how you can apply some of what they're doing to your own life. That just make sense. Studying what makes successful people that way (be
they athletes, fighters, parents, managers, or whatever) is just plain smart.But, just mimicking what other people do is kinda stupid. You're not a parrot. A parrot might repeat what you say, but it won't sound like you. It won't look like you. It won't have the meaning you do. In other words - it won't be you.
Well, workouts are the same way.
Knowing the workouts of Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, Fedor, Floyd Mayweather, Wladimir Klitschko, Lyoto Machida, Brock Lesnar, or anybody else won't make you those guys. All of those guys have found great workouts that work, and work well...for them.
Not for you. For them.
Does that mean that you couldn't learn anything by studying habit of great people? Again, of course not. But that doesn't mean you should just go out and copy what they do, just because they're winning.
I remember some 10+ years ago, when Ken Shamrock's book Inside the Lion's Den first came out. Quite a few people I knew (including me) were anxious to get the book. Personally, while I was interested in the stories can had to tell, and the biographical information in the book, I was pumped to read all the training info in the second half of the book. And I wasn't alone - I knew a lot of dudes that were amped to try out the MMA workout of the "World's Most Dangerous Man". After all, Ken was a UFC Superfight winner, former King of Pancrase, and had just signed a big money contract with the WWE (then WWF). Ken was arguably one of the most popular guys in the fledgling sport that was MMA.
Fast forward to 2009. Ken Shamrock lost three fights to Tito Ortiz, hasn't won a fight against a decent opponent in a lot of years, and was just busted for steroids.
I could be wrong, but I don't see anybody lining up to find out Shammy's workout anymore.
So, does that mean what he did then was great, and what he does now sucks?
Not necessarily. Something has obviously changed over the years (aside from Ken getting old), but I don't think Ken's workout had anything to do with it.
See what I mean?
There is nothing wrong with wanting more "tools" in your "toolbox"...but copying somebody else just for the sake of copying them is unoriginal, lackluster, and in the end...you'll only be short-changing yourself.
Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard-
Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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!
"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!
Friday, April 24, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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
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
Sunday, April 19, 2009
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
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
Saturday, April 18, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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
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
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