Another witness to the wonders of functional fitness. I've known Matt M for a handful of years. He began a functional fitness program as a skeptic and has morphed into one of our biggest supporters and promoters of the Prison Workouts. Though he mentions my name, do not be fooled. I did not invent the system. I merely lumped some exercise movements together in a way that allows for recovery of certain body parts at certain times, while still maintaining intensity. Matt and I have already been discussing the future once we finish PWO#2....a more well-rounded approach which will include: gym rings, heavier max effort lifts, structured interval training, explosive movement, etc. He's definitely up to it!
As we discussed at conference, I have been involved in lifting weights since 8th grade, played college football, competed and won traditional bodybuilding competitions during my college years, and been generally blessed by God with excellent physical fitness genetics. I have been the epitome of the text-book person who did “traditional” cop workouts which included doing “X” number of sets with “X” number of minutes of rest between each set looking to build as much muscle as possible. In my own defense I have always said that the muscle I did put on was good for one thing and one thing only and that was simply to look at; nothing more. But, after starting and continuing through today “the Prison Workout” produced by Louis Hayes I can honestly say I have never seen more results, quicker, than from performing this functional fitness routine.
Could I go out today and run a marathon? No. But my job as a full-time police officer and tactical officer for over 14 years never required me to do anything close to running even a quarter marathon or even the bullshit mile and a half that most officers are required to run while in shorts and tennis shoes to attain their State’s qualification. What I did have to do, and still do today in my role as a person running a tactical training company and instructing tactical classes whenever possible, is run full-blast for up to 300 yards while “in kit” and at the same time manipulating all of that weight up and over anything in my way. I can tell you that after two weeks of the prison workout I nearly quit believing I was getting no benefit from it. I plowed through it and after six short weeks I saw drastic improvement not only in physical appearance but more importantly in the ability to carry my own body weight PLUS a load over distances of 500 + yards – at times while literally crossing mud-bottom rivers and moving through muddy timbers. In years past I would have needed to stop multiple times while traveling the same route.
I have always preached that, “Performance is your reality; nothing else matters.” I can tell you from personal experience that I have never gained such physical performance advantage, in such a short amount of time, than by doing functional fitness workouts.
Several of my close friends who are also police officers and started the functional fitness workouts would tell the same story. Thanks for pointing “us” in that direction. “We” are all now addicted to the results.
Matt M
Could I go out today and run a marathon? No. But my job as a full-time police officer and tactical officer for over 14 years never required me to do anything close to running even a quarter marathon or even the bullshit mile and a half that most officers are required to run while in shorts and tennis shoes to attain their State’s qualification. What I did have to do, and still do today in my role as a person running a tactical training company and instructing tactical classes whenever possible, is run full-blast for up to 300 yards while “in kit” and at the same time manipulating all of that weight up and over anything in my way. I can tell you that after two weeks of the prison workout I nearly quit believing I was getting no benefit from it. I plowed through it and after six short weeks I saw drastic improvement not only in physical appearance but more importantly in the ability to carry my own body weight PLUS a load over distances of 500 + yards – at times while literally crossing mud-bottom rivers and moving through muddy timbers. In years past I would have needed to stop multiple times while traveling the same route.
I have always preached that, “Performance is your reality; nothing else matters.” I can tell you from personal experience that I have never gained such physical performance advantage, in such a short amount of time, than by doing functional fitness workouts.
Several of my close friends who are also police officers and started the functional fitness workouts would tell the same story. Thanks for pointing “us” in that direction. “We” are all now addicted to the results.
Matt M
I expect this quick change in anyone who commits to a functional fitness program. It's a tale told time and time again. The human body is highly adaptive...let's be sure it's adapting to the right changes! It's YOU who are ultimately responsible for making sure YOUR fitness program is right for YOU. Matt and I have found what's been working for us!
I will continue to post personal testimony on this blog. Feel free to submit yours through email.
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