Matt Furey’s Combat Conditioning Review

Can Combat Conditioning - "The Amazing Exercise Program That Transforms Couch Potatoes into Super-Hero Fitness Machines!" Really do all it claims?

By Paul "Batman" O'Brien 

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. IMed., Dip. Adv. OBB, Dip. CHM, Pn1, PN-SSR, PN-NCA, M.AFPA., M.C.Th.A.

Matt Furey’s Combat Conditioning Review, here we go...I’m a huge fan of bodyweight exercise. I adore them. The human body is all you need to get in incredible shape – but in my opinion for what you pay Matt Furey, you’re getting ripped off. In my quest for knowledge I’ve easily spent over $3,000 on Matt Furey products and I can say unreservedly that I have been disappointed on every occasion. I feel they are not worth the money, and I suspect he knows this as he clearly states he offers no guarantees or refunds.

Furey claims he under hypes his products – I can't agree. Combat Conditioning offers you the bare minimum in bodyweight exercise – many of which are poorly shown. His instructions are skimpy and un-detailed, and the book is littered with adverts for his other products. Do bodyweight exercises work? Yes. 

Do the exercises taught in Combat Conditioning work? Yes.

Can you learn these exercises better elsewhere and for cheaper? DEFINITELY!

Should YOU buy Combat Conditioning? I wouldn't! A much better investment is Ross Enamit's work, particularly his encyclopaedia of bodyweight conditioning, Never Gymless. (I had the pleasure to read the older version of this called The Underground Guide...Never Gymless is the new updated edition, packed full with new routines and cutting edge principals)

Furey focuses on a “royal court” of exercises – the Bridge, The Hindu Squat, and the Hindu Push up – all excellent techniques, but I feel his poor instruction and form are not the way to learn them. Funnier still in his video series you can clearly see his poor conditioning. He demonstrates 100 squats and is so exhausted and out of breath by the end of it his subsequent instruction is near inaudible.

Performing the Hindu Pushup

Performing the Bridge

The cover of his book Combat Conditioning shows him standing in good physical condition in front of a water fall. What it fails to tell you is that this picture was taken when he was an avid follower of weight training. His current combat conditioned physique is significantly softer and consistently tee-shirt clad.

Since I originally wrote this review, Mr.Furey has removed the waterfall photo so I won't reproduce it here, that said the observent eye would do well to pay close attention to the covers of both books below... 

Anyways, back to the book...

Combat Conditioning…features 47 exercises, all of which are perfectly good. From my experience you can get far better instruction on them and a whole lot more in Ross Enamit's work. Furey provides some sample routines for various different goals. These seem very vague. Finally he provides a four page Q&A section where he discusses how long you should train for, how often and how many reps you should perform – in short it’s as many as you like and exercise when ever you feel like it.

In my professional opinion - This is a cop out.

As covered in my articles Isometric Contraction, Building Muscle Fast, and The Best Muscle Building Product …muscle responds to stimulus in three ways - it's gets bigger, smaller or stays the same size. That all important stimulus must be provided by increasing intensity and progressive overload. You can achieve this using bodyweight, but it requires applying leverage, a subject Pavel Tsatsouline covers in great detail in his bodyweight guide the Naked Warrior. Essential you place your body in ever increasingly difficult positions. Furey appears to have no knowledge of this principal.

Where other guides inform about principal, technique and theory, I feel Furey espouses jargon and dogma. Where others provided detailed exercise descriptions,I feel Furey provides half hearted outlines. Where others provide quality content, Furey seems to feel satisfied in producing snake oil, and in doing so does a disservice to some really good exercises.

Furey’s qualification comes from an early high school wrestling career and loose affiliations to some great athletes and coaches, several of whom have decried him as a fraud.

While Furey has done a great service by re-introducing many aspects of physical culture and some great old time exercsies and concpets to the masses (which is awesome), at the end of the day this is a review about the quality and value of his products.

End verdict – keep your money or better still invest it in a worthwhile training manual like Ross Enamit’s Never Gymless or Pavel Tsatsouline’s Naked Warrior.

Have You Tried One of Matt Furey's Programs, like combat conditioning?

Then share your experience here!

Just becasue I don't have a great opinion of Matt Furey and his exercise books, but that doesn't mean I'm right. Do you have any experience of using Furey's products either positive or negative. Share you experience with us. It's easy, just fill out the form below...

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Worth it  
I bought CC many years ago. I have appreciated the benefit I gained from it tremendously. Maybe there are better conditioning books out there but Matt …

My experience with Matt Furey's products 
I started training in Combat Conditioning back in 2008 and notice improvements to my overall health during spring of 2009 while playing touch football …

Peter F Not rated yet
Bought the CC book and Dvds about 20 yrs ago when I was beat up from lifting heavy for years. I thought I was going to have to give up exercise, I was …

Combat Conditioning is a game changer Not rated yet
I'm consistently amazed at the results of using the exercises in Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey. Results? you ask.. More energy? Yep. Greater …

It worked for me... Not rated yet
I bought Combat ABs about 16 years ago. It helped with my sore back. So, I bought Combat Conditioning. I mix it in with Kettlebell & Clubbell. I bought …

sam Not rated yet
Started CC and C-Abs in 2009. Felt great esp internally, must be due to the breathing exercises. Then got injured and restarted exercising with weights. …

Matt Furey's Fitness Products Not rated yet
I have also purchased these two books and several of Furey's DVD programs. I thought much of the information was good and I have incorporated some of …

Agreed Not rated yet
I have loosely followed Furey's guidelines and some of them are invaluable. You can get them on the internet for free. You can even get his workouts online …

The books work, Matt does not. Not rated yet
I bought the same two books shown in the picture here, and let me tell you the exercises do work, one time I got stretch marks on my biceps after doing …

Combat Conditioning Not rated yet
I purchased Mr. Furey's book "Combat Conditioning" quite a a few years ago and found it a useful introduction. Certainly I have been able to go further …

Works for me !!! Not rated yet
I have been doing the hindu squats and hindu pushups for a month now. I have noticed an improvement in my overall health and strenght. My legs and knees …

combat conditioning carpal tunnel fix and how to eliminate shoulder [ain Not rated yet
I threw away the Combat Conditioning book because I believe also in body weight training and weightlifting. Due to knee problems I can't do Hindu squats …

Very harsh review Not rated yet
I have found Matt's stuff to be very good. His flexibility cds are really excellent, as are the energy exercises. His bodyweight stuff could be better …

Danny Not rated yet
Yeah, I bought Combat conditioning in 2001 and it was not as I expected. Maybe I expected too much. It is a good book for some new types of exercises, …

He's a scammer Not rated yet
I used to buy into Matt's stuff. Had Combat Conditoning, Combat Abs, Combat Stretching and received his daily e-mails. He even added me as a friend on …

Matt Furey is a chode!!! Not rated yet
I once owned a copy of "Combat Conditioning" and I must say it extremely disappointing! He failed to outline sets and reps into his book which would have …

I bought the CC book years ago Not rated yet
I bought the Combat Conditioning book years ago and found it useful. It was indeed very basic and bare-bones, but by following the principles in it, I …

Furey Enthused... Not rated yet
I first learned about matt furey about 5 years ago through a good friend from jujitsu. Everyday during warm-ups we would do hindu squats and hindu push-ups. …

"Furey Faithful" Not rated yet
I am a big fan of Matt, but my biggest complaints about his products are his lack of details, and his poor production quality(audio & video). Its almost …

A mixture of Furey and Other Not rated yet
I bought his Combat Conditioning book thinking I would blowtorch fat off and look like him on the cover. It didn't happen. I did see some minor changes …

Matt Furey is a Disappointment Not rated yet
I purchased Combat Conditioning about 4 years ago. I was dismayed at the lack of real detail, the poor quality of the photography, and the continual self …

johnny Not rated yet
I borrowed the books from my friend. The exercises work more or less but he provides poor instructions for performing them correctly, and like the above …

still debating Not rated yet
ive just started it but i do find it slow to beging with, i understand about the foundation and udnerstand the best results are slower but twice a week …

You gotta remember when it came out. Not rated yet
While I agree that 'Never Gymless' is in many ways a much more complete guide to BW exercises that CC, it wasn't yet released back when CC first came out. …

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Not All B.S. Not rated yet
My name is Edoardo, from Italy. I don't find all of this adversion toward Furey correct and personally I apreciated the Combat Conditioning book. It …

Matt Furey Taken Down Not rated yet
Upon watching Matt Furey's videos and reading his books my first suggestion is never purchase these unless you need a good laugh. Save your money folks. …

Tom Eaton Not rated yet
Hi, I purchased Matt furey's Combat conditioning and I thought it was, but as you have said above. The detail isn't there... It is a good book to …

Mixed feelings about Matt Furey Not rated yet
My experience with Furey's products dovetails pretty well with your own. I estimate I've spent $200 - $300 on Furey's products, and they're not worthless; …

Nothing special, poorly illustrated Not rated yet
I would say you have given what I believe to be a fair review. While I will give Matt Furey credit for bringing many back around to focusing on body …

Hey I think the book isn't so bad at all Not rated yet
I think the book displays some pretty good exercises that, if done seriously, can improve your physique. But he doesn't explain them nicely at all. anyways …

Joseph Atkins  Not rated yet
I am 54 yrs old and have been working the combat conditioning program along with the many supplemental exercises in combat conditioning and have maintained …

He's alright! Not rated yet
He's alright Ithink, but some of his pics are hard to follow. He does have good info about some of the mental part of working out and it does get me motivated …

My Thoughts On Matt Furey Not rated yet
I like the excercises(combat conditioning)but,the price is very high. Alot of stuff on the dvd is not shown properly,or Matt says he will get into more …

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