Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................
1
CHAPTER 1 what do hard men do to become hard men ......................................................... 2
CHAPTER 2 upper body drills ...................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 3 lower body strength .............................................................................................. 16
CHAPTER 4 sustained holds .......................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER 5 fold and hinge ............................................................................................................. 21
CHAPTER 6 power transfer .......................................................................................................... 25
CHAPTER 7 impact resistance ...................................................................................................... 28
CHAPTER 8 aerobic base .................................................................................................................. 30
CHAPTER 9 isaac hayes template ............................................................................................... 33
CHAPTER 10 putting it aLL together .......................................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 11 frequently asked questions ................................................................................. 39
Bonus: train like charles bronson .......................................................................................... 43
Bonus: how did tarzan train? ..................................................................................................... 45
introduction
For most of my life I was exposed to hard men. Mill workers, coal miners, war veter-
ans, street fighters, boxers and more. The biggest sports heroes in Pittsburgh during my
youth were boxer Billy Conn, wrestler Bruno Sammartino and the legendary Pittsburgh
Steelers of the seventies. My fascination continued watching Western movie icons like
James Arness, Clint Walker, Robert Conrad, Richard Boone and Chuck Connors. Films
like the James Bond series, Clint Eastwood’s Spaghetti Westerns, James Coburn’s Flint se-
ries and of course, Bruce Lee in the Green Hornet and later, Enter the Dragon.
Most of these individuals were not gifted or unusually talented. What they were ca-
pable of was hard work. Simply an appreciation of showing up, doing the job until it was
done and repeating as much as necessary. This blue collar work ethic produced champions
of rare quality. You may pound them into the ground one day, but they’d be back with a
vengeance the next. They simply didn’t give up, they showed up. They kept trying until.
This book is a guide based on my lifelong investigation into this thought process.
“What makes a hard man hard?” It’s about work, balance, sustainability, recovery and lon-
gevity. It’s not about peaking for sport, or being overly specific. That is another science. It’s
about threading a methodology into your lifestyle, that adds to, rather than detracts from,
your quality of life. Over time, not only the training, but the consistency and mentality
make you “hard” or “game”.
–Tom Furman
October 2016

chapter 1
What do hard men do to become hard men?
“Sometimes you’re gonna be the hammer and sometimes you’re gonna be the nail; and
the day it’s time for you to be the nail, take it like a man, take it like it’s your time. It’s
your turn to be on the other end of the stick, and just gotta take it... that’s it.”
– Renzo Gracie
A consistent theme in hardness is that there is both effectiveness
and longevity. The other theme is that the methodology has a base
in combat. There is a universal idea that if you are fit for fight, that
you are fit for life. Not only our historical fighters, but our male
icons seem to have a collective root in gymnastics and boxing in
the west, and similar beginnings, in the east. The life long routine
of getting and staying in shape did not begin in a health club, but
in a boxing gymnasium. The implements at hand were bags, stall
Jack Dempsey defeating
Jess Willard
bars, medicine balls, jump ropes, timers and a few resistance train-
ing tools. Even in eastern culture there were
open areas for shadow boxing, pads for
striking, ropes for jumping and a few tools, like chin up bars.
Fundamentally, hardness is gameness. The ability to move for-
ward despite how hopeless the situation is. What is the evidence?
Consistency in theme. Avoid extremes and find common ground.
Rather than get into an argument over specifics, the general meth-
ods overlap greatly. For example Bob Wall, who played O’Hara in
Enter the Dragon, noticed similarities in tools used by his fellow
champions Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis and Mike Stone.
Mike Stone works the
All skipped rope and ran. These are the same things all great box- heavy bag
ers did as well. This consistency is hard to ignore.
common themes
Work and rest.
No matter how many fanciful stories we have about training 24 hours a day, the hu-
man body needs rest. While fighters often led monk like existences, they not only slept
well (early to bed), they napped. Frequently after morning roadwork.
2 3
Singleness of purpose
Singleness does not mean, “to the exclusion of ”, it fundamentally relates to focus. Sim-
ply do the work. In an age where we need pre-workout stimulants to train, this process-
based thinking is foreign and needs to be re-taught. The necessity of combat in its life
or death mode, served as an emotional, empowering, goal. You didn’t count the days or
worry about, “how soon”. You simply did the work as if it were a job that was to be done
better every day.
Base fitness
There is NO magic. You can pretend to pull rabbits or circuit training or “chippers” out
of your hat, but it won’t make a real athlete. There is a priority to training and components.
Those are fundamental cardiovascular ability, mobility and strength. Avoiding or pretend-
ing that they don’t exist is not realistic. Everyone wants a shortcut. This is magical thinking.
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands
Because of environmental, sociological components, etc. there are differences in com-
bat and the training methods from region to region. One does not decide that one is right
or one is wrong. The methodology is task specific. The adaptation is unique. What we can
glean from this is the tools and practices that can optimize development with as much ef-
ficiency as possible.
Differences in needs
There is a difference in training for a specific event or task, versus training to improve,
maintain or sustain. The tools are similar and the paths are often parallel, but lifestyle has
to come into play. Not everyone can put off work, relationships and other lifestyle choices
to focus on one event.
Modernization, organization, balance, sustainability
While we often harken back to the old days, there was a natural selection. Brutal training
seemed very effective simply because those who could not sustain it, quit. The outliers lasted and
we base legends on their often, over the top training. The modern approach of understanding rest,
recovery and injury management is just common sense and adds to longevity and quality of life.
Flexibility in application.
One of the things about training is that it is not always under optimal conditions. To a
degree this causes the athlete to assume that better conditions, more expensive equipment
and some “ideal state” will magically change his lack of consistency, adherence or motivation.
Hardness that lasts.
When the training is broad-based, but
aligned with the work, there seems to be
some longevity. Aikido Master Morihei
Ueshiba translated his farm labor into his
Aikido and sword work. Jack Dempsey
used coal mining, fruit picking and general
labor into a training method for fighting.
It carried him into his 80’s and allowed
him to knock out two muggers in his 70’s.
Of course training should not only develop
qualities that are needed for athletic ex- Jack Dempsey, the Manassa Mauler
pression, but qualities that allow resistance
to injury, promote health and provide foundational fitness or what is referred to and Gen-
eral Preparation Phase, (GPP).
Work Capacity
The idea of work capacity is vague. I’m sure some textbook has a definition, but work
capacity is kind of like pornography. I can’t explain it, but I know it when I see it. Some
things to be aware of. It’s not unusual for a Thai boxer to start young and have 200 to 300
fights. Archie Moore had over 200 fights.Willie Pep had 241 fights. Jack Dempsey suppos-
edly had over 100 unauthorized fights including bare knuckle challenges, before stepping
in the prize fighting ring.
Dempsey said that between fights he would muck ore in the mines. Mucking ore is
shoveling rock into one ton carts and then pushing them to where they are hooked up and
towed out. You do this 10 hours per day. He said he enjoyed the work.
If you want to understand work capacity on even a deeper level consider what Sugar Ray
Robinson did after his loss to Jake LaMotta - “Incredibly, Robinson returned to the ring just
14 days after the loss to LaMotta, defeating “California” Jackie Wilson at Madison Square
Garden. A week later, buoyed by the record gate for their previous fight, Olympia hosted a
quickly-arranged LaMotta-Robinson rematch on February 26. This time it was Robinson
who took a ten-round unanimous decision. The next day, he enlisted in the army.”
Ladders
The Ladder is a technique to develop technique and build the capacity for volume.
Much of the viability of ladders was brought to my attention by strength coach, Steve
Shafley. It is a simple, “plug in” form of autoregulation. A great form of fatigue manage-
ment. Perfect for work capacity training. Ladders involve doing 1 rep, breaking, doing 2
more, with another break, then 3 and so on. Never go to failure. When it becomes an ef-
fort, start over at 1 rep. Slowly reduce the top set as fatigue occurs.
Reverse Ladders
The reverse ladder is just a descending pyramid format. Doing 5-4-3-2-1 instead of
increasing. For some people this may be more amenable to their frame of mind.
Time
Time is a variable in training. For strength, adequate recovery between sets is very
important. We have all heard of powerlifting legend Ed Coan, reading the newspaper
between sets. However, condensing time can be a form of progression. It is a way to adjust
your ability to recover and do it again. Of course one should never rush between drills,
but being able to recover between bouts of high effort are part of the hardness formula.
Supersets
Alternating muscle groups with strength exercise is not the only technique or neces-
sarily effective for every application. For Combat Rok, it builds work capacity and creates
some systemic as well as localized stimulus. This study give some clarity, but is certainly
not the last word.
Kelleher AR1, Hackney KJ, Fairchild TJ, Keslacy S, Ploutz-Snyder LL.
An acute bout of traditional resistance training (TRAD) increases energy expenditure
(EE) both during exercise and in the postexercise period. Reciprocal supersets (SUPERs) are a
method of resistance training that alternates multiple sets of high-intensity agonist-antagonist
muscle groups with limited recovery. The purpose of this study was to compare the energy cost
of SUPERs and TRAD both during and in the postexercise period. We hypothesized that SU-
PERs would produce greater exercise EE relative to the duration of exercise time and greater
excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) than TRAD of matched work. Ten recreation-
ally active, young men each participated in 2 exercise protocols: SUPER, followed 1 week later
by TRAD matched within using a 10-repetition maximum load for 6 exercises, 4 sets, and rep-
etitions. Participants were measured for oxygen consumption and blood lactate concentration
during exercise and 60 minutes postexercise after each exercise bout. No significant differences
were observed in aerobic exercise EE between trials (SUPER 1,009.99 +/- 71.42 kJ; TRAD 954.49
+/- 83.31 kJ); however, when expressed relative to time, the exercise EE was significantly greater
during SUPER (34.70 +/- 2.97 kJ.min) than TRAD (26.28 +/- 2.43 kJ.min). Excess postexercise
oxygen consumption was significantly greater after SUPER (79.36 +/- 7.49 kJ) over TRAD (59.67
+/- 8.37 kJ). Average blood lactate measures were significantly greater during SUPER (5.1 +/- 0.9
mmol.L) than during TRAD (3.8 +/- 0.6 mmol.L). Reciprocal supersets produced greater exer-
cise kJ.min, blood lactate, and EPOC than did TRAD. Incorporating this method of resistance
exercise may benefit exercisers attempting to increase EE and have a fixed exercise volume with
limited exercise time available.
One word here about EPOC. (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). Don’t dwell
on it. You will ALWAYS burn more calories during the workout versus some magical time
period afterwards. Most people can’t train that hard,.. especially the people who are look-
5
ing for rainbows and unicorns, (obese ones). The best explanation of this is from Lyle Mc-
Donald’s page. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/a-45-minute-vigorous-
exercise-bout-increases-metabolic-rate-for-14-hours-research-review.html/
Needless to say, with variables it’s easy to develop and manage work capacity or stami-
na. The ability to do repeated efforts and maintain the quality of execution.
Some of the Drills
“You know a thousand moves, and you suck at every one.”
– Carlson Gracie
The Push Up
While in weight training the bench press is considered the king of upper body ex-
ercise. In calisthenics or “bodywork”, the pushup is the king. Not only does it build the
chest, shoulders, tricep and supportive
muscles, but it’s a plank as well. A dynamic
one at that. While everyone knows how to
do pushups, they are not applied correctly
or balanced with other drills. They are also
not progressive. Doing 10 pushups a day
will make you good at doing 10 pushups a
day. Historically, this is a magical exercise
for development often done between milk
crates by actors like Charles Bronson, Clint
Walker and Mike Henry. Boxer George Chuvalo started at 4 push ups and built up to over
400. Mike Hercules Weaver often did 500 a day.
The Ab Work/Power Transfer
One consistent theme in martial arts is increasing striking power. One of the best analogies
was from Grandmaster Ed Parker of American Kenpo. He used the example of zones.
His three zones were, the height zone, width zone and depth zone. When you alter
any of these, you transmit power. You are essentially changing stance or posture. Guru
Cliff Stewart of LA Silat says that the purpose of stances and stance change is to transmit
energy. It all starts to add up. Let me give some examples of Mr. Parker’s theory.
Height Zone. This is lowering your body or deepening your stance suddenly. Boxers
would call it, “sinking into punches”. Ed Parker called it, “Gravitational Marriage”.
6
Width Zone. When you twist at the waist, hip and shoulders, you are going from wide to nar-
row from a frontal view. Like the hook or cross in boxing and the round kick in Muay Thai.
Depth Zone. Essentially moving forward by stepping or jumping, called stepping into a jab.
Now, by adding any of these methods together, we can multiply the effects of our strikes.
Examples, you ask?
Jack Dempsey’s Drop Step. He was moving forward (depth) and dropping (height).
Joe Frazier’s Left Hook. He was twisting (width) and dropping (height)
Double Hip Action Reverse Punch. Using the lead leg as the axis, twisting and stepping
forward. (width + depth).
What about all three? Sure. Superman Punch or Flying Down Elbow in Muay Thai.
My focus here will be on the width zone and rotational movement. In a backyard les-
son years ago, my Guru, Harold Koning mentioned two circles of movement in Silat for
striking. The first was simply the torso rotating with the hips locked. This is minimal but
necessary. It can become bound by muscle tightness, so it needs to be utilized but not
abused. Too much shearing force on the spine will occur. The second circle was shift-
ing the weight side to side with the legs. I was taught at that time to limit lifting the heel
so as to disguise the movement. Part of the Silat I was taught, involved deception as part
of fighting and survival. There is really a third ring,.. it’s utilizing the hip muscles to the
maximum to rotate the body. Turning in Silat is called puter. The spiral motion is called
gelek. A gelek is a foundational motion to move off line from a center attack, like knife to
the torso, or gun to the head. In Chinese martial arts this motion is called a Dragon Twist.
I asked Guru Harold if this practice altered his boxing strikes, (Harold started boxing in
1950) and he said, Immensely. Remember too, Harold’s Silat Guru was George DeGroot,
who was also a boxer. (Just a note, Harold Koning is also a Black Belt in Dutch Kenpo and
extended his ring and street conflict career into his 60’s)
Now let’s apply this concept to the good ol’ left hook. If you have watched Bas Rutten’s
videos or Youtube clips, he has a unique left hook. He doesn’t turn his lead leg into the
strike. His power is derived exclusively from the waist twist and his base. I cannot dupli-
cate this, but his effectiveness in the ring, cage and street cannot be questioned.
Years ago I saw Jean Yves Theriault throw a hook while shadowboxing in the ring
before a championship fight. He drove strongly with his lead leg to twist his body into the
punch. Once again his power was legendary.
Lastly, at a Richard Bustillo workshop, Guru had everyone line up, keep their lead arm
horizontal, palm supinated and practicing their hook by collapsing the rear leg suddenly. The Pull Up
The hook didn’t rely solely on muscle strength, but on body weight and gravity. (remem- The pull up is both a drill and a test of relative
ber Gravitational Marriage?) strength. You may appear big and strong, but your
You may ask, “Which is best?” or “Who is right?” My answer is why moralize or exclude? ability to manipulate your own bodyweight is in
They are all right, based on evidence. (putting people to sleep). We need to recognize that question. With pull ups it is said that there are two
the world of combat is rich in wonderful information that was hard won and sometimes reasons you can’t do them. Too weak or too fat. This
a matter of life or death. Utilizing such resources only allow us to develop a good set of is a serious gut check and needs to be addressed. The
basics that can be arranged in different ways to produce an outcome greater than the sum pull up is simple drill as well and one Rocky Marciano
of its parts. of the best upper body exercises. It’s
In my personal experience, the hardest hitters I met were Cliff Stewart and the late a primary builder of the lats. The lats
Rich Alford of Florida. Both big men at 250+. Both had Kenpo backgrounds and boxing connect the shoulders to the hips.
experience. I’ve witnessed both using a lead drop step, great initial speed (moving hand When power is transferred from
before foot) and extreme rotation with follow through. In both cases I seriously believe the ground to punch, the lats are a
that a punch to the head would cause death. However, size and weight can add a consid- huge variable in that formula. Rocky
erable advantage. Ed Parker called this Back Up Mass. Marciano, Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis
What about someone much lighter? Well, there is Jack Dempsey at about 185 pounds. all had well developed lats and put
Still too heavy? Back in the 70’s there was fighter named Mike Warren. He rarely com- people to sleep.
peted outside of strict Korean tournaments, but when he did, he scored victories over
world champions. While he was known
for his kicks, his punching power was Joe Lewis Bruce Lee
to be reckoned with. He was quoted as
saying, “you just have to get your hips
into it”. However, looking deeper, his in-
structor Ki Whang Kim produced many Wood Chopping
powerful punchers. Al Cheeks, George There is no doubt about the historical evidence of western
Thanos and Mitch Bobrow. What was boxers for wood chopping for punching power. While all
Grandmaster Kim’s background? He was forms of manual labor were used, wood chopping is a con-
known for Tae Kwon Do, but his black sistent theme. The hardest punchers like Earnie Shavers,
belt was in Judo. He also had experience George Foreman, Archie Moore and Jack Dempsey, were
in the older Korean and Chinese arts. avid tree choppers. One older trainer, upon viewing more
His instructor was Kanken Toyama, the modern training for rotational strength, did not discount
Power puncher Mike Warren
founder of Shudokan Karate. This system the innovation. He thought it was great considering the old
is known for its punching power. Hence, style wood chopping could result in the loss of a foot from a
the foundation for applying the three rings of rotation was in the lineage. mistake. Wood chopping is replaced with specialized Power
So with the discussion of theory and technique along with history, we still need a Transfer drills.
Muhammed Ali chopping wood
training method. A systematic approach that will take the components of rotation and
fortify them with strength, endurance, range and durability. Techniques need to be prac-
ticed fresh and frequently. Conditioning must not mimic, but break down, fundamental
motions and increase their attributes. This is the training of Power Transfer.

8 9
 Running
Roadwork worked then, and it works now. While every decade
there are flamboyant side trips down various rabbit holes including
circuit training, chippers or high intensity interval training, the base
of the pyramid of conditioning is sustained aerobic work. Of course,
within this category is walking for recovery, which was absolutely
part of most fighter’s regimens.
Rope Skipping
Actor & Karate cham- Rope skipping is a foundation tool
pion Dolph Lundgren for aerobic conditioning, localized mus-
understands the impor- cular conditioning and long term adap-
tance of running
tation of the body. It also helps manage
the power to weight ratio. If you gain
too much weight, being efficient is difficult. The connec-
tion to western boxing is historic. In Thailand, the boxers
are introduced to the jumprope at a young age. This allows
adaptation over years, of the feet, calves, toes, ankles, knees
and hips. The connective tissue responds but that adaptation
takes time. I’m told at certain camps the ropes are heavier.
This can affect the shoulder, wrists and cardiovascular load.
Shadow-Bag-Mitt work
Practicing fighting in the air is called shadow boxing. It is Actor Marlon Brando skipping
a staple of fighters around the earth. The next or heavy level rope in training for his role in, “On
the Waterfront”.
is heavy bag. The speedbag is an endurance tool to train the
fighter to move quickly and keep his arms up. The focus mitts and thai pads are tools to
train the fighter against a moving target. “When
I trained with Bruce Lee, he called bag and pad
work, impact resistance, meaning more than hit-
ting something solid, it strengthened the muscles
by forcing them to fire hard during impact.”
recalls student and legendary instructor Richard
Bustillo. This type of training is centuries old
and precedes any notion of “core work”. It’s the
pattern of keeping what works and tossing out
what doesn’t. The part of training is optional.
Van Williams (The Green Hornet) holds the heavy
bag for Robert Conrad (James West)
Sustained Holds.
Before there were barbell squats, there were stances.
I’m not going to argue with antiquity, but it was a sus-
tained hold in a leverage disadvantaged position. Time
under tension. The teachers used it as a test to see if you
were willing to endure something boring and hard. It
also built alignment and low basin power. Think of it as
a sustained, pause squat. When the hips, knees, ankles
and torso are aligned, you become more efficient. The
idea like any drill is to start with short hold times and
rotate through the moves efficiently. Gradually, by 5
second intervals, the hold times are increased. Not only
is this method developmental, it is diagnostic. There are
weaknesses, misalignments and lack of symmetry. British Commando and Shaolin Temple
trainee, David Mohegan practices the Horse
Stance
What is Combat Rok, in a Nutshell?
1. Sustainable. You need very little gear. You adjust the volume/length of the workouts
easily. Within the prescription there is flexibility due to age, injury and priorities.
2. Work Capacity. The workouts will make you stronger, leaner (based on diet) and
increase, to a degree, the size of your muscles. However the priority is work capacity, mobil-
ity, resistance to injury and hardness. What is hardness? Dealing with the uncomfortable. It’s
strongly aligned with gameness or the ability to move forward despite overwhelming odds.
3. Resistance optional. The program is noticeably free of standard weightlifting or
bodybuilding. However it is easily augmented with added resistance. The images and his-
tory of fighters indicates that lifting rocks, using barbells and dumbbells, always existed. It
was not prioritized until Michael Spinks’ interaction with Mackie Shilstone, and Evander
Holyfield’s time with trainer Tim Hallmark. This could be because of dogma or that train-
ing to go 15 rounds was more a feat of endurance and work capacity than training for a
one rep max.
4. Flexible. The gear required is very little. To expand the workouts, any heavy bag
or focus mitts can be found on your local Craig’s List. Jump Ropes are cheap. Running
is cheap. Realize that boxing gyms and Thai boxing gyms exist in the poorest neighbor-
hoods. There is a litmus test. Why have these forms of combat infiltrated the rougher areas
of town for decades? Why not some more spiritual or exotic blend?
11
 5. Appearance based on performance. The fighter or icon physique is a product of
consistent, persistent, work. Often done in unglamorous circumstances from movie sets to
boxing gyms to Thai Boxing camps. Function dictated design. You did the work and ar-
rived at an outcome. This is a mindset that gets the job done and instills a work ethic and
habit design that carries you for life.
6. Variation In Workload. Not everyone has a stellar life with no interruptions, illness,
overtime, travel or fatigue. The ability to adapt workload to life conditions is called sanity.
Historically, I have found two excellent references for this.
First was a former PKA Champion, Bob Ryan. He trained in martial arts under George
Pesare. However his pre-fight training was often in Kansas City with martial arts legend,
Roger Carpenter. He mentioned always staying in shape, but they used a point system.
A push up was a point. Same with a sit up, pull up or squat. A round on the bag or
in the ring was allotted so many points, as was a mile run. Training camp started with a
designated level of points based on the fighter’s conditioning. Then the load was increased
and finally tapered towards the fight. In between fights, after recovery, a minimal level of
points were required to maintain fighting trim and to work on refinements, improvements
or weak points.
The second reference was actor Ben Murphy. He
was late to the world of physical conditioning, since
he focused on his acting career. He also came up with
a point system. He included sets of tennis, running,
swimming, calisthenics, weights. When he was off
work, the volume went up. When he worked, he main-
tained with a very strict minimalist schedule. Then he
kept an average per decade of his life. He would trim
a bit every decade to accommodate age or life distrac-
tion, travel, family. This formula is very flexible and
adaptable.
What defines Combat Rok is largely a portable ex-
Actor Ben Murphy
pression of training for endurance, strength and move-
ment. One of the foundations is work capacity and
toughness through progressive, smart training and not abusive ritualized practice.
12
The Rules of Combat Rok.
1. The foundation of foundations is long slow duration aerobic training. In less than op-
timal conditions, running can be switched out with biking, aerobic machines, but most
certainly the jump rope. This builds over a long period of time, endurance, recovery and
connective tissue.
2. The use of static holds is a cornerstone of building the base of the structure. It teaches
alignment, strength, endurance, resistance to fatigue, and the capacity to ignore pain. In
the scope of this manual, the more boring aspects will be weaved into a more dynamic
structure.
3. Supersets and Pyramids are embraced as a method to stress the system as well as the
movement. Several variations and styles to apply these. They can be scaled for the begin-
ner and also made challenging enough for the elite.
4. Hip connection, from leg to hip and from torso to hip. If there is a connection between
east and west, it’s the importance of power transference. These areas get the attention they
deserve. These are game changers.
5. Optional impact work is part of the formula. If you are not a combatant, you can
choose not to include it. If you are, it’s another portal that allows for work capacity and
physical development.
6. The primary method of application will be the Isaac Hayes Template. Other variables
are certainly applicable. Variations within the Isaac Hayes Template, allow for more fre-
quency without overtraining.
13

chapter 2
upper body drills
Upper Body Drills are based on the simple, but effective, push-pull superset of pushup
and pull up. These are done with ladders. The drills are alternated (superset). There is a
gradient from hardest to least difficult. With these variables you have the option of–
The Pull ups are similar in nature. Realize of course, there are muscle groups involved in
both pushes and pulls that crossover. As long as you are aware it’s fine. When you do athlet-
ic activities the body doesn’t neatly compartmentalize action and effort to give you optimal
rest and recovery. You will adapt during these drills by “allowing” instead of forcing.
Here are the gradients for pull ups:

1. Picking two drills and simply working the ladder method until your work is done.

2. Maintaining a particular ladder/rep scheme, say 1-2-3-4-5 and making the drills
easier as you lose good form.

3. A combination of the two. The idea is to never work to failure of, either your condi-
• Weighted
tioning or form. Some will be hindered by the pace. Others will be hindered by localized
• Towel (or band)
muscular discomfort. It’s important to take notes as to what part failed, then be cognizant
• Pronated
during the next workout, so you focus on your weaknesses.
• Neutral grip
To that degree, we should be aware that each workout is like a dosage of food or drug.
• Supinated
It has a specific effect. Acquiring the right dosage for that day is both an art and a science.
Again, scaling can be done by inclining the body and using a suspension training de-
Pushups: from most difficult
vice. There is no reason to RACE between exercises. Catch your breath and do the work.
to least difficult is below. Your
This is not some exotic series of backflips, Zercher lifts and tire changing with a cute name
opinion may vary. Don’t dwell
attached. This is pushing and pulling. Your conditioning or work capacity will build over
on individual differences if you
weeks, months and years.
observe the overall theme.
The question may also be, How much is enough? That would depend, do your life and
goals need a minimal effective dose or an optimal one?
• Weighted
Realize the two drills that use the most muscle would be Atlas pushups and supinated
• Fingertip
pull ups. That means they are the easiest ones to load or augment with added weight for
• Knuckles
maximum strength and hypertrophy. If grip is an issue, then focusing on fingertip push
• Atlas
ups and towel pull ups would be your best bet. Finally, if well rounded development and
• Palm
training for life is your goal, be sure to exploit all styles and implement them in your pyra-
• Realize that ALL pushup
mid supersets.
styles can be scaled by -

1. Inclining
2. Declining
3. Adding weight

These can be also be done with a

wall, tree or suspension device.
15

chapter 3
lower body drills
There are two lower body moves for full range, progressive, strength and lower body
work capacity. These drills are NOT the equivalent of barbell squatting so we can avoid that
argument right away. They are done either with bodyweight initially, then augmented with
either an added hand held weight, or a weighted vest.
Due to the range of motion employed, they will be quite severe when first attempted.
However with repetition, this range of motion will become normal rather than exaggerated.
The drills will be done separately as to deal with managing a skill and practicing. They will
be performed as a pyramid. This allows freshness, practice and volume. Whichever you
choose first or second, does not matter. In fact if time is factor, you may alternate workouts
with the two exercises in A and B fashion.
The Thai Squat is a movement that includes a squat on the toes,
a lunge, and a frontal thigh stretch. It has to be done slowly since
there is an element of balance used. As explained before, initially it
will be quite taxing unweighted. However over time, adding a weight vest will be on the radar.
This variation with my refinements, is a powerful conditioner of knees, hips, feet and calves.
Begin the drill with the feet apart at about 45 degrees. Some will like the heels close
and others will have them apart. This depends on your structure. One size does not fit all.
Keep a very upright posture and begin with knees tracking the toes at 45 degrees. This is
like a hack squat with a free weight. Pause in the bottom position and slowly lower your
knees to the floor gently. A padded surface is recommended. Now with either leg, step for-
ward in a lunge. Follow the angle of the leg. While holding a lunge, keep the hips neutral.
That means not to exaggerate the arching of the lower back. Keep the abdominals tight.
You want to feel the glute of the stretched or rear leg contract. Here comes the hard part.
Flex your lower leg three times like doing a single leg curl. I picked “3”, arbitrarily
by the way. Smoothly move back to knees and toes on the floor. Repeat the lunge, hold
and lower leg, then flex with the opposite side. Return to knees and toes on floor position.
Rock back to the bottom of the, “squat on toes”, and rise slowly. That is ONE repetition.
In the beginning, this movement will be awkward and even hard to remember. Give
it time. It’s a sequential series of movements that strengthen and stretch major muscle
groups. By the time you are working this into a ladder superset with added resistance in
the form of a weighted vest, you will see considerable development of muscles and dy-
namic range of motion.
The Indonesian Squat is a drill in lateral motion. There is an “A” version and “B”
version. The A version is a nearly lateral back step and elevation drop. This movement can
be done with a twist or literally to a seated posture on the ground. It’s found in Southeast
Asian martial arts and Chinese martial arts. Probably others as well. It has a profound
effect on leg and hip strength. It’s also nicely rhythmatic. The effort is shifted from left to
right and back. In the beginning, there will be some adjustment as to placement of feet
and depth. Eventually as strength, range of motion and work capacity increase, the exer-
cise will be smoother.
As per the B version, this is where the fun begins. It’s
possible to load this drill by holding a weight close to the
chest or even wearing a weighted vest. Another way is to hold
a kettlebell. In fact one can clean the kettlebell, do the Indo
squat, transfer-swing the kettlebell to the other hand, clean it
again and do the Indo squat on the other side. That is a whole
lot of work and covers a LOT of real estate in terms of muscle
groups. When paired with the Thai squat it’s quite an effec-
tive workout. If this is your choice after an ample learning and
break in period, you are including a massive amount of high
quality work for the lower body to include hinging for the low
back and even a vertical pull during the clean.
I’d strongly suggest doing the ladders in a 1-2-3-4-5 pat-
tern, then reducing as you become unstable doing 5 reps.
Take a break before moving to the next drill. Others will like a
reverse ladder format starting at the higher number. This difference is individual.
An important feature of these drills is the range of motion they develop. They are
not bizarre, contortion-like methods. They simply exploit a bit more range of motion than
average. However, according to at least one study, strength training with multiple sets
increase flexibility, even without stretching. (2011-10-04 Influence of the Number of Sets at
a Strength Training in the Flexibility Gains,Journal of Human Kinetics. Volume 29A, Issue
Special Issue, Pages 47–52,). So while the nature of the drills precludes maximum overload,
there are benefits other than limit strength involved.
17

chapter 4
sustained holds
Sustained holds are not isometrics. They have a value,
and a place, but are not magic. Those who want to sell you
smoke and mirrors, will try to convince you that being stron-
ger in some weak range of motion will somehow make you
stronger in comparison to a guy who has outstanding power
lifts. This is not so. What they can do is add strength to a
deeper range of motion and allow you to align and organize
your weaknesses.
For the upper body, we have a simple pull and push. Master Bucksam Kong in a “Cat”
The low position of the push up and the bottom position of a stance
supinated pull up. These are not hangs or simply sagging in
a position. These are organized process to become comfortable, strong, stable and able in
these positions.
For the lower body we will have stances drawn from Asian martial arts. The original
stories were that you were put into a horse riding stance and incense was burned. You had
to hold it until the incense burned out. Thirty minutes to an hour. This was a qualifying
tool to get training. You had to have patience and deal with discomfort. Low stance work
teaches a high level of alignment. It also strengthens that which is weak and develops flex-
ibility in that which is tight. As you mature into the stances, they get lower, and the muscle
along with connective tissue develop. This is a slow process. To facilitate the modern
attention deficit issues with trainees, I’d suggest cycling through these drills with a clock.
Slowly adding 5 seconds to each position over time. You will find the conditioning from
this type training is unique. It has to be felt.
Sustained holds can be done on your strength days or on your medium/mobility
days according to variations in your Isaac Hayes Template.
Drill One. Push Up Hold. This is fundamentally a plank in the bottom of a push up
position. The hands and feet should be elevated on blocks to increase the range of motion.
The body must maintain a “super-stiffness”. The upper arms are around 45 degrees from
the torso. This is individual but flaring
them out is not good.
In the bottom position slowly
let the shoulder blades move towards
one another and squeeze. This may take
days, weeks or months. Everyone’s range
of possible motion is different. The first
attempts should be about 15 to 30 seconds. Realize that every exercise is a skill. You need
to get more skillful at the exercise through practice. That means lots of attempts of short
duration in the beginning before increasing the length of the holds. Over time, holds of 3
minutes are possible. I’ve heard of longer times, but I think three minutes will cover a lot
of ground. If you think you need more, you can repeat the effort.
Drill Two. Pull Up Hold. At the bottom of a pull up with a supinated
grip you will begin the first inch or two of the pull up motion. This is
NOT primarily by bicep action, but by shoulder blades moving down and
back through firing the latissimus and other upper back muscles. Your
upper arms will flex a bit and bend at the elbow. This exercise will also
tax the grip. The time element will vary greatly due to bodyweight. Also
high levels of limit strength might not match up will in skills that require
relative strength. Again, start with 15 to 30 second holds. (The option of
alternating the upper body pull and push is also available.)
Drill Three. Horse Stance. The horse stance is the grand-
daddy of all sustained holds. When done properly and progres-
sively it will strengthen the lower body rather effectively. It is
basically a paused squat with no weight. The stance is wider to
facilitate development of the adductor group. This makes hip
flexibility easier to attain and maintain. It also aids in the align-
ment of the hips, knees and feet. By its very nature you have to
be maximally efficient to adapt. The load and stress has to be
distributed evenly. At first this exercise will be torture. It’s best
not to go, “old school”, on this one, but to ease into it with 15
second holds, cycling with the other positions. Always end the
session by shaking out your limbs and doing some light stretch-
ing. You will find your legs oddly flexible after this exercise.
Drill Four. Front Stance. The front stance is taken, obviously,
from martial arts. It’s a training method and not a fluid technique.
It teaches, beyond strength, alignment and natural increase in the
dynamic range of motion in the hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes and
strength of the quads. In this case the front stance is modified to fire
more muscles and have more direct application to movement. It is es-
sentially the bottom position of the lunge.
19
 Drill Five. Twist or Dragon Stance. This is similar to the bottom posi-
tion of the Indonesian Squat. This has a huge effect on hip muscles and
range of motion. You will find that the Indo Squat supports this drill and
vice versa. In fact, getting off the ground in this cross legged position is
strongly aligned with maintaining youth.
Drill Six. Hanging Horse or Crane Stance. This is a
one legged stance that taxes alignment, hip flexors and
overall stability. Balance is specific to activity, but bal-
ancing on one leg is another marker for aging as well
as foot and ankle strength.
Lower body drills 3, 4, 5, 6 are to be cycled. Hold each posi-
tion, (left and right) for 15 seconds and move onto the next drill.
Cycle through once. Like any new skill there will be a learning curve.
There will also be adaptation to range of motion and strength to main-
tain a static hold. Give it time. This is not an overnight or one week
thing. Move from 15 to 20 to 25 seconds. Eventually a minute in each position, and cycle
through three or more times. You can use this as a finisher to your strength workout or
separately on day 2 of the Isaac Hayes Template.
Realize that cycling through the holds, (lower body) or alternating them, (upper
body), is nothing new. My writing here is influenced by one of my early instructors. Hold-
ing one stance forever can kill enthusiasm. So doing them, but making it interesting, is a
good idea.
Lastly, this area of training is strongly influ-
enced by an article I read in a martial arts maga-
zine years ago, by a heavyweight point fighter
named, Shon Adams. He was a Bill Owens student
and later moved into rap music (E A Ski). Much
of his training consisted of intensive lower body
drills that included stance work, kicking from low
positions, slow motion kicking, pistols, lunges,
etc. He felt no need to stretch after this training,
proclaiming that, “you will already BE stretched”,
when doing these properly.
E A Ski aka Shon Adams training impact
resistance
20
chapter 5
fold and hinge
Fold and Hinge are two major movements at the hip.
There are others, rotation, abduction, adduction, etc, but for
now let’s focus on these. Hinging is a major, major, component
of movement. Picking things off the ground is very common and
being strong and skillful in this action improves function and
avoids injury. The opposite action is folding. Bringing the knees
up to the chest. This is flexion. With changes in exercise trends
and with modern seated posture, this movement gets weak.
With aging, the action of tripping or sliding one’s feet is not un-
common. This is not only due to overall weakness, but localized
weakness in the folding action of the body.
In particular, I think there is this fallacy that avoiding
Thai boxer Buakaw folds at working the hip flexors is a good thing. I remember some obscure
the hip
fitness competition in the 80’s. It required the figure/fitness com-
petitors to run an obstacle course. This was long before mud races were so popular. After
the competition, the very buff competitors mentioned fatigue and muscle soreness in their
hip flexors. Years of crunch type abdominal drills had left their hip flexors both weak and
lacking localized endurance.
While stretching both the hip extensors and hip flexors can allow for more relaxed
movement, actually practicing strengthening movements will do much more. Some call
this active flexibility and others call it D’ROM, or dynamic range of motion. My choice with
respect to minimalism and relative to combat is bridging and hanging raises. Done with
specific sequencing and style. If an overhead bar for hanging is not available, I’ll include
some variations of mountain climbers that will fill in the gaps.
The bridging is common to wrestling and Jiu Jitsu. It will not be done from the head
as a neck development tool in this case. Get on the floor and bring the heels towards the
butt. I scratch the outside of my heels with my fingers to determine the correct position.
I’d suggest doing this on a soft surface.
Bridge One. Place a band around the lower thighs. This
should be a jump stretch band, but if all you have is a belt, it can
suffice. The drill here, with the feet about shoulder width apart is
to push outward on the band and elevate the hips. Movement is to
come from the hips, not the low back. Pause for a second at the top.
21
Lower to a point of just barely touching the ground and repeat. Once again I’d suggest
higher reps to get the practice ingrained. At the top of the motion you should feel some
stretching in the hip flexors as well.
Bridge Two. This is the first of the one legged bridges. Spe-
cial emphasis is to keep the hips level and not tilt. One side may
feel weak. Just focus a bit more and eventually there will be less
difference in your two sides.
In this bridge you will be lifting one flexed leg onto your
chest as you bridge. It’s similar to performing a knee strike but not
done with force or acceleration. It’s simply to accommodate the
muscles around the hips. One side is extending. One side is flex-
ing. Repeating this for sets over days, weeks, months and years, allows for freedom of mo-
tion without warming up. When you do one rep with the left leg, lower and repeat with the
right. Hold the top position for a count and make the flexed/extended positions stronger.
Bridge Three. The second of the one legged bridges is a
front kick or extended leg. This makes the drill more difficult. It
is also an active flexibility task with extending the leg. At first for
many it will be tough, but as time goes on, the nervous system
adapts and fuller movement is possible. Also by extending the leg
you reduce stability and require more stabilization of the torso
and hips. The same methodology is in place here. Hold the ex-
tended position for a count. Lower to the ground and repeat with
the opposite side.
With all the of the bridging, use a slow cadence. It’s about
building stability and an adequate rage of motion. I’d suggest 12 to
15 repetitions. With single leg exercises that is 12-15 reps per side.
The opposite of the bridge is the knee or leg raise drill. This will be a bit tougher so
start with 5 reps and slowly, slowly, build to 12-15. You will need an overhead bar to hang
from. I’ll give a substitute or alternative drill in case this is not available.
Fold One. This is the most basic. It helps generate strong hip flexors and abdomi-
nals. You will need a soccer ball, light medicine ball or even a pair of sneakers, or a towel.
You must place this between your knees before the exercise. To hold it in place, strongly
adduct your thighs, squeezing them together. This will fire up the adductors, and to a de-
gree the hip flexors and abdominals. It will also relax the glutes and abductors. These can
become tight with age, certain overuse patterns and even weight gain.
22
Hanging from the bar, pull your knees up, squeezing them
together, as far as close to your chest as possible. DO NOT use mo-
mentum. If this only raises your thighs parallel to the ground, so be
it. This range of motion will increase over time. Just allow it to hap-
pen, don’t force it. Practice it.
The squeezing action will actually energize the process. Just
more muscles firing.
Fold Two. Very similar to Bridge Two. You
will be hanging from the overhead bar and
pulling alternate knees to your chest. The un-
seen detail here is that the non working leg is
actually working by contracting the glute. You
are in essence scissoring your thighs apart.
One leg is being held back and one knee is being pulled toward the
chest. This may again, be difficult at first but don’t sweat the small
stuff. It will increase over time. 12 to 15 repetitions means per side,
not total.
Fold Three. Instead of raising a
knee, the leg is extended in a front kick
fashion. The same opening the scissors
action is required. The non working leg is working by firing
up the butt. With this and the other drills, hold the top posi-
tion for a count and do not use momentum. These drills build
strength and active flexibility.
Without an overhead bar to do these, you can still get
similar and different stimulation in the hips by doing some
more advanced plank variables.
Plank One. This is similar to a Mountain Climber ex-
ercise. However this is not how fast or long you can do the
movement. Get in the top of a push up position. Tip the pel-
vis by shortening the distance between your pubic bone and
sternum. Your body should form a straight line without your
butt poking in the air. Alternately pull one knee to the chest,
then the other. This is not about speed. This is about remaining
stable and improving movement.
23
 Plank Two. From the same starting position. Raise one
leg off the ground and circle it outward abducting, externally chapter 6
rotating and flexing the thigh. You will attempt to touch the
outside of the upper arm. Some call this drill the Spiderman.
power transfer
Repeat this on the other side after smoothly replacing your
The ability to transfer power from the legs to
leg to the ground.
the arms for punching or elbowing is based on ef-
fectively utilizing the torso to move from mobility to
Plank Three. Again from the top of the push up posi-
tension. Laxity in the chain will leak power. The previ-
tion. Raise a leg and move the knee across the body towards
ous method to train this in western fighters was both
the opposite elbow or triceps area. Pause and hold. Low-
bagwork and wood chopping. However with the lack
er and repeat with the opposite leg.
of a forest and axe, I have decided to utilize bands for
All of these drills can be substituted for the hanging
drills that focus on this transference. You are not mim-
ones. Also for variety if you feel the need.
icking skills with added resistance. You are practicing
The organization of the bridging and folding is to
hip twisting and creating strength in the torso.
alternate them. This is a superset. In this case, since they Steve McQueen transfers power
are fairly high repetition exercise, there is no need to do
By all means, realize that the upper body twisting at the
a ladder. By working the opposing muscle groups in this
waist with an absence of hip motion is a very small move-
fashion, you save time and possibly increase the range of
ment. Old drills like seated twists with a broomstick were
motion, localized muscular endurance and resistance to
often encouraged. This means what little resistance occurs is
injury. I think 12 to 15 repetitions is a good range. Of course your results may vary.
moving across gravity and the acceleration of the movement
As to which exercise to do when, the move from easiest to hardest. I’d focus on mas-
was often used by the practitioner as a means of cracking the
tering each drill. When each of the three methods of fold and hinge/bridge are mastered,
back. This is not only worthless, but potentially damaging.
start with the hardest and let fatigue be the guide. When you begin to fatigue, move to an
The use of cables is quite old. Photos of Jack Dempsey
easier drill.
using them long before mobility experts started touting the
You can start at THREE supersets and build
Pallof Press and assorting wood chopping motions as the next
up to as much as TEN.
form of magic manna.
In the Isaac Hayes Template, this workout
Jack Palance utilizes torso muscles Many cable motions were used by American Combat Ka-
occurs with the power transfer drill. The warm
rate founder, Richie Barathy as well, when he trained profes-
down or completion is doing activate stretching.
sional boxers and NFL stars.

Benny the Jet runs into a little, bad, Thai

Jack Dempsey training with cables Van Williams and Robert Conrad doing cable
24 work for power transfer 25
 The band motions The last motion is a finisher. It ensures that the athlete can hinge and solidly use
offered here deal with their posterior chain for power. This exercise is quite efficient. It’s similar to a kettlebell
power from feet to fist. swing, but done in a grinding rather than explosive action. The contracted position can
They involve focusing be held for a count as well to isolate the glutes. This also has the action of allowing a nice
on hip and torso action range of motion in the hip joint and actually stretching the hip flexors a bit. Remember to
while pushing through allow for adequate stretch at the bottom of the motion, which occurs without flexion of
two linear motions and the lower back. Also keep the arms locked, shoulders packed and maintain good posture.
two hooking motions. The action is at the hip joint, not in bending over and rounding the back to tie your shoe.
The finisher for these These movements, aside from
power transfer drills is the finisher, can be done in no par-
a cable pull through. ticular order. What is important, is
It isolates hip hinging that you feel the mechanics of the
action and allows for a action in your torso and hips. I’d
great range of motion with minimal equipment. suggest alternating left and right
There are two linear motions. Essentially a striking action with the lead arm. Then a sides. You may alternate hooking
striking action with the rear arm. You could say a Jab/Cross action. During linear strikes, motions with the linear ones. For
the fist travels a longer distance and the hips travel a shorter distance. The focus has to be repetitions, I’d suggest going 15 to
on hip action and an overall awareness of power leakage. You need to be aware of weak 20. The range of motion is short and
links and this method is quite efficient at doing that. The abdominal wall, latissimus and this allows for both time under ten-
lower back will be profoundly contracted. As repetitions increase, the fatigue will be no- sion and a certain amount of local-
ticeable. Remember to sit into the motion by lowering your stance. ized endurance.
The hooking motions are the standard lead hook and liver shot at 45 degrees. In With all motions, I like a 1-2
the case of hooking strikes, the hand travels a short distance and the hips travel a longer second positive, and a 3-4 second negative. A pause in the contracted position is a good
distance. Again the emphasis is on thing that is neglected by most everyone unless they are locked out and resting.
transferring the power from the
legs through a super stiff torso. The
ability to use just enough energy
at the right time is the hallmark of
skill. These drills train the muscles
to endure that stress. The sign of a
champion is the ability to relax in
duress and manage energy. When
they need to hit hard, they can con-
tract muscles with extreme intent
and then relax. The two actions each
have a distinctive feel and plane of
motion.

26 27
 The final stage is hitting focus mitts and pads. This requires less muscle for punch-
chapter 7 ing than the heavy bag, but more speed and accuracy. Focus mitts are more popular in the
last fifty years than in decades ago. In fact some new versions are made very small. This
impact resistance forces a more accurate punch.
The other popular variable is the Thai pad. These are large rectangular pads cover-
Impact Resistance is the use of striking air
ing the forearms of the trainer. Actually a seasoned partner or trainer is needed to hold
or objects as a method of skill practice and a type
them, since the impact derived during practice jars the body and can actually can be an-
of overload. With proper instruction, there is not
other form of conditioning for impact without much brain trauma. With any form of pad
only skill enhancement, but adaptation of mus-
training, your development is largely a product of your trainer. If he/she holds it motion-
cles, connective tissue and even the bones. This
less, it’s no different than a heavy bag. If they play pitter-patter they are just slapping your
activity strongly taxes the cardiovascular system
impacting surfaces and doing little to challenge you. A good trainer will force you into
in a manner similar to actual combat.
patterns and challenge you. Even tagging you when you leave yourself open. A really good
It’s beyond the scope of this ebook to give a
trainer will be as fierce as an opponent and perhaps more challenging.
how to guide on punching, elbowing, knees and kicks.
At this level of training, impact resistance is a
However some progressions below are discussed.
profound conditioning tool. In Thailand, they fight so
Shadow boxing or shadow kickboxing is the Actor Jason Statham practices impact resistance
frequently that the training methods have to spare the
first stage. You are technically not hitting any-
fighter. Therefore a good trainer can mimic a fight and
thing. However by practicing in the air, you are developing fundamentals and your strikes
prevent undue damage to the fighter. Martial artists
are not being stopped by a bag or pad. Therefore you have to develop balance by keeping
as they mature and have considerable fight experience
your weight distributed. It is also taxing aerobically as you shift from fist to foot, from
may prefer to do more training of body and brain spar-
elbow strike to knee. The shadow work never loses it’s place in your training methodology.
ing nature and allow for less soft tissue and neurologi-
It’s a great place to start.
cal damage.
Bagwork is the next stage. If you notice, this is a progression that is consistent with
In terms of your Combat Rok workout, the impact
a lot of boxing and thai gyms. However Bas Rutten used this progression with his workout
resistance work would be on day three of the Isaac
CD’s. I think it’s quite effective.
Hayes Template. It would be first, since skill should be
The bagwork requires more horsepower. It is using more bodyweight and traditional-
practiced while fresh. It can be followed by aerobics
ly it’s a tool that develops power. Of course, any tool has it’s shortcomings and methodology.
(running) and ended with light stretching. Impact
Before the Rumble in the Jungle, Muhammad Ali would dance around a swing bag
resistance is normally worked in rounds of 1 to 3 min-
focusing on hitting a moving object.
utes. Rest is usually a minute since this is consistent
George Foreman would have a trainer
with what occurs in sport fighting.
hold the bag and work on repetitively
Robert Conrad shows the results of proper
hitting it as hard as he could. impact resistance
The problem with the heavy bag, is it
gets you used to hitting something 100%
of the time and not missing. When trans-
lated to sparring, if you miss, you may be
off balance.

Muay Thai legend Buakaw demonstrates power generation

28 29

The bottom of the conditioning
pyramid is the aerobic base. There is
a small, dogmatic, group that thinks
15-20 minutes every ten days covers
all GPP or general preparation phase.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. The idea of doing roadwork for
conditioning athletes and in particu-
lar, combatants is as old as time itself.
Running has been called the
King of Exercises. However, it might
not be in the cards for all trainees.
Quality substitutes include biking,
swimming, hiking, rowing, elliptical,
cross country skiing, treadmill, stair-
climber, versaclimber and so on.
Circuit weight training, lifting weights fast or taking short breaks while lifting is not
the same. It’s not bad or wrong, it’s just different. Avoid black and white thinking. Avoid
the idea that sprinters are jacked and marathoners are anorexic. Memes won’t help your
Bruce Lee practicing the King of Exercises
30
As a supplement to running,
chapter 8 there is rope skipping. Used by west-
ern boxers and Thai boxers, it’s a
aerobic base staple of conditioning both the lungs,
wrists and lower body. In fact, young
men in Thailand interested in pursu-
ing a fighting career are started with
the skip rope. It develops the cardio-
vascular system, but also the lower
body musculature. It focuses on the
feet, ankles, calves, shins and thighs.
It teaches economical expression of
movement. You have to be efficient or
the work is hard. Western boxers usu-
ally skip for rounds of 3 minutes on
and off one minute.
Thai boxers from what I hear
are all over the map from doing
Young Thai boxers building aerobic capacity
rounds to 10 straight minutes to 30
minutes. Skipping rope in fact, can be
Heavyweight champ, Joe Louis doing his Ropework. a good warm up or warm down for
running. Realize that the silly belief
that 10 minutes of skipping rope is equivalent to 30 minutes of running is mythology. You
don’t get something for nothing.
conditioning. The dosage of aerobics
The idea of rope skipping being a entry drill for running exists too. I have no issues
needed is entirely individual.
with this concept. Being light on your feet having wind and a measure of development of
Some athletes may need daily
your lower body is not a bad prerequisite for beginning a running program.
aerobics and others need enough to be
The foundations of aerobics can be made very complex or very simple. I like simple.
within striking distance of more strenu-
Roadwork for fighters is not rocket science. If you are an elite runner, it will be different.
ous challenges. On the Isaac Hayes
For someone interested in fitness, it’s best to focus on the basics and make them a habit.
Template, the pure aerobic day is every
In the early days of actually giving a prescription about target heart rates there was
third day. This would not be enough
the formula of 220 minus your age, then a percentage of that. Then there was the perceived
for a competitive athlete, but possibly
exertion scale. Then the Maffetone Method of 180 minus your age with a set of other vari-
enough for a recreational one. Some
ables to find out your optimal training range. The three methods I mentioned are still vi-
lighter aerobic activity is therefore war-
able. However, I think the simplest is the conversational pace. That is, as you walk or run,
ranted on the other days.
you are able to keep up a conversation. This conversation can be with yourself or others.
Some just like to listen to music. The idea of course is to make it an effort, but not an over-
whelming one. This means in the beginning, that walk/run is the ideal world. Eventually
it will be all running. That will creep up over time. You can run the same distance faster
31
or run more distance within the allotted time. It depends on need. The same goes for any
other aerobic modality. Start slow and build up over time. Many people want magic or
some secret formula. The only secret formula is there are no secret formulas.
Best to start at the beginning. Here are some ideas.
1. Choose either TIME or DISTANCE. Start with walking and jog 100 yards or so.
Eventually the distance you run will become longer and longer. The time will come when
you are running the whole time or distance. So as stated above, you can run longer or
cover the same distance quicker.
2. You may choose to go the way of the heart rate monitor. You can calculate your
target zone and stay within it by slow running or fast walking. The monitor and your
smartphone takes the place of conversational pace.
3. Start with some rope skipping. One minute on, one minute off. Do as many
rounds of this as possible, then walk. Eventually it will be two minutes on and one minute
off. The walk will be interspersed with slow running. Then it will become several three
minute rounds with one minute off of skipping and a long (relatively) easy, run.
4. For the Isaac Hayes Template, plan for a run (or any aerobic modality) of a lon-
ger distance on your aerobic days. On the other two days, do rope skipping as a supple-
ment. The same rules apply.
Regardless of the method (running vs others), aerobic base training that also in-
cludes rope skipping should be a regular activity. I don’t believe in extreme double-triple
unders as some stupid human trick that will translate to magical abilities when you skip
rope. You may try various drills, but keep it relatively simple and more importantly, do it.
Show up and do the work.
32
chapter 9
isaac hayes template
This breakdown of the Isaac Hayes Template is directly
from my blog at tomfurman.com. Please read through carefully
and enjoy the simplicity of this approach.
This training template will make you a jack of all trades
and a master of none. It is the exact opposite of training for a
specific goal with a timetable. It’s training for life. You avoid
boredom, don’t get overtrained and maintain balance. This
truly encompasses the idea of being process oriented vs. goal
oriented. Show up and do it. The more you show up, amaz-
ingly, the better you get. The intensity is built on a base of
consistency. It’s virtually a program that forces consistency, but
is varied enough so you won’t be doing exactly the same thing
over and over.
Donnie Williams was an original Black Karate Federa-
tion member with Steve Saunders (Mohammed), Ron Chapel
and Cliff Stewart. Donnie
was a trainer for Isaac Hayes.
Isaac Hayes
Donnie laid out the training
template very simply.
“One day we run. (endurance) One day we lift.
(strength) One day we do karate. (flexibility/mobility/
skill).”
Of course you never get good at anything, but
you put in the hours, build consistency and stay within
striking distance of a short term goal.
In a discussion with CQC10 (an online friend)
about how he was training, he was following a similar
template. He had a full time job, Bagua practice, Systema
practice, 5 children. So training was limited to around 25
minutes for conditioning.
The Reverend Donnie Williams
33
3 Day Template- 5. Go through a number of Kung fu drills I know. (A few Lying Tiger type drills, some
from Baji / Piqua)
Day 1 — Heavy stuff 6. Work some JS Band stuff. I think you get the picture.
Day 2 — Medium Stuff in Multiple Planes w/ ROM & Stretch
Day 3 — Aerobic . . light day 7. Some TRX type stuff I’ll do too.
Day 4 (repeat) — I don’t take days off usually
8. Some of the complexes Dan John uses. (100 pound barbell with series of snatches,
A. So what is heavy stuff? cleans, OH squats, bent-over rows, good mornings, etc)

1. For 1 month it’s– 9. Farmer walks with kbs.

Deadlift, Weighted Pistols, Weighted Pullups, Heavy Barbell Jerks maybe... kind of what- 10. (Oh, and I LOVE heavy saber Kung Fu work for the ultimate wrist, elbow, and shoul-
ever I feel like. der joint-mobility routine and a very heavy staff form too... metal bar or heavy wood done
to a Long Fist staff form)
2. For another month it may be–
C. So what is light stuff?
Lots of Swings, lots of Heavy C&P w/ KBs, Assisted One-Arm Pullups, etc (ETK kind of
stuff w/ pullups). 1. Run while practicing Systema breathing. (I run barefoot year round typically)
2. Jump rope.
3. For another month it may be– 3. Extended game of tag with my kids with lots of sprinting.
4. Lots of footwork practice
Pistols, One-Arm Pushups, Handstand Pushups . . .all with weighted vest —–I don’t lift anything. I just want blood flowing and heart racing.

B. So what is medium stuff? 1. I don’t typically have any of these days go past 25 minutes.

Keeping ROM and flexibility is important.
1. Do bridging, some Scott Sonnon Prasara stuff, sometimes a little FlowFit, I have a series
of key yoga moves I do.
2. Do hindu pushups, hindu squats. I might do some plyometric jumps onto my brick mail-
box.
3. Do lots of Sonny Puzikas types of drills on these days.
2. I change stuff every 3-4 weeks. I just go by the feel of it. Does it work for me? It seems to.
I can press a 70 pound kb 10x without much problem.
I can do a pistol with a 70 lb kb.
I can hold wrestling bridges with my nose on the ground and no hands.
I can flat-footed jump onto a 44” mailbox.
I can do weighted pullups with a 60 pounds vest on.
I want integrated supple strength.
I want longevity. I want to have full ROM in all joints, and more than adequate
flexibility in my body.

4. Find weak links, stretch things out, flood my muscles with blood and build some en- As one can see, it is a generalist program and not specific to an athletic goal.
durance. With the above basic example, let me be clear, it doesn’t have to be exactly that way.

34 35

Fighting legend, Buakaw, combines methods that has a warm up to lift. Do their lifting, hit the tread-
product bigger than the sum
avoid trying to do everything. Each day has a purpose of emphasis.
3. Hot Buttered Soul: You emphasize a particular quality per season. When weather
is an issue, winters are often to devoted to lifting and summers are more based on endur-
ance. Hot Buttered Soul allows you take months to emphasize a particular quality, be it
endurance, mobility or strength. That doesn’t mean you drop the aspects.
Combat Rok can be played
any way you like it. However as
set out by this book, it’s a method
to stay within shooting distance of
the foundations of fitness. You are
never going to be a champion of
any one quality. However, if life or
interest change, you are not deep
in the hole during the transition.
Your base is always there. The other
point of course, is recovery. You
would do better with more frequen-
cy, (which other variants use) but
with this schedule, you are pretty
hungry to hit the next workout, and
very recovered too.
36
The Isaac Hayes Template has three varia-
tions: chapter 10
1. Shaft: Three different days like the above
putting it all together
examples.
This is ideal for the average guy with an
Putting it all together is really simple. You have a three
encompassing job, family and responsibili-
day template. You can take days off or not depending
ties. In its most simplistic sense, lift one day,
on energy invested and available. This program is not
stretch one day, run one day. Repeat.
burying you deep, but building a sustainable base over
a period of time. Don’t work for the template. Have the
2. Black Moses: Three days. You emphasis
template work for you.
one area. You can do any combination on any
Let’s take a look.
day. Very close to what many people do. They
Day One. This is primarily a strength day.
mill and stretch out. However with the Black
Moses variant, you don’t neglect any area and
Warm up (jump rope)
Thai Squat Ladder
Indo Squat Ladder
Pushup/Pullup Superset Ladder
Upper Body Sustained Hold Superset
Lower Body Sustained Hold Sequence
Day Two. This is power transfer and hip movement.
Warm up (jump rope)
Hinge/Fold Supersets
Power Transfer Drills with Bands
Robert Conrad doing pull ups Optional Developmental Stretching (Activate Drills)
Day Three. This is the aerobic base day.
Warm up (jump rope)
Impact Resistance (optional)
Running or any form of aerobic activity.
This is the Shaft version. Straight forward, Isaac Hayes
Template.
Former Marine, Lee Marvin, grapples with former Merchant
Marine and bouncer, Clint Walker
Herschel Walker doing what
legends do 37
 The Black Moses ver-
sion, with Aerobic emphasis chapter 11
would be adding rowing at
the end of Day One. Biking
frequently asked questions
on the end of Day Two. Day
Three would just be a longer Can I lift weight or do kettlebells on this
run than normal. Black Mo- program?
ses allows for ample aerobic Sure. It’s not Combat Rok, but you can use
work of a varied nature. the Isaac Hayes Template and put an abbreviated
If Black Moses is a program on Day One.
strength emphasis, Day One
may be augmented with Skipping rope seems to bother my knees.
added weight and lower Are there any substitutes?
repetition ladders. Day two You may jog lightly in place, take a walk or
is ample core and hip. Swings do step ups to a low platform. “Stay strong, stay fit” -- Lenny McLean, the
may be added at the end Guv’nor. (over 4000 fights, ‘on the cobbles’)
with a kettlebell. Day Three I’m 20 pounds overweight. How should I
could be odds and ends, manage this program?
like neck, forearms, calves Like anything, focus on the minimal levels of scaled drills. The most important fac-
or even gunz. This allows tor is to DO them and not skip. The more you practice, the better you get. In addition, the
a bit of body development primary factor behind fat loss is to be in negative calorie balance with ample protein.
or strength work with more
frequency.
How long should the workouts be?
I truly believe you can be optimal with 35 to 40 minutes a day. Certainly longer for
specialize competition or purpose, but this is a sustainable program. You don’t work out
for 3 weeks at 2 hours a day, then quit for a month because things got in the way. There
are tons of trainees
Jack Dempsey staying fighting fit
who think train-
ing is about some
peak they hit years
The Hot Buttered Soul variation is a seasonal variation. It
ago and not what
is perhaps best expressed by the aerobic component. Sum-
is right here and
mers can emphasize running, while minimizing strength.
now.
Fall and Spring can be hiking on Day 3. Whereas winters
would translate well to indoor rowing.

Karate master Hidy Ochiai Clint Eastwood teaching William Smith a lesson in, “Eating pain like candy.”
What type of stretching do you recommend? Is there any need to cycle or take back off weeks with this program?
I recommend Activate stretching available on tomfurman.com. It’s a concept rather For most programs, yes. For this program, it autoregulates around your life. The to-
than a series of drills. It can add to ANY method you currently use. It’s not an either/or tal volume can be adjusted any time. The amount of aerobics can be bumped up or down.
situation. Even the static holds can be adjusted if you had a long day or lack sleep.

Will the program in Combat Rok build muscle size? Can I add weight to the push ups and pull ups?
Yes. However, realize the most efficient overload is through barbells, dumbbells and Absolutely. Augmenting bodyweight drills increases overload and improves the
machines. It is more gradual and incremental. Combat Rok combines simple, time proven power to weight ratio. In fact if you are currently not as lean as you like, adding weight to
ingredients and formats them into consistent and sustainable program. It also emphasizes the drills as you lose body fat is a great idea.
the capacity to do repeated peak effort after short rests. It also instills base fitness of aero-
bic conditioning. I’m finding the stance work VERY hard after the leg work on day one.
What do you suggest?
You mentioned that early film icons did similar programs. Could you expound Move the stance work or static hold
on that? training to day two. You will be fresher.
Realize that in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s there weren’t too many actual weight training
facilities. Places to work out were often boxing and gymnastics facilities. There were some Do you have any tips for constant
weight training apparatus around, but nothing like you see today. Actors either trained improvement on this program?
at equipped film studios or at actual boxing gyms. They also employed the only known Sure. Record all your workouts. Mea-
methods of the time, namely the Charles Atlas course. Variations of this program were sure weekly your weight and waist. Get 7-9
used by many athletes and actors. In modern times, actors have months to train, diet and hours of sleep. Eat a gram of protein per
consult chemists on preparation for a particular role. Years ago, you were expected to ap- every pound of TARGET bodyweight. Con-
pear a certain way based on studio photos and previous films. sume adequate essential fat. Try to get your
main sources of food in a whole, fresh and
What advantages are there for doing the Thai and Indo Squats? raw form. Also, don’t sweat missing a work-
The range of motion around the hips is greater than in the standard barbell squat. out. Just pick up where you left off.
This is both good and bad. If maximum overload is your purpose, then stick with the Bruce Lee and Van Williams focusing on the basics
barbell squat. However combat art and sport tend to require greater movement around the I went on a vacation and took a break.
hips. This can allow movement without weakness or injury. Let me relate a story that was
Where should I begin?
told to me.
Where you left off or at the very beginning during the strength day. Don’t concern
Guru Dan Inosanto was training Silat with the late, Pak Herman Suwanda. He asked
yourself too much. Just get back on the program and log the daily workouts.
Pak how individuals with bad hips or knees got into the various deep squat and low pos-
tural positions required in Indonesia. Pak Herman didn’t understand the question. Dan
restated, “How, in Indonesia, when someone is getting old and stiff, do they manage this
type of legwork?” Pak replied that other than bad accidents that actually damaged hips
and knees, he didn’t know of anyone who has problems like that where he came from.

40 41
 “I think a plan is just a list of things that don’t happen.”
– Way of the Gun
When you repeat the program twice, starting on Monday, it ends on Saturday.
If I wanted to take Sunday off and start again Monday, would this be OK?
Sure and this is probably most consistent with the average person’s week. The basic
format remains, don’t sweat the details.
Can I do Armor of War or Simple & Sinister on day one instead of the program
you listed?
You can actually do anything you want. However it will cease being Combat Rok. As
Dan John says, “The goal is to keep the goal, the goal.”
What is the difference between Armor of War and Combat Rok?
Armor of War is a minimalist program based on high set, low rep, single limbed
exercises that can be augmented with added weight. Combat Rok is specific to martial arts
and building work capacity. Very similar programs have been used by combatants and film
icons for years.
“To hear is to doubt, to see is to be deceived, but to feel is to believe.”
– Ed Parker
42
bonus chapter
train like charles bronson
These two photos were
studio shots taken nearly twenty
years apart. More than the idea of
film popularity over decades, they
represent fitness and condition-
ing methodology that stands the
test of time. Orienting oneself for
an athletic competition or photo
session can be a powerful motiva-
tion, but maintaining fitness as an
act of consistency represents an
entirely different mindset.
There were 15 kids in my
Mom’s (Charlie’s) family. My Mom (Helen Buchinsky Furman) was two or so years older.
All the brothers and my late grandfather, Walter, did work in the mines in Ehrenfeld, PA.
In his teens, due to less available work in the summer, Charlie went upstate to work on a
farm. During that time, he attended a seminar on health and fitness (Pre WW2). I have
no idea who taught it, but from information I pulled from relatives, it was a Charles Atlas
type of thing. Training and eating properly. Dynamic tension, squats, push ups, pull ups
and sit ups.
When he returned to Ehrenfeld he had gained muscle and
leaned out. His whole family, my mother, aunts, uncles
noticed the difference. Fast forward. When he was room-
mates with actor, Jack Klugman, Jack said Charlie pounded
out “pushups between milk crates, rope climbing from a rope
hung in the alley, sit ups and running.” I noticed a heavy bag
at his Bel Air home in 1986. My cousin Michelle told me
he had a heavy bag and speed bag at his Vermont Horse
Ranch. His Hollywood bachelor pad had a rope in the
ravine below his pool deck. There was a heavy bag near the
pool as well (circa 1964).
Boxing was simply part of his life from youth, as it was with all my adult male rela-
tives. Charlie’s older, brother, Dempsey, actual name was John Buchinsky, literally the
toughest of the brothers, taught Charlie boxing at a gym near the coal mines. You can see
the Dempsey-esque movements in the punches from the film Hard Times.
43
 In addition, horseback riding, moto-
cross, swimming, knife throwing and bonus chapter
shooting were all part of the mix. The
last point is diet. He was always STRIN-
train like tarzan
GENT with food. Limited calories. At my
“When I played football, I was lifting
Grandma’s funeral, during the filming
weights, but when it came to doing Tarzan,
of Once Upon a Time in West, Charlie
I wanted to be really cut and trim and sculptured.
mentioned loving the food in France, but
I didn’t lift any weights, but I did
practicing, push aways, because you have
calisthenics. I did the same routine every day to
to limit intake to stay in shape. During
get in better shape – rather than upping the num-
that afternoon, he indulged in a piece of
ber of repetitions, I cut down on the time so I was
my Aunt Janet’s incredible cherry pie.
doing things faster and it gave me a more sculp-
One piece with his cup of Yuban coffee
tured look like to make it more believable when
brewed in a porcelain pot. He mentioned jumping on a plane to Spain to be on set with,
I did athletic things in those movies. I think the
Hank (Henry Fonda).
movies speak for themselves – I did all my own
On the set of the Dirty Dozen, football legend turned actor, Jim Brown, stated that
stunts.”
he respected Charlie for not carrying on after hours and being a family man. He also stat-
—Mike Henry, Tarzan.
ed, “He wouldn’t want to mess with Charlie”. Charlie was amused since Jim was a world
class athlete, 6’2” and 230 lb. Jim replied, “The thing is, I could pound you into the ground
Jock Mahoney using the Charles Atlas sys-
one day and you’d be back the next to take me out.” Charlie said, “Well, you’re right. I don’t
tem from his boyhood. The only difference be-
give up.”
ing, he did more of the pushups, situps, and deep Mike Henry
During Breakheart Pass, a fight sequence was staged between none other than
knee bends to play Tarzan. Woody Strode said
Archie Moore and Charlie. Of course stuntmen were used for any high risk situations.
Mahoney was Charles Atlas! Mahoney did not
However it was necessary for the principals to grapple on a snow covered passenger train
have a bodybuilder’s physique with exaggerated
roof passing bridge, spanning a canyon. Archie Moore, always up for the challenge said,
and useless muscle. His was the lean physique of
“If Bronson’s doing it, so am I.” So they filmed the rather vivid sequence. At one point they
a hunter/warrior. There was no superfluous flesh
were hanging over the edge of the train. (Obviously with safety harnesses). When the di-
anywhere. This is what you’d expect Tarzan to
rector yelled, “Cut!”, Archie mentioned to the press, “I started pulling myself up with both
look like if he had been a real person.
arms, then I looked over and saw Bronson pulling himself up with ONE arm!”
— From Transformetrics forum and verified
So there you have it. Heavy labor as a
via Jock Mahoney’s bio.
youth, a good introduction by a workshop into
fitness and diet, Then boxing, running, sit ups,
The point of this biographical training infor-
push ups between milk crates and rope climb-
mation is NOT to dispel the idea of progressive
ing. Daily systemic activity, swimming, hiking,
resistance training by use of barbells, dumbbells,
heavybag, speedbag, knife throwing, horseback
kettlebells, machines or odd implements, but
riding. Then follow a stringent diet and choose
rather to see the adaptation of the human body to a
your parents carefully. Think of being in shape
simplistic training methodology that can basically
as an act of daily choice, rather than chasing a
be done in the jungles of Mexico, a small studio in
goal. Train for life. Be a hard man. (or woman)
London, or in the wilds of India.
44 Jock Mahoney 45
 Christopher Lambert overcame spinal
curvature. Mike Henry overcame an infected
chimpanzee bite. Jock Mahoney almost died
from dysentery and dengue fever, losing
40 pounds and filming fight scenes with
104 degree temperature. They did not have
a trailer full of weights, dieticians, proper
rest, calm conditions or the latest exotic
PED’s. They simply did what they had to do
along with a certain amount of natural tal-
ent and physical gifts.
I’ve seen trainees quit gyms because a
special piece of equipment was not avail-
able that they felt was crucial to their goals.
Then there are others who can look around
Christopher Lambert
them and use their knowledge and think-
ing skills to make the best use of time and
environment. They simply exercise two vital
skills, decision making and discipline to ar-
rive at an outcome they desire.
Too many complain about lack of
money, lack of equipment, lack of moti-
vation, lack of will and lack of direction.
Ironically, one of the Hollywood’s most
enduring icons, Tarzan, can be created
with little or no special demands. It’s about
showing up.

Christopher Lambert’s transformation as documented by

Dreas Reyneke in “Ultimate Pilates, Achieve the Perfect
Body Shape”

46
 Combat Rok searches for the methods and the
means that create hard men. That willingness to get up
for the eighth time after getting knocked down seven. To
keep moving forward when you want to quit. To perse-
vere when the outcome seems hopeless.
With a careful and analytical view of the history
of combat, battle hardened conditioning methods and
simply living a hard life, Combat Rok distills the frag-
ments of knowledge and organizes the data into a co-
herent form of physical preparation.
Drawing upon the practices of Thai boxers, sol-
diers, boxing legends, karate champions, film icons and
more, the skill, the sweat and the swagger are combined
to let the reader enjoy the fruits of the warriors while
laying out a personal development program that is second to none.
Combat Rok is long on how and deep into why. It’s the type of training you can
do anywhere and anytime and live a life of fitness versus prepping for a once a year
photoshoot. It’s about sweat, showing up, sustaining and seasoning. It’s what makes
hard men hard.

Tom Furman has been involved in martial arts and

conditioning since 1972. With an early background in
wrestling and a student of the methods of the York Barbell
Club, Tom immediately separated fact from fiction growing
up outside Pittsburgh. Eleven members of his family were
combat veterans, the most famous one being Uncle Charlie
(Charles Bronson).
His down to earth training methods are derived from
his decades long practice of martial arts and his study of
exercise science. The application of force, improvement of
movement and durability, rank high on his list of priorities
when training.
He gives credit to hundreds of hours of seminars, training sessions, and ‘backyard’
workouts, including training time with many martial arts legends.
He also credits his incredibly gifted training partners who came from varied back-
grounds such as Exercise Physiologists, Airborne Rangers, Bounty Hunters, Boxing Train-
ers and Coast Guard Rescue Divers. His best selling e-book Armor of War, is available at
tomfurman.com. His guide to mobility, Bamboo Gods, Iron Men and Rubber Bands, is
available on Amazon.