Clay Matthews – Is Mixed Martial Arts the Key to His Success?

By now everybody is familiar with the story about Clay Matthews III being undersized in high school. So much so that his own father did not play him due to his small stature. What some people may not know is that Clay has added mixed martial arts to his workout routine. Could mixed martial arts be the key to his success?

Clay’s incredible physique is proof of his dedication in the weight room. While in USC he was thought of as the most intense player in the weight room. Putting on 80 pounds is no easy feat! He was able to makeover his 165 pound 6′ 1″ frame into the 255 pound linebacker he is today. He was so dedicated to the game and his own personal improvement he has said that he basically had no social life.

Clay III is always looking for ways to improve be it watching films or listening to the advice of his famous football family and recently he has added MMA or mixed martial arts to his workout in the off-season. At first he was skeptical thinking it would not relate to football but in and interview while at MMAthletics he said, “..everything we do in here somehow relates to what we do on the football field’. The benefits of mixed martial arts is not only the mental toughness but a completely different kind of workout than most ball players are accustomed to. Using body on body work rather than traditional weight training; leverage, balance, knees and hips are worked in a completely new way for most players. Many football players just getting into MMA believe it gives them an edge on the field. The Atlanta Falcons must agree, they were the first NFL team to offer MMA training to their players. Clay III said he could feel his body transforming while doing mixed martial arts and I’m sure other players will also see Clay’s improvements and want to try it out as well.

Clay Matthews III is an outstanding example of hard work and sheer dedication. From a small hopeful to a force to be reckoned with he is finally coming into his own and could possibly be named Defensive Player of the Year. He is certainly a fan favorite in Green Bay with Packers fans! See this celebrated Packer here