Finding the right fit on your fitness journey is important, but don’t just take our word for it.
Sean Woodson,
UFC Featherweight
I started working with Matt in 2018. Prior to that, I spent my entire life honing my skills as a boxer/MMA Fighter, but NEVER touched any weights or did any type of Strength & Conditioning. I was 4-0 as a Pro MMA fighter and big opportunities were on the horizon. I knew my skills were sharp, but I drastically needed to improve my overall physical fitness to be ready for what was coming and compete against the best in the world. I also knew I was going to be a unique puzzle for him and had concerns on how he would handle me, being a 6’2’’ 145 lb fighter that walks around at 175 lb. The goal was to add Strength and Power without adding too much muscle that would make my already strenuous weight cuts even more strenuous. With Matt’s knowledge and dedication to his craft, we did exactly that.
Two to three months in, not only did I notice a huge difference, my training partners did as well, constantly commenting on how the difference in my grip and overall strength was night and day. We’ve been working together going on 4 years and have done 6 fight camps together, reaching new heights in my overall fitness each camp.
I’m now a UFC Featherweight, on a winning streak, and I attribute a lot of my success to the work we’ve done together. He’s one of the most upbeat, energetic and positive people I know that truly loves what he does.
Rachel Jones,
Weightlifter
Training at Project Deliverance with Matt as a coach has changed me as an athlete. My strength, conditioning, and mental toughness has tremendously improved. Working with Matt and the PD community has inspired me and provided support to challenge myself in ways I didn’t think possible. I know that every time I leave a training session, I’m walking out a better person than when I first came in.
Jordan Dowdy,
Professional Fighter
Matt Owen is a world class Strength & Conditioning & Performance coach. He is not only highly educated in the science of it, but has true experience and lives it to his core. Once you know Matt, you know he was built for this.
One of the most impressive things about Matt is how he can work with any athlete, no matter what goals, and guide their training to reach their best possible selves. Matt trains UFC, Bellator, and local professional MMA fighters, Jui Jitsu Athletes, Power Lifters, Football Players, Track Athletes, Law Enforcement, Firefighters, people looking to change their lives for the better, as well as many other casual athletes, either still playing for fun or trying to stay active. No matter which type of client Matt has, he delves into the details of what they need, what top athletes in their field are doing, and how it can be implemented.
There is a lot of ego in this field. A lot of S&C coaches get set in their ways and some refuse to adapt to changing data or techniques. Matt does not have this issue at all! He is continually learning and researching his field. If he sees something new or different and he thinks he wants to learn about it, he does that. He will also reach out and also ask questions to other experts in the field to add to his own knowledge base. In working with fighters, we have brought him some things we have seen around at the top level and he looks into them and implements if he sees it will make us better. We have brought him both good and bad ideas this way, and if it is not something that we will add, he explains why it will not work or why it will affect us negatively.
If you are one of Matt’s athletes, you are his. He is always on your side to the level (and in some cases, beyond) some of my coaches in my own sport of MMA. He is committed to your success and supports you in any way. Injuries or setbacks are just speed bumps and he can always adapt to keep you active and building on something. One time in particular, at a jui jitsu tournament, I tore a groin muscle while competing. That evening, I was really feeling down on myself and thinking I was going to have to sit out for a good amount of time from activity, but Matt (completely on his own), texted me saying ‘I already have a workaround in place to build you back. I’ll see you on Monday’ and it lifted my spirits at a time I really needed it. He is absolutely the best around, I am truly grateful to have met him and work with him.
Savannah Schmidt,
Division I Heptathlete
In 2018, after a letdown at my sophomore state track meet and feeling as though I’d reached the limit of my athletic potential, I talked to Matt Owen who had introduced himself to me earlier in the season. I decided that track was going to be a part of my future and the only way to make that happen was by receiving specialized training from someone who understands the mental and physical barriers of the sport. As an alumnus of my high school and a former track athlete himself, Matt put his knowledge of my experience towards drills that improved my performance in high jump. With Matt’s help, I went back to medal at state, just a year after the letdown in 2018. There was a noticeable change in my power output, endurance, and my ability to avoid injury. The greatest improvement, though, was in my mind, learning to trust myself after having spent time at Project Deliverance around great people and a great coach.
There is one thing Matt never does, and that is let you undervalue yourself. While I may have looked like a DIII or NAIA recruit even after my junior year success, Matt always saw more. Through my senior year, we chipped away and pushed my physical limits, gunning for a spot on a DI track team. While I could have walked away to an easier program and taken a full scholarship, my work at Project Deliverance reminded me that my potential was greater. As a result, I earned a walk-on spot at Samford University in 2020 to High Jump in the NCAA DI Southern Conference.
A mediocre freshman jump of 1.55m sent us back to the drawing board to figure out how to unlock my full athletic ability. With many hard days of sprints, heavy lifts, upper body work, and wise words, Matt guided me to my first season in the pentathlon and heptathlon. The change was immediate, mentally and physically, when I utilized my training to throw, jump, and run my way to two All-Conference Awards. My high jump shot up to 1.64m and I stopped feeling nervous before each event, knowing that I had worked hard for it. In 4 years, I went from a mid-level high schooler to a DI walk-on, then to a scholarship athlete competing in 5-7 events.
Success is nice, but life doesn’t stop just because you achieve things. So, having a place where you can let go of outside distractions, listen to your body, and receive support has changed my life for the better. Everyone at Project Deliverance, no matter what age, gender, or strength level, always cares for you and wants to see you prosper in life as well as in performance.
Daniel Balint,
General Fitness
I can’t even begin to describe how much Matt and Project Deliverance has helped me as an athlete and person. I have been with Project Deliverance almost 4 years now and it has been the best life-changing investment I have ever made in myself. Matt Owen is a master at coaching you toward your goals. He is personable, he listens, cares, and wants to see you succeed. I started out at Project Deliverance with weak hips, legs, and my conditioning level was nonexistent. Fast forward to today, 515lb back squat, 585lb deadlift, 385lb bench press, 405lb front squat, 06:24:8 2000m row, and I tied the American record for the 100m row for my age group. However, the most important thing Matt has coached me on over the years is my mentality. This mentality carries over into real world work and life situations. This “I am capable” mindset has been extremely beneficial to me over the years, especially last year. Whatever your fitness goals are-powerlifting, body building, CrossFit, any college sport, or maybe you just want to look and feel better-Matt and Project Deliverance will get you the results you want and then some. I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing gym and community.