This is round 1 of a 5 round circuit. Check the video below…..

That was not an easy workout headed by Uncle Mike Stehle and The Milkman (Both Beasts pictured below).

Uncle Mike Stehle of course had his favorite pasttime blaring loud to keep us amped up, Social D all the way baby!. These are just SOME of the perks of running your own biz, you don’t have to be subjected to the punishment of sappy love tunes and other fitness bunnies talking on their cell phones while you try to push through your set of heavy squats or kettlebell snatches.

Wait! Most “normal” gyms don’t even have Kettlebells, and if they do, you can bet they are using some SCARY technique!

Now, getting back to the workout that kicked my ass….

I rarely, if ever, train in such a manner, with all these circuits and timed rounds for metabolic conditioning.

But you know the old saying, right?

If you suck at it – that’s probably the workout you SHOULD be doing!

Uncle Mike and the Milkman usually hit 3 metabolic conditioning workouts each week and 2 strength and power endurance workouts each week.

Next time I head down there I’ll be redeeming myself and showing up for a strength and power focused day, ha ha ha ha!

Here’s the exact workout we did that day. Give it a shot and post your comments below to share how you did and how you felt. If you own a gym, unleash this bad boy on your clients and show them some Jersey LOVE!

For 5 rounds.

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds work / 15 seconds rest.

After you complete 1 round, rest 1 minute and repeat.

1) Battling Ropes

2) 2 Hand Kettlebell Swings

3) Prowler Push (High & Low)

4) 2 Hand Kettlebell Hi-Pull

5) Air Dyne Bike

6) Burpee Pull Ups

If you don’t have an air dyne bike you can hit the Battling Ropes for another round.

I gotta tell ya, Milk Man & Uncle Mike Stehle impressed me BIG time. These guys are in serious shape and strong as heck to boot! You may have noticed me straightening out Paul Reddick on the hi-pulls

So, you have 2 Options:

1) Perform the Jersey Shore Challenge as described and post your comments below….

OR

2) Tell us about a time YOU got your ass kicked from a workout. Make sure you post the details of the workout.

Preferably, I wanna see you rock out The Jersey Shore Challenge because your last ass kicking may have been YEARS ago. Sometimes we all need a GOOD ass kickin.

I am PSYCHED to read your comments and responses!

So get busy!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: A few spots are left for The July 18-19 Underground Strength Gym License. Wanna run a gym like mine or like the Milkman and Uncle Mike? You can even run your little Underground Strength Gym part time, on the side of your full time gig, and STILL kick ass doing so! More Info HERE (Click ME NOW)!

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Last week I took a journey 45 minutes south to the beautiful Jersey shore.

My buddy Mike Stehle runs a kick ass training center HERE.

The awesome thing about Mike’s place is not just the set up and the equipment, it’s the atmosphere he creates combined with the ability to train outdoors while breathing in the fresh, ocean air. His gym is literally a few blocks from the beach – it’s VERY powerful to train while breathing in this air and it feels great.

But this time around, it felt more like an ass kicking, a GREAT one at that though

This was an awesome time and a mix of training and business masterminding – both of which I love to do

Let the journey begin, please your comments below and let me know your thoughts, questions, comments. I’m psyched to hear frm you as always!

Lots of Kettlebells, Lots of bodyweight.

Stay tuned for the next part of our adventure!

Post your comments and questions below.

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Did I get abused by my “friends” or what?!?! ha ha ha ha

PPS: The 2 places I reccomend getting your Russian Kettlebells from are:

1) HERE

AND 2) HERE

PPPS: The Underground Strength Gym License is OPEN! We just had a sign up from Down Under baby! That’s right, Australia will be representing! Who else will be international!?!?! More info on becoming an Underground Strength Gym is HERE.

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Wow! Today is my son’s 1st birthday.

AMAZING how fast time flies, and my little homeboy is already 1 year old

My daughter will soon be 3 years old.

I am BEYOND grateful (and I got a lil gift for you down below so read this entire article to have such an awesome family.

Having kids changes everything – funny how selfish I used to be before having kids.

Now, all that runs through my mind is making sure that whatever I do is good for THEM.

Making yourself happy suddenly means VERY little once you have kids, if you have kids, I’m sure you can relate.

I have great memories of when I was a little kid. I remember growing up in the aparments in Fords, NJ.

You’ve likely heard me talk about my Dad pulling my brother, his friend and I on a wooden sled through the snow at high speeds!

I remember my Dad teaching me to ride my bike, and I will come clean, it was a freaking purple bike with one of them big ass banana seats!

I was also too scared to pedal on the bridge which went over the small creeks running through the courtyard in the apartments. What a wuss!!! ha ha

My favorite TV show was The Incredible Hulk, the one where Loe Ferrigno was all jacked up and kicked EVERYONE’S ass – I loved that!

I remember my Dad cut his old jeans into a pair of shorts. He took the bottoms of the jeans and placed them on my arms so when I flexed I THOUGHT they were REAL muscles and I felt like The Incredible Hulk.

Ahhhhhhhh, to be young again.

I also remember Underoos, do you remember them?

My first pair was Aqua Man! I cried when my parents made me wear them.

They couldn’t find The Hulk Underoos so I got stick with Aqua Man! I was pissed off!

I’m lucky I had underwear though, right? What the heck was I crying about?

Of course, I also watched The A Team, Dukes of Hazard, HE Man and I LOVED watching The World’s Strongest Man which would be shown on basic TV channels, you didn’t even need cable!

I guess I was obsessed with trying to be Big, Strong & Cool – some things never change, huh?

Time went too fast, I’m sure you feel the same.

It seems like yesterday my friends and I were racing Big Wheels down the street crashing into the finish line, which was always 3 or 4 garbage cans lined up together (that was GREAT FUN!).

Time goes so freaking fast I really have no clue where it goes.

We have NO control over time.

But we DO have control over how we use our time and what we can do in life.

I’m a simple guy – I want to be a Better man, a better father and a better husband.

I want to raise my son to be strong and healthy, confident and polite. I want to help him find his way, not by pushing him in any direction, but by supporting the path he chooses and by demonstrating that “it” can be done.

I look forward to the days of Ethan and I cranking workouts together.

Maybe our workouts will be with the vintage york barbell equipment I have in the garage – 600 lbs worth!

Maybe it will be in the woods somewhere, hiking trails, lifting stones and enjoying the sounds of nature and an escape from the hustle & bustle of so many days we all experience.

Maybe it will be at the beach, chilling on the sand, or learning to surf, or heck, body surfing when those big ass waves roll up and drop you on your ass so hard you get sand stuck in your bathing suit from every angle.

Maybe it will be on a cross country trip as we explore the USA.

Who knows what else will happen or might happen, but I know this: I’ll do the best I can to show him that whatever it is he wants to do, it CAN be done.

With so much negativity in this world, I want to be the person and place that he can look to showing him that his reality is whatever he chooses to make of it.

I hope you guys can share some of your childhood memories with me, and, if you’re a Parent, tell me what path you’re blazing to make your kid(s) better.

Post them in the comments section below, I am psyched to see what you have to say

Thank YOU again for reading along with me

Peace!

–Z–

PS: As a way to celebrate with you, I wanna hook you up with a special offer that I rarely ever share. It’s a 30 day trial to http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com for only $1 – this is where you get 24-7 access to me and get to hang with other cool dudes

Check it out HERE so I can make sure I have enough money to buy my son th right underwear when the times comes

PPS: If you enjoyed this article please use any of the buttons below to share on facebook, twitter or whatever your favorite social bookmarking site is. Thanks for spreading the good word!

Peace!

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WOW! Sean Barker interviewed me last week on how I train and get so much done in life and business as a busy man.

As a thank you gift, Sean hooked me up with something he KNOWS I love, and this is some seriously OLD stuff as you’re about to see below, check it out bruddahs & sistas….

So, whatcha think of that amazing gift?

Leave your comments below and let me know your thoughts. And, if you’re a Busy Dad, let me know how you train to still get jacked up and strong as hell on top of everything else going on in your life.

Peace Dudes,

–Z–

PS: Someone e mailed me the other day after purchasing The Underground Strength Manual and wanted a refund, he said it was too hard & he asked if I had anything easier for him.

That may have been the shittiest question I have ever heard in my life! Train Hard. Period.

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This is the beginning of an upper body workout with some crazy college athletes – the energy is high and the strength is pretty freaky as well.

Note how we hype them up with a few quick sets of plyometrics and medicine ball throws.

Check these bruddahs out…

Before these college athletes ever touched a barbell we needed them to achieve some “benchmarks”.

No need for them to bench if they weren’t demonstrating a foundation of strength to bench press.

Push ups, dips, kettlebell pressing, band training and even pushing movements with a sled.

Once a solid foundation is built, teaching athletes how to bench press is MUCH easier.

What bench marks do you have before someone can bench press?

Post your answers below in the comments section!

Peace Bruddahs!

–Z–

PS: The Underground Strength Gym License will be open SOON. Save the dates if you want in: July 18-19. An e mail announcement will be out soon! I am PSYCHED for this BIG time!

PPS: Every workout I do as well as Every workout my athletes do is posted at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com – if you train athletes or train yourself like an athlete, follow me at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

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In a way I am shocked yet on the flip side, NOT so shocked.

Last week we had 3 different athletes throw up, simply from TWO bodyweight exercises, both of which are in Bodyweight University.

It was the first 10 minutes of the workout nonetheless.

The problem is, I have high expectations, or maybe not, you tell me when you post your comment.

There are FAR too many athletes, even high level athletes, who can not handle even the simplest workout using bodyweight exercises.

Last week we had an MMA fighter, football player and a basebal player throwing up in the garbage can numerous times – just from 2 bodyweight exercises.

Our goal is NOT to make them vomit, don’t be misled, it is to improve their performance.

But, too many people experience SERIOUS shock from bodyweight training. Maybe because they can’t sit down, lay down or let a machine do 90% of the work for them?

Bodyweight training is where it ALL starts. It is your foundation to fitness and strength, yet it can also be taken to highly advanced levels as well.

Now, let’s look at the guys who are vomiting: MMA Fighters, Football players and Baseball Players.

I wasn’t shocked to see the baseball player get sick, but a Football Player and an MMA Fighter? NOT good!

These men are supposed to be ready for WAR!

We have a lot of work to do out there, and we need to change the fitness abilities and levels of ALL people, but when I see combative type athletes getting sick from bodyweight training it tells me that their life is in danger if they decide to to keep their fitness levels at such a poor state.

It made me realize just how freaking important bodyweight training is. It goes beyond just the beginner. It goes into the possibility of saving lives and being ready to do battle – NO joke.

Bodyweight training can be a powerful weapon – for you, for an entire group of people, a fitness boot camp, an athletic team or a unit of military soldiers.

I;m telling you, we need to change the state of fitness in this world.

It begins with you, and from there, you must pay it forward.

Do it for yourself or for those who you train.

Tonight, the sale ends for Bodyweight University.

Get it Now by Clicking HERE.

In Strength,

–Z–

PS: I was reading former NFL great and all around bad ass, Herschel Walker’s old training program and he started kicking ass when he began doing 30 push ups and 30 sit ups during TV commercials. he also did uphill sprints, chased his Pony around his farm and even played dodge with the farm Horse! That dude is crazy but he was also built like a freaking machine – Bodyweight was his Main weapon for athletic performance and transforming his body!

Below, Herschel sprinting as a teenager – lookin’ ripped & athletic!

Below, Herschel crushing the competition as a collegiate sprinter while at Georgia – look at those friggin’ legs! Dude is built like a machine!

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Wow, I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding bodyweight training since all the bodyweight videos have been released.

Check out the last few videos and add your answers or comments by posting a comment below.

QUESTION: Zach, can someone get endless strength gains from Bodyweight Training?

ANSWER: Awesome question!

I use Bodyweight training to supplement how I personally train & how I train with my athletes – Bodyweight training is a HUGE part of what we do, but, NOT the ONLY part.

Then again, have YOU maximized your potential in bodyweight training if you can not perform the below bodyweight movements:

1) pistols x 10 ea. leg
2) 1 arm push ups x 10 ea. arm

3) 1 hand pull up x 1 rep ea. arm

4) muscle up on bar / rings x 5 in a row

5) 100 consecutive push ups

6) 10 handstand push ups

7) handstand walking

20′ rope climb without leg assistance

9) parallel bar dips x 50 reps (upper arms parallel to floor)

10) 20 pull ups (overhand or underhand grip)

The above list of exercises are the toughest movements for bodyweight training.

Remember, strength is a skill and it must be practiced regularly, and bodyweight training gives you the power to practice anywhere, anytime and with no equipment.

So until you are able to perform the above list of 10 bodyweight exercises I honestly believe you are NOT strong enough in bodyweight training.

Can I perform the list above? Not all of them, so this tells me I need to get stronger in those movements and that comes through more practice in bodyweight training and reduction of body weight.

Obviously, being heavier will not make the performance of those 10 bodyweight exercises easier, but, this is NOT an excuse as I have shown you many videos of myself and my own clients performing many of these feats.

So if you’ve been thinking you’re strong enough with bodyweight exercises and the only exercises you’ve been doing with your own bodyweight training are push ups, pull ups and dips…..well, it looks like you have your work cut out for you.

You better get busy because we ALL need to get stronger.

You CAN maximize your physical potential by making bodyweight training an integral part of your workouts.

I highly reccomend you do so.

In Strength,

–Z–

PS: With 243 exercises, progressing you from beginner to advanced, Bodyweight University will put you on the fast track to being a True BEAST. Click HERE and get busy.

PPS: How important is bodyweight training? An NFL Strength Coach and a Strength Coach for one of the best high school Football teams in the nation just purchased their copy of Bodyweight University yesterday, SMART DUDES!

Click HERE to get your copy of Bodyweight University.

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The Doors to Bodyweight University have opened and they are HOT off the press, see for yourself HERE. 

You’re going to see some footage I have posted here before AND some footage I have NEVER posted or shared with others.

Check out this Video with some SICK, SICK bodyweight training footage:

Let me know your thoughts and comments below, and, if you’ve cranked a bodyweight workout lately, post what you did and share with others. I’m psyched to see some kick ass workouts and comments.

Bring it!

–Z–

PS: I won’t be holding the price of BWU this low for much longer, so take action and make it happen HERE.

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Jump training is one of the best and easiest ways to develop explosive power.

Jumps also hype the nervous system and a great ‘Kick Start” prior to engaging in HEAVY lifting, as you’re about to see below

 If you want someone to be explosive, make no mistake about it, being weak and performing jump training won’t help much.

Like the athletes in my video above, they started off with the basics to get strong.

This meant a TON of bodyweight training. In fact, even with them squatting 475 and 495 lbs, guess what I give them for homework when they do not train at the gym?

That’s right, MORE bodyweight training.

They perform squats, push ups, pull ups, lunges, jumping rope and they also play a lot of Basketball – what’s more explosive than Basketball?

They sprint, jump, sprint and jump some more.

The 2 jumps we used prior to squatting heavy were kneeling jumps and the veritcal jump.

Now you can see how we use bodyweight training not only to improve strength and general physical preparation, but also to hype up the nervous system and get these beasts primed and ready to LIFT BIG!

I wanna hear your experiences, thoughts and comments with jump training and bodyweight training in the comments below.

Come on, let’s crank 40 + comments this time!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Bodyweight University is coming along AWESOME. The final package will rock and I’ll be hooking you guys up with a special sale for the first few days! Showin’ the Love bruddahs!

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The handstand push up is without a doubt, one of the most powerful upper body exercises you can do for adding strength & muscle to your shoulders and entire upper body.

In addition to the benefits of adding strength and muscle mass, the handstand push up will make your shoulders feel 100 x healthier than ever before.

Your abs will become tighter & stronger from performing handstand push ups, your triceps will become stronger and more muscular and as you’re about to see in the 2nd video below, the handstand push up will also improve your strength in all of your upper body exercises.

Check out the first video on how to correctly perform a handstand push up:

There is a progression to building up to the handstand push up as well.

Most can not just jump into the handstand push up and begin cranking out reps.

But first, watch this 2nd video of Curls smashing the strongman Log Clean & Press at the 2008 DeFranco’s Strongman Challenge, where Curls tooks 1st place in the college division.

Curls attributed his prowess in the log clean & press to his daily practice of the handstand push up.

When Curls first started practicing the handstand push up he was scared to be upside down and could not perform 1 rep.

So we began with handstand holds for time against the wall.

Slowly, we progressed to mini reps, where only a partial range of motion was used.

After a few mini reps, we would hold the lock out position for time.

Soon after, we progressed to 1 full rep and then holds for time.

Then it was 2 reps and holds for time.

Remember, strength is a skill, practice it often if you want to improve.

The previous video on hand walking will improve your handstand push up strength.

Give it a go and get ready for the release of Bodyweight University – where you’ll discover how to get strong as hell using only your bodyweight.

Comments, Questions? Let it be heard by posting below. We hit 26 comments last time. Can we hit 40 + comments this time? Let’s do it!

In Strength,

–Z–

PS: Feel free to share this blog post with the links below. You can send it to facebook, twitter, digg or any of your favorite social media sites. Show a bruddah some love and I’ll be back with more tomorrow.

PPS: Let’s try and break 40 comments this time. I’ll be answering your questions in the comments section but also would love to hear your bodyweight training tips.

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