Years ago, I was lucky enough to come across a College Strength & Conditioning Coach who I related to very much.

His psychological and physical ways of training made sense to me BIG time, perhaps because we were both wrestlers.

But, this guy, was PURE Gladiator!

No 2 ways about it, he was a Bad MoFo.

His own training began in elementary school where he would go out and run 5 miles on his own, without a Coach telling him to do so.

In middle school he wanted to wrestle, so the high school wrestling coach told him
he had to wait till high school.

But, what to do until high school he asked?

His Coach told him to do push ups.

How many push ups?

No one ever told him how many, so he decided 500 a day would be the number!

He scattered the push ups throughout his day.

He would use the OLD webbing grip tools to work his hand strength.

I haven’t seen those in a WHILE!

He even did 500 push ups the morning he won the high school state championships.

The Russians had their olympic athletes play full blown soccer games the night before their Gold Medal Volleyball match.

I can go on and on with stories of his man.

But, let me tell you, every time I get the rare opportunity to connect with him, I shut my mouth and listen.

His methods and stories always give me heavy dity ammunition to use for my own training and my athletes.

Listen to him talk, along with the other greats that will inspire you, educate you and open up your mind to an entirely new world of training in The Underground Strength System.

==> http://UndergroundStrengthManual.com

–Z–

PS: His name?

Coach Ethan Reve

==> http://UndergroundStrengthManual.com

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Drop in on my workout during this Underground Strength Show and see how I roll.

Thoughts, comments, questions on leg training? Or, on this leg workout?

Hit it below.

More craziness to come from this leg workout as I went a bit ballistic that day

Peace Bruddahs!

–Z–

PS: Take advantage of the BIGGEST Birthday Bash on the East Coast HERE!

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Been a while since I have rocked The USS! Been busy showcasing the athletes instead.

See what’s up below and drop a line!

Part II of this bad ass workout coming soon.

Stay tuned and drop a comment or question below.

Peace Bruddahs!

–Z–

PS: What else is NEW here? Check it Below….

Lost Secrets of Strength DVDs & CD, perhaps my best info unleashed yet HERE!

1 on 1 Coaching for Your Strength & Conditioning Business HERE (Limited Availability!)

The Underground Strength Coach Certification in September & October HERE

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A few years back i was introduced to Jonny Hinds, owner & creator of The Monkey Bar Gym.

Pat Miletich and I were chatting by phone and told me I need to connect w/Jonny. Pat was a former UFC champion and has coached countless greats to the top of their game in the world of MMA.

Jonny and I connected right away and he blew me away with his knowledge and wisdom of physical culture.

We just spoke on the phone literally 15 minutes ago as he cruised around Santa Monica Beach on his bike, and we spoke about building “Natural” type gymnasiums with all types of climbing apparatuses, various surfaces for running, crawling, jumping and more.

I’ve always said, if I didn’t live in the Dirty Jerzee and I was located in a year round warm weather location, I would NOT own a gym with a roof on my head.

It would be a mix of a playground and old school muscle beach…..with a fence around it to keep the normal people on the “outside”

You see, through my experience, I have met MANY athletes who were strong but lacked athleticism and power.

They could bench 315 but they would vomit after flipping a 400 lb tire a few reps.

They could box squat 400 + lbs but couldn’t drag a sled, couldn’t sprint and couldn’t jump.

At my gym we have guys who weigh 250 lbs cranking handstand push ups, rope climbing, jumping on top of tractor tires 36 + inches in addition to their ability to squat, bench and deadlift.

But, wanna know what REALLY gets my athletes souped up and gives em’ goosebumps?

They recall the days of training when I did NOT own a warehouse gym.

They recall the rope climbing in the backyard, swinging sledge hammers, sprinting hills, jumping on / off picnic tables and walking on their hands across 200′ of grass!

They laugh at the incoming athletes who think “today’s workout” was brutal.

So, if you’re not training like an animal now, when will you begin?

Make it Happen!

–Coach Z–

PS: LOTS of e mails regarding 2 things have been coming through: Lost Secrets of Strength and The USC Certification.

Yes, we have a few copies left of Lost Secrets of Strength HERE

Yes, space is available for both September and October USC Certifications HERE.

PPS: Wanna train like an Animal? Get yourself a pair of Kettlebells HERE – carry em’, throw em’, swing em’, press, row and snatch em’! These will send your training into a whole new world! Get your Kettlebells HERE.

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Life & Lifting, they go hand in hand.

It’s amazing what you learn from life as you put yourself through hellish workouts and commit to becoming the strongest and biggest you possibly can be – “NO limits”, you say to yourself!

Here’s quite an interesting story…..

Mid July, 1 of my athletes competed in ’The World’s Strongest Athlete’ Contest, hosted by Joe DeFranco. College athletes flew in from around the country to go head to head and toe to toe in this brutal contest.

The Underground Strength Gym sent over 12 athletes to compete, more than any visiting gym that would compete that day.

ALL eyes were on 1 of our athletes….his name?

“Curls”

The summer before, Curls had won The DeFranco Strongman Challenge as an 18 year old college student, shocking others and impressing the hell out of everyone, including the NFL athletes who were competing against each other that day.

The “FUNNY” thing about this story is that not many people know the history of Curls.

The fact that he was a chubby, slow, weak, unathletic kid.

Most say Curls is some sort of Genetic Freak.

He’s the opposite, actually. But, what he lacked in genetic supremacy, he overcame via work ethic, commitment, consistency, not just in training, but nutrition as well.

Back when he was a kid, he was a rolly polly type kid, slow, not very athletic, tagged first in every tag game and usually dead last every time he ran a lap around the field with his classmates.

But, during 8th grade and upon entering high school he began doing what the majority of aspiring athletes & lifters do NOT do, regardless of age, and that was the use of Bodyweight Training.

Most people skip this foundation and then struggle with no progress as they try to master basic free weight exercises without any muscle to support their efforts.

So what DID Curls do?

Lots of push ups, lots of jumping activities via jump rope and Basketball, sit ups, hill sprints and pull ups at the local playground or hanging off the edge of soccer goal posts.

Smart Kid!

Through high school he hit the weight room hard using the basics: trap bar deadlift, bench press, squat and hang clean and of course….Curls - the typical high school football stuff, right?

Great stuff, when performed properly.

Curls finished his Football season Junior year and was encouraged to join The Underground, back when operations were being run in my garage, backyard and the local playground.

With his ability to be able to perform push ups, sit ups, pull ups, sprints and jumping rope it was time to add a NEW element of training to his program! 

Once we began adding more to his program, such as Kettlebell training, strongman training, sleds, sledge hammer work and olympic lifts with dumbbells and sandbags, his progress skyrocketed.

But, regardless of his training tools, he was committed.

Commitment IS THE Difference Maker, especially when the action taken is performed with the optimal methods.

You gotta be committed to EVERYTHING you do or your results will simply be half ass.

Commitment means you eat, live and breathe your goals.

Curls ate the way I told him to and trained the way he was supposed while at The Underground.

His commitment and desire to succeed created a powerful BELIEF in everything he did. He KNEW he would become a BEAST!

So understand this: Your level of commitment and your belief in your ability to succeed is the critical driving force to keep you going.

You must be absolutely certain that you’re going to become a Bad Ass MoFo from your training – this will keep you commited to your workout.

Without certainty in what you are doing, you will likely quit and give up.

Too many e mails have been drowning my in box starting with something like this:

“No matter what I do, no matter how I train and no matter how I eat, I just can’t get stronger or bigger”

That’s the wrong attitude to have if you want success in training or business and in a nutshell, in life.

BELIEVE!

Belief + Commitment = AMAZING RESULTS

So through the years, Curls showed up to my garage, never skipping workouts and always doing what everyone else was NOT willing to do.

The training was brutal. A typical garage workout looked something like this:

1A) Trap Bar Deadlift: Build up to 2 heavy sets of 3 – 5 reps

1B) Kettlebell Swings x 6 reps every set

Max Rounds in 10 Minutes of Circuit # 2

2A) Rope Climb x 12′

2B) 1 Arm Kettlebell Snatch x 5 ea. hand

2C)) Sledge Hammer Work x 10 ea. hand

Max Rounds in 10 Minutes of Circuit # 3

3A) Sled Drags on Grass x 200′

3B) Hill Sprint x 5 – 7 seconds

These workouts were downright brutal AND effective. But, not everyone was willing to go through such hellish workouts. Those who did, prospered

After graduating high school, The Underground Strength Gym moved out of the 2 car garage and into the first ever warehouse location. Our athletes were invited to compete as guests, a first ever, at the world renowned DeFranco’s Strongman Challenge.

We had never flipped tires before nor had we done much squatting due to the lack of equipment in the 2 car garage. 1 week before the Strongman Challenge we acquired a 600 lb tire to prepare our athletes for the contest.

Curls showed up as a dark horse along with the rest of The Underground Crew.

His background in sandbag lifting, olympic lifts with dumbbells, truck pushing and kettlebell training made the transition into strongman work very easy.

Curls narrowly lost the entire contest by 1/2 a second in overtime!

The following year, with plenty of Underground preparation, Curls took 1st, dominating the college category at only 18 years of age, shocking and impressing even the NFL competitors, especially when they found out Curls was only 18 years young!

And of course, last July, Curls entered the World’s Strongest Athlete Competition again, taking 1st place, even with no practice in the challenging Strongman Yoke Walk.

Oddly enough, as I stated before, I know Curls – others tout him as the genetic freak, the beast.

True, he IS a BEAST, but, his humble beginnings, to say the least, are what are not known, and, it is very likely he started off a lesser physical specimen than you have.

The Difference Maker, as I mentioned before, is the commitment + the belief.

Now, ask yourself, do you have commitment AND belief EVERY SINGLE DAY, year after year?

Drop a comment, let’s get this discussion rolling!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Reccomended Resources from this story are:

http://UndergroundKettlebells.com

http://UndergroundSandbag.com

http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

http://zacheven-esh.com/LostSecrets.php

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I started lifting weights back when I was 13, it was 2 weeks before 8th grade was over. I used the weights my older bro had in his room down stairs on an old school Weider Bench.

Some of those weights were sand filled and I still remember doing dumbbell benching and sand would fall in my eyes and mouth – ahhhhhhhhh, those were the days

Through the last 2 decades, I have gone through many phases in my training. All of these phases were based on my goals, my intuition, experience, injuries, motivation, joy and most importantly, how my family inspired me and in a manner I was drawn to.

Some may not understand what I mean by being “drawn to the weights” but it is very similar to the manner a surfer is drawn to the water, no matter what shape or form it has. Surfers such as this are considered Watermen or Soul Surfers.

Bruddahs like Laird Hamilton, Uncle Mike Stehle and Kurt Gregory are ALL Watermen.

They also ALL train with that Underground Style – No Rules, training as they see fit, sometimes with barbells, kettlebells and bodyweight, other times outdoors at playgrounds, in backyards, on the beach and in the water.

It is about whatever is drawn to you and whatever you are drawn to, they both go hand in hand.

I guess we can be considered “Soul Lifters” and “Iron Men” – we love to train, regardless of the tool, where, what, when or the shape or form, we just love to train.

Of course, the more natural the setting and the tool, the more connected we are to this style of training.

Laird Hamilton surfs with any tool available and doesn’t discriminate much and even uses “machines” to extend his surfing to the next level, very much like powerlifters wear suits to lift bigger weights.

His surfing and life are guided by his family, his connection to nature, peace, adventure and his roots, which is water, as my roots are training.

I think if we stopped focusing so much on simply the physical benefits of training and more of what it can do for our soul, we would have a lot more people getting way better results in the physical realm.

If you’re not a Soul Lifter, if you’re not an Iron Man, then you’re missing out on some of the most beautiful things “training” can offer.

Think about that for a bit….

So let me ask you, are YOU a “Soul Lifter”?

Drop a comment below and let me know.

Peace Bruddahs!

–Z–

PS: By the way…. I am Running out of copies of Lost Secrets of Strength FAST. Orders have come from some VERY cool parts of this world, one of which I had never even heard of, The Faroe Islands! I LOVE helping people around the world! Follow your passion – it’s NO joke!

PPS: It was AWESOME to see 2 people sign up for the 1 Day USC Certification with less than 24 hrs to go, one cruising down from Canada with his Dad as part of a “Bonding” road trip! I LOVE seeing people going after dreams in their life, following their passion and Making it Happen!

Other USC Certifications are available HERE ==> Follow your passion, Achieve your dreams, make it happen!

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Man, I am having a WILD week! I have a time sensitive issue here and hopefully you can help and drop a comment with your thoughts

Between the release of Joe DeFranco and I with The Lost Secrets of Strength, my 1 Day Underground Strength Coach Cert this Saturday and People Signing up for The Brass Balls Coaching Program (As Far Away as Norway) I can tell you, I am a CRAZY Bruddah right now!!!

Here is what’s going down Thursday at 7 AM & why I need your Help!

My bruddah and homeboy, Smitty from The Diesel Crew is gonna get picked up by me EARLY for some grub at a Dirty Jerzee Diner.

Immediately afterwards we’re heading to The Underground Strength Gym and will begin filming our new training course, and it will be off the F***ing Hook!!!

Hey, what else do you expect to happen when Diesel Meets Underground!?!?!

I want to know THREE things from you, and you can answer by simply dropping a comment below.

This is going to be Crazy FUN for all of us, so don’t hold back, deal?

Alright, let’s get started!

1) What do you think Smitty & I are going to cover in this training course?

2) What do you WANT us to cover in this training course?

3) What would be a Kick Ass Name / Title for this course?

Answer those 3 questions in the comments area and be creative AND crazy with your answers, and just speak from the heart!

I can’t wait to hear what you have to say! This is gonna be awesome but please hurry, as we are filming Thursday morning, EARLY!

You rock for helping and showing the love!

Peace!

–Coach Z–

PS: Oh yea, answer one more question. What do you think I’m gonna eat at a Dirty Jerzee Diner?!?!

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Joe DeFranco & I just released our Limited Edition, Lost Secrets of Strength Seminar on DVD & CD (Over 7 hours of Information!!).

Below, Joe talks about training young athletes, how to build relative strength, how to add muscle, how to progress them into the infamous ‘Westside for Skinny Bastards’, bodyweight training standards and much more.

This interview is jam packed with awesome athletic training information, and we have 7 hours more for you HERE.

Enjoy the interview and drop a comment below if you want to add or have a comment or question!

Was that interview bad ass or what!?

Drop a comment and join in on the discussion.

Peace and thanks for stopping by!

–Coach Z–

PS: If you dig this Blog please share with your friends with the links below: facebook, twitter or any of your favorite social bookmarking sites. Thank you in advance for sharing AND watching! I am honored and psyched that you Love it here!

PPS: Lost Secrets of Strength is literally flying off the shelves, as this is a Limited Edition, you want to act fast and snag your copy before they’re all gone! Get Your Copy HERE!

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I have been crazy busy the past few weeks, and I forgot about ‘FREAK Strength Friday’!!

How could I ever forget!

There are TWO things in the Blog today:

1) Your FREAK Strength Friday Workout

2) Information on tonight’s release of ‘Lost Secrets of Strength’ – this will be announced via our e mail list at midnight, EST

So Stay tuned for tonight….

Here is your FREAK Strength Workout to be rocked today, since we missed Friday!

On your own, perform your warm up including any soft tissue work and mobility work. I also encourage you to perform recovery and soft tissue work during AND after each workout.

1) Trap Bar Deadlift: Build up to 2 heavy sets in the 2 – 5 rep range

2A) Handstand Push Ups 4 x max reps

2B) Rope Climb OR L Seat Pull Ups 4 x max reps

3) Walking Sandbag Lunge (place sandbag on your back) 1 set x 150′ (rest as necessary to complete full distance of lunges)

4) Kettlebell Swings 4 x 30 seconds 

5A) Abs: Hanging Leg Raises (Knees to Elbows) 4 x 5 reps

5B) Grip: Dumbbell Hex Holds 4 x 5 – 10 seconds ea. set

Regarding tonight and Lost Secrets of Strength….

Lost Secrets of Strength, Limited Edition will release tonight, the special link will be sent to your e mail when the clock strikes midnight!

We packed 6.5 hrs of footage onto 3 DVDs plus a Power Packed Bonus Audio where Joe and I discuss training, business, running your warehouse gym, how we started our biz, how we assess and evaluate new clients, how we came up with the money to start our business, program design and more.

The Audio CD alone will blow your mind!

I am psyched, can’t you tell!

Check out the videos below and you’ll get a taste of what’s coming!

But…I am warning you! This is ONLY reserved for the serious Strength Coach and Athlete. Attendees invested $350 plus all their travels as many flew in from around the USA to attend this closed door seminar. 

The entire set will be on sale in addition to the added bonus only for the first 50 copies.

Check out what you can expect below!

I can honestly say that a HUGE reason why I have been able to boost my training knowledge and business knowledge is because I invest in my education.

That is THE difference maker between those who rise to the top and those who remain confused and stuck in mediocrity.

Every year I invest somewhere in the realm of 15 – 20 k on my education and it is well worth it!

Some call me crazy, I just call it highly motivated!

Let’s hear your thoughts / comments / questions below!

Whatcha think of the workout?

How psyched are you for Lost Secrets of Strength?

Are you looking to improve your training knowledge, business knowledge or BOTH?

Let your voice be heard fellow Undergrounders!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: If you’re not a subscriber to The FREE Underground E Journal, sign up in the little box below!

PPS: If you dig this blog, please share it through facebook, twitter or via e mail. Show the love bruddah!

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I was 13 and fully enthralled with the world of bodybuilding.

I could not stop reading FLEX and Muscle & Fitness.

My older brother became BIG into working out as he was obsessed with training for wrestling.

He had a bunch of plastic weights in his bedroom downstairs and quite the number of bodybuilding magazines.

I read them cover to cover, over and over and over and over….AGAIN!

Anywhere I went I had magazines with me so I could read, read and read.

I still remember reading FLEX magazine on the way to my Aunt’s house in Bronx, NY and not realizing my Dad got pulled over for speeding on the NJ Turnpike! Talk about obsessed!

I remember my Grandfather even gave me a magnifying glass so I could read the super small print inside an OLD book,  Super High Intensity Bodybuilding – I was reading OLD articles printed as photos inside the magazine with a magnifying glass. They were articles of Arnold from old Muscle Builder & Power articles.

I read them over and over again, photos of Mike Mentzer, Casey Viator, Dave Draper and Arnold motivated me to no end.

As a young teen I would have my Dad drive me to other gyms in NJ to check them out, and in my mind, even at the age of 14, I KNEW I would achieve my dream one day, and that was to open my own gym.

Granted, I NEVER knew it would take such a turn from the typical bodybuilding gym, but I did KNOW I wanted hardcore!

As a young teen, I also knew this…. I would LIVE my dreams, NOT DREAM my life!

I believe that everyone should be shooting for the stars, with training, with life and with what you DO in life.

Maybe this was instilled in me from reading about all the guys of The Golden Era, leaving their home town and going to Venice, California, to live their dreams, achieve their dreams and to be HAPPY.

In no way am I telling you to pick up, leave, quit your day job, etc.

What I am telling you is this: Every day you wake up should be a new day to get that much closer to your perfect life, your dream life, your child like dreams.

Whatever happened to that child-like excitement you once had as a kid, yet lost it somehow as you grew up?

You can STILL have that excitement and tenacity to have FUN and love what you do.

But it comes through ACTION – and lots of it.

The DOERS are the ones who are living their dreams and not dreaming their life.

Now it’s your turn.

Peace!

–Coach Z–

PS: The BIGGEST reason I started The USC Certification was not to teach people how to train. It was because I was doing what I love, I achieved what I ALWAYS wanted and I wanted to share my system with others who were just as passionate at becoming Strength and Conditioning Coaches so they too could do what they loved.

If you want to do what you love, as I do, then this is your first step: The Underground Strength Coach Certification.

Check out the upcoming dates below so you too can start living your dreams:

August 22nd, 1 Day USC Certification: http://zacheven-esh.com/1DayCert.php

September 19 – 20: http://zacheven-esh.com/coaching.php

October 10-11: http://zacheven-esh.com/coaching.php

PPS: Lost Secrets of Strength will be ready to go this Tuesday, stay tuned!

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