Since beginning training 21 years ago I have gone from somewhere around 110 lbs to 220 and at times I’ve hovered around 228 lbs.

My best weight is somewhere in the 204-208 lb range.

Back when I started, I was 13 years old, it was 2 weeks before 8th grade was over and I would train in my big bro’s room which housed a spin lock barbell and some spin lock dumbbells. Most of our weights were sand filled and I still recall the days of dumbbell benching with sand dropping in my mouth and eyes.

I educated myself mainly through the world of Joe Weider, back in 1989, he ruled it all and finding information outside of his hands was tough.

But…. what REALLY moved me and fired me up was Arnold’s Books, especially the black & white pics of him and his training partners in action.

There was something Very Raw & REAL about these photos, especially the guys who were Built like Brick Shit Houses, dense, thick, rugged muscles and moving BIG weights.

They were definitely part of the Anti Pussification Movement, perhaps they saw the future coming.

But, if I KNEW BETTER, it all would have revolved around the fundamentals and the basics. Back in the day, reading all those magazines, I was brainwashed into thinking I had to do isolation movements like side raises for the shoulders, leg extensions, leg curls, etc.

I trained at the local YMCA, a boat load of gyms throughout NJ, some of which were hardcore, others which were not.

Some of those gyms shut down, they put themselves out of business by trying to be something they were not.

I transitioned to training in the garage of my parents, a super tight space with equipment purchased from classified ads in the local newspaper.

No worries, as some of the strongest athletes in the world, especially outside the USA, train under horrible conditions yet have risen to the top and dominated their respective sports. Atmosphere and basics my friends, these will WIN.

With a low budget I was psyched to see CostCo had a 300 lb barbell set for only $99 Bones…..

Haven’t seen that same barbell set come around again, but, with a 300 lb barbell, a pair of 50 & 100 lb Hex Dumbbells, a utility bench, squat uprights and a flat bench my workouts took on a whole new world, as did my body.

Those dumbbells were great, coming straight outta Newark, NJ where I met some dude at a storage facility who had shut down a small gym.

There ya go, another one bites the dust. You can’t build a kick ass business if you have NO business knowledge or business systems in place.

Heck, running my gym part time, from 4 – 8 PM on Monday – Thursday and Friday we go from 4 – 7 PM, 19 hrs per week, the Gym brings in 6 figures. There is no reason why someone can’t take their business and earn at least a solid part time income doing what they love.

But, then again, training IS the business. You can’t kick ass unless you have the skills in training AND business. So, I ditched all the bodybuilding magazines and my old bodybuilding videos. It was a tough time for me, almost like I was dumping some chick I was in love with, ha ha

Although I was limited with information from what the strongest, biggest dudes did from back in the Golden Era, I copied whatever I could from them and brought it back to life. Those black and white pics of bodybuilders such as Dave Draper, Casey Viator, Bertil Fox, Arnold, Franco & Zane…. They were always rowing, benching, squatting, deadlifting, chins, dips….

That was The REAL shit!

It made sense to follow suit in my garage when I began rebelling against the Bull Shit information swamping the magazines and the internet.

The garage had low ceilings, so standing overhead work was out of the picture. But, heavy cleans worked those shoulders just fine.

Stones lined up my backyard, so I copied what I remember seeing in those OLD World’s Strongest Man competitions as well as using them for functional movements such as squats, presses, carries, rows and power cleans.

My days of bodybuilding and transitioning to power bodybuilding and now a mix of strongman training, gymnastics / bodyweight workouts, kettlebell training, powerlifting, olympic lifting and more….

I keep my mind open. Open to new ways for getting stronger, bigger, faster, leaner and meaner.

You need to keep your mind open as well. Those who know it all know Nothing. After 21 years I am learning more than ever and also hungrier than ever to learn more and evolve my training system. Our athletes are kicking ass and I’m feelin’ agile, mobile and hostile.

At age 34, I am not slowing down. I will continue to kick ass and will always be hungry. I remember the “older” guys in the gym always telling me one day I would slow down. They told me how they used to be like me. Well, news flash…. I NEVER SLOWED down and only got stronger and hungrier.

I am NOT like they are or were, nor am I like anyone else out there. Don’t let naysayers bring you down. Blaze your own trail and Lead from the Front.

Be Strong.

–Z–

PS: Drop a comment with your thoughts, looking forward!

Recommended Resources:

Underground Strength Coach Inner Circle

1 Day Underground Strength Coach Mentorship

2 Day Underground Strength Coach Mentorship

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Once in a blue moon you come across an athlete or a gym rat who, as some of us may have said, is “Built like a Brick Shit House”.

In my 21 years of getting under the bar, traveling the world and being in countless gyms I have seen my fair share of Dudes who are built like BEASTS.

You know the look I’m talking about, right? It’s that Powerful look, thick, densely built muscles that you AUTOMATICALLY know represent the look of Strength, Power and Might.

There aren’t too many guys like this in globo gyms nowadays because they have all defected to training in basements, garages, warehouses and hidden dungeons that only the world of hardcore lifters know of.

Most of today’s problems regarding the pussification of the human race would be solved if gyms stopped sounding off sirens anytime someone dared lift heavy or grunt.

Hard Training has now been outlawed by pansy ass gyms such as Planet Fitness – I am still confused why they don’t understand that it’s OK to train hard and heavy and perform exercises with dumbbells heavier than 50 lbs.

What if a gym was created where there was nothing LIGHTER than 50 lbs and sirens went off and your membership was revoked every time some half assed lifter checked his cell phone or wasn’t training with gut busting intensity?

Now THAT would be a GREAT GYM!

If you want that thick, power look then you need to push the limits and get strong as hell using the following lifts with barbells or dumbbells:

- Squats of all variations: back squat, box squat, front squat, zercher squat

- Power Clean, Hang Clean & High Pulls

- Clean & Press or Push Press

- Barbell / Dumbbell / T Bar Rows

- Bench Press, Floor Press, Incline Press

- Farmer Walks

- Deadlift Variations: Romanian Deadlifts, Trap Bar Deads, Rack Pulls and traditional Deadlifting

You should also make some of your own training tools such as heavy handles for swings which can be loaded up with a bunch of 25 lb plates. Swinging heavy weights is excellent for developing your hips, hamstrings, glutes, low back and upper back.

Let us not forget your ability to dominate movements such as chins, dips and rope climbs. Don’t gain fat and excess body weight if you can’t pull yourself up for double digit reps or perform dips and push up variations for high reps.

Can you run? Fast? Sprints of all types are excellent for leg power and even adding muscle to the legs. I suggest Hill Sprints.

Come to think of it, on weekends, go to an empty parking lot and push your car or truck around with the engine off and geared in neutral.

You need to be with me on this mission to end the pussification of the human race.

Drop a comment below.

Peace!

–Z–

PS: If you want workouts to help you build that thick, dense, rugged, powerbuilding look, then you better be training like THIS – The BEAST Workout.

PPS: Want your own hardcore training business? maybe you just wanna get neck deep into the world of hardcore, no nonsense training?

Check our mentorships:

March 20th, Click HERE

April 9-10, Click HERE

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Here’s a lil’ taste of my training goin’ down at The Underground Strength Gym, in good ol’ Edison, NJ!

There ya have it, some of my favorite lifts:

Squats: I’ll squat anything and anyway possible. I’ll use a box, no box, with bands, chains, sandbags, kettlebells and thick bars for zercher squats.

Deadlifts: I’ll use a regular bar, thick bar or trap bar. This is the ultimate exercise to develop serious, brute strength and a barn door back!

Bench Press: Using thick bars and all types of specialty barbells, the bench press gets a bad wrap, but it’s only a bad wrap by those who have no clue how to use and perform the bench press properly. And for the record, it doesn’t matter if your sport doesn’t require you to lay on your back and press, if you need strong, powerful pushing muscles, then you should be benching in some form or another unless you have an injury preventing you from benching!

Kettlebell Training: Kettlebells are NOT the magic bullet, BUT, they do require skill and athleticism to use them properly and effectively, and if you want to become a better athlete, they WILL help. The details required to master Kettlebell Training can separate the men from the boys.

Who is willing to focus and stay committed to learning the proper skills and technique, OR, who will quit and give up when frustration sets in as they learn the details of proper Kettlebell training?

Bodyweight Training: Pull Ups and all bodyweight pulling movements such as rope climbing and all the different grips you can use for chins and pull ups are a MUST have if you wanna be strong and develop a barn door back.

If you can’t pull your own body then you need to get stronger and lose excess body fat, plain and simple. Master your own Body. Period.

Drop a comment below with your favorite lifts.

Peace.

Lead from the Front!

–Z–

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On most Sunday Mornings I wake up before the entire house starts moving.

I get dressed, brush teeth and head to The Underground.

Sunday morning workouts keep me ahead of the pack, keep my edge and allow me to train and do something extra while the rest of the world is still sleeping.

The Military Press is a GREAT way to start your day, especially on a Sunday morning.

Locking heavy weights overhead forces your entire body to work overtime.

Want REAL “core strength”? Lock heavy weights overhead and you’ll feel your entire body working like a madman (or madwoman to stabilize.

This is why you see so many olympic lifters with ripped, thickly developed abs and powerful looking erectors that are as thick as tree trunks.

You’ve seen me take weights from the ground to overhead before Here & Here, but sometimes you can just get under the bar, dumbbell or kettlebells – or any training tool, and just keep locking that bad boy overhead.

The next time you think of sleeping in I suggest you push your mind a lil further, wake up early and throw some heavy shit overhead!

Peace.

And remember….. Lead from the Front!

–Z–

PS: The Man of Steel Challenge is coming soon! A program you can use anywhere, even at your globo gym! Prepare for the most ass kicking workout system of 2010!

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Holy S**t! The Underground Strength Coach Inspiration Contest BLEW ME AWAY!

And by reading ALL the comments, I can see YOU were also inspired!

I am beyond amazed and inspired by the videos that were made.

I compiled the votes that came through my e mail (which was A LOT!), the Blog comments and the 4 people I had judging and man it was a SERIOUS fight for 1st place between BIg Dan and Chris the BEAST.

There was also some SERIOUS love for the Virginia Beach Beast, Matty Wichlinski. Matt contributed and is already a Expert Panelist at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com as did Dominik Feischl from Austria, who is also on the Underground Expert Panel.

These two Beasts already have lifetime membership to Underground and did not need the “awards” to inspire them. They are Strength addicts, as we all are, and is what inspired them to take action. Hells Yea!

So, we decided to make a top 3.

This was calculated by the e mails, Blog comments and the 4 friends I had voting as well.

The fight for 1st place was CLOSE but one man edged out another!

Here are the Top 3 Winners and their videos are below.

1st: Chris “The Beast from the East”

2nd: BIG Dan Gibson

3rd: Matty “The Virginia Beach Beast” Wichlinski

Chris AND Dan are BOTH getting a FREE ride to come to a future Underground Strength Coach Mentorship held at my gym in NJ.

Chris will receive ALL the products listed on The Underground Store Page, BOTH physical and downoadable programs.

More info to come from Matt Wichlinski shortly……

I want to say, before posting the videos, that I am honored and humbled to see the awesome people that have taken part in this event.

Everyone showed awesome inspiration AND a humble demeanor.

Too many people in the fitness industry act like assholes and have a holier than tho attitude and it is refreshing to see awesome guys like yourself.

From here on out and every day forward we gotta continue to pay it forward!

Let’s take another look at The 3 Baddest Mother F**ers……

For The Top 3 BEASTS, please e mail me so we can arrange your prizes.

More to come shortly…

Lead from the Front!

Peace!

–Z–

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OK! The Videos have been submitted, many by those who have attended the Underground Strength Coach Mentorship, but also by those have been part of The Underground Inner Circle or have purchased some Underground programs.

The final result will be announced mid week as to who has submitted the most inspirational Video.

But, please feel free to drop your comments and thoughts on the videos that have been submitted below. One Video has been kept under wraps due to NCAA regulations for a D1 athlete.

Check em’ and get Motivated AND inspired Yourself!

These are amazing and FIRE ME UP like nothing else!

It’s amazing how to see the iron and strength game have changed and even saved people’s lives!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for those of you who made this possible and took part in The Underground Inspiration Contest!

Underground Strength Coach Inspiration from Jeff Van Dam on Vimeo.

Please post your comments below.

Let us know who you thought shared the most inspirational story / video.

Winner to be announced Wednesday!

Peace!

And remember….

Lead from the FRONT!

–Z–

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Approximately 4 & 1/2 years ago I started Underground Strength Coach.

It was a small collection of articles and videos that all began by filming the workouts I did in garages, back yards and playgrounds with my athletes.

Today, we have thousands of articles and several hundred videos on file, a forum that houses thousands and thousands of workouts ranging from my personal workouts, my athletes workouts, workouts of other coaches and their athletes spanning the entire globe.

I always found strength training to be my savior.

Strength training became a ritual to me, and it was the ONLY way and the ONLY place where I could lose myself and find myself.

I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as slightly over a year ago we held the First Ever, Underground Strength Coach Inspiration Contest, and we had some seriously inspirational videos come through.

Check out the 2 Videos Below and you’ll see what I mean….

Those 2 videos hit me pretty damn deep.

They choke me up.

I get countless e mails every day with people saying “Thank You”.

I can’t describe in words what it does for me that I have helped others, but I DO KNOW how others helped me, helped change my life, showed me how to become better and do better for myself, my family and others.

This Underground Inspiration Contest should be amazing as well. It has NOTHING TO DO with how much body fat you lost or inches from your waist you lost, it’s a combination of the physical AND spiritual changes that have come from you being a member of The Underground.

When you make your Video talk about how your life has changed in ALL areas, there is NO right or wrong answer.

The Most Inspirational Video will receive the Following Gifts:

1) Lifetime Membership to UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

2) ALL the Underground Strength Products Listed HERE: This includes The Russian Lion Power Course, Grip Experts, MMA Experts, The Underground Sandbag Assault, The Underground Strength System and The REAL Man Muscle Building Course

** Sign Up for The Underground Inspiration Contest HERE **

Peace!

And Remember….

Lead from the FRONT!

–Z–

PS: Not a member of The Underground Yet? Click HERE for a 30 Day Test Run. Serious Action Takers ONLY Please. Thank You.

PPS:  “Always do what you are afraid to do.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I remember I was 25 or so, and decided to stop training at the local gym. I was finishing Graduate school which was an hour drive each way, which was wiping me out in addition to working full time, studying my ass off and trying to train in a hard core gym.

Hard core gyms were dead…..

So I began scouring the newspaper ads for used gym equipment. I found some gems:

- Pair of 50 & 100 lb Dumbbells

- Flat Utility Bench

- Dip Bar

I bought myself a gun rack for barely over $100 so I could squat.

I also purchased a flat bench so I could hit some heavy benching. That’s it. NO more room in Mom and Dad’s Garage!

I saw a 300 lb barbell set for sale at CostCo so I went for it.

It was all the cash I had but finally, my very own hard core gym was created.

The timing could not have been worsed, as Winter was approaching and our garage was colder than it was outside!

I bought a space heater from Home Depot and it didn’t help much, even while wearing hat, gloves, 2 pairs of sweat pants and 3 sweat shirts.

So, I bought a second space heater, problem was, every time I turned on that second heater the entire house shorted! ha ha

This did NOT make my Dad happy, so I said “F**k it”, and I trained through the cold.

My workouts were more effective than anything else I ever did at the gym. I was left without the leg press, smith machine and pull down machine.

This meant a steady diet of squats, RDLs, Benching, Dumbbell Pressing, Heavy Barbell Rows and high rep 1 arm DB Rows.

The Gun Show was attacked with heavy BB cheat curls, DB Hammer Curls, Dips and Close Grip Benching.

My Back exploded with new, rugged muscle growth as I hit tons of hang cleans, power cleans and deadlift variations.

After 10 + years of being educated with magazines on the book shelf it was time to educate myself, without outside influence, only by the sounds of heavy metal music and the feel of cold iron in my hands.

On the weekends I would travel to a different gym just to get into a warm place and have a slight change of pace. I would often travel to a Gold’s Gym, and the kid working the front desk could NOT believe me when I told him I trained in my garage.

He didn’t think someone who get as big and strong as I was from a garage…. he thought we all needed the glitz and glamour of the modern day gym.

He couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Primitive training rules. Always has, always will…..

Lead from the Front.

Life is about Kicking Ass, Nothing Less Will Suffice.

Peace.

–Z–

PS: Drop a comment, add your own thoughts & experiences. The Best of the Best in Primitive Training can be found HERE.

PPS: Yes, even your own business can be started in your garage or in a small storage space. If you wanna live your dreams and master the business, start HERE.

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