Last night I had my friends over to watch The UFC fights. It’s actually rare that I stay up so late to watch the fights.It’s more common for me to be asleep between 10:30 and 11 PM nowadays.

I used to ALWAYS watch The UFC main events AND PRIDE Fighting. Who remember Pride held from Japan? Damn those fights were amazing!

I was psyched to see Frankie Edgar defend his title against The Prodigy, BJ Penn. BJ is a straight up animal and his long list of accomplishments is undeniable. BJ Penn’s intensity is awe inspiring and his skills are freakish, hence, why he is called the Prodigy.

BJ’s new training for strength, conditioning and overall performance as of a year or two ago took on a new role, from Marv Marinovich, and if you’ve been around for a while, Marv’s son, Todd Marinovich was a high level collegiate QB back in the day who was being trained by Dr. Yessis with Russian Methodologies specialized for the role of a Football QB, VERY sports specific. I believe this has influenced Marv’s training system for BJ with lots of plyo training, nervous system training and balance work. Check it below for a little insight into how BJ Penn now trains.

I expected a battle for 5 rounds. I have seen Frankie fight and know of his training methods….. Frankie Edgar does NOT get tired. It’s scary to see such a machine. Frankie gets in his wrestling workouts with The Rutgers Wrecking Crew, and, from my inside sources, he NEVER rests and never sits down when live wrestling against these college animals…… he keeps going and going and going….banging heads with one fresh wrestler after another.

His intensity is second to none. You don’t become the world champ by taking it easy. Then again, do you get anywhere good by taking it easy? No matter what BS story someone tries to sell you, becoming an ass kicker at any endeavor always required some sort of hard work, sacrifice and commitment. ALWAYS.

See Frankie in training below with Martin Rooney:

There are certain things about Frankie that shock, awe and inspire me. You can Learn from THESE:

- The dude seems immune to punishment and pain. He gets hit, he keeps charging. Nothing stops him. When you get hit or run into a stumbling block, how do you react?

- He NEVER stops moving, his energy is endless, he has a TRUE relentless attack. That’s how life should be lived. Leave NOTHING on the table, go for everything, why settle for anything less than your best. This is how you leave behind a legacy for family, friends and all others to be motivated from your actions. Winning is an internal game. You can sometimes win by points on the score board, but, if you didn’t leave it ALL out in the open, and honestly give your 100% best, then have you truly won?

- He’s a Jersey Wrestler. He has that relentless attack, relentless movement and doesn’t like being held down. A few times BJ Penn got a hold of Frankie, he just could NOT be held down. Frankie was a top state and national level wrestler through high school and college. He put in the work. NOT everyone is willing to put in the work necessary to become a champion. Do you wake up early, stay up late, do what others do NOT ask of you? If you always need a Coach giving you motivation and can’t pull it out of yourself, you will NOT become a champion.

- He drinks Jersey Water. There is “something special” in Jersey Water…. and the air…. Jersey Shore air is better than breathing in The NJ Turnpike air, I can assure you

- He has trained with my bruddahs, Uncle Mike, The Milkman and Martin Rooney. These 3 guys have handed me ass whoppins with their workouts unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The three of them are BUSY and still remain deadly in their physical performance. ALL three are husbands, fathers, full time + plenty more hours of work. They ALL Lead from the FRONT. Do you Lead from the FRONT?

- Frankie is undeterred. It’s easy to be the younger guy psyched out by a fighter who is touted as one of the best pound for pound fighters to ever live. Don’t let others psyche you out or dictate what you can or can not do. Blaze your own path and get thick skin. Most people try to run their mouth in an effort to deter you or put fear in your eyes. This is where The F**K You Factor comes in. Put your head down and get to work. Charge FULL force.

- Frankie is focused and committed to training and his goals, NO excuses. Commitment and focus seem to be lacking in many people today, both in athletics and / or business. Many people talk of lofty goals yet very few are willing to do what it takes to make it happen. The excuses are rampant: too early, too late, no money, too busy….. In my opinion, there are too many Bull S**t excuses being spat out. It’s ALL or nothing, if you want to become a champion or a HUGE success at what you do there are NO excuses.

- Be in shape so you can be relentless, regardless of your sport. Sports specific training is fine and dandy, BUT, what about the ability to dominate on the practice field and in the real world. Being out of shape yet having first step quickness and a big vertical ain’t s**t compared to a warrior who has a relentless attack, never tires, falters or weakens. Mental toughness gets developed with workouts that often have little to do with science.

Train like a fighter, sports and life are often times a battle of will, prepare to WIN. Period.

Take action with what you’ve learned.

I’m fired UP after watching Jerzee BadAss, Frankie Edfar defend his title. Time to hit some sprints and Kettlebell Training in the backyard.

Lead from the Front!

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Training for Warriors

Uncle Mike & The Milk Man

Underground Inner Circle 30 Day Trial

Convict Conditioning Workout

Martin Rooney Combat Readiness Audio Interview

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I still remember a BIG name Strength Coach talking sh*t about me when I first began showing my methods on the internet. The guy was, once upon a time, someone I looked up to.

He had multiple facilities around the world and a slew of Coaches working for him. I did find it funny that a guy running certifications around the world with gyms around the world would talk sh*t about a dude training wrestlers and football players from his garage.

It was a sign of his blazing insecurity. Perhaps he saw the fire in my eyes. Haven’t I said you’re either the Hunter or the Hunted? I wasn’t hunting anyone, I WAS hunting my dream though, and that was to own my very own, hardcore gym. One that I could call my own.

I’ve watched other Strength Coaches copy lots of what I do, from videos to web design / graphics and even my personality. I’ve seen other Strength Coaches walk around as if they are entitled to everything. NO respect. How embarrassing it is to see such a thing.

I was certainly the Strength Coach labeled as “Least Likely to Succeed”…..

Problem is, I don’t quit. I don’t stop. I get knocked down and get back up. Again and again and AGAIN.

I’m not slowin’ down any time soon and this is REALLY only the Beginning.

If you’re a Strength Coach with a dream then F**K everyone else and go after it.

Here’s the last crew of USC Certified Coaches going through the paces, the next Cert is around the corner.

Stay tuned for the announcement by becoming part of my Underground Biz Journal HERE.

Enjoy the next 12 minutes of ass kickin’ Coaches going for their dream. Are YOU next?

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There are times when you think you’re training hard.

Soon, someone else comes along and pushed you outside your comfort zone. Suddenly you’re not as strong, as fast or as tough as you thought you were.

It’s happened to me and still does to this very day. But, this is why I do it. I need to keep my edge, I FEAR losing it. There are ALWAYS holes in your armor.

I’ve been exposed to plenty of new methods lately and some of them have busted me up. Some are me simply going back to where I started. Sometimes you need a reminder and sometimes you need to get your ass kicked.

7 Ways to Keep Your Edge and Become a Gladiator:

Read the rest of this entry »

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I’ve been to a LOT of wrestling clubs and worked with a LOT of wrestling teams.

I used to be shocked and even angered seeing how wrestlers were NOT performing ONE good push up: full range of motion, neck and entire body aligned, tight abs….

How the hell can a wrestler be unable to perform the bread and butter basic exercise that EVERY athlete should be cranking? The Great Dan Gable would lose his mind if he saw this.

Bodyweight Training is extremely powerful when implemented properly. We can’t argue with the strength, speed, power and athleticism of gymnasts. My buddy, Jonny Hinds always amazes me with his shocking strength and body control.

Every time I see an “inside look” of some prison on TV I can’t help but check it out to see if they reveal some inmates working out. Last week while on vacation I was flipping through the channels & caught a glimpse as they featured a prison and the guys were cranking handstand push ups with ease, push up variations with knee tucks (stuff I have used with my wrestlers) and prisoner squats, naturally.

Because I wanted to challenge ALL wrestlers I set up a simple challenge. It can be stepped up to a greater level for sure, so let’s say this challenge is Level I.

I came up with a small challenge for the wrestlers BUT it can be done for anyone, you don’t need to be a wrestler to go after this little bodyweight workout challenge. I prefer cranking this challenge AFTER some heavier work such as farmer walks, full body Kettlebell lifts such as snatches or clean and press, or even the basic deadlift.

Check out the video and drop a comment below with YOUR time

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Below is a lil’ compilation of various Football / Gridiron Gladiator Workouts.

From myself to my bruddah Joey DeFranco and Duane Carlisle.

Duane Carlisle is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for The San Francisco 49ers.

Years ago, Duane had several locations of his OWN in NJ, not too far from Edison. I would listen to countless audio interviews with Duane, especially his speed, agility and conditioning work as my expertise was in getting them Strong as Hell.

Duane has given an inside look as to how he trains Football players with regards to Strength, Speed / Agility & Conditioning. You can pick it up HERE. If you snag Duane’s Total Football Training, e mail me your receipt and I’ll send you The BEAST Strength Program).

Check these Videos of Gridiron Gladiators in Training, Jerzee Style.

Now that you’re blood is pumpin’ it’s time for you to rip through some heavy weights and run some hills!

Lead from the FRONT

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Duane Carlisle’s Total Football Training

Joe DeFranco’s Super Strength

Underground Strength Inner Circle 30 Day Trial

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Team Underground has been competing in Strongman Competitions held by Joe DeFranco since Day 1. I believe the first one was 4 years ago in the parking lot of Joe’s Gym. It was held after an Elite FTS Seminar where Jim Wendler & Dave Tate were present.

I still remember getting a 600 lb tire 3 or 4 days before the event so our guys could practice the tire flip. The tire was old and grimy and the guys couldn’t even grip the tire.

It was the beginning stages of The Underground Strength Gym being in a warehouse, after several years of being housed in my 2 car garage.

No one expected our athletes to do well as we were unknown to others. What others did NOT know was that my athletes were like a tightly knit unit of a Military Special Forces Team. They had gone through Hellish Underground Workouts in my garage, backyard and at a school field down the road from my house.

I still recall the spectators at the first strongman competition asking, “Who the hell is Underground?!?!”

That first Strongman Competition was an epic day and one that I still remember as if it just happened 2 minutes ago, where one of our athletes, “Curls”, had to compete against Adam “Trigs” Triglia in an overtime finale with a prowler race for the high school division crown.

Trigs won by a mere fraction of a second and it would spur Curls to go on and win the next TWO strongman competition titles hosted by Joe DeFranco.

From chubby slow poke as a kid to the world’s strongest college athlete it was a helluva ride. I try to explain to my athletes often that this chokes me up and makes me proud as all heck, but I still see nerves in their eyes every time I talk to them about what I want them to do and the high expectations I have of them.

This year, as we prepped for The World’s Strongest Athlete my nerves were running more than ever. With our college guys coming back to The Underground with nagging injuries and crazy work schedules we had to work around LOTS of injuries, strange time schedules and I had to rebuild these warriors.

We used lots of Eischen’s Yoga & soft tissue work to get the body’s back on track. Strongman training was actually VERY low volume and we focused on Kettlebells, Bodyweight and Muscle Building movements.

Several weeks our from this year’s WSA competition, my former students from Elementary School, Curls & Coop, stood nervous as we went over workouts, expectations, nutrition and MORE expectations. I got a bit choked up as I looked back to how fast time had gone.

It seemed like yesterday that these two boys were in 4th grade and we still bring back our memories of Curls rapping in 4th grade math class using Football touchdowns and field goals to help the class memorize their times tables.

Coop still remembers getting in trouble with me and sitting out after performing a death defying head spring off the vault during while I was teaching Gymnastics.

Curls remembers being slower than everyone else and getting tagged first in every game.

I remember those days like yesterday and after the WSA was over, I had this clear vision in my head of these boys still being scared and nervous every time I spoke to them. I realized we had only 1 more year of competition ahead and that as a TEAM, we had seen each other change and grow.

The boys growing from elementary school to high school stand out Football players, and today, the standouts of their college Football team. Myself, a teacher and wrestling coach and today the owner of The Underground Strength Gym.

Last year, our top athletes represented BIG time at The World’s Strongest Athlete. Curls took 1st in the college division, T Woods 3rd in high school and Kevin Kelly, a NJ State Trooper took 2nd losing the entire event by a mere half second.

It was a stressful day of events this year, with our high school Beast, T Woods, going through a repeat battle as Curls did when he was in high school. The first Prowler Race was so close we had to go into Double Overtime where Pat Cole edged out T Woods for the title. I didn’t get as much video footage as I wanted as I was too nervous pacing the floors of the event watching all our athletes compete.

T Woods had just finished a whirl wind 2 weeks as he was in full blown Football practice for the Snapple Bowl, a Football Game that pits the best players of Middlesex County VS Union County and you can see the reporters were BIG time impressed with his presence on the field HERE.

When Travis began training at The Underground, in the garage, he was training alone, in a corner almost, as he was too weak to deadlift more than 185 lbs without rounding his back.

On the other side of the garage was Curls & Coop, deadlifting 500 + lbs and motivating Travis to that next level. T Woods went from 160 lbs to 220 + lbs and is heading off to play college ball.

Check the highlight below and you’ll see how tough this event was and why I am so proud of the athletes who represented from The Underground Strength Gym.

Before the day was over I was PROUD of my crew for representing BIG time in more ways than one. They competed with every ounce of strength they had to raise funds and be strong for The MS Society as all funds were donated to MS.

The crew was ready for the next step and that was to prepare for their next season. They ALL showed up Monday ready to train again. Dedication. Commitment.

Although we battle for 1st place during this competition, our crew and DeFranco’s crew have become brothers through the years. It’s been an awesome journey watching our high school athletes grow into college athletes and now on the verge of graduation they’ll be heading into the work force.

I believe these are THE kids who can bring the economy back on it’s feet as they are warriors, they understand how to get results and don’t fear the hard work, sacrifice and commitment necessary to become a BIG success.

What these boys have learned in the weight room has made them better MEN.

And, because of these times and these athletes, I too am a better man.

I am grateful and honored.

Lead from the FRONT.

–Z–

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Complexes are downright brutal. I use them with barbells, dumbbells, sandbags and kettlebells.

You can use them with stones as well. The bottom line is don’t be afraid to go heavy with complexes either.

They put on muscle AND improve conditioning, but, most people fear them because they are NASTY once you get going with them. Your muscles feel like they’re going to explode and your grip gets a helluva workout from the constant movement of the barbell in your hands.

Check out this video of some Dumbbell Complexes adding The Grip 4orce to make it even more challenging.

At least once a week you should be tossing in some form of a complex using any of the training tools:

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It was a Friday morning and I was supposed to train 4 wrestlers inside a wrestling club where I’ve got a small Underground Strength Club going down.

The doors were locked. It was time for Plan B.

This is what I thrive on: shitty conditions, no equipment, no gym….. this is how I began and this is where I was, all over again, 8 years later. I was in my element and a day like this brought me back to my roots.

You gotta go back to your roots no matter what you do or where you are in life. It reminds you to remain humble and focus on what is important.

Time to use the Black Berry. Google local elementary schools with hopes that they haven’t pussified themselves and torn down all playgrounds, monkey bars and anything else Underground. Nowadays, a kid falls off the monkey bars the school board get scared and tears down ALL playground equipment.

NO playing! NO running! NO climbing! NO living??!!!

Lucky for me, the cards were in my favor because this playground was OLD school and looked like old world Russia and something Fedor would be caught training at.

There was sand for wrestling on, poles for climbing and pushing and tables for jumping and press.

Hells Yea, this is MY world. OUR world. The world of Underground.

In this video you’ll see two Division 1 wrestlers and 2 high school wrestlers, one of which is an undefeated state champ as a pure freshman and a youth national champ. I FEAR these kids and that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen when trained properly.

Check these Animals in Training below….

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I’ve always been a BIG fan of Grip Strength and the countless benefits that come with bone crushing hand strength and jacked up forearms.

Check out this grip strength workout where I finished my upper body workout with.

And, below that video is a throwback, Episode 71 from The Underground Strength Show.

Here is what I want YOU to do.

Drop a comment with your favorite grip exercises or grip workout.

By the time we have a good 40 or 50 comments you will have a BOAT load of grip strength, hand strength and forearm exercises / workouts for you to add to your grip strength training arsenal.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Grip Experts – the compilation of information inside of this manual is BadAss.

Lead from the FRONT

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Underground Kettlebells

Underground Inner Circle

Grip Experts

Sandbag Assault Workouts

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When I first heard about Density Workouts is when Coach Ethan Reeve was describing his very own workouts from when he was a college wrestler back in the 70s. He would crank intense workouts for 20 minutes, going for maximum rounds.

The workouts would give an ass whoopin’ to ALL of us.

The Rutgers Wrestling Team is learning ALL about these Density Workouts as we crank many of our workouts based on time. It forces you to push the pace, minimize rest and in turn, mental toughness improves along with strength endurance, power endurance and muscle density.

No wimps allowed.

Below, I cranked 10 minutes of speed benching combined with mixed pulling, much of which was rope pull ups to improve grip strength.

With Density work you do not have to perform an entire workout based on time.

It can be portions of the workout.

You choose. Get UNDER the bar, in the trenches, live and learn.

Lead from the FRONT

–Z–

PS: I’ll be doing Part II of The Coach Reeve Audio Interview for The Underground Inner Circle this week.

Don’t miss it!

Recommended Resources:

Underground Inner Circle

Underground Strength System / Coach Ethan Reeve Audio Interrogation

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