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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I had a kick ass workout last night. This is Part I, stay tuned for Part II.

But check it out, movin’ some heavy weight and plenty more to come!

Got questions, thoughts or comments?

Drop a comment below and let’s hear it!

Looking forward to your comments!

Lead from the FRONT!

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

The Underground Strength System

Underground Strength Coach 30 Day Trial

The Underground Biz Journal

THE Kick Ass Seminar

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Recently, I had the cameras of FLO Wrestling stop by The Underground Strength Gym to see how I train wrestlers. Here’s a lil’ tour and what goes on behind the walls of The Underground…..

Because of all this varied “play” these wrestlers become strong, conditioned, athletic and don’t hit the burn out that a typical wrestler hits because all he does is focus on ONE sport thanks to CRAZY Daddy who pushes him to do ONE sport and only sport.

Sorry for the rant and random thoughts, but sometimes, my mind goes off on a tangent and does its own thing.

If you have thoughts, comments or questions on ANY of these thoughts or the videos, please drop a comment. Looking forward to the exchange and learning from YOU.

Lead from the FRONT.

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Get Wrestling Strength

The Underground Strength System

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“Kick Ass & Take Names in Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness”

The quote above is something that is ALWAYS running through my head and something I wholeheartedly believe in.

I believe life should be lived the way you want it to and that there is NOTHING wrong with going for your dreams and living life on your own terms, NO need to follow the rules of others or conform to what others believe to be right or wrong.

Normal People achieve normal success and live normal lives.

YES, Kicking Ass in Life & the Pursuit of Happiness is easier said then done, especially when you are in my OLD shoes and you are preparing to leave behind a full time job with a pay scale just shy of 6 figures, full health benefits and a pension all lined up. Even tougher when you’re a family man and you are the only source of income.

But, I had prepped and educated myself beyond belief. This is what people simply do NOT see. My book shelves are piled high as are my closets overflowing with books, DVDs and Audio CDs on how to run a Kick Ass Business and Live a Kick Ass Life.

The dollars invested in mentors, coaches and seminars are sky high yet ALL worth every cent invested. Notice I use the word “invested” and not “spent”. BIG difference.

No, these books I have are NOT handbooks, BUT, collectively, between all the education materials and seminars, they ALL played small roles in helping me make it to the Kick Ass Life I live today. For some, the road is easier. Everyone will have a different path towards kicking ass in life.

It differs if you are a family man or a single man.

It differs on your past and your state of mind.

Mindset is HUGE when it comes to your success. Remember, normal people achieve normal success.

I still remember the first day I sold an e book, it was $ 19.95 I believe, and I was a 5th or 6th year teacher.

My plans were to get my PhD and follow my TWO passions, teaching and training. I already had a Masters Degree and was almost finished with my Supervisors Certificate. But, I stopped going for my Supervisor’s certificate as I saw how my growth would be limited to the attitude of the administration and I wanted to remove any and all limitations from achieving my goals.

As my teaching career grew, the town I worked for began to go downhill. MORE paper work and LESS benefit for the kids in Health & Physical Education. The focus was ALL wrong and there was NO fun in it. The teachers around me walked around depressed, upset and the bad energy was draining me BIG time.

The countless excuses that parents made for lazy or rude kids and the lack of growth and forward thinking in teaching turned me off. I was less fulfilled and was BIG time disappointed because my first few years of teaching were amazing! I loved waking up every day and loved doing what I did.

I didn’t want to let that feeling go and I knew I had to be in control of life going this way. It was gonna take BALLS to make this happen.

As the years passed and administration changed as did the kids and parents (as you KNOW, I have a VERY hard time working with people who have excuses, are rude, lazy or dishonest) I became disappointed with my career and wanted more in life but most of all, I began to worry that I was not setting the example for my kids.

What would I be able to tell them if they wanted to make BIG dreams become reality and there I was, living and working in the same town I grew up in. Playing it safe. Being normal.

I didn’t want them to follow my foot steps. I wanted to show them how greatness and happiness can be achieved by Leading from the FRONT!

I wanted happiness for my family and for myself.

I wanted to pursue my dreams and live my dreams NOT dream my life.

The first Mentor who got me thinking about lifestyle design, creating a business to help me create the perfect life and living life according to my own rules was Alwyn Cosgrove (aka, Uncle AC).

In fact, to this day, when Uncle AC and I chat it always ends up being about lifestyle design and running my business according to THE rules that dictate lifestyle design. Things like turning down flying and traveling around the world meant saying “Yes” to someone else which automatically meant saying “No” to my family.

Sure, I was and DO leave a lot of money on the table but that doesn’t matter, you don’t always need the money you think you need to live the lifestyle you want. Tim Ferriss ALWAYS talks about this.

I had gone through enough hardship with my family during my days of teaching combined with running my Underground Strength Gym AND an internet business that I reached a breaking point and never wanted to go through it again. In addition, I heard enough stories of other men experiencing this same thing and I wanted to help them avoid this pain.

I had a VERY clear goal in my head of what the perfect day looked like, and EVERY time I consulted with a Business Coach, it always came back to what did I want to do and how the perfect day looked like.

Heck, I still remember one of my Coaches telling me I should say F**k it, and go ahead and train some rich housewives just to get the ball rolling. He was SHOCKED when I told him there is NO way I would do it. I explained to him the pain involved with doing something that I am not passionate about and how it can literally kill me.

He encouraged me to do it for just a lil’ while, only short term…… I said “NO.”

You see, I’ve been through enough shitty times in my life that it has scarred me to the point where I REFUSE to go back and refuse to lose through those time EVER again.

Sure, you will deal with haters who are jealous of your success and you deal with changes in your relationships with people because they will tell you to be safe and don’t let go of that job because of your health insurance, bla bla bla

It’s AMAZING that people stick it out in a job that makes them miserable because of health insurance. Can you imagine living life miserable all because some shitty job gave you health insurance??!!

In life, ya gotta have BALLS, and this is literally spoken, so women can have “balls” in this instance as well

Why spend 20, 25 or even MORE years of your life being miserable?

There is NOTHING wrong with kicking ass and taking names in life and the pursuit of happiness.

This is where sh*t gets tough because people will try to bring you down to “normal-ness”.

Haters will come out and try to bring you down so they can build themselves UP. HAHAHAHA, F**K them

Time to for YOU to Kick Ass & Take Names in Life & The Pursuit of Happiness.

Lead from the FRONT.

–Z–

PS: Mark your calendar for October 1st & 2nd. Go HERE and sign up for the Early Bird Invite.

** Note: Availability will be VERY limited to this event AND USC Coaches will get early invitations. **

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Kettlebells are ONE tool I use. One of MANY. So, before you have a nervous breakdown about me praising Kettlebells go ahead and take a deep breath and pay attention.

If you’ve been reading and watching my Blog for even just a short while, you KNOW I am a ‘Soul Lifter’ and love to lift ALL objects, including my own body.

But, Kettlebells are one of my favorite tools, they are extremely versatile AND mobile (and hostile

I use Kettlebells for strength, adding muscle, improving conditioning, speed, power and overall athleticism. They are a PIECE of the puzzle.

Below, broken down, step by step, is one of my top 3 Kettlebell exercises. Check it out and then read on to learn how to properly and most effectively implement this bad boy…

Here are a few ways to incorporate the Kettlebell Turkish Get Up

1) Perform these as a warm up for 5 minutes, in an up – down ladder format: 1 rep each side, 2 reps, 3 reps, 2 reps, 1 rep and repeat until 5 minutes is over.

2) Combine The Kettlebell Turkish Get Up with my other 2 favorite Kettlebell exercises, the snatch and the clean and press. Here is how you can perform this combo:

A) Perform the Turkish Get Up until standing

B) Perform 1 snatch + 1 clean & press

C) Lower yourself down and switch hands when on your back

D) Perform the Turkish Get Up until upright

E) Perform 1 snatch + 1 clean & press

F) Repeat for time or desired reps.

If you want fancy go elsewhere.

Results must be your focus here.

Hitting Turkish Get Ups, Snatches and the Clean & Press can AND will transform you into a Bad Mother F**er. IF you work hard enough

Lead from the FRONT.

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Get Your Underground Kettlebells HERE

Kettlebell Training for Combat Athletes

Kettlebell Workouts for the Hardcore Strength & Conditioning Fanatic

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