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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Everything is just a tool. The barbell will always be the King of the weight room, but man do I LOVE heavy dumbbell work.

Heavy sandbag training is awesome as well.

Explosive bodyweight drills can’t be denied either.

Check out one of our athletes, CJ Hart, 16 years young, a Football Player and Wrestler.

Box Squat 385 x 2 (barefoot)

130 lb Sandbag Clean & Press x 6 easy reps

Pull Ups on Steel Beam for the added grip strength challenge

I have mentioned many times before about those early garage gym workouts where all I owned was a gun rack, 300 lb olympic set and a set of 50 and 100 lb dumbbells.

I packed on muscle and strength like never before.

You will too. Soon I’ll show you how

Tell me about your workouts using different tools.

What’s your favorite training tool and why?

Kill it!

–Coach Z–

PS: I have 2 spots left for my April 25 & 26 USC Cert – Sign Up HERE before it’s too late

PPS: Lost Secrets of Strength Seminar w/Joe DeFranco and myself is more than 1/2 way full. 7 spots left. Sign up for Lost Secrets of Strength Seminar HERE

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Wow, while going to drop my car for some routine service I was struck by the presence of the East Jersey State Prison, aka Rahway Prison….it’s actually not even in Rahway, it’s in a small town called Avenel, NOT a pretty area.

You’ll see my experience in prison linked below, it was some freaky shit!

Now, check out why atmosphere, killer tunes and killer training partners help you tear it up!

We actually just had a few future USC Coaches stop by the gym Friday. They already payed for the April 25 & 26 USC certification so I invited them down to get a head start on their training and coaching. Wait till you see the video, because their legs were locking up on them and they could barely walk!

Looking forward to your comments and / or questions, go ahead and post em’ below!

Kill it!

–Coach Z–

Websites & Resources mentioned in the Show:

USC Certification April 25 & 26

Joe DeFranco aka The Pro Maker

Elliot Hulse’s Gridiron Strength Program (NOT Just for Football players)

My Scarey Journey through Prison:

Prison Strength Article 1

Prison Strength Article 2

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Watch as I take a trip to the north side of the dirty Jerzee, up to Joe DeFranco’s warehouse gym.

Not your typical warehouse gym.

Thought’s on what you’ve just seen?

Post them below.

Want to hear how Joe D trains his athletes and kills it? Click HERE.

I witnessed college Football players thick bar benching 400 + lbs. I would listen to the Dude if I were you.

Kill it!

–Z–

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Wow, look what I dug up! Years ago, I had the opportunity to e mail Coach Ethan Reeve, one of my mentors, and he dished out some insanely powerful training information. Here it is, once again, for your reading pleasure.

Grab some hot cocoa, relax and enjoy!

Coach Reeve: Yes, I wrestled at the University of Tennessee from 1973-77. Although I was not an NCAA Champion I was a 4-time Southeastern Conference Champion and a 2-time NCAA All-American. Fortunately, I was privileged to have been an assistant wrestling coach under some great coaches at the University of Tennessee (Gray Simons), Oklahoma State University (Tommy Chesbro), Ohio University (Harry Houska) and Clemson University (Eddie Griffin). Eventually I landed the Head Wrestling coach position at the University of Tennessee @ Chattanooga where I coached from 1984-1990. We had five Southern Conference Championship teams in six years. I loved coaching wrestling and still miss it. However, I really enjoy training all sorts of sport athletes. The main thing I enjoyed about coaching wrestling was the training in the wrestling room. That is why it was such an easy transition to strength coaching because I just love training athletes and helping them become champions. Hard, smart work is the answer to success!

Basically, we are at the mercy of the athletes that are given to us by our sport coaches in recruiting. Our job, as strength coaches, is to “maximize” the athletic potential of each and every athlete we work with. We trust our sport coaches to identify the athletes they feel can help our university have success in that particular sport. Sport coaches, like NFL scouts, will look at film and visit the players and see how they perform at practice and in competition. An athlete can have great results in the “combine” but not perform well in competition. If the athletes do not succeed in their sport under competitive situations then they will be overlooked in the recruiting process no matter how well they test in the strength room or combine. What coaches need are athletes that perform well in competition. We do not emphasize numbers in testing in the strength room or speed and agility tests. We look for adequate strength, power, speed and athleticism. If the athletes given to us do not meet our standards then it is our job to get them to those minimum standards. It is the athlete’s choice to go beyond those standards and succeed at a higher level on the field of competition.

Read the rest of this entry »

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There is more to come from this FUN, FUN day!

Come on, when do you see atmosphere like this?

BTW, dig my PR at 150 lb 1 arm rows on that OLD globe dumbbell….and, I almost sold my life to get that 150 lb globe dumbbell, you would die laughing if I told you the story!

Check out what happens below, Louisville vs The Prowler of Death….

as Joe DeFranco said, that things has kicked more ass than Randy Couture!

These dudes know how to work!

Whatcha think of the vid?

Did you see the stains on the cement from the last dude who lost his lunch out front???!!!

Kill it!

–Coach Z–

PS: Wanna get the blue print to my methods and my system of training? Get your hands on it at http://UndergroundStrengthKit.com

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WOW!!! I am honored & flattered.

Joe Kenn, aka “House”, the Head Strength Coach of Louisville’s Football team, formerly of Arizona, asked if he and his crew could visit The Underground Strength Gym as their team pitted against Rutgers University. His assistants were stand up, hard nosed, strength fanatics.

You could tell these guys “walked the walk”, all of them looked to be around 240 and solid.

Guys like this quickly command respect when they run a collgiate weight room, you can tell these men lead from the front. I respect that, BIG time.

“House” rules are that his assistants must do whatever the Strength Coach does – with my back feeling tweaked I knew it would be smart to skip deadlifts, and go with more of a work capacity style workout, but of course, we had to go heavy

This is a lil’ glimpse inside what we did with more to come tomorrow….

I did leave out our post workout meal at a Dirty Jerzee Diner, and man, these dudes know how to eat, well, except for Mike, who feared what came through the revolving doors of The Plaza Diner

Check the vid kids…..

 Post your comments below…

 There’s more to come, so stay tuned!

Kill it!

–Coach Z–

PS: Kettlebells are not the end all be all tool, but, they are a damn powerful tool when you know how to kill it with them. Check out the most bad ass Kettlebell Training Kit on the planet HERE.

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After I make the record board check out this rockin’ gym tour and an inside look from none other than Joe D, a first time video tour of his pad!

How ironic….years ago I was paying Joe D for a consult, today, we’re good friends and I’m on the record board.

I took action, what action steps are you taking to kick ass? Let’s hear it in the comments below!

–Coach Z–

PS – Time is running out to get into the November 1st and 2nd USC Certification. Who wants to Kill it? If you do, e mail me! No half assers!

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Loue has a new book out and it is awesome.

Here’s a little gift for you so enjoy it and feel free to let others know about this Blog.

Click HERE for the Louie Simmons Podcast.

In Strength,

Zach Even – Esh

P.S. – Check out Louie’s Book, ‘The Westside Barbell Book of Methods’ HERE.

P.P.S. – Feel free to tell others about this Blog!

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Got a question via e mail and wanted to share this bad boy….

Question: I own a small gym in St Louis and have recently added a few thick bars to my collection.  I had a new member ask me an interesting question the other day, he wanted to know what muscles were benefiting from using a thick bar that would not benefit by using a regular size bar.  He also asked if you only used the thick bar would that hurt him in the long run because he is a pitcher and a quarterback on his high school team.  I told him that I would ask someone with more knowledge than I had on the subject.

Please help

DeAndtre D.

Answer:

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