Man, I am getting fired up, maybe too much.

When you do something you love, there should be no excuses, no complaining and complete animal like energy!

I have done things here and there that I truly was not into, and I could tell, the energy just wasn’t there.

But, if you have committed to entering a contest, then you must step it up and get rid of the mind games.

There is no tomorrow, there is no being tired, there is no excuse making….or…….the competition will eat you for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It’s do or die.

Step up, be aggressive, grab life by the balls, go for the grand slam, not the lame ass double!

This is why I can not emphasize enough how much you must train your mind, not just your body. I know guys WAY stronger than me but I’ll kill them in a workout because I don’t care about the pain and fatigue that is happening during the workout.

Do not overnalayze, just fucking do it, period!

I don’t get angry too often, but, I am pretty pissed off.

I want to see people do their absolute best, because I understand that “there is no tomorrow”.

Kill it,

–Coach Z–

P.S. - Train your mind and body, lose yourself and find yourself. Get the eye of the tiger. It sure as hell ain’t gonna happen at LA Fitness or Retro Fitness! Better go Underground! Click HERE if you’re anti chrome, fancy, LA Fitness and Retro Fitness type gyms!

Tonight, at 12 AM, EST I will close the doors for registration for the Gladiator Seminar with Steve Maxwell and myself.

This is going to be a super intimate seminar, with infinite hands on, personalized attention. I can easily say you will never find yourself in the company of such experts with so few around you to take advantage of.

Also, there has been an added bonus to the seminar attendees, raising the bonuses to $ 424 in value :)

You will also receive TWO FREE bonuses, worth ($ 424), that covers your cost of the seminar right there!: 1) The recorded DVD set of this seminar, which will likely be 5 - 7 DVD’s! ($ 297 value) 2) A FREE Year membership to http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com ($127 value) 

Check out this indepth video tutorial from Smitty at The Diesel Crew. And yes, I alarmed him of my concern for the howling Werewolves that I heard in the background.

Check it…

I’m about to head to another tire yard to snag a different sized tire for our athletes. We have tires that are 150, 400 and 600, all different sizes, all offering various challenges in leverage and positioning.

I have found that positioning is certainly critical to success and safety on the tire flip, but, there must be a solid baseline here. Strongman training is becoming very popular, and, unfortunately, Coaches are skipping the physical preparation needed to properly perform these movements.

Our new athletes go through a series of baseline workouts which continue until they show they are physically AND psychologically ready to move onto the more specialized programs. This is a BIG problem in America, where I see too many of my school athletes having knee, shoulder and back issues / pain at a young age, primarily due to overuse injuries, over - specializing in a sport without any other involvement or exposure to other sports and movement patterns.

All athletes need to run, jump, climb, push, pull, throw, catch, squat, lunge, rotate, extend, flex and on and on…..

Just because you play Football doesn’t mean that you should avoid other sports, instead, you must play basketball, wrestle, jump rope, throw medicine balls, throw and catch with different sized / shaped objects, etc.

Prepare your body from all angles, strongman training is an awesome way to improve physical preparation, just make sure the time and conditions are right!

Thanks to Smitty for rockin’ that video!

In Strength,

–Z–

No fancy chair for me, no pretty desk to hide behind, only the challenge to lead from the front.

Is it really a challenge, or, is it a choice?

ONLY You decide!

In Strength,

–Z–

P.S. - This style of training is not for everyone. The psyche certainly pushed everyone harder, as we competed against one another. Technique loosened up a bit and insanity certainly jumped up more than a few nothces.

It’s time you began taking part in the Underground movement. Do it here: The Underground Strength Course

This morning I was drinking my morning shake, which I have 2 - 3 mornings out of the week, other days, I go with “real” food.

My wife asked me if I was going to work out today, I told her I would, after cranking out some computer work, I planned on hitting the backyard for some kettlebell training, and then she asked if the gym was open.

Indeed it was, but only for  select few who were invited to train on Saturdays in preparation for Joe DeFranco’s strongman contest. Joe never invited outsiders into his competition except for our athletes, which was last year.

My wife encouraged me to meet up with the crew to train with them, little did she know what we were actually doing, and when I arrived today, I was ready for battle.

As the Coach, I am expected to lead from the front, I expect this from myself and my athletes expect this as well.

I know that my athletes have been trained in ways I wish I knew of, and now, many of them are stronger than me, bigger than me, leaner and meaner than me. Regardless, I will be ready for battle, with little sleep and no perfect anythings, it was “Go time.”

Our plans to train outside were quickly shuffled as the rain began to pour down with no let down in sight.

I quickly adapted and adjusted and set up our workout as such:

1) farmer walk dead lifts: 1 x 5, 1 x 3

2) 600 lb tire flip: x 3 reps (flip, run to other side, repeat, etc.)

3) log bar clean and press: 1 x 5, 1 x 30 seconds, 1 x 5 heaviest weight

4) double Kettlebell cleans w/88’s: 1 x 5 reps - my psyche shot me to 10 easy reps!

5) glute ham raise 1 x 12

6) 45 degree back XT w/60 lbs 1 x 12

I finished with some heavy arm work for biceps and triceps. Getting the guns stronger is more important than many people care to admit or understand.

Strong triceps will push up your log bar military press, the biceps endure a lot of strain when performing farmer walks and when wrestling with a tractor tire. All angles must be covered.

Heavy abdominal training will be included during the week.

Note the low number of sets. Less can be more, when less is enough. More is not always better. We aim to train with the minimal amount of volume giving the maximum return. Some thrive on more volume and they are given free reign to do so. Psychologically, some of these Gladiators need the extra volume.

This workout reminded me of the battles I encountered every workout when I was competing as a bodybuilder. My training partner was a wrestler, I was natural, he was not. Mentally, I refused to back down. I knew this would make up for my lack of physical advantages, and, although natural, my intensity would often times nauseate my training partner and others who trained with me.

As you can see, the mind will be your most powerful weapon.

Don’t ever lose your edge, engage yourself in activities that keep you leading from the front.

In Strength,

–Z–

P.S. - A style of training too much for others, this may be just what you need, and just what you’re looking for. Check it out at http://undergroundstrengthmanual.com

My gym, The Underground Strength Gymnasium, is connected to an auto garage. On the side of that garage, the owner throws old tires away. Some with the wheel still intact, others just the tire. I snagged a few and helped guys make these tires into sleds. They were happy

Can you build muscle and build strength through the use of things you might find in a junk yard?

You better believe it.

 Check out the video below and fast forward to the 1 minute mark. I am not too fond of the partial reps and pump training this fighter does, although he can kick my ass

Many athletes are successful in spite of their training methods because of their high skill levels.

There are many incomplete and / or incorrect training programs, and for any athlete, the partial reps and light pump training is what I wouldn’t want to see, unless it was a deload session.

The explosive work with the tire in this video is some really good stuff.

You can do this with a light kettlebell as well.

Check out the video and pay attention to how you can get in some tire training or any other form of Underground Strength Training to deliver ass kickin’ results.

In Strength,

–Zach–

P.S. - When my athletes stopped following the traditional workouts most people use in gyms today, their results exploded. I want you to learn these methods, either through the up and coming Gladiator Seminar, or through Underground Strength Coach.

Wow, what an awesome weekend this was.

The first ever, USC certification, and it rocked the house big time.

With military and fire personnel, budding Strength Coaches, Fitness Pros running boot camps and High School Strength Coaches in attendance, it was an amazing time.

The ins and outs of my gym and business, A - Z, were delivered. Nothing buts the nuts and bolts, no fancy, complicated stuff.

This was all about kicking ass with nuts and berries, no need for fancy equipment.

The feedback was great and you’ll see some pics and videos on the blog soon enough.

I’m a little hectic now as last night, around 3 AM, we headed to the hospital as my wife was having contractions for a good few hours and the Doc told her to come in asap.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ya gotta love these…they’re FREE and they get you freaking strong!

My motivation all began when I visited the tire yard in town, and I spent about 30 seconds wrestling a tire to flip it over, which damn near killed me. Then, the “Tire Yard Freak” walked up, took a few puffs of his cigarette, threw it down, and flipped the tire 3 times in a row….no knee lift, ALL power. Just a pure FREAK!

His strength shook me up and woke me up. Why? Because he wasn’t a guy “lifting weights” in the gym, he was throwing tires, flipping tires, carrying tires.

Does this mean free weights are obsolete? Heck NO, come on, by now, you know that I am not someone who believes something is the end all, be all secret weapon, but, these damn tires will be a great addition to an already ass kicking program.

Go get some!

In Strength,

Zach Even - Esh

PS - I’ll be taking you through my Underground training programs along with Steve Maxwell during our Gladiator Seminar. It’s going to rock the house, period. Get in before the doors are shut for good! Click HERE and be a person of action.

Lifting odd objects has been around for ages. I have books from the mid 1800’s that show men lifting sandbags, stones, bars with cemented stones on the ends, ice blocks with handles and other muscle and strength building movements that would shock onlookers of today.

The great thing is, this style of training requires no gym membership, and trust me, I have heard some of the music being played in these gyms! I bought a protein shake from a gym and heard a song “pumping”….”Don’t be cruel, to a heart that’s true….”

Try getting pumped for your 400 lb squats with that depressing song jammin’ through the speakers!

This is why I love having my own gym, still, with my busy schedule, lots of backyard and playground workouts are happening, and they are freakin’ powerful! I’m using lots of bodyweight training, kettlebells, stones and heavy dumbbells.

Check out what a backyard workout clip can look like with Steve Maxwell, who I’ll be presenting with at our Gladiator Seminar, come July 12 in Edison, NJ

Pretty cool stuff eh’?

That stuff will make you stronger than a freight train, works better than the crap at those fancy fitness clubs, that’s for sure

In Strength,

Zach Even - Esh

PS - Space is quickly running out from The Gladiator Seminar. This is one not to be missed. More info HERE.

Lead from the front…

In Strength,

Coach Z

PS - I’m planning on unleashing some radically different training methods at my upcoming Gladiator Seminar with Steve Maxwell. Click Here and don’t miss out.