Click here to view the embedded video.

The more I utilize dumbbells & bodyweight for my workouts as well as for teaching others how to use dumbbells & bodyweight exercises the more I realize dumbbells & bodyweight training get NO respect. If you’re looking to develop full body strength using dumbbells and a few bodyweight exercises, check these out…..

I’ve seen people who can throw around a heavy Kettlebell, a heavy barbell, etc but when it comes to a heavy dumbbell…. they’ve got NO control. The dumbbell pushes them around. They can’t distinguish kettlebell technique vs. dumbbell technique…..

Remember, when YOU train, YOU are in charge. Period. End of story.

If the training tool you’re using pushes you around, you need to do the following:

- Reduce your reps, stray FAR away from muscular fatigue.

- Treat Strength as a Skill. Pavel & Dan John encourage this HERE

- Lighten the weight, drop your ego, focus on technique.

Above, Bent Press with 200 lb Dumbbell

If you’re focused on bodyweight training and you’re not progressing or your body sways all over the place during squats, push ups, pull ups…. then do the same as you would with free weights. Treat bodyweight strength as a skill, STOP using bodyweight exercises for a finisher, a circuit, fat loss, etc. Treat your bodyweight training as a strength skill, as many guys do when locked behind bars, HERE.

These 3 exercises using one dumbbell and your bodyweight are a must:

1) 1 Arm Dumbbell Snatch

2) 1 Arm Dumbbell Clean & Press

3) Various Bodyweight Pulling Movements (Pull Ups, Rows, Rope Climbs)

If I was forced to add to the list in a minimalist fashion I’d tell you to work the following exercises:

- push up variations, handstand push ups & various hand walking skills

- jump training (box jumps, hurdle jumps, jumping rope)

- Sprints: preferably on hills or sand, but any flat surfaces work fine just warm up properly

- Leg Raise Variations for abs

Basic and effective.

If you’re always using a barbell or kettlebell for your quick lifts, grab a dumbbell and work the snatch and clean and press.

If you kip during pull ups and sway or use momentum during bodyweight exercises, slow it down and use strict techniques as outlined HERE.

Now, time to train. Less reading, MORE training.

Questions or comments, drop em’ below & I’ll answer.

–Z–

Recommended Resources from This Blog Post:

The Man of Steel Challenge Training Course

Convict Conditioning – Bodyweight Only Strength & Muscle Building

Easy Strength with Dan John & Pavel

Jason Ferruggia’s Minimalist Workouts

Share and Enjoy

Last week, during the holidays I was in Disney with the family. Since we drove, I had LOTS of FREE time to catch up on stuff I rarely get to do…. watch TV (Thank You, I Phone) .

When I watch TV, I LOVE finding stuff that inspires me…. NO time for negative, energy sucking BS.

My homeboy, Jason Ferruggia, told me I would LOVE The Herschel Walker Documentary…… I couldn’t find it on you tube during my drive home so I wound up watching many other ESPN Documentaries that inspired me a TON, ‘Run Ricky Run’ was pretty darn good….. ‘Once Brothers’ was AMAZING…..

But, when I got home from The Underground Monday night, I found The Herschel Walker Documentary (It’s FREE on Demand) inside The ESPN section.

Already having Herschel’s Basic Training book and knowing about his philosophy on training I was psyched to see what this documentary would unleash. During the drive home from Disney, however, I was able to catch a ton of Herschel’s interviews on you tube, learning about his tough times as a young kid, his dissociative identity disorder & how he used something that many would consider a “handicap” into something that allowed him to become an Epic success.

To achieve success and greatness, you must use EVERYTHING in your power towards achievement, even if it’s supposed to work against you, find a way to make it work for you.

Click here to view the embedded video.

When I watched Herschel’s Documentary it reminded of the important things with regards to training the body, the mind and the critical need to focus strongly on bodyweight exercises + sprints.

It’s NOT ironic to see that Herschel had a hellish life in his early years. MANY champions and success stories tend to have these brutal times early in their life. Many champions and success stories have battled inner demons. I certainly have, and for sure, still do to this very day.

Something deep down inside of us keeps fighting to emerge on top, which is exactly how Champions learn to do things in EVERY aspect of their life. Like Herschel said in the documentary, he got to a point where he felt he could do anything, almost as if he had super powers.

The ability and undying desire to overcome these inner battles and tough times is what MAKES you into a champion. Without your ability and desire to crush your inner demons, you will NOT become a success story. You MUST develop a hardened sense of self so your edge ALWAYS remains sharp…. you need to ALWAYS keep that edge.

Check this highlight video of Herschel Walker, which looks like a high school kid made as a project for one of his classes, NIIIICE!!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Look at Herschel NOW….. Just shy of 50 and he has only NOW just begun fighting, training and competing in MMA. He took his training extremely seriously, training at a world class MMA Camp amongst other great fighters. Conquer one challenge, move on to the next challenge…. this is how YOU will continue to grow as a person.

You may or may not know this…. I am NOT naturally mentally tough OR a physically strong guy…. These are two areas I’ve had to work at BIG time since day 1 as a wrestler when I was 13 years old.

I have my inner demons, as do ALL of us, But….. I push like hell to silence them, overcome them and DOMINATE them…. All in an effort to rid them of my mind and body. I KNOW that if I didn’t get my ass kicked so many times in wrestling I would not be so driven to Win at EVERYTHING I do in my life. EVERYTHING…..

By putting myself “out there” and demonstrating what I do year after year on film, it makes me vulnerable & it pushes me to elevate my standards and my performance. If I tell you to do something you damn well KNOW I am on it as well.That’s what I mean when I say “Live the Code” and “Walking the Talk”.

The key to winning and overcoming these demons is to face them day in and day out and smash them into oblivion, time and time again, let nothing stop you. NOTHING!

Would love to hear your comments on this, please drop your thoughts below, psyched to see what you got!

Live The Code

–Z–

Share and Enjoy

My homeboy, Uncle Alwyn Cosgrove sent me some questions regarding Bodyweight Bodybuilding, check it….

1) why did you start doing bodyweight training ?

Years ago, when I first began train Football players a light bulb went off. The majority of these guys were big AND strong. But they sucked at our warm up: squats, lunges, push ups, etc.

They could bench 315, squat 405 and trap DL 495….. easily. But their ability to maneuver their own body was horrible at best. They skipped the necessary commitment to bodyweight training and were injured on a regular basis.

I decided to FORCE these guys to spend their first 4 weeks without touching a barbell. It was all bodyweight with sleds, sledge hammers and medicine ball training mixed in.

It forced them to tighten up their nutrition and get rid of the fat that was doing NOTHING for them.

For our wrestlers and leaner athletes, we were able to take bodyweight training to a whole new level.

We used bodyweight training for speed and power, added resistance for strength and muscle building and perform density work with push + pull or upper + lower body exercises for strength & power endurance.

We know have athletes who weight over 200 lbs climbing ropes, performing handstand hold & push ups, able to jump, sprint and move like animals. I got rid of the excuses of “I’m too heavy” or “I’m too Big” and began focusing on the fact that we ALL need to be athletic and that means being committed and getting rid of excuses.

Once the mindset is taken care of the results are powerful. Most importantly, our athletes are MUCH healthier and better prepared to compete at a higher level rather than feeling beat up from an overabundance of heavy lifting.

If you’ve got more questions regarding Bodyweight Bodybuilding, drop a comment below.

Peace!

–Z–

Share and Enjoy

Next week I’ll be releasing a SIC Bodyweight Training regime, battle tested & proven from The Underground.

Make sure you’re signed up for e mail updates on this one, you do NOT wanna miss this

To get you “warmed up”, below is a small part from one of the bonuses, an interview with Bar-Barian, Lee Wade Turner… Check it, Enjoy it AND Take ACTION with it!

1) Lee, tell everyone the basics my man: Who are you, what do you do and how did you get involved as a Bar-Barian?

LWT: I’m 35 years old & started working out at the age of 16 at home & doing circuit training at school.

As I got older I started taking my training more & more seriously & from around 27 is where I really started to push myself to get stronger & become a better athlete.

In 2009 I completed my CrossFit Level 1 Cert in Northern Ireland – This method of training really opened my eyes & although i’m not 100% strict CrossFit, I would definitely recommend this style of fitness to anyone wanting to get themselves into decent shape – This is a proven method of improving your all-round fitness & gets you away from the tedious gym routine.

I also came across the Bar-barians this same year whilst checking out YouTube videos for ways to improve my pull up numbers.

I had never seen muscle ups, levers, type-writers or human flags been done before & like most people who see these videos for the first time, was in total awe of what I was seeing these guys do – Those early videos of Jay on the parallel bars & Zef doing the 20 muscle ups are 100% pure motivation right there & are cult video clips, I still watch them regularly for motivation.

2) I see guys of all shapes and sizes training with bodyweight, BUT, the heavier guys like myself aren’t as common. What guidelines would you have for the heavier athlete training body-weight and trying to emulate what you guys do?

LWT: Your right, the heavier guy is much more uncommon in the calisthenics world but not totally unheard of!

In fact two of the very best in the business are ‘heavier guys’ – Niroc & Metin AKA LittleBeastM … not to forget Beast, too!

I really respect these guys because I know just how hard it is to throw my body-weight about on the bars & I’m only around 165lbs. I was lucky enough to hook up with LittleBeast this past July in London – we trained together for a few days & he weighs around 190+lbs – there wasn’t one move he couldn’t do – human flags, levers, one armed pull ups & of course the most impressive move of them all the Planche/Planche push ups – I actually witnessed him do 5+ Planche push ups with a 45lbs weight vest on – mind-blowing!

Most ‘heavier’ guys normally just like to push weights & build muscle to ‘beef up’ … Metin, Niroc and Beast prove that you don’t need to do that in order to look the way they do & to do the stuff there capable of on the bars – BUT I think I know their secret … They don’t train legs, in fact they don’t even walk on their legs – they let them waste away to nothing until there barley able to stand! … Their upper-body is huge & their lower-body is weak & fragile & weighs hardly anything! … This is how they are able to do the amazing stuff they do – they’ve been foolin’ us for years but now the game’s up fellas!

Above, “Little BEAST” – we’ve got a HUGE interview Bonus with him, it is so in-depth it’s UN-REAL!

Hahahahaha, Nah, only joking – You’d have to interview them because SERIOUSLY It’s beyond me how they can do what they do at their weight!

3) Do you follow a set routine that is pre-planned or do you wake up and decide train by how you feel on that particular day?

LWT: At the moment I’m usually training 4-5 days per week & it’s pretty much a set routine as far as the exercises I do but I don’t do them in the same order each week.

I usually do a heavy weighted pull up session once a week (Just pull ups, 10 sets with the vest)

I’ll also get down the gym too, twice a week – It’s pretty much your ‘Globo style’ gym where I train these days after leaving CrossFit Clitheroe earlier this year & moving to a different part of the country.

In the gym i’ll do a mix of body-weight basics & Olympic bar stuff – I do all the major lifts at least once a week … Front, Back & Overhead Squat … Dead-lift … Bench Press … Shoulder Press & the CrossFit ‘Thruster’ (basically a Front Squat to Push Press in one movement) – Combine these moves with body-weight basics & you’ll have no need to ever sit on a ‘Pec-Deck’ machine or any other piece of gym machinery ever again (Unless your sole purpose for being there is to be a bodybuilder/Vanity reasons)

This is what I mean when I say I’m not 100% CrossFit strict – I tend to do the exercises but not with the intensity that they do in CrossFit workouts … I get a lot of my cardio conditioning just from doing body-weight stuff & building muscle endurance which is probably what I’m best known for – Besides the machine that is Zef, I still believe I have the fastest good form BBR Requirements time on record with 4.48 which I recently got down to 4.31 last time I tried!

Also in the week i’ll normally hook up with my training partner & fellow Bar-barian, Jay ‘KillinGravity’ at the Park in London usually once a week but sometimes twice.

In these sessions we’ll normally train for about 2 hours practicing the freestyle/Gymnastics stuff that the Bar-barians are known for … It’s awesome to have Jay as my training partner because we are very much both on a par with each other – he will be better at some stuff than I am & vice versa, we both push each other very hard & we should have an official Bar-barians video coming out soon on the Bar-barians2K YouTube channel where you’ll be able to see the progression of both of us since we started training together 6 months ago!

Lee Wade Turner is a UK Bar-Barian, sponsored by Fit Stream & you can check his training HERE

Stay tuned for Part II……

Till then, make sure you’re subscribed to my e mail updates so you can be one of the first to get your hands on my new Bodyweight Training Course which will be in conjunction with a HUGE announcement, I am freaking PSYCHED!!! – BIG TIME!! We’re looking to open up the flood gates NEXT Tuesday, but, maybe earlier for subscribers

Please do me a HUGE favor & share this blog post through facebook and twitter to your friends, that would be HUGE for me if you could show the LOVE, ha ha, BIG thanks!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Why am I so fired up on the bodyweight training? Because Pain SUCKS! I’m tired of feeling banged up, beat down and useless. I’m a father of 2 amazing kids and I operate multiple businesses, I can’t afford to feel like sh*t anymore and honestly, can you afford to feel that way?

Share and Enjoy

Above, Dennis Tinnerino…. old school bodybuilding, olympic lifting and bodyweight workouts. Put em’ all together and you’ve got yourself a BadAss BEAST.

Well, I think that Hurricane Irene has passed through Manasquan now. I assume she passed through quickly due to the fear of going toe to toe with the likes of the legendary Milk Man and Uncle Mike. Hey, I speak the truth.

Yesterday I cranked a bodyweight workout IN my garage and it was awesome. I use these kick ass wooden gymnastics rings (I have them at The Underground Strength Gym AND my garage at home) and that’s ALL I needed for this workout, I LOVED it!

After lifting heavy for well over 20 years I have built a powerful foundation of strength and muscle, one that simply doesn’t leave me. Nowadays, I am using bodyweight training with a new system (Coming SOON!!) I am applying and it is NOT causing me to lose strength or muscle as many would assume bodyweight workouts would do. Instead, it’s IMPROVING my strength, conditioning, power and MOST of all, GREATLY reducing pains and aches that I was battling with.

I now have bodyweight workouts which have focused days of strength, bodybuilding, conditioning and hybrid days where they ALL get mixed together.

This will be detailed in my upcoming course…. Make sure you are signed up for e mail updates!

These bodyweight workouts are kinda like how Louie Simmons has Max Effort and Dynamic Effort Workouts. Each workout has a focus.

Now…. check this video, kids….

If these world class olympic lifters are using bodyweight workouts as a supplement to their training, can WE use these movements as workouts since 99.9999% of us are NOT world class olympic lifters?

Hells to the YEA! Watch AND Learn!

Now that you’ve seen world class olympic weightlifters using bodyweight training, Check out this home gym bodyweight workout I cranked yesterday during Hurricane Irene….

Warmed up with a quick ladder, inspired by Pavel who is a BIG proponent of using ladder reps for the development of strength and muscle building without burning yourself out.

Warm Up:

1A) Ring Dips x 2, 4, 6 reps

1B) Ring Pull Ups x 2, 4, 6 reps

Now, ready to GO….

1) Ring Dips Ladder (One Set): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)

2) Ring Rows x 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 reps

I’ve been reading LOTS about bodyweight training and training in general, I NEVER stop learning, esperimenting and testing. My methods are evolving as always, but for myself, they are evolving now more than ever.

I’m experiencing a HUGE reduction in aches, pains and mental fatigue / stress that comes from heavy lifting.

As a husband, father and a man who runs multiples businesses, my health is # 1.

It’s rare to touch a free weight for the past 2 or 3 months now, and, learning BIG time that the workouts that used to crush me, although I LOVE that feeling, are doing little to NO good for my progress and success as a family man and a business man.

Food for thought….

QOD (Question of the Day): Drop a comment below and let me know how you do by trying the bodyweight workout above…and, let me ask you, how have YOU been evolving in your training?

I am psyched to see what’s new with you and how you did with the workout!

Peace!

–Z–

USC Cert coming up….

Are you a Strength Coach or an aspiring Strength Coach?

Want to learn the system I use to train athletes and transforms boys into BEASTS?

This is a life changing weekend, and, The USC Cert is about to take a BIG turn, a BIG change, a movement you want to be part of. We’re looking for Coaches who want to be part of something and who truly LIVE the Code of The Underground.

This means you train hard and follow the lifestyle. It means you are honest, genuine, hard working and ethical.

Become part of the movement and learn how you can follow your passion and do what you love!

The USC Cert

Become Part of the Movement!

Share and Enjoy

Franco Columbu was a BEAST when it came to pull ups.

He cranked them from all angles AND added weight to them.

High reps AND low reps. Reminds me of my OLD Bodybuilding training partner…. We almost always began our workouts with chins and progressed to weighted chins. He would build up to chins with THREE 45 lb plates strapped to a weight belt! His back was THICK! It freaked people out! Heavy Chins and HEAVY barbell rows were his ticket!

Back to the legend of Franco Columbu…..

He was also a BEAST when it came to lifting heavy….. NOT just lifting heavy free weights, but also, heavy objects of ALL sorts, like cars (if you recall he moved a small car while in Italy in the film ‘Pumping Iron’).

When I was a young kid, The World’s Strongest Man was televised on national TV (not cable) and I got to see Franco running with a refrigerator on his back (until his knee was dislocated) and saw him bending steep over his head and in his mouth.

I’m NOT gonna tell you can get jacked like Franco on bodyweight training alone, nor am I so ignorant to think he achieved his build naturally. BUT….. this doesn’t mean we can’t learn from Franco, one of the strongest AND most athletic bodybuilders and strongmen of the Golden Era.

I believe to get jacked you gotta crank a solid foundation of heavy free weights and / or, lifting of heavy objects in some way, shape or form. You’re NOT gonna build the type of muscle density and thickness through bodyweight alone UNLESS you have LOTS of volume of bodyweight training under your belt, as do gymnasts who have been training for hours a day, years on end.

Does this mean you give up and cry? NO.

If you’re committed to bodyweight training, there are ways to build muscle with bodyweight only workouts, problem is, NOT enough people go beyond bodyweight training alone. They do NOT add weight via bands, chains, weight belts, etc. – start loading your bodyweight workouts and the muscle building process WILL speed up BIG time.

BUT, maybe you DON’T wanna get jacked up like Franco and prefer more of an athletic build, less bulk to carry around and less opportunity of getting injured or feeling sore from lifting heavy.

This would be more along the lines of a Herschel Walker type workout.

You can STILL lift heavy with LOW volume, but instead, do these 3 things:

1) Blend in ONE powerlifting or odd object lift before hitting your bodyweight workouts2 or 3 x week. Hit a 5 x 5 or something similar with a squat or deadlift variation, or a press variation and then crank your bodyweight workout.

I describe this system in full detail along with a detailed training program for you to follow inside Bodyweight Bodybuilding Secrets

Here’s an example of 5 x 5 Lift + Bodyweight Workout:

1) Zercher Squat 5 x 5

2A) Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 3 – 6 reps

2B) Plyo Push Ups 5 x 6 reps

3) Lunge Jumps x 25 reps each leg

4) 1/2 Mile Run AFAP

5) Ab Work: Leg raise variations x 50 reps total

2) Adjust your caloric intake and limit carbs. Focus on protein and veggies.

3) Incorporate sprints of all types: hills, through trails, and varied distances. I also like hitting short runs such as 1 mile runs, these are great and do NOT limit your strength gains or interfere with adding muscle.

Give the workout above a shot and let me know how it went for you, post your comments below, OR, post a comment on my Facebook FAN Page, click Here for my Fan Page.

Or…. for details on Bodyweight Bodybuilding, click HERE

Peace!

–Z–

Wanna Build Strength AND Health Like the Old School Ways Once Were?

Safer, Healthier and MORE Effective.

Click Here for Details

Share and Enjoy

Your Mission: Agile, Mobile & Hostile….

The REAL Men HAD it back in the day, The Golden Era & Old School times…

Why were the Agile, Mobile & Hostile? How did they achieve the ultimate in performance AND appearance? Their approach was simple yet challenging….

They concentrated on a blend of strength, muscle building, raw power and athleticism. It wasn’t enough to be able to squat, bench or deadlift heavy. NO, Sir, these men blended gymnastics, strongman training, feats of strength and a mastery of bodyweight exercises into their repertoire.

Jumps, sprints, hand balancing and partner bodyweight exercises were also incorporated. If you’re my age or older, you recall The World’s Strongest Man Competition included some of the best bodybuilders in the world. Try asking the top bodybuilders of today to bend steel, carry a refrigerator on their back or heck, something as simple as farmer walking a pair of 100 lb dumbbells for 150 feet will render them exhausted, possibly even useless.

What a shame….. or did I say, What a sham??!!

Above, John Grimek easily tossing around over 300 lbs, cranking out tiger bends and demonstrating his amazing muscle control. John was a Perth Amboy native, just 5 short minutes away from The Underground Strength Gym!

Lately…. I’ve been experimenting with an almost exclusive bodyweight bodybuilding & strength building program (soon the program will be released so make sure you enter your e mail for updates, TOP Right)…. My strength is sky high and my upper body has packed on muscle AND some serious width in the lats.

Trust me, after days of regular bodyweight pulling movements your lats feel pumped on a regular basis. My grip strength feels very tight and NO strength is lost, only gained. Soon I’ll be blending in some regular Underground Strength to kick off each workout, perhaps a power lift, a dumbbell quick lift, a strongman or odd object lift….

I’ve used the template with my athletes and they are progressing faster than ever before. Remember, our goal isn’t to simply be strong without application, we want the complete package: Agile, Mobile & Hostile! It’s a blend of brute strength, athleticism, explosive speed, power and lean muscle…. Muscle that can actually DO WORK, how about that! Such a rarity nowadays.

Some of our athletes are viewed as odd, or as freaks. A tri athlete who flips 600 lb tires, climbs ropes, deadlifts 455 lbs and weighs 190 lbs!? Yes, he’s the complete package and a waterman, like Laird Hamilton, surfing, paddle surfing, swimming in the ocean when the beaches are closed during storms, mountain biking, Underground Strength Training & more!

Another athlete, a former collegiate Football player, recently lost 20 lbs, and has GAINED strength & power. Imagine a 235 lb life guard, able to climb rope with ease, easily jumping on top of 50 + inches of tractor tires, swimming, running…. This IS athleticism and this IS what we’re supposed to be able to do.

Stay tuned for some video footage, but, those of you who are members of The Underground Brotherhood have access NOW, to our latest Underground Workout of the Month, The August Underground Movie of Strength, and, coming this week, an interview with a former Navy SEAL, who REALLY knows what it means to be Agile, Mobile & Hostile.

Time to make breakfast for the family, then hitting the trails for some serious mountain biking!

Life is good by the Beach!

Peace

–Z–

Old School Bodybuilding and Bodyweight Training at it’s BEST, the ULTIMATE Blend of brute strength, raw power and athleticism.

All you need is a barbell, a few dumbbells and your own body. Oh yea, you also need the guts, drive and determination that lacks in so many men nowadays. REAL Men can step forward, fakers, wimps and cry babies step aside.

Click HERE for The Gladiator Muscle Building Experiment

Click HERE for The Gladiator Muscle Building Experiment

Share and Enjoy

As much as I LOVE bodyweight training I still use the deadlift and the squat in some form of another with added weight. When I bail on deadlifts and squats my legs get WEAK, and as a man, I have NO room for weakness.

The squats and deads help me run faster and jump higher. Running is NOT my forte so anything that helps with my runs is a plus in my book.

Even if you don’t squat or deadlift till your eye balls pop out of your head, that’s fine, the main thing is that you do “The Thing”.

In Pavel’s Power to The People, you are deadlifting on an almost daily basis but with a “tamed intensity” if you will, DEFINITELY book you should be checking out, click HERE for this must have book.

In a nut shell, let’s close this bad boy out:

- Use the squat or deadlift 1 x week or more. Your frequency of use depends on your intensity, personal physical / emotional effects from these lifts, etc

- Perform jumps of ANY type at least 2 x week. Broad jumps, vertical jumps, box jumps, squat and lunge jumps, etc. To take your jumps to the next level use the power jumper

QOD (Question of the Day): Without talking about lifting or training, what do you think are “2 things every man should do”? This oughtta get interesting. Drop your comments below. Looking forward to reading these!

Peace

–Z–

PS: I’m working on a new bodyweight training course, looks like we’ll be ready to open the doors around the first week of August. Make sure you are signed up for updates and members of The Underground Inner Circle will get in FIRST.

Might as well get your 7 FREE Gifts Now, check it HERE

Share and Enjoy

I am getting more and MORE hyped on Bodyweight Training. I feel GREAT and with this weather it is perfect. I have been hunting for better playgrounds, check these out, this is part 1, MORE to come….

If people tell you that you can’t pack on muscle with bodyweight training they are DEAD WRONG.

Remember, you can always load exercises like chins, squats and dips via weight vests, chains, weight belts and even bands.

I have a select few bodyweight exercises we use here at The Underground Strength Gym that have proven to build BEAST Athletes.

Let me know if I should make it into a training course for you.

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Get THIS book pronto, it is shaweeeeeeet!

PPS: A large portion of my USC Cert is the entire bodyweight series we use with our athletes, from regressions, to basics, to progressions all the way to how to use the Underground bodyweight exercises to build your business when you don’t even own a gym! BOOM, SON!

Share and Enjoy

Not EVERY post on this Blog will be about lifting. I don’t think lifting is the end all be all, perhaps you’ve heard me use the phrase, ‘Kick Ass in Life AND Lifting’? If not, read the book HERE!

Here’s a bit of my day and how things are rolling for me lately…

I’ve had a slam packed day and normally I do more work, but today was different. Many ask me how I get so much done and still have so much passion and energy on top of such a hectic schedule.

Well, # 1, I focus on my passion, and that is my family, living life to the fullest and moving my body in any way, shape or form.

My alarm was set for 5:30 AM but I woke at 6:30 instead. I went to bed after midnight so I wanted to get 6 hrs of sleep. Most days I am up before 6 AM, especially when the weather is nice out.

I like to get up early, not just because it’s quiet and allows me to get work done, but because I know many others do NOT wake early and I LIKE doing what others won’t do.

I like to be different and ahead of the pack. Being a conformist or part of the pack always made me feel out of place, ironically.

Fired up my only cup of coffee for the day and then I cranked a bit of work on the internets before my wife and kids woke up, then I make breakfast for the family.

Egg omelets, french toast, chocolate chip pancakes… you name it, I make it. Today was pancakes and egg omelets.

Then, it was off to tennis in the AM with my daughter and my son came to watch and run around like a wild boy does Afterwards, my son demanded a trip to the bagel deli, so we went! ha ha

The kid is GROWING, what can I say!

After brunch with Ethan, I did a lil’ work on the internets and then got some new wheels on my skateboard.

I’m doing LOTS of stuff that I used to do as a  kid and living by the beach is bringing me back to those good ol’ days of playing all day and night.

I drove 45 minutes north and spent time chatting with my homeboy, Jonny Hinds, inventor of The Power Wheel.

We spoke about a TON of stuff, as we always do:

- bodyweight training (we ALWAYS get fired up talking training)

- life

- business

- skate boarding

- NYC & life in the city of Chicago

- jiu jitsu training now vs BJJ in the past

- the importance of recovery

- Rickson Gracie

- The Bartendaz

….and planned a mini hang out for a few days now that I fly

We always end up chatting about our passions and bodyweight training always brings inspiration, so, check out some of the guys we we were talking about who inspired the heck out of us!!

I got up north and shopped for the final prizes for the http://LiftSTRONG2011.com benefit. From there, it was time for Toys R Us.

Then, I shopped for birthday gifts for Ethan, he turns 3 this Sunday! I am psyched and wanted to get him tons of awesome gifts. The reactions he has when opening presents and tearing off wrapping paper is priceless!!!

I also bought my daughter a gift, I can’t let her watch Ethan unwrap gifts without her getting a gift as well

I finished shopping and flew over to open The Underground and trained athletes from 4 – 6 pm. We tore it up with bodyweight, dumbbells and strongman training.

After 6 pm crew was done training, off I went, food shopping for Lift STRONG.

I bought 8 hamburgers and 50 hot dogs amongst other things. These Dudes better be
HUNGRY! I dropped the food off at my parents pad since they still live up north near my gym.

I had a nice home cooked meal from my Mom, chicken and brown rice, then drove home to crank some final work. I coulda called it a day but shit needs to get done and most peeps would quit, I ain’t most peeps.

I went through a lot of blog comments and answered them and was really humbled by all the kind words people are saying on the blog.

Is every day this hectic?

Heck NO.

My days are usually very carefully planned, by the hour, broken down. Organized and committed to getting things done! Today was a wild day and I also need them here and again to get away from work, work, work.

After 2 days of heavy lifting, this was a rest day. A well deserved rest day! Train hard = Rest Hard!

I got time to spend with my kids and that really matters most to me.  Time to hit the bed and get ready for a strong day tomorrow.

Question for YOU: What else do you want to see from me on my blog? Do you want me creating a specific product, training or non training? Please describe in the comments section, thanks!

Peace

–Z–

PS: By the way, I just opened my USC Cert up, back in NJ again

Not all attendees are coaches, many attend for personal growth.

Many are looking for a weekend to challenge them both emotionally and physically.

They want to experience a life changing weekend that they will NEVER forget, a weekend that will solidify them as an Underground Strength Coach.

I am psyched for this cert, especially after traveling away from home, I KNOW the energy is always at it’s best when I’m home, at Underground HQ, kicking ass and taking names with YOU.

Sign up and be ready for a life changing experience:

==> http://UndergroundStrengthCoachCertification.com

Share and Enjoy