Not everyone wants to powerlift or use strongman training.
Not everyone wants to throw heavy shit on their back or rip heavy shit off the ground.
Hey, I can understand that AND respect it. I KNOW strength can be achieved through bodyweight workouts only.
Read more on Navy SEAL Training Tips…
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 1st, 2011. 6 Comments. 
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 Strength System / Coach Ethan Reeve Audio Interrogation
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 28th, 2010. 10 Comments.
I’m a HUGE fan of Bodyweight training and full blown Bodyweight workouts.
This morning I had some work to do at the new house and my nearby neighbor, Uncle Mike Stehle, owns a gym 10 minutes away, you can check it out HERE, it’s a Kick Ass Place!
I was planning on doing heavy Deadlifts and Kettlebell work but Uncle Mike asked me to jump in on the group workout he was about to Coach, and his partner, one of the most bad ass dudes on the east coast, ‘The Milk Man’ was gonna take the class.
Our workout was pretty damn nasty, training for 30 minutes with 30 seconds work / 30 seconds rest.
We cranked weighted jump ropes, Animal crawls, pull ups, squats and more. My upper body was especially hammered from supporting myself on my hands during the workout.
Last time I trained with The Milk Man I got crushed, so I had to try to stay neck to neck with him, it was close, but Milk Man still outconditions me easily!!! I WILL redeem myself!
Anyway, sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in your “own” style of training, whatever that style may be. It’s a great idea to get outside your normal environment and normal training circumstances and do something different.
You can’t just be strong with one tool such as a barbell or kettlebell, you must possess the ability to demonstrate athleticism, body control and overall conditioning. Strength without endurance is NOT a good thing in the real world.
Even powerlifters, bodybuilders and olympic lifters need conditioning, it improves recovery ability and the ability to tolerate intense workouts.
I’m a HUGE believer in Bodyweight training integrated into your existing workouts as well full blown, bodyweight workouts.
At my gym, we climb ropes, jump on and over objects, walk on our hands from various positions, perform handstand push ups and countless pull up variations with countless handles to grip onto allowing us to improve our grip strength as well.
Sprinting up hills are older than dirt yet they are brutally effective for conditioning and improving your speed.
You can also perform jumps up hills or stairs.
I want to see more athletes with the ability to perform the following:
50 push ups
10 pull ups
5 handstand push ups
climb a 15′ rope
squat 50 reps
I see too many athletes who can bench BIG but yet can’t do 50 push ups, let alone TEN PUSH UPS!
I’m excited to be living near the beach, this means more sprints in the sand and more bodyweight workouts, most certainly with Uncle Mike and The Milk Man.
Time for you to train like an animal!
Lead from the Front.
–Z–
PS: Here are two of my favorite Bodyweight Training Resources.
Bodyweight University – This is my ultimate bodyweight training resource with workouts for upper body, lower body, full body, jump training, plyometrics, partner exercises and animal movements.
Convict Conditioning – I have TWO copies of this awesome book, 1 for me and 1 for my Coaches at the gym. YES, that is my affiliate link and I only encourage products I personally invest in, personally use and personally believe kick ass BIG time. This is definitely one of those resources! This program is strength focused through the use of Bodyweight training and man will it push you past any limits you once had in bodyweight training.
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Feb 16th, 2010. 2 Comments.
This is the beginning of an upper body workout with some crazy college athletes – the energy is high and the strength is pretty freaky as well.
Note how we hype them up with a few quick sets of plyometrics and medicine ball throws.
Check these bruddahs out…
Before these college athletes ever touched a barbell we needed them to achieve some “benchmarks”.
No need for them to bench if they weren’t demonstrating a foundation of strength to bench press.
Push ups, dips, kettlebell pressing, band training and even pushing movements with a sled.
Once a solid foundation is built, teaching athletes how to bench press is MUCH easier.
What bench marks do you have before someone can bench press?
Post your answers below in the comments section!
Peace Bruddahs!
–Z–
PS: The Underground Strength Gym License will be open SOON. Save the dates if you want in: July 18-19. An e mail announcement will be out soon! I am PSYCHED for this BIG time!
PPS: Every workout I do as well as Every workout my athletes do is posted at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com – if you train athletes or train yourself like an athlete, follow me at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 24th, 2009. 6 Comments.
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.
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!
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 22nd, 2009. 21 Comments.
This takes me back to my roots because I have been using this with my athletes since day 1.
I used it in the Wrestling clubs, on the Football fields and with my clients in unknown parts of the Dirty Jerzee at thugged out playgrounds.
Check this Video for developing awesome upper body strength, healthy shoulders and solid abs:
Let me know your thoughts on that video, and even better, get a partner and crank them out yourself and then let me know your thoughts!
Stay tuned, I have more bodyweight videos coming your way and next week I’ll unleash The Bodyweight University training program.
Peace!
–Z–
PS: Leave a comment below
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 12th, 2009. 27 Comments.
When I started doing pull ups back in high school I could only do 2 or 3 in a row.
But, I read ALL of Arnold’s books and I remember him tlaking about goal setting, and one of those goal setting stories related to his pull up goals, in which he would do pull ups until he could no longer hold onto the bar.
Sounded like a GREAT idea, so I went to the gym freshman year in high school, I was 14 years old, asked my Dad to pick me up in 3 hours. I LOVED the gym and would stay ALL day if i could.
I did set after set of pull ups that day. Eventually 3 pull ups in a row became 2, and then 2 pull ups in a row became 1.
After 2 hours my hands were shot, my lats were fried and I couldn’t even pull myself up anymore.
For 3 or 4 days my lats were so freaking sore it hurt simply having my arms hanging at my sides. The soreness went into my arm pits and man was I aching, but man did I LOVE IT 
Today, at 220 lbs I can easily crank out 20 + pull ups and very close to 30 pull ups.
Check out this video of me and 2 of my earliest clients cranking the playground pull ups…
If you can’t crank pull ups you better start practicing.
I do various forms of pull ups 5 days a week. It is this regular practice that allows me to crush the pull ups and jack up my back, shoulders, biceps, forearms and grip.
Thoughts or comments on the video? Post them below!
Let me know what other bodyweight videos you want to see and stay tuned for tomorrow because I seriously have my favorite video coming that I know you WILL love!
Peace!
–Z–
PS: In a few days I’ll be releasing my Lost Art of Bodyweight Kit. Stay tuned because you will have the chance to win a FREE copy
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Jun 11th, 2009. 12 Comments.
You’re about to watch video footage of a early 1970′s Polish Olympic Weighlifting Team – and these guys are World Champions, not just the average gym rat, yet note how much emphasis their Coach places on their ability to master their body to improve their Olympic Lifts.
Check this killa, short video out ….
1) PULL Ups RULE! I ALWAYS placed emphasis on pull ups – and I used every single variation I could possibly think of. Pull ups jack up your back, biceps, shoulders and forearms.
Having a strong back improves your bench, improves your 40 yd dash time PLUS, a rugged, thickly muscled back looks downright awesome, don’t you agree?
Nowadays, I encounter varsity athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, countless of which can not perform 5 strict pull ups.
This is pathetic.
A program of strength and muscle building requires a foundaton to be built, and pull ups, push ups and squats with bodyweight are a MUST have.
When I would travel to Israel there were no gyms in the area until I was 18.
Before then, my workouts consisted of an every other day pull up regime, 15 – 20 sets total.
I walked to the local playground and began with 10 sets of overhand chins, the last 10 sets had various grips and hand placements.
I still eat pull ups for breakfast, and at 220 lbs bodyweight I can easily do 20 + reps.
2) Mr. Gonzales Kicked My Ass AND he Can Kick Your Ass To! Back in undergrad it was required for Physical Education students to take a full semester of Gymnastics, 2 x week. Our instructor, Mr. Gonzales was a bad MoFo.
Read more on Top 3 Reasons Bodyweight Training Kicks Ass…
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 7th, 2009. 22 Comments.
Just a lil’ highlight of the beasts who stopped by the day before our Lost Secrets of Strength Seminar (coming soon on DVD).
Dudes cruised in from around the country as far as Cali!
They just wanted to watch our Friday crew train but the Underground bug snagged them into the workout and the energy was so damn high we took over the entire parking lot!
This ENTIRE workout is being posted in detail at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com along with hundreds of other videos, articles and audio interrogations!
Check the vid…
This kind of training packs on the muscle and strength like no tomorrow.
But it’s not enough to just be strong, you MUST be “in shape” which means having the ability to sustain all types of training which is why we have a HUGE emphasis on using bodyweight / calisthenics to improve physical fitness to an even greater level!
What are your thoughts on training for overall fitness and maintaining a healthy balance between strength, power and conditioning?
Post your thoughts, comments and answers below!
Kill it!
–Z–
PS: Watch this ENTIRE workout on video at http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com in addition to hundreds of other Exclusive articles, special reports, workouts, videos and audio interrogations.
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on May 17th, 2009. 10 Comments.
Today I will be training a baseball team off site.
Tomorrow, a wrestling team, off site.
There is NO equipment where I’m going.
No worries, been there plenty times before
I’ll be rocking out countless bodyweight drills, solo and with a partner.
I’ll also be using various jumping drills, and band resisted running drills, animal walks and with the wrestler, I’ll use what we call “brawling drills”
If I was to train these teams on a regular basis, I’d bring my tire sleds, store some tractor tires on site and have afew sandbags ready to go.
The strength built with these implements is freakish, it comes that fast.
Maybe even throw in a few kettlebells, or, go with the good ol’ basic dumbbell.
If you’re a parent or coach, this can be done.
When I first created a DVD called ‘Ancient Training Methods’, a Coach in Ct. set up tires and tire sleds plus sandbags and logs and man did he transform his Football team.
He said they never wanted to hit the weight room again and his numbers practically doubled in no time because of the fun they had and the results they got.
To this day I get e mails from one of the football players from back then and the kid is a beast, currently in the Marines.
I have said it so often, to get the unfair advantage, the edge, the brute strength that allows you to dominate, you gotta be different than everyone else and do something different.
You need a secretw weapon.
If you’re a parent, coach or athlete, I reccomend my home study course at http://undergroundstrengthmanual.com or if you prefer dvd’s and a manual plus audio cd’s, then check out Ancient Training Methods:
==> http://combatgrappler.com/ancient.html
Now it;s time for you to kill it!
Any questions, shoot me an e mail
–Coach Z–
http://combatgrappler.com/ancient.html
http://undergroundStrengthManual.com
Filed under Articles, Success, Zach's Workouts by on Oct 6th, 2008. 2 Comments.
Recent Comments