About 10 years ago I was at the mall, shopping with my girlfriend at the time, now my wife. I had been single for a looong time and I was used to revolving my life around training and basically whatever I wanted to do. Bodybuilding and working out was what I revolved my life around. I had a regimented life and nothing stood in my way when it came to eating and lifting.
Until that ONE day….I recall, this time shopping at the mall with my girlfriend, I was eying my watch and was beginning to freak out on the inside….
Read more on Intermittent Fasting, Jack LaLanne & YOUR Health…
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Life, Success, Videos by on Jan 31st, 2012. 20 Comments. 
Time to lay down the law on those who listen and especially those who are “too cool for school.”
I’ve been there and done that & it led to a road called injured in a town called weakness.
This past week, I cranked 4 workouts this week, ALL of them stronger than the week before.
Progress is running smoother than ever.
Mind you, I NEVER feel strong enough, I’m always chasing bigger numbers, but most of all, Better Overall HEALTH.
It’s the idiots and morons who get satisfied with their strength or become too smart to listen to others.
Human Nature is ALL about staying in your comfort zone. If change is pending, people reject the new ideas and fear the change.
What FORCED me to change?
Last Spring I thought I had a Pec Tear.
I couldn’t even perform a push up without excruciating pain.
It was depressing me BIG time and I swear to you I was lost, ready to just stop training as the injuries were popping out of nowhere and I couldn’t figure this shit out. To say I was frustrated would be an understatement.
I called ALL the big guys in the industry who had the smarts with rehabbing injuries and they all helped me, some more than others, but I took every piece of advice given to me and used them all. Eric Cressey & Kelly Starret became my go to guys when it came to my situation as well as my own experimentation.
I organized their ideas and put them into MASSIVE action.
I also had to put together what worked for me, which was different than the norm and these changes were gonna be quite dramatic, not subtle and simple.
I turned my mind into that of a Scientist, learning from MANY and experimenting on myself. I never fear experimenting on my self when it comes to training and nutrition. It brings me back to my early years as a teen.
I had to restructure my training BIG time.
The plan started with ALL bodyweight for a while, a loooong while, but with some VERY unique twists that allowed me to go way beyond the norms of typical bodyweight workouts.
These bodyweight workouts were anything but typical. After 3 months of bodyweight only training, I started testing the barbell again.
I craved some cold steel in my hands.
I started benching again about 3 weeks ago.
Yesterday I hit 295 for a easy double. EASY.
I’m squatting and deadlifting again as well. I’m even teaching myself some olympic lifts.
It ain’t pretty, but it feels f**ing Legit!
So, after having a body that felt like a big lug of wasted crap, what’s the reason I got better?
Because I LISTEN to the advice when my expert friends tell me what to do. I went out on a limb and got waaaaaay out of my comfort zone and experimented on myself to see what will work and what won’t work.
If It makes me better, healthier and stronger….. I USE it.
Getting strong alone is NOT the answer.
Health is the answer. This is why the old school magazine was called Strenth AND Health. Those guys were agile, mobile and hostile.
They could lift HEAVY weights overhead while also being able to perform gymnastics and hand balancing drills. They were THE
standard, then, the steroid era came along with lazy meat heads and bull shit workouts that have you sitting on machines for an entire workout.
I am psyched to have moved onward and upward minus the aches and pains which plagued me and depressed me.
Time to become the NEW standard.
Your # 1 goal must be focusing on your health, when you’re healthy, you can get as strong as you want, IF you follow the right program.
Focus on your health.
Think about the old school magazines, they had it right.
I’m tellin’ it like it is. The truth can hurt.
Talk soon, stay tuned for my special announcement on Tuesday.
I am PSYCHED!
Peace
–Z–
PS: Tuesday is THE day.
The doors to ‘Bodyweight Bodybuilding’ will open up and you’ll wanna keep an eye on your e mail in box for that announcement.
PPS: This is also why my Coaches are going to run a seminar ALL about getting healthy and getting stronger.
Our athletes are following this system and the results are better & faster than our previous system.
If you’re in or near NJ, come to The Underground and check THIS Seminar, space is limited.
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Strength Building, Success, Zach's Workouts, muscle building, old school strength by on Oct 23rd, 2011. 5 Comments.
I see MANY Strength Coaches REFUSING to evolve in their training. They sit back and poke fun at others, talk shit and act as if their methods are the end all be all method for training.
They are NOT evolving. As an athlete, a Coach, a human being… you must evolve.
My training is evolving BIG time right now, my warm ups are getting longer and longer, evolving into play AND training and I’m feeling 100 X better….
My lifestyle is also changing. I’ve gotten back to doing what I USED to do over 20 years ago. Skateboarding, running, biking, swimming. Nutrition is going through experimental phases now as well as some supplementation.
More to come, but for now, Here is Part 1. Please leave your thoughts, comments and questions when you’re done watching.
Got any added thoughts, comments or questions, please drop em’ below.
Peace!
–Z–
PS: At age 35, my training AND life take on a whole NEW meaning, the majority of my training is coming via bodyweight and kettlebells. If you’re not training like an animal with lots of bodyweight exercises you more than likely are developing injuries that are waiting to explode on you. I’ve been there & done that, those days are over.
Start implementing These Bodyweight Exercises into your overall training ASAP and you’ll feel infinitely better: stronger, faster, healthier, more energetic and more athletic. Click HERE.
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 20th, 2011. 23 Comments.
Ironically, I have been getting a lot of e mails regarding injuries, pain and staying healthy.
Let me tell you, as an addict of heavy iron for just shy of 20 years, I sometimes wonder if life has a purpose without heavy squats and deadlifts – no joke.
But, I also understand the importance of longevity.
You see, I want to be able to do this when Im 60, 70 and 80 years old…all the way until my very last breath on earth.
It hits me hard when my lower back is so busted up that bending over and trying to hold my kids still to change diapers is painful.
That is a serious problem.
I spoke about this with several friends and colleagues in the iron game and they all agreed…
We all want to be able to play catch without experiencing back pain, swollen knees, achey shoulders and other problems.
Now, the 1 thing I thought I would Never do…and I do mean NEVER….is Yoga…
Until, my homeboy Jonny Hinds spoke to me about his hand pain, back pain, and everywhere pain.
Jonny was a BIG time fan of BJJ and Muay Thai – he trained under Rickson Gracie before the first UFC ever was around and won the Pan Am games in BJJ.
But, Jonny also had his share of heavy training until he met a guy named Roger, who helped him reallign his body and very quickly rid himself of all those nagging pains.
I have been follwoing this Yoga DVD Jonny sent me as a gift for a few days now and each and every day I am feeling waaaay better.
My back and knee have been giving me problems and I follow the program for 12 minutes.
My daughter was trying to do the Yoga sequences with me yesterday, which was hilarious!
I e mailed Jonny yesterday my exciting news of feeling better and told him I would do the sequence every few days or every other day.
He said, “NO, you need to go 30 days in a row, rain or shine, and it’s not even gonna be funny how much better you will feel! All the pains I am experiencing now are a result of my years of beating myself up”
Jon is right, and it’s on, every night, I am doing this 12 minute routine, rain or shine.
Why? Because my health is worth it.
And, I hate being in pain when doing simple things like changing a diaper. I mean come on, is this what it’s supposed to be like at age 32 (I’m 33 on Thursday, yikes!!!) – what happens when I’m 43, 53, 63??
It’s all about being healthy.
And this means being smart.
My earlier years of craziness were definitely not smart.
Still, I cherish those times and would not change them, but, I am making a small, 12 minute adjustment because I want to be healthy and want to do this for a very, very loooong time.
Until the next time,
Kill it & be healthy!
–Coach Z–
PS: If you have any aches or pains, or, you simply want to add a meditative aspect to your training to clear the mind and body, I highly reccomend the Yoga DVD here:
Simply scroll down to the bottom of that page and you’ll see the Yoga DVD.
Keep me posted on your success and as always, e mail me w/any questions. I stand by this Yoga DVD wholeheartedly.
Time for me to get in my Eischens Yoga
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Zach's Workouts by on Dec 1st, 2008. 9 Comments.
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!
I gotta haul ass and help get the kids ready since we’re taking a 2 hr trip north to Pa. at my wife’s Aunt & Uncle. Oughtta be some crazy times and I may even get to watch some Football!
My wife’s Aunt makes a mean peanut butter – hershey kiss cookie, ever have them, they kill! ha ha
As mentioned about 6 weeks ago, I spread word about an Underground Pull Up Contest.
I’ve seen some vids from our friends here ranging from 32 all the way to 50.
Who got 50? Mike Guadango from Joe DeFranco’s Gym – the kid is a beast and a hell of a Baseball player!
Mike Rojas, owner of Strong 101 Gym, part of the first ever certified USC Coaches, out in So Cal – the dude loves strength and has a killer set up, just opened a few months ago!
Below you’ll see my vid and some thoughts on pull ups in general.
Pull Ups should be eaten for breakfast in my opinion.
Men under 200 lbs should be able to hit 20 reps minimum.
Why aren’t there enough varisty athletes even able to hit 10 reps?
This pisses me off and there is too much time spent on the bench press and not enough squats, deadlifts, pull ups and the like.
Reply with a link to your Underground Pull Up Video and tell me your thoughts on the state of pull ups amongst others.
Have the best Thanksgiving ever!
I am grateful that you read my articles, watch my blog and believe in what I do.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart, I live for this stuff!
Kill it!
–Coach Z–
PS: Last year, on Thanksgiving, I had pneumonia! I was sitting on the couch wiped out with fever and chills. I am grateful for my health because without our health, we have Nothing!
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Nov 27th, 2008. 7 Comments.
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