After training for 21 + years, there is one thing about me that will simply NEVER die.

I’m ALL about the iron.

It doesn’t matter what shape or size the weights are, I don’t discriminate, I just love to lift. I get better with age, and the reason being is because I ALWAYS Lift and I ALWAYS Learn.

Here’s a few lessons that have stuck with me for a loooong time, you’ll see who influenced me and who I learned them from as well. More to come in Part II.

1) Deep Squats: Ya gotta respect the photo above, DEEP squatting. Reminds me of when I was training for bodybuilding at age 19. I used to squat super close but didn’t go down all the way. I was at Diamond Gym and a trainer there named Tony called me out. He made me widen up my stance as shown in the photo above and wouldn’t let me go heavier than 135 until I sank down, ass to the grass.

He told me this is how power lifters and olympic lifters train, allowing them to pack on thick, dense muscle to their quads, hams and glutes. He was right.

2) Lift Heavy in the 1 – 5 Rep Range: We hear so much confusion about how to pack on muscle and gets strong it gets confusing. Granted, there are MANY ways to get stronger, bigger, faster, leaner and meaner….

At Joe DeFranco’s house, we were going through his book shelf and looking at the training books and old DVDs he had. Joe had been heavily influenced from some old VHS tapes that his Dad, George, bought for him. They were olympic lifting tapes, with the lifters being extremely strong and powerful, doing lots of sets in the 1 – 3 rep range.

3) Heal Your Body: It’s actually not as hard to become stronger and bigger as it is to heal yourself when injured. Injuries affect you mentally AND physically. Jonny Hinds has influenced me BIG time in learning Eischens Yoga to heal injuries. When you compete as an athlete, lift heavy or perform explosive movements you are bound to get injured someday, some how. We’ve been using Eischens Yoga to heal our wrestlers and football players as well as myself. Check it out HERE.

Below, you’ll see a quick warm up, some heavy Kettlebell Snatches. Part II to come soon.

This is minimalist training at it’s best. I attack 2 heavy lifts in a workout and anything after that is icing on the cake. Weekends get short, hard runs to keep the cardio going as well as quick bursts of calisthenics.

Check the videos….

Thanks to the power of video editing the top of my lifts got cut off, check the 88lb snatches below. Time to get 10 reps, 5 reps ain’t gonna cut it. 5 reps = average.

Part II coming soon.

Question for You: How have you changed your workouts lately and what is the latest thing you’ve learned with regards to lifting.

Drop a comment below, looking forward!

Peace!

–Z–

Recommended Resources:

Underground Inner Circle 30 Day Trial

Underground Strength Coach Cert – Last Chance for 2010!

Underground Kettlebells

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