In case you missed Part I, click HERE
For Dan’s latest book that kicks ass, click HERE
Here’s how we can keep this video interview series with Dan John rolling:
- Drop a question for Dan regarding training and we’ll set up another Underground QnA for you guys. Just leave your question in the comments section, I’ll collect and compile the questions and when we get enough questions we’ll get more gold from Dan John. I SERIOUSLY wish this type of access was available for myself when I started training and I cherish the ability to do so NOW!
Drop a question for Dan John below.
Make sure you read up on his latest book, co authored with Pavel. This book is BadAss – check it HERE
Peace
–Z–
Every month, members of Underground Strength Nation get an exclusive interview with a Strength Coach, an exercise of the month with video instructional and a Live QnA Teleseminar with myself & other members of USN.
If you’re serious about old school strength & muscle building click HERE
Filed under Kick Ass Life, Q & A, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building, old school strength by on Nov 13th, 2011. 6 Comments. 
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!
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Sep 28th, 2010. 17 Comments.
Mike Medrano was BIG time impressive while training and he unleashed some awesome info about his own life through cross training and how he trained The Yeshiva Wrestling team to national victory through the use of bodyweight workouts.
Pay attention, because Mike drops GOLD!
I also peaked through Martin’s NEW book and the info is mind boggling.
I am fired up just thinking about getting the book in the mail, which you can get on pre order HERE, for 50% off. It’s valued, in my opinion, at least 100 times more than the asking price of $19 and change 
Comments on cross training and the above videos, please add your thoughts below.
Lead from the FRONT!
–Z–
Reccomended Resources:
Training for Warriors Books and Videos
Underground Strength Coach Certification
Kettlebells for Combat DVD Kit
Training for Warriors Road Trip and The Books!
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Apr 20th, 2010. 11 Comments.
Matty Wichlinski calls this a Freestyle Fighter Barbell Complex.
Matty and I tore up a 1 Day Underground Strength Coach Cert this past Saturday at his gym.
The night before we had some good grub, GREAT conversations and a few brews
I even witnessed a dude get caught stealing liquor from a 7-11. Yep, in the “South” people are buying beer, wine and all types of liquor from 7-11. Strange.
Check out Matty in action below, the Dude is a straight up BEAST!
If you missed The Va Beach Underground Strength Coach Cert, you missed the best damn training and business methods you ever came across.
Lead from the FRONT.
–Z–
PS: Wanna become a BEAST? It ain’t gonna happen training like any ol’ normal workout has you training. It takes something completely different. Click HERE for The BEAST Program.
Filed under Articles, Calendar, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Mar 22nd, 2010. 5 Comments.
Check the video below. Athletes are throwing weights overhead. I don’t think we need a crying argument here whether this is a push press, military press or whatever you want to call it.
The arguing is for the internet gurus who sit on their fat ass and don’t lift jack shit anyway.
Weakness is NOT good. If you have a weak point, attack it with ferocity. Throwing weight over your head makes you strong from head to toe.
I just interviewed Jim Wendler, who favors the strict press, and we spoke about weak areas and attacking the hell out of them.
Lots of people argue that overhead pressing is bad for you.
It’s bad to be weak, period.
It’s bad if you never cycle your lifts or movements which leads to overuse injuries.
Check out Matty Wichlinski, throwing heavy weights overhead.
We believe in STRENGTH here, what do YOU believe in?
Lead from the Front.
–Z–
PS: Matty & I will be unleashing a kick ass Underground Mentorship come March 20th, check out the details HERE.
PPS: 2 Day Underground Mentorship is Open HERE. Serious Applicants Only.
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Feb 9th, 2010. 10 Comments.
Is there truly an ART or a Science to getting strong as hell? Hmmmmm…… Ask Louie Simmons and he will say yes, Jim Wendler will also drop his genius with his 5/3/1 program, allowing him to keep getting stronger….and STRONGER.
But, when in doubt, just lift heavy shit with PROPER technique.
You can do high sets and low reps such as 12 x 2 reps OR…. try Hellish set – rep paramaters like 5 x 10 on movements such as the Barbell Clean & Jerk, Deadlifts, Kettlebell Snatch, etc.
Coach Reeve was always training against the clock when he was a competitive wrestler and a college wrestling coach, and, he still does it today with the Football players of Wake Forest.
Not only does this style of training build serious strength and dense muscle, but also develop immense conditioning and mental toughness, something too many people lack nowadays!
Try This: 2 reps on the minute, every minute for 10 minutes of (Choose Any One Exercise) the log clean & press, tire flip, sandbag shoulder, stone shouldering, deadlift, barbell clean & press….
I’ve done this with athletes using heavy weights if they need to gain weight and fighters, wrestlers and combat athlete who need strength endurance / power endurance.
And by the way, if you’re resting 3 – 5 minutes between sets because your last scientific handbook told you to do so you’re missing the boat.
In the REAL world, when the hell do you get to do 2 reps and rest? Learn to push heavy weights with minimal rest and as I mentioned before, using proper technique.
I’ve seen some dangerous form being used in local gyms and even by popular web sites on the internet. It sends the wrong message, and you can’t create a powerful message unless You Lead From the Front.
Time for me to get some rest, the alarm is set for 6:30 AM tomorrow morning. It’s training time. That means heavy weights followed by prowler conditioning.
Check out some footage below.
You may also have noticed less video footage from me. I will get back to the videos, so don;t you worry, BUT, I am zoning out when I train and hate to mess around with a video camera when I am focused on getting STRONGER, FASTER, LEANER & MEANER!
That’s me hitting some thick bar deadlifting and the Prowler Pushing with 9 plates is one of our Freshman Football Beasts, we call him “The Hit Man”.
Peace!
Lead from the Front.
–Z–
PS: For all you Strength & Muscle Building Fanatics, check the 30 Day Underground Trial HERE.
PPS: For those of you who wanna start doing what you love, check out our upcoming Underground Mentorship Courses:
2 Day Underground Strength Coach Certification / Mentorship
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Feb 3rd, 2010. 6 Comments.
On most Sunday Mornings I wake up before the entire house starts moving.
I get dressed, brush teeth and head to The Underground.
Sunday morning workouts keep me ahead of the pack, keep my edge and allow me to train and do something extra while the rest of the world is still sleeping.
The Military Press is a GREAT way to start your day, especially on a Sunday morning.
Locking heavy weights overhead forces your entire body to work overtime.
Want REAL “core strength”? Lock heavy weights overhead and you’ll feel your entire body working like a madman (or madwoman to stabilize.
This is why you see so many olympic lifters with ripped, thickly developed abs and powerful looking erectors that are as thick as tree trunks.
You’ve seen me take weights from the ground to overhead before Here & Here, but sometimes you can just get under the bar, dumbbell or kettlebells – or any training tool, and just keep locking that bad boy overhead.
The next time you think of sleeping in I suggest you push your mind a lil further, wake up early and throw some heavy shit overhead!
Peace.
And remember….. Lead from the Front!
–Z–
PS: The Man of Steel Challenge is coming soon! A program you can use anywhere, even at your globo gym! Prepare for the most ass kicking workout system of 2010!
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jan 22nd, 2010. 11 Comments.
Enjoy the audio interrogation with Coach Ripp.
Sorry, a little static during the first 2 minutes but it clears up after the 2 minute mark. Have mercy on me as my office is out of a military back pack since moving out and awaiting for our new home to be ready and I don’t have a land line
Regardless….The information in this interview is Golden and make sure you READ the article linked below. It is what I would call “F**ING EPIC!!”.
Read THIS Article: Reflections Of Iron: Mike Webster
It is my FAVORITE article I’ve ever seen on Coach Rip’s site and perhaps one of my All Time favorites. As you know, I have an affinity for anything “Old School” and these stories kinda remind me of how The Underground started in my backyard using stones & logs year round, winter and all.
Drop your comments / questions below regarding this interview with Coach Mark Rippetoe and especially let me know your thoughts on the amazing article!
Of course, if you dig it, share it out via facebook and twitter!
–Z–
Filed under Podcasts, Q & A, Strength Building, freak strength friday, muscle building, old school strength by on Dec 31st, 2009. 9 Comments.
Yes, I admit it, people complaining about my workouts or calling them crazy only stokes my fire and makes me crazier.
Check out the inside look of my latest ‘NO Rules Workout’
More NO Rules Workouts to come.
If you want the Blue Print on Underground Strength Training and workouts to follow, and you do NOT fear crazy workouts, click HERE.
Expect to become stronger, faster, leaner and meaner than ever before with my Underground Strength and Muscle Building System.
Peace!
–Z–
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Dec 18th, 2009. 3 Comments.
WOW!
Lots of emotion heated up from yesterday’s video with Ricky Bruch.
But, even though some disagreed with what may have been Ricky Burch’s past (who can say for fact what he did or did not do and deep down who gives a shit), let’s look at what we can learn from his videos.
That’s how I like to view things: How can I LEARN from X, Y, Z, rather than finding the negative.
There is enough negativity on the internet, I ask you to please not bring it here.
This light of trying to learn and find the positive rather than the negative has been a LARGE factor in my success, which is largely in part due to my mind set.
Check this next video out, a favorite lift of mine is hit HARD in this video with Ricky Bruch:
That movement? we can call it the power curl.
It’s a hybrid hang clean and cheat curl, and it places your wrists in a more comfortable position than a typical olympic style hang clean.
Is one better than the other, it all depends on your goals.
If you’re an O lifter, than obviously the olympic style clean is best.
I have cranked these power curls sometimes FIRST in a workout, hitting 205 on a straight bar and curl bar.
I was FIRST exposed to these while training with a super heavyweight bodybuilder at my old stomping grounds, Diamond Gym.
The guy who cranked these would hit several sets of 6 – 10 reps during a workout with 275 lbs! The guy was a PURE beast and strong as hell, he LOVED to train heavy and would routinely do 4 – 5 EASY sets of deep squats for 10 reps with 495 lbs, NO joke.
The power curl will pack muscle on your back, shoulders, traps, biceps and forearms.
I suggest you give it a go, with a straight bar, thick bar or an ez curl bar.
The Power Curl will NOT be performed with 95 lbs.
I don’t suggest cranking these until you can perform them properly with at least 135 lbs.
Let me hear your thoughts on other unorthodox lifts and this last video of Ricky.
I do like the low budget gym he is training in, it’s amazing the type of results one can get from inside these “hole in the wall” warehouse gyms.
Peace!
–Z–
PS: Love the unorthodox lifts? Get busy with my 30 Day Trial to The Underground HERE.
Filed under Articles, Calendar, Strength Building, Videos, muscle building by on Oct 15th, 2009. 14 Comments.
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