Is it about free weights vs strongman lifting / odd object training?

Or is it bodyweight vs kettlebells?

Which one is the end all, be all, A # 1, Numero Uno, BEST Workout?

Or….

Are they ALL flawed, NONE of them actually perfect when left alone, yet better when we……

- When you approach the bar for a deadlift, set your back, keep it tight, grip it and rip it.

- When you set your back for a sandbag clean & press, set your back, keep it tight, grip it and rip it….

- When you set your back for the power snatch, set your back, keep it tight, grip it and rip it…….

- When you do your push ups, squeeze the floor with your fingers, tighten & brace your abs, use your legs, tuck the elbows…

- When you set up for the bench press, squeeze the bar, tuck your elbows, press your legs into the ground….

Should you use one lifting style over the other? Which style gives the BEST workout?

Or, should you stop discriminating?

Maybe….. You Should you STOP trying to be a scientist and start being a F**ing LIFTER??!!

FACT: EVERY workout is flawed.

Deal with it…. Get over it… STOP reading so much and start training MORE.

When we train athletes & adults at The Underground Strength Gym, we blend the many training methods and tools together. That’s how The Underground originated in the early part of 2002 or so. We would lift stones, barbells, dumbbells, flipped tractor tires at the tire yard, hit playground workouts….

We did it BEFORE it was a popular fad. Back when we did it, 99% of “functional training” required you to train on one leg, on a balance disc using a $10,000 “functional trainer” cable apparatus.

I am NOT a fad follower, I do what WORKS. period.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The quick lifts and kettlebells develop athleticism.

The bodyweight exercises & gymnastics training develops stability, strength, power and body kinesthetics.

The powerlifts develop BRUTE STRENGTH.

The odd objects develop brute strength, power and equally of importance, mental toughness.

Learning one style of training carries over to the others, blending them together requires an open mind and a willingness to learn along with a desire to become the best YOU can become.

The blending of these styles of training teaches You to understand how to set your back, you understand how to align your knees, keep your abs tight, tuck your elbows in….

You can cry till your blue in the face searching for the perfect reason why, the perfect workout and the perfect set – rep schemes…. let me know when you find it… while you’re searching for the holy grail of workouts and awaiting for the moons to align, Underground Strength Nation will be getting STRONGER, TOUGHER and HEALTHIER.

Stronger Than Yesterday!

–Z–

PS: Always remember these words, from a poem that rested directly in front of our eyes on the squat rack at Diamond Gym…. I question, WHO are YOU?

“There are those that do

and those that don’t

Those that will

and those that won’t.”

Many TALK About Training Like a “BEAST”, Far & Few Actually DO It!

Click HERE For Details on ‘The BEAST Training Files’

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I have a high school Football Player / Wrestler who broke his hand / wrist in 8th grade. Now, he’s a sophomore and strong as hell (naturally .

After his hand and wrist were fixed via surgery, it wasn’t quite fixed. Ironic, right?

Benching and holding horizontal weights in the hands is tough, the wrist deviates big time & causes pain no matter how strong we work the hands, wrist, grip, etc. Neutral grip barbells and dumbbells feel somewhat better and stronger.

But, when it comes to snatching a 80 lb Kettlebell, flipping a 450 lb tire, farmer walking 185 lbs each hand, dragging sleds…..

He’s an ass kicker.

Clean and press double 70s, BOOM. Legit, powerful and explosive.

The question arises about the bench press... naturally, as a high school Football player, this will happen.

Your Football Coach says ya gotta do it, even if it means your hand will break at the wrist, or the bar comes down crooked, or it forces one side to work harder than the other & destroys your shoulders…..

Your buddies say, “Ya gotta bench, dude.”

What do I say about the bench press for athletes?

Who Cares.

I fear the athlete who can snatch an 80 and 88 lb kettlebell at a bodyweight of 175 lbs, farmer walk more than his own bodyweight in each hand, deadlift more than 2 x bodyweight and can run fast as hell coupled with mental toughness.

The ability to climb rope, rip through 450 and 600 lb tire flips, drag, push and pull sleds at high intensity…. this is where it counts. The mind and body must dig deep to stay strong and remain explosive.

It reminds me of the old training footage Dr. Ken was using to train Football players, although not pretty and the form was quite wild, these guys were prepared for WAR on the field, you could see it….

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have had many big benchers walk through these doors who couldn’t make it through The Underground warm up… Football is a sport of battle. The ability to bench heavy isn’t what counts, it’s ALL about the performance on the field.

Having strong and explosive horizontal pushing power is critical in Football but we achieve this through movements aside from the bench press.

- med ball throws

- neutral grip push ups on rings / dumbbells with added weight (chains or vests)

The list goes on and on. The bottom line is we wanna help athletes and tactical men / ladies be prepared for battle in the physical AND mental sense.

The bench press doesn’t matter too much…..

What are your thoughts? Drop a comment and let us know.

Mission: Agile, Mobile & Hostile

Peace

–Z–

Recommended Resources

The Underground Strength System – The Inside Look at How The Underground Strength Movement Began, Evolved & Helped Athletes Dominate

Underground Inner Circle 30 Day Trial Plus 7 FREE Gifts

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It’s easy to drop excuses when things aren’t set up your way. But I prefer to bag the excuses and get s**t done. This week has been a week of strength, a week of heavy lifting: olympic lifting, stone lifting, powerlifting….

Check out this Friday Finisher at The Underground Home Gym…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Rather than making excuses for all the stuff that was in the way inside my home gym, I said screw it and took the barbell out in the backyard.

My workout was fast & furious, simple and effective, inspired by the latest CrossFit workout posted for The CrossFit Games…..like this:

1) Pull Ups On Monkey Bars from Rogue Fitness: 30 reps with 3 different grips, 10 reps in a row, 30 second rest between sets.

2) Snatched the barbell and overhead walked 50′ to the backyard.

- Then, proceeded with snatches: 8, 8, 7, 7 reps

- Rested under 60 sec. between sets

- Overhead walked the barbell back to the garage as a finisher again.

Check out some other HEAVY workouts from this week:

Wednesday Training:

1A) Atlas stone shouldering: 4, 4, 2, 2

1B) ring push ups + 20 lb chains: 4 x 10 reps

2) Back Extensions + 60 lbs 4 x 10

3) Burpees 2 x 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 reps

Thursday Workout:

1A) Thick Bar Military Press 6 x 3 – 6 reps (last set hit 220 x 3 with push prress)

1B) 1 Arm Rows 6 x 6 reps (last 3 sets with 150 lb globe dumbbell)

2) Snatches (from floor & hang): 10 x 2 – 5 reps

3) Deadlifts: 5 x 1 – 5 reps

4) Burpees 4 x 12 reps

Check out some deadlift video footage below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you don’t have a home gym set up of some sort, I highly suggest doing so (click HERE to see where I purchase my home gym equipment).

There are times when you can’t get to the gym, life happens, but excuses need to be crushed.

If all you have is a barbell, then get after it. Maybe just a kettlebell. Maybe just a set of rings…. maybe NOTHING. Then the world is your gym, using stones, bodyweight and anything else that you can pick up, carry, clean and press, throw, etc.

Time for me to head to Atlantic City.

We’ve got 13 wrestlers from The Underground Strength Gym who qualified for the states, a large central NJ newspaper did a story on The Underground and our wrestlers. Check the story HERE, it was an emotional series of interviews for me.

Have an awesome weekend!

Drop a comment with how you train at home or outdoors when “Life Happens.” Looking forward to seeing your comments!

If you dig this article, please hit the facebook “LIKE” button and share with your friends. I’m always honored when you guys show the love!

Peace

–Z–

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Interesting thoughts from my homeboy, Mark “Smelly” Bell.

What are your thoughts on over training?

Peace

–Z–

PS: HUGE thanks and HUGE congrats to all who completed Their USC Certification this past weekend at Underground HQ. Next cert is in Austin, TX where we’re gonna tear it up with more hungry Strength Coaches. Time to learn and up YOUR game.

Click HERE for Details of The Austin, USC Cert

PPS: Click HERE for the next NJ seminar coming to The Underground HQ – Training for GOLD.

Details HERE

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I’ve got some tips for you regarding training in your mid 30s, staying strong and staying healthy. Please don’t disregard this video if your NOT in your 30s. Even if you’re a teenager you should be listening and watching. NEVER stop learning…..

Click here to view the embedded video.

As you can tell, just because I talk about staying healthy doesn’t mean you can’t train hard or heavy. The key is learning how to do everything smart and optimally so you continue to lift hard all your life, not just for your first few years.

Gotta walk the talk.

Peace!

–Z–

If you’re focused on Health AND Strength, Check out Bodyweight Bodybuilding HERE.

Get Your Foam Rollers HERE

Show & Go Training By Eric Cressey – Strength AND Health Combined, Details HERE

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I’m often asked if Bodyweight Bodybuilding can be incorporated WITH an existing program that the person is already following. To be clear, this program is not so easy that you will need an added program or a variation of it.

But, I KNOW how many people are when it comes to actually following a training program as prescribed. They buy a program and then they want to change the program to something else, I guess this is human nature. But, those who follow the program to the T are the dudes who get best results.

Knowing what I knew would happen,  I added the 5 x 5 + Bodyweight Bodybuilding course as a Bonus, to help soothe your “fix” for heavy lifting and making some form of a change to the program.

But, let’s say you refuse to let go of your current program or perhaps you want to experiment on yourself and see how it works when combining another program. I completely understand the desire to be your own Mad Scientist

So, here are 3 ways you can take Bodyweight Bodybuilding and combine with an existing program or modification:

1) Perform your own program one day followed by Bodyweight Bodybuilding the next day OR after a rest day. Then, the 3rd workout return to your existing program, the 4th day back to Bodyweight Bodybuilding. I often times train like this. Hitting a modification of 5 3 1 or a full blown Underground Workout, the next day, going ALL bodyweight and a 3rd day is a rest day.

2) Perform a BIG movement FIRST, then jump into a Bodyweight Bodybuilding workout. Examples could be starting with a powerlifting, strongman / odd object or Kettlebell movement. Hit that main lift hard and heavy as you normally would. Roll out a bit, then, jump into a Bodyweight Bodybuilding Workout.

Here’s a sample workout:

- Tire Flip 4 hard sets x 10 seconds of MAX reps.

- Foam Roller / Soft Tissue Work

- Bodyweight Bodybuilding Workout as prescribed, do NOT shorten or modify the workout. Follow exactly as prescribed.

3) I’ve had a LOT of CrossFit fanatics snag Bodyweight Bodybuilding. Many have said they were injured and beat up from their workouts and needed a program to challenge them yet alleviate the joint aches and pains. Other CrossFitters wanted to 2 a day workouts.

BOTH options work. If you’re feeling beat up and banged up, follow Phase 1 of Bodyweight Bodybuilding for a month and then go back to your normal training. When you feel the need to get away from the heavy lifting, return to Bodyweight Bodybuilding and perform Phase 2, etc.

If you want to use Bodyweight Bodybuilding with CrossFit, then it does NOT matter if you do your workouts first or second in your day. The goal of CrossFit is to have your training constantly varied so I suggest alternating workout by workout regarding Bodyweight Bodybuilding first in the day and the next day last in your day.

What’s my favorite way to use Bodyweight Bodybuilding?

Now that I’ve gotten rid of my injuries, aches and pains I am mostly in line with follow Jim Wendler’s 5 3 1 or a 5 x 5 lift FIRST, then hitting a Bodyweight Bodybuilding Workout.

I also follow the version of performing one of our workouts from my Underground Strength Gym, the next day, crank Bodyweight only followed by a 3rd day of rest. This 2 on 1 off seems to work very well for me.

If you have started testing various options with Bodyweight Bodybuilding, please drop a comment below and let us know how you modified the program with your own.

Thanks for reading and please share this article with your friends on facebook and twitter. I always appreciate you showing the luv! Thank YOU!

Peace

–Z–

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It’s GREAT to be Strong.

It’s GREAT to be Conditioned…..

But it’s BEST when you have BOTH Strength AND Conditioning.

If I can pit one example of this I’ll use my friend, Jim Wendler, shown in videos below. He keeps everything simple.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jim’s strength work is centered around his 5 3 1 program.

Jim’s conditioning is centered around hill sprints and prowler sprints. He punishes himself on these 2 conditioning methods.

I’ve found that when you’re in shape, you get stronger much easier and vice versa.

If you pay NO attention to conditioning and only attend to strength you will:

- increase chances of injury

- carry around excess body fat

- your intense strength workouts will fatigue you too quickly, not allowing you to get the most bang for your buck, tiring yourself out before it’s time to crank your assistance work

If you pay NO attention to strength & only focus on met-cons and conditioning work you will:

- Feel like sh*t when a heavy bar is thrown on your back or in your hands

- Heavy lifting will fatigue you too quickly and likely increase chances of injury under heavy lifting as your tendons / ligaments have not been prepped for heavy loads & straining

Click here to view the embedded video.

Note: Jim doesn’t drop the 150 lb dumbbells. Why are people unable to do this with only 50 lb dumbbells, let alone the 150s!?

Here are 3 Ways to Blend Strength AND Conditioning:

1) Start with 1 strength lift in a 5 x 5 or 5 3 1 format, followed by a circuit of your assistance work.

Example:

1) Zercher Squats 5 3 1 Style

2A) Glute Ham Raise 4 x 10 – 15 reps

2B) Double Kettlebell Cleans 4 x 6 reps

2C) Lunge Jumps 4 x 6 / 6

3) Ab Circuit x 4 exercises x 15 reps each

2) Perform your normal workout & finish with 10 minutes of sprint intervals

Example:

Perform your upper, lower or full body workout

Set the clock for 10 minutes and perform as many short sprints as possible in that 10 minute time period. You can time them for 15/15 or 30/30 if this time of work:rest is feasible. If not, perform a hard sprint, then rest 30 seconds and repeat until 10 minutes is over and done with

3) Lift one day, condition the next……

Example:

- Train upper body one day, hit sprints via run, bike or swim the next day

- Train lower body the following day, condition the next day.

After 3 -4 days of training in a row take a day off.

If you’re like me and have exercise ADD then condition through a variety of methods. I like being outside so being in the ocean, mtn biking, running with my dog, battling ropes, runs, etc ALL give me lots of joy.

The key is this, and, “this” was inspired to me by Warrior Man’s video below. NEVER allow yourself to fall “out of shape”. If you’re not sure and you’re asking yourself if you’re “in shape”, then you’re out of shape. Period.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I am on a mission to push my conditioning to greater levels.I’m NOT satisfied. I love feeling like I got my ass kicked after a workout but I also HATE it because I want to be BETTER.

Drop a comment below and tell Underground Strength Nation what YOUR mission is.

Peace

–Z–

PS: TWO Underground seminars around the corner:

- USC Cert in Austin, TX

- Combat Seminar with Jason C Brown & I – Training for GOLD

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Click here to view the embedded video.

There are a few things that will help YOUR deadlift. Notice I put the CAPS on. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. YOU must find the things that help and then dial them in. Here’s a few tips that you should test drive.

• Work 1 arm rows with heavy weights AND high reps. Whenever I slack on these my lats don’t have the strength to help me deadlift heavier AND faster.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Don’t max out too often. For me, I will test a heavy single, but NOT a max single, every 6 weeks or so.

• Use submax efforts on the deadlift. Focus on moderately heavy weights and always leave a rep or 2 in the tank

• Squat. Yep, use squats to increase lower body and low back strength to up your deadlift. Too much focus on the deadlift will leave you with an injury in no time.

• Use a double overhand grip until you reach your heavy sets.

• Attack your posterior with glute ham raises, weighted back extensions, swings, heavy kettlebell cleans and good mornings.

That’s it, a short n’ sweet list to help you up the deadlift, one of the “Manliest” exercises anyone can do.

If you’ve got tips to add, please drop a comment.

If you enjoy this post, please share on facebook and twitter

Peace!

–Z–

Sign Up for The USC Cert in Austin, Details HERE

Test Drive Underground Strength Nation for 30 Days & Get 7 FREE Gifts, HERE

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MANY years ago Pavel wrote a book called Power to The People, aka P2P. You can find details about it HERE.

The book was simply based on optimal training, minimal volume and frequent practice of basics such as deadlifts, military presses and a few other key exercises.

The more I grow in the iron game the more I realize that the name of the game is ALL about optimal workouts, NOT maximal. Certainly, when I was younger, I couldn’t tame my mind to change….. I HAD to go in and KILL myself every single time I trained, it was my wrestler mentality which to this day I still have inner battles against.

Do you ever feel that way? ha ha. I bet you DO!

I am much more in tune with what I now need so my BIG lifts are BIG time focused on optimal work, because anytime I push for MAXimal work I get injured and feel like shit.

As a father and business man, injuries are what can KILL my success so I stray far from them.

Check this P2P inspired workout in the videos below, note the low reps and optimal efforts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I leave you with this final note / reminder: Although maximal workouts appease your mind and make you feel proud that you kicked your ass, they WILL eventually hurt you. Focus on OPTIMAL WORKOUTS.

Drop a line with your thoughts and comments! Psyched to see what your experience is with optimal VS maximal workouts and the results you’re getting.

Live the Code

–Z–

PS: Don’t forget…. Underground Strength Nation TRIPLES in price come January 2nd. This is DIRT Cheap for a Lifetime Membership. Click HERE for More Info

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Let there be NO mistake about it. The Basics ALWAYS WIN. Don’t try to deny it. As soon as you accept this as the “Golden Rule” you will go from Boy to BEAST.

Squats, Deads, Benching, Presses, Chins, Dips, Farmer Walks & Sprints. Add Steak & Eggs to Multiply the effects of transforming yourself from a Boy into a BEAST.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As soon as you accept the fact that you can work these basic lifts and basic bodyweight exercises for years on end, heck, even DECADES on end, you WILL make progress. As you can see from the video, I’m STILL attacking the basics. Remember: I began training at age 13, just turned 36….. I focus on basics NOW, MORE than when I was younger.

When I was younger all the fabricated stories in the magazines steered me the wrong way. I had to fend for myself, learn on my own, YOU, are lucky…. you can come HERE and learn from all my mistakes and speed your progress 10 fold.

Basics ALL the Way, Kids! Don’t Deny it!

QOD (Question of the Day): Drop me a comment… What are your favorite Barbell and Bodyweight Basics. Tell me WHY they work so well for you. Psyched to see your Top List of BadAss Basics!

Peace!

–Z–

PS: Here’s that Book recommendation I was talking about. Click HERE, this book is straight up awesome. How can it NOT be? Dan John & Pavel = Bad MoFos!

PPS: For those looking to experience a life changing weekend, stop waiting for new year’s resolutions and become part of a wrecking crew, a crew of people who Live the Code and take ACTION. Click HERE for details.

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