I’ve spoken often about using the “ladder technique” with bodyweight training, but also with Kettlebells and sometimes with deadlifts as well, inspired by Pavel.
The ladders are a solid way to increase strength, pack on muscle and if used with an aggressive pace, you’ll be burnin’ fat like a mofo, kids.
Here’s how I roll when using ladders with bodyweight exercises:
- I start somewhere between 3 – 5 reps per set
- Add 1 rep each set
- When I can no longer perform a set unbroken (i.e. I get stuck at 15 pull ups) I start over again
- If I am using added weight for the bodyweight workout with ladders, I might perform ladders of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and then rest 2 – 3 minutes and repeat for 1 or 2 more rounds.
- If I am performing the bodyweight workout with ladders and NOT using added weight I’ll push the pace more, NOT resting after each exercise OR each round, just keep attacking.
The non stop attack style is very much like the Density Training described HERE.
This week I’ve performed 4 days in a row of some nasty bodyweight workouts, all of them with a different 
purpose and a different system of organization in place.
But, let me tell you, day after day of dips, pull ups and jump squats starts getting VERY tough, this is where the mind takes over and kicks in, I begin to think of Herschel Walker and his training book as well as wrestlers, grinding it out, being mentally tough and doing what others do NOT want to do, but they still do it, undeterred and driven to constantly achieve MORE.
I understand when my body needs a break but I also understand the need to PUSH my body and my mind, to adapt and overcome, to build myself into a stronger man, a stronger machine.
If I train my body to be pushed, I can get used to being uncomfortable, and as I always say, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable”.
Before I check out, I wanna try and explain where so much of my energy comes from, of course, this is tough to explain in such a short time, BUT, it all goes back to what I learned as a wrestler. The constant training, the commitment, the mental toughness that was built…. We were built into a rare breed of men.
What I learned through wrestling will never be forgotten, and, I am STILL on a mission to become better. I competed a few weeks ago in my friend’s Warrior Challenge and got crushed during the conditioning events, I’m on a mission to change that.
Anyway, check out some wrestling training, you’ll see what is bred inside of us…. to constantly attack.
QOD (Question of the Day): What makes you “tick”?
Make sure you leave your comment below…
And, if you’d like to see my favorite Bodyweight Training Book, check it out HERE or click on the Convict Conditioning Book Covers, Below, for more info on the most kick ass Bodyweight Training Book.
Click HERE to check out The Convict Conditioning Bodyweight Workout
Peace!
–Z–
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jul 29th, 2011. 7 Comments. 
Found myself a killa little playground, still in need of finding pull up bars and dip bars that are up HIGH.
We filmed a TON of footage at this playground for the new book, it is gonna be a SIC book, I can’t wait for this bad boy to be unleashed!
Now, although I’ve been cranking LOTS of bodyweight workouts at the playground lately, you might be asking how I train the lower body…. GREAT question, as I wonder the same when I see the BEASTS on the playgrounds, it’s ALL Upper Body work and NO lower body training.
Remember: If you wanna be as strong as a house, you gotta build the foundation (your legs!).
I mountain bike 2 x week now, yesterday I took a solo trek on the mountain bike for about 2 hours in the brutal heat and it felt GREAT. The bike riding is brutal on the legs and great for conditioning.
I also do the bodyweight exercises in the FREE E Book you get when you sign up for My Top 5 Bodyweight Exercises (Top Right, just enter your best e mail).
And.. I have been hitting some light deadlifts 2 x week to keep the legs and back strong. Nothing crazy on the deads, but enough to feel em’.
This week I’ll be busting out my Power Jumper as well for squat jumps, box jumps and broad jumps.
QOD (Question of the Day): Have you put together a kick ass bodyweight workout, full body? If so, drop a comment with your bodyweight workout challenge, let’s see who has the most kick ass bodyweight workout that they have TRULY used (basically, do NOT make shit up and post it as truth, I only want the REAL TRUTH).
Peace
–Z–
PS: Did you pick up my favorite bodyweight training book? If not, click HERE & get it.
PPS: When you attend my USC Cert you will go through my entire progression, regression system of bodyweight training so you can train athletes anywhere, anytime. No need to own a gym to get your training business going, click HERE to take the biggest step towards changing your life.
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jul 25th, 2011. 16 Comments.
The question has been asked MANY times, and, I’ve posted similar to what I’m about to get into.
Check this video as I answer the common question, “How do I Know when I am strong enough?”
The REAL Answer: We can always become stronger or improve performance. Strength is skill / technique, so, adding weight or reps isn’t the only way to demonstrate greater strength.
Check the vid below and then drop a comment with your own thoughts.
What about my Top 10 Bodyweight Exercises? I told you I would share them again.
Click HERE to see them.
And, here is my list of exercises you need to be attacking to build BEAST Strength:
1) Rope Climb 20′ (NO Leg assistance – start on butt finish on butt) Video HERE
2) Push Ups x 50
3) Pull Ups x 12
4) DeadLift x 2 or 2.5 your Bodyweight for 1 rep
5) Dips x 40
6) Handstand Push Ups x 10
7) Run 1 Mile
Wheel Barrow / Hand Walk x 50′
Peace!
–Z–
PS: I’m sharing with you my favorite training resources to help you become “strong enough” and then some. If you want it bad enough, you’ll take this serious and do something about it! Remember: Action is what separates the men from the boys. Make it happen.
BEAST Strength – F**k the gym, become a BadAss in your own garage, backyard or basement
Convict Conditioning – The ultimate bodyweight training regime, for serious strength fanatics
Bodyweight University – NEVER get bored with your workouts again, this is the LARGEST collection of bodyweight exercises for you to use anywhere, anytime, any place.
Gymnastics Rings – The wooden gymnastics rings that are hanging in my garage gym and at The Underground Strength Gym.
Filed under Articles, Q & A, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts by on Jun 5th, 2011. 19 Comments.
A recap of this Bodyweight BEAST Workout:
8 Rounds
A) 10 reps of any bodyweight pulling movement
B) 10 reps of any bodyweight pushing movement
C) 5 reps of 30″ box jumps
I see my workouts on video and I am NEVER satisfied, NEVER impressed with myself.
This is the journey of life and training, always climbing my personal Mt. Everest.
My workouts MUST challenge me both mentally AND physically.
I’m recommending you do the same, it’s the only way you can REALLY grow as a person. If your workouts don’t push the envelope, you’ll be like every other dude, blindly going through the motions with no focus, NO eye of the tiger.
Demand more of yourself and kick some ass.
Question for You: How do you organize your workouts to get maximum benefit both mentally and physically? Drop a comment below. Looking forward!
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Mar 22nd, 2011. 8 Comments.
I use bodyweight training for strength AND power. Here and there, conditioning circuits as well, using faster, more explosive bouts.
I mentioned something in a recent e mail and man did it get peeps fired UP.
I said that if you can’t perform bodyweight movements such as pull ups, handstand push ups, etc:
You are either:
A) Too Weak
B) Too Fat
C) ALL of the above
Of course, some people cried and freaked out and were a few emotions short of dialing 911 on me, but, MANY others gave me a “Hells Yea”!
Bodyweight training forces people to Man the F**K Up.
Bodyweight training lets you know if you can move your own body with efficiency or if you are gonna get an ass whoopin’.
Bodyweight training gives you the straight up feedback if you are REALLY strong, capable of not only deadlifting, benching and squatting heavy, but being in control of your own body.
In the video above I was mid way through an upper body workout, I decided to experiment with some push up variations using the sling shot AFTER I was already fatigued from liftin’ heavy shiz, and it felt pretty darn cool. I went on to perform cross over medicine ball push ups, one arm push offs and the brutal close grip push up.
But, you also noticed recline rows on rings coupled with variations of medicine ball push ups.
I crank pull ups constantly…. Yep, I eat those bitches for breakfast. If my pull ups are feelin’ sucky, I KNOW I need to get leaner and adjust my nutrition. I also adjust volume with my pull ups as too many pull ups, done too often start to have a negative effect on me.
Yesterday I cranked a ton of box squats, BUT, after each and every set I hit a different style of pull ups, 5 reps each set. Even on leg day, I make sure the pull ups are taken care of.
Was it Dan Gable who said the following quote? “If it’s important you do it EVERY DAY.”
Much agreed!
Question for You: What are your thoughts on bodyweight training?
In Strength,
–Z–
Recommended Resources for Bodyweight Training:
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Mar 9th, 2011. 27 Comments.
Look at what I go through for you guys 
This is Part I of a multi part video series as I took a long drive up to North Jersey to meet up with Martin Rooney, train with him and his fighters, learn from him and expose myself to Brand New, Deadly, Kick Ass training methods.
Check it below…
Stay tuned for Part II….
In the meantime, Martin’s latest Book, Ultimate Workouts for Warriors is on Sale HERE. Get it, it’s downright NASTY!
Lead from the Front!
–Z–
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Apr 10th, 2010. 1 Comment.
I am returning home from a week long business and vacation.
Aside from push ups, my body (and mind) are starving for a full body workout.
The workout I’m gonna crank ASAP upon my return to The Underground is a favorite of mine and doesn’t take much time at all.
Hopefully you’ll give it a shot yourself:
1) Begin with the 1 arm dumbbell snatch. Hit 1 – 3 reps each side, then move up in weight.
2) Continue to repeat the 1 Arm DB Snatch until it becomes too heavy. Once the dumbbell is too heavy, use the 1 arm clean & press. Hit the clean & press for 1 – 3 reps per arm.
3) Once the press is too heavy, simply clean the dumbbell for 1 – 3 reps.
For me, I will work up to the 130 lb dumbbell, which you’ll see in the video below.
After all the dumbbell snatches, clean and pressing and power cleans, it’s time to rep out on every imaginable variation of pull ups and rope climbs and recline rowing movements possible, ALL with a 20 lb chain (except for the rope climbs).
It’s now time to finish with sprints.
If you have a prowler or sled, sprint with them, if not, sprint some hills.
This workout should take 30 minutes MAX.
Kick some ass with this bad boy, it’s a FUN yet Brutal full body workout.
Let me know how you do when you’re done and drop a comment below.
Good Luck
–Z–
PS: For more workouts that help you become an ass kickin’ MoFo, check out the 12 Month Beast Strength Program that comes with The Underground Strength System, Click HERE for details.
PPS: Below are Upcoming, Critical Dates for those who wanna start their own business and do what they love:
The 1 Day Underground Strength Mentorship & Certification Course
Nov.14th NJ, Click HERE for Details
Dec. 5th Florida with Elliott Hulse, Click HERE for Details
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Oct 26th, 2009. 18 Comments.
Years ago, I was lucky enough to come across a College Strength & Conditioning Coach who I related to very much.
His psychological and physical ways of training made sense to me BIG time, perhaps because we were both wrestlers.
But, this guy, was PURE Gladiator!
No 2 ways about it, he was a Bad MoFo.
His own training began in elementary school where he would go out and run 5 miles on his own, without a Coach telling him to do so.
In middle school he wanted to wrestle, so the high school wrestling coach told him
he had to wait till high school.
But, what to do until high school he asked?
His Coach told him to do push ups.
How many push ups?
No one ever told him how many, so he decided 500 a day would be the number!
He scattered the push ups throughout his day.
He would use the OLD webbing grip tools to work his hand strength.
I haven’t seen those in a WHILE!
He even did 500 push ups the morning he won the high school state championships.
The Russians had their olympic athletes play full blown soccer games the night before their Gold Medal Volleyball match.
I can go on and on with stories of his man.
But, let me tell you, every time I get the rare opportunity to connect with him, I shut my mouth and listen.
His methods and stories always give me heavy dity ammunition to use for my own training and my athletes.
Listen to him talk, along with the other greats that will inspire you, educate you and open up your mind to an entirely new world of training in The Underground Strength System.
==> http://UndergroundStrengthManual.com
–Z–
PS: His name?
Coach Ethan Reve
==> http://UndergroundStrengthManual.com
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Strength Building, Success, muscle building by on Aug 31st, 2009. 2 Comments.
Wow, I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding bodyweight training since all the bodyweight videos have been released.
Check out the last few videos and add your answers or comments by posting a comment below.
QUESTION: Zach, can someone get endless strength gains from Bodyweight Training?
ANSWER: Awesome question!
I use Bodyweight training to supplement how I personally train & how I train with my athletes – Bodyweight training is a HUGE part of what we do, but, NOT the ONLY part.
Then again, have YOU maximized your potential in bodyweight training if you can not perform the below bodyweight movements:
1) pistols x 10 ea. leg
2) 1 arm push ups x 10 ea. arm
3) 1 hand pull up x 1 rep ea. arm
4) muscle up on bar / rings x 5 in a row
5) 100 consecutive push ups
6) 10 handstand push ups
7) handstand walking
20′ rope climb without leg assistance
9) parallel bar dips x 50 reps
10) 20 pull ups (overhand or underhand grip)
The above list of exercises are the toughest movements for bodyweight training.
Remember, strength is a skill and it must be practiced regularly, and bodyweight training gives you the power to practice anywhere, anytime and with no equipment.
So until you are able to perform the above list of 10 bodyweight exercises I honestly believe you are NOT strong enough in bodyweight training.
Can I perform the list above? Not all of them, so this tells me I need to get stronger in those movements and that comes through more practice in bodyweight training and reduction of body weight.
Obviously, being heavier will not make the performance of those 10 bodyweight exercises easier, but, this is NOT an excuse as I have shown you many videos of myself and my own clients performing many of these feats.
So if you’ve been thinking you’re strong enough with bodyweight exercises and the only exercises you’ve been doing with your own bodyweight training are push ups, pull ups and dips…..well, it looks like you have your work cut out for you.
You better get busy because we ALL need to get stronger.
You CAN maximize your physical potential by making bodyweight training an integral part of your workouts.
I highly reccomend you do so.
In Strength,
–Z–
Recommended Resources for those who want to become Bodyweight Animals. How BAD do you WANT it? Wanting and Doing are two different things.
Take Action…..
Bodyweight Bodybuilding Secrets
Filed under Articles, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building, old school strength by on Jun 19th, 2009. 27 Comments.
The Doors to Bodyweight University have opened and they are HOT off the press, see for yourself HERE.
You’re going to see some footage I have posted here before AND some footage I have NEVER posted or shared with others.
Check out this Video with some SICK, SICK bodyweight training footage:
Let me know your thoughts and comments below, and, if you’ve cranked a bodyweight workout lately, post what you did and share with others. I’m psyched to see some kick ass workouts and comments.
Bring it!
–Z–
PS: I won’t be holding the price of BWU this low for much longer, so take action and make it happen HERE.
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jun 18th, 2009. 7 Comments.
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