I still remember that short yet powerful poem staring at me in front of the squat rack at Diamond Gym. It reminded me to add weight, get an extra rep and do what others would NOT want to do. I first saw that poem when I was 17, over half my lifetime ago yet I still remember that poem like it was this morning.
There are those that will
and those that won’t
Those that do
and those that don’t
I remember going through some extremely hellish workouts, especially on leg day, back when I was a bodybuilder. I was preparing to compete and I was told that it wasn’t possible to win being drug free.
I had a different idea. I decided that if I could outwork my competitors I would win. That’s the ONE thing I had going for me, KNOWING that I could make any training partner throw up, quit, whine and cry.
I remember my training partner throwing up during every leg workout. Whenever he thought he was done he wasn’t done. I learned this through wrestling. I learned from my Gymnastics Coach, a former collegiate All American wrestler that the body can handle 20 X greater than what our mind thinks it can handle.
Heck, at least that’s what he told us, and I believed him!
My mind became trained to chasing the pain. Of course, many years later, I am MUCH smarter with my training, but, I still understand the need for intensity and the need to DO work.
In the video below you’ll see one of the best wrestlers in the country going through the last round during a hellish circuit. As each set went on the fatigue began to set in. This is where many drop and question if they can or can not do the work.
This is when you gotta dig deep and understand that temporary pain is better than giving up. The footage above was caught during the final round of 5 rounds, non stop, NO rest between each round. The med ball push up complex started getting brutal by round 3 and 4, round 5 was hellish.
It’s amazing how the mind can try to steer your body one way or another. Even if you don’t wrestle or are not one of the best wrestlers in the country, can you use a circuit like the one in this video?
YES. Start your workout with a main lift, something for strength or speed. Then, attack the circuit, but for starters, rest 60-90 seconds after each round. Each week reduce rest between each round of the circuit until you can do 2 rounds in a row, then 3, 4 and finally all 5 rounds without rest.
No one ever said you gotta spend all day training. Your mental toughness will help push the pace of this workout.
In the end, how weak or strong you are is totally up to you.
Comments / Questions? Let’s hear em’…. drop em’ below!
Looking forward to your comments.
In Strength,
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
Underground Strength Coach Certification / Austin, TX
Filed under Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Feb 11th, 2011. 4 Comments. 
Last night I had my friends over to watch The UFC fights. It’s actually rare that I stay up so late to watch the fights.It’s more common for me to be asleep between 10:30 and 11 PM nowadays.
I used to ALWAYS watch The UFC main events AND PRIDE Fighting. Who remember Pride held from Japan? Damn those fights were amazing!
I was psyched to see Frankie Edgar defend his title against The Prodigy, BJ Penn. BJ is a straight up animal and his long list of accomplishments is undeniable. BJ Penn’s intensity is awe inspiring and his skills are freakish, hence, why he is called the Prodigy.
BJ’s new training for strength, conditioning and overall performance as of a year or two ago took on a new role, from Marv Marinovich, and if you’ve been around for a while, Marv’s son, Todd Marinovich was a high level collegiate QB back in the day who was being trained by Dr. Yessis with Russian Methodologies specialized for the role of a Football QB, VERY sports specific. I believe this has influenced Marv’s training system for BJ with lots of plyo training, nervous system training and balance work. Check it below for a little insight into how BJ Penn now trains.
I expected a battle for 5 rounds. I have seen Frankie fight and know of his training methods….. Frankie Edgar does NOT get tired. It’s scary to see such a machine. Frankie gets in his wrestling workouts with The Rutgers Wrecking Crew, and, from my inside sources, he NEVER rests and never sits down when live wrestling against these college animals…… he keeps going and going and going….banging heads with one fresh wrestler after another.
His intensity is second to none. You don’t become the world champ by taking it easy. Then again, do you get anywhere good by taking it easy? No matter what BS story someone tries to sell you, becoming an ass kicker at any endeavor always required some sort of hard work, sacrifice and commitment. ALWAYS.
See Frankie in training below with Martin Rooney:
There are certain things about Frankie that shock, awe and inspire me. You can Learn from THESE:
- The dude seems immune to punishment and pain. He gets hit, he keeps charging. Nothing stops him. When you get hit or run into a stumbling block, how do you react?
- He NEVER stops moving, his energy is endless, he has a TRUE relentless attack. That’s how life should be lived. Leave NOTHING on the table, go for everything, why settle for anything less than your best. This is how you leave behind a legacy for family, friends and all others to be motivated from your actions. Winning is an internal game. You can sometimes win by points on the score board, but, if you didn’t leave it ALL out in the open, and honestly give your 100% best, then have you truly won?
- He’s a Jersey Wrestler. He has that relentless attack, relentless movement and doesn’t like being held down. A few times BJ Penn got a hold of Frankie, he just could NOT be held down. Frankie was a top state and national level wrestler through high school and college. He put in the work. NOT everyone is willing to put in the work necessary to become a champion. Do you wake up early, stay up late, do what others do NOT ask of you? If you always need a Coach giving you motivation and can’t pull it out of yourself, you will NOT become a champion.
- He drinks Jersey Water. There is “something special” in Jersey Water…. and the air…. Jersey Shore air is better than breathing in The NJ Turnpike air, I can assure you 
- He has trained with my bruddahs, Uncle Mike, The Milkman and Martin Rooney. These 3 guys have handed me ass whoppins with their workouts unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The three of them are BUSY and still remain deadly in their physical performance. ALL three are husbands, fathers, full time + plenty more hours of work. They ALL Lead from the FRONT. Do you Lead from the FRONT?
- Frankie is undeterred. It’s easy to be the younger guy psyched out by a fighter who is touted as one of the best pound for pound fighters to ever live. Don’t let others psyche you out or dictate what you can or can not do. Blaze your own path and get thick skin. Most people try to run their mouth in an effort to deter you or put fear in your eyes. This is where The F**K You Factor comes in. Put your head down and get to work. Charge FULL force.
- Frankie is focused and committed to training and his goals, NO excuses. Commitment and focus seem to be lacking in many people today, both in athletics and / or business. Many people talk of lofty goals yet very few are willing to do what it takes to make it happen. The excuses are rampant: too early, too late, no money, too busy….. In my opinion, there are too many Bull S**t excuses being spat out. It’s ALL or nothing, if you want to become a champion or a HUGE success at what you do there are NO excuses.
- Be in shape so you can be relentless, regardless of your sport. Sports specific training is fine and dandy, BUT, what about the ability to dominate on the practice field and in the real world. Being out of shape yet having first step quickness and a big vertical ain’t s**t compared to a warrior who has a relentless attack, never tires, falters or weakens. Mental toughness gets developed with workouts that often have little to do with science.
Train like a fighter, sports and life are often times a battle of will, prepare to WIN. Period.
Take action with what you’ve learned.
I’m fired UP after watching Jerzee BadAss, Frankie Edfar defend his title. Time to hit some sprints and Kettlebell Training in the backyard.
Lead from the Front!
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
Underground Inner Circle 30 Day Trial
Martin Rooney Combat Readiness Audio Interview
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Aug 29th, 2010. 11 Comments.
There are times when you think you’re training hard.
Soon, someone else comes along and pushed you outside your comfort zone. Suddenly you’re not as strong, as fast or as tough as you thought you were.
It’s happened to me and still does to this very day. But, this is why I do it. I need to keep my edge, I FEAR losing it. There are ALWAYS holes in your armor.
I’ve been exposed to plenty of new methods lately and some of them have busted me up. Some are me simply going back to where I started. Sometimes you need a reminder and sometimes you need to get your ass kicked.
7 Ways to Keep Your Edge and Become a Gladiator:
Read more on 7 Ways to Keep Your Edge and Become a Gladiator…
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Aug 18th, 2010. 22 Comments.
It was a Friday morning and I was supposed to train 4 wrestlers inside a wrestling club where I’ve got a small Underground Strength Club going down.
The doors were locked. It was time for Plan B.
This is what I thrive on: shitty conditions, no equipment, no gym….. this is how I began and this is where I was, all over again, 8 years later. I was in my element and a day like this brought me back to my roots.
You gotta go back to your roots no matter what you do or where you are in life. It reminds you to remain humble and focus on what is important.
Time to use the Black Berry. Google local elementary schools with hopes that they haven’t pussified themselves and torn down all playgrounds, monkey bars and anything else Underground. Nowadays, a kid falls off the monkey bars the school board get scared and tears down ALL playground equipment.
NO playing! NO running! NO climbing! NO living??!!!
Lucky for me, the cards were in my favor because this playground was OLD school and looked like old world Russia and something Fedor would be caught training at.
There was sand for wrestling on, poles for climbing and pushing and tables for jumping and press.
Hells Yea, this is MY world. OUR world. The world of Underground.
In this video you’ll see two Division 1 wrestlers and 2 high school wrestlers, one of which is an undefeated state champ as a pure freshman and a youth national champ. I FEAR these kids and that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen when trained properly.
Check these Animals in Training below….
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jul 6th, 2010. 29 Comments.
Before the internet, the world of strength and serious bodybuilding was in it’s very own little world.
A small culture of people who shocked the rest of the world for doing what they did:
- Lifting HEAVY and straining the body
- Eating like Gladiators
- Transforming their body / Growing Muscles that stretched shirts
- The ability to perform feats of strength
Well, after this weekend’s USC Cert, we had a few guys in attendance who were in their 20s and they had never seen the movie,’Pumping Iron’ with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I spoke of Franco Columbo deadlifting a small car (in the video below) and how the bodybuilders from back in the 70s were more of a hyrbid power-bodybuilder because they lifted so heavy.
They also were BIG proponents of bodyweight exercises performed in high volume and / or with LOTS of added weight.
Arnold would perform back workouts by performing mixed grip pull ups until he could NO longer hold onto the bar!
Other times it would 5 sets each of chin ups, behind the neck chin ups and close grip chin ups.
When is the last time you saw anyone cranking out 15 sets of pull ups?
There is a man who I would consider “Strong as Hell” by the name of Marvin Eder, who was known for his astonishing strength back in the 50s and 60s and still, TODAY is known around the world in the circles of strength and bodybuilding, NOT just his astonishing strength in exercises such as dips and chins, but his strength in the powerlifts and the military press.
He weighed under 200 lbs yet would perform parallel bar dips with 2 men, each hanging from his legs.
His workouts motivate me to consider 100 dips my warm up, NOT a workout.
Marvin could also squat 500 plus pounds for 10 deep reps and had a bench press over 500 lbs as well.
This reminds me: I am NOT strong enough and have LOTS of work to do ahead of me.
What about you, are you strong enough yet?
Are you satisfied with your strength in the below movements?
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Strict Press
- Dips
- Chin Ups
I’m gonna be hitting a playground workout shortly, and at The Underground Strength Gym later tonight I’ll be squatting and deadlifting.
Today’s Morning workout will be tons of push ups, pull ups and dips.
Evening has Squats and Deads on the agenda.
I’m pretty fired up, motivated MORE than ever to be stronger than ever. I’m ALWAYS chasing the pain AND new found levels of strength.
In life, you gotta have BIG things to go after, BIG goals to attack. Starting my day at The Underground at 3 o’clock I’ll be training Rutgers Wrestling Team today as well.
I am excited to see the damage they’re going to be dishing out on their competition as they get stronger and more exposive training at The Underground Strength Gym, and, we’ll be blasting their conditioning levels
to a whole new level.
Once again….
All this talk of Marvin Eder and the men of amazing strength reminds me:
I am NOT strong enough and have LOTS of work to do ahead of me.
What about you, are you strong enough yet?
Lead from the front.
–Z–
PS: One of THE most impressive and influential books I have ever come across in the world of developing FREAK Strength has to be the one I picked up from Marty Gallagher, below, GET it HERE.
Of course, only if you’re NOT strong enough.
Time to train!
PPS: Here are a few of my Critical Web Sites for SERIOUS Lifters and Coaches:
http://GetWrestlingStrength.com
http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Business, Strength Building, Success, Videos, muscle building by on Jun 7th, 2010. 6 Comments.
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