Last night I did a STRONG Life Podcast with my buddy, Joe DeSena, The Founder of The SPARTAN Race. One topic that came to mind was that of having a Purpose in your life. At this time of year, the weather is beautiful and the ocean calls me. The training moves from less inside my gym to more in my garage and anything outdoors, especially surfing, mountain biking and PLAYING. Essentially, I train by the seasons...... If I lived on the West Coast where the weather is warm year round I am sure … [Read more...]
The STRONG Life Philosophy: How to Dominate in the Gym AND in LIFE
The STRONG Life is The BEST Life. Strong Mind. Strong Body. STRONG LIFE. The Philosophy behind The STRONG Life is constantly evolving for me. Once you STOP evolving you are no longer living. It's an understanding that once you accept the FACT that anyone worth having is going to be TOUGH, your life actually gets easier. You already know it's gonna take HARD F--in' Work, so accept it and DO it. We're in a strange time in this world where bad things are happening all around the world, … [Read more...]
The 4 BIGGEST Mistakes Coaches & Athletic Directors Make In Schools
I taught in the public schools for 11 years. I am back in the public schools as of this writing. During the 10 years in between, I was coaching sometimes 8 hours a day at The Underground Strength Gym along with holding my certification multiple times a year throughout the country. I coached Wrestling at the middle school level and volunteered at the high school level. I began volunteering for wrestling coaching since 1993 so I have been around sports and coaching for a very long time. EDIT: As … [Read more...]
NO Time to Train? Making Time VS Making Excuses
_____________ I constantly hear men saying, "I have NO time to workout, NO time to train!" That is all BS. Make time or Make excuses. The choice is yours. You don't need a gym membership. Heck, you don't even need a gym. Bodyweight Only workouts CAN get the job done and be extremely powerful when following the right system. A few additional training tools can be added to the mix and stowed away so lack of space is never a problem either. The photo above tells the perfect story and the … [Read more...]
STORY: How The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength Almost NEVER Happened, Until…
Above, Quatro Deuce, Joe DeSena and Myself at SPARTAN HQ (Pittsfield, Vt) the weekend The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength & Conditioning was Launched AND the Weekend of The SPARTAN Underground Mastermind. A Busy & Awesome Weekend Wrapped In One! ________________ Here's a story many of you don't know..... It's a story I wanted to share so you understand that I am just like you..... A story of how The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength & Conditioning never … [Read more...]
Training to Be HARDER to Kill
I'm finishing up a week here in Florida with my kids. It's the first time we're without the wifey and let me tell ya, the first few days were brutal..... Emotionally, we're used to operating as a team..... I had to dig deep in ways I never experienced before to help my kids feel safe and strong, especially my daughter, who went to an intensive Tennis camp, 3 hours every morning for 5 days straight. If you have experience with intensive training, the type that exhausts you on all fronts … [Read more...]
The 7 BEST Exercises to OWN Your Training
Above, Photo of Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink's Garage Gym Aftermath. Here I am, the day after an emotional fundraiser for The Navy SEAL Foundation. After the fundraiser ended I was hit with a TON of emotion. Sharing the reason WHY I support Military so much and my memory of 9-11 and my gratitude for my families safety, it chokes me Up BIG time. I woke up and my mind is racing. Again. Perhaps it's age. Perhaps it is regret. Perhaps the only thing I can do about it is to keep on keeping on. The … [Read more...]
F–K Mediocrity & The Tough Kids From The U
Quite often I feel like a man all alone on a stranded island. Where the hell are all the dedicated, hard charging SOBs I ask myself? Still, I get e mails and messages on the daily asking me how I stay so motivated and hungry to succeed in all areas of my life. 1 of the BIG reasons is because I HATE Mediocrity. I HATE 2nd best or 2nd place. It wasn't always like that. I didn't start getting that inner drive of being pissed off for greatness until I was 19 or 20. … [Read more...]
Finding Your True North, Death Race & Beyond Mental Toughness
He woke up every day at the same time and followed the same routine. The alarm went off at 6:07 AM and he stumbled his way down stairs to get his cup of coffee, eyes barely open and feet stumbling everywhere. Falling asleep was always stressful, knowing that the next morning he was going to that job he hated, surrounded by others who lost their passion. He questioned himself, just how long he could keep doing this. Is happiness going to wait for me until I retire? At least I've got health … [Read more...]
Excellence Is Your ONLY Option
It goes back to my days of getting my knee injury checked out in high school and Dr. Medina would ask me what I was going to do with my life. WHAT was I going to BE? Of course, at age 16, I had NO clue. I answered him as such and he told me that whatever I do, I will do it to be the best. "I'll tell you what you're going to do, Zach....." … [Read more...]