Let me slap the haters in the face before we get GOING. BIG, STRONG arms are critical to aiding your upper body strength.
Wanna improve your bench press, military press, pull ups, push ups, dips, etc?
Then get those arms stronger. If you’ve got skinny, weak arms it’s likely your upper body pushing and pulling strength sucks as well. Do NOT fear doing direct arm work.
Read more on 11 Ways to Get BIG Arms…
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building, old school strength by on Dec 21st, 2011. 22 Comments. 
LOTS more video footage to come!
We raised approximately $3,600 and this was our BEST turn out with the BIGGEST donations.
I am beyond GRATEFUL!
Thanks to all who attended and special thanks to the man who brought Underground to life, Alwyn Cosgrove!
100 % of our proceeds were sent to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, they were happy 
Peace!
–Z–
Filed under Announcements, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jul 5th, 2011. 1 Comment.
Just wanted to give you a quick update on the killa shizza that’s been getting dropped at The Underground Inner Circle. Or, skip reading this and crank a 30 day trial for one buck, click HERE to get busy.
- New Underground Movie of our athletes prepping for our Lift STRONG Fundraiser, training for wrestling, football and more. You’ll see how we combine plyometrics, jumps and powerlifting to ensure we are not only getting strong, but explosive AND athletic. You’ll also see how we use what I call “off set loading” to develop some SERIOUS strength, power and stabilty for athletics.
- Russian Wrestling Camp video footage 15 minutes in length showing uncut footage of how Russian Wrestlers train to become the longest standing dominant force in international wrestling. This video is what “sport specific training” is truly all about. Even if you don’t wrestle, this video will blow your mind regarding how we should ALL be training to develop animal type strength, speed, power & athleticism. This video itself is worth the membership investment alone.
- New Underground Strength Coaches added to our Expert Panel. Yep, we’ve added THREE new Coaches, ALL of whom have gone through The USC Certification, own their own warehouse gym and walk the talk. Ask these guys anything about training, nutrition and business. The forum is available 24-7 for you to take advantage of while connecting with like minded Undergrounders. NO egos or Assholes! BOOM!
- Underground Workout of the Month. As always, I break down the workout of the month for you via video and telling you exactly why and how we apply what we do at The Underground. You can take this workout and use it for yourself or your athletes. Program design is the magic, it’s where everything gets put together and allows you to get the maximum result from just the right amount of training. Optimal training is the focus rather than maximal training which often leads to injury and burn out.
There’s a TON more, every month, including regular forum posts with QnA, detailed workouts from my gym as well as other warehouse gyms, garages, basements and backyards around the world. Undergrounders around the world, sharing how they go and tear it up.
Click HERE for a 30 day test run for only one buck. BOOM!
Peace
–Z–
PS: The next USC Cert has been announced, check the info HERE to experience this life changing weekend.
Filed under Announcements, Calendar, Kick Ass Life, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts by on Jun 16th, 2011. 7 Comments.
Meet Kurty G, a tri athlete, who deadlifts 455 on a straight bar, weighs 196 lbs, runs 1/2 marathons, competes in triathlons and coaches at The Underground.
Oh yea, he’s also competing in 2 weeks at our 4th annual Lift STRONG Fundraiser, you coming?
You should come and compete, or, come and watch, help support the cause, doing something that helps make a difference. I’d LOVE to see you there.
This training might seem odd, especially for an endurance athlete.
“They” said endurance athletes can’t train like this, and, so did many of the original “Guru” Strength Coaches. BooHoo
This style of training develops greater strength, speed, power, recovery ability and mental toughness, ALL of which are critical for endurance athletes.
Nobody’s gonna stop us….. Undergrounders REPRESENT!
Recap of Kurty’s day.
- 5 Mile Run in the morning
- 20 minute swim after the run
- burpees in girlfriend’s backyard
- Strongman workout at The Underground to prep for Lift STRONG
- Flag Football Game at night
He didn’t even look tired!
Looks like we’ve ALL got some workin’ to do.
Get busy with the right type of training, click HERE, weak minded cry babies click AWAY.
Peace!
–Z–
Don’t Click HERE if you’re a complainer in any way, shape or form.
Filed under Announcements, Articles, Calendar, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Jun 10th, 2011. 1 Comment.
I just got home after a kick ass weekend in Austin, TX.
Austin is a cool as hell town, reminds me of a blend between my hometown and San Diego. The people are cool as hell, the cabbies are slower AND more laid back than Spicoli from ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ and the girls are straight up Ass Kickers – I’ve never had such fit and powerful girls come through my cert like the girls of Austin (this is the 2nd time as they’ve been to NJ & now Austin).
I cranked my USC Cert to a sold out crew at one helluva gym and man did we light it up! Stay tuned for some highlight video footage.
I arrived Friday night for what was called ‘Project Mayhem’ – there must have been about 60 guys, ALL dressed in black going full out, tearing up the gym and every ounce of the parking lot with:
- truck pushing and truck pulling with a thick rope
- Keg Lifting, ground to overhead
- Pull Ups & Sandbag Carries
- 1RM Deadlifts
- Tire Flips
After these guys went through hell and back they tore up a meal fit for Gladiators along with plenty of beer to wash down all their well earned food. This training was one of the most intense workouts I’ve ever witnessed, coupled with their camaraderie I was seriously blown away with motivation & inspiration.
During our weekend USC Cert, many preconceived notions were laid to rest as many people think that the cert is all about choosing sides, aka, using one style and not another. Strongman only training.
Nothing could be further form the truth as we spent a large portion of time doing what I call “Animal Training” – it opened up everyone’s mind as to how we can train for power, speed, strength, athleticism and most importantly, optimal health.
Makes no sense to train with a certain style if it leaves you banged up and broken down.
Must it be strongman and odd objects vs powerlifting?
Or….
Perhaps it is bodyweight only, or kettlebells only.
NO…. Eventually, training with one style, for the majority, will lead to boredom, burn out, overuse injuries and lack of progress. Notice I said “for the majority” as there are always the rare few. There are few who make non stop progress with bodyweight only or kettlebells only, the men below are bodyweight only BEASTS, they are a rare few, certainly not the majority.
I do what works for me and apply the same principles when training my athletes. Not every athlete I train benefits from heavy deads or heavy squats, sounds strange, but the bottom line is getting results and as I spoke about in my last blog post HERE, some exercises can be your enemy and another man’s best friend.
We do, however, train like animals, the USC Coaches who just finished this weekend’s cert will attest to that.
We used bodyweight training through jump training, all types of climbing drills, animal training, plyometrics, jump training and gymnastics based training.
We tore apart the Sandbag training WAY beyond the basics and used various complexes and unique forms of “loaded conditioning”.
Yes, we used powerlifting AND strongman as well.
I take what works and remove what doesn’t work, as should you. It’s a form of ART, learning what works for you and those you train.
For my own personal workouts, it means working hard on certain things, easier on others. Easy on the powerlifts, hard on the animal training.
If you’re over 30 years of age you will really need to begin paying close attention to the way your body responds to all types of training AND nutrition.
Done for me are the days of aches, pains, injuries and training that simply crushes the body. If it interferes with my ability to play with my kids and live a pain free life then I am kicking it to the curb.
Optimal training, NOT maximal training, that is THE ticket. Learn it and Love it.
Stay tuned, the video footage I’m gonna set you up with from last weekend’s USC Cert is gonna be SIC.
Till then, pick up your 2 FREE gifts when you sign up at The USC Inner Circle, 30 day trial HERE.
Be an action taker and a leader.
Blaze a trail, take action and storm through brick walls.
Lazy peeps have no room here, there is no middle ground.
You’re either in or you’re in the way.
And now you know.
Peace.
–Z–
PS: See you on the other side, you will dig your 2 FREE gifts, get em’ NOW:
==> 30 Day UIC Trial
PPS: I’m adding three new Coaches to The UIC Expert Panel
TWO of these guys attended the http://UndergroundStrengthCoachCertification.com
and they are the real deal.
The other has been through my biz courses and tore up some nasty workouts at my Underground Strength Gym along with me.
He’s the REAL deal, strong as hell and walks the talk.
These guys are animals, literally.
The way they train, eat and move – it’s the way training was meant to be.
It’s a lifestyle.
They don’t pretend or fake it, they live it.
==> http://UndergroundInnerCircle.com
PPPS: The next USC cert will be in Florida, sign up HERE
One Coach is traveling all the way to Florida from Thailand, I saw training footage of him and he blew me away, it is going to be a eye opening and life changing weekend for ALL who take action and attend.
==> http://UndergroundStrengthCoachCertification.com
Filed under Articles, Calendar, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Videos, muscle building by on May 3rd, 2011. Comment.
If you’re not training to become stronger, bigger, faster, leaner, meaner and tougher than yesterday than what the hell are you doing taking up space and breathing in the very air that Gladiators need!?
Every day you need to be better than yesterday.
Read more on Breaking Wimps, Building BEASTS & Hybrid Bodybuilding…
Filed under Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jan 26th, 2011. 13 Comments.
You just saw a little insight into some training that I’ve been going through over the past 2 weeks. You’ll see a mixture of:
- Strongman Training / Atlas Stone Lifting
- Old School / Golden Era Bodybuilding
- Speed Training via Box Jumps, Speed Deadlifts + bands with varied stances
- Kettlebell training via high rep swings
Training is feeling overall pretty darn good minus the shoulder, so, I am laying low on overhead pressing and full range benching. When I perform dumbbell and barbell presses I perform them with a neutral grip to ease pain on the shoulder.
I’m also following The Mobility WOD & implementing K Starr’s methods daily. It’s the shiz, no doubt, SON.
As you get older, you get wiser…. or at least you’re supposed to get wiser. Age does NOT mean you have an excuse to get weaker.
I’m chasing more strength, more muscle, more speed and MORE challenges.
The mind needs to be pushed for the body to grow.
Question For You: What have you done this week to challenge your mind and body? Post your thoughts, comments or perhaps your toughest workout of the week. Looking forward!
–Z–
Recommended Events:
Underground Strength Coach Certification
HTKA Business Immersion Weekend
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Jan 11th, 2011. 11 Comments.
Some of the strongest men known to man kind never lifted traditional weights. Instead, they only lifted odd objects such as stones, kegs and other awkward, heavy objects.
The rep ranges used by these strongmen were often in the 1 – 5 range, NEVER training to failure, instead, strength was a skill that they practiced, nothing more.
This allowed progress to remain steady and strength became shocking and respected by those around.
Check out the vid below, after some conditioning work, I hit various deadlifts with an odd object, a large block of heavy iron weighing somewhere in the 250 – 300 lb range.
Good stuff happenin’ at The Jersey Shore, no doubt….
Try hitting an odd object workout once a week for the next 5 or 6 weeks.
Don’t train to fatigue, treat strength as a skill, rest a bit longer than normal. Use various objects such as stones, sandbags, water filled kegs and who knows what else you can find. Take a trip to the junk yard, you could get lucky. I ALMOST did, remember that time?
Question for You: What odd objects do you use, or, perhaps laying around and you’re about to use? Drop a comment and share your workouts with odd objects. Psyched to see the wild stuff you guys come up with!
In Strength,
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
The Underground Strength System
Underground Strength Inner Circle – 30 Day Trial
Underground Strength Coach Certification
Filed under Articles, Strength Building, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Oct 5th, 2010. 4 Comments.
Got some cool questions that I wanna crank out via the Blog. Check em’ below as these questions come in often. Enjoy!
Q: Hi Zach!
Onto the Next Question…. I am showin’ the love bruddahs
Question:
Zach, my son recently fractured his arm and is unable to play Football this season. He is an 8th grader. What can I do to help him stay in shape and keep his head in the game so to speak. He loves to play and work out and I want to help him.
Thanks for all you do, Zach.
- Ed -
ANSWER:
Ed, hey brother, thanks for the e mail and I dig your commitment. Your son WANTS to work out and often times I am in this very same scenario. Athlete gets hurt and the parent thinks they can’t do anything. Well heck, we still got 2 legs and another arm! NO excuses.
For upper and full body we will perform the following drills using a Kettlebell or Dumbbell:
- Snatch
- Clean & Press
- 1 Arm Row
- Carries: overhead, rack, suit case
- 1 Arm Floor Press
For Lower Body we will perform the following drills using a Kettlebell or Dumbbell:
- Swings
- Cleans
- Rack Squat
- Rack Lunge variation (forwards, reverse, walking)
- 1 Arm KB Deadlifts while standing on 2 boxes for stretch
If the athlete only has a broken hand / wrist we can also do barbell zercher squats. I have found that keeping the athlete in training raises his self esteem AND dramatically speeds up the healing process. If the athlete sits around the house and mopes around he returns to his sport and the gym weaker, slower not just physically but mentally as well.
We also use a dragging sled, strapped around the athletes waist and perform drags and sprints moving forwards and backwards as well as lateral walking. We get our sleds from Elite FTS or Rogue, sometimes my Dad makes them when they have spare parts laying around his shop as well. As simple as they are to use they are one of the best tools for an athlete to use.
I hope these helped everyone.
NO excuses, Kick Some Ass!
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
Underground Strength Coach Cert (Final Cert of 2010)
Filed under Articles, Q & A, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, Zach's Workouts, muscle building by on Sep 16th, 2010. 11 Comments.
Years ago, when I was training wrestlers from my backyard, garage and at beat up, run down playgrounds, something inspired me to step it up a notch. Ironically, it came from a tire yard in Edison, NJ that I would drive by on a regular basis.
Finally, I stopped in the office if the tire yard to see if I could get behind their massive fences and get some training in.
Watch the video below and you’ll see exactly how The Underground Strength Gym began to come to fruition.
That day inspired me BIG time and it was a regular weekend for me to show up at the tire yard with some coffee and bagels for the guys in exchange for them to pull down a tractor tire or two for me.
This gave me a solid 45 minute workout which consisted of calisthenics as a warm up and then rep after rep of tire flips. My first few workouts at the tire yard left me aching for days, but it was a good ache
During the week I trained with powerlifting, Russian Kettlebells, sled dragging, truck pushing, bodyweight workouts and golden era type bodybuilding workouts.
The workouts took place in my garage, backyard or those run down playground I speak of so often. I didn’t make excuses for not having the right equipment or the right facility to train out of.
I created a Blog loooong ago, it still stands, heck, you can even go back and see some REALLY old Underground Workouts dating back to 2005 by clicking HERE.
I found a way to create success and to this day that is something I am always able to do. NO excuses, just going out and making it happen, whatever it is I want it to be, it happens.
In life, that’s the way YOU must roll. If not, you simply become the hunted, which I have spoken about so very often through my e mails. I prefer to be the Hunter, how about you?
Excuses are for the weak.
If you want to kick ass in training or start your own business or improve your life, it’s time to stop whining and start doing.
Lead from the FRONT.
–Z–
Recommended Resources:
Zach’s Tough Minded Business Newsletter
Underground Strength Coach 30 Day Trial
Filed under Articles, Kick Ass Life, Strength Building, Success, Underground Strength Show, Videos, muscle building by on Jun 1st, 2010. 3 Comments.
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