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Wow! Today is my son's 1st birthday.
AMAZING how fast time flies, and my little homeboy is already 1 year old 🙂
My daughter will soon be 3 years old.
I am BEYOND grateful (and I got a lil gift for you down below so read this entire article 🙂 to have such an awesome family.
Having kids changes everything - funny how selfish I used to be before having kids.
Now, all that runs through my mind is making sure that whatever I do is good for THEM.
Making yourself happy suddenly means VERY little once you have kids, if you have kids, I'm sure you can relate.
I have great memories of when I was a little kid. I remember growing up in the aparments in Fords, NJ.
You've likely heard me talk about my Dad pulling my brother, his friend and I on a wooden sled through the snow at high speeds!
I remember my Dad teaching me to ride my bike, and I will come clean, it was a freaking purple bike with one of them big ass banana seats!
I was also too scared to pedal on the bridge which went over the small creeks running through the courtyard in the apartments. What a wuss!!! ha ha
My favorite TV show was The Incredible Hulk, the one where Loe Ferrigno was all jacked up and kicked EVERYONE'S ass - I loved that!
I remember my Dad cut his old jeans into a pair of shorts. He took the bottoms of the jeans and placed them on my arms so when I flexed I THOUGHT they were REAL muscles and I felt like The Incredible Hulk.
Ahhhhhhhh, to be young again.
I also remember Underoos, do you remember them?
My first pair was Aqua Man! I cried when my parents made me wear them.
They couldn't find The Hulk Underoos so I got stick with Aqua Man! I was pissed off!
I'm lucky I had underwear though, right? What the heck was I crying about?
Of course, I also watched The A Team, Dukes of Hazard, HE Man and I LOVED watching The World's Strongest Man which would be shown on basic TV channels, you didn't even need cable!
I guess I was obsessed with trying to be Big, Strong & Cool - some things never change, huh?
Time went too fast, I'm sure you feel the same.
It seems like yesterday my friends and I were racing Big Wheels down the street crashing into the finish line, which was always 3 or 4 garbage cans lined up together (that was GREAT FUN!).
Time goes so freaking fast I really have no clue where it goes.
We have NO control over time.
But we DO have control over how we use our time and what we can do in life.
I'm a simple guy - I want to be a Better man, a better father and a better husband.
I want to raise my son to be strong and healthy, confident and polite. I want to help him find his way, not by pushing him in any direction, but by supporting the path he chooses and by demonstrating that "it" can be done.
I look forward to the days of Ethan and I cranking workouts together.
Maybe our workouts will be with the vintage york barbell equipment I have in the garage - 600 lbs worth!
Maybe it will be in the woods somewhere, hiking trails, lifting stones and enjoying the sounds of nature and an escape from the hustle & bustle of so many days we all experience.
Maybe it will be at the beach, chilling on the sand, or learning to surf, or heck, body surfing when those big ass waves roll up and drop you on your ass so hard you get sand stuck in your bathing suit from every angle.
Maybe it will be on a cross country trip as we explore the USA.
Who knows what else will happen or might happen, but I know this: I'll do the best I can to show him that whatever it is he wants to do, it CAN be done.
With so much negativity in this world, I want to be the person and place that he can look to showing him that his reality is whatever he chooses to make of it.
I hope you guys can share some of your childhood memories with me, and, if you're a Parent, tell me what path you're blazing to make your kid(s) better.
Post them in the comments section below, I am psyched to see what you have to say 🙂
Thank YOU again for reading along with me 🙂
Peace!
--Z--
PS: As a way to celebrate with you, I wanna hook you up with a special offer that I rarely ever share. It's a 30 day trial to http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com for only $1 - this is where you get 24-7 access to me and get to hang with other cool dudes 🙂
Check it out HERE so I can make sure I have enough money to buy my son th right underwear when the times comes 🙂
PPS: If you enjoyed this article please use any of the buttons below to share on facebook, twitter or whatever your favorite social bookmarking site is. Thanks for spreading the good word!
Peace!
23 Responses
I am with you. I’ve got some cool pics of my kids flipping tires on my blog. They love to “workout” everyday, I don’t push them they just do it.
Brilliant. You know he’ll be kicking your ass soon enough though!!
I think so long as a man stays focussed on being better tomorrow than he is today ion everything he does, he can’t go far wrong.
It doesn’t take as much effort as everyone thinks so long as what you are trying to be better at benefits all around you. If it doesn’t and it’s self-indulgent that man will struggle!
Keep it up big man,
Jon
Z! I read everything you post, and I’m a huge fan after meeting you at FastTrack!
Thanks for this post. We need more men out there speaking out about what it means to be a good father, and I can tell you’re one of ’em! Do you have a brother? 🙂
Awesome post AND very entertaining, as always!
What am I doing for my kids? Same as you, giving them every opportunity possible, providing them exposure, and trying to set them up for success in whatever they’ll pursue later on..but more importantly, believing in them and loving them no matter what!
Hey z just wishing the little guy a happy and strong 1st! See you tomorrow!
This post was beyond great Zach – thanks for opening up like that about your feelings toward your son – really put me in touch with what I want from my relationship with children and especially my boy, when I have them one day –
Congrats to you man on all your success, and especially your biggest success, your family –
Ha – I know there was a soft side somewhere in you bruddah! talk soon man – ciao
Good Stuff Zach, got me remembering back to the good old days and about the stuff I’m trying to do now for my kids. You never fail to inspire
Zach I don’t have kids, but when I do the first workout is going to be box squats. I’m going to introduce my son to Louie Simmons, and for his second birthday we going to be pulling the sled outside of westside barbell. On his 3rd b-day we heading to Elite Fitness Training Systems and wreck Tate’s reverse hyper. But on the 4th B-day we comin’ to the underground Zach. And u betta be ready Zach cuz me and Baby D coming hard and heavy and when that happens ppl get hurt! We going to give your prowler the prowler flu!
Zach,
I never had underoos but I remeber the A-team and Dukes of Hazzards, the other day the Dukes of Hazzards movie was on TV and I decided to watch in memmory of my childhood. I have to say my memories of Friday night Dukes was a million times better than the movie. I never had a purple bike but I yearned for a green machine! the crazy things of childhood!
Thanks for bringing it back
Zach,
No kids- yet 😉 …still working on a Misses – haha. The fondest memories I have around a father figure revolve around my Gramps.
As you may recall from an earlier posting about the main sources of influence and inspiration- he was one of them- my Gramps was the one that introduced me to weight training at the age of 12.
Its funny cause my Mom and I were just reflecting on this the other day- at that point my Grandfather was 65 years old- I believe I made the err and said he was in his 50`s…which is even more impressive- benching 225lbs for reps at that point- SHIT I have a lot of work to put into this game still with genetics like that to live up to!
That is a whole other story though! My fondest memory is actually centered around New Years Eve. From the time my Gramps was 65 until he was 75 we played one-on-one shinny! He could f#ckin’ do it all! lol… I still have the brown paper bag he handed my ass in religiously on those New Years skates! (hahahaha, metaphorically speaking) The skates would shorten over the year but it made me quickly realize just how fortunate I was to share the moments and memories that I did have with him! I am still lucky to this day as he is still alive and kickin’. We’re still tight and I make it a regular point to visit him.
I think that he is responsible in part for the coach in me. Through him I learned how to leave the gentlest of footprints- how to shoulder a burden like a man; walk tall, proud, and lead the way by example and action!
Thank you Zach for allowing me the opportunity to share these memories with you and your ‘crew’- hope these fond memories rekindle some similar memories in all of you!
Your in Health,
Christopher
Zach,
I remember learning to ride my first bike…It was exactly like the one that you have in the picture on the top but in a royal blue color.
My second bike was a purple one that I had to keep until I started to work at the age of 13. I had to safe up my money because my mom was barely making money to pay rent and put food on the table.
I do have a 3 year old son that I love with all my heart. I will do anything to make sure that he will not have it as bad as I did. I will not give him everything but I will not have him wish for something and not be able to give my son what he wants because I don’t have the money.
I will teach my son what it means to be a hard working man and teach him that nothing is unachievable. Like you said life is filled with so much negativity. I will keep him positive environment and teach him that as long as you have heart, No one can take you down.
Being father is the best thing in the world and I know that now more than ever. I missed out in 6 months of my son’s life because of my mistakes and when he came back into my life, I have found my reason to fight again and go strong. NO ONE WILL TAKE ME DOWN and that is what true love is.
I do things for my family now and make sure that they have food on the table every day.
Thanks for this blog Zach and always keep it real.
Happy Birthday to you son
Great post Zach aka bruddah!
Brings back so many memories for myself. The underoos (classic), HE man (I still have a bunch of the figurines), worlds strongest man competition (magnus ver magnuson era)..all AWESOME and kick a$$! Then there were shows like air wolf, Mcgyver…good times!
I gotta say i’m 31 and I still work out with my dad as often as I can. He has been my best training partner! He is a strong dude and we push each other and it’s great father/son bonding. I know you and your son will create tonnes of those memories lifting stones, weights etc.
Enjoy it!
keep up the solid info!
Billy
p.s are you still doing your underground certs?
Congrats, on the little one turning one
I’m 15 myself, still very immature and a child so i’m making memories
from my child hood I remember mostly lots of ice skating, beaches, lots of school work, if i could relive a year it would be 3rd grade me and my friends would steal candy from this giant (to us it was giant) box of candy. Loved that year, we got a class pet with our currency as third graders!
I’m off to the beach have a good day.
Hey Z,
Loved your post, brought back alot of memories from my childhood. I remember being so proud of my underoos.
I agree with you so much that having children changes your thinking and really every aspect of your life. I have 2 boys one is 2 and the other is 8 weeks old, everything I do is for them.
Since their births I have started to get back in shape and have just started building an online business so that I might eventually have more time to spend with them.
Have already started Ethan, my 2 year old exercising. When I do push ups he is right there trying to do them too. When outside he is dragging a old plastic snow sled around piled with his toys or carrying things for me.
Can’t wait to see what both of them will accomplish!
Yours in Strength,
-Tim-
i have three kids ,boy 16 champion boxer won his last six fights,and has 14 trophies verrryyyyy proud .girl 13 street dancer verryyy coolllll!!! and 8 who does karate love them all .its hard but cool being a dad just one of lifes little journeys
Zach congrats on your son’s 1st birthday! I have a random questions for you… Approximately how high is the box that you have your guys box squat on? Thanks
Thnx for the awesome comments guys and gals 🙂
It’s great to see you guys open up as well.
Don’t worry, next post will have some HARD CORE training it!
Time to jam, Operation Thunder is on in T – 44 minutes!
peace!
–z–
i grow up with he-man(i have the power),A-team(i petty the fool)G.I.joe,the hulk and the cartoon,and we let our kids watch he man and they love it.and there is a good moral to the stories.not like today.and to day when the wife and i were working out the kids were working out too.we use them for weights for squats just so they can part of the work out. so have good work outs and keep the family involed.
GO FOR THE GUSTO
keith
Zach, you continue to be a shining example of how things should be done. I myself just spent an hour running around with my 2 1/2 year old daughter. Fitness has already become part of her life. I custom made her a 5 lb sand bag so she can train with daddy (I’ll have to email that video to you sometime) when she hangs out at my studio.
Keep up the good work. I can’t wait until I have the opportunity to take your certification.
I really enjoyed reading your post. I have recently become the father of triplet daughters and life has changed completely. While I love the little ones, it’s pretty tough at times. One of the things that’s keeping me sane during this period is getting out into the garden with some kettlebells, the TRX or just doing some bodyweight stuff. I find you and your site inspirational. Keep it up!
Rich
congrats on the triplets, AWESOME!
Yes, it’s crazy, but hang tough and represent brother
if you have a kettlebell and bodyweight you’re golden!
even if you can only do the ‘grease the groove’ method – hit a few presses and pull ups scattered through the day
you will likely be crazy for the next 3 yrs, so, you will eat for survival to say the least – don’t lay low on top foods like veggies and fruits – keep it healthy
time flies fast so be grateful and keep crushing it bruddah!
being a dad is the greatest thing that had happened to me.
There are some hard times but so much fun. Some dads here had 3 babies in one time… Waouh!!
In Japan we use the word “oya baka” which means “my kids are always the best”. (^.^)
I just don’t know what’s going to happen if my son says “I want to train in a commercial gym”…
Zach, thanks always fo sharing.
Hey Buddy
Wishing your son a very happy birthday!! Hope you guys have a special day together!!
Zach,
Its nice to see other people in this world who want to make there children not the couch potatoes that so many parents have made their children become.Its very sad, and I get extremely upset when I see children overweight with their overweight parents.
My daughter is 15 months old, and she already runs around with me at the park when Im training. Today she blew me away, when she started dragging my 14 lb sledgehammer around that I use to beat the hell out of Mr. Michelin!
My goal is to instill the same things in my daughter, that you are with your son.
Just want to say good on you, and keep spreading that positivity to your kids and the world!