I've gotten lucky this Summer......

You see, the past year has been a struggle with regards to training. My commute to work would be a minimum of 1 hour each way, sometimes 1.5 hours if it was raining because people forget how to drive in the rain.

I'd get home and then hit the road again for my kids' sports or I'd drive straight to The Underground for some coaching. At the end of a 14 hour day my energy levels were drained. That being said, I organized a minimalist style training program 2 x week.

Instead of making excuses I found a way to make things happen. For me, I need 3 x week training more for the psychological benefit than the physical.

I have gotten stronger via 2 x week training but Iron Therapy is needed every other day for me.

So here's what I did to find a way to train under my hectic schedule:

Some of the nights that I would take my daughter to her sports I would search for a local gym and go there.Some gyms were good or at least started off good. Other places were horrific with what I would describe as a "strange place".

I just don't fit into this world of common folk and common training. "Hardcore Gyms" don't exist much nowadays usually because the owner doesn't understand how to run a business. So, unfortunately, the members take advantage of the owner and the gym runs itself to the ground.

I've the same "problems" since I started training at "real" gyms in the early 90s, where I questioned how these gyms could survive.

- Horrible Music, mostly the radio and commercials playing every 5 minutes. A REAL gym needs great music that plays no commercials. Play the music loud enough so we can't hear what the gossip chit chat that Jimmy and Bobby are bragging about as you prepare to Squat a 5 rep PR.

- "Personal Trainers" performing circus tricks with clients right next to you while you Squat heavy. Have you ever tried squatting a PR while a "personal trainer" plays dodge ball with his "youth athlete" inside a crammed leg room? You need some serious laser focus while that is happening, let me tell you!

I am older and wiser now compared to my teen years, so I find a way to make it happen no matter how crappy the gym or crappy the music. You just block it all out and get more pissed off.

A BIG reason I thrive under the sh--ty conditions is because I recall some college athletes who would BREAK if .....

• Rap music wasn't playing.
• They didn't like this exercise or that exercise.
• If you gave them feedback about technique.
• Their new, favorite song was needed for their heavy sets of squats, cleans, dead, etc.

I did NOT want to be so mentally weak. I learned to thrive no matter where I trained, regardless of the circumstances.

And so it was a reminder, to NOT care about the horrible music, the crazy people and anything else that might be viewed as a negative, I viewed everything as an opportunity to fire me up.

As I always say, There is Nothing perfect or optimal in competition so stop trying to follow or create the perfect training program.

And of course, if you're in any branch of the Military or LEO / First Responder, Nothing goes according to plan thanks to Murphy's Law. That being said, stop waiting for perfection and start training.

I explain in this Video as I sneak under a Hatfield bar and find a way to Squat.

I made the squats harder by getting in my typical warm ups, supersets and circuits to get the blood pumping & the sweat going:

1A) Leg Extension 2 x 20

1B) TKEs 2 x 20

1C) Standing Leg Curl 2 x 20

2A) Leg Press x 25, 20, 15, 10 (Heavier Each Set)

2B) Couch Stretch

2C) Leg Swings

After the above warm up, I then began Squats with the Safety Bar aka Hatfield Bar. The rack was making it tough to get under the bar. The position of the rack was a bit low or a bit high, so I had to sneak the bar back carefully.

It was ALL a challenge and a benefit towards getting stronger both mentally and physically.

So next time you're training and the equipment is not what you're used to, the music is horrific or the trainer is playing dodge ball while you try to Squat a PR, don't let anything hold you back.

Ultimately, the only person holding you back is yourself.

Men have been getting strong in garage and basement type gyms for decades and decades.

Your excuses is invalid!

Live The Code 365,

Z

The Underground Strength Manuals

Details HERE