Some say they have secrets for packing on freakish amounts of ripped muscle and insane amounts of strength. The internet is famous for click bait, louring you into something that sounds profound, but in a nut shell is a gimmick.
Continue reading if you want the truth. Be warned though, the truth comes hand in hand with WORK!
Freak Strength, Brute Strength, Functional Strength & Rugged Muscle - if you want ALL of these traits, then you better Squat and Deadlift.
You better fall in love with the Barbell basics:
- Cleans
- Military Presses
- Rows
- Shrugs
- Close Grip Bench
- Bench Press / Incline Bench
- Cheat Curls
- Squats
- Deadlifts
I've been using these terms since I came across Arnold's Encyclopedia in the late 80s. These words / phrases came about with my countless studies of the books and training courses that came from the early 1900s dating through the 70s, The Golden Era of Bodybuilding.
I would see their photos in the magazines and all these men looked as if they were carved from stone, built like brick shit houses.
The bottom line is this: NO excuses, aggressive training, consistently focused on the basics gets the job done every time, without fail.
When people ask me what training program of mine to follow, or they tell me they aren't getting strong, I KNOW they never used the FREE Gift I hook them up with when subscribing to our e mails, FREAK Strength.
You see, before you invest in buying a product, invest in yourself and prove that YOU will do the Work for something that is given to you for FREE.
Let me further explain....
Years ago I took a scary trip behind the walls of one of the most feared prisons in the country, East Jersey State Prison aka Rahway State Prison.
I knew someone who knew someone and they got me behind closed doors to speak with the biggest, strongest, most well trained physical specimens that were walking the floors of this NJ Prison.
This prison is the same prison where Sly Stallone filmed the hit movie, Lock Up.
The guys I chatted with me told me how Stallone was very generous to all the inmates, he even bought a 400 meter track for the prison so the guys could run on softer surfaces as opposed to the hard ground, especially during the winter.
When I spoke with the Lifers, the guys who were also members of the former Boxing Team, they weren't into lifting heavy but they still squatted.
They told me you can squat with a partner sitting on your shoulders, something they did EVERY day for 50 - 100 reps non stop.
The big guys who were into lifting heavy would perform back squats and front squats, traditional deadlifts and RDLs.
The bodyweight squats and barbells don't need to end there. You can deadlift BIG freaking stones or the back end of that old school Volkswagen that's been sitting in your driveway for years.
You can use a sandbag or you can use a water filled keg for the basic exercises like carries, presses, squats and shouldering.
It doesn't matter what you use for a training tool, it's more so HOW you do it....
What does matter is that squats and deadlifts, since the beginning of man kind, have been known to pack on muscle and strength unlike any other exercise out there.
I've heard many arguments against the trap bar deadlift yet when I teach this exercise at The Underground Strength Coach Cert I see how it exposes MANY weaknesses.
The deadlift has many little nuances and details that MUST be implemented during each and every rep to perform the movement safely AND effectively.
You can rotate various training tools in and out of your cycle of squats and deadlifts to avoid overuse injuries. But, if you're an intermediate or simply a beginner in lifting, you don't need variety. You need consistency to dial in the basic deadlift and basic back squat.
I have been experimenting with various tools lately for squats and deadlifts and have been experiencing amazing results with this set up.
Check out the footage below of some deadlifts with a trap bar while barefoot and my buddy, Tyler English, a Natural Bodybuilder, squatting 315 for solid reps at The Underground Strength Gym.
Anytime somebody sends me an e mail and asks me why they struggle to build muscle and become strong as hell, they are often missing some critical components.
1) They don't push for increases in strength. They move around baby weights and confuse themselves with the fact that high reps are great for building muscle only when the weight is appreciable. If it's 100 lbs and you're gonna do a set of 20 rep squats with it, think again. Build up to squatting heavy weights for 3 - 6 reps FIRST.
2) They don't squat or deadlift. They avoid Squats & Deads and put their effort into isolation work with leg curls, leg extensions and machine exercises such as smith machine squats. NO good. Get away from machines and move your body as well as moving big weights with free weights.
The book Purposeful Primitive by Marty Gallagher REALLY hits home this message.
3) Their quality of food is poor at best. You need to consume lots of quality food. If you're a vegetarian it's a good idea to supplement with extra protein. If not, you need to consume fruits and veggies with most of your meals, preferably, every meal. NEVER skip breakfast, lunch or dinner and sneak in 2 or 3 small meals or snacks in between the Main 3 meals.
I recommend breaking down your day of eating for gaining size like this:
Breakfast
Lunch
3 PM Afternoon Meal
Dinner
Late Night Meal
That equates to 5 meals a day. 1 of those meals can be a protein shake which I mix with water, a spoon of almond butter and a banana. You can make a protein shake with any extras you want. The hard gainer will add dried oats and honey and make it an "old school weight gain" shake.
If you're an intermediate or advanced, follow my online training programs HERE.
If you're looking for my most intensive 1 on 1 training, my VIP Coaching option is HERE.
No matter what direction you take, there is NO avoiding the work, the basics and the consistency.
Not just a few weeks or even a few months. I am talking about years upon YEARS of work!
Live The Code 365,
Z
Online VIP Training With Zach
27 Responses
Mr. Even-Esh
I’m an Army Contractor working in Balad, Iraq(Civilian). I’ve been following Joe Defranco and yourself for quite sometime. I absolutely fuckin love the way you two train athletes. I love it so much that I want to create my own gym like yours and his in Colorado Springs, CO. I’m going nuts because I want to train like you! Not only that, I want to create my own powerlifting gym and create an environment for athletes to train. I don’t have a degree in any-fucking-thing. I just know how to lift. I want to get bigger, stronger, faster, and look like an athlete with the strength of an Oxen as well as showing kids how to train properly. I see way too many soldiers and civilians out here doing a bunch of non-effective bullshit that it drives me insane! Now, here’s my question: Can I still use your way to train athletes, and Joe DeFranco’s way of training athletes without having a CSCS or being a certified Personal Trainer? I plan on opening up my own gym and purchasing $20k of equipment from EFS as well.
I can’t make it to your seminars. So I’m trying to soak up as much information that you offer, and Joe DeFranco offer, to build and create my own gym for powerlifters and athletes. Where do I begin.
Thanks,
Cisco
Army Contractor
Balad, Iraq
Cisco, scroll down, brutha, you will see my response! I hope you have made your dreams happen!
Did you get my email Zach?
Zach, Another reason of not gaining is training to much to often and not giving yourself a chance to recover.I have made more gains at the age of 62 than when I did when I was 32. I believe that by mixing it up and keeping the body off balance is the key. I also give myself more time to recover and for heavens sake eat good wholesome food. Keep up the good work my man and spread your knowledge far and wide.
right on about the dead lifts Zach!
I recently hit a gym on vacation and they had a trap bar. Not having one at home I decided to play with this new toy for some dead lifts and farmers walks.
Everyone on the machines and doing concentrated Db curls was looking at me like I was crazy. Maybe it’s because I was the only ripped guy in the gym. Not to sound self centered but the only other guy with some decent strength and muscle there was a 60 year old. He asked if he could work in with me and together we killed it while everyone else just turned up their I-pods and did another set of leg extensions. Man that was a fun afternoon!
Yep! You have to lift big weights to grow muscle. It seems most people don’t have the work ethic or midset to take themselves through a workout that builds serious muscle. It’s to hard for them and they don’t like to feel uncomfortable. Nothing good ever came easy. Take this approach when lifting.
hey Zach ive been getting ur newsletter for atleast a year now and i love it and this one is great i get asked alot by people how i got so strong and fast and all that but when i tell them they sit there and look at me and tell me im crazy and that stuffs not good for u and stupid shit like that people need to get some balls and deadlift squat deep and heavy and sprint like your gettin chased by a mean ass dog
thanks charlie
Great post Z-man!
Good to see you’re killin’ the deads…I only wish the gym I trained out of had a trap bar. But as you know…I will have my own place soon!
Good to see Tyler kickin’ it with those squats in his chucks!
Question: You say to not overuse these exercises. So if i’m back squatting for a few weeks and then switch it up to zerchers…is that cool? Or do you mean to suggest drastic changes and going to sandbag squats (for example)?
Peace.
Matt
Hello again coach!
I am starting jiu jitsu now, and I am planning to do a 3 days/week full body split with heavy back squats on mondays and light front squats on fridays.
The question is this, how do you suggest I should train these movements?
* Work up to 3-5 rep max?
* Work up to two sets of 3-5 rep max?
* Simple as 5×5, 4×3, 6×2 etc.
* 25 reps total with a specific weight and then increase each week?
My back squat 1rm is 145kg and bw 85kg and age 19 years old.
Thanks
Hey Zach, good post today…I always think deadlifts and squats are the best tools I have for getting strong, to the point I probably neglect my upper body a bit. But question for you: when you say don’t overuse these exercises, are you referring to doing them the same way with same equipment (ie. barbells), or rather just doing them too frequently or too long? I’m 49, so I think about things like a possible need for longer recovery times, but I still do at least one of these exercises almost every day. Yeah, my low back is usually a little sore, but I kind of expect that. I usually get to about 10-12 reps with 245 on deads and feel good about it. Putting on some muscle, but not exactly “slabs”. Maybe I should back off on days, and lower reps/increase weight. I eat really well though. What do you think? JJ.
Hey Z very true on the facts!
speacially the nutrition, cant make lots of gains if your not being clean with your food
Heavy squats and Deads are a must to get freakishly strong!
i actually did these 2 monsters today and some heavy lunges
it was a brutal workout! very fun also! haha
got a question, what exercises do you do for a warm up?
keep it up Beast!
Peace
-Luis-
thanks zach ,now we can enjoy ur ideas from the quick videos.in minimum time
Hey Guys dorry 4 the delay in responses!!! NO internet for 3 days and I’ve been on amily vaca!!!
Back 2 some action here bruddahs!
E mails will be answered when I return!
i’m honored 4 ur comments guys, TOTALLY HUMBLING!
Thank YOU!
–z–
Cisco – hey bro, you do NOT need a personal trainer certificaiton, U DO NEED excellent knowledge and information and what many don’t say, people skills!!
You of course, need biz skills – no matter how much knowledge U have, U need 2 be able to run a biz with systems
If you cna not make it to our mentorship programs or certifications, U wanna get your hand son Lost Secrets of Strength Seminar where we address business and training extensively
==> https://zacheven-esh.com/LostSecrets.php
keep me posted on ur success bruddah!
–z–
Rick
way backed up on e mails
can U e mail again this wednesday with **Urgent** in the headline?
–z–
Bill – wow, awesome news bruddah!!! Yep, when U start listening 2 ur body, rather than doing what every1 else tells U do, U tweak your knowledge to your own needs, I often train 2 – 3 days with basic moves in powerlifting and bodybuilding, then 2 lighter days w/kettlebells and bodyweight
it works!
–z–
Matt, damn, a trap bar on vacation!?!?!?
is that heaven?? ha ha
very kick ass bruddah!
–z–
Joe, no doubt, 1 thing peeps got confused with was the fact that they heard high reps build muscle
Be 4 we can rock high rep training, we gotta get strong as hell, so when we do high reps it is with some serious weight.
Strength FIRST..Period!
–z–
Charlie, LOVE the props U hook me up with
And yea bruddah, sprints rule!!!!
–z–
Matt I have learned the most crticical thing is NOT 2 overuse movements that load the spine – back squats and straight bar deads seem 2 bust me up, BUT, might be different 4 u
this is why I focus so greatly on recovery now, soft tissue work and mobility
I might roll like this for the lower body move:
back squat, trap dl, zercher squat, straight DL, sandbag or double KB squat
so this why I dont keep hammering the lower back
it works great 4 me but like I said bruddah, do what U feel!
—z—
Antwon
hey bruddah, on deadlifts with a straight bar I do lower reps, usually 2 – 5 per set, submax efforts
on squats i tend to go in the 3 – 8 range
kettlebell squats and sandbags I tend 2 rock them in the 8 – 20 range
sets?? 2 quality sets works for me bruddah, but, I am weary not to overdo this, just enough and get it done!
James
don’t deadlift and squat like crazy, maybe alternate them ea week and on the 4th week NEITHER
hit the upper body hard
eat big!
get rest days and remember, training IS eating also
lower the reps on the deads!
Luis
I have my full blown warm up on http://undergroundstrengthcoach.com
in a nut shell, we crank calisthenics, some band work, soft tissue work, movement prep
it can take somewhere in the 7 – 10min range
do NOT rush ur warm up bruddah!
Will do Zach.
Right on the mark! Deads and squats are staples at my gym because they produce results!
Is the same guy u was talking about that only does 7 reps? And higher reps on Friday? I found the other article on tnation
Who knows! Some of these stories are 20 – 30 (or more) years old! Hard to remember ALL the details!