[youtube width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHU840euwqQ[/youtube]
The footage above was shot during the "We're Almost done training.... maybe.... if you work hard enough..." portion of training The Blair Academy Wrestling Team, the top high school wrestling team in the country. These lessons were pushed after I saw certain times during the workout where opportunity was NOT taken.
So, I asked these wrestlers and a few basketball players ONE question to check if they're TRULY working hard enough to achieve their maximum potential...
At the end of the day, ask yourself this question and answer it honestly.....
"Have I done my absolute best today?"
It's a brutally simple question, but just like training, there is NO need for the complications.
It ALL starts with being honest with yourself first and foremost.... forget about everyone else.
If you find that you doubt yourself during OR after times of action, you're NOT working to the best of your ability. Only YOU know the truth, so don't be a pretender.
Remember, Living The Code doesn't mean we're going to be perfect. It does mean that we will hold ourselves to a higher standard, every day, gunning to be at least 1% better than you were the day before.
The first code is Honesty - Be honest with yourself first and foremost. Once you do that you can be honest with everyone else. This is when you can begin achieving REAL strength. This type of strength starts within. As I've always said, it's You vs YOU. Let everyone else follow, copy & compare to everyone else.
Once you begin pushing yourself to YOUR best, you'll be MILES ahead of the competition without even thinking about them, you'll be too busy making yourself stronger day in and day out.
Drop a comment with your thoughts & questions. I always look forward to connecting with you and hearing your thoughts, answering your questions..... If you feel others can benefit from this blog post, please take 2 seconds and share it with your friends. MUCH respect.
Live The Code
--Z--
Click HERE For The Training Program That We Use To Develop Brute Strength, Athleticism & Mental Toughness
17 Responses
Awesome post, you and Elliott have been firing me up BIG TIME lately. I will definitely be posting that question on my mirror.
Quick question: what book/ audio tape would you say has had the biggest impact on you?
Marcus – hey, bro, GREAT question bro. As of late, the various Navy SEALs audio books have been firing me up BIG time, teaching me that there is SO MUCH MORE we are truly capable of.
LOOOONG ago, I was 22, maybe 23, I would read 2 pages minimum every night, just 5 minutes, of Tony Robbins’ Awaken The Giant Within. It was a powerful book and that was a solid 14 or 15 years ago.
Today, I am open minded and my brain finds a way to soak up tips from ANYTHING I listen to or read.
I did a video a few weeks ago on ‘Why You Must Read’ – I would check it out, brutha!!!
Hey Zach,
This blog has me fired up to get even more out of my athletes. I’m working on getting my basketball players ready for the upcoming season, both mentally and physically. Your blog posts continue to remind me that training isn’t only about becoming physicall stronger. You inspire me to, as a coach, get the most out of my guys. Thanks for the awesome video too!
Mike
Mike, right on, brutha, much respect to you as a Coach to actively seek out this information AND more importantly, put it to use. I respect that BIG time and it’s my pleasure to do what I do, my mission is helping Coaches like YOU who “get it!”
Zach,
got the USC videos this afternoon and just watched your intro. Man, I know your story from the other products I already purchased but this intro fired me up big time. It’s so much better to see you talk than just hearing you. Quality is also much, much better!
Some hilarious lines in there – love it.
147$ is a helluva lot of money for me right now. But I know this will pay back big time for me in the future. Not so much in money terms but in terms of attitude, ideas and commitment. Can’t wait to hear from QD, Matt, Hulse and all the others. Since the beginning of this summer I’m on a mission and this will be another brick in the fundament of my coming empire. 😉
Cheers
Sven! YES!!!! I saw that you picked it up and bro, this conference info will stay with you for a LIFE TIME.
Wait till you hear ALL the other speakers, each one of them will make you think deeper, realize more and give you strategies towards achieving your goals!!!
I am psyched 4 U!
Hey Zach!
I love the way you are. You really inspire me. I can feel how passionate you are about what you do, and that you really wanna help us give the best we have. Thank you for everything.
I have a question for you. I injured my knee one week ago training rugby. So know training rugby, doing full body and lower body lifts, hill sprints and playing on saturday game is out of the question for many weeks… What should i focus on now? I know this a great opportunity for focusing on rings exercises, which i love. I’m using HFT and doing lots of static holds and crazy ring bodyweight exercises. Do you think i should keep training my non-injured leg with single leg exercises, or doing this for weeks will create too much imbalance? Paul Coach Wade says to train everything you are able to while being injured. What’s your opinion?
Thank you Zach, i would love to meet you one day, Peace!
Gabri, yes, follow HFT!
Also, see if you can do ANY lower body lifts, for low reps, like a LIGHT deadlift
STRONG hamstrings are KEY towards keeping those knees strong and stable
Pain is an indicator to STOP ANY lower body drill
If light sled drags are doable, do them
You want to work around the injured area and then eventually WORK the area and re-build it stronger
Keep me posted, 4 sure!
Hey Zach!!
Thank you for replying! I’ll try if i can do some bodyweight single leg deadlift without pain on my bad leg. I know i can’t squat with my bad leg, should do single leg squats on the good one??
I’m actually not following hft program, but following one of the targeted plans in the book (deltoids) and doing a lot of rings work, based on Building The Gimnastic Body. It’s like soul lifting, but lifting myself!! Man, i love to train hard!!
Thank you again for everything!
Zach,
you said it, man. It’s you vs. YOU! I once used to compare myself to others, then i established my own goals.
I am still attacking my keg. Adding weight, little by little–week by week. I been filling it up with sand and its roughly 30lbs from being full at 260lbs. I can currently shoulder it for 10 singles, can carry it for 200 feet and knock out 25 deadlifts with it. Every time i know I am going to lift my keg again, it’s a mental battle. It’s me having to overcome ME before I can dominate the keg.
It’s just like bending steel. I acknowledge the fact I am superior to the steel. Steel is just steel. We have the force to bend it.
Also, another quick comment. I remember reading one of ur blog posts back abou being 20x the man we can be. One of the things I like to do is one hard set to really push it. Most people thinks its dogshit, but I ensure you its not. I have a pair of 50lb dumbbells. At the time, I benched 1 set of 70 reps. Then proceeded to row the dumbbell for 125 reps in one set (did 125 per arm). Then I thought of YOUR blog post—being 20x the man I can be. I went for it, talking to myself in my head, “how bad do you want it…” I ended up doing a superset.
DB BP :1×70, 40, 35, 40. (First set now at 84)
Rows: 1×125,50, 50, 50. (first set now at 135)
There and then I realized—I could have been doing so much more! Now I been pushing myself harder and harder. Real strength.
P.S. And don’t worry, you’ll get your video.
Dustin!!!! ha ha
was JUST gonna tell , I wanna see VIDEO! ha ha
Bro, I agree, that one, all out set is the mental test, one that builds tru character and grit, not one we would find in the exercise sci. books!
I LOVE how U think, bro, LOVE it!!
As Wendler once said to me, “we’re cut from the same steel, brother”
TRUTH!
I know, tell me about it!
Ahh, that quote’s badass man.
Are you kidding me, I love this site. I would’ve never sent my Man of Steel story if I didn’t think we were cut from the same steel, man.
Only on this site do I see real men attacking the weights, bringing the intensity to the table as they should (The Blair Wrestlers), and having a deep passion for the olden days where REAL strength meant something. I’m proud to be associated with the Underground.
As a matter of fact, my bro-in-law and I are HOPING to open up our own old-school gym within a couple years. it would be a dream job! I can totally understand where your passion comes from.
Keep rockin’ it! And yes, we are shooting Saturday!
Holy shiz, Dustin
Those are some impressive numbers. Respect. How heavy are you right now?
Cheers
Sven,
Thanks, bud! And nice job on rockin’ out that Murph in the AM (before your coffee!) I love the energy you are putting out, dude!
Ahh, I’m currently 5’11, 24years old, 190-195lbs with about maybe 20lbs of stubborn blubber. 🙂 I used to be over 300lbs, man. Still workin’ on getting the physique, but I sure as hell ain’t going to sacrifice my strength anymore.
As for the numbers, I am going to back them up in the Vid. My bro-in-law is going to throw down some mighty big numbers as well. It should be a hell of a Saturday.
Dustin,
thx for your kind words, bro. As my background is more boxing I don’t have problems with BW endurance exercises. Although whole MURPH will always be a whole differnt ball game. Especially with a ruck on.
Respect in every way – getting down from 300lbs is a feat in itself. Just always watch your technique – no form no lift. No problem in your early years and with low numbers. But with high numbers as are yours form is essential.
Keep on rokin’
Cheers
I’ve been lurking here for some time, but I can honestly say that I would have had a difficult time achieving my goals in the last three months without the daily emails and periodic blog posts to kick me in the ass. There’s still a very long way to go, but I am grateful for the support and inspiration every day. Thank you, sir.
JW – My pleasure, brutha!!!
Set SMALL goals bro, be happy with each small victory and that will take U to the BIG goals my man.
If U ONLY focus on the BIG, End result, U often get unhappy with urself as your not EXACTLY where U wanna be, and in turn, U get disappointed b/c you’re NOT at the ultimate goal, when U SHOULD be patting urself on the back for achieving each small goal!
Keep us posted, brutha!
MUCH respect!