My back was going into spasms on the craziest things: doing dishes, warm ups with DB side raises, bent over row with a light barbell. It felt like a shot of lightning was hitting me in the back. I spoke to some "experts" and they all insisted I was having disc issues. I got tired of hearing how the world was going to end with my "bad back" and decided to go back to something I did in 1996 after my first knee surgery. What is that very thing? Listening to my OWN body & figuring it out on … [Read more...]
Old Training Methods for New Results
At age 44, I am still learning and evolving with my training. 31 years into training and unlike many lifters and coaches, I am not moving forward with a closed mind. Listen, if you want to get better, you need an open mind. You need to have the hunger and desire to keep learning and keep improving. A closed mind helps no one. I've been adding a few new things for me but they are not new in the realm of training methods. Some of these training methods that I have started implementing with … [Read more...]
Shoulder Health, Deadlifts & 1989 YMCA Weight Room Stories
I remember as a kid reading Arnold's bodybuilding books and his Encyclopedia mentioned how he uses Deadlifts. He said to do "a few sets of a few reps". I took that as keeping it fast & furious, never killing the Deadlift or it will kill you. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and done. 3 x 3. 2 x 2. Any of the simple combos above seem to work very well. I recall when I Deadlifted 545 I never went heavier than 405 in training. Of course, I squatted heavy, did various rowing exercises, weighted … [Read more...]
Max Effort Training Tips for Athletes & Sports Performance
Athletes need to be strong, there is NO question about it. With all the fads and gimmicks, some athletes think they need a program of all speed or all agility, and they believe they are “strong enough”. This is not the case. Heavy lifting and struggling take guts. It is HARD. It requires a strong mindset and being ready to fight and never give up. Speed work does NOT require this ‘never say quit’ attitude. Don’t fool yourself, you are NOT strong enough. It's NEVER a case of JUST speed … [Read more...]
STRONG Life Ep 217 | Success vs Comfort in the Gym AND in Life
I was 15, maybe 16 years old..... It was 1991 and I was training with Jeff, a guy in his mid 20s. He knew I was a wrestler and back then, all we knew was bodybuilding. No Strongman training. No Strength & Conditioning, just train hard, not necessarily correctly. So there we were, on the good ol' leg press. We had already squatted that. I had a habit of always training to failure and beyond. Forced reps always. Of course, looking back, this was unhealthy for the joints and … [Read more...]
STRONG Life Podcast Ep. 210 | QnA: Deadlifts, Group Training, Defining Success & Much More!
Here we GO! STRONG Life Ep. 210 is a power packed QnA from the private facebook group for Underground Strength Coaches. In this episode I answer questions on: - The Deadlift: Hook Grip vs Conventional Grip - Group Training Organizational Tips when Training High School Athletes - A List of Ab / Core / Trunk Exercises we do for Athletes at The Underground Strength Gym - How we program for Mobility During Training Sessions at The Underground Strength Gym - How I find interns … [Read more...]
STRONG Life BONUS: Zach Goes on The Garage Gym Coach Podcast
In this Bonus episode of The STRONG Life Podcast, I am interviewed on The Garage Gym Coach Podcast. We crushed some great questions for you and covered the following topics: … [Read more...]
Should You NOT Squat, Bench & Deadlift?
I was chatting with a friend over the weekend over dinner and I train his son for the past 2 years. He told me how another Dad was worried about training at The Underground Strength Gym because his son was 14 and he was afraid he would squat, deadlift, bench, etc. First off - These 3 exercises are NOT bad. Context matters here. Let me explain why...... … [Read more...]
5 X 5 Training + Bodyweight Bodybuilding Tips
Yesterday on my IG I shared the above cover and tips on how to use 5 X 5 along with Bodyweight Bodybuilding. Then yesterday afternoon I came across the news that Franco had passed away. It was heartbreaking for me. It hit home for me as Franco and Arnold were heroes to me as a kid. Seeing your hero passing away is crushing. You begin to realize that YOUR time on this earth is also limited. As a kid, I devoured Arnold's Encyclopedia and his Education of a Bodybuilder. Doing so made me … [Read more...]
203 | Marty Gallagher on Minimalist Strength Training
Photo Credit: Marty Gallagher's Purposeful Primitive Book STRONG Life Podcast ep.203. I LOVE talking training and life with Marty Gallagher. We speak often and we do it the "old school" way, via phone! Imagine that! In this episode Marty and I discuss the following topics: - Training 1 x week and getting stronger on a consistent basis. - How to adjust volume and intensity in your training for longevity and results. - Sprint Training and lessons learned from Charlie Francis. - … [Read more...]
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