Magazine above from 1957, I'd say that Dude is pretty STRONG. What do you think he did in training? I am sure he didn't have many options in the 50s. A barbell, maybe a few dumbbells? Calisthenics and running, swimming and overall hard training and healthy, strong eating. I did some research and "Tarzan" Jacobs was a Mr. Universe runner up and was also a pro wrestler in the 60s and 70s. They described Jacobs as "enormously strong". … [Read more...]
What You Learn & What You Watch Matters More Than You Know
The photo above is from the no longer open, Gladiator Gym. This gym was housed in "Alphabet City" in The East Village of NYC. Pro Bodybuilders used to train there. Hard charging weightlifters trained there. The unspoken rule was simple: Train Your Ass Off. Intensity Rules. This was the story in MANY local gyms back when I was a teen and in my early 20s. So when I was a teen and in my early 20s, the way I learned was by getting under the bar. I would sometimes have organized training partners, … [Read more...]
STRONG Life 39: I Ain’t Got Time To Be WEAK!
Who's got the time to be weak? Only those who don't care for LIFE. Waiting for tomorrow? Waiting for your gym membership to start? Waiting to get your next pay check? It's MUCH simpler than the "Gurus" want to admit. It CAN be done in a garage or basement using some old, beat up free weights. The journey to becoming STRONGER starts NOW. Pay attention and I will explain: … [Read more...]
Natural Athletes VS Steroid Users
It's important I get this concept of the "Warrior Mindset" for you. That's the BIGGER part of training I want you to come across. Can you become an ass kicker the natural way? Thoughts on steroids as a short cut vs using them to push your potential to a higher level while still working your ass off? … [Read more...]
Diamond Gym, 5 AM Workouts & NEVER Fading
Yesterday I took a trip to my old stomping grounds, Diamond Gym. I spent my late teens through my mid 20s commuting to Diamond Gym. I will never forget that place and the intensity that oozed out of that gym. I've learned some simple yet powerful lessons since my late teens and my experiences from Diamond Gym, life, wrestling and The Underground Strength Gym. In this video I share the following 7 lessons: - Why motivated people always get shit done EARLY while everyone else sleeps - How John … [Read more...]
The 6 Most Effective Strength & Muscle Building Methods
I've been doing a LOT of thinking about the various ways I have trained since starting back in 1989, well over 20 years of experience. I thought about the methods that wasted my time and didn't produce anything but all show and NO go muscles. Those days bother me BIG time because they have scarred me for a lifetime and unfortunately didn't help my success in athletics. I also thought about my days of squatting 455 lbs for reps. My days of breaking away from what the other guys in the gym were … [Read more...]
Breaking The Rules Of Traditional Strength Training & Muscle Building
I came up learning from the Golden Era Greats of Bodybuilding and the late, great John Kemper, the owner of Diamond Gym. These men were strong, jacked and ripped. They lifted heavy and often did supersets, even with the big compound movements. Even if they trained on machines, you would see guys loading up the machines and then rigging up the machine to add more 45s to the stack of weights. When I followed their routines of aggressive and heavy training using mostly free weights, my … [Read more...]
Top 5 Benefits Of Minimalist Style Workouts
"Simplicity Is The Key To Brilliance" - Bruce Lee I was driving up to Diamond Gym on a cold winter night. It was just past 5 PM and I was sitting in a boat load of traffic, literally, moving nowhere. I was stressed out of my mind, up to my ears in work for Grad School, teaching, coaching wrestling and trying to manage it all. It was the FIRST time in my life I was truly finding it difficult to find the time to train.... … [Read more...]
The MOST Important Thing To Do In The Gym
The three of us were driving up The Garden State Parkway heading Northbound. It was a cold, dreary winter day in NJ. It was early 1995 and winter was in full swing. I was driving, as always, since my training partners had no money OR no car, typical of aspiring pro bodybuilders, yes? My 2 training partners sat quietly in my Mazda 626. I had a special sound system installed specifically to get me amped up for the gym. In fact, everything in my life revolved around the gym. How … [Read more...]
The TRUTH About Heavy Lifting & Building Muscle
I was scared to go to this one gym. I felt I had to earn my way into training there. I wanted to be at least somewhat respected when I got there. The bodybuilders from that gym were winning all the major bodybuilding shows not just on a state level but also nationally. When I finally made the trek to this gym, the proof was not just what happened on the bodybuilding stage, but in how they ALL trained. They ALL lifted heavy. I saw countless bodybuilders incline bench 315 lbs for 6 - 8 reps. … [Read more...]